THE HIROSHIMA
PEARL
written by Charles Deemer and
Michael T. Girardo
story by Michael T.
Girardo
FADE
IN:
INSERT: ATOMIC BOMB EXPLODING OVER
HIROSHIMA
as we hear:
JOEL
(O.S.)
The United States
exploded the
first atomic bomb over Hiroshima on
August 6, 1945. The initial blast
killed between
sixty-six and
seventy-eight
thousand people
instantly. Tens of thousands more
died the slow death
of radiation
poisoning.
INT. CONVENTION CENTER - AUDITORIUM
- DAY
The film of Hiroshima is being
watched by members attending
a conference sponsored by the Department of Energy.
We PAN the audience as the speaker
continues - reactions
among those attending the conference
range from deep concern
to
"I've-seen-it-all-before" boredom.
JOEL
(O.S.)
Less than a decade
after Hiroshima,
the U.S. could
produce a bomb with
1200 times greater
destructive
force. The nuclear arms race had
begun in earnest.
2.
INT. AUDITORIUM - PODIUM - DAY
Speaking behind the podium is JOEL
MURRAY, a Department of
Energy (DOE) employee in his late
thirties or early forties.
He speaks earnestly, confidently.
Behind Joel, overhead, a banner
reads: "1995 DOE Conference:
Nuclear Energy in the 21st
Century."
JOEL
Ladies and gentlemen,
we are at the
dawn of a new
era. As we approach
the fiftieth
anniversary of
Hiroshima, the
nuclear arms race -
at least as we have
known it - is
over.
But the world is
still a dangerous
place. China continues underground
testing, third-world
countries
continue research to
build nuclear
weapons.
At the same time,
modern industrial
countries like Japan are engaged in
an unprecedented
conversion to
nuclear power.
INT. AUDITORIUM - LOBBY - DAY
As Joel's voice continues in the
distance, KYO SUYAMA moves
quickly across the lobby for the
auditorium.
He is a small, intellectual-looking
Japanese man. He is
nervous, glancing behind as if
expecting to find someone
following him.
INT. AUDITORIUM - REAR/PODIUM
He enters the auditorium, standing
in the rear, listening to
Joel at the podium.
JOEL
A plutonium atom
doesn't care
whether it's used in
a bomb or a
power plant - it's
going to be
around for a very
long time in
either case.
(MORE)
3.
JOEL
(cont'd)
And this is the
danger, ladies and
gentlemen, as well as
the challenge
facing us as we move into a new
world order: to
remember that four
and a half million
years ago, this
planet was too
radioactive to
support life, even single-cell
life.
And so we must
proceed with
caution. The increased production
of radioactive
elements, in
whatever form, especially requires
supreme caution. Thank you.
There is scattered applause as the
CHAIRPERSON, a woman,
steps forward.
CHAIRPERSON
We have time for a few questions -
please use the front
microphone.
INT. AUDITORIUM - MICROPHONE - DAY
Several people come forward to the
microphone.
KYO
looks around, still nervous, and
moves quickly down the
aisle for the microphone.
INT. AUDITORIUM - BACK DOORS - DAY
As Kyo moves down the aisle, two
HATOYAMA THUGS move into
the doorway, looking around for Kyo. One spots him and
points. They are big men and menancing, but well-dressed
and easily blend with the crowd.
One starts forward but is stopped by
the other, who whispers
something. They wait behind, watching Kyo.
INT. AT THE MIC - DAY
A man has a question.
4.
QUESTIONER
How much plutonium is
there in the
world today? And, as a follow up,
how much is
dangerous?
INT. AT THE PODIUM
JOEL
The latest figure I
have for the
amount of plutonium
in the world is
fifty tons. How much is dangerous?
It depends on how
it's used.
Certainly, in terms of
the
potential for
environmental
disaster, we have
more than
necessary to create a
planetary
disaster right now.
INT. AT THE MIC - DAY
Another questioner is about to ask a
question when Kyo butts
in, taking the microphone.
KYO
SUYAMA
Excuse please, excuse
me . . .
Kyo's forwardness takes the
questioner by surprise, and Kyo
speaks into the microphone.
KYO
SUYAMA
Why do you think
plutonium is only
for power plant? What about
dangerous people in Japan? Why do
you think they won't
build bomb?
This question, seeming to come from
left field, causes an
immediate buzzing of reaction in the
audience.
INT. BACK OF AUDITORIUM
The two thugs have heard enough and
head for Kyo.
INT. AT THE PODIUM
Joel has lost focus and isn't sure
how to respond.
5.
INT. AT THE MIC
Kyo is looking around, nervous as
hell.
KYO
SUYAMA
This is more
dangerous than you
think! This is- . . .
He sees the thugs coming and heads
for a door at the side of
the stage.
THE THUGS
are having a hard time getting
through the crowd.
Kyo gets away.
INT. AT THE PODIUM
The chairperson has come forward to
pound the gavel for
order. She quickly gives up.
CHAIRPERSON
The meeting is
adjourned until
eight o'clock this
evening!
Meeting adjourned!
She turns to Joel.
CHAIRPERSON
You opened up a can
of worms.
JOEL
I wonder what he was
trying to say?
The chairperson is already moving
away and misses the
question. Joel is puzzled.
INT. CONVENTION CENTER - RECEPTION
ROOM - NIGHT
The conference delegates are
elbow-to-elbow in a crowded
reception room. Drinks and snacks are available at a number
of tables.
Joel is moving through the crowd,
drink in hand, when he is
stopped by TOM SULLIVAN, his boss at
DOE. Sullivan, a
survivor of government bureaucracy,
lives for his near
retirement.
6.
SULLIVAN
Joel, got a minute?
Sullivan leads the way to the
periphery of activity, where
there's a little more breathing
room.
JOEL
What's up?
SULLIVAN
I hear things got
pretty hot during
your presentation.
JOEL
The guy at the end? I don't know
where he was coming
from.
SULLIVAN
I heard you came down
pretty heavy
on the Japanese power
program.
JOEL
I advised
caution. Plutonium is
plutonium is
plutonium. It doesn't
care how it's
used. Peaceful can
still be dangerous.
SULLIVAN
About an hour after
your talk, I
got a call from the
State
Department. They heard a different
version.
They want us to cool it,
as far as bashing
Japan is
concerned.
JOEL
Tom, you know as well
as I- . . .
SULLIVAN
I know I'm a
short-timer. I know
you enjoy
controversy. What else
should I know?
JOEL
I have no idea what this guy was
trying to say.
7.
SULLIVAN
I'm not worried about him, I'm
worried about
you. You're on a
panel tomorrow,
right?
JOEL
Right.
SULLIVAN
Maybe you can, you
know, cool it a
little. Lay off Japan, in
particular.
JOEL
They actually called
you about
that?
SULLIVAN
Those trade meetings
are coming up.
You know the
situation. Can you do
that for me?
JOEL
Sure - I mean, I
wasn't aware that
I was- . . .
SULLIVAN
Good, Joel,
good. I knew I could
count on you.
He slaps Joel on the back.
SULLIVAN
Let's take advantage
of the free
booze, huh?
He moves off, back into the crowd,
as Joel watches him.
INT. CONVENTION CENTER - MEN'S ROOM
- NIGHT
Joel comes into the men's room. He takes a spot at the
urinal. Kyo steps up at the urinal next to him.
KYO
SUYAMA
We can talk?
Joel looks over, then quickly back.
8.
JOEL
Yes.
KYO
SUYAMA
Not safe here. Follow me.
Kyo flushes and moves off. Joel flushes and follows him.
INT. HALLWAY - OUTSIDE MEN'S ROOM - NIGHT
Kyo moves quickly down the hallway,
followed by Joel. Kyo
looks around, making sure Joel - but
only Joel - is
following him. He turns into a doorway.
Joel follows him through the
doorway.
INT. OFFICE ROOM - NIGHT
They are in a dark office room, lit
by off-light from the
street outside.
KYO
SUYAMA
You understand my
question today?
JOEL
I'm not sure. Who are you?
Kyo is hesitant to say. Joel offers his hand.
JOEL
Joel Murray. I
work at the
Department of Energy.
KYO
SUYAMA
I know. I am Kyo Suyama. I work
ten years in the
fuels processing
system at Hatoyama
Power Company in
Hykado. You hear of it?
JOEL
One of the largest in
Japan, isn't
it?
KYO
SUYAMA
Very big, yes. I think they are
preparing to make
bomb.
9.
JOEL
Do you have any
evidence of this?
KYO
SUYAMA
One night, five, six
months ago, I
discovered fuel rods being
processed into other
forms, like
parts for bomb.
JOEL
Why didn't you report
this?
KYO SUYAMA
You do not
understand. You know
the Gyokai?
JOEL
No.
KYO
SUYAMA
This is like gang of
industrialists. Klichi Hatoyama is
very powerful
member. They control
the government.
JOEL
Do you still work
there?
KYO
SUYAMA
No. I am fired - I think they know
what I see.
JOEL
And you aren't just
an unhappy
employee, Mr. Suyama?
KYO
SUYAMA
I can show you
proof. I have
photographs.
JOEL
I'd like to see
them. Do you have
them with you?
KYO
SUYAMA
Too dangerous to
bring here. I am
being followed.
10.
JOEL
By who?
KYO SUYAMA
Men who work for
Hatoyama.
Joel takes out his wallet and gives
Kyo his card.
JOEL
Will you call me this
week?
KYO
SUYAMA
Yes. I will be in Washington in
two days. I will have the
photographs to prove
to you.
JOEL
Is your life in
danger?
KYO
SUYAMA
Perhaps.
JOEL
Do you want to fly
back with me
tomorrow?
KYO
SUYAMA
Conference is not
over.
JOEL
That's not what I
asked. If you're
in danger- . . .
KYO
SUYAMA
No, please, I think I
lose them
now. I am in different hotel. I
am leaving tomorrow, will be in
Washington and see
you then.
JOEL
You're sure?
KYO
SUYAMA
Yes.
Joel offers his hand.
11.
JOEL
I'll be very
interested in what you
have to show me.
KYO
SUYAMA
I think so, Mr.
Murray. I go out
first. You wait.
He moves out of the room.
Joel waits behind, intrigued. Then he moves for the door.
INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE DOOR - NIGHT
Joel comes out. Kyo is nowhere to be found.
Joel moves off.
INT. ANOTHER HALLWAY - PAY PHONE -
NIGHT
Joel is dialing a number.
INTERCUT PHONE CONVERSATION - JOEL,
HIROKO
Though it is late, HIROKO is
painting in an apartment room
she's converted into a studio, when
the phone rings. She is
an attractive Japanese-American
woman, an artist, in her
thirties.
She answers the phone.
HIROKO
Hello?
JOEL
How's my favorite artist?
HIROKO
Why aren't you
partying?
JOEL
Because the people
I'm partying
with are boring.
Well, except one,
maybe.
12.
HIROKO
Man or woman?
JOEL
Male. Listen, I think I'll cut out
a day early.
HIROKO
Aren't you on a panel?
JOEL
They'll never miss
me. In fact,
Tom will be
delighted. I got
myself in the middle
of a
controversy today.
HIROKO
What happened this
time?
JOEL
I'll explain
later. I miss you.
Is dinner with the
folks still on?
HIROKO
Since you insist.
JOEL
Relax, it'll be
fine. Can you pick
me up at the airport at one? I'll
buy you a late lunch.
HIROKO
I haven't shopped for
dinner yet.
I'll do that in the
morning, then
we can have the rest
of the day.
JOEL
Perfect. Miss me?
HIROKO
Of course.
JOEL
Good. I'll see you tomorrow.
HIROKO
Goodnight.
13.
JOEL
Love you.
HIROKO
You, too.
INT. AT THE PHONE - NIGHT
Joel hangs up as the two Hatoyama
thugs walk by, looking for
Kyo.
EXT. WASHINGTON D.C. NEIGHBORHOOD -
STREET - DAY
Hiroko walks down the street, on her
way to the neighborhood
market. It's a sunny glorious day in Washington D.C.
As she enters the block of the
market, she notices with
concern that several police cars are
parked on the street in
front of the market, and a crowd of
curious pedestrians has
gathered.
Hiroko approaches a pedestrian.
HIROKO
What's going on?
PEDESTRIAN
Man in the store
flipped his lid.
Hiroko moves through the crowd,
trying to get closer.
INT. LOCAL MARKET - DAY
Inside the market, AL has a pistol
aimed at LINDA GI, the
Korean woman who owns the store.
Al is bald, retired, a World War II
vet.
Linda Gi is a small woman in her
early seventies, who seems
a decade or more younger.
Al moves to the window, looking out
at the police and crowd.
