The Butler Page #8

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A TV plays in the background. News footage of arrests begins

to play. As we push in on the TV we see that Louis is being

arrested on the television.

INT. DAVIDSON COUNTY COURTHOUSE - DAY - 1960

Thirty black students sit in a packed courtroom. Louis sits

next to Carol. He sees Cecil. The look on his father’s face

scares him.

JUDGE O.S.

You are all sentenced to 30 days in

the county jail to commence at noon

today.

INT. COURTHOUSE HALLWAY - DAY - 1960

Cecil drinks from a ‘colored only’ water fountain. He’s so

furious he barely hears his son who stands in front of him.

LOUIS:

Something special’s going on down

here dad.

CECIL:

What’s so special about another

colored man in jail? What are you

doing with my hard earned money

Pops? Are you even in school?

LOUIS:

I’m trying to change the way

negroes are perceived--

CECIL:

(interrupting)

You’re breaking the law. That

judge just sentenced you to 30 days

in the County Work House. You’re

fixin’ to get killed.

LOUIS:

If I can’t sit at any lunch counter

I want then I might as well be

dead.

LOUIS (CONT’D)

We’re fighting for our rights.

We’re going to change the nation’s

consciousness toward the American

negro.

44.

CECIL:

Rights? Boy, what are you talking

about? And them postcards you been

sendin me? You’re a damn liar.

Cecil grabs Louis by the throat. He slams him against the

concrete wall.

CECIL (CONT’D)

(seething)

Who do you think you’re talking to?

I brought you into this world and

I’ll take you out of it.

INT. GAINES HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY - 1960

Gloria waters plants and smokes a cigarette in silence. There

is a sadness in her soul as she tries to do her daily chores.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY - 1960

Cecil polishes silverware in silence, filled with sadness.

EXT. GAINES HOUSE - PORCH - NIGHT - 1960

Gloria sits with Gina on the porch swing, Howard drinks on

the porch. They all smoke Pall Malls.

GINA:

Y’all been able to talk to him?

GLORIA:

Talk to who?

GINA:

Louis.

GLORIA:

Yeah, we talk to him. He said he

joined something called the

“Freedom Riders”, whatever the hell

that’s supposed to mean.

GINA:

You gonna see him?

GLORIA:

I’ve been fixing to trying to see

him in jail. Every time I do, Cecil

get all riled up so I don’t know

when that’s gonna happen.

45.

HOWARD:

Fixing to trying... see that’s the

problem. You gotta stop trying and

you just got to do it. He take you

to the White House yet?

GLORIA:

No. Cecil say we goin’ soon.

HOWARD:

(laughing)

Cecil say, Cecil say... four

years... That’s what makes you a

little bit gullible darling.

This irritates Gloria. Awkward silence. The mood is tense.

GINA:

You know I don’t understand, I

don’t understand why he can’t get

the President to do something.

HOWARD:

Come on Gina. That’s your problem.

You just say stupid stuff. The

President’s got more to do than be

thinking about Louis’ foolishness.

GINA:

You know, why don’t you just shut

up? It’s just a mess! Be nice!

He takes another hit of his Miller.

HOWARD:

Who told you you could tell me to

shut up?

GINA:

Well... you--

HOWARD:

Go get me a drink. I want some

scotch. Well I personally think

Louis gonna get every one of us

killed. They comin’ to get us, they

comin’ to get us... He crazy like

his mamma.

Gloria stumps her cigarette into her Miller can. She stands

looking at him for a moment. She goes into the house without

saying a word. Leaving Howard on the porch.

46.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - VARIOUS LOCATIONS - 1961

SEQUENCE:
A series of shots of the White House staff packing

up President Eisenhower’s belongings and preparing for the

arrival of the new President.

CECIL V.O.

The President lives at the White

House until the moment the next one

is sworn in. So the staff has

exactly two hours during the

inauguration ceremony to move the

old President out and move the new

one in.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - EAST ROOM- DAY - 1961

The White House Staff are all lined up. Maids, Cooks,

Butlers, Housemen, Engineers. Everyone stands at attention,

very nervous, butterflies are in the air.

Carter whispers to Cecil.

CARTER:

They say this new white boy is

smooth.

CECIL:

I just need to get my butt home to

Gloria. These hours are killing us.

