Trumbo Page #5

CUT TO:

EXT./INT. U.S. CAPITOL - VARIOUS SHOTS - DAY -THE HEARINGS

And actual newsreel footage in black & white of the Capitol

packed with POLITICIANS, EXECUTIVES and STARS.

HEDDA HOPPER (V.O.)

...to Washington, D.C., where

battle lines are drawn. On one

side, Communist subversives. On

the other, studio heads, labor

leaders and some of our brightest

stars.

And in actual footage from his testimony that day, RONALD

REAGAN, 36, handsome and measured, cooperates with Robert

Stripling before a PACKED HOUSE.

STRIPLING:

Your profession, Mr. Reagan?

RONALD REAGAN:

Motion picture actor.

STRIPLING:

And you are currently the president

of the Screen Actors Guild?

RONALD REAGAN:

Yes, sir.

STRIPLING:

Has it been reported to you that

certain members of the guild were

Communists?

RONALD REAGAN:

Yes, sir, I have heard different

discussions of some of them as

Communists.

JUMP CUT TO:

More actual news footage --CONGRESSMAN RICHARD M. NIXON (R-

California), 34.

(CONTINUED)

TRUMBO - JOHN MCNAMARA 25.

CONTINUED:

RICHARD M. NIXON

Do you believe that the motion

picture industry is doing

everything it can to rid itself of

subversive, Un-American influences?

Then answering, in testimony we recreate in matching black &

white -ROY

BREWER:

No! The Communists are everywhere!

They report directly to Moscow!

Then -SAM

WOOD:

Enough is enough!

have to go!

The Communists

DALTON TRUMBO (PRE-LAP)

What we’re about to do...

CUT TO:

INT. LAZY-T RANCH - LIVING ROOM - DAY -BEFORE THE HEARINGS

DALTON TRUMBO:

...won’t make us too popular.

Trumbo leads a small strategy session with Robert Kenny,

Arlen Hird and a HALF-DOZEN of the SUBPOENAED 19 and -

-- Niki, in a corner, quietly taking everything in.

DALTON TRUMBO (CONT’D)

Our support’s not only going to

vanish, we’re going to get attacked

by our own.

ARLEN HIRD:

Okay, we get slandered, then what?

ROBERT KENNY:

You testify and answer every

question they ask, in your own way.

ARLEN HIRD:

So don’t tell ’em sh*t.

DALTON TRUMBO:

Beautifully put.

(CONTINUED)

TRUMBO - JOHN MCNAMARA 26.

CONTINUED:

In her corner, Niki smiles.

CUT TO:

INT. U.S. CAPITOL - DAY -THE HEARINGS

HEDDA HOPPER (V.O.)

Of the nineteen forced to appear,

only ten were called to the stand.

The Hollywood Nineteen wait to be called to testify.

HEDDA HOPPER (V.O.)

Dubbed “The Hollywood Ten,” they

refused to answer every question

about their Communist ties.

ARLEN HIRD (PRE-LAP)

You know what that’s called?

BACK TO:

INT. LAZY-T RANCH - LIVING ROOM - DAY -BEFORE THE HEARINGS

DALTON TRUMBO:

Contempt of Congress.

Beat. The room is silent, Niki transfixed. Then -

ARLEN HIRD:

Maybe I’m missing something, ’cause

all I’m seein’ here is jail.

CUT TO:

INT. U.S. CAPITOL - CAUCUS ROOM - DAY -THE HEARINGS

As Trumbo is sworn in, there’s a BLINDING CAMERA FLASH and

Congress, the crowds and Trumbo all BURST INTO FULL COLOR -

STRIPLING:

Mr. Trumbo, I will ask various

questions, all of which can be

answered yes or no.

DALTON TRUMBO:

I shall answer yes or no if I

please to. Many questions can only

be answered yes or no by a moron or

a slave.

As the caucus room FLUTTERS with DISBELIEVING MOANS,

supportive LAUGHTER and a few nasty BOOS, WE FIND -

(CONTINUED)

TRUMBO - JOHN MCNAMARA 27.

CONTINUED:

Cleo Trumbo, in the gallery, serenely unsurprised by her

husband’s insolence.

