The Butler Page #2

---

VOICE:

You know what could happen to you

son?

Clutching the cake like a rabid dog, Cecil turns to MAYNARD,

late 50’s, a freckled-faced, gentle-looking light-skinned

black man.

MAYNARD:

Get up. I said get up.

EXT. ALLEY WAY - DAWN - 1933

Cecil and Maynard sit on the kitchen stoop outside the

restaurant. Cigarette dangling, Maynard bandages Cecil’s

wrist.

MAYNARD:

I’m going to have to lie to the

boss man about that window. Good

lord says you aint supposed to lie.

CECIL:

Sorry sir.

MAYNARD:

Where’s your ma and your pa?

CECIL:

My Ma crazy in the head and my Pa

got killed.

MAYNARD:

I’ma make you some ham sandwiches

and send you on your way. The boss

will be here any minute. Sunday’s

our busiest morning.

CECIL:

You looking for some help? I know

how to serve.

MAYNARD:

(laughing)

You done broke our window. You done

stole our food. And now you asking

for a job?

CECIL:

(proudly)

Back in Macon, I’ma house n*gger.

A good one.

7.

Maynard SLAPS Cecil across the face.

MAYNARD:

Don’t ever use that word son.

That’s the white man’s word.

Filled with hate. Didn’t your

father teach you any better?

INT. HOTEL HALLWAY - DAY - SERVING MONTAGE - 1933

Cecil runs through the hall with a tray dressed in a suit.

He’s training to be a proper butler.

MAYNARD:

Slow Down!

INT. HOTEL BAR - DAY - 1933

Maynard teaches Cecil how to make a martini, shaking with

style. He twists off the top and effortlessly pours.

MAYNARD:

You gotta look ‘em in their eyes.

See what it is they want.

Cecil watches attentively.

INT. HOTEL HALLWAY - DAY - 1933

Maynard teaches Cecil how to clean a candelabra, cleaning

each piece by hand.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY - LATE NIGHT - 1933

Cecil spit shines eight pairs of men’s shoes, making sure his

reflection is on every pair.

INT. HOTEL BAR - DAY - 1933

Cecil continues to watch Maynard make martinis.

MAYNARD:

See what it is they need...

INT. HOTEL HALLWAY - DAY - 1933

Cecil shows a couple to a hotel room, carrying their luggage.

8.

CECIL:

Right this way.

INT. HOTEL BAR - DAY - 1933

Cecil pours martinis alongside Maynard.

MAYNARD:

Anticipate.

INT. HOTEL DINING ROOM - DAY - 1933

Cecil serves martinis to older white ladies. With one hand,

he holds he tray, with the other, he goes to move a purse to

make room. The lady abruptly snatches her purse away.

CECIL:

I’m - I’m sorry ma’am.

INT. HOTEL BAR - DAY - 1933

Maynard and Cecil put the finishing touches on martinis.

MAYNARD:

Smile with your eyes.

EXT. POOL - DAY - 1933

At the head of the pool, Cecil is drenched in sweat. He

holds a tray with grilled cheese sandwiches and chilled Coca

Colas. Three WHITE TEENAGERS, Cecil’s age, frolic and lounge

in the pool.

INT. HOTEL BAR - DAY - 1933

Maynard watches Cecil finish the martinis.

MAYNARD:

Perfect.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY - LATE NIGHT - 1933

Cecil looks up from spit shining shoes and smiles. He really

likes his new job.

9.

EXT. ALLEY WAY - LATE AFTERNOON - 1933

On a break, Cecil and Maynard sit on the kitchen stoop. Both

smoking. It’s raining.

MAYNARD:

(to workers)

Don’t forget to save me chitlins.

CECIL:

Why do you like chitlins so much?

MAYNARD:

It’s good eating.

(To Cecil)

The manager of the Excelsior in DC,

he came by yesterday. He offered me

a job as a butler.

Both are quiet. Cecil looks up sadly.

CECIL:

They must be paying you top dollar,

huh boss?

MAYNARD:

Yeah... I was thinking about taking

it... But I dunno, I’m too old to

be leaving North Carolina. I’m just

fine right here. I told them to

hire you.

Surprised, Cecil looks up at Maynard.

CECIL:

I’m just now finding my way ‘round

this hotel. I’m not ready for those

high falootin’ white people with

all their fancy words.

Maynard laughs.

MAYNARD:

Cecil, we got two faces. Ours, and

the one we got to show the white

folks. Now to get up in the world,

we have to make them feel

nonthreatened. Go on and use all

them fancy words that I taught you.

White folks up north love them some

uppity coloreds.

Cecil ponders all of this. Smiles. He’s grown fond of this

old man.

10.

EXT. WASHINGTON, DC SKYLINE - NIGHT

SEQUENCE:
ESTABLISHING SHOTS of 1950’s Washington DC ending

on the gorgeous Excelsior Hotel.

CECIL V.O.

When I took that job up in

Washington, DC it was the most

beautiful hotel I had ever seen.

INT. EXCELSIOR HOTEL - LOBBY - NIGHT - 1954

A WEALTHY COUPLE, 50’s, white, he in top hat, she in mink,

walk into the stunning lobby. Waiting to greet them is:

Cecil Gaines, now 36. Wearing a black vest and bow tie, he

looks like a different person - filled out, handsome, exudes

class and refinement.

Holding a silver tray with a tumbler of scotch and a glass of

champagne, he gives the wealthy couple an elegant head bow.

CECIL:

I hope I wasn’t too presumptuous to

have prepared a few spirits after

your long journey in from Buffalo.

INT. EXCELSIOR HOTEL - STUDY - NIGHT - 1954

Older men in three piece suits are crammed in the hotel’s

study smoking cigars, drinking bourbon. An elegant 36 yearold

Cecil walks in with a tray of martinis.

A LOUD PATRON talking politics sits across from a man with a

CREW CUT, Cecil’s age, he holds a cigar. The Crew Cut Man

searches his pockets for matches.

LOUD PATRON:

Best decision that court ever made

was to slow this whole mess down.

N*gger boys in school with white

girls?! Who ever heard of such a

thing? Next thing you know they’d

be fornicatin’. Gentlemen, this

could start another Civil War.

He sets his scotch down close to the table’s edge. Cecil

glances at it, noting how full the other glasses are.

11.

LOUD PATRON (CONT’D)

Cecil, what do you think about

n*ggers going to school with white

children?

All eyes on the table turn to Cecil, the Crew Cut Man paying

particular attention as he searches for matches.

CECIL:

To be honest with you, Mr. Jenkins,

I tend to not to be too concerned

with American or European politics.

The Crew Cut Man smiles, likes the answer.

LOUD PATRON:

Nor should you, Cecil, they’re all

criminals. Earl Warren should be

shot and hanged. That dumb son-ofbitch

is trying to integrate our

schools.

Cecil smiles with kindness and grace, his signature.

CECIL:

I think Judge Warren is going to

find that quite a challenge.

The Loud Patron busts out laughing.

LOUD PATRON:

Damn right, Cecil! Damn right.

Puffing out smoke, the Crew Cut Man grins at Cecil, taking

note of him, as Cecil walks out of the room with grace.

CECIL V.O.

Never in my life did I dream that I

would work in a place as fancy as

this.

EXT. OTIS PLACE - WASHINGTON, D.C. - MORNING - 1957

Driving in his 1951 Ford, Cecil heads down a quaint street in

a lower-middle class black neighborhood passing two story row

homes that share a common wall. Porches have swings, fences

are painted white. It’s not a wealthy neighborhood, but there

is a collective pride.

CECIL V.O.

I never dreamed my life could be so

good.

12.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote