Broadcast News

"Good luck, you'll love the bureau chief... Previous Occupants."

INT. NEWSROOM - DAY

AS Tom enters from his office, a wake is slowly igniting.  Tom
moves along the edge of the room, carrying his wastebasket full
of belongings, not really a part of the mournful festivities.

TOM'S P.O.V.

Jane across the room hugging one person after another.

ON JANE

AS she embraces an older secretary.

OLDER SECRETARY
You know what I always wanted to
tell you -- that...

JANE
Shhh.  This isn't the last time
we'll see each other.  It's not.

A two-armed tight embrace of Martin Klein.

JANE
We'll get them back -- it's going
to change.

Blair is at hand as they embrace.

BLAIR
Except for socially, you're my role
model.

And now she sees Tom -- he mouths one word at her -- "London."
She nods that she already knows and then lets her body sag a
little.  He gestures her towards her editing room, so they can
rendezvous.

INT. EDITING ROOM - DAY

AS Tom enters and waits for Jane.  When she enters he closes
the door.

JANE
These people -- it's all so awful.
It just hurts physically, doesn't
it?  Like something's wrong with
your bones, like your organs are
shifting inside your body.

She looks at him expectantly.  It's not what he's feeling.

TOM
Maybe I haven't been here long
enough.
(great)
But, hey, congratulations on the
promotion.

JANE
How can you say that to me?

TOM
Sorry.
(a beat)
I can't stand here feeing bad that
I don't feel worse.  This has happened
at every station I ever worked for.
Look, I think it's crazy for you to
come in here tomorrow and start a
new job.  I have a week to get to
my job.  Let's get the hell away to some
island fast and find out how we are
together away from this.

A beat -- Jane takes it in.

JANE
Well, I just think that' an extraordinary
proposal.

TOM
That's yes?

JANE
That's more than 'yes' -- that's
'you bet.'

They kiss.

INT. AARON'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

The phone rings.  He answers.

AARON
Hello.

INT. JANE'S OFFICE - NIGHT

Jane -- still at the office -- it is quite late.

JANE
Bastard, sneak, quitter.

AARON
Speaking.

JANE
I just found out.  You didn't say
anything to me?  You just resign?
Will you meet me now? -- No, now!
I'm going away tomorrow.  Please.

INT. SIDEWALK - RESTAURANT - NIGHT

Across the street from the bureau's building.  Aaron and Jane
are having a beer.  They are in mid-conversation.

JANE
Why not try it for a few weeks?

AARON
Stop.  Ernie thought I was good too --
he couldn't help.  My agent has a
hot prospect -- the number two station
in Portland.  The general manager says
he wants to be every bit as good as the
networks.  Personally, I think he should
aim higher.

JANE
Tell me the God's honest truth --
are you leaving because of me?
Because if you are...

AARON
Ernie told this story.  How he used
to write obits and when the people
in town called him up with death
notices, he cried.  He was till
that way when they promoted him
out of obits.  He says you're lucky
if you can get out while you could
still cry.
(a beat)
I should have quit this place  three
years ago.

JANE
You're just trying to say all great
stuff so I'll feel even worse that
you're not around.

He laughs.

AARON
Let's go...

JANE
I just want to sit here longer, I mean
the feeling is powerful -- why's that?

AARON
Maybe the best part of your life is over
and you don't want to get up and start
the bad part.

Jane looks at him levelly.

JANE
You are now required to sit here with
me.
(a beat; then)
Come on...be smart for a second --
what do you think will happen to us?

AARON
Okay, that's very easy.  Five, six
years from now I'll be in town to
collect an award representing the surge
in foreign coverage by local stations.

JANE
(smile, it's like
old times)
Yes.

AARON
I'll be walking with my wife and two
children -- we'll bump into you on
the street, my youngest son will say
something and I'll tell him...
(deliberately)
...it's not nice to make fun of single,
fat ladies.

JANE
You won't be able to stay mad at me,
right?

AARON
I hope so...
(on her look he relents)
No.  I'm not really mad.
(nodding head as if
reciting a catechism)
I'll miss you, we'll talk, we'll always
be friends...we'll get hot for each other
every few years at dinner and never act
on it, okay?

Jane smiles -- Aaron has grown suddenly angry.  He rises,
walks away, then turns.

AARON
Jane, you know how Tom had tears in
the piece the other night?  Ask
yourself how we were able to see
them when he only had one camera
and that was pointing at the girl
during the interview.
(on her reaction)
I'm fairly sure I was right to tell
you.

EXT. OFFICE - NIGHT

We LOOK THROUGH THE WINDOW as Jane enters -- in a frenzy --
searching the stacks.

INT. TAPE LIBRARY - NIGHT

As she locates the cassette labelled "DATE-RAPE - 9/26 -
EVENING NEWS - OUTTAKES."

INT. TAPE CUBBY - NIGHT

As she inserts the tape into the player.

ANGLE ON JANE... AND MONITOR

As she watches... this is what she sees...

YOUNG WOMAN
...but the whole thing messed me
up more than it should.

She cries.  We HEAR Tom.

TOM'S VOICE
Okay, that will do it.  You okay?

The tape is rocky now -- the Sound Woman and Cameraman
continue to roll as they move towards their next shot --
at times the camera pointing towards the carpet -- but
the sound continues.  The crew chatting -- mentioning
that the tape is still rolling.

TOM
That's enough.  That's enough.

YOUNG WOMAN
I'm sorry.

TOM
Are you okay?

YOUNG WOMAN
Yes, I'm sorry.

TOM
Don't be silly.  What are you sorry
about?

YOUNG WOMAN
The way you were looking at me, I just went.

Tom moves through the SHOT.

TOM
I just need you for another minute now,
so we can shoot from behind towards me,
and, um...

YOUNG WOMAN
Uh-huh.

TOM
...that way we have someplace to go when
we cut.  And I just sit here, I nod my
head and look nerdy.

Young Woman chuckles.

Jane chuckles.

SOUNDWOMAN'S VOICE
Tom

TOM
Yeah.

SOUNDWOMAN'S VOICE
It kills me we didn't have a second camera. 
It was so powerful seeing your reaction.

TOM
Really?

YOUNG WOMAN'S VOICE
Yes, it is.

SOUND WOMAN'S VOICE
For a second there, I thought you were
gonna cry yourself.  That would have
been something.