Trumbo Page #2

Wood might just shove Trumbo now, he’s so angry, but --

-- suddenly, Robinson is there to get Wood’s arm in a

friendly grasp.

EDWARD G. ROBINSON

(with jovial aplomb)

Sam, Sam, Sam, we’ve got to talk

about those scenes tomorrow,

disaster, who the hell wrote that

crap?

(a wink at Trumbo, steering

Wood away)

But first, may I have this

dance...?

At the same time, Cleo takes her husband’s hand and moves him

in the opposite direction.

(CONTINUED)

TRUMBO - JOHN MCNAMARA 7.

CONTINUED:
(3)

CLEO:

Having fun?

DALTON TRUMBO:

Eternally.

They kiss and move to the bar, passing -

-- a tall, broad MAN of 39 who eyes Trumbo the way a western

sheriff would a gunfighter. We don’t know it yet, but:

This is JOHN WAYNE.

And as his eyes follow the Trumbos, he meets the gaze of a

WOMAN. Late middle years, trim, striking, grand yet folksy,

always in a stylish hat. Wayne and she share a moment of

silent understanding. We don’t know it yet, but:

This is HEDDA HOPPER.

CUT TO:

INT. LOS ANGELES MOVIE THEATRE 1 - NIGHT

UP ON THE MOVIE SCREEN - A NEWSREEL

Actual black & white documentary footage of a waving WINSTON

CHURCHILL, grimly addressing an assembly:

WINSTON CHURCHILL (ON SCREEN)

Nobody knows what Soviet Russia

intends to do. An Iron Curtain has

descended across the continent.

The newsreel CUTS TO a cartoon map of Europe and Asia as an

animated red Iron Curtain drops, enclosing Soviet Russia.

NEWSREEL NARRATOR

The front line in a new kind of

war. A Cold War!

SHOTS of Russian military might: ARMIES march, FIGHTERS

launch, TANKS roll.

NEWSREEL NARRATOR (CONT’D)

The enemy --Communists!

BACK TO the cartoon map as the Iron Curtain BECOMES a series

of red tentacles --

NEWSREEL NARRATOR (CONT’D)

Their goal -- world domination!

(CONTINUED)

TRUMBO - JOHN MCNAMARA 8.

CONTINUED:

-- and those tentacles slither across Europe and Asia,

heading for the United States.

REVERSE TO REVEAL - THE MOVIE AUDIENCE

MEN in ties, WOMEN in dresses, KIDS in their Sunday best.

And among them WE FIND Dalton Trumbo with his family:

daughter NIKI, 8, son CHRIS, 6, Cleo, and in her lap, their

youngest, MITZI, 2, all munching and sipping movie treats,

watching -

THE NEWSREEL:

As it CUTS TO A SHOT OF the Hollywood sign -

NEWSREEL NARRATOR (CONT’D)

Dateline:
Hollywood. The offices

of former film starlet, now top

columnist, Hedda Hopper.

-- then DISSOLVES TO A SHOT of a newspaper column under the

aerodynamically lettered byline, HEDDA HOPPER’S HOLLYWOOD.

Next to the text, Hedda Hopper. As she begins to speak from

inside her column:

HEDDA HOPPER (ON SCREEN)

(to camera)

Greetings from our film capital,

where all is sun and fun. Or is

it?

CUT TO A WIDE SHOT (ARCHIVAL) -- OF WELL-KNOWN MOVIE FOLK.

Grouped together a bit awkwardly in bright midday sun:

HEDDA HOPPER (V.O.) (CONT’D)

See the famous faces here? Danny

Kaye, Humphrey Bogart, his dishy

bride, Lauren Bacall, their good

friend, film director John Huston,

and many others...

CLOSE-UPS (ARCHIVAL) of these FAMOUS FACES, plus a few LESS

WELL-KNOWN.

HEDDA HOPPER (V.O.) (CONT’D)

...all of whom have declared

solidarity with film crews

picketing for higher wages. In

walk-outs that quickly turned

violent.

(CONTINUED)

TRUMBO - JOHN MCNAMARA 9.

