Lightyear

To Xfinity and Beyond

or

Just Goes to Show a Movie Can Have Too Much "Buzz"

Buzz Lightyear (Chris Evans), Space Ranger, is on a mission for Star Command, when he's awakened by a signal telling him that they're nearing a planet with life on it. He goes out to explore the planet alone, leaving a team of scientists in hyper-sleep aboard his ship. Alone is what Lightyear does—he's a lone wolf and it's easier to do things himself. The thing is he's not alone: his commander on the mission, Alisha Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba) has tagged along, surprising the bejeezus out of him and noting the fact that he's "narrating again," which Buzz confesses is him doing his Mission Log (which no ever listens to). It helps him focus. What doesn't help him focus is the other member of "The Away Team," a rookie—with a not-very-reassuring reddish color on his uniform (for those of us who know "sci-fi tropes")—named Featheringhamstan (Bill Hader), whose defense stance seems to be "approaching panic." That would be the way to go, actually, as the planet has a slightly spongey surface, all the better for the tentacled underground dwellers to travel through and for the above-ground spider-crabs to scramble over.

 

But, it doesn't bode too well for any sort of colonization, so after tussling with those species (that's it?), Buzz and Alisha and Feathinghair...Farthinghamster..."the rookie" get back to the ship to try and lift off the thing—noting that their ship (let's call it "The Turnip" because they do) is sinking into the ground. Buzz mans the controls, while Alisha primes the hyper-space crystal for launch. Buzz is determined to get them off the ground, but the ship crashes, leaving them stranded on the planet...and worse for Buzz, leaving the mission uncompleted.

Okay, a diversion. But not as big as the one this crew takes to become deserted, so no big deal. Let us explain (as the movie does) that what we are watching is the movie that inspired the "Buzz Lightyear" toy from the always reliable "Toy Story" series that launched Pixar Studios into feature films in 1995 (Andy, the real-live boy from the series, loved the movie and his mom bought him one). So, this is not the toy we're watching, with it's round googly-eyes and the Tim Allen voice and the purpose of comic relief, this is a science fiction adventure film (with humor), rather than a comic film about toys having existential crises. It's a different animal, only tangentially related to the Toy Story franchise. 

 

Affirmative?

 

Let's move on.

The marooned colonists call the planet T'Kani Prime and their goal is to survive, use the planet's resources and build a launch platform to get them back to Star Command, and within a year, they have built an impressive "Gerry Anderson" inspired complex, complete with a bug-zapping fence and a launch vehicle to get them into space. But, first, they must test the newly-developed hyperspace fuel that could get them home. And that's tricky. They rig up a test-vehicle and select Lightyear—the fellow who crashed the original craft stranding them in the first place—to pilot the ship.

The test flight goes well...until it doesn't. That hyperspace fuel becomes unstable and Lightyear is unable to achieve the speed necessary to go full-hyperspace (it's amazing how similar the sequence looks to the early test flight in Top Gun: Maverick), but, he's able to get the ship back to planet, even though the mission is, technically, a failure.

But, he's greeted with surprise, even shock. "Buzz! It's good to see you!" For Buzz, the trip took hours. For the colonists it took "4 years, 2 months, and 3 days." The speed that Buzz achieved on-board his ship created "time dilation" so that a moment for him, would be days or weeks for everybody else—please see Interstellar for reference. Relatively speaking, Buzz has missed the 4 years plus, the colonists have experienced and there have been changes—in technology and people. To deal with the psychological consequences, Buzz is given a robotic therapy cat, Sox (Peter Sohn), but what he's itching to do is test the new hyperfuel again to see if it has made enough improvement to get everybody home.

So, he goes up again, with the same results. The hyper-fuel becomes unstable, and when he lands another 4 years have gone by: Alisha is in a relationship, his friends are older, the colonists have made more improvements and they have a new fuel prototype.

So...it's time to test again. Buzz goes up, the hyper-fuel becomes unstable, he lands, and another 4 years have gone by. Alisha is married, pregnant, and there's a new hyper-fuel. You get the pattern.

