Just before our love got lost, you said
lam as constant as a northern star
And I said constantly in the darkness
Where '3 that at
If you want me I’ll be in the bar
On the back of a cartoon coaster
And the blue TV screen light
I drew a map of Canada
Oh, Canada
With your face sketched on it twice
Oh, you're in my blood like holy wine
You taste so bitter and so sweet
Oh, I could drink a case of you
Darling, and I would
And still be on my feet
Oh, I would still be on my feet
NEWS ANCHOR ON TV: That happens only on the far shores of a distant land.
But just a short time ago, such terror
apparently struck this quiet neighborhood
on the outskirts of Minneapolis.
A car bomb completely destroyed a vehicle
carrying two Chilean nationals,
and, apparently, a young American woman.
The FBI is refusing comment.
However, early reports indicate the bombing was carried out
by Chilean government agents.
The agents were attempting
to stop Francisco and Gisela Higgens,
who have been touring around the U. S.
speaking out against Chile '5 military dictatorship.
Minneapolis police believe the bomb was detonated by remote control,
and that all three occupants of the car were killed instantly.
The bodies have been removed
to Minneapolis Community General Hospital.
As for the young American woman,
it's not yet officially known, but we have learned
that she was Sarah Williams, an activist from Chicago,
who was also working with the sanctuary movement.
(BREATH ES H EAVILY) Sources tell us
that she had made several trips to Chile herself,
(SOBS) assisting in bringing
political refugees into the U. S.
Obviously, the death of a young American girl
on American shores
will throw a whole new light
on both the sanctuary movement
and, possibly, on the government's relationship
with the Chilean regime. (PHONE RINGING)
I'm Bill Haugland reporting live from Minneapolis. (SOBBING CONTINUES)
(SOBBING FADES)
Wake up, Maggie I think I got something
To say to you
It's late September And I really
Should be back at school
(PHONE RINGING)
Hi, Fielding. Ki|| anyone today?
Not yet, Tamara. ls Danny here?
Yeah. He‘s in his office.
Oh, Maggie I couldn't have tried
Anymore
Hi. Hi.
I'm here to see the boss.
Who are you?
I'm his brother.
Oh!
(CHUCKLES)
Go on in. He's expecting you. Thanks.
Mmm-hmm.
You're new here, right? Uh-huh.
Ah. (MUTTERS)
You like... You like it here?
Yeah, I love it.
Jesus! Good morning, Private.
Colonel.
It's a damn good feeling
knowing you're out there patrolling New York Harbor, son.
Thank you. The fuckin' Cong
could be shoppin' on Fifth Avenue like that.
Look, Fielding, lwant you out of that Coast Guard.
(LAUGHS) Come on! No, really.
I'm worried about you.
What if Nixon takes the wrong pill and sends you guys over to Vietnam?
Name one national political leader who hasn't served his time, Danny.
Oh, and by the way, you remember that little Coast Guard song
that you made me learn?
My new assistant just told me what "semper paratus" means.
I don't like this "always ready" shit.
| get distinct death vibes.
Your new assistant? The girl out there? Yeah. Sarah.
A Catholic girl.
You know, they, uh...
They know their Latin.
(SINGING) My Coast Guard fights for me
And our shore's liberty
We will be strong
Semper Paratus us
Even if die we must
Owl
We 'll never fail the trust
That we've been shown
Good, let's go. No way. We're not done yet.
We 're proud we 're true, we ’re brave
We fear not pain nor grave
(AS ELVIS PRESLEY) Our tide rolls on
We'll sail the ocean blue
Coast Guard, we love you and everybody too
I can't remember the rest of the words
(AWKWARD CHUCKLE)
Um...
Viking's doing this book on J. Edgar Hoover that sounds a lot like ours.
DANNY: Really? Mmm-hmm.
Good. Cancel ours and get us out of the whole fuckin' thing.
Oh!
No, no, we don't wanna deal with the FBI. lt'sjust a big headache we don't need.
Ready for lunch? Mmm-hmm.
Do you mind ifljoin you?
Yes. You mind?
(BOTH LAUGH)
I mean, no. I mean, no. Oh.
We'll all go together. Okay. I'll go get my bag.
Check it out. Who am I?
"Yes. No..." (STAMMERING) Very smooth.
The thing about Harvard
for, uh, somebody from the working class, like us,
we come from a working-class background,
is that there is a terrible sense of isolation, of aloneness there.
And not to mention the fact
that l was a year younger than everyone, so I felt like
I walked around campus with "scholarship kid"
tattooed on my forehead.
I do believe, though,
But you have to be a part of it.
You have to... You have to become a part of it.
And you become one of the people who sends the message to people
that lying and corruption in government is wrong.
I know that we think of law as something that is cerebral.
I won't say that it's a courageous stance
to take, but I think it's a...
We know that the war is evil.
It's a way for me not to become disenfranchised,
you know, become some radical member who is now in prison...
Um... Should I be taking notes?
DANNY: Fielding.
Eat your lunch.
Carry on. Sorry.
DANNY: Mimi, get me Don Ragland on the phone in my office.
Fielding, don't hurt yourself.
(CLEARS THROAT) When do you have to get back to the war?
Uh, can I buy you dinnertonight?
Can I talk?
What do you do in the Coast Guard?
Um...
Right now l have patrol in New York Harbor.
Not glamorous, but, uh,
it's not the army, Canada orjail.
Do you think they might send you to Vietnam?
No.
And the war is ending pretty soon.
The war's been ending soon for a long time.
It's just something that l have to do.
I have one too.
One what?
Sense of destiny.
Hmm. (CHUCKLES)
Okay, what's your sense of destiny?
When lwas little, I wanted to be a nun.
(LAUGHS)
It's a true story!
Well, what stopped you?
Puberty. (BOTH LAUGHING)
As it should.
So, um,
now I want, um,
a life of unbelievable adventure,
and, um,
profligacy. ..
