Donner's Superman 2

Superman II
The Richard Donner version

Scenes 446 - 451, "White House visitors"

446 INT. WHITE HOUSE CORRIDOR - DAY

Helmeted MARINES in full combat gear help WHITE HOUSE POLICE and SECRET SERVICE AGENTS secure the corridor leading to the Oval Office. An explosive charge is attached to the door at the entrance to the corridor, the connecting wires trailing off to a plunger detonator behind a nest of sandbags with a machine-gun emplacement. The MARINES take their positions, all eyes on the door, as suddenly: ZOD, NON and URSA burst down through the ceiling, shattering three glass domes which comprise part of it. The MARINES, POLICE, and SECRET SERVICE open fire through the shower of falling glass, send a withering barrage ricocheting around the room. ZOD watches triumphantly, the bullets bouncing harmlessly off him as URSA and NON go to work: URSA flings the advancing MARINES through the air, sends them crashing into one another as NON smashes the corridor pillars, then turns his attention to the machine-gun nest which blazes away at him. He demolishes the emplacement, breaks the gun in two, roars. URSA hurls two more MARINES through the air: They crash against the wall, one falling on the explosive plunger. The corridor is rocked by the blast.

447 EXT. WHITE HOUSE - DAY

The blast rips through the exterior of the White House above the Oval Office corridor, shattering windows, etc.

448 INT. OVAL OFFICE - DAY

CAMERA LOOKS from behind the PRESIDENT'S desk chair in the Oval Office at the closed and bolted entrance door. Half a dozen telephones ring with different buzzers and bells, but are not answered. To one side, a dozen CHIEFS OF STAFF, CABINET MEMBERS, SECRET SERVICE AGENTS, et al. stand waiting as the last sounds of gunfire die away in the corridor. There is a long moment of silence, punctuated only by the sound of the unanswered phones. Suddenly: the door to the Oval Office collapses, kicked to the floor in one piece. Standing in the open doorway, the devastated corridor seen behind them: ZOD, URSA and NON.

449 WIDER ANGLE

ZOD and URSA enter. NON fills the doorway, standing guard. URSA now wears not only the NASA buckle, but the Texas Ranger badge as well. ZOD glances at the silent OFFICIALS with contempt, then turns his attention to the distinguished-looking MAN sitting behind the President's desk.

ZOD
You are the one who is called President...

MAN
I am.

ZOD looks down at the carpet with the golden Eagle emblazoned on it.

ZOD
I see you are already practiced in worshipping things that fly. Good.
(ice stare)
Rise before Zod...

The man is mesmerized by ZOD'S stare. He rises.

ZOD
And now - kneel... before Zod.

The MAN glances at the OFFICIALS, gets no reaction. Swallowing hard, he steps around the side of the desk, slowly kneels. ZOD starts to smile, then stops.

ZOD
You are not the President.
(MAN reacts)
No one who leads so many could possibly kneel so quickly.

The MAN blinks, terrified. The phones continue to ring. A normal-looking MAN (The PRESIDENT) dressed in shirt sleeves, half-hidden by the others, now steps forward.

1

PRESIDENT
I'm the man they're protecting, General. I'm the President. I'll kneel to you - if it will save lives.

ZOD
It will. Starting with your own.

450 ANGLE ON URSA

URSA looks at the OFFICIALS, particularly the MILITARY.

URSA
What a backward planet this is - where the men wear the ribbons and jewelry...

She rips a GENERAL'S tunic, pulling the nest of medals from his chest, selects a particularly gaudy one, starts to pin it on.

451 BACK TO PRESIDENT

The PRESIDENT locks eyes with ZOD.

PRESIDENT
What I do now I do for the sake of the people of this world. But there is one man here on earth who will never kneel to you.

ZOD
(amused)
And who is this imbecile?
(gestures)
Where is he?

PRESIDENT
General - I wish I knew...

With a grim face, the PRESIDENT slowly kneels. Behind him, through the Oval Office window, we see the remains of the destroyed Washington Monument. There is a low whisper from within the hushed group of OFFICIALS.

OFFICIAL
Oh, God...

ZOD
(thin smile)
Zod.

Sources:
1 - Superman 2 DVD, 2001 Warner Home Video; image courtesy of Superman in the Movies.

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