TITANIC: AFTERMATH
Chapter Three
INT. FIRST CLASS DINING ROOM - DAY
Cal enters and Betsy trots along side him,
holding tightly onto his hand. Hitchens raves and gesticulates wildly in a
corner of the room. A small crowd gathers to watch him play the role of the
brave and heroic seaman. Cal ignores Hitchens disdainfully.
HITCHENS
You'd think a man would have an easier time
maintaining discipline on his boat!
Molly Brown enters, speaking intently with
several other women from her lifeboat.
MOLLY
So many people are destitute. Any
contribution would help--
HITCHENS
That miserable Brown woman! She was the
worst!
Molly musters up an icy glare. Their eyes
meet. Hitchens quickly clams up and scuttles out of the room.
Molly and the women exchange knowing glances.
Cal sees his opportunity to ask Molly about the girl's mother, and rushes
toward her.
CAL
Mrs. Brown--
MOLLY
What is it Hockley? I'm busy!
Molly politely asks the women to wait.
Molly glares at Cal, waiting for him to
present what will undoubtedly be a selfish agenda. Cal falters, then picks up
Betsy, and presents her to Molly.
CAL
I have been searching for this child's
mother, and have been unable to locate her.
Molly smiles warmly and confidently at Betsy,
taking her hand.
MOLLY
Well, what's your name, sweetie?
The little girl responds favorably to Molly's
manner.
BETSY
Betsy Moore.
MOLLY
I'm sure we'll find your mother, darling.
Molly pulls a list out of her pocket and
flips through. Cal gets up his nerve to approach Molly with a half-baked idea.
CAL
(awkwardly, quietly) If the child's mother
cannot be found, she will need some assurance of provisions. Eh...what I mean
is...I could provide a home for her.
Molly peers up at Cal, astonished, but takes
care not to appear as though this idea is out of order. Cal is engulfed by a
surge of anxiety. He is not sure what he has just offered, but cannot retract
now. Molly leaves it open to interpretation.
MOLLY
(warmly) That's just great, Cal. I'm proud of
ya.
She pats him heartily on the arm, then
continues to check her list. Cal's head swims.
CAL (VO)
I couldn't believe what I was saying. Was I
proposing that I adopt this tattered little steerage waif? Perhaps I had some
idea that she could be made into a proper little lady...but I hadn't really
given it much thought. Certainly I would be the last person in the world to
suggest such a thing. What could be wrong with me?
Cal wipes his brow with his handkerchief, his
fever beginning to climb.
Molly nods a discreet "no" to Cal,
while Betsy is turned away. She pauses, then goes ahead with what she has to
say.
MOLLY
Rose would be proud too, Cal. I hope she'll
turn up.
Cal excuses himself and departs with Betsy.
Refreshed by what she has witnessed, Molly proceeds cheerfully back to the
ladies.
EXT. DECK - FIRST CLASS - DAY
Cal stands by the railing with Betsy. His
mouth tenses in anger.
CAL (VO)
I thought, 'Is that why I'm doing this? To
please Rose? Well, I certainly don't owe her anything.'
Cal puts Betsy down, and looks to see if
anyone is watching. He starts to walk away.
Betsy tries to follow, but realizes he's
dumping her again. She stops, tears well up in her eyes, and she begins to sob.
Cal slows his pace, then stops, wrestling with his conscience.
CAL (VO)
But Rose was right. I was an unimaginable
bastard.
Betsy stands looking broken, despondent and
alone. She stares into the ship's railing, her eyes full of tears. Cal realizes
he too feels lonely and lost. He looks intently at Betsy. He starts back to
claim her. Cal picks her up. Betsy is confused, but is glad he is back.
Cal holds her close. Tears come to his eyes
as he looks out over the railing. He is emotionally overwhelmed, and is rapidly
getting sicker. He's about ready to collapse.
INT. SECOND CLASS - DAY
Cal sleeps on a recliner with Betsy snoozing
on his chest. Molly pauses in a doorway, smiling warmly when she sees them, but
with a glimmer of sadness. It appears that Cal has found his heart, and has
found some peace.
Molly hates to do it, but she has to rouse
them. Cal blinks sleepily as he awakens.
MOLLY
(softly, sympathetically) Cal, I'd like you
two to come with me.
INT. CARPATHIA HOSPITAL - DAY
Cal follows Molly to the bedside of a
STEERAGE WOMAN with Betsy in his arms. Betsy's eyes light up. The woman's eyes
open, to find that her prayers have been answered.