(SARAH INHALES SHARPLY)
And at the last possible moment, sainthood.
I want a life that makes sense.
You, um,
still haven't told me how you got the idea you wanted to be a senator.
That's not actually what I want.
lwantto be...
the president.
Why are you smiling?
Because you mean it.
SARAH: You're still part of the same system.
So what do I do, then? I go to Canada, or | go tojail?
Yes! Yes! I mean, if it's what you believe in.
ljust... I think that's easy for you to say because you can't be drafted.
That is so patronizing.
I'm 5 o rry . I'm 5 o rry
But if I do those things... Mmm-hmm.
Either of those things,
I risk throwing away everything that I've worked for.
This way, eventually,
I can make some real, substantial changes
without throwing away my life on some ultimately meaningless gesture.
Mmm.
Sometimes meaningless gestures are all we have.
You're very ambitious, aren't you?
I'm afraid lam. Mmm.
Be careful.
Ambition is, uh,
the ice on the lake of emotion.
Who said that?
Idid.
Can I come up?
(SIGHS)
Too fast. Oh, come on.
Can't we think of this as a wartime romance?
(CHUCKLES)
(WINDOW OPENS)
Come on up, Fielding.
SARAH: Oh, God.
Please don't let them send you to Vietnam.
I'll be okay.
It's not that.
What?
If you go over,
you'll be getting shot at by the people I want to win.
I don't want to have to choose who to root for.
MAN 1: You still with us, Fielding?
I'm just thinking.
MAN 2: Do you realize what the Governor is offering here, Fielding?
It's a big jump from the county prosecutor's office
to the United States Congress.
What the hell are you looking at out there?
He's thinking, Ed.
You don't want a snap decision, do you?
I don't wanna spend all day sitting here either.
Look, there's no problem.
Nothing to be scared of, kid.
You can't lose.
You know the last time a democrat lost a special election in this district?
Hell, lwas still going to high school.
What about Jerry Charmichael?
He hung himself.
One thing to be a fag, another to get caught putting your boyfriend on the US. payroll.
Anyway, he's announced his resignation. That's his business.
Yours is, do you want this seat or not?
All right.
Now, tell me if there's anything about you I don't know
that maybe I ought to.
Hmm.
I never know how to answer that.
What the fuck are you playing with here, boy?
Oh, come. Come, come.
Come, what? This is nonsense.
He's kicking a goddamn gift horse in the nuts. He's a good kid.
Clean as a whistle.
Father's a union man.
All right.
I owe your friend Isaac. I'll get you to Washington.
By the time you learn to find your ass without using both hands,
it'll be time for the regular election,
and if we ain't friends by then,
that'll be that.
I gotta go. Of course.
It'll all work out.
KINOSIS: I'll have my people call you.
(FAINT CHATTERING) (DOOR OPENS)
(DOOR SHUTS)
(SARAH'S VOICE) All those years.
You’re my lover, Fielding.
l have one too.
(FAINT WHISPERING)
Sometimes meaningless gestures are all we have.
Sarah?
I want to apologize to the people of my district.
I’ve let them down,
and that's something I'll have to live with for the rest of my life.
I also want to apologize to my wife, Lorraine,
my two children.
MAN ON TV: Insiders say the man most likely to fill the vacant seat
is a 32-year-old attorney from the DA 's office,
Fielding Pierce, a bachelor and political unknown.
Governor Kinosis is expected to announce...
(LINE RINGING)
Hello?
FIELDING: Beware the lonely man with a telephone.
Hey, is that my congressman brother?
I guess you heard the news. Mom and Dad told you?
Yeah. Are you kidding me?
Mom's already bought a whole new scrapbook.
Congratulations, honey.
Thanks.
(CAROLINE CLEARS THROAT)
Honey? You know what I wish?
What?
| wish Sarah was here.
I know. I know. I still miss her too.
It gets better, it gets better,
then it's like it never got better at all.
Fielding, ifyou were still with her,
none of this would be happening. You know that, don't you?
Everything she was would've taken you away from where you wanted to go.
I know. I'm starting to pretend she's alive.
Um...
(CLEARS THROAT) Why would you do that?
I don't know.
It's just happening.
I can feel her around me in the snow.
CAROLINE: Oh, God.
Fielding, don’t do this to yourself Don't do it.
FIELDING: Oh, no, it's, uh...
I mean, it's...
I don't mind it, really. It's just interesting, that's all.
No, it isn ’t, honey.
It’s sad.
It’s really, really sad.
(SARAH'S VOICE) Dear Fielding,
if you were going off to fight a war, a good war,
I could write this by candlelight,
weep, and then go to church and pray for you.
But there's only one war
And it's bad,
and though you promise that your ship's not going near Vietnam,
I keep thinking your course will change.
It’s 3:00 in the morning,
and I'm needing you
like a thousand monkeys on my back.
I’m wearing your black T—shirt.
You were looking all over for it before you left, but I had it hidden.
I needed something here that smells of you...
Unspeakably delicate
and innocent.
It amazes me to think that while I was growing up in Louisville,
you were growing up in New York.
But our fates had been cast,
and every step we took
was only bringing us closer,
until we fell into that bed and you were inside me
and we both knew
that we'd come to the end ofthe line.
We will never be apart.
We may be at each other's throats,
or we may be separated by 5,000 miles,
but we’ll never be apart.
So get off that boat.
Get off
and come home to me.
I need you.
Ineed you, Ineed you.
Your girl always,
Sarah.
(SARAH'S VOICE) We may be separated by 5, 000 miles,
but we’ll never be apart.
WOMAN: Don't go.
What are you looking for?
I'm definitely going crazy.
(SARAH'S VOICE) It’s 3:00 in the morning.
I'm needing you, more flings and room tag
like a thousand monkeys on my back.
How are you?
Every step we took
was only bringing us closer
until we fell into that bed
(MOANING)
and you were inside me
and we both knew...