Buzz goes up again and again, each trip adding another 4 years to everybody else's life while Buzz stays in place in a sci-fi metaphor for life passing him by. Until the day that he goes up and the hyper-fuel—now designed by Sox the robo-cat in a long gestating project—is able to maintain integrity to make the jump to hyper-space. He's done it. The mission is achievable. He's able to get everybody home.

But, no one wants to leave. The jump to hyper-space has increased the time dilation so that 22 years (14 weeks, 3 days) has elapsed. Alisha is dead, her children grown, with grandchildren and the colony has made a stable life for everyone concerned. Buzz's mission is no longer relevant. But, a new threat has emerged: Zyclops robots, led by the evil overlord Zurg (James Brolin), have occupied the planet, the colony protected by a laser shield that is constantly under attack. And, there's a "rag-tag" group of defense forces—Darby Steel (Dale Soules), Mo Morrison (the ubiquitous Taika Waititi), and Izzy Hawthorne (Keke Palmer), Alisha's granddaughter, who join up with Buzz to try and defeat the Zyclops army.

Lightyear is absolutely gorgeous, as the Pixar team of artists have (again) pushed the limits of detail and design to bring the world—and new worlds—to life. But, the film disappoints. It's not because of Evans as the voice of Lightyear (he's great, paying homage to Tim Allen's legendary work as toy-Buzz, while giving this Buzz his own tamped-down personality), and it's certainly not due to any issues having to due with a same-sex relationship which flits by in the background while Buzz Lightyear obsesses over his one true purpose. These are prickly little "dog-whistle" issues that don't even deserve an internet comment (although there are many, all deserving to be dismissed).

No. The problem is the character of Buzz Lightyear, who is—necessarily—not the same goofy, though good-hearted, character of the "Toy Story" films, but is—in all senses of the term—his own man. Almost buffoonishly so. While the rest of the world changes, he stands, alone in his own stubbornness. He's a misanthrope, a Rip Van Winkle, out of time and space. In a way he's a bit like Ethan Edwards in The Searchers (but without the virulent racism) or The Outlaw Josey Wales (without the tragedy)—he even inherits an ersatz family which he initially scorns, ala Josey. But, unlike those he doesn't have a distinctive emotional epiphany—oh, he has one when he's confronting himself (and to explain that, you'd have to see the film), but it's so weighted down with an action sequence that one might be forgiven if it escapes one's notice. 

 

And it takes so long for him to come to his conclusions that he seems a little dense to what is going on all around him. Maybe it's all that narrating....spending too much time in his own bubble helmet.

Maybe I'll revisit Lightyear in 4 years, 2 months and 3 days, and perhaps find some aspect that might make him a hero...or even someone you'd want an action hero figure of.

Because for someone whose catch-phrase is "To Infinity...and Beyond(!)" he should perhaps choose "Affinity," instead. Until then, Lightyear will just be another lackluster choice in endless rotation on Xfinity.

 
 

Don't Make a Scene: To Kill a Mockingbird

The Story: First off, Happy Father's Day. And apologies for a very long post—it may actually take awhile to download—but it's an important one.

When I think of fathers, I think of Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird. The character was voted the #1 movie hero in an AFI poll in 2003. Harper Lee thought of Spencer Tracy for the role. Universal thought Rock Hudson, their biggest star, would be ideal. The role (supposedly) was offered to James Stewart, who rejected it for its racial themes. 

But producer Alan J. Pakula thought of Gregory Peck. When offered the part, Peck called back immediately and always considered the role "a great gift." It won him the Academy Award for Best Actor. Peck is usually associated with dramatic roles, ones where he is stolid and sure (although he could also be good in light comedy like Roman Holiday and Designing Woman). But, his Atticus Finch is more contemplative and—certainly in this scene—unsure. His earlier films where he was conflicted—particularly in Hitchcock's Spellbound and The Paradine Case—his portrayals seemed awkward and less than convincing. But, not his Atticus. For all the talk of "#1 movie hero" it's a portrayal torn between duty and consequences in all aspects of life and Peck's portrayal is vulnerable and no less strong for appearing weak.

