Act 3: Booker
A young man tries to build a family in 1920s America. He has to deal with the Great Depression and the sudden outbreak of World War II, while trying to keep his family together.
Scene 1-1920- Women’s Suffrage
The header on the building says Metro Pictures Corporation. The shot is wide on the building to show the Hollywood hills in the background. The Hollywood Sign is not present yet but captions say that the scene takes place in what will be known as Hollywood. Scene then switches inside of the building to a man in his early 20s, white and dark-haired, looking at film in a movie studio. An older gentleman enters the room, presumably his boss, and asks him if he is finished with his work. He refers to the man as Booker. Booker tell his boss, whom he calls Mr. Kent, says that he is just about done editing and that the film looks very good so far. His boss exits the room and John gets back to work. Flash forward and he has placed the film in a canister on his Mr. Kent’s desk. He heads out of the building, but not before saying goodbye to the attractive secretary, Mary. Mary has a copy of the LA Times in front of her and she is absolutely beaming. Booker playfully asks her why she isn’t concentrating on her job and Mary tells him that the 19th Amendment passed the day before and that women now have the right to vote. She proudly begins to read from the article: "If she fulfills those requirements, she can vote and the State cannot prevent her from doing so, and no delay of the State in recognizing or acting on the new amendment can prejudice her right to vote" (Williams). Booker says that women won’t have time to vote because they’ll be too busy at home and Mary give him a disapproving look. He laughs it off and asks her out on a date. She says yes, but as long as she gets to call the shots. He gives another laugh and says that their date will be the bee’s knees.
Scene 2-1924- Immigration Act and Snyder Act
Booker is walking along the streets of Hollywood with Mary around his arm. In the background, the Hollywoodland sign lays proudly on the hillside. As they walk, a man calls out to Booker and runs up to him. Booker realizes that this man is none other than is brother James. They hug and Booker introduces James to Mary then proceeds to ask what he is doing in Los Angeles. James has come from home, in Ohio, to the big city in order to get a job working in the movie industry like his big brother. Booker asks James why he didn’t tell him in advance that he was coming and James says that he wanted it to be a surprise. They continue to walk and end up near the boundary of an immigrant part of the city. Armed policemen are taking people out of their homes and there is a lot of chaos. Booker and his party quickly walk away wondering out loud what that was about. Overhearing their conversation, a man walking along the sidewalk tells them that all the Japanese and other migrants are no longer allowed to come to America. He says that the police are cracking down on the ones already here to make sure they are all legal; otherwise they will be deported home. Mary seems visibly saddened and all of them continue on their way home. James gives Booker his address so that they can stay in touch and they part ways.
Scene 3-1929 Black Tuesday- Breakout of Depression
Booker is sitting in his apartment in the Hollywood area, reading the newspaper and enjoying a cup of coffee. Mary sits opposite him at the same table with a young boy on her lap, chewing on a donut. The telephone rings, Booker slowly rises from the table and picks it up. It’s Mr. Kent on the other line. He says that something is going crazy with the stock exchange and Booker needs to get down to the studio right away. Booker kisses Mary goodbye and runs outside to his Ford Model A. He hops in and rushes towards work. Flash forward and he is parking in front of the building, which now reads Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. He runs into the office and heads toward a door that says “Conference Room”. The room is filled with men, many standing and Booker takes his place at a seat with a placard in front of it that has his names above the title “Creative Director”. The CEO of MGM calls the meeting to start and tells the group that he has terrible news. Wall Street has crashed and everyone is selling their stock. He says that MGM is looking okay for the moment, but many of the other major movie studios are beginning to fail. He just wanted to gather the group together to let them know of the current situation before they read it in the newspaper. Booker stands up and says that he will not abandon the company. Everyone applauds and the meeting is called to a close.
Scene 4- 1933- King Kong
Booker is outside along with Mary, a baby, and the same young boy, although slightly older now. The young boy asks his father where are they are heading to and the father tells him it’s a surprise, calling him Jack. They turn the street corner and Jack spots a movie theater half way down the street. He starts to jump up and down, leaping for joy. He asks his dad if they are going to see King Kong. Booker gives an acknowledging smile and Jack’s grin widens even more. A sign on the building reads "Grauman's Chinese." The family walks into the complex and there are hundreds of people milling around this area. All of them are middle and upper class white people. They buy tickets and Booker tells his son to not enjoy the movie too much, since a competitor made it, and laughs. Jack watches in awe during the movie, especially when King Kong is fighting the dinosaurs. The next shot shows the family getting into their car. As they are driving home they pass a long line of people waiting for bread. They are dressed very poorly and Jack asks his dad why they all seem so sad. Booker tells Jack that the economy of the US isn’t too good right now, but President Roosevelt was doing his best to get everyone back to work. Jack asks his dad if the movie studio can give these people jobs. Booker tells Jack the government is going to get everyone a job through the New Deal, which will let people work on roads and other government buildings for money. Jack says that this New Deal sounds like a good idea and Mary says she agrees. The group arrives back home, now in a suburban setting, and the parents put Jack to bed.
