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An American Affair (2009)
Together we shall save our planet
or together we shall die in flames. First comes love, / i then comes marriage, / i They always look like they're having more fun. Everyone has more fun. Obviously they have more fun than we do. Have you seen Patricia? They are huge! She says she's gonna let me touch them. Bullshit... She said! She did! For a dollar. To you? She said that to you? Not exactly, not to me. Thought so. Carl said you were faggot. So? So - he said you were fag. Well, what are you gonna do? Nothing. You can't do nothing. Some friend you are... - Come on, fag! - You're the fag! Let's see what you got. Fight, fight! That's for setting me up. What... are you... doing? Nothing sister. God smiles on remorseful Mr Stafford, not the impenitent. Gentlemen, it's five o'clock. Detention is over. In the eyes of God all sinners can be redeemed. Yes, sister. My eyes see differently. Yes, sister. - Jimmy, I... - Fuck you! I didn't mean... You're an asshole... Both of you. Mom? Dad? Son? You in there? Yeah, I'm here. You... working hard in there? Leave him alone, Mike. Poor son... He'll go blind... grow hair on his palms... Mike, he's 13... he's at age. Hey, guys. Roger, have you seen Patricia this morning? She's very beautiful. Mike? Could you hurry up? What's the rush? King gets arrested all the time. I want a good seat. The Richmond Museum of Modern Art. Your presence is requested at the White House for an evening's entertainment. John Fitzgerald Kennedy. John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Jaqueline Bouvier Kennedy & John Fitzgerald Kennedy. To see what I have seen see what I see. Use with care. George. Catherine Caswell Catherine. Can I help you with something? Yeah, I uh, I live across the street. Yes? I was wondering if you need any work done. You know in the garden, around the house. I'm trying to earn some money. For what? A trip. To Europe. With my class. That sounds very adventurous. Adam. - Adam. Are you coming in? What can you do? - What? Around the house. Oh. Cleaning, fits... All the usual stuff. And you want me to pay you for that? For my trip... To Europe? You know him? President Kennedy? We've met... My mom shook hands with him once, at a dinner. She said it made her feeling she was naked. You father mustn't have liked that too much. My dad said he stole the election by being a pretty boy on a television. What do you think? I don't know, I didn't see it. I need my garden landscaped. Can you do that? Sure. Have you ever do it before? Worked in a garden? Then I'm not gonna pay you very much, am I? I'm a fast learner. I bet you are. Come back tomorrow. Right. Tomorrow. Made her feel like she was naked... Shit. Adam, dinner. Alright! Now, Adam, now. I said I'm coming. Just not while you're in the bathroom, right? Adam. Adam. I said I'd be right there. - Hey, Faith. - Hi. Hi, Patricia. Dipshit. Fuck off, Carl. Right... fuck off. - Okay. I was just wondering if... you know you'd want to come by my house sometime after school... And do what? I don't know. Talk, listen to some records... Yeah, I'd like that. Great, so... Mr Stafford, is there a faintest possible reason you might have for not being where you're supposed to be? No, sister. I thought not. It's me, Adam... from next door. - Your garden? - Right. I'm going to be your gardener... Who painted these? I did. Do you like them? I think so, but... they're just colors, right? You know, aren't they supposed to mean anything? Color is color. What do they mean? Whatever you want them to. Things are what we make of them. - Form is dead. - What? Form is dead. Have you ever seen a man in building? Broken windows, cracked doors and walls? Sure. From the moment that building was built it started to fall apart, just depends on how you choose to look at it. Form is dead. I like that. Looks pretty good to me. I want you to rip it all up. All of it? Everything. Just scoop it up and throw it all away. I want dirt, a new beginning, nothing boxed or restrained. Rip it all up, we'll start all over again. Form is dead, right? Exactly. That might help. You look... beautiful. I bet you say that to all the girls. No. Finish up that tree then head on home. The Cubans are never gonna forgive Kennedy. Ever. Well is not like it really matters. We'll have communists living God, Castro laughs at us. Laughs at us. Well, you look like you've been digging to China. Where've you been? Working in the garden. What garden? Mrs. Caswell. Who? Mrs. Caswell. She moved in across the street. Catherine Caswell? M- hm. Why won't you have a seat, bud? Catherine Caswell. She's very nice, isn't she? Yeah, I like her. She's a very special lady. She is the one who has seen and done a lot of things. Too many things. She has had a very hard life, she is... very emotional... and maybe she's not the best person for you to working for after school. Why not? Well, it isn't easy to explain. She's different than we are, Adam. She just doesn't care about the same things. She doesn't care about her own son, for God's sake. Addie. She has a son? Had a son. Had. What happened? It doesn't