BETSY
Mama!
Betsy wriggles out of Cal's arms and lands on
the bed. She hugs her mother, MRS. MOORE, ecstatically.
Molly sees Cal is deeply disappointed, though
he's pretending this was the outcome he desired.
MOLLY
(whispering discreetly) I'm sorry, Cal.
MRS. MOORE
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for
finding my little girl.
Cal nods to her, his eyes diverted. His fever
is running high.
MOLLY
You'd better get some rest. You look
terrible.
CAL
Yes. Excuse me.
Cal withdraws to experience his loneliness in
private.
EXT. FIRST CLASS - LATE AFTERNOON
Ruth spots Cal and flags him down. Cal's fever
has left him drenched in sweat.
RUTH
What happened to you? I thought you'd gone
overboard. You look like it too! Why, you're soaking wet!
Ruth reaches to feel his forehead, but Cal
shoos her away. Cal's expression reflects a state of dubious mental cohesion.
He turns away, then suddenly freezes in his tracks, terrified.
The IMAGE OF JACK DAWSON lingers nearby.
People pass in front of him in slow motion, but Jack is clearly visible. He
leans casually on one leg, thumbs in his belt loops, handcuffs still on his
wrists. He deals Cal a penetrating stare.
Ruth looks to see what has frightened Cal,
but sees nothing unusual. She hears the SOUND OF CAL FLOPPING DOWN on deck,
fainting dead away. She gasps, and rushes to help him.
INT. CARPATHIA HOSPITAL - NIGHT
Cal lies in a hospital bed. He is tormented
by wild, feverish hallucinations, and the incessant, mournful bleating of the
CARPATHIA'S FOGHORN.
CAL'S FEVERISH BRAIN - NIGHT
Cal treads water in an inky black sea,
fighting to stay afloat.
Cal sees an oar crash down upon him.
INT. CARPATHIA HOSPITAL - NIGHT
The infection has entered Cal's lungs, and he
gasps for air.
CAL
No! Please! Help! I can't breathe!
Senior hospital attendant GOTTLIEB RENCHER
and two orderlies rush to calm him.
Cal grabs desperately at their clothing, as a
drowning person would. They force him back down onto the bed. Concerned
visitors (Ruth, Jack Thayer and Marian Thayer) look on. Behind them, Molly and
Mrs. Bingham momentarily stop tending to ROSA ABBOTT to see what the commotion
is all about.
All look upon Cal sympathetically, wondering
what horrors he experienced while swimming in the water.
GOTTLIEB RENCHER
You're safe, sir! You're on the Carpathia!
INT. CARPATHIA HOSPITAL - EVENING - APRIL 18,
1912
Cal prepares to depart. His fever has broken,
but he is still sick.
CAL (VO)
Rose's body was never found. It was time to
give up hope and move on, to start a new life. For me, this meant attempting to
make amends for my deplorable behavior.
Molly comes by to see Cal off.
MOLLY
(friendly, warm) You feeling better, Cal?
CAL
To some extent. So, your work is finally done
here?
MOLLY
No, I'm staying behind in New York a little
while to help out. A lot of people's lives will never be the same.
CAL
Have all the children not found their
parents, then?
Molly is now convinced Cal is a genuine human
being.
MOLLY
All but two little French boys, but a lady
has taken them in. The major problem's all the widows from steerage and second
class...and the crew; they were hit really bad.
CAL
Well, I'm looking for people to work in my
new household in Philadelphia. Perhaps some of them could be employed there.
This plan was to include Rose. Molly gives
Cal a sympathetic glance. Cal reaches into his pocket.
CAL
I managed to hold onto some copies of my
calling card, and a little cash to get them there.
Cal hands Molly his pocket's damp, mangled
contents.
CAL
I should be ready to receive them by Sunday
afternoon, I think.
MOLLY
Thanks, Cal. You're a gentleman. Give my
regards to Ruth.
Cal exits, feeling his conscience somewhat
appeased, for now.
Molly smiles warmly to herself. Even a guy
like Cal can change.
EXT. FIRST CLASS - NEW YORK HARBOR - EVENING
Cal and Ruth emerge on deck, each carrying
their possessions in a small sack. They are greeted by a sharp crack of
thunder, and cold flashes of lightening.
RUTH
Are you sure you are well enough?
CAL
Yes, thank you.
Their attention is diverted by some commotion
below. Reporters swarm around in press boats like a band of hungry sharks. A
myriad of crazed reporters shout through megaphones and snap picture after
picture.