LINDA GI
Why do this to
me? I don't even
know you.
14.
AL
You nips are all the same.
LINDA GI
Nips?
AL
Japs.
LINDA GI
That's what you think?
AL
Buying up the whole
goddamn
country. Like that picture in the
paper, taking over
the Trade
Building. It makes me sick, the
way we forget Pearl
Harbor. What
did we win the war
for?
LINDA GI
I'm Korean, not
Japanese.
Al looks at her, disbelieving.
EXT. OUTSIDE STORE - DAY
Hiroko has moved to the front of the
crowd. In front of
her, a POLICE OFFICER with a
bullhorn is speaking.
POLICE OFFICER
(with bull horn)
There's no way out -
please release
the woman and give
yourself up!
INT. STORE - DAY
The officer's words are heard inside the store as Al looks
out the window.
POLICE OFFICER
(O.S.)
We don't want to have
to come in
after you!
Al turns from the window.
15.
AL
Prove it. That you're Korean.
LINDA GI
May I get my purse?
Al nods. Linda Gi gets her purse, takes out identification
and hands it to Al.
AL
Where's it say
Korean?
LINDA GI
Place of birth. I was 12 when the
war started. The Japanese forced
me and my sister to
become "comfort
women." We were forced to have sex
with the soldiers a
dozen or more
times a day. They were sometimes
violent and gave me
diseases. My
sister was killed by
one of them.
This man was the
worst.
Al is moved but doesn't want to show
it. He feels suddenly
foolish at his mistake, handing back
the I.D.
LINDA GI
The man in the paper
this morning -
I think he was the
one. Look.
She takes out an old photograph from
her wallet and hands it
to Al.
Then she takes the front page of the
morning paper from the
counter, also handing it to Al.
LINDA GI
The same man, I
think. The same
name.
Al looks down at the newspaper and
the old photo.
INSERT: NEWSPAPER AND PHOTO
The front page newspaper article
shows a photograph of
KLICHI HATOYAMA, a graying Japanese
industrialist, who is
dedicating a recently purchased and
remodeled New York
skyscraper.
16.
The photograph shows a young
Japanese soldier.
LINDA GI
(O.S.)
Look on the back.
Al turns over the photograph: the
name "Klichi Hatoyama" is
spelled out.
LINDA GI
(O.S.)
Same name. Don't you see a
resemblance? I think it's the same
man. He was the worst.
EXT. STORE - DAY
Police in gas masks are assembling
to storm the building.
The police officer with the bull
horn barks a final warning.
POLICE OFFICER
This is your last
chance to come
out! We're coming in!
A shout of, "Wait!", is
heard from inside the building.
The door opens and Linda Gi runs
out, into the arms of a
policeman. Behind her, Al comes out, his hands raised, and
is immediately apprehended.
Hiroko watches the arrest.
PEDESTRIAN
I don't blame him
being upset, way
the Japs are taking
over
everything.
HIROKO
Linda is Korean.
CLOSE ON TV SCREEN
as a reporter interviews HATOYAMA,
looking distinguished in
a three-piece suit.
17.
HATOYAMA
This project is a
partnership
between our two
countries.
REPORTER
Mr. Hatoyama, are you
saying you
have American
investors?
JOEL
(O.S.)
I'll be damned.
HIROKO
(O.S.)
What?
HATOYAMA
(ignoring reporter's
question)
The great American
sculptor Bruce
McShane has just
completed an
original statue for
the courtyard.
We are proud of our partnership
with him.
HIROKO
(O.S.)
Bruce never told me
that.
JOEL
(O.S.)
I think he's the same
guy.
HIROKO
(O.S.)
What guy?
REPORTER
But are American
investors
participating in the
purchase of
the Trade
Building? Or is the new
ownership entirely
Japanese?
JOEL
(O.S.)
The guy that Kyo's
worried about.
18.
HATOYAMA
(still ignoring
the
question)
The statue will
symbolize a new
spirit of cooperation
between our
two countries. My son Hanako is in
charge of the
project. He can
answer your
questions.
HANAKO, a Japanese man in his
thirties, moves beside his
father. He dresses with more American flair than the senior
Hatoyama.
A doorbell rings.
INT. JOEL'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM
- NIGHT
Joel heads for the door as Hiroko
turns off the television
news they've been watching above.
JOEL
Here we go. You ready?
HIROKO
As I'll ever be.
Joel opens the door and greets his
parents.
JOEL
Right on time.
The parents enter the apartment.
FRANK MURRAY is in his fifties, a
laborer, dressed casually.
MARY MURRAY is also dressed
casually, in slacks, and wears
too much makeup.
MARY
MURRAY
I don't know how you
find a parking
place in this
neighborhood.
JOEL
You have trouble?
FRANK MURRAY
Your mother just
likes to complain.
19.
MARY
MURRAY
Two blocks away, we
parked!
JOEL
This is Hiroko.
HIROKO
Hello.
MARY
MURRAY
Hello, dear. It's so nice to
finally meet you.
INT. JOEL'S APARTMENT - DINING TABLE
- NIGHT
An awkward dinner is almost
over. No one's been talking
much. Finally:
MARY
MURRAY
Well, that was
good. Wasn't it,
dear?
FRANK MURRAY
Great. You're a good cook, Hoko.
JOEL
Hiroko.
HIROKO
Actually, Joel made
the pasta. I
made the salad.
FRANK MURRAY
Great salad.
HIROKO
I'll clear the table.
Mary makes a move to get up and
help.
HIROKO
Please, I can manage.
Hiroko starts clearing the table.
When she's gone, Mary leans toward
her son.
20.
MARY
MURRAY
She's very pretty. Isn't she,
dear?
FRANK MURRAY
Nice girl.
MARY
MURRAY
I'd like to meet some
of the other
girls you date.
JOEL
Mom, I'm asking her
to marry me.
Mary's mouth drops open.
JOEL
That's why I wanted you to meet
her.
MARY
MURRAY
You've already asked
her?
JOEL
Not yet.
MARY
MURRAY
Oh, my.
JOEL
I'd like your best
wishes.
FRANK
MURRAY
You sure you've
thought this
through? I mean, it won't be easy,
coming from such
different
backgrounds.
Hiroko returns, and everyone shuts
up.
HIROKO
Am I interrupting
something?
Mary suddenly stands.
MARY
MURRAY
Frank is taking us
all out for
dessert!
21.
This is news to Frank.
FRANK MURRAY
Well, yeah - why not?
EXT. ICE CREAM PARLOR - NIGHT
The foursome come out of the ice
cream parlor, each with an
ice cream cone. They start walking down the sidewalk,
silently.
Soon they reach the family car. Frank unlocks the passenger
door for his wife.
JOEL
We'll walk home.
MARY
MURRAY
My word, listen to him.
JOEL
We walk in the
neighborhood all the
time.
FRANK MURRAY
It's called youth,
mother.
Mr. and Mrs. Murray get into the
car. Mary rolls down her
window.
MARY
MURRAY
It was a lovely
dinner, Hokoro.
JOEL
Hiroko.
HIROKO
Thank you.
Mary rolls up the window as the car
pulls away into traffic.
EXT. SIDEWALK - FOLLOWING JOEL AND
HIROKO
Joel and Hiroko start walking down
the sidewalk, ice cream
cones still in hand.
22.
HIROKO
I don't think they
like me.
JOEL
Of course they
do. They're just
bad at foreign names.
HIROKO
They seemed - I don't
know. Afraid
I'm going to become a
member of the
family or something.
JOEL
Well, you are.
HIROKO
(laughing)
Right.
JOEL
I'm serious.
Hiroko stops and looks at him.
HIROKO
Joel?
JOEL
I'm asking you to
marry me.
Hiroko doesn't know what to say.
JOEL
I hope you're not
surprised.
HIROKO
No.
JOEL
Well?
HIROKO
Joel . . .
She starts walking again. Joel catches up with her.
JOEL
Do I have to fall
down on my knees?
23.
HIROKO
I don't know what to
say.
JOEL
How about yes or no?
HIROKO
I don't know. I don't want to talk
about it right now.
They continue along in awkward
silence.
INT. HATOYAMA'S OFFICE - DAY
Hatoyama sits behind a huge desk, a
large window behind him
showing off the New York city
skyline. He is in conference
with his son, who sits in a stuffed
chair across the large
desk.
The office is stark but very
Japanese. A fountain is behind
him. The water cascades over small rocks. A tiny bonzai
tree is on his desk.
HATOYAMA
I don't want
excuses. I want the
matter settled. Do I make myself
clear?
HANAKO
Yes, father.
HATOYAMA
You're sure you know
what must be
done?
HANAKO
Of course.
HATOYAMA
You are brave enough
to do it?
HANAKO
As brave as Uncle
Akiru.
Hatoyama beams.
24.
HATOYAMA
I hope this is
true. I hope so.
That is all.
Hanako gets up, bows and leaves. Hatoyama stares ahead
after him, as if measuring the
mettle of his son.
INT. DEPT OF ENERGY - HALLWAY - DAY
Joel is moving down a hallway when
he meets Sullivan coming
the other way.
SULLIVAN
Joel, you busy?
JOEL
Actually, yes -
what's up?
SULLIVAN
You angry or something?
I didn't
mean for you to
cancel off the
panel, for Christ's
sake.
JOEL
I, ah, had a personal
problem to
attend to. I didn't think you'd
mind.
SULLIVAN
You're not mad at me
or something?
JOEL
Of course not.
SULLIVAN
Good!
Grinning, Sullivan slaps Joel on the
back and continues on
his way. Joel also moves off.
INT. DOE - OFFICE - DAY
Joel steps into an office. In front of a computer sits FRED
JOHNSON, a trusted coworker.
FRED
Speak of the devil.
25.
JOEL
You get the numbers?
FRED
And what numbers they
are.
Fred swings away from the computer.
FRED
In this fiscal year
alone, Japan is
importing more
plutonium than we
and the old Soviet Union have in
storage combined.
Joel whistles.
INT. DOE - JOEL'S OFFICE - DAY
The phone rings.
JOEL
Murray.
KYO
SUYAMA
(V.O.)
Mr. Murray? This is Kyo Suyama.
JOEL
Where are you?
INTERCUT PHONE CONVERSATION
Kyo is in a phone booth.
KYO
SUYAMA
In Washington. I must see you very
soon.
JOEL
How about right
now? You know
where the Candlelight
is, in
Georgetown?
KYO
SUYAMA
No, but I take taxi.
26.
JOEL
The Candlelight, any
taxi driver
will know it. How soon can you get
there?
KYO
SUYAMA
Within one hour.
JOEL
I'll be there. Kyo, are you all
right?
But Kyo has already hung up, Joel's
question gets only the
buzz of a dead phone.
INT. CANDLELIGHT RESTAURANT -
COCKTAIL LOUNGE - DAY
Joel enters the cocktail lounge of
the restaurant, looking
for Kyo. The matre'd comes by, recognizing him.
MATRE'D
Having lunch today,
Mr. Murray?
JOEL
Yes - they'll be two
of us.
MATRE'D
Very good. Let me know when the
other party arrives.
Joel takes a seat at the bar. The bartender comes over.
BARTENDER
How are you today?
JOEL
Good. Small beer.
BARTENDER
Very good.
The bartender moves off. Joel looks at his watch.
INT. RESTAURANT - FRONT FOYER - DAY
Joel comes into the front foyer,
finding the matre'd.
27.
JOEL
Any calls for me?
MATRE'D
No, sir. Your party still hasn't
arrived?
JOEL
No. Thanks.
INT. RESTAURANT - COCKTAIL LOUNGE -
DAY
Joel drops a coin into a pay phone
and dials. There is
nothing relevant on his voice mail.
He looks worried as he returns to
the bar.
BARTENDER
Another beer?
JOEL
No thanks.
He heads for the exit.
EXT. JOEL'S APARTMENT - STREET - DAY
Joel parks and goes into his
apartment.
INT. JOEL'S APARTMENT - DAY
Joel comes into the apartment.
JOEL
Hiroko?
He heads for the bedroom.
INT. BEDROOM
as Joel comes in. He immediately notices that the closet
door is open. He goes to
it and discovers that Hiroko's
clothes are gone.
He finds a note on the bed and picks
it up.
28.
INSERT: NOTE
which reads:
"Dear Joel - I need some time
alone to think about things.
I'm staying at Judy's for a
while. I do love you very much
but I just need my space right
now. Love, Hiroko"
INT. BEDROOM
Joel closes his eyes.
INT. LIVING ROOM
Joel is dialing a number.
JOEL
Judy, this is
Joel. Is Hiroko
there?
He waits nervously.
JOEL
Would you ask her
again,
please? . . . Judy,
look, there's
no reason for you to
take sides-- .
