The Butler Page #4

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GLORIA:

I’ll tell you what I did. I put

some dill in it because I read in

Women’s Day, where pickles drown

out the flavor and dill bring up

the flavor. That’s what you tasting

right there.

GINA:

Oh okay... yeah... I like it.

Louis reads a comic book in the dining room, looks a little

annoyed at all the noise.

GINA (CONT’D)

You must be so proud of Cecil.

GLORIA:

You know he got that job by

himself. The White House called

him, he didn’t call the White

House.

GINA:

He’s a good man. You got a good

man.

Howard finishes dancing and sits down.

HOWARD:

(Laughing)

She fun man!

Howard grabs his bitter wife.

HOWARD (CONT’D)

Not like this one right here.

Little sourpuss still mad at me.

GINA:

I got reason.

HOWARD:

No you don’t. I told you I done

went down to the number spot.

Played me some numbers. Got me some

barbecue and went down... I didn’t

even get nothing to drink!

GINA:

I’m so sick of these number spot

stories Howard. How you expect me

to believe you was down at the

number spot...

19.

Howard and Gina start to argue.

GLORIA:

Come on y’all, come on, come on.

Stop this mess. Stop this mess in

this house right now. We are here

to celebrate so y’all could be nice

just one time.

HOWARD:

(to Gina)

Get over here and lets celebrate!

Celebrate the right way.

Howard takes Gina in his arms, romancing her, she starts to

laugh. Cecil appears at the top of the staircase.

CECIL:

Y’all need to get a room!

GLORIA:

Ain’t that the truth! Or

something...

GINA:

He just drive me crazy! He just...

Ugh!

Cecil walks down the stairs. He surveys the group. He notices

Louis’ uneasiness over at the table.

CECIL:

(to Louis)

You, uh... you wanna come to the

room with us?

LOUIS:

No.

Gloria looks slightly concerned, but Cecil gives him an

understanding wink.

HOWARD:

Hey where are the boys at?

CECIL:

They upstairs playing.

GLORIA:

Boys! Get down here! I need to see

your face now! What y’all doing up

there?

She beams with pride looking up at her husband.

20.

GLORIA (CONT’D)

Honey when you gonna take me to the

White House?

CECIL:

You wanna go to the White House,

baby?

GLORIA:

You know I wanna go.

Cecil CHUCKLES. Moves over to Howard.

CECIL:

When you want to go?

GLORIA:

Don’t play with me now you know I

want to go.

HOWARD:

The White House, that’s a big step

up.

CECIL:

Yeah. It is exciting.

GINA:

(To Gloria)

Girl, you are up in that house now.

I want to hear ALL of the stories.

GLORIA:

I don’t know how many stories you

gonna hear ‘cus they done swore him

to some kind of secret code and he

can’t tell me nothin’.

Gina shakes her butt looking over her shoulders.

GINA:

Girl, you give it to him right.

He’ll tell you everything.

Gloria LAUGHS.

CECIL:

That’s the key right there!

(to Gloria)

You listening? Did you hear her?

The boys run downstairs, heading straight to the kitchen.

21.

GLORIA:

Boys stop running through this

house, you know better than that.

HOWARD:

Elroy! Get over here! Come here.

Slight beat.

HOWARD (CONT’D)

Give me some money.

(Laughs)

Nah... Tell them... Tell them what

you gonna be when you grow up.

His son in army fatigues, ELROY, 8, points at Cecil.

ELROY:

I wanna work at the White House

just like Mr. Gaines.

A few in the room “AHHHH”...

GINA:

That’s my boy.

CECIL:

Mighty fine.

HOWARD:

(shouts across the room)

Louis! What you gonna be when you

grow up? You gonna work at a White

House just like your daddy?

The room turns to Louis who looks unsure, a touch lost.

LOUIS:

I don’t know.

There is an awkward moment here, Cecil and Gloria exchange

concerned looks, they know he’s different and it scares them.

EXT. WHITE HOUSE - EAST WING PATHWAY - DAY - 1957

Wearing a perfectly tailored tuxedo, Cecil walks down a treelined

pathway toward the side entrance where flags stick out

of lamp posts. He stops at the Security Gate.

CECIL:

I’m Cecil Gaines. I’m the new

butler.

