Spotlight

1 INT. POLICE STATION, BOSTON - NIGHT, 1976 1

A quiet, cold winter night. An OLDER COP emerges from an

INTERVIEW ROOM, walks down a long hall.

Boston, MA - December, 1976

He reaches the front desk. A YOUNG COP looks to him,

curious, as he lights a cigarette.

YOUNG COP:

How’s that going?

OLDER COP:

The mother’s bawling and the uncle’s

pissed off.

YOUNG COP:

She’s not married?

OLDER COP:

Divorced with four kids. I guess

Father was helping out.

YOUNG COP:

Helping out?

The Older Cop shrugs. The front door opens and BURKE, FRESH

FACED, 32, walks in. He wears a dark overcoat.

OLDER COP:

Hey, Mr. Burke. They’re in the back

talking to the Bishop.

BURKE:

And Father?

The Older Cop nods in the other direction.

OLDER COP:

We put him in the break room.

BURKE:

Any press?

OLDER COP:

Some guy from the Citizen, but we

sent him away. None of the big

papers.

BURKE:

Let’s keep it that way.

Burke walks toward the interview room.

YOUNG COP:

(off Burke)

Who’s that?

OLDER COP:

Assistant DA.

YOUNG COP:

Gonna be hard to keep the papers

away from the arraignment.

OLDER COP:

What arraignment?

He’s matter of fact. The young cop reacts, looks towards the

PRIEST (GEOGHAN) sitting in the break room.

OLDER COP (O.C.) (CONT’D)

You can tell Father Geoghan it won’t

be much longer.

2 OMITTED 2

3 INT. POLICE STATION, INTERVIEW ROOM - MOMENTS LATER 3

A BISHOP, 50s, talks in hushed tones with SHEILA, 33. TWO

BOYS, 7 and 9, sit coloring.

BISHOP:

Sheila, you know what good work the

church does in the community. I

give you my personal guarantee that

I’m going to take Father out of the

parish and this will never happen

again.

Burke enters, eyes Sheila nervously fingering ROSARY BEADS.

BISHOP (CONT’D)

We’ll just be another moment, Paul.

BURKE:

Of course, Father.

The Bishop turns back to Sheila. Burke eyes the kids.

BISHOP (O.C.)

Now Sheila, I’m going to give you my

personal card...

11/26/14 2.

4 EXT. POLICE STATION - LATER 4

The Young Cop stands outside smoking. He watches as the

Bishop and Father Geoghan exit the police station and get

into a TOWN CAR, a DRIVER behind the wheel. As they drive

away, we HOLD ON the cop. PROCESSING.

FADE TO BLACK.

SPOTLIGHT:

FADE IN:

6 INT. BOSTON GLOBE, NEWSROOM - DAY, 2001 6

A large newsroom. REPORTERS and EDITORS gathered.

Boston, MA - July, 2001

DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR BEN BRADLEE JR., 50s, gruff, stands in

front with an older reporter, STEWART, 60s. And a cake.

BEN:

Losing good reporters, it’s tough.

And losing one of our best... well

to put it as eloquently as I can,

it’s a real kick in the ass.

A few polite chuckles from those in the crowd.

BEN (CONT’D)

But Robby’s known Stewart longer

than most of you have been alive so

I’m gonna turn it over to him.

Robby?

Ben looks to WALTER ‘ROBBY’ ROBINSON, 55, Boston Everyman.

ROBBY:

Thanks, Ben. I think. And although

I take issue with the reference to

my seniority, I will say Stewart’s

departure is especially painful for

me. You see, for... what? 20 years

now, Stewart’s been more than

willing to part with his money at

the poker table...

(Laughter)

And I got a kid in college.

More laughter.

STEWART:

Yeah, but I’m gonna keep playing.

11/26/14 3.

ROBBY:

Problem solved. Godspeed, buddy.

Everyone’s laughing now. Robby connects in a warm, easy way.

ROBBY (CONT’D)

Now, Stewart, I find the timing of

your departure a bit disconcerting.

The corner office sits empty, the

new editor arrives on Monday, so

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