EWING EMPIRE



SEASON 3

Episode 14: “THE QUIET AMERICAN”


STARRING:

JENSEN ACKLES (BOBBY)
PATRICK DUFFY (BOB)
LINDA GRAY (SUE ELLEN)
STEVE KANALY (RAY)
OMRI KATZ (JOHN ROSS)
KEN KERCHEVAL (CLIFF)
JESSICA LANGE (BARBARA)
SASHA MITCHELL (JAMES)
CATHY PODEWELL (CALLY)
VICTORIA PRINCIPAL (PAM)
CHARLENE TILTON (LUCY)

ALSO STARRING:

DAVID MARSHALL GRANT (WILL)
SUSAN HOWARD (DONNA)
SCARLETT JOHANSSON (MAGGIE)
JARED MARTIN (DUSTY)


SPECIAL GUEST STAR:

SUSAN SARANDON (MADELEINE)


INTRODUCING:

DAVID BOREANAZ (JULIAN)
MIA KIRSHNER (SHANIA)


STORY and SCREENPLAY by:
TONI DÍAZ

MUSIC SUPERVISION:
PAM´S TWIN SISTER


INSPIRED by CHARACTERS CREATED by
DAVID JACOBS



SC.1: EXT. –ROOFTOOP OF THE FORMER EWING BUILDING, DALLAS, TEXAS (Close shot of John Ross from backside, looking down. The cars´ horns and the city whistles can be heard. John Ross twinkles and closes his eyes...)

Undentified voice: Come on, do it!!
John Ross (opening his eyes all of a sudden, and losing balance for a second. Then he walks off there and turns around towards where the voice came) Anyone there?
Voice: Who the hell wants there to be?
John Ross (smiling): Is that you…daddy? (The young man walks towards a corner of the rooftop where he can see without been outshined by the sun. Right there, in front of him, he thinks to see old J.R. Ewing...)
“J.R.”: What damn nonsense were you thinking while you were up there?
John Ross (looking to the corner of the rooftop where he had been): Nothing, actually. And what are you doing here, instead of being long dead?
“J.R.” (making his typical texan big laughter): Hahaha!. I love that, go to the point, like a son of mine would do, except of that James bastard, course...
John Ross: Let James go. He has been taking care of me a lot more than you ever did. He´s been my brother and my daddy too. Tell me what you want this time...I can still recall your last visit, about a year ago...to give me your “Commandments”...or something like that.
“J.R.”: So?
John Ross: So what? You mustn´t be thinking I have followed them...
“J.R.”: You do know that, from up there where I am, I can see everything you do...
John Ross (cracking up): That´s the best joke I´ve ever heard!
“J.R.”: Yeah, isn´t it? I couldn´t help that...Look, John Ross, I know that you eventually saw what kind of woman is when you watched the movie I left you in the Smithfields´ safe...
John Ross: Oh yeah…a big legacy...a movie about your life that didn´t even get released. That and granddady´s letter, the one that your lawyer gave to me some months ago have increased the great opinion I had about you, no doubt...
“J.R.”: Well, right...and the rest of it. Because you have become a real business man, haven´t you? You got your degree at SMU, like your daddy and uncle...You´re a real Ewing, yessir...
John Ross: Go to hell! Or should I mean, go BACK to hell...!
“J.R.”: What ´bout your legacy? I mean, your real legacy? The multimillion dollar Swiss account waiting for you and your graduation´s day...
John Ross: What are talking about?
“J.R.”: That´s your real legacy, not that videotape, nor old Jock´s letter either, much more valuous than you think. If you haven´t got that money, John Ross, then if I were you, I´d take the first plane to Zurich... (John Ross wide opens his eyes and begins to find a logic in those words) Remember son, keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. And above all, read your Granddaddy´s letter... (John Ross is blinded by the morning sunshine and checks out that he´s alone...)

SC. 2: EXT. –BOBBY´S CAR PARKED NEAR SOUTHFORK

(At the same time, Bob Ewing gets also blinded by the morning sun, waking him up inside his car, Ewing 4)
(Bob puts his sunglasses on and looks at the Southfork Ranch again, about half a kilometer away from there. Then he drives off and takes the road to Dallas)

