DAVE

DAVE 
                                     BY

                                  GARY ROSS

          FADE IN:

          EXT. WASHINGTON D.C. - AERIAL SHOT - DAY

          It sits like a jewel off in the distance -- all glittering
          and white.  The deep blue of the Potomac stands out against
          the monuments as the sound of a HELICOPTER plays O.s..

                                                            SMASH CUT
                                                            TO:

          EXT. WHITE HOUSE GROUNDS - DAY

          The most famous helicopter in the world lumbers toward the
          most famous house.  Scores of reporters are camped out on the
          lawn while the huge machine descends like a hurricane...

          CLOSER - HELICOPTER

          It touches down as the Marine Corps color guard snaps to
          attention.  The hatch POPS open and a staircase emerges...

          FULL SHOT - DOORWAY

          After a moment, PRESIDENT WILLIAM HARRISON MITCHELL appears,
          accompanied by his wife ELLEN and loyal dog Cupcakes.  They
          smile from the landing and wave to the world -- a postcard of
          themselves.

          TRACKING SHOT - FIRST FAMILY

          "HAIL TO THE CHIEF" RINGS OUT across the grounds.   For-
          midably handsome Bill Mitchell is fit and in his early forties.
          His wife Ellen, still in her early thirties, is considered a
          classical beauty with a wide "friendly" smile that in certain
          photographs seems just on the edge of wistful.  The dog frolics
          around them as they wave to the press and smile for the world.
          Ozzie and Harriet for the Nineties with a bow to FDR and some
          Camelot thrown in.

          MOVING WITH them...

          They stride arm in arm beneath the portico that leads to the
          West Wing.  The band is still playing as they head under the
          archway, disappearing from public view.    Then, instantly,
          as a handler rushes up and grabs the dog,  the smiles vanish.
          Bill lets go of Ellen and Ellen lets go of Bill.   He turns
          to his right and she turns to her left.  Off they go in their
          separate directions.

                                                                 CUT TO:

          INT. WEST WING HALLWAY - DAY

          The President strides down the long marble hallway flanked by
          his two senior advisors, BOB ALEXANDER,  the White House Chief
          of Staff and ALAN REED,  the White House Media Advisor.

                                MITCHELL
                    Is everybody in there?

                                BOB
                    They're waiting for you.  And they're
                    very nervous.

                                                                 CUT TO:

          INT. WHITE HOUSE - ROOSEVELT ROOM - DAY

          It is the seat of power.  There is a dark oak conference table
          with a crystal chandelier above it.   Alan Reed is reading
          from a notebook full of polling data while the President glares
          at a group of congressional leaders.  Bob glares at them,
          too, while they cower behind their water glasses.

                                REED
                         (reading from his
                         notebook)
                    I wish I had better news... Our
                    compassion index is off seven
                    points from the last sample and
                    that's down eighteen on the year.  The
                    `Cares About People Like Me' numbers
                    are really in the toilet.  We're off
                    twenty points from March and that was
                    right after we raised interest rates...

                                MITCHELL
                    Dammit...
                         (beat)
                    I told them no mayo.
                         (looking up)
                    See - - I could veto this Simpson Garner
                    thing, but I really don't want to do
                    that...

          A couple of the legislators flinch,  still staring straight
          ahead.

                                MITCHELL
                         (circling)
                    Do you know why I don't want to do it?

          DAVE - Rev. 8/7/92                                    3.

          They all look over at him for a moment.   Mitchell leans out
          over the table like some great, predatory beast.

                                MITCHELL
                         (strangled whisper)
                    ... Because it's got homeless
                    shelters... and Head Start centers ...
                    and... and...

                                BOB
                         (whispering)
                    Hot lunches.

          The President looks back at him for an instant then turns
          back toward the table.

                                MITCHELL
                         (building)
                    ... And hot lunches for little
                         (thundering suddenly)
                    And if I kill it... I'll look like a
                    prick.

          They all flinch slightly.

                                MITCHELL
                    And I don't want to look like a prick!
                         (beat)
                    I want YOU to look like pricks!!!

