The Butler Page #17

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CECIL V.O.

I had always loved serving. But it

just felt different now. I didn’t

know that an old man could feel so

lost. But that’s how I felt...

That’s how I felt.

INT. CHURCH - NIGHT - 1986

Cecil sits alone on a pew. He’s deep in prayer. He looks

beyond the alter for guidance. A sign.

INT./EXT. RURAL ROAD - DAY - 1986

Cecil drives his car through the rural countryside. He looks

lost still. Gloria sits by his side.

EXT. WESTFALL’S COTTON FARM - DAY - 1986

Cecil takes Gloria to the shack that he was raised in. It

looks much worse than in his youth, rotted to the core.

CECIL V.O.

Americans always turned a blind eye

to what we had done to our own. We

look out to the world and judge. We

hear about the concentration camps,

but these camps went on for 200

years... right here, in America.

They wander around what was the cotton field. It’s completely

different. The fields are more like dirt patches. Cecil takes

it all in. He points to a run down shed.

CECIL:

I buried my daddy right over there.

It’s a little windy. Gloria smiles at Cecil.

GLORIA:

My mamma would have been right

proud of me, being with a man like

yous. Taking such good care of me

all of these years. I love you

Cecil Gaines.

Cecil holds Gloria’s hand as they stare at the remains of his

childhood.

CECIL:

I love you more Gloria.

101.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - BEDROOM - DAY - 1986

Ronnie looks surprised as he talks to Cecil.

RONNIE:

Are you sure about this?

Cecil nods.

CECIL:

Yes sir. I just want to be the one

who tell you first, that’s all.

RONNIE:

You’re the best butler here. You

are like family, Cecil.

CECIL:

It’s been an honor serving you.

RONNIE:

Not just for me, I’m sure I speak

for all the Presidents when I say

that you’ve served your country

well.

Cecil humbly grins.

CECIL:

Thank you, Mr. President.

Cecil gives a slight bow, then walks to the door to leave.

RONNIE:

Cecil?

Cecil turns around to see Reagan looking troubled, there is

clearly something on his mind.

CECIL:

Yes, Mr. President?

Reagan pauses, this is tough for him to ask. He motions to

newspapers on his desk with headlines about apartheid.

RONNIE:

This whole civil rights issue... I

sometimes fear I’m on the wrong

side of it... that I’m just wrong.

Cecil stares at him, this hits him on a deep level.

102.

CECIL:

Sometimes I think I’m just scared

of what it really means. But I’m

trying to not be so scared anymore.

EXT. SOUTH AFRICAN EMBASSY - DAY - 1986

Hundreds of protestors are outside the South African Embassy

with signs ‘Freedom in South Africa’ and ‘End Apartheid’.

Louis is at the front talking to the crowd.

LOUIS:

Who do we want to free?

ALL:

Mandela!

LOUIS:

When do we want him free?

ALL:

Now!

LOUIS:

Twenty years ago we marched in this

country for our rights, today we

march to free the people of South

Africa. Ronald Reagan has attacked

or dismantled every civil rights

program that has ever been put in

to place. Aiding the oppression of

black South Africans is absolutely

consistent with his policies on

race issues. Am I right? Am I

right? Am I rig--

Louis stops talking as he sees Cecil watching him from across

the street. Louis is stunned. His father smiles nervously. He

looks frail.

LOUIS (CONT’D)

Excuse me. Steven? Where’s Steven.

Free Mandela Y’all!

Louis hands off the bullhorn to STEVEN and walks up to Cecil.

The two of them stare at each other for a long beat. It’s

been so many years.

LOUIS (CONT’D)

Hi, dad.

CECIL:

Hi, Louis.

103.

LOUIS:

What are you doing here?

CECIL:

I’m here to protest with you.

Louis is moved speechless. After what seems like an eternity:

LOUIS:

You’ll get arrested dad. You’ll

lose your job.

Cecil looks to the ground. Mustering up the strength to say:

CECIL:

I’ve lost you.

A tear forms in Louis’ eye. Cecil smiles.

CECIL (CONT’D)

I’m sorry...

Through tears, Louis wraps his arms around his dad in a huge

hug. This time he’s the one that doesn’t want to let go.

CECIL (CONT’D)

I’m sorry...

INT. JAIL CELL - DAY - 1986

Cecil and Louis sit side by side in a holding cell crammed

with 20 other protestors. Louis is concerned for his father.

LOUIS:

Don’t worry, dad, we’ll be out of

here in a few hours.

CECIL:

Who said I was worried?

We PULL BACK on father and son in jail together.

CECIL V.O.

After going to jail, I thought I

had seen it all.

EXT. GAINES HOUSE - FRONT PORCH - DAY - OCTOBER 2008

Cecil and Gloria are twenty years older with full heads of

grey hair. They sit at a table in their yard filled with

campaign posters for ‘BARACK OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT’.

104.

CECIL V.O.

But I’d never imagined I’d see a

black man be a real contender for

the President of the United States.

It’s a lively party as people wear Obama T-shirts. Music is

playing, BBQ-ing, everyone looks happy. No one more so than

Cecil and Gloria.

CECIL V.O. (CONT’D)

Gloria and I would walk to our

polling place every night to see

where we would be voting for Barack

Obama. We would just stare at it

and smile.

INT. GAINES HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY - 2008

Waiting for Louis in their Sunday best, Cecil helps Gloria

clear the table of her breakfast. She has very little

mobility left at 90 years old.

CECIL:

You done?

GLORIA:

Pretty much. You done pretty good

there. Thanks, honey.

Gloria looks at a picture of a little 6 year old GIRL, she

looks bothered by the picture.

GLORIA (CONT’D)

How come Louis’ wife name that

child Shaquanda?!

CECIL:

Now don’t start that again.

GLORIA:

I aint starting it, I just don’t

know what kind of name that is. I

mean, really, Shaquanda?!

(beat)

I think she done that just to spite

me.

CECIL:

Honey ain’t nobody done nothing to

spite you.

105.

GLORIA:

Sure she did. She an ugly little

thing too. That little pug nose...

I hope she grow out of it.

CECIL:

You need to stop that. You know

that aint right.

GLORIA:

Don’t you think she look a little

like Louis around the mouth?

CECIL:

I think she look just like you.

GLORIA:

Like me?!

CECIL:

Yeah, so you need to stop talking

about her!

GLORIA:

Let me look at her again then real

good...

She takes a long look at the picture. Then -

GLORIA (CONT’D)

She do look a little bit like me.

She a pretty little thang.

Beat.

GLORIA (CONT’D)

I forgot where I put my Bible. You

know I need my Bible. I think I

left it in the bathroom.

Cecil gets up and walks to the bathroom for the Bible.

CECIL:

Why is Louis late? Boy gets elected

into Congress and he ain’t been on

time getting us to church ever

since.

GLORIA:

I can’t believe you still fussing

about Louis--

106.

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