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HUSHED VOICES (INT./DAY) ...
A JUDGE'S CHAMBERS, with couches, soft chairs scattered in a loose
circle, like a casual living room.
Joe and Andrew whisper to each other. The Wyant Wheeler team takes
up several chairs. Belinda Conine and Jerome Green sit next to Wheeler
and Kenton. Some of their ASSISTANTS stand.
Wheeler is looking across the room at...
Andrew, who catches Wheeler's stare.
WHEELER
You're looking better, Andy. How do you feel?
SILENCE. Everyone watches Andrew for his reaction.
ANDREW
Fine, thanks, Charles.
JUDGE LUCAS GARNETT enters his chambers (not wearing a Judge's
robe). He shakes hands with Wheeler and Kenton.
JUDGE GARNETT
Charles, Walter...
WHEELER
Congratulations on the new grandson.
JUDGE GARNETT
Thank you. We're very happy.
The Judge brushes by Joe and Andrew without a word. The room becomes
SILENT as the Judge takes a seat.
JUDGE GARNETT
Attorney for the plaintiff?
JOE
Joseph Miller, Your Honor. Macready and Shilts Legal Services.
JUDGE GARNETT
I've seen your television commercials. "If you or anyone you
know has been injured through the fault of others... It should say,
"through the negligence of others."
JOE
I'll take that under consideration, Your Honor.
JUDGE GARNETT
On behalf of the defendants?
BELINDA CONINE
Belinda Conine. Of Petersen, Lehigh, Monroe and Smith.
JEROME GREEN
And Jerome Green.
And a WASPISH lawyer wearing round glasses:
DEXTER SMITH
Dexter Smith.
A white-haired lawyer next to Belinda:
RALPH PETERSEN
Ralph Petersen.
JUDGE GARNETT
(to Joe)
You're outnumbered four to one.
(to the others)
Whom do I address? I can't talk to four lawyers at
once.
BELINDA
I'm chief litigator, Your Honor.
JUDGE GARNETT
Fine. I've asked the litigants to be present for this conference,
in the hope we can settle this matter today, among ourselves...
There is nothing I hate more, than to see lawyers suing each other.
If you look at the opinion polls, when Mr. John Q. Citizen is asked
to rank professions according to the respect he holds for them...
Where are the lawyers? Somewhere below personal fitness trainers
and only slightly above child pornographers.
If we keep suing each other, if we fail to settle the smallest difference
among ourselves with
mutual respect, if we continue to scrap like bucks in heat, we'll
fall lower on that list. And when
people lose respect for lawyers, they lose respect for the law.
And when this society loses all respect
for the law, we'll be murdered in our beds, my friends, our cherished
institutions will be burned to the ground and our children and our
grandchildren will live like savages.
JOE
If it please Your Honor, we hope to settle this matter.
JUDGE GARNETT
By God you will settle it! If you force this case to trial, young
man, you'll regret it for the rest of
your natural-born days... Now, Joseph. What would you require to
settle this matter today?
JOE
Reinstatement at full salary. Back pay covering the period of unemployment
and...
JUDGE GARNETT
Hold it, Joe.
(to Wheeler)
He wants to come back to work,
Chuck.
WHEELER
That's impossible, Your Honor.
JUDGE GARNETT
That's impossible, Joe.
BELINDA CONINE
If it please Your Honor, we're prepared to offer a cash settlement
of twenty-five thousand dollars.
JOE
Your generosity overwhelms me, Belinda, considering my client was
earning over a hundred thou when he was terminated almost six months
ago.
JUDGE GARNETT
Give me a break, Joe. Let's cut through these false attitudes. Give
them a figure. How much do
you want?
ANDREW
I want to go back to work, Your Honor.
JUDGE GARNETT
You're here at my indulgence, young man. I'm waiting for a figure,
Joe.
Andrew and Joe confer with each other.
JOE
Based on what my client would have earned over the next three years,
including benefits and projected raises, and the extraordinary cost
of medical
care for someone with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome... We
would settle today for the very fair amount of one million five
hundred thousand dollars.
JUDGE GARNETT
Very good, Joe. Now, Belinda, I've got a figure over here, of one
million, five. I...
Andrew WHISPERS to Joe, who interrupts the Judge:
JOE
One more thing, Your Honor...
ANDREW
(jumping in)
Any settlement agreement must include, and this is critical, a letter
of exoneration, making clear my termination had nothing to do with
the quality of my work.
Charles Wheeler WHISPERS to Belinda Conine.
BELINDA CONINE
Your Honor, Mr. Beckett's incompetence nearly sabotaged a 350 million
dollar suit.