matter what happened. What matters is that you stay away from her. You said... You said to get a job, to earn some money, you said... Fine, get a job, just not with her... Okay, Adam, working for her is alright. Mike! Just don't linger, okay? Do what she asks, then come home. Okay, buddy? Okay. What'd you do at school today? Nothing. Great. All free men, where ever they may live are citizens of Berlin, and therefore as a free man, I take pride in the words: Ich bin ein Berliner. There are many people in the world that really don't understand... or say they don't what is the difference between the free world and the communist world. Let them come to Berlin. John Fitzgerald Kennedy. What? So you and the president really are friends. Of course we are. We met at school. What's that supposed to mean? I was looking out my window last night and... And saw nothing. You saaw absolutely nothing. Okay, sorry... There are some things, Adam, that are private. And they should stay that way. Like your son? Who told you about my son? My parents. Your parents... Oh my God... If you had a son, then you must have a husband, right? Ex husband. What's he like? He's gone, that's what he's like. He was a, a little boy. Just like you. I'm not a little boy. No, I don't suppose you are. Where are you going? Like if that's any of your business. He won't talk to anyone at Langley, Catherine? Jack won't talk about it. He says it's over and done with. Perhaps you need to convince him that the conversation must remain open. - He said that Bobby said... - Christ! Bobby. Air support. That's what it was: lack of air support. Well it's always easy to second guess desicion once it's been made. Especially when it's the wrong decision. We are talking about the man who stood in front of the wall and mispronounced "Berliner". Ich bin ein Berliner: We are all jelly dougnuts. My God, can we talk about something else, please? It's Washington. What else is there to talk about? Life maybe? Life? There is life outside politics? There is nothing outside politics. Catherine Caswell. You should've seen him. He came home full of mud. Like he was in the Bay of Pigs. The Boy Pigs. Form is dead. Hey. - Hey. We're going to your house, right? Yeah, great. Definitely. Hey, guys. Ready to go? Magda's gonna come with us. That's okay, isn't it? Sure. - I guess... - Let go. Cool house. What do your parents do? They're writers. Journalists. My mom's a writer... cook books. Cool. You guys just pretend I'm not here. I'm not here. What was that? It's kissing, you stupid. French kissing. I went to France once. So you should know how to do this. Of course. What... is that? It's uh... my tooth. That is completely disgusting... I've gotta go. My mom's gonna pick me up. Yeah, we better. Call me when you have it fixed. You broke a tooth and you weren't gonna tell us about it? I glued it back in. You glued it? I thought it would be okay. This isn't a baby tooth, Adam. These don't grow back. I know that. Then why didn't you tell us? I don't know. What is wrong with you? Nothing is wrong with me. What is that supposed to mean? Every day you come home dirty after working in that woman's garden. - You spent all the time alone in your room... - You said... - You spent all the time alone in your room... - Because you... - You don't talk to us anymore. It's your tooth, for God's sake. My tooth! My tooth. What was that? I have no idea. Well... we'll call the dentist in the morning. Society girls and Washington wives. Nero feels... Rome burns. Who the fuck are you? It isn't safe to ignore people in the dark kid. You didn't answer my question. Oh, you like to sneak around, is that what you like to do? You like to watch? You like to sneak around and watch? How about I put you in jail? Let other people watch you for a while. You can't put me in jail. Oh no? You're not a cop. What makes you say that? You're drunk. Drunks come in all shapes and sizes, kid. Come on. So this is what a journey to higher consciousness looks like? Hello, Graham. Pathetic... Look at you. I found this peeping tom outside. - Hi, Adam. - Hi. Oh. You know him... He's doing some work for me... in the garden. In the garden... Looks like Vietnam. Post napalm. Don't you like it? No. Good. I think I'm gonna go. Why? It's nice to have a man around the house. What the fuck are you laughing at? What! Go upstairs. I'll be up in a minute. What happened to you? Where did you go? I'm right here, Graham, just like always. You made a promise to me... and Harris. You said you'd take care of us, even after he... We could have had another kid. We were still a family. People see you... It's not as if it's a secret Going in and out of the White House. They see you, Catherine. Why do you care? - You're my wife. - Was! Was your wife. Everyone knows... and they laugh about it. And you know why? Cause you're not the only one, Catherine. He's got a string of women and he fucks them all. Every last one of them. You can't hurt me anymore, Graham. Not you, not your government, your precious agents. None of it can touch me. He was my son too... Was he? Tough day at the office? I got Cubans running around south Florida and Louisiana, just