"Thank you for my children." It's at that line that I usually start bawling my eyes out.

 

But, it's not just Peck as Atticus that I love in this scene. Homage must be paid to two of my favorite actors of all time. 

 

Frank Overton, who plays Sheriff Tate, was a fixture of television playing stern authority types, and became known to the producers after appearing in a TV version of Horton Foote's "A Trip to Bountiful." His Sheriff Tate is another authority type, but watching Overton in this scene, one senses the sub-text that he feels a bit responsible for putting the Finch family in jeopardy for Atticus' role as appointed public defender. Watching his expression change throughout the scene, considering what has happened is a master-class of subtlety, even when he is not the center of attention. Overton died after completing one of his last roles, that of Elias Sandoval in the first season "Star Trek" episode "This Side of Paradise." Another favorite appearance is as the Father in the Twilight Zone TV-series season one episode "Walking Distance." And I always remember him as another conflicted Sheriff who must decide whether he will turn over Dr. Richard Kimble to Lt. Gerard after Kimble has saved a busload of kids in "Nightmare at Northoak."

For Robert Duvall, To Kill a Mockingbird would be his feature film debut—he'd been doing a lot of television since 1960 and was recommended by Horton Foote's wife for his performance in the stage play "The Midnight Caller." When he got the part, author Harper Lee wired a simple note—"Hey, Boo." Duvall stayed out of the sun for six weeks before filming and died his hair blond for the role—and his performance is another shining example of subtlety—his changes of expression are almost too small to notice. And his one line—a whispered "Will you take me home?"—was cut in the re-arrangement of scenes.

Regarding that, Mulligan's direction took the basics of the script, but pared it down, almost eliminating the participation of Estella Evans' Calpurnia, slicing the doctor's role to almost nothing—and that done with voice-over done in post-production—and taking out some repeated dialog and just leaving the scene to Atticus, Scout, Sheriff Tate, and Boo Radley. It also allows for some dramatic pacing, not over-crowded with dialog. A lot happens in this scene, but so much of it that is memorable are expressions on faces.

 

I did some juggling here on the transcript: where I could, I used Horton Foote's screenplay and directions when they match the final film. Where there were changes, I merely used the dialogue.

 

The Set-Up: In 1932, Lawyer Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck) has been asked to serve as defense attorney to laborer Tom Robinson (Brock Peters) in a rape trial in the southern town of Macomb, Georgia. The consequences being a guilty verdict, the death while making an escape attempt by Tom, and an attack on Finch's children Jem (Phillip Alford) and Scout (Mary Badham) by Bob Ewell (James Anderson) for Finch's efforts. An altercation has occurred injuring Jem, who is carried home by a mysterious stranger. Scout, who is uninjured, runs home after them.

Action.

 

INT. THE HALL OF THE FINCH HOUSE

ATTICUS Scout?! 

ATTICUS Scout!

ATTICUS  What happened? 

SCOUT I don't know!

SCOUT I don't know!

ATTICUS Cal, get Dr. Reynolds down here.

CALPURNIA Yes, sir.

ATTICUS Are you alright?

SCOUT Yes, sir.

ATTICUS Are you sure?

SCOUT Yes, sir.

ATTICUS IS AT THE PHONE.

ATTICUS Sheriff Tate, please...

SCOUT Atticus, is Jem dead? 

ATTICUS No. He's unconscious. We won't know how bad he's hurt until the doctor gets here.

ATTICUS Heck? Atticus Finch. Someone’s been after my children.

DR. REYNOLDS He’s got a bad break, so far as I can tell, like somebody tried to wring his arm off.  

289 CLOSE SHOT- SCOUT She is all alone. She glances in terror towards Jem’s room. She slowly puts on her overalls Calpurnia has given her.

DR. REYNOLDS I'll be right back, Atticus.

After she has dressed, she starts slowly down the hall towards Jem’s room.

TATE How's the boy, doc.

DR. REYNOLDS He'll be alright.

ANGLE WIDENS as Heck Tate COMES down the hall.

