The First Lady (2022) s01e10 Episode Script

One, two, come on!
One, two. One, two. Hup!
All right, three. Let's go.
One, two, three!
As Donald Trump and his transition team
prepare to take over the White House,
protesters across the country
take to the streets.
Not my president! Not my president!
Come on! One, two, three!
Lock her up! Lock her up!
And we're going to Washington DC
- to drain the swamp.
- Drain the swamp!
That's enough!
You got it.
You got it.
Grab some water.
Lock her up! Lock her up!
It's the middle of the day
and you're just lounging?
That's not normal.
Is anything normal anymore?
- Mmm.
- I got nothing scheduled.
Mmm. Just the big day to look
forward to.
How was your session?
It helped to beat
the shit out of something.
It was so terrible to have
a Black family in this house
that they elect him?
This is not about us.
Isn't it?
A Black man can rise
to the highest office in a land,
built on the backs of slaves,
and it tears them up so much
that they elect something like that?
- Yo, Mich
- I wanna beat
the shit out of every
single person who voted for him.
I wanna go so fucking low.
And your people didn't even vote.
All of them, I hope they get
exactly what they deserve.
This is not America.
It is, Barack.
It is.
Amid rumors that he was mortally sick,
FDR campaigned
for a fourth term as president.
To silence those rumors,
he rode in a rainstorm
through New York City.
The fourth-term inauguration,
it was without precedent.
Roosevelt was haggard
as he took the oath.
The rumors of illness
had been well-founded.
But he drove himself on without mercy.
His only concern now is to win the war.
The structure of world peace
cannot be the work of one man
- I haven't missed it.
- Oh, Mrs. R.
- Hello, Tommy.
- Hello.
I didn't realize you were back.
or a Russian,
a French, or a Chinese peace.
It must be a peace which rests on
the cooperative effort
of the whole world.
I am confident that the Congress
and the American people
will accept the results
of the Yalta Conference
as the beginnings of
a permanent structure of peace
upon which we can begin
to build that better world.
Thank you.
Anna.
Mother, I-I didn't
What are you doing here?
Where is your father?
He just finished
the Congressional address.
Yes, I know. I was
watching him on the television.
He looks very weak.
Anna, what's happened?
Nothing. He's fielding questions
from the press like he always does.
I thought it went very well.
It highlighted
all of the sentiments
of your League of Nations.
You're not answering my question.
His heart is failing.
According to whom?
A naval cardiologist.
He's examined him more than once.
Arteriosclerosis.
Oh, he should be resting.
He needs a break and
A break would be irrelevant.
He's not going to recover.
He should be
working from Warm Springs
or Hyde Park.
He should be comfortable.
I'll mention Hyde Park to him.
- Anna.
- I'm sorry. I
We can talk about this later.
I just, um, have some work to do.
Thank you for everything.
Mmm.
- Who is it?
- It's Anna.
Come in.
Mother's home. She came back early.
I-I just left her in the Oval.
I should leave.
No. No, no, no.
How about I get you over
to Warm Springs?
It's her idea, more or less.
What?
Fine, fine.
Fine. You go down to Warm Springs.
I'll meet you there after
Anna and I return from Yalta.
And, hopefully, I will not be too long.
Anna, will you come and bring me
to the car when it's time?
- Yes, of course.
- Thank you.
I would have seen you sooner,
but I wasn't expecting you home.
- Thank you.
- Of course.
I'm glad you thought
the speech went well.
Yes, it went very well.
And how are you feeling?
Well, I'm going to take your advice.
I'm going down to Warm Springs.
- Oh, good.
- Mmm.
I'm glad Anna mentioned it.
I wasn't sure that she would.
I will go straight there
from the Ukraine.
You're still going to Yalta?
Stalin's doctors say he cannot
travel any great distance,
- so, yes.
- And what do your doctors say?
My heart says
we need to end this war now,
and this is how we do it.
No doctor can argue with that.
Well, then I shall go with you.
Eleanor, please.
I have a husband that needs caring for.
You have nursed me
enough for ten lifetimes.
I will call you every night,
and you will get my first report
as soon as I return to Warm Springs.
Thank you.
I will write down
some thoughts for the conference
and you can read them on the plane.
Thank you. I will.
- Down the hatch, ladies.
- Cheers.
Shh.
Stop.
Why would a dancer treat
her body with such disdain?
Her body is all that she has.
Her sacred garment,
her first and her last,
and yet
You will do it again
until you get it right.
And then again
and again and again. Places.
Betty?
Betty, are you okay?
I'm sorry.
- I didn't mean to wake you.
