The Family Man Page #2

PAULA:

(a sexy laugh, then...)

Maybe I can try and sneak away

some time tomorrow morning...

(kissing him on

the lips)

Okay?

JACK:

(coy)

If it's something you feel

strongly about.

Paula walks to the door, then turns back to Jack.

PAULA:

It was nice meeting you, Jack...

CHAPTER TWO - MAIN TITLES

4AINT. JACK’S APARTMENT - MORNING

Jack saunters over to a Yamaha Grand Disclavier in the

living room. He puts a disk into the piano and...

...the keys come alive with the music of BACH. Jack

hits a switch and suddenly the entire apartment is

enveloped in music...

4BINT. JACK’S BUILDING, CORRIDOR - SAME TIME

Paula, waiting for the elevator, hears the MUSIC

emanating from Jack’s apartment...an intrigued glance

back at the apartment door as the elevator arrives...

5INT. JACK’S BATHROOM - MORNING

Back’s “Passion According to St. Matthew” is blaring

through the speakers, the music is swelling to full

orchestra...

Jack’s at the mirror in this incredibly neat marble-

tiled bathroom, shaving with a silver-plated Hammacher

Schlemmer razor, HUMMING with the orchestra...

6INT. JACK’S CLOSET - MORNING

...the size of a small house, a long row of Zegna

suits, shoe trees stacked with Italian shoes, tailored

shirts everywhere.

Jack’s still HUMMING to the music as he dresses in

front of a mirror.

7INT. ELEVATOR - MORNING

Jack, wearing an elegant camel’s hair overcoat and

carrying a leather briefcase, a “Master of the

Universe” smile on his face, now HUMMING the Bach piece

from memory...

The doors open at 6. Jack self-consciously stops

singing as ELIZABETH PETERSON, 60s, wearing a mink

coat, gets on the elevator carrying a yappy little dog.

JACK:

(a charming smile)

Mrs. Peterson.

MRS. PETERSON

Hello Jack. You don’t

have to stop singing on

my account...

JACK:

It’s because I’m shy,

Betty. So, when are you

going to leave that old

corpse Mr. Peterson and

run away with me?

MRS. PETERSON

You know you could never

satisfy me the way he

does...

The doors open to the lobby. Mrs. Peterson walks out

ahead.

8INT. JACK’S BUILDING, LOBBY - MORNING

TONY THE DOORMAN holds the door open for Jack and Mrs.

Peterson...

TONY THE DOORMAN

Merry Christmas, Mr.

Campbell.

JACK:

How’d you do this year,

Tony?

TONY THE DOORMAN

About four grand. And a

bottle of twenty five

year old scotch from Mrs.

Johnson in 9D. I’m

putting it all in

commercial paper like you

said.

JACK:

Just until the Deutsche

Mark turns...

Jack exits the building...

9 OMITTED

9AEXT. CENTRAL PARK - MORNING

Jack’s Ferrari racing through the park...

10EXT. LASSITER BUILDING - MORNING

A modern Wall Street building. The sign above the

glass doors reads, “P.K. Lassiter and Associates,

Investment House.”

The Ferrari SCREECHES to a halt. Jack gets out, heads

into the building...

10AINT. LASSITER BUILDING - CONTINUOUS

...Jack throws his keys to a nearby SECURITY GUARD with a

smile on his way to the elevators...

CHAPTER THREE - JACK THE BUSINESSMAN

DISSOLVE TO:

11INT. LASSITER BUILDING, CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY

The Manhattan skyline shines through the windows of

this beautiful conference room.

SIX EXECUTIVES are seated at a huge oak table littered

with coffee cups and lunch waste. At the end of the

table, ALAN MINTZ, 30s, balding, sits with a faraway

look in his eyes, three empty Diet Coke cans in front

of him.

Mintz is poking at a shiny gold cherub dangling from a

small, plastic Christmas tree, sitting in the middle of

the table.

Jack is addressing the group from the front of the

room, standing in front of a computer with a huge flat

screen monitor, covered with stock charts and tables...

JACK:

...if MedTech's shares sink

any lower than...

(casually executing

a keystroke)

...forty three, we're in

trouble with the stock

valuation. So for god's sake

watch what you say to your

institutional customers...

Jack notices Alan Mintz playing with the cherub.

JACK (CONT'D)

...we still have almost a full

day of trading before zero

hour and I don't want any

trouble...

(distracted by Mintz)

...penny for your thoughts,

Alan...

Alan looks up.

ALAN:

Sorry, Jack. I told Dee and

the kids I'd be home by

dinner. You know, it being

Christmas Eve and all.

JACK:

Is that tonight?

A LAUGH from the group. Jack approaches Alan.

JACK (CONT'D)

You think I like being here on

Christmas Eve, Alan?

ALAN:

I don't know. Maybe...

Another LAUGH. Even Jack lets out a good-natured

chuckle.

JACK:

Okay, maybe I do have a touch

of tunnel vision this holiday

season. But in two days we're

going to announce one of the

largest mergers in U.S.

corporate history. Thirty

billion dollars...

(basking in the glory)

When this kind of deal turns

up you get on and you ride it

`till it's over. You don't

ask it for a vacation...

A chuckle from the group...the esprit de corps seems to

energize Jack.

JACK (CONT'D)

(to the group)

December 26th. After that

there'll be so much money

floating around here it'll be

like Christmas every day...

(smiling)

December 26th, people. If

you'd like to celebrate that

day, you all have my

blessing...

Enthusiastic nods and words of agreement from the suits

around the table...

ALAN:

You're right, Jack. Sorry...

Jack approaches Alan.

JACK:

I don't want you to be sorry,

Alan, I want you to be

excited. I want my gift to be

the first one you open this

year. You know why?

ALAN:

Why Jack?

JACK:

Because my gift comes with ten

zeroes at the end...

A MURMUR of excitement in the room, even Alan cracks a

smile. Jack puts a hand on Alan's shoulder.

JACK (CONT'D)

Good man...

12INT. LASSITER BUILDING CORRIDOR - NIGHT

The conference room door opens and the SIX ENERGIZED

SUITS emerge, each met by an ASSISTANT handing them

messages.

Jack is the last one out. He's met in stride by

ADELLE, 50s, carrying a Filofax and a pile of phone

messages.

ADELLE:

Only eight thirty? What's the

matter, had some last minute

shopping to do?

Jack pops a peppermint Lifesaver in his mouth as Adelle

hands him his messages.

JACK:

You too? This holiday's about

giving, Adelle. And I'm

giving everything I've got to

this deal, so in a way, I'm

more Christmassy than

anyone...

(holding out the candy)

Lifesaver?

ADELLE:

(ignoring the candy)

You're a ray of sunshine,

Jack.

They approach an office, the words, "Jack Campbell -

President" stenciled on the glass...

13INT. JACK'S OUTER OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

...continuing past Adelle's desk, Jack looking at his

messages, and into Jack's office...

14INT. JACK'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

A cavernous office, you could land a helicopter in it -

high tech fixtures, full bar, leather sofa, $3,000

Stairmaster...

Jack walks to an enormous, bare mahogany desk, and sits

down in a high tech ergonomic leather chair.

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