The Family Man

KENNEDY AIRPORT, PAN AM TERMINAL - NIGHT

SUPER:
AUTUMN, 1987

A line of PASSENGERS about to board a Pan Am flight to

London.

JACK CAMPBELL, 22, head full of long unkempt hair, Tom

Selleck mustache, the hopeful look of youth in his

eyes... sitting next to...

KATE REYNOLDS, 21, pretty, Dorothy Hamill haircut...

rubbing the tears from her swollen red eyes...

KATE:

I got you a few necessities...

Kate hands Jack a new copy of Vonnegut’s “Cat’s

Cradle.”

KATE (CONT’D)

Your copy was a mess...

Jack accepts the book but he’s unable to take his eyes

off Kate. She hands him a cassette.

KATE (CONT’D)

Every one of these songs will

remind you of me in a slightly

different way...

JACK:

All in one tape?

KATE:

I also put side two of London

Calling on there...

Kate leans over and kisses him passionately on the

lips.

KATE (CONT’D)

That was not officially the

goodbye kiss. It was just an

interim kiss...

He looks at her, his eyes welling up. He pulls her

close, kissing her deeply. Then...

ANNOUNCER (O.S.)

This will be the final boarding

call for Pan Am flight 4 to

London, Heathrow.

Jack takes Kate’s hand, getting up, turning sadly to

the gate.

KATE:

You have your ticket?

Jack pulls out a BLUE PAN AM TICKET ENVELOPE. Kate

nods. They embrace and kiss again. As they separate.

JACK:

I’m not even gonna say it,

Kate. Maybe it’ll be like

I never left...

Jack takes one lastlook at her, then heads for the

gate.

Kate stands there, watching him go. Then...

...a moment of intuition. Something isn’t right. She

looks at Jack, about to disappear into the jetway,

trying to decide...

KATE:

Wait.

Jack turns. Kate approaches him.

KATE (CONT’D)

I have a bad feeling about

this.

JACK:

About the plane? What do you

think it’s gonna crash? Don’t

say that...

KATE:

(shaking her head)

I know we’ve talked about this a

thousand times and we both agree

that going to London is the

right thing to do. But in my

heart... this feels wrong.

She looks at the gate...the last few passengers are boarding,

then back into Jack’s eyes.

KATE (CONT’D)

Don’t go, Jack...

JACK:

You mean don’t go at all?

What about my internship?

KATE:

Believe me I know what an

incredible opportunity this

is for you...

JACK:

For us, Kate.

KATE:

Right, for us. But...I’m

afraid that if you get on

that plane...

JACK:

What?

Kate looks at him, pleading with her eyes, but she can’t

say...

KATE:

(torn)

Go. I’m sorry, you should just

go...

JACK:

(thinking, then...)

No, you’re right. What are we

doing?

KATE:

We're being responsible. Go.

Get on the plane.

His eyes narrow as he measures her determination...

KATE (CONT'D)

(a smile)

Get the hell outta my sight.

You bother me.

A laugh from Jack. Kate gives him a calm smile and a

nod - it's not entirely convincing but it's enough for

Jack.

JACK:

(resolute)

Okay, I'm going...

He takes her in his arms one last time and hugs her

tight. Jack looks toward the gate, the line

disappearing...Kate grasps his shirt tightly.

KATE:

I can't seem to let go of

you...

JACK:

You hear me complaining about

that?

A sober look in Jack's eyes.

JACK (CONT'D)

Look, we're at the airport and

no one ever thinks clearly at

the airport so we should just

trust the decision we already

made. You've been accepted to

one of the best law schools in

the country, I've got this

internship at Barclay's Bank.

We have a great plan, honey...

Kate nods, then, with resolve...

KATE:

You want to do something

great, Jack? Let's flush the

plan...start our lives right

now, today...I don't know what

that life's gonna look like

but I do know it has both of

us in it. And I choose us...

Jack is jolted by her words.

KATE (CONT'D)

The plan doesn't make us

great, Jack. What we have

together, that's what makes us

great.

Her words sink in...A long moment of decision...He

looks toward the gate, only one person left in

line...back to Kate...imploring him with her eyes.

Finally...He kisses her deeply on the lips...

JACK:

I love you, Kate...

...a smile from Kate...relief...then...

JACK (CONT'D)

(taking her face in

his hands)

...and a year in London's not

gonna change that. A hundred

years couldn't change that...

Jack gives her one final kiss then walks pensively to

the gate, handing the attendant his ticket, not able to

look back.

Kate watches him go, tears streaming down her face, as

the gate door closes behind him. She waits, almost

willing it to open again...waiting...waiting...but it

doesn't...

DISSOLVE TO:

1AEXT. MANHATTAN - ESTABLISHING - DAY

The skating rink at Central Park...Christmas tree at

Rockefeller Center...the view down Fifth Avenue with

Christmas decorations...Park Avenue.

2EXT. MANHATTAN - EARLY MORNING

We close in on a spectacular pre-war doorman

building...

3INT. JACK'S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS

A huge space with gleaming hardwood floors, ornate

moldings, and a great view of the Hudson and Jersey

behind it...

The place looks like a museum display...everything is

of the highest quality and meticulously maintained.

A wall of photos - Jack and Clinton, Jack with Patrick

Ewing, Jack between Alan Greenspan and Henry Kravis.

And a "Willie Mays" baseball bat encased in glass...

4INT. JACK'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

...impeccably decorated and obsessively neat.

Close in on the bed where JACK CAMPBELL, now 35, sans

mustache and long hair, opens his eyes.

A FLASH of bright morning light from the window. Jack

shields his eyes, turning his head toward the bathroom

where he sees...

A WOMAN'S BACK...draped in a towel...an incredible

back, neither flabby nor overly toned, beautifully

curved...Jack focuses on it a moment. As the woman

turns to him...

PAULA. Beautiful, late 20s, a toothbrush in her

mouth...

PAULA:

(holding up toothbrush)

I hope you don't mind. There

were like ten new ones in the

cabinet.

A playful smile from Paula.

JACK:

It's not what you think. I

took Mentadent public...

Paula smiles, moves over to a chair and grabs a little

black dress hanging neatly over it.

PAULA:

Did you really mean what you

said about Tuscany?

JACK:

Of course I did.

PAULA:

Last night was great...

JACK:

You are an amazing lover. You

should be giving motivational

seminars.

PAULA:

Thanks. You're not bad

yourself...

Jack grabs his Frank Mueller watch from the night

stand, puts it on his wrist. He looks at Paula as she

slips the dress on.

JACK:

I want to see you again.

PAULA:

I'd like that, too.

JACK:

Tonight.

She turns to him.

PAULA:

It's Christmas Eve, Jack.

JACK:

So we'll get egg nog.

Paula laughs.

PAULA:

(putting on her shoes)

I have to go to my parents'

house out in Jersey. Would

you like to come?

JACK:

Jersey? You know what the

traffic's gonna be like?

PAULA:

I'm taking the train...

Paula approaches Jack, leaning over him, her long hair

dangling on his chest.

PAULA (CONT'D)

Don't you have anywhere to go?

JACK:

I've got plenty of places to

go.

He stays there, confident, sexy, waiting for an

answer...

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