The Butler Page #7

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What has been so effective in South

Africa, what has been so effective

in India, for his own people and

others, and we’re gonna employ it

right here, in Nashville. So we’re

gonna form an army, you and I. This

army has one weapon, and this

weapon is love. Now I am of the--

yes?

CAROL:

(raising her hand)

If our only weapon is love and

their weapons are... weapons, isn’t

that dangerous?

JAMES LAWSON:

You can be killed. If anyone is

uncomfortable with that, you know

where the door is. I understand

that sounds provocative, but it’s

true.

No one does.

JAMES LAWSON (CONT’D)

Alright kids. It’s show time.

Masking his excitement to this new world, Louis tries to be

cool, giving Carol an assured nod.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - STATE DINING ROOM - DAY - 1960

Twenty butlers enter the State Dining room ready to serve.

EXT. DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE - DAY - 1960

Louis and Carol walk down the street with several other

students. All nervous but determined. Carol grabs Louis’ hand

as they walk toward A WOOLWORTHS DEPARTMENT STORE.

JAMES LAWSON V.O.

Ghandi has demonstrated for us that

a brown man, in his native land, or

anywhere that he is being

oppressed, can pull himself out of

segregation with patience, with

persistence, with intelligence and

thought.

39.

JAMES LAWSON (CONT’D)

INT. WOOLWORTHS LUNCH COUNTER - 2ND FLOOR - DAY - 1960

The five students walk up to the LUNCH COUNTER. It is half

filled with WHITE PATRONS.

JAMES LAWSON V.O.

With discipline, and a bit of a

sense of humor.

The black students sit down at the counter. The white patrons

immediately look at them, stunned. A WAITRESS drops her tray.

WAITRESS:

You know y’all can’t sit here.

LOUIS:

We would like to be served, please.

JAMES LAWSON V.O.

This is unprecedented what we’re

talking about. But it needs a

patience that none of us have ever

seen.

WAITRESS:

You can order food in the colored

section, but I’m not going to be

serving you here.

The students stare forward. They aren’t going to move.

INT. WHITE HOUSE STATE DINING ROOM - DAY - 1960

All the Butlers prepare for an elaborate state dinner.

INT. WOOLWORTHS LUNCH COUNTER - DAY - 1960

Patrons stare at the students. Every one is giving them

confused and dirty looks. BLACK PATRONS sitting in the

‘colored only section’ look nervous. The students all look

calm as they stare forward, waiting to be served.

JAMES LAWSON V.O.

We are organized. We have a leader

with every group. We have lookouts,

with pocket change, and the local

phone numbers for ambulances ready.

And when one wave comes off that

lunch counter, what follows?

40.

(MORE)

A whole ‘nother wave of negro

students sitting right there at

that lunch counter blowing their

minds.

Louis turns to the Waitress.

LOUIS:

We would like to be served, please.

She just stares back at him like he’s crazy.

JAMES LAWSON V.O.

Now who wants to role play?

INT. FISK UNIVERSITY MEETING ROOM - DAY - 1960

We are back during the ‘training session’. Louis is

surrounded by students yelling at him. They are preparing for

the sit-in as James Lawson hovers nearby.

JAMES LAWSON:

Attack them. This is an experiment.

So you need to do whatever it takes

to break their spirit.

Lawson turns to a WHITE STUDENT, 19, nerdy.

JAMES LAWSON (CONT’D)

I need to hear n*gger coming out of

your mouth. I need to hear coon.

STUDENT:

I don’t feel comfortable saying

that.

JAMES LAWSON:

You came here to get yourself

prepared, and get her prepared. So

let me hear it, now!

The White Student turns to a GIRL, 19, sitting in a chair.

STUDENT:

N*gger.

JAMES LAWSON:

Louder! Say the words like you mean

it!

STUDENT:

N*gger!

41.

JAMES LAWSON V.O. (CONT'D)

JAMES LAWSON:

(yelling)

Louder!

STUDENT:

(screaming)

N*gger! You are a n*gger!

INT. WOOLWORTHS LUNCH COUNTER DAY - 1960

An ELDERLY WOMAN PATRON, 70’s, jumps to her feet, loosing her

patience and temper with the students.

ELDERLY WOMAN PATRON

You need to be sitting in the

colored seating! This is not for

you! You cannot be served here!

INT. FISK UNIVERSITY MEETING ROOM - DAY - 1960

Back in the training session, the nerdy White Student keeps

yelling at the Girl.

STUDENT:

You are a n*gger!

JAMES LAWSON:

Make her believe it!

STUDENT:

You are a n*gger!!!

INT. WOOLWORTHS LUNCH COUNTER - DAY - 1960

The Elderly Woman Patron is getting even angrier, she starts

yelling at the restaurant STAFF.

ELDERLY WOMAN PATRON

If you want us to shop in this

establishment, make them go!

She throws up her arms, has had enough.

ELDERLY WOMAN PATRON (CONT’D)

Come on, Robert. Let’s go.

They exit. Louis watches her go and looks around to see if

anyone else is going to start yelling. No one does. For now.

42.

TIME LAPSE:
Hours go by. Day turns into night as the Students

sit patiently at the lunch counter. At the end of the lapse,

several of the students are reading books, studying. Then -

A group of angry white TEENAGERS walk towards the sit-in.

They enter the lunch counter area and begin to brutally YELL

at the students. They SPIT on them, THROW food on them, until

it turns into an all out beating!

INT. WHITE HOUSE - STATE DINING ROOM - NIGHT - 1960

The doors to the State Dining Room open revealing dinner

guests and the BUTLERS upright at their stations dressed in

tailed tuxedos.

The candle lit tables are covered in the finest china,

flatware and crystal. A vision of pure opulence. The butlers

seat the President and first lady.

INT. WOOLWORTHS LUNCH COUNTER - NIGHT - 1960

A White Student DUMPS ketchup on a black girl’s head. The

black students stare forward calmly.

A white girl SPITS on Carol.

A white teenager THROWS coffee at Louis’ face. He SCREAMS!

INT. WHITE HOUSE - STATE DINNING ROOM - NIGHT - 1960

We continue to hear Louis’ screams as Cecil stares forward

standing at attention behind the President. He becomes

invisible as the opulent dinner takes place around him. But

Louis’ screams won’t go away.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT - 1960

All of the butlers are lounging in the kitchen. They are all

exhausted as they hold up wine glasses for a toast.

FREDDIE:

To serving our country.

ALL:

To serving our country!

Cecil, genuinely proud, clinks his glass with Freddie.

43.

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