ANDREW
I was the one who was sabotaged.
BELINDA CONINE
We have complaints about Mr. Beckett's lack of preparation, his
disorganization, his arrogant, defensive attitude... The list goes
on.
JEROME GREEN
We have letters.
JOE
Why haven't you produced these letters?
JUDGE GARNETT
Take it easy.
(to Wheeler)
What's the big deal, Chuck? The boy wants a letter, to show to his
mother, for her to keep after
he's gone. Why are you being hard- assed about this?
WHEELER
I wish I could exonerate you, Andy. But I'd have to lie to do it.
ANDREW
(very calm)
You can save it for the jury, Charles. I want to hear you say, under
oath, in front of a judge and
a jury, I'm a bad lawyer.
(rises)
Gentlemen.
(to Belinda)
Counselor.
WHEELER
Don't do this, Andy.
JOE
Whoa, whoa...
(to Andrew)
What do you expect them to say,
you're Alan Dershowitz?
KENTON
A trial takes time, Beckett. Do you know what I'm saying?
ANDREW
I think I catch your subtle drift, Walter.
Andrew saunters out.
KENTON
You'll be sorry, Beckett.
WHEELER
Andy, you don't want this.
Joe scans the room, all eyes are on him. His frown turns into a
grin. He faces the Judge.
JOE
With all due respect, Your Honor, my client chooses to pursue his
constitutionally guaranteed right to a trial.
Joe exits.
CUT TO:
HAND HELD CAMERA SHOT OF: THE FRONT YARD OF A TWO-STORY Colonial
house in Downington, Pennsylvania (EXT./DAY) ...
Andrew walks toward the house, TALKING DIRECTLY TO CAMERA.
ANDREW
This is the house where I grew up. In Downington, Pennsylvania.
(pointing to the ground)
See this... ?
The CAMERA POINTS to SEVERAL PAIRS OF CHILD'S HAND PRINTS in the
sidewalk, then, BACK TO ANDREW IN CLOSE UP, SMILING.
ANDREW (CONT.)
Those are my cute little hand prints. And my brother's and my sister's.
MIGUEL'S VOICE
(BEHIND CAMERA)
And today is... ?
ANDREW
Today is my parents' fortieth wedding anniversary.
Andrew goes inside, speaking to the CAMERA:
ANDREW (CONT.)
This is the front door. I caught a finger in this door, once...
(holds it up)
This one. Broke it.
(stepping inside)
This is the hallway, my mother calls it a foyer...
INSIDE THE HOUSE (INT./DAY):
CHILDREN are running through the house, while WOMEN sporting corsages
confer in the kitchen. A SIX YEAR OLD GIRL jumps into Andrew's arms.
ALEXIS
Uncle Andrew!
ANDREW
(to CAMERA)
This is my niece, Alexis. Say hello, Alexis.
ALEXIS
Mommy's pregnant again.
ANDREW
(doing Walter Cronkite)
You heard it here first, folks.
News as it happens.
Andrew's older and very down to earth sister JILL, puts her arms
around Andrew, squeezing tight.
JILL
Hello, darlin'.
ANDREW
This is my sister, Jill, the most fertile woman on the planet. She's
married to Reverend Jim.
JILL
You feel thin.
(over Andrew's shoulder)
Hello, Miguel.
As Jill leaves Andrew's arms, the CAMERA IS TRADED OFF TO ANDREW,
who SHOOTS JILL GIVING MIGUEL A HUG.
MIGUEL
Hey, Jill. Nice to see you, sweetheart.
JILL
(hugging Miguel)
Handsome devil.
(referring to Andrew)
Is he eating?
MIGUEL
We don't discuss his weight.
(to Andrew, behind CAMERA)
Do we?
CAMERA MOVES DOWN THE CORRIDOR...
ANDREW (OS)
And what will we find in... da duh da duh da duh... the KITCHEN!
A GROUP OF LADIES SCREAM when CAMERA ENTERS KITCHEN.
LADIES
There he is! Hi, Andrew! Don't point that thing at me! etc...
Andrew's mother Sarah wears an unpretentious flowery dress.
ANDREW
Hi, Mom. How do you feel on your fortieth anniversary?
SARAH
Ancient. How do you think I feel? Put that thing down and give me
a hug.
(he keeps it pointed at her)
Andrew, stop! ... He still doesn't listen.
ANDREW
Where's Dad?
SARAH
He's out in his shed showing your uncle his new riding mower.
One of Andrew's YOUNG NEPHEWS SHOVES HIS FACE into the CAMERA,
UNTIL SCREEN GOES BLACK.
CUT TO:
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