(FIELDING GRUNTS)
And so I endorse Angelo Bertelli in this race,
not just because he's a good man of and from this district,
but because he represents a change.
A change, a break
from machine politics, machine thinking
and machine answers.
(PEOPLE APPLAUDING)
(SWITCHES TV OFF)
Great. Great.
First the gay vote, now half the black vote.
Gotta love a challenge.
Bertelli's a nothing. He's, uh,
he's like, uh, a write-in candidate.
Besides, I hear he's an old lecher.
Are you gonna use that?
(CHUCKLES) No.
But maybe we should get married. I'll run on the morality issue.
I don't think you're ready to marry anybody.
l was only kidding.
Besides, wouldn‘t that be awful if we got married and I lost the election somehow?
What would be so awful about it?
No, lwasjust saying that if we got married for the sake of the election
and then I lost, that's all.
Why does that make my stomach hurt?
Look, if I was saying, "We ought to get married,"
you'd be saying the same thing to me.
You're making me feel bad.
(EXHALES) Okay. I'm sorry I said it.
lsuppose you're looking forward to seeing your family.
Oh, yeah.
I only wish I had more time.
But you don't. You understand that.
You've got to hit the ground running.
You've got to start building a real constituency
for the next election.
FIELDING: Thanks for everything, Isaac.
Nothing to thank me for.
Right. Right.
And Pinocchio owed nothing to Geppetto.
Adele asked me to give you this.
It's a poem she wrote you.
Here. Oh, thank you.
Your plane takes off in 10 minutes. Go.
(INAUDIBLE)
How's Juliet, by the way? Oh, she's all right.
Nice girl.
A real lady, in the best sense.
What's wrong?
Do you ever remember Sarah?
What do you mean? Of course I do.
What do you remember about her?
(EXHALES DEEPLY)
The funeral.
The reporters.
And the whole thing sort of drifting away
like it never even happened. Yeah. Yeah.
(STUTTERS) I miss her...
so much, and I can't get away from it.
I could've spent the rest of my life trying to figure out what happened to her
with all that shit, and why,
and ljust dropped it, itjust drifted away.
There was nothing you could do.
You had places to go.
What's going on?
I don't know. I don't know.
All right, come on, let's go home.
Can ljust say something, and then we don't ever have to talk about it again?
Of course.
I want to be good.
You are good.
Maybe you're too good, huh?
I don't know what I am.
DANNY: Hey. lwant you to come someplace with me.
Okay.
Don't you wanna know where we're going?
ldon't think I do.
Yeah, I think you might.
No, tell me where we're going.
An oriental massage parlor.
(SCOFFS) Oh, yeah.
No. No, I don't think so.
You can just drop me off at the hotel.
No, no. No, listen to me, man.
lam in love
with a Korean whore, and I want you to meet her.
(LAUGHS) Mmm-hmm.
Well, Danny, don't you think that I could meet her somewhere else?
Oh, come on. Are you so worried
about your fucking reputation
that you won't come with your brother to meet his girlfriend?
That's nice, Fielding.
Okay. Look, here's the deal.
These Korean gangsters
brought her over here, promised her a job
and then they threw her in this fucking whorehouse.
Which you just happened to patronize.
Look at you, fucking sitting there judging me.
What do you want me to do, Danny?
Well, I don't want you to judge me.
(HORN BLARING)
What do you want me to do?
You can use your influence.
You can get her a green card.
Oh, get the fuck out of here! You could be a hero here.
I'm not running for Office
so I can get your friend a goddamn green card.
My "friend"?
This isn't... She's not my friend, Fielding.
This happens to be the woman I love.
You fuckin' think it's so inappropriate,
but it happens to be a woman that I love.
Remember what Sarah used to say?
Sarah Williams. You do remember Sarah, don't you?
Go fuck yourself. I know you do.
She'd see some junkie on the street.
Man, peoplejust walkin' by, nobody even noticing,
but she'd see him and she'd say,
"How do you know that's not Jesus?"
You know? How do you know?
Oh, God, I had this dream.
You wanna hear it? Mmm-hmm.
Um, you're a senator.
(CHUCKLES)
Um, we're at this (CLEARS THROAT)
fancy Washington party,
and, um,
I'm in this expensive, low-cut gown,
and all I can think is that
I can't move my hands because I haven't shaved under my arms,
and if anyone sees, then your whole career is ruined.
(LAUGHING) Oh.
I'm so glad I'm starting in Chicago with a job.
Hmm.
Working with the church makes me feel like I'm here.
On the planet, you know?
And I matter.
You matter to me.
That's different.
Besides, you have law school.
I'm never going to see you anyway.
I think I'm scared of disappearing.
I'm not gonna let that happen.
It's not up to you.
(INDISTINCT TALKING ON PA)
Okay, so we have one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
One, two, three, four, five, six...
Uh, Sarah? Sarah Williams? Yes?
I'm Father Steven Mileski from Resurrection House.
Hi. Call me Steven.
Steven. Yeah, uh...
How did you guess who I was?
Well, you were, um...
I don't know. I just knew.
Um...
I thought you'd need a hand, so I figured I'd give you a ride to your apartment.
Wonderful. Absolutely. Thank you so much.
Oh. This is Fielding.
Oh, yeah. That's right. You're a blessing.
I'm saying that if you want real social change,
revolutions have a terrible track record.
So, what, you let people starve
and suffer while they're just waiting for salvation? Oh, come on. Of course not.
You know me better than that. Come on.
(EXHALES)
You have to accept...
What are you doing?
I'm making a point. Come on. That's not fair.
You have to accept that... You have to...
You have to accept...
Do you know how much I love you?
It's a brilliant paper.
You're a brilliant student.
You're gonna be a brilliant lawyer
and a brilliant senator.
You're just gonna have to put up with me as your Jiminy Cricket.
Okay? Okay.
That's a good argument.