291 INT. JEM’S ROOM 

The room is dim. Jem’s reading light is shaded with a towel.

Jem lies on his back. There is an ugly mark on the side of his face.

His left arm is out from the side of his body. The man who brought Jem stands in a corner, leaning against the wall. 

Atticus is by Jem’s bed. Calpurnia is standing to one side. Scout and Heck Tate COME IN.

ATTICUS What is it, Heck? 

HECK (rubbing his neck) Bob Ewell’s lyin’ on the ground under that tree down yonder with a kitchen knife...

HECK ...stuck up under his ribs. 

HECK He’s dead, Mr. Finch. 

Atticus rises. 

ATTICUS (bleakly) Are you sure? 

HECK Yes, sir. 

HECK He won’t bother these children again.

HECK Miss Scout, you think you can tell us what happened? 
140. 

SCOUT I don't know.

SCOUT All of a sudden, somebody grabbed me and knocked me down on the ground...

SCOUT Jem found me then...

SCOUT ...and then Mr. Ewell, I reckon, 

SCOUT ...grabbed him again and Jem hollered...

SCOUT ...an’ then somebody grabbed me, Mr. Ewell, I guess, 

SCOUT ...somebody grabbed him... 

SCOUT ...and then I heard someone pantin’ and coughin’...

SCOUT Then I saw someone carrying Jem. 

HECK Well, who was it?

SCOUT Well, there he is, Mr. Tate. 

SCOUT He can tell ya his name.

She points to the MAN in the corner who brought Jem home.

He leans against the wall. 

He has a pale face and his hair is thin and dead white, and as she points to him, a strange spasm shakes him. 

At this moment it comes to Scout who he is, and she gazes at him in wonder, as a timid smile comes to his face.

SCOUT Hey, Boo!

ATTICUS Jean Louise, this is Mr. Arthur Radley. 

ATTICUS I believe he already knows you.

ATTICUS (glancing at Boo) Er -- Heck, let’s go out on the front porch. 

Atticus and Heck Tate GO ON OUT. 

Scout goes to Arthur.

SCOUT Would you like to say good night to Jem, Mr. Arthur?

Scout leads him to Jem’s bed. 

Arthur looks at him from head to foot as though he had never seen a boy before. 

His hand comes up, but he lets it drop to his side. 

SCOUT You can pet him, Mr. Arthur. He’s asleep. 

SCOUT You couldn’t if he was awake, though, he wouldn’t let you. 

SCOUT Go ahead.

144. His hand comes lightly on Jem’s hair. 

Then he tugs at Scout’s arm and she understands he wants to leave.

They GO OUT.

292 EXT. SWING FRONT PORCH - NIGHT

Atticus and Heck Tate are there. Scout brings Arthur out. 

SCOUT Won’t you have a seat, Mr. Arthur? 

She leads him to the chair farthest from Atticus and Heck. It is in deep shadow. Atticus is seated in the swing, Heck on a chair next to him. 

Scout sits next to Arthur. 
293 TWO SHOT - ATTICUS AND HECK 

ATTICUS Well, Heck, I guess the thing to do -- 

294 ANGLE FAVORING ATTICUS 

ATTICUS Good Lord, I guess I’m losing my memory.

Atticus pushes up his glasses and presses his fingers to his eyes. 

ATTICUS I can’t remember if Jem is twelve or thirteen. 

ATTICUS Anyway, it will come before the County court. 

ATTICUS Of course, it was a clear cut case of self-defense, but I’ll have to go to the office and hunt up -- 
295 ANGLE FAVORING TATE 

TATE Mr. Finch, 

TATE do you think Jem killed Bob Ewell? Is that what you think? 

TATE Your boy never stabbed him.

142. 

TATE (quietly, firmly) Bob Ewell fell on his knife. He killed himself. 

Atticus walks to the corner of the porch and looks at the wisteria vine. 

TATE (exploding) There’s a black man dead for no reason, 

TATE and now the man responsible for it is dead. 

TATE Let the dead bury the dead this time, Mr. Finch. 