CARTER:

How’s your boy doing, Cecil?

Before he can answer, the front doors open. JOHN KENNEDY, 43,

handsome, and his wife JACKIE, 32, beautiful and astute,

enter. Movie stars. Jackie holds a three month old JACK, JR.

as CAROLINE, 3, tags behind. They are surrounded by many

AIDES. Jack flashes the staff an enormous grin.

JACKIE:

Where should we start?

JACK:

I’m not sure. This end? Maybe over

here? Thank you.

FREDDIE O.S.

Right this way Mr. President.

JACK:

Hello everyone.

47.

ALL STAFF:

Hello Mr. President.

JACK:

I’m thrilled to be working with all

of you over the next four years.

Jackie is slightly aloof. She speaks in almost a whisper.

JACKIE:

Eight years, Jack.

JACK:

(laughing)

Well, you see who wears the pants

around here.

Everyone laughs. Freddie introduces the staff to John one by

one with Jackie in tow. They get to Cecil.

FREDDIE:

This is Cecil.

CECIL:

Pleasure to meet you, Mr.

President.

Cecil nods to Jackie walking behind Jack.

CECIL (CONT’D)

Miss Kennedy.

Caroline Kennedy drops her doll in front of Cecil. Cecil

bends down to pick it up and hands it to Caroline.

CECIL (CONT’D)

She’s all right. Pleasure to meet

you Miss Caroline.

INT. GAINES HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT - 1961

Cecil is in bed reading a book on Addison’s disease. Gloria

tries not to stumble into the bedroom, clearly drunk. The

slip that once fit her beautifully now hugs her hips the

wrong way. She crawls up next to Cecil.

CECIL:

Why you drinking so much?

GLORIA:

I’m not drinking.

48.

CECIL:

What’s that on your breath Gloria?

Stop, okay? Stop!

Gloria notices the book.

GLORIA:

What’s that?

CECIL:

Baby, that’s gin on your breath.

GLORIA:

(ignoring him)

That says Addison’s Disease.

CECIL:

Did you take Charlie to the dentist

today?

GLORIA:

Does someone at the White House got

Addison’s disease?

Cecil nudges away from her a bit. Disturbed.

Gloria goes to the vanity table and smacks lipstick on. She

sticks her butt out and starts to shake it. Cecil and

Gloria’s eyes lock in the mirror. Then, Cecil turns away.

GLORIA (CONT’D)

No I did not take Charlie to the

dentist today. And what you asking

me about it for? You never home.

Now, you gonna act like you gonna

take Charlie to the dentist? You

ain’t never here, I don’t know how

you gonna take him. His teeth fall

out waiting on you to take him.

CECIL:

Go to bed Gloria. I’ll take him

tomorrow.

GLORIA:

Hoe many pairs of shoes does she

have?

Cecil ignores her.

GLORIA (CONT’D)

I said how many pairs of shoes does

Miss Jackie Kennedy have?

49.

CECIL:

How the hell do I know?!

Cecil turns over and tries to sleep.

GLORIA:

You in that White House all day and

night... I thought you knew

everything. Coming in and telling

me what to do... worry about me

drinking. You ought to be worried

about your house! Our boy’s in jail

Cecil! Our boy’s in jail, and you

can’t come home! You don’t see I’m

here trying to talk to you?!

I bet you wish I spoke French just

like Jackie?... Jackie Kennedy...

Que sera, sera... You like that?

You like the way she talk? Cecil!

You hear me talking to you?

Giving up on Cecil, she throws down her lipstick in an angry

drunken haze.

GLORIA (CONT’D)

(Mumbles to herself)

You ain’t sleeping.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - EAST ROOM - NIGHT

Cecil stares forward, trying to hide his emotional pain as

the famous cellist PABLO CASALS plays a brilliant

Mendelssohn’s Trio in D Minor for the White House CROWD.

INT. WHITE HOUSE- BUTLER’S LOCKER ROOM- NIGHT - 1961

Cecil, Carter and Holloway change into their tuxedoes.

HOLLOWAY:

Bobby told the President that they

shouldn’t be worried about the

Negro sit-ins. Polls showed the US

does not support civil rights.

Cecil is surprised and disappointed.

CARTER:

Told you that white boy was

smooth... a little too smooth for

my money.

Holloway shakes his head.

50.

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