looking to shoot someone. Idiots with guns. Well I told you the anticomunism brigade won't work. They all want back in on their own terms. Almost like a marriage gone bad, wouldn't you say? Almost... You trained her very well. She was an Agency wife. Is she going to be a liability? She writes everything down. She always has, in a diary. I would've thought you'd've broken that sort of a habit. You try break it, we'll see how far you get. Mr Del Valle, how are you? Every morning when I wake up I think of Fidel laughing at us. Laughing and laughing behind his cojiba. It's not funny though, is it? Much like that playboy Kennedy, he laughs at us too. You know Mr. Caswell, of course? Yes, of course. We must act sooner rather than later. Bay of Pigs. Oh boy... What do those secret service agents think when they're waiting outside while Jack and I are swinging? He doesn't trust Lucian, not anymore. It's only Bobby now. You should have seen your face in light, Charlie. I was to worried about your hands... You're in a hurry. Things to see, places to go. People too. Exactly. Look at you... I didn't invite you over to look. So soon? Helene is making dinner, quail or something. I promised I'll be there. Give her my love. She read that Huxley book you suggested. Didn't like it. No surprises there. I could leave her, you know? For me? Don't bother... My quail needs work. Have a nice dinner! You left your book there on the floor, dead giveaway. I'm um, I'm sorry... There's no rain, so I'll just go home. Sit down. Never be ashamed being excited, Adam. Just don't do it again. I won't. I saw your husband today. How exciting for you. He was with another guy, in a dirty suit. They were talking about you. They met somebody, guy with an accent. "Del" something. Del Valle? Was that his name? Yeah, that's him. Who is he? He's a Cuban. Very angry Cuban. Some people think he's a patriot, other think he's a criminal. I guess that'd depend on your point of view. That's right. That's exactly right. You need to go now. See you tomorrow. Adam, if you see my husband again, go in the other direction. Oval Office. This is Catherine Caswell. Can you put me through, please? One moment, please. I'm sorry, Ms. Caswell, the president is on the phone. I'll wait. It may take some time. It's important. Well I believe he will be on the phone longer than you are willing to wait. May I take a message? No. No, no message. Just boast... Don't fuck this up, Jack. This was the night when Cuban prisoners finally came back from the Bay of Pigs. They flew into Miami after 20 months of captivity Finally freed by Fidel Castro for a ransom of $ 53 million in food and medicines. How will these returning prisoners be absorbed into the restless Cuban-American community? Adam, hurry up, he'll here be any minute. Doofus. Walter's driving you. - Walter? - Jason's dad. We'll be home late so just, get yourself to bed And if anyone, and I mean anyone is drinking at this party, I want you out of there. Have Jason call his father. Ok, mom. And don't think I won't find about it mister because I will. Clear? Clear. Bye, Dad. Bye, son. Adam... Have fun! Jimmy, cut the shit. What? Too scared to play. Am not. Shut up and sit down. Ready? Adam, see that you get ready. Adam... Here we go... Damn it, Jimmy. What? Such a boy. Faith, one minute. Adam and Faith. Adam and Faith. And Adam Faith. French, right? Right. You got your tooth fixed. - Yeah. - I can tell. Adam. Faith. Adam Stafford's an asshole. Are you okay? I'm planting. I thought you said we had to wait till after the rain? After, during, whatever. You must be cold. You have no idea... Why is the music so loud? I was painting. I can hear it from across the street. Want one? Sure. You should go home. I wanna paint with you. So let's paint. What do you think? Not bad. Not bad... Form is dead. That's right. I think I'm done. Texas? For Thanksgiving? I have to go. If I don't go, then I'm not gonna get a raise. You know they like it when you're out there... ...doing things, I know Mike. It's just... Adam is... I can't do it alone. And Texas... I mean Dallas is a shithole. It'll just be for a few days. And I will try to make it home for the Thanksgiving supper. Well. I'm gonna go wake him up. He sleeps like the dead these days. It's hormones. Probably slumming through the roof at their party last night. Adam, time to get... Mike. Mike, get up here. Look at this. Hi, Dad. What, am I supposed to do about this? What? It's not that big of a deal, Mom. You have paint all over you! In the shower, right now! Do not come out until every speck of paint is gone. And then we'll discuss cleaning your room. Okay, mom. Now! It's that woman, Catherine Caswell. This has got to stop Mike. This has got to stop. Alright, I'll talk to her this afternoon. You will talk to her now. Right now. - Addie... - Now. Alright, just let me go finish the... Now! Hello. - Hi. I'm uh... Mike Stafford, with The Star, I know? I quite enjoyed your last piece on Dr. King. Though... you didn't exactly seem symphatetic, did you? Carver, Lucian Carver. The Lucian Carver? Fame is fleeting, But in Washington we take what we can get. Won't you come