TATE I never heard tell that it’s against the law for a citizen to do his utmost to prevent a crime from being committed, which is exactly what he did, 

TATE but maybe you’ll say it’s my duty to tell the town all about it and not hush it up. 

TATE Well, you know what’d happen then? 

TATE All the ladies in Maycomb, includin’ my wife, ‘d be knockin’ on his door... 

TATE ...bringin’ angel food cakes. 

TATE To my way of thinkin’, 

TATE ...takin’ the one man who’s done you and this town a great service, 

TATE ...and draggin’ him with his shy ways into the limelight... 

TATE To me, that’s a sin. 

TATE It’s a sin...

TATE ...and I’m not about to have it on my head. 
He is trying to dig a hole in the floor with the toe of his boot. Atticus looks over at Boo. Heck’s meaning dawns on him. 

TATE I may not be much, Mr. Finch, but I’m still Sheriff of Maycomb County, 

TATE ...and Bob Ewell fell on his knife. 

TATE Good night, sir. 

He LEAVES.  

O.S. SOUND: CAR DRIVING OFF 

Atticus looks out into the yard and then over at Scout.

296 TWO SHOT - SCOUT AND ATTICUS 

SCOUT Mr. Tate was right. 

ATTICUS What do you mean? 

SCOUT Well, it would be sort of like shooting a mockingbird, wouldn’t it? 

Atticus puts his face in her hair and rubs it. 

ANGLE WIDENS as Atticus gets up and starts for the house. 

Before he goes inside, he stops in front of Arthur Radley. 

ATTICUS Thank you, Arthur.

ATTICUS Thank you for my children.

To Kill a Mockingbird

 

Words by Horton Foote (after Harper Lee)

 

Pictures by Russell Harlan and Robert Mulligan

 

To Kill a Mockingbird is available on DVD and Blu-Ray from Universal Home Video.

 

Horton Foote's original screenplay differs slightly in order from how the film continuity occurs.

 

288 INT. THE HALL OF THE FINCH HOUSE 

Cal and Scout COME IN. ATTICUS IS AT THE PHONE.

ATTICUS Heck? Atticus Finch. Someone’s been after my children. Jem’s hurt. Between here and the schoolhouse. I can’t leave my boy. Run out here, please, and see if he’s still around. Thanks, Heck.

He hangs up. He goes to Scout. 

SCOUT Atticus, is Jem dead? 

ATTICUS No, Scout. Look after her, Cal.
He runs down the hall towards Jem’s room. Cal begins to undress Scout and get her out of the costume.  

CALPURNIA Are you sure you’re all right?  

SCOUT Sure. 

She is free of the costume now and begins to rub her little body. 
SCOUT Cal, is Jem dead? 
137. 
CUNNINGHAM No, he’s unconscious. We don’t know how badly he’s hurt until Dr. Reynolds gets here. Honey, what happened? 
SCOUT I swear, I don’t know. 
Calpurnia rushes OUT of the hall and into Scout’s room and then APPEARS again with clothes for Scout. 
CALPURNIA Put these on, honey. 
She hands the clothes to her and rushes down the hall towards Jem’s room. 
DR. REYNOLDS, in his fifties, carrying his doctor’s bag COMES IN the front door. He takes a look at Scout and pats her on the head. 
DR. REYNOLDS JEAN LOUISE Well, you’re still standing. 
He goes past her down the hall to Jem’s room. 
289 CLOSE SHOT- SCOUT She is all alone. She glances in terror towards Jem’s room. She slowly puts on her overalls Calpurnia has given her. After she has dressed, she starts slowly down the hall towards Jem’s room. 
ANGLE WIDENS as the door opens and Dr. Reynolds COMES OUT. He sees Scout and goes to her. 
SCOUT Is Jem dead? 
DR. REYNOLDS Far from it. 
He squats down beside her. 

290 TWO SHOT - SCOUT AND DR. REYNOLDS 

He pats her head.  

