Broadcast News

TOM
Not if you count 'Singing in the
Rain.'  Do him a favor and don't
treat it like a tragedy.  You want
me to talk to him?

Her eyes meet Aaron's.

JANE
Uh-uh.
(to Aaron)
He says you could hardly notice it.

Aaron beckons for the phone.  Jane hands it to him, as she does
so:

JANE
Don't say anything about anything.

AARON
Hi.  Will I ever sing again?

TOM
Everybody has one like that.  I
thought it was great when you
started to laugh at the end.

AARON
Yeah -- well, I'm sorry I'm tying
up Jane, I didn't realize you two
would be going this late.  Sorry.

TOM
No.  Don't worry about it.

AARON
I'll put her on.

She takes the phone.

JANE
Hi, again.  Sorry about...

TOM
No.  That sounds more important.
Let's forget about tonight.

JANE
I don't know if that's absolutely
necessary.

TOM
I've got my father coming through
tomorrow anyway.  I should get
some sleep.

JANE
(hampered by Aaron's
presence)
Uh-huh.

TOM
I'll see you at the office.  Good night.

Several beats of silence.  Finally:

TOM
(finally)
Hello?

JANE
Yes.

TOM
Okay.  Good night.

JANE
(aghast)
Good night??!

TOM
Jane, I'm not some chore you have
to finish so you can stay on schedule.

JANE
Okay, great, Grunick -- Easy shots
now -- huh?  Good night.

  She puts the phone down.  A beat -- she looks stricken.  Aaron
looks at her.

JANE
He just cancelled.  He had a
chance to think and he
cancelled.

She bows her head.

JANE
I can't breathe.
(aghast)
Over a guy?!?
(then)
But I can't -- I can't breathe.
Damn it!

She gulps a breath.  Her hands on her knees, leaning over --
another deep breath.  Aaron takes in the specter.

AARON
Well, Jane, it was nice of you
to drop by.

INT. JANE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

As she enters -- goes immediately to the phone.

ON PHONE...

Cradled in an answering machine -- indexes for sixteen
one-button calls, mostly people from work -- "Parents" etc.
Jane plays her answering tape.  It is silent -- no messages...
She fast forwards to double-check.  Just the SOUND of blank
tape.  She pushes the button next to the "Tom Grunick."  We
HEAR a busy signal.

ON JANE

She hangs up the phone.  Then compulsively hits the "Tom"
button again.  Busy.  And again.  Busy.  She considers for
a moment hitting the button next to Aaron's name.

JANE
(stopping herself)
Be fair.

She presses the button next to Tom's name.  Busy.  And again.
Busy.

EXT. ERNIE MERRIMAN'S HOUSE - MONDAY MORNING

As he picks up for newspapers dotting his lawn and opens the
door of his car -- just as his wife calls from the door.

WIFE
Ernie, they're calling from work.

ERNIE
Tell me I'm on the way in.

WIFE
It's Paul.

Ernie, just a bit concerned, walks back to his house -- the
four newspapers thick enough to be an awkward carry.

INT. ERNIE'S HOUSE

A phone in the immaculate living room.

ERNIE
(into phone)
Hello.  Yes...

He holds the phone down at his side for a beat, composing
himself in the face of a sudden and horrible turn of events.

ERNIE
Would there be any point to my going
to New York and talking to them?  Would
there be any point in going over it with
you?  No, I'm still coming in.

He hangs up.

WIFE
What?

ERNIE
They fired me.

She takes his hand and kisses it -- then hugs him.

WIFE
(weeping)
How horrible.  We'll be fine.  You'll
be fine.  Stay here with me -- we'll
go for a drive, have some drinks, make
happy plans.

ERNIE
No.  They're firing even more people
than they said.  Some will want to
talk.  It could help.

WIFE
(timidly)
I could use somebody to talk to on
a day like this.
(on his reaction)
Sorry. Go ahead.

He kisses her sad face.

ERNIE
Bye, sweetie.

WIFE
Okay, sweetie.

He walks towards the door -- picks up his newspapers on the
tray beneath the hall mirror and does a start.

HIS P.O.V.

In the mirror he SEES his wife making faces at him behind his
back.  He EXITS his home without comment.

INT. EDITING ROOM - DAY

Jane is sitting in her editing cubby -- it is past noon.  She
rises and stands in her doorway looking toward Tom's office --
the door is open, the room is empty.  Blair ENTERS carrying
an armload of tapes.  She looks extraordinary.

BLAIR
I've got four hours of French
demonstrations --

Jane waves it off.

BLAIR
Some of it they use water cannons.

Jane takes the tape.

JANE
What are you dressed up for?  Oh,
that's right -- because the Evening
News is here this week.

BLAIR
I spent a fortune on this.

Blair EXITS... Jane pops the tape in, automatically making
timing notes, then standing -- looking again towards Tom's
door.

JANE'S P.O.V.

The door now closed.

JANE

She stops the tape -- summons herself.  She walks towards Tom's

office and opens the door.  Tom is seated behind his desk.

JANE
(without passion)
I kept trying to call you -- you
never called me.  Were you just
diddling me?  Is that it--?  I'm
great if I'm helping your career.
(mimicking)
But when I'm a woman for a second, I
get immediately fucked around by
you.

She is obviously in pain but still alert enough to catch Tom's
answer.

INT. TOM'S OFFICE - DAY

TOM
Jane, this is my Dad.

And, now OPENING the door a bit more -- Tom's father is REVEALED
seated across from him.

JANE
(that quickly)
Please forgive what I said.
(to Tom)
Sorry.

As she retreats:

TOM
You just light up a room and leave,
huh?

She laughs nervously as she exits.

TOM AND HIS DAD

DAD
You want my opinion?

TOM
The thing that's easy to miss about
Jane is...

DAD
You want my opinion?  And it's okay
if you don't.

Tom thinks a beat.

TOM
Yes, I would.

DAD
The way she just acted is not the
way an affectionate person acts.

Tom finds the comment off-the-wall enough to be thought
provoking.

INT. NEWSROOM - DAY

Paul arriving with Bill Rorish.  The first time we have seen
the multi-millionaire anchorman in the flesh.  He has the grace
and dignity of a man who spends every waking moment working on
grace and dignity,

He and Paul are in the midst of an important conversation --
muted and ominous.

BILL
Just when do you start, telling people?

PAUL
Almost immediately.

BILL
I'd like to take everyone out after
the show.

PAUL
Bill...This is hard on all of us
and it's no time for compliments.
But I think it's extraordinary of
you to come down here for this.

BILL
If we're not here for each other
during the tough time, we're not a
news organization.