CONTINUED:
(2)

NEW SHOTS (ARCHIVAL) - OF PEACEFUL STRIKES OUTSIDE FILM

STUDIOS that indeed turn violent: POLICE CLUB THE STRIKERS,

ATTACK DOGS MAUL, FIRE HOSES SPRAY -

HEDDA HOPPER (V.O.) (CONT’D)

Because these strikes were in fact

the work of dangerous radicals.

A NEW CLOSE-UP (TO BE SHOT) -- SOMEONE standing on an apple

box, addressing a peaceful line of studio PICKETERS:

It’s Dalton Trumbo, his black & white face 40 feet high:

DALTON TRUMBO (ON SCREEN)

...this is what angers and

frightens the studios!

DOWN IN THE THEATRE

The Trumbo family is silently stunned. Trumbo’s own jaw

slackens just a bit at the surreal sight of himself up on

screen, then he quickly regains his composure. But his

oldest child can’t help herself -

NIKI:

Dad, is that you?

He nods curtly, pats her arm and the tiny, color, real Trumbo

down here watches:

THE ENORMOUS BLACK & WHITE FACE OF TRUMBO - UP ON SCREEN

Delivering this searing union rallying cry to the assembled,

among whom we glimpse an APPLAUDING Edward G. Robinson:

DALTON TRUMBO (ON SCREEN)

We’ve discovered where our true

power lies! Builders, cameramen,

painters, drivers, writers, actors,

directors! We are a single,

indivisible brotherhood of workers.

Bargain with a few of us, you

bargain with all of us! Threaten

one, you threaten us all and it’s

war! We are many but from this day

forward --we are one!

The Picketers and Movie Stars UP ON SCREEN begin to CHEER

Trumbo as -

HEDDA HOPPER (V.O.)

This is writer Dalton Trumbo. Who

is...

(CONTINUED)

TRUMBO - JOHN MCNAMARA 10.

CONTINUED:
(3)

A new CLOSE-UP of Hedda Hopper in her office:

HEDDA HOPPER (ON SCREEN)

...like many of those strikers --

and their supporters -- a

registered Communist.

BACK TO TRUMBO AND NIKI

As daughter looks at father, surprised --is that true?

Trumbo doesn’t meet her questioning gaze, just smokes and

stoically takes in:

HEDDA HOPPER - UP ON SCREEN

Dwarfing him:

HEDDA HOPPER (ON SCREEN)

Which is why we must know: Who

exactly was behind that walk-out...

and why?

The scene now CUTS TO various CONGRESSMEN, INVESTIGATORS and

AIDES mounting the stairs of the U.S. Capitol.

HEDDA HOPPER (V.O.) (CONT’D)

Our elected leaders will find out.

The CAMERA SINGLES OUT a bald, fifty-ish New Jerseyite -

HEDDA HOPPER (V.O.) (CONT’D)

Congressman J. Parnell Thomas and

his House Un-American Activities

Committee.

CONGRESSMAN THOMAS (ON SCREEN)

Communism is not some faraway

threat; its most dangerous agents

are here, controlling the airwaves

and movie screens, taking over its

employees and their unions. They

need to be identified as the

enemies they are.

INT. MOVIE THEATRE - LOBBY - LATER THAT NIGHT

The five Trumbos stream out with the audience. When

suddenly -

A YOUNG FATHER WITH HIS KIDS

Hey, that you in the newsreel...?

(CONTINUED)

TRUMBO - JOHN MCNAMARA 11.

CONTINUED:

DALTON TRUMBO:

It was, yes -

The Father FLINGS Coke into Trumbo’s face, SPLATTERING him --

YOUNG FATHER:

Traitor -

-- terrifying Cleo and the kids before taking off.

DALTON TRUMBO:

(dripping, calm)

No harm done, everybody okay?

CUT TO:

EXT. LAZY-T RANCH - CORRAL - DAY

Mountain, meadow and sky dwarf this fine spread. Trumbo

walks along the fence while Niki rides a horse next to him.

NIKI:

So, are you a Communist?

DALTON TRUMBO:

I am.

NIKI:

Is it against the law?

DALTON TRUMBO:

It is not.

NIKI:

That lady with the big hat said

you’re a “dangerous radical.” Are

you?

DALTON TRUMBO:

Radical, maybe. Dangerous, only to

men who fling Cokes.

NIKI:

You don’t want to overthrow the

government?

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