The Insider Page #6

LOWELL:

Just so I know you know, when I talk to

people in confidence, it stays that way.

WIGAND:

(abruptly)

How did a radical journalist from

Ramparts Magazine end up at CBS?

Lowell looks at him, he does his homework...

LOWELL:

I still do the tough stories. "60

Minutes" reaches a lot of people.

Wigand's quiet, measuring him.

WIGAND:

(after a beat)

Let me see the documents...

Lowell gives him the box of papers... Wigand sits down, the

box on his lap, quietly looking through them...flips to a

different heading, consults a chart...

WIGAND (CONT'D)

...this is a Fire-Safety Product Study

for Philip Morris. Burn rates...ignition

propensity...things of this nature.

(after a beat)

I could very easily explain this to you

in layman's terms, because it's from

another company...

He puts the papers down...

WIGAND (cont'd)

...but that's as far as I go...

LOWELL:

Far as you go where?

WIGAND:

(a beat)

This issue is a drop in the bucket. I

can talk to you about what's in here.

But I can't talk to you about anything

else.

And Lowell knows something else is going on here...

WIGAND (CONT'D)

(meaning Philip Morris

documents)

I signed a confidentiality agreement. I

honor agreements...

A lot more is going on here... Lowell nods, a good

reporter...

WIGAND (CONT'D)

Doesn't CBS have confidentiality

agreements, Mr. Bergman?

LOWELL:

Between journalists and management, yes,

I believe they do...but I don't take that

seriously.

(after a beat)

Where do you work?

WIGAND:

Did work.

LOWELL:

(fast)

Did work.

WIGAND:

(the bottom line)

How much would I get paid?

LOWELL:

That, you have to discuss with CBS

Business Affairs. But, for something

like this, I would say anywhere between

10, 12 thousand.

Wigand nods "Okay."

WIGAND:

Should I just take the documents now?

LOWELL:

If you want to do it.

He turns to leave... Lowell gets the door for him... Wigand

momentarily slows...

WIGAND:

I worked as the head of Research and

Development for Brown & Williamson

Tobacco Company. I was a Corporate Vice

President. Mr. Bergman...

And he goes out the door... Lowell's still. Wigand's job

title resonates. Lowell turns to the window, casually

looking into the early evening...and he comes face to face

with what Wigand was staring at, The Brown & Williamson

Tobacco Company Headquarters Building, lit up right across

the street...

INT. CBS, A SCREENING ROOM - DAY

MIKE WALLACE:

(on screen)

"President Assad of Syria said that

difficult obstacles remain but that his

country, quote, 'looks forward to a

great, long peace with Israel.'"

TAIL LEADER. THEN BLACK. Suddenly lights come on.

Executive Producer DON HEWITT is suddenly on his feet. A

veritable dervish, in constant motion...

DON HEWITT:

(kissing Mike)

It's a Peabody, Mike. When you're dead

and buried, Hezbollah is the one they're

gonna remember you for...

Mike, used to him, ignores him, getting up, turning to leave,

Hewitt on his tail...while...

LOWELL:

(to his Editor)

...come in earlier on Mike's Marine

barracks line when he's talking to Sheikh

Mussawi...

MIKE WALLACE:

You eating with us?

LOWELL:

Yeah.

MIKE WALLACE:

Bring a tie so they'll let us in the

front door...

And Lowell gestures for an olive-skinned Woman in her late

thirties, Lowell's assistant, DEBBIE DELUCA, to join them.

The eye contact on the way out says there's something

important he needs to tell her...

EXT. CBS - DAY

There's a blast of NOISE. The City. Lowell, Wallace,

Hewitt, Debbie, enter from the CBS lobby, moving through the

reflections. Lowell is about to say something to Debbie, but

BILL FELLING, Evening News' Assignment Editor, coming the

other way...

LOWELL:

Debbie...

FELLING:

Hey, Lowell.

Midstream, fast:

LOWELL:

Oh, Bill... Main Justice is

investigating a major New York bank.

Laundering narco dollars out of their

Mexico City branch. You want it for the

Evening News?

FELLING:

What about you, you got a crew already?

LOWELL:

I'm gonna do a follow-up.

FELLING:

Okay.

(leaves)

LOWELL:

Catch ya' later.

EXT. 53RD STREET, NEW YORK - DAY

Lowell, crossing...

LOWELL:

Debbie...

And, now, as they cross Madison...

LOWELL (CONT'D)

(to Debbie; finally)

I want you to get legal onto CORPORATE

CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENTS. Boundaries

of their constraint. Kentucky state law

about. I want you to drop everything.

DEBBIE DELUCA:

(cuts in)

Okay.

Hewitt stops to buy a newspaper. He doesn't have change,

Debbie does.

EXT. 55TH STREET (WESTBOUND), NEW YORK - DAY

And Mike, Lowell and Don bang into Michael's restaurant. We

SEE them through the glass, being greeted, people shaking

their hands, escorted by the maitre d' to their table as...

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