- Come on.
I don't think I can do this anymore.
- I know it feels that way.
- No, I can't. I can't stay here.
- No.
- You'll be going home soon.
That's right. You'll be going home soon.
Betty, Betty.
Hey, I was just about to quit
the day you showed up.
I was gonna get the hell out of here.
I-I even packed all my things.
But then you came and I thought,
"Well, I can't leave now."
Right here in my room
"is the First Lady
of the United States."
Hi, my name is Betty
and I'm an addict
and an alcoholic.
Hi, Betty.
My life wasn't some
downtrodden tragedy.
I'd never lived on the streets.
I didn't hang out in alleys
behind bars asking for money.
I'd never slept in a car
or woken up next to a stranger.
I
I lived in the White House,
for heaven's sake.
I had a few drinks at night,
like all Americans.
Mm-hmm.
That's what I kept telling
myself when I first got here.
After a few weeks,
I stopped looking at myself
as different from all of you
and started seeing how we are all alike.
The similarities,
not the differences.
We all have this disease
and we're all addicted to something,
and we all
want to get better.
Yeah.
And I'm sure we'd all love
to have another drink again too.
Yeah, that's not going to work
for us, so
We have to keep
coming to these meetings
and working our steps.
Helping each other.
Thank you.
Prime Minister Churchill
salutes from a British man-of-war
as he greets President Roosevelt
on the bridge of an American warship.
They'll meet with Premier
Stalin at Yalta, in the Crimea.
In talks extending through eight days,
they make decisions
aimed at sealing the doom
of Nazi Germany and German militarism.
Plans were made for Germany's
occupation and control,
as well as for maintaining order
and establishing popular governments
in liberated countries.
The statement was signed by
the three leaders on 11th February.
March, and President Roosevelt
returns home.
Said to be suffering from a bad cold,
he heads to Warm Springs,
Georgia to recuperate.
My mother will be here shortly.
Anna.
I really did love your father.
I know you did.
Please pass along
my deepest condolences.
Stop the car. Tell us what's happened.
Can we get a comment, please?
Madam First Lady!
All right. That's enough. Back up.
Mrs. Roosevelt!
Mrs. Roosevelt! Over here, please!
Thank you.
Oh, Franklin.
I'm going to miss you.
I am going to miss you.
Lucy was here.
And you helped facilitate it.
I'm so sorry.
It was between your father and I.
I'm sorry
that you were put in the middle.
He truly loved you, Anna.
He loved all his children, but
it was you who made him a father.
Thank you for saying that.
Please telegram your brothers.
I need to call the vice president.
Obamacare is a complete
and total disaster.
- We don't have to watch this.
- No.
We could sit back and wait
and watch and criticize
- Sasha!
- I'm over hearing this shit.
- I don't care.
- Turn it off.
No. You can't turn off the nightmare
S-Sasha, I swear! Stop!
Uh What is this? Malia Sasha!
Grow up!
Yep, come in.
It's like, uh, addiction for you.
Mr. President. Ma'am.
- Allen. No.
- Sorry to bother you.
I think there's something
you should see.
Yeah, come on in.
How long has she had this account?
For the last 24 hours.
Will you just get this shut down?
Yes, sir.
I can barely get past my anger,
and I'm supposed to tell a teenager
not to be pissed off
that this asshole
- No. Look, I get it.
- is coming in here
- to just destroy
- We are still in office.
I understand that.
You can't just be posting
your feelings online.
- But she's a teenager
- It's a security issue.
Let me handle it. Okay?
Come on.
I want you to punch this pillow
as hard as you can.
What are you talking about?
Obviously, you're mad.
Trust me, I understand.
So hit the pillow.
Come on. You heard me.
That's weak.
I want you to hit it. Come on.
Is that all you've got? Hit it again.
Come on.
It feels good, right?
Yeah.
Believe me, I wanna scream
every time I see
that misogynist, racist pig.
I'm sorry, Mom.
I know I shouldn't have done it, but
I just had to say something.
I know.
I know.
Hmm.
Dear Mrs. Obama.
Having watched you with admiration
throughout your campaign,
I am confident you will come to realize
you do share one very important
thing with the rest of us.
The hunger,
the ability to fill in for your husband
wherever he cannot or will not go.
First Ladies and their teams
are often the vanguards of
social progress in this country,
despite no budget and no pay.
Your story joins the stories
of other First Ladies.
These are the stories of America.
So decide what story you want to tell.
Sincerely, Betty Ford.
Let's go.
Mrs. Ford, welcome back.
- Mrs. Ford.
- Thank you.