. . fine.
Please tell her to call
me as soon as she's
ready to
talk. . . . Thanks.
He hangs up, clearly very upset.
EXT. JOEL'S APARTMENT - DAY
Joel comes out of his apartment the next morning. He buys a
newspaper at a coin rack near where
his car is parked.
He casually looks at the front page
headlines as he walks to
the car. Something grabs his eye.
INSERT: THE HEADLINE
which reads: "Japanese scientist discovered
dead."
JOEL
can't believe his eyes.
29.
INT. DEPT OF ENERGY - HALLWAY - DAY
Joel is moving quickly down a
hallway, his manner urgent and
determined. He is carrying the morning newspaper.
He comes to an office door and
enters.
INT. DOE - SULLIVAN'S OFFICE - DAY
Joel enters the office and moves by
the SECRETARY without
saying a word.
SECRETARY
Joel, can I help you?
Joel opens the door to Sullivan's
private office.
INT. SULLIVAN'S OFFICE
Sullivan looks up from a crossword
puzzle he is doing.
Joel throws the newspaper onto the
desk in front of his boss
and points out the article about
Kyo's murder.
JOEL
This is the guy who
was asking the
questions at the
conference. He
was supposed to meet
me at the
Candlelight
yesterday. He was
bringing photographs
to prove his
contention about the
bomb.
Somebody got to him
first.
SULLIVAN
Joel, I know you're a fan of
LeCarre and find
conspiracies
everywhere, but could
you back up
and start from the
beginning?
JOEL
You ever hear of
Klichi Hatoyama?
He bought the Trade
Building in New
York.
SULLIVAN
From the beginning, I
said. What'd
this guy ask you at
the conference?
30.
JOEL
He's the one who brought up the
possibility of Japan
building a
bomb. According to- . . .
SULLIVAN
Joel, for Christ's
sake, let's be
real here. Why in hell would Japan
want to build a
bomb? The cold war
is over.
JOEL
Look, all I'm saying
is, the guy
said he had proof
that there's a
faction over there
converting fuel
rods to mechanisms
for a bomb - he
had photographs to
show me. He
used to work at Hatoyama's power
facility and-- . . .
SULLIVAN
A disgruntled
employee. Jesus,
Joel, it's the oldest
gripe in the
world. You don't get your
promotion, so you
raise the spectre
of radioactive
catastrophe.
JOEL
Tom, the police suspect murder.
SULLIVAN
So what do you expect
me to do
about it?
JOEL
For starters, don't be so quick to
close your eyes to
Japan's reactor
program. We've got people over
there. Let's look into it.
SULLIVAN
Okay. I can make a call and do
that. But quietly. No press, no
panic - understand
me?
Joel is hesitant to respond.
31.
SULLIVAN
I know you have a
drinking buddy at
the Post, Joel. Promise me we'll
do this by the letter.
JOEL
Okay. We'll see what they can find
out over there.
Sullivan holds up the newspaper.
SULLIVAN
You read this?
JOEL
Of course.
Sullivan quotes from the article.
SULLIVAN
"Police have not
dismissed the
possibility of foul
play." Since
when is that murder?
JOEL
He was suppsoed to
meet me with
photographs.
SULLIVAN
Joel, all I'm saying
is, cool it.
I'll call Tokyo
today. We'll see
what we can find out
about
Hatoyama. Fair enough?
JOEL
It's a start.
Sullivan suddenly slams his fist on
the desk.
SULLIVAN
It's not a goddamn
start, it's the
way we do things
around here! You
let me handle this,
period. Do I
make myself clear?
JOEL
Yes, sir.
Joel turns and heads for the door.
32.
SULLIVAN
Joel?
Joel turns back to the desk. Sullivan holds up the paper.
SULLIVAN
You forgot your
paper.
JOEL
It's yours.
He leaves.
INT. COCKTAIL LOUNGE - NIGHT
Joel enters a crowded cocktail
lounge after work. He's
looking around for someone, finds
him, and moves through the
crowd to the bar.
Joel takes a position next to HARRY
SEYMOR, a veteran
reporter on the Washington Post, who
looks like a frayed
academic.
SEYMOR
Joel, hey, been a long time! Let
me buy you a drink.
JOEL
Can we get a table?
SEYMOR
Damn right.
(to bartender)
Jacko, get the girl
to bring two
Irishes our way!
They move off together to find a
table.
INT. COCKTAIL LOUNGE - THE TABLE -
NIGHT
They have their drinks.
33.
SEYMOR
Been too long, buddy. I think the
last time was when
you tipped me on
all the radioactive
crap being
dumped into the
Katchee river.
Your boss still
trying to deny
reality?
He tries to imitate Sullivan.
SEYMOR
"At no time was
there any danger to
the public, plant
personnel or the
environment."
The guy's a born
actor.
JOEL
He's just hanging out
for
retirement.
SEYMOR
How are you and the
lady doing?
JOEL
Wrong question.
SEYMOR
Oh? I thought this was like the
real thing.
JOEL
I don't want to talk
about it.
SEYMOR
Sorry.
JOEL
It's nothing
serious. Listen, I
told Tom I wouldn't
talk to you
about this but . . .
I don't know,
I think maybe I
should.
SEYMOR
You rascal, you know
I'm all ears
now.
34.
JOEL
You read the story
about the
Japanese scientist
found dead early
this morning?
SEYMOR
Vaguely remember something about
that. I didn't write it so, you
know, I don't pay too
much
attention.
JOEL
He was supposed to
meet me
yesterday with proof,
with
photographs, that
there's a nuclear
bomb being built at
the Hatoyama
Power Plant in
Hykado.
SEYMOR
The same Hatoyama who
bought the
Trade Building?
JOEL
Exactly.
SEYMOR
You believe him?
JOEL
I never saw the
photos but he was
convincing. Said he was being
followed, so maybe
they got to him
before he was able to
show me or
anyone else the
photographs.
SEYMOR
Heavy if you're right, ol' buddy.
JOEL
Maybe you can see
what you can find
out about Hatoyama.
SEYMOR
You told Sullivan?
JOEL
He's going to go
through channels.
You know what that'll
turn up.
35.
SEYMOR
All sounds pretty
far-fetched,
Joel.
JOEL
All I know is, the guy was scared
to death. And now he's dead.
SEYMOR
Maybe you have a
point.
Seymor drinks. Joel drinks.
EXT. JUDY'S APARTMENT - STREET -
NIGHT
Joel sits in his car outside Judy's
apartment, waiting for
Hiroko. Finally he sees her approaching the apartment
building. He gets out of the car.
JOEL
Hiroko!
She is visibly distressed to see
him. He trots up to her.
JOEL
Didn't you get my
messages?
HIROKO
Joel, please, I just
need a little
more time alone.
JOEL
That means you can't
even talk to
me on the phone?
HIROKO
Please try to
understand.
JOEL
I am trying! I mean, I ask you to
marry me because I love you,
because I think you
love me, and
suddenly I'm a
goddamn leper or
something.
HIROKO
Don't make this any harder than it
already is.
36.
JOEL
Why's it have to be
hard? We love
each other, don't
we? We should be
celebrating, for
Christ's sake.
HIROKO
Marriage is a big
step. I'm not
sure I'm ready to
take it.
She starts for the apartment
building, Joel following along.
JOEL
Come back where you
belong. I miss
you.
She doesn't reply.
JOEL
Well, am I supposed
to get another
date for the
Christmas party or
what? I know it's only six months
away, but- . . .
Hiroko suddenly turns on him.
HIROKO
Stop it! I just need time to
think. Why can't you accept that?
JOEL
Fine. I accept it. So you'll call
me when you're ready,
right?
Something like that?
Hiroko, close to tears, turns and
goes.
JOEL
(after her)
I love you, goddamn
it! Not to
make a federal case
about it . . .
But she is going up the steps now, gone. Joel kicks an
imaginary object, very upset.
He heads back to his car.
INT. ANOTHER CAR - STREET - NIGHT
Hatoyama's two thugs are in a car
down the street, observing
Joel.
37.
EXT. STREET
as Joel's car pulls from the
curb. The thugs' car follows.
EXT. JOEL'S APARTMENT - STREET - NIGHT
Joel parks and goes into his
apartment.
The thugs' car slowly passes by,
watching him.
EXT. LINDA GI'S MARKET - DAY
Customers pass by the sidewalk fruit
and vegetable bins.
One of the customers is Hiroko.
A YOUNG BOY, there with his parents,
has been eyeing a fat
peach. He reaches for it when suddenly his hand is struck
by a small object.
EXT. MARKET - CASH REGISTER AREA -
DAY
Watching the boy has been Linda Gi, who holds a slingshot,
having just fired a paper wad at the
boy. Hiroko comes up
with her purchases.
HIROKO
I marvel every time
you do that.
So simple, yet so
effective.
LINDA GI
Not as effective as I
wish. Every
day somebody steals
from me.
She starts to weigh and ring up
Hiroko's purchases.
LINDA GI
Life is always
somebody taking from
somebody else.
Hiroko, whose view of life is not this
gloomy, doesn't
respond.
EXT. STREET - DAY
Hiroko is walking home with her bag
of groceries.
38.
INT. JUDY'S APARTMENT - DAY
Hiroko comes into the
apartment. There is a note waiting
for her, pinned on a corkboard.
INSERT: THE NOTE
"Calls from Joel" followed
by three straight lines, marking
that he's called thrice.
INT. JUDY'S APARTMENT
Hiroko passes the phone and looks at
it, then decides to
pass on without calling.
INT. JOEL'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Joel is sipping wine, eating a TV
dinner, and staring at the
tube without really watching
it. He clearly is depressed
and lonely, missing Hiroko terribly.
The phone rings, and Joel almost
dives for it, thinking it's
Hiroko.
JOEL
Yes!
SEYMOR
(V.O.)
You got time for a
beer?
JOEL
Oh, it's you.
SEYMOR
(V.O.)
Well, thanks a hell
of a lot. I
found out some good
stuff for you,
buddy.
JOEL
I'm sorry, I was
expecting -
someone else.
SEYMOR
(V.O.)
You want to learn what I found out
tonight or tomorrow?
39.
JOEL
Tonight.
INT. COCKTAIL LOUNGE - NIGHT
Joel and Seymor are seated at a
booth.
SEYMOR
Kyo Suyama has been
busy.
JOEL
Was busy.
SEYMOR
He visited the Tokyo
Bureau, told
one of the staff more
or less what
he told you. Arranged for a
meeting to bring
proof, then never
showed.
JOEL
Did he used to work
at the Hatoyama
Power Plant?
SEYMOR
Yes, in research and
development.
The interesting stuff
is about
Hatoyama
himself. He was shot down
in World War Two, spent most of the
war in a hospital,
came to Tokyo
after the treaty and
made a fortune
in several hard
industries. A
number of years ago,
he started
America bashing.
JOEL
On the tube the other
day, he was
talking about
profound new
friendship between his country and
ours.
SEYMOR
Maybe he turned over
a new leaf.
JOEL
Maybe it's a charade.
40.
SEYMOR
Maybe.
JOEL
I'm not sure where that leaves us.
SEYMOR
Kyo Suyama definitely
had something
on his mind. Apparently it was
worth killing him to
stop him from
sharing it.
JOEL
Makes sense to me.
SEYMOR
What's your next
step?
JOEL
To ask you not to
break the story.
Seymor laughs.
SEYMOR
We don't have a story
yet. But I
do want first dibs
when it's time.
JOEL
You know it's yours.
Seymor raises his drink, and they
clink glasses.
EXT. COCKTAIL LOUNGE - NIGHT
Joel and Seymor come out of the
cocktail lounge.
SEYMOR
You and Hiroko still
having
problems?
JOEL
I don't know what the
hell's going
on. She says she needs her space.
SEYMOR
Story of the modern
woman. Take
care.
41.
JOEL
See you.
They head off in opposite directions
to their cars.
EXT. COCKTAIL LOUNGE - STREET -
NIGHT
The car belonging to Hatoyama's
thugs is parked down the
street.
INT. THE CAR
The thugs are watching Joel get into
his car.
EXT. STREET - ANOTHER ANGLE
as Joel pulls away, and the thugs'
car pulls out to follow
it.
INTERCUT CHASE SCENE - JOEL'S CAR,
THUGS' CAR
Joel moves through traffic, with the
thugs' car behind him,
several cars back.
After a while, Joel approaches
flashing lights ahead and a
blockade. He is forced to stop. He
gets out, looks ahead
and sees that a bad accident has
halted traffic. The thugs'
car also has to stop in traffic.
Joel gets back into his car and
abruptly turns a broad
U-turn, heading back the other way.