Cal and Ruth gape in amazement and disgust at
the shameless hoard of tugs that has enveloped the Carpathia. Cal hides behind
Ruth to escape the countless magnesium flashes which explode everywhere like a
barrage of artillery.
EXT. CARPATHIA AND PILOT VESSEL "NEW
YORK" - EVENING
THIRD OFFICER REES stands at the base of the
ladder, attempting to aid the pilot on board. The pilot approaches the ladder,
but a newsman tries to shove the pilot aside to reach the ladder himself.
Rees pulls the pilot onto the ladder, then
punches the reporter in the mouth, sending him tumbling backward.
THIRD OFFICER REES
Pilot only!
EXT. CUNARD PIER 54 - NIGHT
As if to ensure that mankind has learned the
lesson of humility before the forces of nature, the weary survivors must endure
one final display of her fury before making their way safely to land.
Drizzling rain dampens their spirits, and
their worn nerves are jolted by sharp flashes of lightening and bombastic rolls
of thunder. Worse yet, a deluge of over thirty thousand anxious people awaits
them. The crowd swarms with a heightened energy.
A lone woman pauses at the gangway, frozen in
disbelief. Policemen force the crowd back. The bewildered woman emerges
tremulously onto the pier, and others cautiously follow.
Cal and Ruth come off the gangplank together,
Ruth clutching Cal's arm. The crush of the crowd is almost unbearable. Nearby,
flanked by two U.S. marshals, SENATOR WILLIAM ALDEN SMITH flamboyantly
flourishes papers. He's demanding to see Ismay.
Cal and Ruth hurry past the reporters who
yell and grab at them, asking for their story. He leans in toward her as
magnesium flashes erupt noisily everywhere.
RUTH
I don't see any sign of your father.
CAL
Just push on! Don't let them stop you!
INT. CARPATHIA STEERAGE - NIGHT
Rose peers around a corner, carrying two
glasses of water. Rose sees Molly handing something (Cal's calling card) to
ELEANOR SPIVEY. Mrs. Spivey reluctantly accepts it with a nod.
Rose is tempted to approach Molly, but
instead decides to hide from her, and rejoins her previous companions. Rose
hands the water to Mrs. Moore and Betsy. Mrs. Moore's health has improved
greatly, but she is still weak.
MRS. MOORE
Oh, thank you! Everyone has been so kind.
Especially you, and Mrs. Brown, and that dear, selfless gentleman who found my
daughter. He looked all day for me, then left without even giving his name.
ROSE
Yes, he sounds wonderful, but it's a pleasure
to be of help. I hope I can have an adorable child like her, one day.
Rose pauses, hoping she is pregnant with
Jack's child. People stir, readying themselves to leave the ship. Rose picks up
a small bundle, and glances at her custom card. It bears the name Rose Dawson.
It is her ticket to a new identity.
Mrs. Moore helps Betsy with her glass of
water.
ROSE
Well, they're finally letting us leave.
MRS. MOORE
You go on ahead, Rose.
ROSE
I'll look you up in New Jersey. I promise.
EXT. CUNARD PIER 54 - NIGHT
Rose embarks upon her new life. She does her
best to summon her self-confidence, but can't help feeling lost. She gazes at
the patchy remainder of the night's spectacle, while remaining wary of anyone
who remotely resembles Cal. A woman offers Rose a hot, steamy muffin. Rose
thanks her, and buries the muffin in the pocket of Cal's coat. Rose wanders
away from the center of the crowd, feeling bedraggled and lost. She is one of
many people, no longer the pampered pet of a wealthy man.
Two members of New York's sleazy underbelly,
CHARLIE and LARRY, eye Rose as they slither toward her. They speak in thick New
York accents.
LARRY
Hey, sweetheart. Need a place for the night?
CHARLIE
We'll set you up with some real nice wages.
Best employer in town.
Charlie strikes like a snake, grabbing Rose
by the arm. She wriggles loose.
ROSE
Get away from me!
Rose is her usual spirited self, but he
frightens her deeply.
LARRY
C'mon Charlie. Mind your manners.
Charlie and Larry laugh cruelly as Rose darts
back into the crowd, her face whitened with terror. Just as desperation sets
in, she thinks she hears a HINT OF JACK'S VOICE over the murmur of the
crowd...calling her name. She stops and listens.
ROSE
Jack?!
She wanders in the direction where she thinks
she heard the voice, though she knows it can't really be him.