22.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - HALLWAY - DAY - 1957

Cecil and Freddie walk through the White House hallway.

FREDDIE:

There are 16 full time maid, 6

butlers, 4 carpenters, 2 painters,

7 electricians, 3 dishwashers, 3

doorman, a full kitchen staff

including pastry chef and 3 full

time calligraphers. 2 painters, 7

electricians and 9 engineers.

They walk the Cross Hall passing Presidential portraits.

FREDDIE (CONT’D)

Here comes Warner.

The Crew Cut Man from the hotel, RD WARNER, cold, walks by.

Cecil’s eyes light up, he steps forward.

CECIL:

Mr. Warner, I wanted to thank you

for this opportunity to work in the

Whi--

But RD Warner keeps walking, doesn’t even acknowledge him.

Cecil is surprised by the snub, but Freddie just smiles,

that’s how it is here.

FREDDIE:

(Laughing)

Come on. Here we go.

Cecil spots a maid scrubbing the floor of a bathroom.

CECIL:

Ma’am, I’m Cecil Gaines, I’ll be

working with you here.

FREDDIE:

Mr. Gaines, please don’t do that.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - STATE DINING ROOM - DAY - 1957

Cecil and Freddie stand in the State Dining Room, an elegant

room with ornate gold curtains, gold chandelier and a massive

portrait of Abraham Lincoln. They hover over a dining table

covered in the finest china, crystal and flatware.

FREDDIE:

When lifting a plate, never scrape

the bottom.

23.

(MORE)

You must never listen or react to a

conversation. The room should feel--

CECIL:

--empty when I’m in it.

Freddie nods.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - BUTLER’S LOCKER ROOM - AFTERNOON - 1957

A Brooklyn Dodgers game BLASTS from a rickety transistor

radio somewhere in this cramped room. Cecil enters unnoticed

as JAMES HOLLOWAY, 32, intellectual, brushes his teeth as he

listens to CARTER WILSON, 40, brash and crass, tell a story.

CARTER:

...So then she says, “stick a

finger in.” So I stick a finger in.

Then she says, “Stick two fingers

in!”. “Okay!” Then she starts

moanin’ and screamin’ and yells,

“Stick your whole hand in!” So I

put my whole hand in. Then she

yells out, “Put both hands in!”.

“Okay!” Then she screams, “Now

clap!” I say, “I can’t.” She looks

up, smiles and says, “See I told

you my stuff was tight.”

Cecil ROARS. Carter notices Cecil.

CARTER (CONT’D)

Hey! There he is! I heard you were

coming. What’s your name brother?

Cecil holds out his hand.

CECIL:

Cecil. Cecil Gaines.

Carter shakes his hand first.

CARTER:

Cecil Gaines. I’m Carter Wilson,

head butler. Don’t worry about Big

Mo behind you. That brother will

steal your wallet before you even

knew it. This brother in the

mirror over here, his name’s James

Holloway, he’s my second in

command.

Cecil holds out his hand to Holloway.

24.

FREDDIE (CONT'D)

CECIL:

Hey James.

HOLLOWAY:

Jackie Robinson or Willie Mays?

CARTER:

Why don’t you shake the man’s hand

first ‘fore you start asking

difficult questions like that?

HOLLOWAY:

I just want to know where the man’s

coming from.

CECIL:

Look like the jury is still out on

that one, right?

They shake hands.

HOLLOWAY:

That’s right. Welcome. Fancy

Freddie give you the tour yet?

Cecil nods.

CECIL:

He did. Are the Dodgers losing?

HOLLOWAY:

I might be able to answer that

question if Carter over here stop

running his nasty mouth?

The three men listen through the static. Fast friends.

INT. KITCHEN - LATER - 1957

Wearing his tuxedo jacket. Cecil places a colonial silver

teapot on a silver tray. A few members of the kitchen staff

shoot him glances as he preps the tray. They know it’s his

first serving. LORRAINE, black, mid 20s, shakes her head.

CARTER:

Lord, help us.

LORRAINE:

Don’t be nervous man, just go on

and get to it.

As he lifts the tray, a PHOTOGRAPHER takes a picture to

record the moment. He looks fantastic in his fitted tuxedo.

25.

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