His car passes the thugs' car, which
does a U-turn to
continue purusit.
In his rearview mirror, Joel sees
the other car pulling
behind him. He thinks about this, wondering if it's
intentional or not.
Suddenly Joel pulls into an
alley. Looking in the mirror
again, he sees the other car pull
into the alley behind him.
Now he understands that he is being
followed. Coming out of
the alley, Joel pulls recklessly
into traffic.
42.
He weaves around and between cars, trying to make distance
between himself and the car
following him. Angry motorists
beep their horns at him.
The thugs are in hot pursuit,
twisting in and out of traffic
along with Joel. Joel turns onto a residential street lined
with trees, flooring it.
The thugs stay in pursuit. In the car, one speaks in
Japanese to the other, making their
plans.
Joel races ahead as the thugs' car
makes a move to pass.
The thugs' car is gaining.
As the two cars drive by the Kennedy
Center, the thugs' car
starts to pull against Joel's car,
forcing him off the road.
Joel fights to retain control but
the thugs become more
aggressive, moving their car against
his, nudging him off
the road. Joel loses control and his car kareens through
the guard rail and plunges into the
Potomic River.
The thugs watch his car go out of
control, satisfied that
they have done their job.
Joel sits unconscious behind the
steering wheel, his car on
its side.
In the other car, the thugs are
delighted. One picks up the
car phone and begins to dial.
INT. HOSPITAL - JOEL'S ROOM - DAY
Joel is in bed after the
accident. A nurse brings Hiroko
in.
NURSE
We have a visitor.
HIROKO
Hi.
There's a certain awkwardness
between them with the nurse in
the room.
NURSE
Can I get you anything?
43.
JOEL
No thanks.
NURSE
Well, give a holler
if you need me.
The nurse leaves. As soon as she's gone, Hiroko moves to
the bed and leans down to kiss Joel.
HIROKO
When I heard what happened, I-- . .
. .
JOEL
It wasn't an
accident.
HIROKO
What are you saying?
JOEL
I was forced off the
road.
HIROKO
My God.
JOEL
Listen, there's something very
strange going
on. At the
conference, I was
contacted by a
Japanese scientist
who told me that
there's an element in
Japan
interested in making
a nuclear
bomb. Old guard conservatives or
something.
HIROKO
He was serious?
JOEL
He said he had
evidence. He's the
scientist who was
murdered the
other day.
HIROKO
What are you telling
me?
JOEL
I don't know. He mentioned Klichi
Hatoyama. Name ring a bell?
44.
HIROKO
I think so, yes.
JOEL
The industrialist who
bought the
Trade Building. Kyo, the
scientist, implied
he's involved
somehow.
I did some research:
Japan is
importing plutonium
at an alarming
rate. They don't need that much
plutonium for their
nuclear plants,
they could use other
fuels. But
they would need
plutonium for a
bomb.
HIROKO
This sounds so
conspiratorial.
JOEL
When I'm out of here,
I'd like to
talk to your
grandfather. Maybe he
can tell me more
about the old
guard conservatives.
HIROKO
I'm not sure I want
you involved in
this. If they tried to kill you- .
. . .
JOEL
They may be trying to
kill a hell
of a lot more people than me.
Their hands join, and they sit
silently, considering the
seriousness of this possibility.
EXT. NIGHTCLUB - STREET - NIGHT
A limo pulls to a stop in front of a
New York nightclub.
The driver gets out and hurries
around to open the door.
Hatoyama gets out and heads for the
entrance.
45.
INT. NIGHTCLUB - NIGHT
Loud rock music plays. Hatoyama enters, immediately put off
by the music and decor around him,
which he considers
American decadence to the core.
INT. NIGHTCLUB - DANCE FLOOR - NIGHT
On a crowded dance floor, under a
universe of blinking
colored lights, Hanako is among the
dancers, gyrating with a
slender sexpot.
Suddenly his father appears beside
him on the dance floor.
The young woman notices Hatoyama
first, then Hanako sees his
father.
Hanako stops dancing.
HANAKO
(to the woman)
Excuse me.
He heads off the floor quickly, with
Hatoyama right behind
him.
INT. NIGHTCLUB - ISOLATED CORNER -
NIGHT
They reach an isolated corner of the
club, as isolated as
it's possible to get in such a
place.
HANAKO
What are you doing
here? What's
wrong?
HATOYAMA
Other than my own son
being in such
a place?
HANAKO
I enjoy it. It's good exercise.
What happened?
HATOYAMA
He is still alive.
This is shocking news to
Hanako. Hatoyama heads out of the
club, with his son following
obediently behind him.
46.
EXT. COUNTRY ROAD - DAY
Hiroko's car is moving down a road
in the country.
INT. CAR - DAY
Hiroko is driving, Joel is in the
passenger's seat, still
wearing some bandages from the
accident.
JOEL
Your grandfather was
in Hiroshima,
wasn't he?
HIROKO
Give him a chance and
he'll be
telling you all about
it.
Joel looks puzzled by this.
JOEL
He likes to talk
about it?
HIROKO
He wants to let
people know it
should never happen
again.
JOEL
I hope he can tell me
something
about Hatoyama and
the old guard.
HIROKO
I don't know if he
can or not. He
doesn't talk to me
about politics.
To any woman about
politics.
They drive on silently.
EXT. COUNTRY HOME - DRIVEWAY - DAY
The car turns into a driveway
leading to a modest country
home. Chickens range the front yard, where GRANDFATHER
FUJIWARA is feeding them, tossing
out seed as he makes
clucking sounds. He
is an old man, gray and frail, but a
man who carries himself with great
dignity.
The car stops, and Hiroko and Joel
get out.
HIROKO
Hi, grandfather.
47.
Grandfather, still
"clucking," nods and throws out more
seed. Hiroko and Joel approach him.
HIROKO
This is my friend
Joel I told you
about.
JOEL
Very pleased to meet
you, sir.
Grandfather nods and throws seed.
INT. HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY
Grandfather, Joel and Hiroko sit on
the floor around a
table. Grandfather is administering a tea ceremony, precise
to the detail of movement.
Joel is a little impatient, wanting
to get on with things.
JOEL
Sir, I was
wondering-- . . .
Hiroko punches him under the table
and glares at him, as if
to say, it is bad manners to bring
this up now.
Joel shuts up as Grandfather
continues with the ceremony.
EXT. COUNTRY HOME - PATH - DAY
The threesome are walking along a
path in the woods near the
country home.
GRANDFATHER FUJIWARA
I was reading the
newspaper,
getting ready to go
to work, when
the A-bomb was
dropped.
At first I saw
something
sparkling - like a
live electrical
wire. The next instant, there was
a white flash, and it
blinded me, I
couldn't see anything
at all after
that.
(MORE)
48.
GRANDFATHER FUJIWARA (cont'd)
Then I heard a blast,
and my body
was thrown up and
against the wall.
Later my wife and I
went outside:
there was grayish
dust everywhere,
uranium dust, everything a gray
dark. If I hadn't been holding my
wife's hand, holding
it as we
walked outside, I
wouldn't have
been sure I was still
alive. Or
that she was.
They continue moving down the path.
EXT. PATH - GARDEN - DAY
They've reached a kind of shrine in
a garden built by
Grandfather. They are sitting on a stone bench.
GRANDFATHER FUJIWARA
I never hear of this
man.
JOEL
What about the old
guard? Are
there conservatives in Japan who
would build the bomb,
who would
want to get even?
GRANDFATHER FUJIWARA
Of course. There are people in
this country who
would drop the
A-Bomb again. Few lessons are
learned from history.
JOEL
Would you say this is probable? Or
merely possible? I'm not sure how
serious a threat you
think it is.
GRANDFATHER FUJIWARA
I am saying the human heart can be
very dark.
EXT. COUNTRY HOME - DRIVEWAY - DAY
Grandfather is seeing Joel and
Hiroko off, waving as the car
backs out the driveway.
49.
EXT. ROAD - DAY
The car turns from the driveway onto
the road.
INT. CAR - DAY
Hiroko is driving. She turns to Joel.
HIROKO
We caught him in a
quiet mood. I
don't think he's been
feeling well.
JOEL
I got the impression
he believes
the worst could
happen.
HIROKO
For him, I suppose it
already has.
JOEL
But he believes it
can happen
again. I want to do something to
make sure he's wrong.
They drive on silently.
INT. HATOYAMA'S OFFICE - DAY
Hatoyama sits behind his huge desk. Across from him sits
Hanako and TAROKAWA, a hired killer
from Tokyo.
Tarokawa is suave and cool behind
dark glasses, looking more
like a rock star than what he is.
HANAKO
He has the finest reputation. You
saw my report?
HATOYAMA
You do too much
paperwork.
(to Tarokawa)
You know what's expected of you. I
don't like failure.
TAROKAWA
I don't either. How do the
Americans say
it? You get what you
pay for?
50.
HATOYAMA
Then I expect
results.
TAROKAWA
You'll get what you
want.
HATOYAMA
When?
Tarokawa shrugs.
HANAKO
I told you this was
urgent.
HATOYAMA
My son knows I am not
a patient
man.
TAROKAWA
I don't like to make
mistakes. I
need to watch him for
a few days.
HANAKO
A few- . . .!
HATOYAMA
Let him do it his
way. A
professional deserves
respect.
Hanako shuts up, not sure what his
mistake was.
TAROKAWA
I'll be on the plane to Tokyo
before the end of the
week.
HATOYAMA
If you can do that,
and get the job
done, there's what
the Americans
call "a
bonus."
TAROKAWA
I like
Americans. All they care
about is money.
Both men are grinning at one another. Hanako feels out of
place.
51.
INT. LINDA GI'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Linda is setting the table when the
doorbell rings. She
hurries to answer it, fixing her
hair just before she opens
the door, acting like a woman much
younger than she is.
Al comes in. He looks self-conscious in his bow tie and
jacket, "dressing up"
clearly not a common experience for
him.
AL
Am I late?
LINDA GI
Just in time. I hope you're
hungry.
AL
Oh yeah, I'm always
hungry.
They smile awkwardly at one another.
INT. JOEL'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
BRUCE MCSHANE is entering, a
disheveled artist in an old
coat and jeans. He is a big man in his mid-forties but
holds his weight well.
Bruce and Hiroko immediately
embrace.
MCSHANE
It's been too long.
HIROKO
That's not my fault.
MCSHANE
(jokingly)
This bureaucrat ever
starts to bore
you, give me a call,
okay?
But the joke doesn't set well with
Joel, who starts to move
away. Hiroko, sensitive to this, breaks the embrace.
HIROKO
I'm mad at you.
You never told me
you were commissioned
to do a piece
for the Trade
Building.
52.
MCSHANE
The boss demanded
secrecy.
JOEL
I'll get the wine.
HIROKO
(quickly)
No, you two get
comfortable - I'll
get it.
She's quickly gone. There's an awkward silence.
MCSHANE
How goes the government?
JOEL
The government
doesn't change as
much as people think
it does.
Congratulations on
the Trade Center
commission.
MCSHANE
Thanks.
INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Joel and Hiroko sit together on the
divan, McShane on a
stuffed chair. They are
sipping wine, a newly opened bottle
sitting beside an empty one on the
small table.
Hiroko and McShane have been sharing
graduate school
stories, with Joel feeling more and
more left out.
HIROKO
And that awful
"pop art" exhibit
you put
together. What was it
called? Joel, he had these twenty
foot canvases of bad
teeth and- . .
. .
MCSHANE
"Diseases of the
Mouth."
HIROKO
Yes! I never saw anything so
disgusting in my
life.
53.
JOEL
You make that sound
like a
compliment.
MCSHANE
It was taking
"pop art" to its
logical
conclusion. Each painting
was entitled with the
Latin name
for the particular
gum or tooth
disease being
depicted. Very
esoteric stuff,
actually.
Hiroko and McShane break into
hysterics, leaving Joel lost.
INT. LINDA GI'S APARTMENT - DINING
ROOM - NIGHT
Dinner is over. Linda is slicing a second piece of pie for
Al.
LINDA GI
You can take the rest
home with
you.
AL
That's mighty nice of
you. Apple
is my favorite.
LINDA GI
I have ulterior motives.
Al looks at her curiously, inviting
her to go on.
LINDA GI
A favor to ask.
AL
Shoot.
LINDA GI
I want you to kill
Mr. Hatoyama.
Al isn't sure what to think, is she
serious or not?
Finally:
AL
Like, kill him -
dead?
54.
LINDA GI
You don't like
Japanese, I know
that. I don't like Mr. Hatoyama.
No, much worst: I
hate him. I want
to get even with him.
AL
I wasn't going to
kill you, for
Christ's sake.