          DIFFERENT ANGLE

                                SPEAKER
                    Sir, we tried to kill it twice...

                                MITCHELL
                         (whisper again)
                    I don't think so, Howard.  If you had
                    killed it -- it would be dead.
                         (looking him in the eye)
                    When I kill something - - it always
                    dies.  Doesn't it, flob?

                                BOB
                         (steely)
                    Always dead.

                                MAJ. LEADER
                    Mr. President, with all the work your
                    wife has done with the homeless...

          The President turns and stares daggers at him.   The man starts
          to flumph as Mitchell cuts him off.

                                MITCHELL
                    Norman, I don't want you to do this
                    cause you're forced to...
                         (beat)
                    I want you to do this because you want
                    to.  I want you to do it because you
                    think it's the right thing to do.  I
                    want you to do it because you're acting
                    in the best interests of our country...

          They stare back at him stupefied.

                                BOB
                         (upbeat)
                    Well -- I think that's it.

                                                                 CUT TO:

          INT. WEST WING HALLWAY - LATER

          He moves down the corridor toward the Oval Office with Bob
          and Reed at his side.

          A long line of secretaries flanks the entrance.

                                BOB
                    ... You've got that radio address to
                    go over and the American Bar Association
                    at the Monroe tomorrow night...

          The President pauses at one of the desks and fixes a stare.at
          one of the secretaries,  (RANDI).  She looks up from behind a
          pdir of clear-pane glasses,  and blushes at him effectively.

                                MITCHELL
                         (smiling at Randi)
                    The Monroe?

                                REED
                    Uh, yes, sir.  The Monroe Hotel...

          Randi smiles back at him.

                                MITCHELL
                         (whispering to Reed)
                    Did you get someone to double for me
                    there, out front?

                                REED
                    We're working on it.

                                MITCHELL
                         (still under his breath)
                    Try to find someone who looks like me
                    this time.  That last guy was a joke.

                                REED
                    We're doing our best, sir.

          He nods and winks at Randi again before heading inside the
          Oval Office.   The President starts humming "Hail to the Chief"
          quietly to himself...

                                                                 CUT TO:

          EXT. DURENBURGER'S CHRYSLER PLYMOUTH - DAY

                        Red, white and blue flags fly above the used
          cars to announce Durenberger's grand opening.  A SCRATCHY
          RENDITION of "HAIL TO THE CHIEF" PLAYS from a makeshift P.A.
          SYSTEM and a little stage has been erected in front of the
          cars.  DURENBURGER himself stands alone at the mike.

                                DURENBURGER
                    This is a real special moment here at
                    Durenburger's Chrysler Plymouth...
                    Ladies an' gentlemen, I wantcha to
                    give a real warm welcome to...
                         (pause)
                    The President of the United

                                WIDER
                    A dead-ringer for the President appears,
                    perched on the back of a four hundred
                    pound pig.   He is DAVE KOVIC, our
                    hero.   Dave enters from "stage right"
                    wearing an Uncle Sam hat and waving
                    triumphantly to the crowd.   A teenage
                    *boy pulls the pig forward by a rope.

          DIFFERENT ANGLE

          He makes the victory sign with both hands and dismounts the
          PIG who lets out a SNORT.   Dave bounds up to the small
          platform where he is greeted warmly by Durenburger.  Dave
          hands him a small stack of 3x5 filing cards while "HAIL TO
          THE CHIEF" CONCLUDES its final strains.   Dave salutes the
          crowd.

                                DAVE
                         (doing a decent Bill
                         Mitchell)
                    Thank you, Don.  Thank you for that
                    warm introduction.
                         (pause)
                    You know it's wonderful to be here
                    today amongst so many smiling faces.

          REVERSE ANGLE - CROWD

          Eight to ten people stand stonefaced amongst the Plymouth
          Horizons.

          ON DAVE

                                DAVE
                    And, Don, let me assure you from one
                    chief executive to another, that there
                    fl no Chrysler Plymouth like
                    Durenburger's Chrysler Plymouth.

          A few employees applaud.   Dave nudges Durenburger who takes
          out one of the cards.