The Butler Page #10

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GLORIA:

This is what’s wrong with me. You

know what? This is wrong.

HOWARD:

You used to like wrong.

GLORIA:

This is wrong.

HOWARD:

We aint been wrong yet.

GLORIA:

I can’t do this to Cecil.

HOWARD:

We aint doing this to Cecil. I’m

doing it to you.

GLORIA:

I want you out of my house.

HOWARD:

Why do you think God brought us

next to each other each day?

GLORIA:

God aint got nothing to do with

this.

HOWARD:

He put you right next door to me.

You always talk about how lonely

you are with Cecil being at the

White House, so you need a man who

can appreciate the love and the

woman you are like I do.

GLORIA:

I want your number running ass up

out of my house, off my sofa right

now. I’m through! I told you!

HOWARD:

Let me make a demonstration for

you.

He lifts up two wire clothes hangers and starts TWIRLING them

in a pattern.

HOWARD (CONT’D)

This is you, and this is me. And we

seem like I don’t fit at all.

57.

(MORE)

We just crash into each other. But

when you align things properly,

like God putting you next door to

me, everything kinda works out. And

even if you slow down, I got you.

GLORIA:

You need to get your yellow ass up

out of my house.

HOWARD:

We need each other.

GLORIA:

What I need is my husband. And not

to be laying up here in the gutter

with you.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - MASTER BEDROOM - DAY - 1963

Jack Kennedy lies on the ground after taking his pills.

JACK:

On an average, how many pills do

you think I take a day, Cecil?

CECIL:

About 103, sir.

Jack laughs.

JACK:

Help me up.

Cecil helps Jack up. Jack clutches his back in pain. Cecil

grimaces, feeling Jack’s pain. Jack doesn’t let go of his

hand as he stares him in the eye.

JACK (CONT’D)

I know your son is a Freedom Rider.

Cecil looks stunned (and embarrassed).

JACK (CONT’D)

He’s in prison right now in

Birmingham with Martin Luther King.

CECIL:

Do you know how he is, sir?

58.

HOWARD (CONT’D)

JACK:

I’m guessing he’s beat up, but

based on his record, he must be

used to it. Cecil, he’s been

arrested 16 times over the past two

years.

Stunned, Cecil is at a loss for words.

JACK (CONT’D)

You know, I never understood what

you all really went through until I

saw that...

His voice trails off, this is hard for him to say.

JACK (CONT’D)

My brother says these kids have

changed his heart... they’ve

changed mine too.

This is the most emotional Cecil’s ever seen the President.

INT. OVAL OFFICE - DAY

Jack gives a speech directly into a TV camera.

JACK:

The fires of discord are burning in

every city north and south, where

legal remedies are not at hand.

INT. PRISON CELL - BIRMINGHAM - NIGHT - 1963

Louis is in a prison cell reading the speech in a newspaper.

His work is starting to pay off.

JACK V.O.

Regress is sought in the streets,

with demonstrations, parades, and

protests.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY

The staff watches the speech on a TV.

59.

JACK V.O.

I am therefor asking the Congress

to enact legislation giving all

Americans the right to be served in

facilities which are open to the

public.

INT. GAINES HOUSE - DAY

Gloria and Cecil watches the speech on a TV.

JACK V.O.

Hotels, restaurants, theaters,

retail stores and similar

establishments. This seems to me to

be an elementary right.

INT. OVAL OFFICE - DAY

Jack continues the speech into camera.

JACK:

This denial is an arbitrary

indignity that no American in 1963

should have to endure, but many do.

A great change is at hand.

INT. GAINES HOUSE - DAY

Cecil and Gloria continue to watch the speech.

CECIL:

And our task, our obligation, is to

make that revolution, that change,

peaceful and unobstructed for all.

Then the TV CUTS TO - WALTER CRONKITE.

He takes off his glasses to make his famous announcement, but

we don’t hear what he says.

INT. WHITE HOUSE- BUTLER’S LOCKER ROOM- DAY - 1963

Cecil sits on the ground in despair, he’s clearly been

crying. Carter walks into the room, looks confused.

CARTER:

Hey... Hey Cecil. Cecil, what’s

wrong? Cecil. Cecil?

60.

CECIL:

They blew his head off.

CARTER:

Who are you talking about?

Cecil looks up at him, eyes filled with tears.

CECIL:

Kennedy.

Carter drops his tray as he runs out of the room.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - RED ROOM - NIGHT

Still in her blood stained skirt, Jackie wanders the room and

sits on a couch as she clutches one of her husband’s ties.

She is pale, still in shock.

CECIL V.O.

Mrs. Kennedy refused to change her

clothes so that everyone could see

what they did to her husband. The

last time I saw that much blood was

the day my daddy was killed.

Cecil gingerly walks over to her as she stares at a painting.

CECIL:

Please tell me how I could help

you.

Jackie gets up and leaves the room.

INT. GAINES HOUSE - LOUIS’ BEDROOM - NIGHT - 1963

Gloria is turning Louis’ bedroom into her sewing room.

Gloria’s eyes are clear and for the first time in a long time

she looks focused. Charlie (now 15) enters and helps.

CHARLIE:

Mom? Are you breaking your liquor

bottles in the house again? What

you doing?

GLORIA:

Here. I want you to take this box

and put it down in the basement.

Make sure you label it “trophies”.

61.

CHARLIE:

This is Louis’ stuff mom. You know

he’s gonna be pissed.

GLORIA:

I aint caring about Louis being

pissed. I’m the one who’s pissed.

He aint been here in three years.

CHARLIE:

Why you pissed mom?

Charlie leaves for the basement.

GLORIA:

And don’t put that next to my

jarred okra either.

CHARLIE:

Aint no body trying to smell that

stankin’ okra!

She stares at the fish in her aquarium by the bookshelf.

GLORIA:

And when you come back, I want you

to get me some fish food.

In his work tux, a very tired Cecil stands at the door. He’s

not been home in days. He holds up a green and white tie.

CECIL:

Look what the President-- Mrs.

Kennedy gave me. It belonged to the

President. Gloria, the President

was killed.

Gloria grabs a packed box and heads for the basement. Cecil

grabs her hand. The box falls to the floor.

GLORIA:

I’m really sorry about the

President. I really am. But you and

that White House can kiss my ass. I

care what goes on in this house.

Gloria walks away. Cecil sits on the bed looking at the tie.

Feeling guilty, Gloria returns and reaches out to him gently.

They begin to kiss.

62.

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