Broadcast News

INT. CONTROL ROOM - DAY

Jane is on the phone.  The atmosphere buckling with strain.

JANE
(into phone)
Just a minute.

Her finger hits the "Tom" button.

JANE
(to Tom)
To State for the message from Libya,
then you'll have the carrier pilot
from the Sidra in time to...
(a sudden shriek)
What?  No!

ON TOM

Jolted by the shriek in his earpiece but nonetheless continuing.

BACK TO JANE

As she SCREAMS INTO the phone -- this is more than volume, she
is over-the-top livid, her face red, neck cords popping.

JANE
We only have ten minutes left --
how can you talk to me about parking
problems?  No, not you'll try...you'll
do it -- do it or I'll fry your fat
ass, Estelle.  Good-bye.

As she BANGS the PHONE down.  Paul comments sotto to Ernie.

PAUL
(sotto)
I had no idea she was this good.

JANE
(hitting Tom's button)
Fill for a second.

TOM
(fluidly)
The latest message seems to indicate
that the Libyan pilot was acting on
his own without authority from anyone
else.
(into camera directly)
In other words, I think we're okay.

INT. STUDIO - EIGHT MINUTES LATER

MOVING CAMERA FROM Tom's left profile TOWARDS HIS RIGHT PROFILE,
TAKING IN THE Production Assistant who madly shuffles pages,
even as Tom talks on camera, the monitor through which he sees
the subject of his interview at the Pentagon, the clusters of a
assistants on the floor and now WE CONTINUE TO CIRCLE BEHIND him,
beginning to SEE the Control Room in the b.g. and as we MOVE IN
TOWARDS HIS EAR, the white ear piece firmly in place, we BEGIN
TO HEAR, the barely audible crackle of Jane's VOICE as she tells
him roughly what to say and how long he has to say it.

TOM
...So, Commander, it must have been
a bit tougher today -- shooting down
the French-made Mirage Jet.  The one
you got was a SU-22...etc...

And NOW ALL IS OBSCURED EXCEPT THE ANCHOR'S EARS, the ear piece
and the RED LIGHT on the CAMERA and beyond... almost an abstract
vision.

INT. CONTROL ROOM - DAY

TOM'S VOICE
...Once again:  The Libyan Government
has disavowed any prior knowledge of
the flight.  This has been Tom Grunick
reporting from Washington.

The special report ended, Jane breathes a breath -- she and
Blair momentarily grasp hands.  The first talk concerns Tom.

PAUL
He was brilliant.  I've never been
as proud of one of my decisions.

ERNIE
(calls back to Jane)
Great work, Jane, really -- You know?
Really.

She nods... totally depleted.

JANE
Well, there were no major gaffs anyway.

Ernie scoffs in her direction.

JANE
Thanks, everybody.

She exits the scene.

PAUL
(to the Usher brothers)
This was important for Tom -- there's
that bonding thing that happens with
the public and an anchorman during a
crisis.  It's not the conventions
anymore; it's this kind of moment.

Tom enters.  He is exuberant.

PAUL
(to Tom)
What a baptismal.  Congratulations.

TOM
Thanks.  With all the help you get,
it's sure easier than local.

Paul and Ernie exchange a glance.

TOM (cont'd)
Where's Jane?  I'm still juiced.

Ernie points off... as Tom exits.  The Usher brothers hover.

ERNIE
(to the Usher brothers)
Can I help you?

MARVIN
We're here to play the new news theme.

ERNIE
New theme?  You don't need me for this.

PAUL
Stay.  Why should I be the only one
to feel silly?

MAN ONE
We need a synthesizer -- but this
will give you an idea.

PAUL
Go ahead.
(to Ernie)
Wasn't he great?

ERNIE
It worked.

Man Two has the keyboard out and begins playing the prospective
news theme:  a suite meant to have majesty and drive, a towering
composition -- the effect of it somewhat lessened by the fact
that the two men VOCALIZE OTHER INSTRUMENTS over the keyboard.

INT. NEWSROOM - DAY

As Tom makes his way across it -- crews are drifting in... He
enters Jane's cubby, flushed with the electricity of the "win"
the most noteworthy moment of his working life.

INT. JANE'S CUBBY - DAY

TOM
You're an amazing woman.  What a feeling
having you inside my head.