- Congratulations, Betty.
- Thank you.
Congratulations.
The whole world admires
your courage, Betty.
Thank you!
Gentle music
How many was that?
Five.
Five?
Thought I counted 50.
Aha.
- You gonna give me that towel?
- No.
I like the view.
Little chilly out here, Betty.
I had tea with Len Firestone
the other day.
Six months sober. Yeah.
Did you know
that there is no place for
a person with addiction issues
to go in the desert
besides the occasional meeting?
- I didn't know that.
- No solid rehabilitation center
anywhere near here.
Huh.
- What?
- Oh, what?
What?
Where are you two
gonna build this thing?
I didn't say anything about building.
I love you.
Everything here is to scale.
That's about the size of my
first apartment in Grand Rapids.
I can attest to that.
And there's separate wings
for men and women.
Uh, yes. This is the women's wing here
and over here is the men's wing.
Each is positioned to get
beautiful morning and evening light.
- Mmm.
- That's correct.
And the grand meeting room
faces directly out onto the garden.
- Mm-hmm.
- Betty's thought of everything.
Yes, she has.
Oh, and speaking of morning light,
how about tequila sunrises?
Juice, soda, water.
I'll have water. Water.
- Water?
- Water.
Jerry, tequila sunrise for you?
Yes, Nicky, sure. Sure.
The only thing I'm wondering
about is the name.
Oh, thank you, honey.
Eisenhower Chemical Dependency
Treatment Center.
Doesn't exactly
trip off the tongue, does it?
Why not call it the Betty Ford Center?
I already nixed that.
To the Eisenhower Chemical
Dependency Treatment Center.
Cheers!
Cheers. Cheers!
Cheers!
I should've worn a black suit
and a mourner's veil.
Sounds kinda hot.
Hey.
- Hi, Mom. You look beautiful.
- Hey.
- Thank you.
- Sasha?
- Hey.
- Sasha?
Come.
Sorry.
- How you feeling?
- Good. How are you?
I'm good.
Oh, well, thank you.
Look at you.
- Wilson.
- Mrs. Obama,
on behalf of the staff and myself,
I'd like to present you with this flag
after the first inauguration.
And you, sir. On your last day.
Thank you, Wilson. Thank you.
Thank you for everything.
Thank you.
Thank you.
- Thank you, Wilson.
- Sir. Thank you, sir.
Now, you know I'm gonna miss you.
Jump shot?
Thank you so much.
Oh, you know, you gonna make me cry.
Holy fucking shit, that's Obama!
Should we try and get
a picture with him?
I don't wanna
lose our place in line though.
Nice to meet you.
- Hi. What's your name?
- Name is Adama.
Adama. Nice to meet you, Adama.
- Thank you for signing my book.
- Absolutely.
- Hi. Hi.
- Hi. Um
Michelle. I I mean, um, Mrs. Obama.
You can call me Michelle.
Okay, um, I don't know
if you remember me.
I'm Cindy Boudreux.
We were at Princeton together.
- Yes.
- Uh, we were, uh,
supposed to be roommates.
Yes. Of course, I remember.
Oh. Hi.
Hi.
You can go ahead
put these over in the corner,
so it's not too cluttered
when my daughter's roommate gets here.
- Oh, um
- Thanks so much.
Um
Sorry, I don't work here.
I'm your daughter's roommate, Michelle.
Oh. My apologies.
I-I didn't think that
I'm sorry. Hi, I'm Cindy.
We're from New Orleans.
Oh.
Pyne Hall Room 208. Welcome, ladies.
I'm your resident advisor.
My name is Darlene.
- So we got Cindy.
- Yes.
And you must be Michelle Robinson.
- Yes. Hi.
- Hi, Darlene.
Can I speak with you
for a second, please?
Sure, ma'am. Of course.
Um, my mom's really picky about rooms.
You should've heard her
on our trip to Waikiki.
So, what are you majoring in?
Uh, sociology. Then, uh, eventually law.
Cool. That's cool.
Um, I'm majoring in classics,
then I don't know.
Cool.
I think there's been
a little mix-up, Cindy.
So, we're just gonna go down
to student housing,
get it settled, all right?
Michelle, it was lovely
to meet you. Best wishes.
I'm sorry.
Um, I hope you have a good rest
of the day.
Bye.
I have felt terrible all these years.
And, uh, especially now,
seeing who you've become.
I'm just
It's water under the bridge, so
Well, I'm still sorry.
Mmm.
Well, you know,
I won't lie,
but that's kinda nice to know.
- Here.
- Thank you.
So good to see you.