(SARAH CHUCKLES)
MR. PIERCE: See? You retire, even your kids say good things about you.
FIELDING: Come on, pop. You made a nice speech.
Well, I'm glad.
But you made it sound like I raised you myself.
If you're running for office, no woman in this room would've voted for you.
And you get too personal.
I mean, if anybody really knew Kennedy, you think they would've voted for him?
You gotta be strong.
So strong
you're gonna want to blow your brains out.
But you won't.
So strong, people can say right to your face
you're a dirty, lying son of a bitch,
and it's not gonna make a bit of difference.
What if I don't want to do that?
Well, then you would be making a big mistake.
You're gonna be ending upjust like me.
So? What's wrong with that?
You sit down for your first cup of coffee in the morning,
you tear your hair out when you read the paper
because the world is run by people not half as smart as you are.
Guys who think that working people are dog shit.
Look good, boy.
Strong.
You're doing it for all of us.
FIELDING: And ifyou have hope for the future of your community,
the future of this country,
get out and vote on January 23.
And send me to Congress
and let me work for you.
Thank you. Thank you.
Hey, how you doing?
(INDISTINCT TALKING)
You're a registered Democrat, right?
Hi, how you doing?
Hey, thanks a lot for coming out. We really appreciate it.
Take a flyer. Thank you. Thank you all for coming out.
Thank you, everyone.
I know that I was grateful the government was there.
I'm here for every hard-working American.
How you doin'? Which ones are yours?
He's interested in drawing monsters.
He’s so high You can't get over him
He’s so low You can't get under him
He’s so wide You can't get around him
If you make your bed in heaven, he's there
If you make your bed in hell, he's there
He's everywhere
(CHATTERING)
Wait till you see him in action. I want you to meet him.
He has the teamsters in his pocket. You have to go and say hi.
This has gotta be Fielding Pierce. It's a pleasure to meet you.
Really excited about meeting you. Excellent.
I got a few ideas.
My dear.
How are things? Very well.
You're having a good time, I hope.
Oh
I am a lonely painter
I live in a box of paints
I'm frightened by the devil
And I'm drawn to those ones that ain't afraid
I remember that time you told me
You said love is touching souls
Surely you touched mine
’Cause part of you pours out of me
In these lines from time to time
Oh, you're in my blood
Like holy wine
You taste so bitter
And so sweet
I could drink a case of you
Darling
Still I'd be on my feet
I would still be on my feet
There you are.
Come here. It's okay. I want you to meet someone.
This is Isaac Green and Adele.
This is Sarah Williams.
Oh, Sarah. Hi.
How do you do? Very pleased to meet you.
I'm sorry about my clothes.
ljust came from work. Nonsense. You look fine.
You should see our son. At least you look clean.
So, have you thought any more about the DA's office?
My connections are strong, and it's a hell of a launching pad.
Mmm-hmm. Mmm-hmm. Well, it's definitely interesting.
Good.
I don't know, Fielding.
Do you really want to be putting people in jail?
Would you like a drink, Sarah?
Come. You know, Isaac and l are so grateful...
So...
(DOOR OPENS) SARAH: Hi, honey.
You're late.
It's 9:30.
I know. I was worried. Oh. I'm sorry.
We said we were gonna cook dinner, you were gonna help me with my paper.
Oh. But, um... (CLEARS THROAT)
Manuel, that little boy that I told you about? He talked today.
You're never here anymore. You're at the church all day long.
And you‘re at school or studying all daylong.
Are you in love with him?
Who? Mileski.
Fielding.
Steven's a priest.
You're my lover, Fielding.
He's part of what I do.
You can't be everything to me.
I want to be.
Oh, dear.
I love that you said that.
(MOANING)
(BREATH ES HEAVILY)
MAN 1: This is Sarah Wilson.
MAN 2: Congressman, how are you?
How are you? I'm very well, thank you.
Sorry. No, you go right ahead.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
This is Sarah Wilson and Fielding Pierce.
Very nice to meet you.
Everything's good with the independent voters?
They're pretty earrings.
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)
We know exactly where he's going.
I only know about soccer.
Sarah Wilson, these are brothers.
This is Sarah Wilson and Fielding Pierce.
FIELDING: How are you? Fielding Pierce. Nice to meet you.
"Would you like something to drink?"
And the Roman Catholic priest says, "I wouldn't..."
Over here. Who is that in the corner?
Yes, Mr. Ellis. How are you?
It's a pleasure to meet you.
I hear great things about you.
Thank you. Thank you. I hope I can live up to them.
I'm sure you will.
Ourfriend Isaac's a shrewd judge of character.
If he takes a young man under his wing,
he's got good reasons.
Thank you.
Mr. Ellis. Yes?
Um...
| read your article in Newsweek about Chile.
Ah, yes, my dear.
Yeah, lthought it was reprehensible, disgusting bullshit.
You have the balls to suggest that the overthrow
of a democratically elected government by murderous thugs is in our interest?
You tell people to support that?
You use your fucking power in that way? FIELDING: Sarah.
Now, see here, my dear.
I'm not your dear. And what about you?
Aren't you gonna say something?
You fucking clapped when I ripped up that article at home.
Or was that someone else?
Otto, lwant you to meet my niece Juliet Beck.
Darling, this is professor Otto Ellis. Charmed.
And this is Fielding Pierce.
Hi. How are you? Nice to meet you.
And Sarah Wilson.
It's Sarah Williams, Isaac.
Yes, Williams. Pleasure to meet you.
I'll talk to you later.
Uh...
Just what is going on here?
Nothing. Jesus.
It's fine.
Uh, it's... It's a pleasure to finally meet you.
Oh, yes, you too. You too. You too.
I'm sorry.
No, really.
I didn't mean to fuck up.
He was just such an asshole.
Mmm-hmm.
(CHUCKLES)
Why are you saying that now? Jesus.
Well, I mean, he was definitely a part of it.