in? Please. A little early for company, isn't it, Lucian? Best behaviour, my dear. This is your neighbor, Mike Stafford. Drink? It's a little early... Should you have a drink, Catherine? It's my house, Michael. Have a drink. Vodka. Rocks. Jesus, Lucian, don't play with him. Just give him a drink. How's a boy? Boy? Your son, Adam. How is he? Uh, he's fine. He's great. The usual. Good! Good. That's what we all work for, isn't it? The children. The future. I suppose so. How was your childhood, Lucian? Somehow I don't see you laughing and playing in the meadows. It was fine. Great. The usual. Mike, is this a social visit or did you actually want something? No... uh, yes, actually it has to do with Adam. Addie, my wife, she worries maybe too much, but she worries about how much time he's been spending over here and he's starting to neglect his school work. And the thing with the... the paint this morning... If your wife wants him to stop working for me consider it done. Simple as that? Simple as that. It sure was a pleasure to meet you, Mike. I'll be looking forward to you next piece. Yes, great. Thanks. Have fun in Texas! Nice to meet you both. You don't have to scare him. I suppose not. But you enjoyed it. There are some perks that come with the job That I do admit. Scaring people? Forcing them to do things they don't wanna do? Sometimes what seems like the worst choice, is actually the best. There's nothing I can do, Lucian. Catherine, your friend Jack won't talk to me, won't in fact talk to anyone inside the agency. You're our only connection to the Oval Office. He's made it abundantly clear: no talking, no fucking, no nothing. It's over. - I need to warn you. - About what? The situation is very fluid. If he refuses to deal with Cuba, then Cuba is going to deal with him. What's that supposed to mean? There is pressure on me too... He could be in danger. He's the president, for God's sake. He's a man and men make mistakes which they have to own up to. And correct them. Things have to change, Catherine, or else things will really change. It's all a game of chess isn't it? Playing out the pawns in you head. Should I sacrifice the rook? Or the king? Will you sacrifice me? Catherine, I'm your son's godfather. My son is dead. Where does that leave you? He was a lovely boy. - Graham was... - Get out! This is Catherine Caswell. Is he... No, no message. Carver. Lucian Carver. Adrienne, he knew Adam's name. He knew what I've been writing, he knew I'm going to Texas. He's with the C.I.A.? Yeah, he's with C.I.A. the way that Stalin was with the Communist Party. He is the C.I.A.: special ops, Castro, Lumumba, all of it. What is uh, what's for breakfast? Sit your ass down. - Dad, I... - Sit! Okay, number one, you're gonna have no more contact with that Caswell woman, none, zero, zilch, ever. - Dad... - Number two, you're grounded. - Why? - Because I said so. And number three, while I'm gone, your mother's gonna be working from home and you're gonna be at school or you're gonna be here nowhere elsewhere, clear? What happened? School, here nowhere else. Clear? Clear. Eggs ok? Eggs it is. May I help you, madam? Catherine Caswell. Yes, madam. I'm sorry, Mrs. Caswell. The personal list, I'm sure I'm here. I'm sorry, Mrs. Caswell, it doesn't appear to be there anymore. Would you take a bullet? Madam? For the president. Would you take a bullet? I'm a soldier, madam. Just following orders? Do your duty? Yes, madam. Fuck do you want? Nothing, my ball. Got your ball, right? Yes. because there was fear in Dallas... that there might be a demonstration that will embarass the president, because it was only on October 24 that our Ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson, was assaulted in Dallas leaving a dinner meeting there. From Dallas, Texas the flash, apparently official: President Kennedy died at 1:00 p. m. central standard time, some 38 minutes ago. Killed... They killed him... Vice President Johnson has left a hospital in Dallas, we do not know to where he has proceeded. presumably he will be taking the Oval Office shortly and become the 36th president of the United States. President Kennedy at the Dulles airport this morning where cheering waving.. Stop. Bugs... You're gonna hurt them. November 22, and my garden is blossoming. Police have been looking for a white man, approximately 30 years of age It seems that this man has shot the president with 30-30 rifle. It's not my fault. Adam. Don't touch me. I'm sorry... Get out. - Catherine, I... - No. Get out, you little shit. Mom? It's alright. Everything's gonna be fine. How bad was it? Well when he came around the corner, wind was blowing, people were talking laughing, waiting, Then his head snapped back then forward Jackie climbed over the trunk like she's looking for something and the cars drove away. - God... - I gotta get back to the office. But you've just got here 10 minutes ago. Oswald hired a lawyer. I'll be there all night. It must have been horrible. Yeah, it was. At least it's over. Thank God for small favors. I'll us, see you buddy. Oh, hello. I just... I was wondering if I might come in for a moment. No, I don't think so. I just wanted