LINDA GI
Are you saying you
won't help me?
AL
I can't. I mean, come on, you
can't be serious.
LINDA GI
I am very serious.
She is pouting, which elicits just
the response she wants:
Al is willing to talk about it.
AL
You must really hate
this guy.
LINDA GI
He raped me. Many times.
He made
me do - unspeakable things.
There's a pause as Al thinks about
this.
LINDA GI
I have a plan. Soon he is going to
be dedicating a
statue in front of
the Trade Building in
New York. Do
you want to hear
more?
AL
I can't promise you
anything. But
sure, why not?
Linda moves around the table to sit
beside him, draping an
arm over his shoulder, as she begins
to tell him the details
of her plan.
55.
INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT
Joel is pouring coffee after dinner.
The feel is that Hiroko and McShane
are the real guests
here. Joel is eager to change the mood.
JOEL
Did you ask him yet?
HIROKO
Joel . . .
MCSHANE
Ask me what?
JOEL
I'm sorry, I thought
you already
had.
MCSHANE
You have something to
ask me?
Hiroko is reluctant to answer.
JOEL
Yes, she has. Want me to do it?
HIROKO
I didn't think this
was the time.
JOEL
She wanted to know if
there might
be some work for her
on the Trade
Building
project. Murals,
whatever.
Hiroko is embarrassed.
MCSHANE
As a matter of fact,
I think they
do have some murals
in mind for the
entrance hallways.
HIROKO
I don't want you to
think I invited
you here because I'm
looking for
work.
McShane grins.
56.
MCSHANE
Never crossed my
mind. But since
I'm here, what are
old grad school
buddies for?
Hiroko smiles in relief, then glares
briefly at Joel.
INT. APARTMENT - FRONT DOOR - NIGHT
Joel and Hiroko are seeing McShane
out.
MCSHANE
Give me a call
Monday.
HIROKO
I will.
MCSHANE
Maybe do lunch?
HIROKO
That'd be great.
MCSHANE
Good. Joel, keep her happy, she's
one of a kind.
And he's gone.
Hiroko immediately goes for, and
puts on, her own wrap,
getting ready to leave.
JOEL
You're going?
HIROKO
Joel, please.
We already agreed on
this.
JOEL
Meeting him later or
what?
HIROKO
Of course not.
She heads for the door. He tries to stop her but she pulls
away.
57.
HIROKO
I'm tired.
JOEL
You're angry.
HIROKO
I wish you would have
let me do it
my way, is all.
JOEL
You were having such
a good time
telling war stories,
I was afraid
you'd forget.
HIROKO
It doesn't
matter. Goodnight.
JOEL
Goodnight.
Joel sadly watches her go.
EXT. JOEL'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Hiroko comes out of the
apartment. She walks across the
street.
EXT. STREET - A CAR - NIGHT
Tarokawa sits in his car, watching
her go. When she has
passed, he writes something down in
a small notebook.
INT. JOEL'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Joel is watching Hiroko get into her
car and drive away.
Although Tarokawa's car is visible
to him, he takes no
special notice of it.
He is sadder than ever, imagining
her renewed interest in
McShane.
58.
INT. HATOYAMA'S OFFICE - DAY
McShane sits across the desk from
Hatoyama. Hatoyama is
looking at Bruce's photographs of
the statue.
MCSHANE
You can come see it
any time.
HATOYAMA
That won't be
necessary. The
photographs tell me
I'll like it.
This reaction puzzles McShane.
HATOYAMA
I want to ship it to
Japan right
away.
MCSHANE
I don't understand.
HATOYAMA
I want it blessed in
the
traditional manner.
MCSHANE
I see. There's time before the
dedication?
HATOYAMA
Yes, thanks to your
prompt work.
You've earned
yourself a bonus.
MCSHANE
Thank you.
Hatoyama stands, a signal that the
meeting is over. McShane
stands.
MCSHANE
Just out of
curiosity, Mr.
Hatoyama, why are you
naming the
statue The Pearl?
HATOYAMA
You Americans are
always so
curious. The name honors my
mother, who many
years ago
harvested pearls in
the waters of
Hiroshima Bay on the Inland Sea.
(MORE)
59.
HATOYAMA (cont'd)
And what other questions do you
have today?
MCSHANE
None - but perhaps I
can make a
recommedation. I have an artist
friend who's one of the best
muralists in the
country. I've
heard rumors that you
may put
murals in the front
hallways.
HATOYAMA
Yes, I'd like to
speak to him.
Send him in.
He already is leading McShane to the
door.
MCSHANE
Her name is Hiroko
Fujiwara.
Hatoyama is practically pushing
McShane out the door.
HATOYAMA
Japanese? Of course, I want to see
her.
INT. HATOYAMA'S BLDG - CORRIDOR -
DAY
Hiroko walks down the hall toward
her meeting with Hatoyama.
She is carrying a large portfolio of
her work. The sound of
her heels echoes off the walls as if
she is heading into
some type of abyss.
INT. HATOYAMA'S OFFICE
Hatoyama and Hanako are in
conference when a knock is heard
on the door. The son gets up to answer it.
Hanako opens the door to find
Hiroko. Before he can speak,
his father interrupts him.
HATOYAMA
(standing)
Ah, you must be
Hiroko. Come in.
What a pleasure to
meet you.
60.
This is in Japanese, which she does
not understand. Hanako
covers in English.
HANAKO
You can come in.
We are expecting
you.
Realizing she doesn't understand,
Hatoyama speaks in
English.
HATOYAMA
I'm sorry, I thought
you would
understand the tongue
of your
ancestors.
HIROKO
I'm sorry to
disappoint you. I'm
Japanese-American. I guess I'm
more American than
Japanese.
HATOYAMA
That is most
unfortunate. However,
I suspect there is
more Japanese in
you than you
suspect. Perhaps one
day you will discover
your true
Japanese spirit. But come, let us
discuss your work.
He gestures to her to sit, then
turns to his son.
HATOYAMA
That will be all.
Hanako, thinking he would be part of
the meeting, starts to
speak but changes his mind and leaves.
Hatoyama waits for Horoko to sit,
then takes his own chair.
HIROKO
Has Bruce McShane
told you anything
about my work?
HATOYAMA
He has spoken highly
of it.
However, I wanted to
spend some
time with you because
I feel that I
must have a feel for
the person,
the artist, and not
only for the
art.
61.
HIROKO
I like that.
HATOYAMA
Tell me - does
Japanese art inspire
you?
HIROKO
Well, yes, many types
of art
inspire me.
HATOYAMA
You see, even though
I own this and
many other buildings
in America, I
am still Japanese.
I want the
artwork inside the
building to
reflect this fact.
HIROKO
I understand. Here are some
examples of my work, and some ideas
I've sketched out for
the lobby.
Hiroko opens up a large portfolio
case on Hatoyama's desk.
He shuffles quickly through the
drawings, nodding here and
there.
HATOYAMA
This is very
wonderful work. I
must commend you on
your talent.
You see, there is a
part of the
Japanese spirit that is coming out
in you, after
all. I would like to
offer you the job of
doing the
mural inside the
building. Will
you accept?
Hiroko is taken aback that this has
happened so quickly.
HIROKO
I would be
honored. Thank you very
much.
HATOYAMA
There is one thing
that I would
like to request.
62.
HIROKO
Yes?
HATOYAMA
I would like to see a
piece of
artwork that would
honor the
kamikaze pilots of
World War Two.
You see, my brother
Akiru was one
of them. I want to honor him and
the others. You understand, of
course, this piece of
art should
not be too literal. We don't want
to offend the
Americans.
HIROKO
(carefully)
I understand.
HATOYAMA
Excellent. Sayonara, Hiroko.
He stands, and then Hiroko stands.
HIROKO
Goodday, Mr.
Hatoyama.
Hiroko holds out her hand for a handshake but Hatoyama
stands rigid.
Hiroko then realizes what he is
waiting for and does a
Japanese bow, which Hatoyama
returns.
HATOYAMA
You see, the Japanese
spirit is
still working in you,
waiting to be
released.
Hiroko manages a faint smile and
leaves the office.
INT. JOEL'S APARTMENT - OFFICE -
NIGHT
Joel sits hunched over a desk
looking at documents. There
are a lot of them piled all over the
desk. A lone lamp
lights his workspace.
The rest of the room is dark until a
sliver of light enters
the room as Hiroko opens a door
behind Joel.
63.
Joel is so engrossed in the
documents that he does not even
notice that she has entered.
She sneaks up on him and scares him.
JOEL
Jesus! Don't do that.
HIROKO
What the matter,
round eyes, you
afraid of Japanese
woman who got
new job at Hatoyama
building?
JOEL
You got it! Great!
Tell me
everything.
HIROKO
Mr. H. thinks I have
a hidden
Japanese spirit.
JOEL
So he liked you?
HIROKO
I think he would like
me better if
I was all
Japanese. At least if I
spoke the mother
tongue. In fact,
I played dumb on some of the
Japanese
customs. I don't think he
suspected a thing.
JOEL
So what do you think
of him?
HIROKO
Rather strange
bird. You know, he
wants the mural to
include a
subliminal dedication
to Japan's
kamikaze pilots of
World War Two.
He seems to be a real
nationalist.
Kinda scary, too.
JOEL
So perhaps this
peaceful
cooperation stuff is really just a
front.
64.
HIROKO
And remember he wants
Bruce's
statue blessed in
Japan.
JOEL
Right. I wonder if . . .
HIROKO
What?
JOEL
It would give them
the opportunity
to mess with the
statue. Like
maybe plant a bomb on
it somehow,
and get it back into
the country.
Have you told Bruce
anything yet?
HIROKO
I see him tomorrow.
INT. MCSHANE STUDIO - DAY
The room has tall ceilings and is
filled with sculptures in
various forms of completion. They are made of a variety of
material - plastic, metal, stone.
As Hiroko enters, McShane is on a
ladder, welding a metal
piece. He is wearing a welder's helmet and a flannel shirt
and jeans.
He lifts up the helmet to inspect
the weld he has just made.
Out of the corner of his eye, he
sees Hiroko entering.
MCSHANE
Hiroko! How'd it go?
HIROKO
Great. I got the job.
MCSHANE
I knew you
would. When do you
start?
HIROKO
Right away. In fact, I may need to
rent some space from
you here.
65.
MCSHANE
Did you agree on an
approach?
HIROKO
He wants a special tribute
to
kamikaze pilots. Only it's not
supposed to look like
it to
Americans.
MCSHANE
Yeah, he had me do a
few strange
things on the plaza
sculpture.
HIROKO
Really? Like what?
MCSHANE
He wanted the
oriental images
holding the globe a
little taller
than the western
images. Not so
much that you would
easily notice.
But that told me
something about
him.
HIROKO
I'll say.
MCSHANE
And like I told you,
he wants the
statue blessed in Japan.
If that's
not nationalistic, I
don't know
what is.
HIROKO
There's something
about Hatoyama
you don't know, Bruce. It's pretty
spooky. I think you'd better climb
down and be sitting
when I tell
you.
INT. STUDIO - COFFEE TABLE - DAY
They've been sipping coffee at a
large paint-splattered
table.
MCSHANE
You know I've never
been very
political.
66.
HIROKO
I know. And I wouldn't be here if
they hadn't tried to
kill Joel.
MCSHANE
You can't do art and
politics at
the same time.
HIROKO
If we're right, you
won't be able
to do any art, Bruce - no one will
be around to do
anything. We're
not asking much.
MCSHANE
I'm not saying I'm
fond of the
man - but he'd have
to be crazy to
plant a bomb on the
statue.
HIROKO
Or carry a
grudge. We dropped the
A-bomb, Japan didn't.
People who
hold grudges wait to
get even.
McShane thinks a moment.
MCSHANE
Well, I can check it
out for you.
I don't like the idea of anybody
messing with the
statue over there.
HIROKO
Thanks, Bruce.
MCSHANE
I think Joel's job is
making him
paranoid.
HIROKO
It wasn't paranoia
that forced him
into a ditch.
McShane is still resisting the truth.
EXT. JOEL'S PARENTS' HOUSE -
DRIVEWAY - DAY
Joel is helping his dad tune his
pickup truck. They are
finishing up.
67.
JOEL
That ought to do it.
FRANK MURRAY
Thanks, son. How about a beer?
They head into the house.
INT. PARENTS' HOUSE - DEN - DAY
They sit over beers.
FRANK MURRAY
So when's the big
day? Or haven't
you asked her yet?
JOEL
I, ah, I'm waiting to
surprise her
on her birthday.
FRANK MURRAY
Good decision. She'll like that.
JOEL
You still worried
about it?