You know, your friends are much tougher than they look.
I don't even know most of them.
You liked her, didn't you?
Who?
(CHUCKLES) What?
Who? Isaac's niece.
You know.
Come on. Miss...
Perfect Future President's Wife.
Juliet, you mean? Mmm-hmm.
Hmm. I don't know. She seemed very shallow to me.
Ooh! (LAUGHS) Maybe.
Fuck off.
That's where you're headed.
That's your world.
It's all mapped out.
It's been mapped out long before we ever met.
I'm not going to change it.
Do you want me to change it?
I think that both of us would love to change each other.
No, I don't want to change you. Yes, you do.
No, I don't. Yes, you do.
Come on. You're the incarnation of your family's ambition,
and I am the incarnation of your family's fear.
Your father, his name is Ed. Your mother's name is Mary. Yes.
They named you Fielding. Yes.
What does that mean?
It means that l was meant to succeed. And I accept that.
I don't want to watch you turn into a cog in their machine.
That's so...
fucking condescending.
Sometimes cogs can make machines run a little bit better.
Sometimes. Yes.
Mostly they turn in circles and wear out.
Then they get replaced.
Come work at the church with me.
Oh, yeah, right, don't work for the US. government.
Work for the church. Work for the people
who brought us the children‘s crusade and the inquisition.
That's a moral step up. It's so infuriating loving you sometimes.
Well...
the feeling's mutual.
(CHUCKLES)
Honey? SARAH: Yeah.
I'm home, and I'm horny.
(CHUCKLES)
I'm so glad you're home.
Um... God...
I'm going to Chile. I'm going to be gone for two weeks.
We're going to get some friends out of there.
(SIGHS)
How are you gonna do that? It's all planned.
It's not difficult and it's not dangerous. When is this happening?
Tonight. (CLEARS THROAT) Our flight's at 7:00.
Can I ask you not to go?
No.
Who are you going with? Um...
Steven.
And we're meeting up with a nun named Sister Angela.
And, um, what are the generals gonna think you're doing?
I can't talk about that. (KNOCK ON DOOR)
Hi. Hi.
Listen, Fielding, if anybody comes snooping around,
just dodge their questions.
Um, we have to go. There'll be traffic.
Not to mention the storm.
God has given us a lot to put our shoulder against.
Oh, yeah, he's been such a help. Really.
I'll bring her back safe and sound, Fielding.
You have my word.
Is there something I can do to help?
Do you have any money?
Thanks. Take me with you. Please.
You will be with us. We feel your love. No, I mean it seriously.
I can speak better Spanish than both of you.
Sister Angela speaks it perfectly.
Just take me with you.
(CHUCKLES)
Everything's arranged for this time.
It means a lot you asked.
MAN: I'm sorry, but we must go.
I'll go with you to the airport.
Okay. (DOOR OPENS)
You think what I'm doing is wrong?
Of course not.
The truth is, I think you're...
fucking incredible.
And I do wish you weren't going.
I wanna forget everything that separates us, Fielding.
You're my lover,
the only man in the world I love.
You're the only woman I love.
DAYTON: Yeah, well, 10 years ago, we could run a campaign for $10,000.
Now it takes a goddamn million.
Hey, we got the votes, right?
As in, vote early and vote often. (CHUCKLES)
What we need to do is coast. We'll get plenty of ink for free.
Reporters got nothing to do this time of year. Right, Kelly?
You're right about that, Al.
Also, we can count on Jerry Charmichael's full cooperation.
I don't know if you want him involved,
but he's willing to do whatever's best...
I'm kind of losing my mind.
(CHUCKLES) I beg your pardon? Yeah.
What do you mean? ljust... I've, uh...
I've been seeing things and hearing things. From Sarah.
And...
I've been, uh, believing them.
Believing that she's, Uh...
I don't know, come back from the other side or maybe she never died.
I don't know. I mean...
I can't... lcan't explain it.
I thought I saw her a couple of years ago
in New York.
It seemed really crazy, so I never told you about it.
But she was coming out of a, uh, like a coffee shop
with this guy, this older guy.
And, uh, I didn’t think about it.
I just called her name.
(INAUDIBLE)
And she looked around, then she looked straight at me.
And...
I guess I was just so surprised.
You know, ljust kind of forgot that she wasn't alive anymore.
And she turned around and she walked a bit further,
so I called her name again.
(INAUDIBLE)
And she turned around.
And then I remembered.
You know...
It wasn't her. She looked different.
Well, that's not true.
She looked a lot like Sarah,
but she wasn't Sarah. That's the point.
You know, shejust looked like her.
And, you know, I was really freaked. I really was,
but I just carried on and made myself forget all about it.
And I never told you because it was just dumb. But that happens.
But you saw her.
I thought I saw her. I didn't see her.
Of course I didn't see her. I'm absolutely sure about that.
You're absolutely sure?
Yeah.
So will Congressman Charmichael
be participating in your campaign?
Well, Jerry's pretty exhausted.
Do you remember me at all, Fielding?
It was actually my very first news job in Minneapolis.
It was one of the biggest stories of the year there.
BRODERICK: What was the story?
WOMAN: See, what was happening was that there were American priests
that were giving left-wing Chileans sanctuary
and right-wing Chileans hunting them down,
and, uh, Fielding's girlfriend got caught in the middle.
Uh-uh, I'm sorry. (STUTTERS) There's a, uh, a woman, uh,
who has some, Uh, statistics that I need.
I won't be long.
Sarah?
Sarah!
(PANTING)
Sarah!
(PANTING)
Sarah?
Sarah!
What is this? What is this?
(SHOUTS) What is this? What is this?
Goddamn you! Who is making this disturbance?
Fielding. My God, what's wrong?
What brings you here? I don't know. Where am I?
You're in my church. This is my parish now.
You've created... No, no, no. Shh, shh. I wanna talk about Sarah.
What do you want? Just tell me about her! Just tell me.