DR. REYNOLDS He has a bump on his head like you and a broken arm. He’s got a bad break, so far as I can tell, like somebody tried to wring his arm off. We can’t do much tonight except try to make him as comfortable as possible. We’ll have to X-ray his arm. Looks like he’ll be wearing his arm way out by his side for awhile. Don’t worry though. He’ll be as good as new. Boys his age bounce.

While he has been talking to her, DR. REYNOLDS has been fingering her bump and looking keenly at her. 

DR. REYNOLDS You don’t feel broke anywhere, do you? 
SCOUT No, sir. 
DR. REYNOLDS Then go in and look at your brother. 
ANGLE WIDENS as Heck Tate COMES down the hall. 
HECK You all right, Scout? 
SCOUT Yes, sir. I’m goin’ now to see Jem. Atticus is in there. 
HECK I’ll go with you. 
291 INT. JEM’S ROOM 
The room is dim. Jem’s reading light is shaded with a towel. Jem lies on his back. There is an ugly mark on the side of his face. His left arm is out from the side of his body. The man who brought Jem stands in a corner, leaning against the wall. Atticus is by Jem’s bed. Calpurnia is standing to one side. Scout and Heck Tate COME IN. 
ATTICUS Come in, Heck. Did you find anything? 
Heck glances sharply at the man in the corner, nods to him, then looks around the room -- at Jem, Calpurnia and Atticus. 
139. DR. REYNOLDS (CONT'D) 
HECK Mr. Finch, I’ll tell you what I found. I found a little girl’s dress. It’s out there in my car. That your dress, Scout? 
SCOUT Yes, sir. If it’s pink. 
HECK An’ I found some funning-lookin’ pieces of muddy colored cloth. 
SCOUT That was m’ costume. 
Heck runs his hands down his thighs. He rubs his left arm along the wall of Jem’s room. 
ATTICUS What is it, Heck? 
HECK (rubbing his neck) Bob Ewell’s lyin’ on the ground under that tree down yonder with a kitchen knife stuck up under his ribs. He’s dead, Mr. Finch. 
Atticus rises. 
ATTICUS (bleakly) Are you sure? 
HECK Yes, sir. He won’t bother these children again. 
ATTICUS Maybe we’d better go into the living room, Heck. 
HECK No, if you don’t mind, I’d rather stay here if it won’t hurt Jem any, and I can have a look at his injuries while Scout tells me what happened. 
Scout goes to Atticus. He puts his arms around her. Heck goes to Jem and looks at him. 
HECK You think you can tell us what happened, Miss Scout? 
140. 
SCOUT All of a sudden, somethin’ grabbed me and mashed my costume an’ I ducked and then Mr. Ewell, I reckon, grabbed him again and Jem hollered an’ then somebody grabbed me, Mr. Ewell, I guess, and somebody grabbed him and then I heard somebody pantin’ and coughin’... 
HECK Who was it? 
SCOUT Why, there he is, Mr. Tate. He can tell you his name... 
She points to the MAN in the corner who brought Jem home. He leans against the wall. He has a pale face and his hair is thin and dead white, and as she points to him, a strange spasm shakes him. At this moment it comes to Scout who he is, and she gazes at him in wonder, as a timid smile comes to his face. 
SCOUT Hey, Boo... 
ATTICUS (gently correcting her) Mr. Arthur, honey. Jean Louise, this is Mr. Arthur Radley. I believe he already know you. 
Scout is embarrassed and trying to hide her embarrassment. She goes to cover Jem up. Dr. Reynolds COMES back IN. 
DR. REYNOLDS Everybody out. (glances at Boo) Evenin’, Arthur. Didn’t notice you the first time I was here. 
ATTICUS (glancing at Boo) Er -- Heck, let’s go out on the front porch. There are plenty of chairs out there and it’s still warm enough. 
Atticus and Heck Tate GO ON OUT. Scout goes to Arthur. 
141. SCOUT Come along, Mr. Arthur. You don’t know the house real well. I’ll take you to the porch, sir. 
He looks down at Scout and nods. She leads him out of the door. 
292 EXT. FING FRONT PORCH - NIGHT 