FRANK MURRAY
Oh, I come from a
different school,
and so does your
mother. Don't
mind us. I think the world gets
better about things
like that.
JOEL
Tell me
something. You fought in
the Pacific. Doesn't it irk you a
little when you read
about the
Japanese buying up
American
property?
FRANK MURRAY
Yes, frankly, it does
irk me. But
I suppose I'd be a
better man if it
didn't.
JOEL
But it does.
68.
FRANK MURRAY
Damn right, it
does. I lost a lot
of friends and relatives in the
war.
JOEL
And the anniversary
of Hiroshima
must irk the hell out
of a Japanese
veteran, don't you think?
FRANK MURRAY
They started it at
Pearl Harbor.
Too many people
forget that.
Joel ponders this, sipping his beer,
thinking about the
revenge that may be in Hatoyama's
heart.
EXT. HATOYAMA BUILDING - NIGHT
Lights are on inside the building.
INT. HATOYAMA BUILDING - LOBBY -
NIGHT
Hiroko is on a short scaffold,
working on the mural. A
Japanese security guard is at the
desk in the lobby.
Hiroko works on the mural but keeps
glancing over to the
guard.
Finally, the guard gets up to go on
his rounds. When he is
gone, Hiroko climbs down from the
scaffold and goes over to
the door and lets Joel in.
HIROKO
Quick! Hurry!
Joel enters, and they run across the
lobby. They go past
the guard desk and down toward the
bank of elevators.
They ring for the elevator and enter
it. Just as their door
closes, another opens. Out steps the security guard with a
soda.
The guard goes back to his desk and
starts working. He
looks up. He feels something is wrong.
He glances at the
empty scaffold.
He gets up and walks around the
lobby, looking for Hiroko.
69.
INT. HATOYAMA'S OFFICE FLOOR - NIGHT
The elevator opens and out steps
Hiroko, who looks both ways
cautiously. Then she motions for Joel to come out.
They nervously move down the hall.
They come to Hatoyama's office and
try the door. It is
locked. They then try a few other doors.
All of a sudden they hear the bell
of the elevator. They
look at each other with a momentary
look of surprise and
fear.
Joel motions Hiroko to a door. It is labeled STAIRS in both
English and Japanese. They open it and run down the stairs
as fast and as quiety as they can.
As the door to the stairs closes
behind them, it makes a
slight sound, which attracts the
attention of the guard as
he steps off the elevator. He goes to the door and opens
it.
Joel and Hiroko have stopped dead in their tracks after
having heard the door open. The guard listens, too.
After a pause, the guard closes the
door and heads back for
the elevator.
INT. MAIN HALLWAY - DOOR TO STAIRS
Hiroko and Joel come back out into
the main hallway.
HIROKO
Wait a second.
Hiroko looks around the corner to
make sure the guard has
not returned to his security post. She motions for Joel to
follow her.
Just as they pass the elevator bank,
the bell rings. The
guard is about to return. They tense up.
Hiroko mentions for Joel to follow
her. They hurry toward
the building's exit.
The elevator door opens up and out
steps the guard. It is
too late for Joel to make it out of
the building.
Hiroko motions for him to hide
behind a "sound sculpture"
displayed on a table. Hiroko continues toward the scaffold
where she resumes her position
before this adventure began.
70.
The guard, walking toward his desk,
looks up and is
surprised to see Hiroko calmly back
painting at her mural.
Hiroko is still breathing heavily as
she glances sideways at
the guard. She turns to Joel, who is still hiding behind
the sculpture.
The guard gets up and starts to move
away from his desk. As
he turns his back, Hiroko motions to
Joel with her head that
the coast is clear.
But as Joel starts to get up, he
puts his hand on the top of
the table. This triggers
the chiming sound of the
sculpture. Joel quickly ducks down again.
The guard stops in his tracks and
turns in the direction of
the sound. He starts moving toward the table. Joel can be
caught.
Hiroko, acting quickly, knocks over
a can of paint. This
distracts the guard, who turns in
her direction. At that
very moment, Joel runs for the door.
The guard, hearing the door open,
whips around but it is too
late, and Joel has made it safely
out of the building.
The guard turns around and stares at
Hiroko suspiciously.
She is cleaning up her mess.
Finally, the guard walks back to the
desk and picks up the
phone, staring ominously at Hiroko
as he dials.
EXT. HATOYAMA BUILDING - NIGHT
Joel emerges from the building,
hurrying to his car.
EXT. HATOYAMA BUILDING - STREET -
NIGHT
Tarokawa is parked outside, watching
Joel.
When Joel gets in and starts up,
pulling away, Tarokawa
starts the engine and pulls out to
follow him.
71.
INT. HATOYAMA BUILDING - LOBBY -
NIGHT
The door swings open and a bunch of
Hatoyama's henchmen come
flying in, led by Hanako. Hiroko tries to ignore them.
As they cross toward the elevator
bank, one turns and looks
at Hiroko. At the same time, Hiroko glances in his
direction - the henchman knows he
has seen her somewhere
before but cannot place her yet.
The thugs continue as a group, led
by Hanako, toward the
elevators to go up to Hatoyama's office floor.
INT. HATOYAMA BUILDING - LOBBY -
ANOTHER ANGLE
Now Hatoyama himself hurries across
the building lobby. He
does not see Hiroko but she sees
him.
Hatoyama walks briskly past the
guard, who bows, and goes
directly to the elevator without
saying a word.
INT. HATOYAMA'S OFFICE - CONFERENCE
ROOM - NIGHT
Hatoyama's henchmen are arguing very
loudly among
themselves, as Hanako tries with
little success to maintain
order.
Hatoyama enters and they fall silent
and bow. Hatoyama
slams the door shut.
HATOYAMA
Leave us alone.
Everyone but Hanako leaves.
HANAKO
Father, I think
this-- . . .
HATOYAMA
I don't want your
opinion, I want
the facts. The guard says someone
may have broken into
the building.
HANAKO
I don't think so.
72.
HATOYAMA
He says that Hiroko
is acting very
strangely. Maybe she let somebody
in.
HANAKO
Then talk to her.
HATOYAMA
Don't tell me what to
do!
He picks up the phone.
INT. HATOYAMA BUILDING - LOBBY
The phone rings at the guard
desk. The guard picks it up,
listens for a second, replies in the
Japanese affirmative of
"HI" in between pauses.
Finally he looks over at Hiroko.
Hiroko has been watching him. She has finished cleaning up
and awkwardly returns to working on
her mural.
The guard gets up and walks over to
her.
GUARD
(in Japanese)
Mr. Hatoyama would
like to see you
now.
HIROKO
What? I'm sorry but I-- . . .
GUARD
(cutting her off
in
English)
Mr. Hatoyama wants to
see you in
his office.
Hiroko gets down from the scaffold,
walks across the lobby
and gets into the elevator.
73.
INT. HATOYAMA'S OFFICE - HALLWAY
The elevator door opens, and Hiroko
steps out nervously.
Approaching the office, she hears
loud voices arguing from
inside the conference room. Hatoyama is screaming at his
son.
Hiroko enters the office complex and
walks toward Hatoyama's
office and conference room. She is scared but she cannot
afford to show it.
INT. HATOYAMA'S OFFICE - MAIN AREA
She comes into Hatoyama's office,
the sound of shouting in
the conference room still
spine-chilling. On her way, she
notices a large table with some
drawings on it.
On top is her sketch of what the
mural would look like. She
picks it up and looks at it.
She then notices the other drawings.
One of them is a drawing of the
statue, and underneath are
photographs of Japanese workers and
what appears to be a
model of the statue being lowered by
a crane onto a large
cylindrical object.
As she stares at a photo, suddenly the door from the
conference room opens. Out steps Hanako, looking very
shaken.
HANAKO
My father will see
you now.
HIROKO
Thank you.
He moves past her and out.
She drops the drawing of the mural
back onto the table just
as Hatoyama himself enters from the
conference room.
HATOYAMA
(a frown turning
into a
fake smile)
Ah, Hiroko, I am so
glad you are
here this evening.
74.
HIROKO
Mr. Hatoyama, I was
just looking at
the drawing of the
mural I gave
you.
HATOYAMA
Yes, I see you have
been very busy.
HIROKO
You must be very busy
as well to be
here at such an hour.
HATOYAMA
Well, when one has a
global
company, one must
keep global
hours. I would like you to have
some tea with me.
HIROKO
(nervously)
Thank you, Mr.
Hatoyama, but
I-- . . .
HATOYAMA
(cutting her off
sternly)
I insist. Sit down.
She takes a chair, as Hatoyama
begins the ritual of a tea
ceremony. As he performs the ritual, he is talking to her.
HATOYAMA
Have you ever
participated in a
traditional tea
ceremony before?
HIROKO
Yes, at my
grandfather's.
HATOYAMA
Your
grandfather's! Yes, there is
much traditional
Japanese in you,
after all.
HIROKO
Perhaps you're right.
75.
HATOYAMA
You have a Japanese
soul, I think.
I am so happy to have
you working
for me. How is the mural coming
along?
Hiroko tries to speak but her voice
breaks. She tries
again.
HIROKO
Fine. Very well.
HATOYAMA
Good. Then you deserve a moment of
spiritual
solace. This will be
good for you.
His smile is sinister. Hiroko silently shivers.
HATOYAMA
I must confess
something.
HIROKO
What's that?
HATOYAMA
I know little about
art. Mr.
McShane's
recommendation got you
the commission. You are friends?
HIROKO
We were in graduate
art school
together.
HATOYAMA
He speaks highly of
you.
HIROKO
I would speak highly
of him. Will
this take long?
HATOYAMA
You have an
appointment?
HIROKO
I did interrupt work.
He comes around the desk and looks
down at her.
76.
HATOYAMA
My guard thinks
you've been
snooping around up
here.
Hiroko is flustered, not sure how to
cover herself now.
HATOYAMA
Of course, he's
probably been
drinking. It's so hard to get good
help. Have you been snooping?
HIROKO
Mr. Hatoyama, I
should apologize
for going through the
drawings, but
when I saw my
sketch-- . . .
HATOYAMA
Don't worry, nothing
is wrong. Now
we relax and have
tea. Talking is
not necessary.
He goes back to finish the preparation,
and he drops what
clearly is a poison into Hiroko's
cup.
She waits nervously, not knowing
what to do.
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
Joel's car is driving through
traffic, with Tarokawa's car
following several cars back.
They continue to maneuver through
traffic, as Joel heads
home.
EXT. JOEL'S APARTMENT - STREET -
NIGHT
Joel reaches the apartment and parks
on the street.
Tarokawa's car slowly drives by.
Joel gets out and heads for his
apartment. He enters the
building.
Tarokawa parks. He gets out, carrying a small bag.
77.
EXT. STEET - NIGHT
Tarokaw plants a bomb under Joel's
car, working swiftly and
expertly.
Then he slides out from under the
car, brushes himself off
and hurries back to his parked car.
INT. TAROKAWA'S CAR - NIGHT
Tarokawa dials a number on the car
phone. Someone answers.
TAROKAWA
This is Tarokawa.
He waits.
INT. HATOYAMA'S INNER OFFICE - NIGHT
Hiroko sits in a chair. She is starting to feel woozy.
Hatoyama stares at her. Hanako comes in.
HANAKO
Tarokawa is on the phone. What's
wrong with her?
HATOYAMA
She looks sleepy,
doesn't she?
Hatoyama picks up the phone. Hanako will regard Hiroko with
increasing concern. By the end of the phone conversation,
she appears to have passed out.
INTERCUT PHONE CONVERSATION
Tarokawa in his car, Hatoyama at his
desk.
TAROKAWA
It's done.
HATOYAMA
Already?
TAROKAWA
The next time he
starts his car.
78.
HATOYAMA
You're sure.
TAROKAWA
Of course. You get what you pay
for, remember? I'm going home
tonight. You can mail me my
check - you trusted
me, so I trust
you.
INT. HATOYAMA'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Hatoyama is pleased with what he
hears.
HATOYAMA
It is a pleasure
doing business
with you.
He hangs up. Hanako moves quietly to him, to speak
quietly.
HANAKO
She looks drugged.
HATOYAMA
The job is done as
soon as Mr.
Murray starts his car.
HANAKO
What have you done to
her?
HATOYAMA
Do you know who she
is?
HANAKO
A friend of Mr.
McShane's.
HATOYAMA
The girlfriend of Mr.
Murray.
Suddenly Hatoyama slaps his son
across the face.
HATOYAMA
Which is not what you
tell me.
HANAKO
I didn't know.
79.
HATOYAMA
It is your job to
know. Come with
me. It is not too late to do this
right.
They leave the office.