ESC. 3: INT. –SUE ELLEN´S OFFICE AT DALLAS

(Pam, Sue Ellen and Shania commenting on an issue about the company)
Sue Ellen: Fine, Pam. I think all your decisions in these two months have been just perfect.
Pam (looking serious): Thanks.
Sue Ellen: Shania, will you excuse us for a second please.
Shania (kindly smiling): Of course Sue Ellen. It´s a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Ewing.
Pam: To me too Shania. And dear, call me Pam.
Shania: OK...(Shania lets Pam and Sue Ellen alone. The latter sits down on the armchair facing her own, side by side with Pam)
Sue Ellen: So Pam. What is it?
Pam: What...do you mean?
Sue Ellen: I know you are bothered with me about something. Maybe it´s because I didn´t tell you that I would leave for awhile? Didn´t Bobby explain to you where I´ve been?
Pam: Actually not. We hardly talked yesterday. I´m sorry I didn´t get home on time to see you...
Sue Ellen: You and Bobby must have had an argument...
Pam (looking away): That Shania girl, she looks really efficient...Where did you find her?
Sue Ellen: In fact she was committed into the same clinic I was in. But keep it secret...
Pam: Oh...but I didn´t know...
Sue Ellen: I´m over that, just a depression. But I´m still an alcoholic...Shania was my first girlfriend at that clinic, and shared most of the activities. Before we left, she told me that she was looking for a job and, when I knew how experienced she was, just couldn´t let her go...
Pam: The truth is...yes, Bobby and I had a fight last nigth. Every time Christopher´s name surfaces, we end up reproaching each other about something. He believes he´s out there, living his young days, like he did. And I believe that something like that doesn´t fit with Christopher´s personality, maybe something´s happened to him...
Sue Ellen: Do you know what they say about “mother knows best”? I discovered long ago that it´s bullshit...
Pam: That´s not the real problem, I just feel...
Sue Ellen: Yes?
Pam: I feel as if actually Bobby had assumed that we´ve lost hristopher forever, as he did with the ranch a few months ago. As if he knew that he´s dead.
Sue Ellen: Therefore we must prove that he isn´t, mustn´t we?. (Pam nods with her head and finally smiles...)

SC. 4: INT. –JOHN ROSS´S BEDROOM AT SUE ELLEN´S DALLAS MANOR



(James listens to John Ross reading Jock´s letter, that J.R. left to his son and universal heir)
John Ross: “There are certain things I´ve always held true and I´ve passed them onto you. Any man can win when things go his way, but a man who overcomes adversity is the true champion (he clears his throat and reads on). When your back is to the wall, remember - a cornered animal is most dangerous. Keep your enemies close and your friends even closer!!! (He smiles shyly) And when things look dark just remember your heritage. Never stop trying and never let the bastards get you down.
“The Ewing name and our company can´t stop with me or you. Perhaps with God´s grace, I'll be back to stand beside you, as one day you'll stand beside your son and pass the torch to him.
“Should that not happen I want you to know that I love you and I will forever...”
(John Ross cannot hide his tears any more and turns his head away, with his trembling hand still holding the letter. James stares at him.)
John Ross: I got the message.
James (smiling): Good, brother.
(John Ross walks out of the bedroom with James and he turns the light off, taking a last and sad look at John Ross´s room.)
(Fade to black and End of the Act One)

SC. 5: INT. – SUE ELLEN´S OFFICES AT DALLAS DOWNTOWN

(Shania is working at her office desk, looking at the computer´s screen. Suddenly, the telephone rings)
Shania: Shepard Inc., good morning.
Voz: Hello, I´d like to talk with Mrs. Sue Ellen Ewing, I mean, Lockwood...
Shania: Mrs. Sue Ellen Ewing Lockwood uses Shepard as last name now, her last name as a single.
Voz: That´s the best news I´d could ever had.
Shania: I´m sorry but she will be terribly busy all day long. She has several scheduled meetings but I can give her a message if you like...
Voz: Yeah, thanks. Please, will you tell her that I called...I´m Steven Farlow, or better say Dusty, Dusty Farlow...
Shania (shocked): Dusty Farlow...?
Dusty: That´s right. (He gives her his cell number) Please tell her to call me to this number as soon as possible. It´s important...
Shania: Oh sure. Don´t worry Mr. Farlow. I will tell her to contact you...urgently.
Dusty: Thank you so.(He hangs up and looks worried).
(Shania takes the piece of paper where she took note of his number and breaks into pieces and then throws it into the dustbin) (Then Sue Ellen comes out of her office)
Sue Ellen: Darling, I´m having lunch with Pam at Les Saisons, and I´ll be out the rest of the day. There´s nothing than can´t wait till tomorrow.
Shania (smiling): Do not worry Sue Ellen. Nothing urgent has come up....by now.