Atticus and Heck Tate are there. Scout brings Arthur out. 
SCOUT Won’t you have a seat, Mr. Arthur? This rocking chair’s nice and comfortable. 
She leads him to the chair farthest from Atticus and Heck. It is in deep shadow. Atticus is seated in the swing, Heck on a chair next to him. Scout sits next to Arthur. 
293 TWO SHOT - ATTICUS AND HECK 
ATTICUS Well, Heck, I guess the thing to do -- Good Lord, I’m losing my memory. 
294 ANGLE FAVORING ATTICUS 
Atticus pushes up his glasses and presses his fingers to his eyes. 
ATTICUS I can’t remember if Jem is ten or eleven. Anyway, it will come before the County court. Of course, it was a clear cut case of self-defense, but I’ll have to go to the office and hunt up -- 
295 ANGLE FAVORING TATE 
TATE Mr. Finch, do you think Jem killed Bob Ewell? Do you think that? 
ATTICUS You heard what Scout said. 
142. 
TATE (quietly, firmly) Mr. Finch, Bob Ewell fell on his knife. He killed himself. Your boy never stabbed him. 
Atticus walks to the corner of the porch and looks at the wisteria vine. 
TATE (exploding) There’s a black man dead for no reason, and now the man responsible for it is dead. Let the dead bury the dead this time, Mr. Finch. I never heard tell that it’s against the law for a citizen to do his utmost to prevent a crime from being committed, which is exactly what he did, but maybe you’ll say it’s my duty to tell the town all about it and not hush it up. Know what’d happen then? All the ladies in Maycomb, includin’ my wife, ‘d be knockin’ on his door bringin’ angel food cakes. To my way of thinkin’, Mr. Finch, takin’ the one man who’s done you and this town a great service, and draggin’ him with his shy ways into the limelight... To me, that’s a sin. It’s a sin and I’m not about to have it on my head. 
He is trying to dig a hole in the floor with the toe of his boot. Atticus looks over at Boo. Heck’s meaning dawns on him. 
TATE I may not be much, Mr. Finch, but I’m still Sheriff of Maycomb County, and Bob Ewell fell on his knife. Good night, sir. 
He LEAVES. 
O.S. SOUND: CAR DRIVING OFF Atticus looks out into the yard and then over at Scout. 
ATTICUS Scout, Mr. Ewell fell on his knife. Do you think you can possibly understand? 
143. 
296 TWO SHOT - SCOUT AND ATTICUS 
SCOUT Yes, sir. I understand. Mr. Tate was right. 
ATTICUS What do you mean? 
SCOUT Well, it would be sort of like shooting a mockingbird, wouldn’t it? 
Atticus puts his face in her hair and rubs it. 
ANGLE WIDENS as Atticus gets up and starts for the house. Before he goes inside, he stops in front of Arthur Radley. 
ATTICUS Thank you for my children, Arthur. 
He goes on inside. Arthur gets up and nods toward the front door. 
SCOUT You’d like to say good night to Jem, wouldn’t you, Mr. Arthur? Come right in. 
They go in the door. 
297 INT. HALLWAY Scout and Arthur COME IN. They go to the door of Jem’s room. 
298 INT. JEM’S ROOM Scout and Arthur ENTER. 
SCOUT Dr. Reynolds gave him a heavy sedative, Cal says, so he’d sleep. 
Scout leads him to Jem’s bed. Arthur looks at him from head to foot as though he had never seen a boy before. His hand comes up, but he lets it drop to his side. 
SCOUT You can pet him, Mr. Arthur. He’s asleep. You couldn’t if he was awake, though, he wouldn’t let you. Go ahead. 
144. His hand comes lightly on Jem’s hair. Then he tugs at Scout’s arm and she understands he wants to leave. They GO OUT. 
299 INT. HALLWAY Scout and Arthur ENTER from Jem’s room. She leads him to the font door. They stand there. He holds her hand. 
ARTHUR (whispering) Will you take me home? 
SCOUT Mr. Arthur, bend your arm down here like that. That’s right, sir. 
She slips her hand into the crook of his arm. They walk out the front door.