Scene 5- 1941- Pearl Habor days after
The family is gathered around the television watching FDR give a speech after the attack on Pearl Harbor. A tear falls down Booker's face as FDR says the famous phrase: "a day that will live in infamy." Then flash forward and it’s been a week since Pearl Harbor and the movie studio is back at work for the first time since the attack. It’s much bigger now and Booker is at an even higher level of authority. He tells everyone that they need to get back to work to support their country. More importantly he tells everyone not to show hostility towards Paul Asawa. Some of the workers begin to complain, but Booker shuts them down. Afterwards Paul comes into Booker’s office to tell him that he is thankful for what he has down, but Booker stops him and says that any friend would do the same. They share a short smile and get back to work. Another short time jump and Booker is entering is home, finding Mary and Jack yelling at each other. Mary has tears on her face and Booker asks her what happened. Mary tells him that Jack declared for the draft. Booker’s face falls and Jack tells him that he needs to help America stop the enemies of freedom. Booker asks Jack if there is a way he can reverse it, but Jack tells him that it is not possible. They argue for a while, but Jack says he will do it whether they want him to or not. Booker tells him to watch out for himself and they hug, ending the scene.
Scene 6- Internment camps- Order 9066- 1942
Booker arrives at work and everyone is noticeably quieter. He steps into his office and calls his secretary in. He asks her what’s wrong with everyone and she tells him that Paul Asawa never came to work. Booker asks what possibly could have happened to him and the secretary says the military ordered all the Japanese people to go to the racing track. She tells him that she read it in the newspaper. Booker looks at the article and starts to read: "Nearly 13,000 citizen and alien Japanese...will be evacuated from the Pacific Coast combat area beginning Friday as the result of 13 additional ouster orders issued yesterday by Lieut. Gen. John L. DeWitt, chief of the Western Defense Command." (New Japanese). He tells her that he’s taking the day off at work and heads off to the Santa Anita Racetrack. Once he gets there he can see that thousands of Japanese-Americans are also arriving. The place is filled and the American military is everywhere. Booker heads to the check-in area and asks one of the staff members if he knows where Paul Asawa is being held. The staff member gives him the stable number and Booker runs out to it. He finds Paul and his family sitting inside a stable. Paul sees Booker and smiles, slightly shaking his head. He tells Booker that the Americans think that they are all spies. Booker asks him if there is a way he can get Paul out of this situation, but Paul tells him that the government will not change its mind. Booker takes notice of how little Paul’s family has with them and asks him where the rest of his stuff is. Paul smiles sadly and says that this is all the military let them bring with them. A man in an army uniform sees Booker and tells him he has to leave this area because it isn’t secure. Booker tells him that Paul is his friend, but the man won’t budge. As Booker is escorted out he tells Paul to keep in touch with him.
Scene 7- 1945 Victory celebration for WWII
Booker picks up the newspaper and reads that Japan has finally surrendered. He runs to Mary and they embrace over the news. His daughter Ruth comes running up to him and asks him if that means Jack will come home. Booker smiles and tells her yes.
Now another week or so has passed and Jack knocks on the door. Mary opens it and screams for joy, hugging her son. Booker and Ruth run over to do the same. The camera zooms out of this happy family moment and the act comes to a close.
Works Cited
Grauman's Chinese Theater. 1927. Photograph. Early Views of Hollywood. Water and Power Associates
Hollywoodland Sign. ca. 1920s. Photograph. Early Views of Hollywood. Water and Power Associateslink to picture of LA Times frontpage after Japanese surrender: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/98164466854071296/
link to dailymail article with picture of Japanese Internment: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2156209/Its-late-right-thing-Los-Angeles-revokes-70-year-old-ruling-forced-thousands-Japanese-Americans-internment-camps-Pearl-Harbor.html
link to FDR speech on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhtuMrMVJDk
link to King Kong scene on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYWSOzFMZjg
New japanese exodus from coast ordered. (1942, Apr 22). Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.libproxy1.usc.edu/docview/165303660?accountid=14749
WILLIAM, H. T. (1920, Aug 30). TAFT EXPLAINS AMENDMENT. Los Angeles Times (1886-1922) Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.libproxy1.usc.edu/docview/160903377?accountid=14749