What? Is she alive?
Just tell me, please, Father. All right, all right.
Just stop this shit and tell me if she is alive. All right!
She is alive in the hearts of those that love her.
Bullshit! Bullshit! Bullshit! lfollowed her into this church.
And greater than that. I followed her into this church.
And I'm tired of being screwed with.
Oh, Fielding.
Poor Fielding.
Francisco and Gisela Higgens,
I'd like you to meet my right arm here,
Sarah Williams, and her friend Fielding Pierce.
How do you do? It's an honor, really.
I hope I can be of service to you. Thank you.
And what about you? Another good Catholic?
No. Not at all.
Momentito, darling. If it weren't for some great churchmen,
we wouldn't be here to speak out.
And our friends, Gustavo and Seny,
would be in prison, or dead.
So, um, what do you do?
Fielding wants to be a senator.
Well, well. A senator. Ha!
With so many of your politicians Showing their corruption,
I am surprised
to see someone from the youth who chooses to follow their example.
Uh, I'm sorry, but do you really believe that I'm going into politics
so I can become a corrupt son of a bitch
who sells electrodes to the Chilean secret police?
What Gisela means is when you enter a corrupt institution,
you become part of it.
to the worst that America has to offer?
Young man, everything is politics. Life is politics.
Calling only your elections politics is part of your sickness here.
I am so sick of having to apologize for being an American.
North American. Oh, God, I'm so sorry. Yes. North American.
But I can't help but noticing that when people run to freedom,
they tend to wash up on North American shores.
This country is still the best that we've been able to do
in the whole fucking history of the planet.
FATHER STANTON: Oh, you can't be serious.
Oh, come on. We know our government plays rough.
Of course it does. All governments do.
But when you compare it to a country like Chile
(CHUCKLES) where even the leaders
of the opposition come from the upper class,
I mean, come on, a guy like me, I would have no Shot.
My parents, my family, they were nothing.
Now my brother's a publisher, my sister's an artist.
And if I do become an elected official,
I think that has to mean something.
You know, this reminds me of the patient who describes his symptoms
as a sign of his good health.
That's ugly, Steven.
Yes. Yes, that is ugly, Steven.
It reminds me of something Sarah would say.
You're in this conversation by yourself, Fielding.
I'm in this whole fucking room by myself,
and I'm choking on the collective sense of superiority.
I'm just going to Minneapolis to drive them around for a few days.
You're acting like I'm leaving you forever.
If it's only for a few days, why are you taking so much stuff?
Because Seny doesn't have any winter clothes, so I'm bringing some for her too.
(SIGHS)
I do love you, you know.
Fielding...
You have to love me too.
Not an image and not an idea.
And not in spite of who I am.
We'll be at, uh, Our Lady of the Miracle by tomorrow afternoon.
You know, Uh...
Most people think you all are crazy.
"Most people"?
Or you?
Most people.
And me.
(BREATHES DEEPLY)
(DOOR CLOSES) Sarah?
HAUGLAND ON TV: The coroner is expected to make his initial report.
As for the young American woman,
it's not yet officially known, but we have learned that she was Sarah Williams,
an activist from Chicago who was also working with the sanctuary movement.
Obviously, the death (SOBBING)
of a young American girl on American shores
will throw a whole new light
on both the sanctuary movement
and possibly on the government's relationship with the Chilean regime.
I'm Bill Haugland reporting live from Minneapolis.
Mr. Williams, Mr. Williams, who do you blame for your daughter's death?
| just wanna take Sarah home and bury her.
You're the boyfriend, right? The fiance.
Who do you blame for Sarah Williams' death?
(ALL CLAMORING)
(PROTESTERS SHOUTING)
(SHOUTING CONTINUES)
There are times when death seems not the will of God,
but the venal, ugly act of man.
And these are the times
that make us want to raise our heads to the heavens and shout.
Shout loud enough to wake the dead.
You know, Tony's been doing some informal polls. Mmm-hmm. And?
You're slipping.
You're not behind yet, but you are slipping. You have to work harder.
(CHUCKLING)
Come on, Caroline. Work harder? I went...
(EXHALES)
I went 18 places yesterday.
My throat is killing me. Come on.
My hand is so swollen I can't put a glove on it. What do you want me to do?
I want you to put everything out of your mind until after all this is over.
Absolutely everything, Fielding.
After the election,
we can be as crazy as we like. (CHUCKLES)
F I E L D I N G: You can’t get there from here.
But send me and let me work for you. Thank you very much.
Thanks for coming out.
Thank you.
How are you?
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Thank you for coming out. I appreciate it. Thanks again.
How are you? Thank you.
Thanks a lot. Thank you. I appreciate it.
23rd and vote. Thank you. (CHEERING)
(CROWD WHISTLING AND APPLAUDING)
You want some more? No. I'm fine.
Hey! Hey, man.
You have the, uh, willpower, you know, just to have one glass of this?
No.
Oh, that's good. Fuck, yeah, very strong.
Well, everyone, stay put.
Don't say anything interesting. I'll be right back.
(LAUGHS)
Bro.
(BRIEFCASE THUDS)
You sure you don't want any of this?
'Cause this is good...
Sorry.
Is this all we have? Rice cakes?
I can't stay here tonight.
What? Where are you gonna go?
A friend's. Just... You gonna come back?
Yeah, of course. That's very nice of you.
Generous. Christ, Fielding, I'll be back tomorrow.
Okay. Well, you want something special for breakfast?
I'll fix you, like, a sprout omelet or something.
Do you know what I think?
I think that if you win this election
and I don't go to Washington with you,
in three weeks, you won't even know the difference.
You know what I think?
I think you're right.
(DOOR CLOSES)
Ah, a chance to see my brother go down the tubes.
Dan, hey! I'm just kidding.
If that's the way you feel, Danny, why did you come here?
When I took Kim from the massage parlor, the Koreans were furious.