to make sure that Adam is alright. He's fine. I think he has something of mine. Well I'll make sure that I ask him. Okay. Upstairs. - I just want... - Now. Oh, I have to agree with you. Fuck the glass, go straight for the bottle. Just leave me alone. I just wanted to check on you, make sure you're okay. Where did you find Ruby? He a friend of Del Valle's? Friend of yours? It's a little more complicated than that. Complicated? He's the president and he's dead. Was... The president. Was. When I married you... you were the most idealistic man I'd ever met. The man who's gonna change the world. You've changed the world alright... You lost every ideal you ever had... Times are different. Times are the same you are different. I didn't lose my ideals, Catherine. I've lost you. He wouldn't listen... not to anybody. I need the diary, Catherine. Need a little deniability, Graham? Point A leads to point B leads to finger on the trigger? Just leave me alone. I am a ex... Ex wife, Ex mother, Ex lover. - If you don't give it to me... - I'll talk. I'll break every rule in your little book. I'll talk about you and Lucian and Del Valle. Who put your fingers on that trigger? Lee Harvey Oswald was the only man with his finger on the trigger. Leave me alone and it will stay that way. Besides, I burned it. It's not like you. You got diaries going back to the third grade. What is like me, Graham? What am I like? - Harris was... - Fuck you. It wasn't your fault... I... I've lost you. And I want you back. We could go away... start over, just the two of us, anywhere you want. I think I'd like that. But you must give Lucian the diary. I told you I burned it... Talk to him, tell him, and then we'll go whereever you want. I'll think about it. Do... Do that... I'm leaving. I fully expect never to see you again and I hope that the feeling is mutual. Where are you going? I'll be gone. You won't have to worry about me anymore, agreed? The diary poses a problem. You can't shut up everyone, Lucian. I don't have to, just the people who will talk. The diary is in a safe place. Leave me alone and it will stay there. I just love a good mystery. I mean it, Lucian. I wonder where it could be, that's the question. No doubt, the safe place. And who knows... you might even give it someone. The safest place, the place I would never think to look. I wonder where that could be. Who that could be. You wouldn't... Catherine, I would do anything I had to anything at all. And to bring the point home he stood before that horrible wall and declared to the world: "Ich bin ein Berliner". We are all... Jelly dougnuts. Excuse me? "Berliner", he pronounced it wrong. He said we're all jelly dougnuts. Is that a joke? No, sister. Stand up. Come here. Hold out your hand. John F. Kennedy was the greatest president that this country will ever know. A Catholic a man with a vision for the future. I will not tolerate jokes at his expense. I wasn't trying... A great man has been taken from us. Now go... and you pray. Pray hard. Adam. What are you doing here? I told them I was your aunt. I need it back. What? What do you think? I'm sorry I... Don't be sorry, just give it back. It's at home. Bring it to me then. Okay? After school, meet me at the steps at 3:30. Okay? - Okay. I'm going away for a little while. Where? I don't know. India, maybe. Some place exotic and foreign, where I can't understand the language. Why? Because I can't... Life is about meaning. You know, finding things in life that have meaning. Children, art... love. Well I don't have anything of that anymore. You have me. I know I do. But sometimes, one person isn't enough. You put all your desires and your dreams into them and then... ...they're gone. If I was older... Then you wouldn't be you. Hope... It's something that gets lost as you get older... I need to find it again. Is that some sort of life lesson or something? Something like that. Graham, it's me. I'll have it this afternoon. Graham, I'm happy we're going away. You're home early. So are you. Is everything okay, buddy? Why was he here? Who? The trenchcoat. That guy... Well he's uh an old friend of your mom's and mine and he uh... Where is it? What did you do with it? There are some things that don't make sense when you're a kid. She wants it back. I'm sure that she does. I said I'll give it back. When you're older you... you'll understand. I am older, I do understand. Adam. You told me the truth when it suits you. You lie to me for my own good? Catherine has never lied to me, not once. I'm sorry, Adam. You are my father... You're supposed to do the right thing... for me. I did. Adam... That's mine. Actually... it's not. It's not yours either. You're absolutely right. Adam. Catherine's had a full life. Art, love, intrigue... Sometimes, with a life like that it starts to get confusing. Catherine was confused. The diary said that. Where is she? Isn't she waiting for you? Bobby said you were a fag. Good for him. He said that you offered to suck his dick for a quarter. So? So what are you're gonna do about it? He said you were gonna suck... You're the fag! - Asshole! - What? Pussy! |
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