Hiroko realizes she has been drugged
and has been playing
possum. When alone, she gets up and staggers out of the
office, toward the stairs.
INT. STAIRWELL
She goes down the stairway, clinging
to the handrail, barely
able to keep afoot. Unsteadily and cautiously, she
continues downward.
INT. HALLWAY
She enters a hallway at the second
floor and finds the fire
alarm box and pulls it. The alarm sounds, as she staggers
back toward the stairwell.
INT. HAYOYAMA BUILDING - LOBBY
The alarm panel behind the guard
lights up in response to
Hiroko's alarm.
The guard excitedly enters the elevator to go up and
investigate. Just as the door closes, Hiroko emerges from
the stairway door in the lobby.
The drugs from the tea are really
taking effect. She barely
manages to make it across the lobby and out the exit.
EXT. BUILDING - NIGHT
As she emerges, a police car is
pulling up in response to
the alarm.
Hiroko collapses on the ground.
80.
INT. NEWSPAPER OFFICE - NIGHT
Seymor is looking over a printout of
police calls when
something strikes his eye.
He hurries to a phone and dials.
INT. JOEL'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM -
NIGHT
Joel is reading in bed when the
phone rings. He answers it.
JOEL
Hello?
SEYMOR
(V.O.)
Hiroko's in the
hospital. I'll be
right there.
EXT. JOEL'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Joel comes out of the building. Seymor's car is waiting
outside. Joel gets in, and the car speeds off.
INT. HOSPITAL CORRIDOR - NIGHT
Joel paces nervously. Seymor sits, browsing through a
magazine.
SEYMOR
Will you try and relax? The doctor
said she'll be fine.
JOEL
I feel
responsible. I never should
have let her get
involved.
SEYMOR
She's a big girl, she
knew the
risks.
JOEL
I couldn't have
forgiven myself if
she didn't pull
through.
SEYMOR
He'll probably try
again. And that
means getting back at
both of you.
81.
JOEL
Which only proves our
suspicion.
SEYMOR
That doesn't help us figure out
what your next move
should be. I
haven't a clue.
JOEL
Join the club.
A DOCTOR approaches.
Joel quickly moves to him, and
Seymor stands.
DOCTOR
She's resting
comfortably. Why
don't you go home and
get some
sleep?
EXT. JOEL'S APARTMENT - STREET -
NIGHT
Seymor's car approaches Joel's
apartment building to find a
fire truck and police car
outside. Joel's car is a
bombed-out shell.
INT. SEYMOR'S CAR - NIGHT
Joel reaches for the door before the
car stops.
JOEL
That's my car . . .
And he's out of there.
EXT. THE STREET - NIGHT
Joel rushes up to a policeman at the scene.
JOEL
What happened? That's my car.
POLICE OFFICER
Damn good thing you
weren't in it.
The two kids trying
to steal it are
history.
Joel can't believe his eyes.
82.
INT. HATOYAMA'S OFFICE - DAY
Hatoyama sits at his desk, reading
the newspaper, when
Hanako enters.
HANAKO
Good morning.
HATOYAMA
Sit down.
He puts aside the paper as his son
sits.
HATOYAMA
You read the paper?
HANAKO
Yes. A thing like that cannot be--
. . .
HATOYAMA
I know that.
HANAKO
I can make sure Tarokawa is back
tonight.
HATOYAMA
That won't be
necessary. I'm
taking charge of the
matter myself.
You will be returning to Tokyo.
HANAKO
It is not my fault
that-- . . .
HATOYAMA
Are you questioning
my decision?
HANAKO
No, sir. But with the statue
arriving this week
and-- . . .
HATOYAMA
Are you questioning my decision?
HANAKO
No, sir.
Hatoyama takes out a cassette tape
from a drawer and hands
it to Hanako.
83.
HANAKO
What is this?
HATOYAMA
You are to play it on
August 6.
Not before.
HANAKO
The day the statue is
dedicated.
What is it?
HATOYAMA
Is it August 6th yet?
HANAKO
No, sir.
HATOYAMA
You must pack. Your flight leaves
this afternoon.
HANAKO
Yes, sir.
Tape in hand, he bows and starts to
leave. Hatoyama stops
him before he exits.
HATOYAMA
What else does August
6 mean to
you?
Hanako thinks, trying to figure out
what his father is
getting at.
HATOYAMA
(final exasperation)
Get out of here.
Hanako goes.
EXT. LINDA GI'S MARKET - SIDEWALK -
DAY
A street kid slowly makes his way to
a fruit stand. He is
picking out the apple he is going to go after.
84.
EXT. MARKET - CASH REGISTER - DAY
Linda Gi, ringing up items for
Hiroko, sees the boy. She
stops what she's doing and picks up the slingshot, speaking
to Hiroko as she does.
LINDA GI
Please don't turn
around.
Hiroko freezes, secretly marveling once
again at Linda's
unusual technique for catching
thieves.
Linda Gi pulls the rubber and aims.
EXT. FRUIT STAND - DAY
No sooner does the boy's hand start
forward than a paper wad
from Linda's slingshot strikes the
fat apple.
The boy's eyes grow wide. He sees Linda with the weapon,
turns and runs away.
EXT. CASH REGISTER
Linda goes back to ringing up
Hiroko's items as if nothing
happened.
LINDA GI
I am getting some
very fine octopus
in next week. I save some for you.
HIROKO
I'm going out of town for a while.
LINDA GI
Vacation?
HIROKO
Working
vacation. I'll be doing
some painting.
Linda starts packing Hiroko's
groceries.
EXT. GRANDFATHER FUJIWARA'S HOUSE -
DRIVEWAY - DAY
Joel pulls into the driveway in his
new car and stops. He
gets out, Hiroko gets out the
passenger side, and Joel gets
her bags from the trunk.
85.
Grandfather Fujiwara comes out to
meet them.
GRANDFATHER FUJIWARA
You bought new car.
JOEL
Yeah, it was time to
do that.
GRANDFATHER FUJIWARA
(to Hiroko)
I am glad to have
you. I don't
understand it, but I
am glad.
HIROKO
I just need to get
out of town to
do some painting.
GRANDFATHER FUJIWARA
You are always
welcome.
JOEL
I'll give you a call
tonight.
Joel and Hiroko embrace.
EXT. TOKYO AIRPORT - DAY
A jetliner is landing.
INT. TOKYO AIRPORT - TERMINAL - DAY
Hanako enters and moves through the
terminal.
EXT. TOKYO APARTMENT - DAY
A cab pulls in front of an apartment
complex, and Hanako
gets out.
INT. HANAKO'S APARTMENT - DAY
Hanako comes into his
apartment. He looks around as if
lost, wondering what he's doing
there.
86.
INT. APARTMENT - BEDROOM - DAY
Hanako is unpacking. He picks up the cassette tape his
father gave him, taking it out of
the suitcase. He stares
at it.
He puts the cassette on his bedside
table and continues to
unpack.
EXT. EASTERN SEAPORT - SHIP AT
LOADING DOCK - DAY
A large heavy box containing McShane's
statue is being
unloaded from a ship by a large
crane.
EXT. DOCK - DAY
Joel and McShane look on as the
sculpture swings down very
slowly.
MCSHANE
It's frightening to think of a bomb
in there.
Joel nods.
MCSHANE
How's Hiroko?
JOEL
Worried. She doesn't like to see
evil in the world.
MCSHANE
I don't either.
JOEL
Then take a good look, Bruce. Get
an eye full.
They watch the box coming down to
the dock.
EXT. GRANDFATHER FUJIWARA'S HOUSE -
NIGHT
Joel's car is parked in the driveway.
87.
EXT. HOUSE - PORCH SWING - NIGHT
Joel and Hiroko sit close, quiet,
thinking. Finally:
HIROKO
I worry about you.
JOEL
Forewarned is
forearmed.
HIROKO
Not always.
JOEL
You know I have to do
this.
Hiroko nods. They are silent a moment.
JOEL
I saw Judy today.
HIROKO
Oh?
JOEL
I moved your clothes
back. I
didn't think you'd
mind.
HIROKO
I don't. But we should have
discussed it first.
JOEL
Then I'm sorry.
HIROKO
You know I love
you. Joel . . .
They kiss.
INT. HANAKO'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM -
NIGHT
Loud American rock and roll is
playing from a tape deck as
Hanako prepares for bed. He gets under the covers.
Before turning out the light, he
notices the cassette tape
on the bedstand where he left
it. He turns off the tape
deck by remote, then inserts the
cassette into a portable
player at his bedside. He puts on earphones and listens
with growing concern. We hear Hatoyama on the tape:
88.
HATOYAMA
(V.O.)
My son. When you hear this, you
may already know the
news. New
York City has been
destroyed.
I destroyed it, as
personally and
as heroically as my
dear brother
Akiru sank the
American ship for
which he paid with
his life. As I
have now paid with
mine.
The Americans bombed our Hiroshima
on August 6,
1945. Now, fifty
years later to the
day, I bomb
their New York City.
The Americans call this
"sweet
revenge."
Suddenly Hanako takes off the
earphones and reaches for the
phone. He dials. Waits.
HANAKO
(on phone)
This is Hanako. My father, please.
He waits.
HANAKO
(on phone)
No, no message.
He hangs up and thinks.
Hanako bounds out of bed and begins
to pack.
EXT. FRONT OF TRADE BUILDING - DAY
Preparations for the opening
ceremony.
The box containing the statue is
being moved from a flatbed
truck to its position in the
square. Behind the sculpture,
a speaker's platform is being
raised.
Around the square, temporary
bleachers are being erected for
the ceremonies.
89.
EXT. TRADE BUILDING - ANOTHER ANGLE
- DAY
Watching the activity are Linda Gi
and Al.
AL
(worried)
There's going to be
lots of folks
here.
LINDA GI
There were lots of
folks in Dallas.
Oswald still got
away.
AL
Not for long.
LINDA GI
Whose fault was
that? I think
you're too smart to
get caught.
AL
I told you I'm new at
this sort of
thing.
LINDA GI
So am I.
They regard one another as if to
say, Then what the hell do
we think we're doing?
AL
I keep thinking of
what he done to
you. That makes it right somehow.
LINDA GI
Thank you.
Al puts his arm around her.
EXT. PLAZA OF TRADE BUILDING - NIGHT
Joel and McShane are hiding behind
some benches watching and
waiting for the outside guard to
finish making his rounds.
The statue on the plaza is wrapped
in canvas to keep it
protected until dedication day. Joel and McShane keep
waiting, watching the guard.
Finally the guard moves out of the
plaza.
90.
MCSHANE
You ready?
JOEL
Give him a minute.
They wait a moment longer. Then:
JOEL
Now!
Joel and McShane run across the
plaza and up to the
canvas-shrouded statue. They quickly slip under the canvas.
EXT. UNDERNEATH CANVAS COVER OF
STATUE - NIGHT
While under the canvas, Joel and
McShane whisper.
JOEL
Jesus, where the hell
do we begin?
MCSHANE
One of the things I
had to include
was an access
hole. Over this way.
They move, finding and looking up at
the black rounded metal
bottom of the statue. The access plate is there but it has
been completely welded shut.
MCSHANE
Looks like the bolts
and nuts I
installed were filed off and the
plate welded shut.
JOEL
Any way we can get it
off?
MCSHANE
Not without making one hell of a
racket.
JOEL
Anything else he had
you do that
was different?
91.
MCSHANE
One of the supporting
statues has a
hollow arm. Don't ask me why. His
checks were good, I did what I was
told. This way.
I'm pretty sure
it was Julie.
JOEL
Julie?
MCSHANE
I always make up
names for all my
female figures. The ugly one was
Helen, my
ex-wife. Julie's the one
I dream about. Follow me.
They move to another area under the
large statue.
McShane pats one of the figures on
the rear end. He nods to
Joel, this is Julie. They find the connector that is welded
into the back of the statue.
MCSHANE
Now we're
cooking. Take a look.
They switch places so that Joel can
see the connector and
welded mounting plate.
JOEL
Hell, it's welded,
too.
MCSHANE
Not much more we can
do now, right?
Joel nods. They move off in the direction they came from.
EXT. OUTSIDE CANVAS - NIGHT
They peer out from under the statue,
looking to make sure
the coast is clear. It is.
With a single quick movement, they
throw back the canvas
cover and run across the plaza to
safety.
EXT. WOODS NEAR GRANDFATHER'S HOUSE
- DAY
Joel, McShane and Hiroko are walking
in the woods.
92.
MCSHANE
We have to get in
there before we
even know if there's
a bomb. How
we do that without
making a hell of
a lot of noise-- . .
.
JOEL
(interrupting)
Christ! We're so goddamn stupid.
HIROKO
What is it?
JOEL
If there's plutonium,
then there's
radioactivity.
MCSHANE
Jesus. We take a Geiger counter
under there.
JOEL
Geiger's a dinosaur,
but that's the
general idea.
HIROKO
And if there's really a bomb?
MCSHANE
Cross that bridge
when we come to
it?
JOEL
No, she's right. There's not much
time. When we go in, we've got to
be ready to respond
if there's a
bomb.
MCSHANE
Which puts us back to square one.
They continue walking silently.
HIROKO
Maybe there's not a
bomb, after
all.
They keep walking. No one believes this is true.
93.
INT. HATOYAMA BUILDING - FRONT AREA
- DAY
Hanako enters and goes to the guard
desk.
HANAKO
Has my father come in
yet?
GUARD
Not yet.
HANAKO
I'll wait for him in
his office.
He starts off a few steps, then
returns.
HANAKO
I want to surprise
him.
GUARD
Yes, sir.
He moves off for the elevator.
INT. HATOYAMA'S OFFICE - DAY
Hanako lets himself into his
father's office.
He is like a boy alone in a
forbidden place. He moves about
the office, imagining what it would
be like to have such an
office of his own.
Suddenly, without warning, Hatoyama
enters from the
conference room.
HATOYAMA
You're late. I expected you
yesterday.
Hanako is at a loss for words; he
thought he was going to
surprise his father.
HATOYAMA
Tokyo phoned before
your plane left
the ground. Did you think you
could surprise me?
HANAKO
Of course not.
94.
HATOYAMA
You must take the
first plane back
to-- . . .
HANAKO
Father, I listened to
the tape.
Hanako is amazed at himself for
interrupting his father.
It's also a feeling he might get
used to.
All the same, his father's glare now
reminds him of what a
serious breach of etiquette he just
committed.
HATOYAMA
As I was saying-- . .
.
HANAKO
(interrupting
again)
You commit suicide,
doing this.
Why?
HATOYAMA
It saddens me that
you learned
nothing from the heroic
sacrifice
of your Uncle Akiru.
HANAKO
The war was over
before I was born.
Do you hold some kind
of grudge?
This is madness.
HATOYAMA
I hope I don't have
to embarrass us
both by calling the
guards. Your
plane leaves in less
than two
hours.
You will be on it.
Hanako stares at his father,
thinking.
Hatoyama moves toward the des, where
the buzzer to call the
guards is located.
HANAKO
I think you are
making a mistake.
He bows stiffly, turns and
leaves. Hatoyama picks up the
phone.
HATOYAMA
(on phone)
Make sure my son gets on the plane.
95.
EXT. HATOYAMA BUILDING - DAY
Hanako comes out of the building and
hails a cab.
From a parking garage under the
building, a car with
Hatoyama's thugs in it comes out to
follow the cab.
INT. CAB - DAY
Hanako expected this, turning to
find the car pulling behind
the cab back several spots in
traffic. He turns to the
cabby.
HANAKO
I have fifty dollars
if you can
lose the green
Chrysler behind us.
The cabby grins, looking up at the
rearview mirror.
CAB
DRIVER
Charlie, you're on.
EXT. STREET - DAY
as the cabby starts speeding through
traffic to lose the car
with Hatoyama's thugs.
EXT. JOEL'S APARTMENT - STREET -
NIGHT
Joel gets out of his parked car and
heads for the entrance
into his apartment building.
Hanako comes to him from out of the
shadows.
HANAKO
Mr. Murray, we need
to talk. I am
Hanako Hatoyama.
JOEL
Inside okay?
HANAKO
Fine.
96.
INT. JOEL'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM
- NIGHT
They sit in the living room with
drinks, where Hanako has
been telling his story.
JOEL
You have no doubts
he'll go through
with this?
HANAKO
None.
He envies his brother, a
kamikaze pilot who
brought much
honor to his
ancestors. My father,
unfortunately, is a
very
old-fashioned man.
JOEL
And you're telling me
this to save
him? That's your motivation?
HANAKO
Of course.
And to save countless
innocent people.
JOEL
I keep wondering what
kind of decoy
you might be.
HANAKO
That is ridiculous.
JOEL
Stranger things have
happened.
HANAKO
He must be stopped.
JOEL
True. But if a man has a weapon
like that, and he's
willing to go
down with the ship,
so to speak --
we have our work cut out for us.
HANAKO
I will cooperate in
any way I can.
He must be stopped.
JOEL
All we can do is try.
Joel's tone suggests that the effort
may be hopeless.
97.
JOEL
I'd like my boss at
the Department
of Energy to hear the
tape.
HANAKO
I can bring it
tomorrow morning.
EXT. JOEL'S APARTMENT BUILDING -
NIGHT
Hanako comes out and looks for a
cab. One suddenly appears
out of nowhere and stops.
EXT./INT. CAB - NIGHT
Hanako gets in the cab before he
realizes that one of his
father's thugs is the driver.
From out of the shadows two
other henchmen run up and enter the
cab.
Hanako realizes that he is lost.
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
as the cab speeds off with Hanako.
INT. SULLIVAN'S OFFICE - DAY
Sullivan is behind his desk, Joel
sitting across from him.
SULLIVAN
He's over an hour
late. I have
work to do.
JOEL
Will you call the
FBI?
SULLIVAN
Absolutely not. You have no proof,
Joel. Once again, you keep seeing
conspiracies
everywhere.
JOEL
I have reason to know
that-- . . .
SULLIVAN
That's it, I mean it.
Joel gets up and storms out of the
office.
98.
EXT. DOE BUILDING - DAY
Joel comes out, frustrated and
angry.
He takes a deep breath. What now?
He has no idea what to
do.
CLOSE ON TV SCREEN
A NEWSCASTER is giving the morning
news.
NEWSCASTER
(on TV)
. . . that the world
must never
again experience the
awesome
destructive power of
Hiroshima,
fifty years ago
today. . . . Coming
up in local news, opening
ceremonies for a new
sculpture by
American artist Bruce
McShane - and
an interview with the
Japanese
industrialist who
commissioned it.
After these messages.
INT. GRANDFATHER FUJIWARA'S HOUSE -
DEN - DAY
Hiroko and her grandfather are
sipping tea in front of the
TV set.
Hiroko looks troubled. She gets up and takes her
grandfather's empty cup.
HIROKO
I need some things at
the store.
Can I take the car?
GRANDFATHER FUJIWARA
Of course. Get me some pipe
tobacco.
Hiroko moves off.
EXT. GRANDFATHER'S HOUSE - DAY
Hiroko comes out. She's in a hurry, trotting to the car.
She gets in and starts the
engine. She backs out quickly.
99.
INT. CAR - DAY
Hiroko turns onto the front road.
She turns the radio on, looking for a station. Finally she
finds what she wants, another news
program.
NEWSCASTER
(on radio)
--Trade Building
developed by
Japanese
industrialist Klutchi
Hatoyama, who
purchased the
building last
year. Sports coming
up, right after this.
She turns off the radio. She speeds up, looking determined.
EXT. TRADE BLDG PLAZA - DAY
A large crowd fills the bleachers
around the statue, still
covered with canvas.
A podium has been set up nearby,
where a Japanese MC is
testing the mic.
Back in the crowd are Joel and
Bruce.
JOEL
I can't watch this.
MCSHANE
Where're you going?
JOEL
To get Hiroko and get
as far away
from here as
possible. I shouldn't
have waited til the last
goddamn
minute.
He moves off quickly.
MCSHANE
(after him)
Hey! What about me? I'm supposed
to be up there on the speaker's
platform.
And he moves off quickly as well.
100.
EXT. PLAZA - DAY
In another area is Linda Gi, visibly
upset because Al is
late.
He finally appears - and is drunk.
AL
Sorry I'm late.
LINDA
GI
What have you done to
me, coming
like this?
AL
I can't go through
with it, I just
can't. Two wrongs don't make a
right.
Linda slaps him hard.
LINDA GI
I trusted you to help
me.
She storms off, leaving Al looking
like he needs another
drink.
EXT. STREET - AREA OF TRADE BUILDING
- DAY
Hiroko is driving near the Trade
Building, looking for a
parking space.
INT./EXT. CAR - DAY
She's visibly stressed out, looking
for a vacant lot or
parking space.
Suddenly, she spots Joel on the
sidewalk.
HIROKO
Joel!
She starts beeping her horn.
EXT. SIDEWALK
Joel walks on, oblivious to Hiroko's
efforts to get his
attention.
101.
INT./EXT. CAR - STREET - DAY
Hiroko suddenly stops in traffic,
gets out and runs through
a chorus of blaring horns to reach
Joel on the sidewalk.
She grabs him, they exchange quick
words, and both hurry
back to the car parked in traffic.
INT. CAR - DAY
Joel gets in behind the wheel.
HIROKO
What are we going to
do?
JOEL
We're getting as far
away from here
as we can, as quickly
as we can.
HIROKO
You've given up?
Joel doesn't reply, moving back into
traffic.
A gloomy silence descends over them,
as if they are now
witnessing the final moments of New
York City.
EXT. PLAZA - THE CROWD - DAY
The MC is talking in the background,
as Linda moves through
the crowd, trying to get up front as
close as she can.
EXT. PLAZA - THE PODIUM - DAY
Hatoyama moves forward to dedicate
the statue. As he does,
he takes a remote device from a side
coat pocket - this
controls the detonation of the bomb
planted in the statue.
He waits for the applause to die
down.
HATOYAMA
I don't know what
happened to our
sculptor. He must be tied up in
traffic. But what a
glorious day!
I feel like this is
the most
important day of my
life.
102.
EXT. EXPRESSWAY - DAY
Joel and Hiroko continue to move out
of the city, having
caught an expressway moving out of
New York.
INT. THE CAR - DAY
They are listening to the speech on
the radio.
HATOYAMA
(V.O.)
Fifty years ago, on
this very day,
an atomic bomb was
dropped on my
country at
Hiroshima. It marks the
worst hostilities between our two
countries.
JOEL
I can't believe this
is happening.
HIROKO
I love you. I'm so frightened.
How long do we have?
JOEL
It's hard to
say. I don't know how
powerful the bomb
is. How much he
wants to blow up.
HIROKO
I don't want to die
like this.
Let's stop. Let's not be running
when it happens.
Joel looks at her, immediately
understanding that she's
right.
EXT. EXPRESSWAY
as the car pulls to the shoulder and
stops. They get out
and run to an expanse of grass.
Joel and Hiroko embrace, silent
against the traffic racing
by on the expressway and their sense
of impending doom.
103.
EXT. PLAZA - PODIUM - DAY
Hatoyama's speech is getting too
long for the patience of
the audience.
HATOYAMA
My brother was a
pilot and a very
brave man. The bravest man I have
ever known.
EXT. PLAZA - CROWD - DAY
Linda Gi has moved as far forward as
she can, along the side
of one set of bleachers.
She takes out her slingshot from her
purse, loading it with
a small metal object, pointed like
an arrow head. She does
this without drawing the attention
of anyone.
She takes aim.
EXT. PODIUM - DAY
Hatoyama continues, but now begins
slowly to raise the hand
holding the remote triggering device
- the effect is that he
is making some kind of religious or
spiritual gesture of
significance.
HATOYAMA
My dear brother, Akiru - how I have
missed you. How I have envied you.
How I have waited for
this moment
when I join you.
EXT. PLAZA - LINDA GI
fires the slingshot.
EXT. PODIUM
HATOYAMA
You Americans have--
. . .
Before he can finish, the arrow head
strikes him squarely on
the head. He falls as the crowd reacts.
104.
EXT. EXPRESSWAY - GRASSY AREA - DAY
Joel and Hiroko remain embraced as
we hear the car radio's
news report from the plaza.
NEWSCASTER
(on radio)
. . . of
confusion. Mr. Hatoyama
remains on the
ground, the siren of
an ambulance can be heard now in
the distance - it's a
scene of
continuing confusion
. . .
INSERT: NEWSPAPER HEADLINE
of Linda Gi being captured by police
on the plaza. PULLING
BACK, a headline tells us that
Hatoyama is in a coma.
INT. JOEL'S APT - BREAKFAST TABLE -
DAY
Joel is reading the newspaper story
to Hiroko. Both are
still in their robes.
JOEL
(reading)
The small bomb was
capable of
destroying all life
and buildings
within a radius of
fifty miles.
He whistles.
Hiroko reaches across the table and
takes the paper,
throwing it to the side.
HIROKO
Did you really think
you were going
to die yesterday?
JOEL
Yes. Didn't you?
HIROKO
Yes, and all I wanted
to do was to
hold you. And hold you
and . . .
They move together, getting up from
the table and slowly
embracing.
FADE
OUT.