They wanted her back. Korean men think,
uh, Kim run away, maybe, um, other girls run away too.
Yeah.
Danny, I can't get involved with your shit right now.
It's either very fucking stupid of you,
or it's very sadistic of you to come here.
Ooh. Whoa.
Fielding, wait a minute. It's not that big a deal.
You cannot be here.
I'm in the middle of an election, and it's gonna be close.
And when it's close it gets ugly.
And I don't want to have to explain you, you or your girlfriend
to anyone anymore.
No, wait, wait, wait, wait, no.
Fielding, look, you're a powerful man. You have influence.
Okay? Just make a phone call or something FIELDING: No.
I am your fucking district.
Who do you think made you what you are?
You are me, you fuck.
You close the door on me, man,
you close the door on yourself.
Well, so be it then.
What would you be without us?
Some repulsive combination
of Harvard and the Coast Guard
stirred up by Isaac Green and his fucking tight-assed niece.
Fielding...
What's...
(VOMITING)
CAROLINE: I'll get a cloth.
DANNY: Oh!
God damn it.
(PHONE RINGING)
(RINGING CONTINUES)
WOMAN: Did I wake you?
Sarah?
Yes.
Who is this?
I’m so sorry, Fielding.
Every day I had to decide whether] should call you.
I tried to bring you to me.
I put your name on a little piece of paper and I pinned it to my blanket.
(LAUGHS)
I couldn't stay where I was, Fielding.
I wanted to so badly, but I couldn't stay that person.
I don't think you're gonna like me anymore. What?
I don't think you're gonna like me anymore.
Oh, honey, I will always love you. (SNIFFLES)
Where are you? Tell me where you are.
I’m far away. Tell me where you are and I'll...
I can't. I can’t. I can.
Tell me where you are.
Just tell me, please. Fielding...
Fielding, I'm with you.
(SOBBING)
Sarah?
Sarah!
Calm.
(SOBBING)
Why the fuck is this happening to me?
(RINGS) Hello.
ISAAC: Fielding, it’s Isaac. You’d better come over.
(INDISTINCT TALKING ON PHONE)
What's the problem?
Well, you missed three appearances this morning.
Dayton's poll has you in a dead heat.
Your campaign is out of money and the election’s in three days.
Is that enough?
Come in, Fielding. Sit down.
Juliet. Hi. Hi, Fielding.
Whatever problems you two are having can be put aside for a while.
Fielding, he's not beating us up on issues, okay?
On issues you cream him every time.
But he's very affable, and that comes across.
When he wants to be, Fielding, you can be the most charming man on earth.
Juliet, what are you doing here?
Why are you here? Why are you here?
Because I wanna be.
(WHISPERS) Butwe're not, you know you left.
Fielding, it is stupid to let you throw this campaign away
when you're so close.
Do you want to lose this election?
Do you realize this... I'm sorry. I gotta go.
Isaac, I'm sorry. I've gotta go.
Where do you think you're going?
I've gotta go find Sarah.
You're going to visit her grave?
Oh, no, no, no, no, no. I don't understand.
FIELDING: Listen to me. Listen to me, Isaac.
They didn't bury Sarah. It was somebody else.
They probably realized that it would help them a great deal
if they thought that they had killed an American.
Does that make sense? You saw her, Caroline.
What is happening to him? Didn't you?
(BOTTLE CLINKING)
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Nice fucking watch you got there.
The watch, man! Yo, yo, yo! Give him the watch!
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
It should be snowing, but that's okay.
Right about there.
Turn the light out.
What do you want me to do?
Hmm?
What do you want me to do?
Should I do what they want?
Is that the right thing?
Are you still gonna love me?
Where did you go?
Where the fuck did I go?
FIELDING: A simplified tax code
with radical reductions of write-offs
and a thorough reappraisal of our endless expenditures on defense.
(APPLAUSE)
When I was given the opportunity
to run for Congress... (INAUDIBLE)
l was going to say that, uh
that I accepted the opportunity
because it would give me a chance to serve my country.
But that's not entirely true.
The truth is that l have wanted this
as long as I can remember.
And when you've wanted something that long,
just getting it becomes the most important thing.
We become dogs chasing a mechanical rabbit around the racetrack.
And what do we do when we finally get it in ourjaws?
I do believe
that I can make a difference.
I believe that I can hear the voices of the people in difficulty.
But...
I must finish
by promising to you
to protect what is left of the best in us
from the selfish and the brutal
to make this world as close to paradise as we can.
Ah, that may not be very close at all, but, uh,
what better way to spend a life than crawling towards it.
Thank you.
(SCATTERED CHEERING)
MAN ON TV: And the 14th district it's still too close to call.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
WOMAN ON TV: It looks like it's going right down to the wire.
Wait, Mom. Hold on one second.
Thank you so much. Good stand there.
MAN ON TV: Stay tuned throughout the evening
for details on this tightly contested race.
WOMAN: All we can say now is that it's simply too close to call.
(RINGS)
Hello? ISAAC: (SIGHS) Final tally's in.
You won.
What... What was the margin?
Six hundred and fourteen votes. Congratulations.
Thanks, Isaac.
Hey, hey. Hey.
Hey! Sit down.
Hi. How's it going?
Well, I'm here, aren't I?
MRS. PIERCE: The prices in this place are obscene.
DANNY: Don't worry, Mom. It's a sleepwalker books party.
Hey, expense account money is still money,
and I don't like these places playing me for a sucker.
(EXHALES) My family. I think I'll kill them.
Caroline's right. We should be concentrating on being happy for Fielding.
Yeah, and then tomorrow we can go back to trashing each other.
(CHUCKLING)
There's something that I think I should tell you all.
I'm not feeling very well.
And I haven't been for a while.
Something inside me has jumped the track.
I'm confused.
I'm not thinking right. I'm not sleeping right.
(STUTTERS) And I don't...
