The Butler Page #15

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GLORIA:

(whispers)

He’s home and...

CECIL:

Who that?

GLORIA:

Call me back...

CECIL:

Oh it’s Louis. He’s asking for some

money?

Cecil grabs the phone from her.

CECIL (CONT’D)

(into phone)

Hey Louis. I wasn’t expecting to

hear from you on my birthday. You

should feel ashamed of yourself.

You’re a grown ass man and your

calling your mamma asking for

money. Well guess what it’s the

butler’s money. It’s Uncle Tom’s

money. And he ain’t giving none out

today. Bye.

He hangs up the phone, pissed. Gloria sits down, pained by

his cold words to Louis.

Then the doorbell RINGS. Cecil answers the door. Standing in

front of him are -

Two MILITARY OFFICERS. Their eyes are filled with pain and

grief. Cecil immediately knows Charlie is dead, but won’t

accept it.

CECIL (CONT’D)

You got the wrong house... It’s the

wrong house.

Cecil stares at them, then shuts the door.

CUT TO - LATER. Gloria and Cecil sit in silence, both of

their faces are filled with pure devastation. Finally, Gloria

starts to cry.

EXT. ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY - DAY - 1973

A six gun salute goes off as the American flag is folded over

Charlie’s coffin. A full military funeral is taking place.

89.

All of the butlers as well as the entire White House staff

are there; cooks, maids, housemen, everyone.

Cecil and Gloria stare at the coffin with shattered faces, no

tears, just devastation. As promised, Louis is a no show, an

empty chair rests next to Cecil.

CECIL V.O.

Vietnam took my boy. And I didn’t

understand why we were there in the

first place.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - OVAL OFFICE - DAY - 1974

Cecil stands above Nixon him with a martini on a silver tray,

he’s been there for a few moments, but Nixon is so lost in

pathos that he doesn’t notice him. He finally sees Cecil who

pours the drink for him.

NIXON:

Your father still alive, Cecil?

CECIL:

No, sir. My father died when I was

a child.

Cecil stares at him, there is an anger in his eyes, the first

time we’ve seen him edgy toward a President. Perhaps he

blames Nixon for Charlie’s death.

CECIL (CONT’D)

Is there anything else that you

would like, Mr. President?

NIXON:

Come sit. Sit down.

Cecil sits, his edginess still present.

NIXON (CONT’D)

There’s been a lot of talk of me

resigning, things of that nature,

but I just want you to know that

it’s never gonna happen. I’m gonna

come out of this thing stronger

than ever.

Cecil shows no emotion. Then -

CECIL:

Is there anything else that you

would like, Mr. President?

90.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - HALLWAY - DAY - 1974

As Cecil walks out of the room, Holloway passes by him.

HOLLOWAY:

Louis is here looking for you.

Cecil looks surprised.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - BUTLER’S KITCHENETTE - DAY - 1974

Cecil enters the locker room. Carter is in mid-conversation

with Louis. The TV plays a baseball game in the background.

We hear the announcer talk about Hank Aaron’s home run title.

LOUIS:

I finished school. I got my masters

in political science.

CARTER:

Hey! That’s what I’m talking about.

Get that education.

Carter and Louis stop when Cecil enters. Cecil places his tux

jacket with the dirty clothes. Cecil shakes his head and

waves him away.

CARTER (CONT’D)

There he is! Hey, well I’ma let you

all to it...

CECIL:

(to Carter)

Ain’t no need for that, Carter.

Carter stands awkwardly. Cecil continues on with his dirty

clothes. He couldn’t care less.

LOUIS:

(sincere)

Hey Dad.

CECIL:

Get out of here Louis.

LOUIS:

Dad?

CECIL:

I said leave.

Carter can’t believe Cecil. Louis heads for the door.

91.

CARTER:

Keep doing what you doing.

LOUIS:

Thank you.

Louis leaves.

CARTER:

(to Cecil)

Why you do that? Huh? That was

wrong. The boy’s hurtin’ too. You

know he’s just trying to get his

act together.

CECIL:

He should be hurting Carter. Boy

didn’t even go to his own brother’s

funeral. He’s full of sh*t is what

he is. He aint doing nothing right.

CARTER:

He just got his masters! What more

you want him to do?!

CECIL:

Every grey hair I have is because

of that boy.

EXT. ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY - DUSK - 1986

Charlie’s grave has been well kept these past 10 years.

Cecil, stands looking at it.

CECIL V.O.

The years started to drift by, but

the pain in my heart never went

away. Through it all, Louis and I

never spoke.

INT. GAINES HOUSE - BEDROOM - DAY - TIME LAPSE 1974-1985

Cecil sits in a chair, watching the TV. We have a MONTAGE

that takes through the years - Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter,

different TV shows, musical acts and news stories that bring

us to the 1980’s.

Cecil is still watching TV, he’s much older, and completely

bald. On the TV he sees a news report of Louis RUNNING FOR

CONGRESS. Cecil’s eye widen in amazement:

92.

LOUIS:

(On the TV)

In our district alone, we have 9%

unemployment. The country at large,

14%, are living below the poverty

line. 60% of those are Black or

Hispanic. By the time I’m voted

into Congress, the decrease in

those numbers is gonna be one of my

primary objectives...

INT. GAINES HOUSE - CECIL’S BEDROOM - NIGHT - 1985

From their new TV, Cecil continues to watch TV. We pull back

to see Gloria and Cecil in bed. On the television is ELECTION

NIGHT news footage.

Cecil is on the phone. Gloria mutes the TV with the remote.

She anxiously waits for news. As Cecil’s eyes drop, so do

hers. He shakes his head, ‘no’, to her.

CECIL (INTO THE PHONE)

Thanks for getting back to me. How

much did he lose by? Really?

Alright then. I appreciate it.

He hangs up, turns sadly to his wife.

CECIL (CONT’D)

Nah, he didn’t win.

GLORIA:

I think you should call him.

Conflicted, Cecil shakes his head, no. Too much time has

passed.

GLORIA (CONT’D)

Right after Charlie passed, Louis

came over and paid me a visit. He

found me on the kitchen floor. I

had passed out. Drunk. I’d gone to

the bathroom all over myself.

(Pained)

He was the one who cleaned me up.

And then he told me that I was the

best mother anybody could ever

want.

They stare into each other’s eyes.

93.

GLORIA (CONT’D)

I think he’d want to hear from his

daddy. I think you ought to call

him.

Cecil stares at her, unsure. Then he shakes his head, no. He

just can’t do it.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT - 1986

RONNIE REAGAN, 69, sweet, likable, sits at his desk. He sees

Cecil out in the hall.

RONNIE:

Cecil! Cecil!

CECIL:

Yes sir, Mr. President.

Reagan jumps up and hurries over with energy.

RONNIE:

You stay there, I’m coming to you.

Reagan puts his arm around Cecil and speaks in a

conspiratorial tone.

RONNIE (CONT’D)

I have a secret mission for you.

CECIL:

Yes, sir?

Ronnie takes out a sealed envelope.

RONNIE:

I like to send people money when

they write me about their financial

problems, but my staff has been

trying to get me to stop. You think

you could help me keep this going?

CECIL:

Absolutely, Mr. President.

Ronnie hands him the envelope.

RONNIE:

I appreciate your help with this.

And please don’t tell Nancy.

CECIL:

Of course not, sir.

94.

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