Battle of New Orleans Page #2

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EXT. MCKINLEY’S ALE HOUSE - NIGHT - ESTABLISHING

A corner TAVERN. Quite a rowdy crowd has gathered inside.

INT. MCKINLEY’S ALE HOUSE - NIGHT

A wide swatch of TOWNSPEOPLE. A few of Jackson’s OFFICERS

and ENLISTED MEN drink at nearby tables, happy to havereached their destination. Dependable BRIGADIER-GENERAL JOHNCOFFEE (45) finishes his beer and looks across the room...

And sees Jackson sitting ALONE at the bar separated from his

men. The BARTENDER pours Jackson a shot. Jackson drinks.

ANDREW JACKSON:

Again.

Down the bar a few LOCALS are engaged in drunken discussion.

Jackson can’t help but listen with half an ear.

5.

MUSTACHE:

Invade Canada -- that was their

brilliant plan? The currish louts!

WIRE RIM GLASSES

Brits turned us away at Montreal,

marched straight through Maine -

MUSTACHE:

Maine has fallen by God! Maine is

gone! I barely even knew her.

MUSTACHE raises a glass in a faux-toast. Everyone drinks.

TALL MAN:

Word from Washington is ten times

worse. The nancy boy Northerners -

MUSTACHE:

Couldn’t even hold the damn capitalcity! Their militia run like dogswithout even firing a shot!

TALL MAN:

Dolley Madison a better leader thanher windbag husband. The rest of

the lot, throw ‘em into the fire.

WIRE RIM GLASSES

Best be practicing our salute tothe King and the Queen. Up yerass, yer Majesties, our leaderswere no better than you I reckon.

One of the men with them is an eager NEWSPAPERMAN (22). He

eyes Jackson at the bar. The newspaperman sidles over.

NEWSPAPERMAN:

My apologies. General Jackson?

Don’t mean to be interrupting -

ANDREW JACKSON:

Then you’ve failed already.

NEWSPAPERMAN:

Saw your men march in town today.

Came from Fort Jackson after the

battle with the Creeks. Big dealthere, sir. Lots of land had.

Jackson shoots the newspaperman an annoyed look over hisglass --who are you and why are you bothering me?

6.

NEWSPAPERMAN (CONT’D)

Pardon my manners. Bertram Iger,

sir, Mobile Register. As long as

you’re here, would appreciate a

quote about the state of the war --

ANDREW JACKSON:

(re:
the locals)

Your companions know more than I.

Put their names in the paper.

But the newspaperman won’t be denied.

NEWSPAPERMAN:

The British strong through Canada

and the Atlantic, the Spanish with

a hold in Florida and the Indians

still terrorizing the West. There

are whispers the redcoats who

defeated Napoleon himself have

already set sail -

ANDREW JACKSON:

Exactly how old are you, Mr. Iger?

NEWSPAPERMAN:

Twenty-two.

ANDREW JACKSON:

And what have you done besides ask

questions of this war? Ever fired

a pistol or been in battle?

NEWSPAPERMAN:

No, sir.

ANDREW JACKSON:

Then seeing as you have nothing

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