I... Just don't think that I am complaining about this,
or asking for your help,
because there's nothing anyone can do about it.
It's just happened and that's all there is to it.
But I don't know what I'm gonna say from one minute to the next.
I really don't. I don't know what I'm gonna say,
and I don't know what I'm gonna do.
Do you understand that?
And I know this is coming at a bad time for everyone,
but, uh... But there's nothing I can do about that.
I'm tired and I'm, Uh...
Uh...
I don't... I don't see things the way that | used to.
Everything...
Everything, everything is fucking strange, and it...
And it's all completely out of control, and I'm...
frightened.
Maybe if you all could give me some real help, you know, that would be...
And not your pity or generosity, but some help.
Take a look at me.
I... I know that I am ruining everything, but I can't...
If I don't say this now, I may never say it.
Everything is going very fast.
It's going very, very fast. It's completely out of control.
And if I don‘t say it today, tomorrow may be too late.
I may be too crazy to even know how crazy I am.
I don't know what to do!
Something has happened to me and I'm very lost.
And it doesn't stop.
It's not getting better.
I don't get better. I'm not getting better.
It's just going on, and it's going on.
And there's nothing that I can do about it.
It's not stopping.
(SOBBING)
MR. PIERCE: Hey.
(SNIFFLES)
Stupid. Stupid.
(EXHALES)
I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine.
I feel better. Thanks. Okay.
Don't worry. I'll be Okay. I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
I think you feel
The way I feel
Though you don't wanna say
I think you feel
The way I feel
Though it's not the easy way
Wouldn't you like to be with me
Watching the snow come down
Watching the snow
I don't wanna cause you any pain
ljust wanna love you
I don't wanna mess up anything
ljust wanna love you and
I know you think I’m kind of strange
Who is it?
ljust wanna love you
Just wanna love you
You ripped my life in half.
You took away everything that was starting to mean something to me in my life.
How did you do that? Why did you do that?
Can you stay...
for a while?
No.
Fielding,
you need to stop talking to people about me.
It's not safe.
All right. Okay, lwon't. lwon't.
Are you all right?
I'm good.
I really am.
(CHUCKLES)
I miss you so much.
I miss you too.
I'm being so irresponsible, Fielding.
I know that I made my decision.
I kept to it.
I thought wanting you was gonna go away.
God, they told me it was gonna go away, Fielding.
(SIGHS)
(BREATHES DEEPLY)
I'm so sorry.
Please don't go.
Our lives have taken us so far apart now.
It seems wrong to think we belong together.
But I think it.
(SIGHS) I do too.
I think I know why.
VVhy?
Because it's what we want.
But...
so few people get what they want.
And the ones that do
aren't really the lucky ones anyway.
They're not?
Who are?
The ones that do what they're meant to.
Can we not talk for a little bit?
I would feel so happy if you would just hold me.
Let's just pretend that this is what our lives are like.
That this is perfectly natural.
It's no big deal.
Yeah.
I can close my eyes and let everything else go away.
It's hard what you're doing, isn‘t it?
Just hold me.
Looking down on empty streets
All she can see
Are the dreams all made solid
All the dreams made real
All of the buildings All ofthe cars
Were once just a dream
In somebody's head
She pictures the broken glass
She pictures the steam
She pictures a soul
With no leak at the seam
Let's take the boat out
Wait until darkness
Let's take the boat out
Wait until darkness comes
Nowhere in the corridors ofpale green and gray
Nowhere in the suburbs in the cold light of day
There in the midst of it So alive and alone
Words support like bone
Dreaming of Mercy Street
Wear your inside out
Dreaming of Mercy Street...
WOMAN: Dear Congressman Charmichael.
My son is 19 years old.
He was born with a very low birth weight,
and he has never enjoyed good health.
Can you please send me any information
about the rights of adopted children?
Please mark the envelope, "Top secret. Do not open."
If they knew what I was doing, they'd kill me.
MAN: The American consulate was polite, but when I went to them with information
that I had seen his body, that he had been murdered...
Dear Congressman Pierce,
congratulations on your election.
lam writing to you because I'm having a bad problem
with my social security.
I've taken food out of the garbage in the hall.
And that money that they are holding from me is mine.
I've earned it.
I've done everything that I know how
to get this problem solved.
lf/ could come down to your office in Washington,
I would get down on my knees
and I would take your hand
and I would show you.
FIELDING: I never saw Sarah again.
I think I've managed to help some people in Congress.
Do some good.
Less than I'd have liked, but more than I had feared.
And to this day, I still don't know if Sarah was real that night
or just the product of my broken heart.
But, Sarah, ifyou are alive
and it was you that night,
here for one last moment of sweetness before going back out
to try to make things better in the world,
keep fighting.
God be with you.
I love you.
And if it wasn't really you,
if my visit was
only the you that still lives in my heart,
the you that never gave up,
that taught me what being brave was all about,
if it was only the you
that I will carry with me in my soul
until the day I die,
I can only say keep fighting.
And God be with you.
I love you.
I think you feel
The way I feel
Though you don't wanna say
I think you feel
The way I feel
Though it's not the easy way
Wouldn't you like to be with me
Watching the snow come down
Watching the snow
I don't wanna cause you any pain
ljust wanna love you
I don't wanna mess up anything
ljust wanna love you and
I know you think I’m kind of strange
ljust wanna love you
Just wanna love you
I can hardly breathe
Every time I see your face
I feel stupid and happy
Wouldn't you like to be with me
Watching the snow come down
Watching the snow
I don't wanna cause you any pain
ljust wanna love you
I don't wanna mess up anything
ljust wanna love you
I know you think I’m kind of strange
ljust wanna love you
Just wanna love you
Watching the snow come down
Watching the snow
I don't wanna cause you any pain
I’d give you the world
I don't wanna mess up anything
I wanna be your girl
And I know you think I 'm kind of strange
ljust wanna love you
Ah
Watching the snow come down
Watching the snow