SC. 6: INT. –KREBBES´ OFFICE AT THE SOUTHFORK HOTEL

(Facade of the white, yellow and blue building)
(Ray Krebbs is sitting behind his desk, at the manager´s office, shared with his wife. The intercom beeps)
Ray: Yeah Wendy?
Wendy (off): Mr. Bob Ewing is here, shall I send him in?
Ray: Yes please.
(The door is opened and comes in Bob, followed by Wendy)
Wendy: May I help you in anything else, Ray?
Ray: No, thanks...No more calls for now Wendy. (She nods, smiles and disappears behind the door. Ray shakes his younger brother´s hand)
Bob: Howdy Ray? Is Donna back from Washington?
Ray: No, she called me today from the airport: she wanna call on Maggie at college. She´s still concerned about her diabethes and how hard things can get there...
Bob: Maggie is almost grownup and has been controlling that problem for years. I think it´s just that “motherly worry” about daughters “flying away”...
Ray: Maybe...sure it is (he corrects, smiling, then he looks more serious). Are you o.k. Bob?
Bob: Sure I do (Bob makes pretend innocently not to know what he means, but then he touches his cheek and remembers that he didn´t shave that morning) You mean this, dontcha...In fact I wanna ask you a favor.
Ray: Just say it...
Bob: Don´t ask me why but I need to sleep off tonight and I´d thought about staying at one of your rooms.
Ray: (surprised) The whole hotel is at your disposal, if that´s what you want, but I´m gonna ask you the reason anyway. Look at yourself, you could say that you slept inside your car (Bob blushes up) and you had some trouble at home last night...
Bob: Not wanna overwhelm you with my troubles, Ray.
Ray: Anything to do with Pam?
Bob: You won´t stop, will you. Yeah, I argued with Pam last night and actually I don´t wanna sleep there tonight ´cause...
Ray: ´Cause it´s her house and not Southfork?
Bob: That´s nonsense, you know that Pam may be very stubborn sometimes...and hard to talk to.
Ray: If it´s only that, you´d rather stay elsewhere.
Bob: (straight-faced) What? Are you stopping me to sleep in a hotel I help to build up back then?
Ray: You can say it like that. But I prefer that you consider it a brotherly advice: I know the way you feel and how stupid you can get when communication is broken. Dallas is full of hotels, so you can stay at anyone of them. Although you already have one place to go every night and that´s not only Pam´s home, but yours too...

SC. 7: INT. – FORMER SOUTHFORK STABLES

(Bobby is riding towards the former Ewing Ranch stables and gets off the horse. He holds its reins and walks into the stables. He looks all over the place, remembering last year´s barbecue and his appointment with Will at that place. All of sudden his cell phone rings)



Bobby: (noticing it is Will calling, he lets it ring 3 times and then picks it up) Hi!
Will: Bobby? How are you?
Bobby: Fine, I was having a swin at the hotel big pool...
Will: Great...Since when are horses allowed to get closer to the pool?
Bobby: O.k., just gone on a riding.
Will: I wanted to apologize for telling about my leaving that way...I mean, I´d got to explain it to you before, but I´m used to keep my private life and my professional life completely apart...
Bobby: Good, no worry, I understand.
Will: My flight´s departure is at 6,30 pm, and I need someone to drive me to the airport.
Bobby: (he keeps quiet) O.k., I´ll be waiting for you in front of your building at 5...
Will: If you wanna come before, maybe we could...
Bobby: Gotta things to do, sorry...
(The song “Deep” begins to play in the soundtrack)

“So this is what you mean
And this is how you feel
So this is how you see
And this is how you breathe
Sometimes
I know
Sometimes
I go down deep
Oh…”

Will: (saddened) All right, meet you at 5 pm...(Will hangs up. Then Bobby takes the Stetson gray hat he is wearing and realizes that it´s the one Will was wearing at the barbecue. Due to Gary´s unexpected arrival, they exchanged their cowboy hats without notice and Bobby took Will´s. His eyes are wet...)
(The song continues)

“So this is what you mean
And this is how you feel
So this how you see
And this is how you breathe”

(1)

SC. 8: INT. – MADELEINE´S MANOR LIBRARY



(Madeleine has improvised an office and meeting-room at the wide library in the manor. At that moment, she is saying goodbye to the architect who should re-design the house and surroundings.)
Madeleine: I can see that you perfectly caught my vision of the restoration Mr. Robbins. I hope that our collaboration will turn out satisfactory for both sides.
Mr. Robbins: So do I, Mrs. Farlow. I did know the old Ewing Ranch and...
Madeleine: (forcing a smile) Oh please, call me Madeleine. Next time we could meet for dinner in Dallas.. (He gets quite a nice surprise) I have learnt about some extraordinary restaurants...for such a town...(She opens the door and calls the major domo Forsythe) Forsythe, please, accompany Mr. Robbins to the door... (Madeleine looks left and sees Julian walking downstairs...)
Julian: I don´t know what´s wrong for you in this mansion...
Madeleine: (hushing him, since Robbins still is in the house. Once he is gone, she walks to the living-room) Come on, put me a drink honey...(She sits down in one of the arm-chairs) My daddy used to say that, sometimes, things must be done as if you were working in your garden. He was very fond of gardening...If you want to feel the land as your own, the garden had to be wed and the trees had to be uprooted, and starting over: we have done the weed: there´s only the tree uprooting to be done...
Julian: But, what´s a garden with no trees...? You only get dry land...(passing her a glass of vodka)
Madeleine: Thank you love. Who the hell wants a damned garden nowadays? Especially when, on that same ground, we can raise something to become multi-millonaires...


Julian: What´s on your mind?
Madeleine: In one word: destruction. I want to destroy all that can be seen from this house. The stables, the warehouses, the cabins, the sealed oil rigs...Anything that can remind what this damned place used to be like...And make something I can consider my own.
Julian: Is your architect aware of those plans?
Madeleine: That rookie? Don´t make me laugh! When I´m through, nobody will remember the former name of this place...Let´s toast to that!
Julian: (raising his glass) This is to the end of the Ewing Empire...! (the couple say tchin-tchin at their glasses´ clinking)

(Fade to black and End of the Act Two)



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