JANE
(a bit thrown)
Yeah.  It was an unusual place to be.

TOM
Indescribable -- you knew just when to
feed me the next thing, just a split
second before I needed it.  There was a
rhythm we got into, like great sex.

Jane looks at him and nods slightly -- an unconscious spasm of
truthfulness.

TOM
You have to celebrate with me, don't
you?  Everybody's going to that bar
on the corner, 'Caps.'

JANE
I'm going over to Aaron's.  Maybe I'll
hoop up with all of you later.  How
long do you think you'll be there?

Tom indicates that it's an impossible question to answer.  They
enters the elevator.

EXT. NEWS BUILDING - NIGHT

As several people cross the street towards the bar.  Tom has
been holding back on one question.

TOM
It's tempting to ask you how you think
I did.
(she starts to reply)
No.  I'm enjoying myself.  Take it easy.

He starts across the street.

JANE
(trying to be casual)
Maybe I'll see you over there.

Indicates Bar.

TOM
You'll never show up.

He starts across the street -- then turns and calls to her.

TOM
Jane?

JANE
Yeah?

TOM
I'll wait for you till seven.

JANE
(shouting back)
Okay.

Tom races to catch up with the others -- Jane in the distant b.g.
pauses a beat before walking off in the opposite direction.  Jane
moving quickly along.

SOUND OF MEN VOCALIZING NEWS THEME comes UP AND continues
through:

EXT. AARON'S APARTMENT - EARLY EVENING

As Jane approaches and is surprised to find him sitting on the
stoop outside.

ON AARON

Happy to see her, rising fairly soberly to his feet.  He APPLAUDS
as she comes toward him.

JANE
Really?  It was good.

He nods and APPLAUDS some more.

JANE
Your calling in that information --
you're the classiest guy I know.

He waves her off... And sits down on the stoop.

AARON
It was strange to watch him.  What's
the next step?  Lip synching?

She sits a step or two above him, waiting to gauge his mood.

AARON
I've been doing some of the most
important thinking of my life.  I
wonder if this is the right time to
tell you about it.

She steals a glance at her watch.

JANE
Well, whatever you think.

AARON
I figured out exactly why it is I'm so
hung up on getting a chance at weekend
anchor...It's because if I do that well,
they'll pay me more, treat me great and
my life will be better.  That's why.

JANE
Sounds like you may be on to something.

AARON
Which means I'm at their mercy and who
wants that?...I'm not going to tell
you where this thought led me...
Anyway, well, why not  tell you? --
it's a happy thing.  In the middle of
all this I start to think about something
that does nothing but make me feel good
and makes immediate sense and that's you
...And I'll stop here but, Jane, I'd give
anything if you were two people so I could
call up the one who's my friend and tell
her about the one I'm in I...I don't think
I should go any further.  Come on --
I'll walk you to the corner.

He tales her by the arm and leads her to the corner.

JANE
You know you've had a strange day...
I'd sleep on all these things you've
been thinking.

AARON
Absolutely...You go have a good time...
You have some place to go?

JANE
Yes.

AARON
Good.

He grabs her and hugs her exuberantly -- takes her face in his
hands and kisses her full on the lips.

AARON
Well, I felt something.

He leaves her on the corner and walks back.

ON JANE

As the SOUND OF NEWS THEME VOCALIZING PICKS UP ONE MORE...
Jane moving quickly, hailing a cab.

INT. CAB - EVENING

JANE
We're going to Caps Bar at
Seventeenth and Vermont;
Connecticut is clear on Sunday...
take that over to Fifteenth, then
around Vermont and we'll bypass
the circle that way...if you don't
go over forty we should catch mostly
green lights.

ON the DRIVER'S annoyed look.

JANE
Come on -- don't take it the
wrong way.  I just know about
things.

He hits the meter.

EXT. CAPS BAR - EVENING

As the cab pulls up, Jane gets out and pays him.

DRIVER
Great route.  I never made
anywhere near that fast before.

JANE
Thanks -- good driving --

DRIVER
Thanks.  Coming from you I
appreciate it.

JANE
Thanks.

As she turns to enter the restaurant -- Tom and Jennifer exit.
As they confront each other:

TOM
I didn't think you'd make it.