BACK TO:

INT. LAZY-T RANCH - LIVING ROOM - DAY -BEFORE THE HEARINGS

ROBERT KENNY:

No one can beat Congress in

Congress. The only place to do

that’s in court --

ARLEN HIRD:

-- in front of a judge who’ll

probably hate Commies and rule

against us -

DALTON TRUMBO:

-- in a lower court, yes, we’ll

likely lose but on appeal...

ROBERT KENNY:

...it’ll work. The Supreme Court

is a five to four liberal majority.

They think the Committee’s

unconstitutional, they want it

killed and we’re gonna hand them

the case to do it.

ARLEN HIRD:

Great. Best of luck. I’m out.

And suddenly, Hird is on his feet and gone.

CUT TO:

EXT. LAZY-T RANCH - TERRACE/LAKE - DAY -BEFORE THE HEARINGS

Mitzi SPLASHES in the water with Chris as Cleo aims a large,

professional camera at them and snaps pictures.

Arlen Hird walks to a nearby tree, leans against it and stabs

a cigarette into his mouth. Trumbo walks up.

ARLEN HIRD:

(sighs, beat)

Look, I can’t afford what you’re

talkin’ about... Supreme Court,

legal fees. My wife, it’s never

been great, but I raid our savings

for this? She’s gone, with both

boys.

(CONTINUED)

TRUMBO - JOHN MCNAMARA 28.

CONTINUED:

DALTON TRUMBO:

I’ll cover you. Expenses, travel,

legal fees...

Hird is shocked by Trumbo’s casual generosity.

ARLEN HIRD:

You don’t even like me.

DALTON TRUMBO:

I like you fine, you don’t like me.

ARLEN HIRD:

Also, I don’t trust you.

DALTON TRUMBO:

I’d say “go on,” but I’m afraid you

will.

ARLEN HIRD:

Look. I know what I am, okay? I

want this country to be a whole

new... everything. Top to bottom.

And if I get what I want? Nobody

gets their own lake.

DALTON TRUMBO:

Seems a little grim.

ARLEN HIRD:

For you, yeah. But not the guys

who built all this...

(the ranch, the lake)

...for you, their families,

friends. Which, remember, is kind

of the point. Them, not you. I

mean, if I’m wrong here, tell me,

but ever since I’ve known you, you

talk like a radical, live like a

rich guy -

DALTON TRUMBO:

True.

ARLEN HIRD:

-- ’n’ I don’t think if it gets

right down to it, you’re willing to

lose all this just to do what’s

right. Radical would, rich guy? I

don’t think so.

Trumbo watches his family in the sparkling light of his lake.

(CONTINUED)

TRUMBO - JOHN MCNAMARA 29.

CONTINUED:
(2)

DALTON TRUMBO:

Am I “willing.” Hm.

(beat)

Well. I hate martyrs and will not

fight a lost cause, so you’re

right, I’m not willing to lose it

all -- I’m willing to risk it.

That’s why being the radical and

the rich guy is the perfect

combination. The radical may fight

with the purity of Jesus... but the

rich guy wins with the cunning of

Satan.

ARLEN HIRD:

Y’know, the thing is, really?

You’re wrong about almost

everything and you never shut up.

CONGRESSMAN THOMAS (PRE-LAP)

No, no, no, no -- !

CUT TO:

INT. U.S. CAPITOL - CAUCUS ROOM - DAY -THE HEARINGS

Still in glorious color that reveals the face of Congressman

Thomas to be red as a blister as he POUNDS his gavel -

CONGRESSMAN THOMAS

-- no, no, no, no, no, no!

-- like a four year old throwing a tantrum.

CONGRESSMAN THOMAS (CONT’D)

Are you now or have you ever been a

member of the Communist party?

DALTON TRUMBO:

Mr. Stripling, may I read a

statement?

STRIPLING:

No.

DALTON TRUMBO:

May I present my writing?

CONGRESSMAN THOMAS

No.

DALTON TRUMBO:

May I -- ?

(CONTINUED)

TRUMBO - JOHN MCNAMARA 30.

CONTINUED:

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