Okay, honey. Go on.
- Hi.
- Hi.
And what's your name, bright eyes?
- Zoe.
- Zoe. How old are you, Zoe?
- Twelve years old, ma'am.
- Ooh, what grade are you in?
- Seventh.
- Doing good in school?
- Yes, ma'am.
- This your mom?
- Yes. Thank you.
- Congratulations.
- Nice to meet you.
- I'm proud of you.
- Thank you so much.
- Thank you so much.
There you are.
Wonderful.
Well, where's the hole?
Mrs. R?
Hello?
Hello?
Oh. Hello, Tommy. Come in.
Hello.
I hope I'm not interrupting.
No, no, not at all. I was
I was just bringing you
some things from the office.
Seems silly to seal it away in a box.
Of course, yes. Thank you.
I was just putting the kettle on
and trying to light
this newfangled stove.
Oh, no, Mrs. R. Mrs. R, no, no.
It's It's electric.
- Oh.
- See?
There.
Just like that.
Just like that.
Well. Hmm.
When was the last time
you made yourself a cup of tea?
- Well, why start back now?
- Yes.
Have a seat. I'll take care of this.
- Have a seat? On
- Yes. Mrs. R, sit.
All right.
Do you ever get used to it, Tommy?
What?
Not being with someone.
I wouldn't know how to answer that.
Being divorced is possibly
the opposite of being a widow.
Well, how so?
Well, it's freeing, ultimately.
The thing that wasn't working is gone.
And then you can continue on,
more yourself.
Six years divorced,
and you're already referring
to Frank as a "thing."
You know, when I think about it,
you are the person I've been
most married to in my life.
So, I suppose
I don't even feel divorced.
And I am eternally grateful.
Do you have anything to go
with the tea? Biscuits
Oh, um, no. I have rice.
Rice?
Well, half the world exists on rice.
Sorry.
I think I should stay for a few days.
We still have work to do,
and making meals is a lot harder
than making tea.
I'd like that very much.
Thank you, Tommy.
My pleasure.
Oh, there are a couple leftover apples
in the living room.
Apples and rice.
You are really living it up out here.
That's exactly what it should be called.
It's a culmination
of everything you've ever done.
But what if I, I don't know, slip up?
And then my name is on the place
- You're not gonna slip.
- People trust you, Betty.
You tell the truth. You don't bullshit.
If your name is on this place,
people will know it's worthwhile.
You have the influence
to change the world.
You changed me, Betty.
I don't need to have
another drink again either.
What?
I'm done. No more alcohol.
Oh, Jerry. You don't need to do that.
It really doesn't bother me.
I want to.
It's not fun
drinking without you anyway.
You'll probably lose a few pounds too.
Really?
Betty Ford Drug and Alcohol
Treatment Center.
Hold on, my lady.
One, two, three, dig!
Beautiful.
Hmm.
Dear Mrs. Roosevelt,
I know that there is no
replacing a man like Franklin.
But we can remember him
and honor his memory
by continuing to pursue
the things that were
most important to him.
Hello.
Oh. Hello, Anna.
I I wasn't expecting you.
Lovely to see you, Mother.
Oh. Well Did you drive?
- Uh, yes. Traffic wasn't bad.
- Good.
I wanted to give you this
from Father's desk.
Oh.
It's overdue but
Oh, my.
It's the charter
for the new League of Nations.
The United Nations, they're calling it.
"Don't let it fail this time, Nell."
Well, this is extraordinary.
And it was your concerns and your notes
that cemented
Stalin's agreement to join.
So wonderful.
Um
Hmm.
I-I also came up here
to see how you're doing
and if you needed anything.
I am well.
I am. I-I've been working and
responding to all
of these wonderful cards
and condolence letters, and
How would you feel about
coming to live with us?
- Oh.
- You know, uh,
there's plenty of room.
You could spend some time
with your grandchildren.
With me.
I could help you with your work.
Oh. Well, I'd never ask you to do that.
I know you wouldn't. I'm asking you.
You know, I think
I'm more comfortable here.
I think I'd prefer that Tommy is
Tommy is helping me out.
And I do want to show you
this card from Queen Elizabeth.
Oh, this is the one.
It has silver on it.
Oh, no. That's from Princess Ingrid.
Well, that's worth reading too.
I must have left it on my desk.
I know it's here somewhere.
It's, um
Do you realize how lonely it is
to be your daughter?
W Well, I'm so sorry
you feel that. I'm
All I've ever wanted was to be
as interesting to you
as the rest of the world is.
Mother.
Mother, please look at me.
Well, I don't want to
look at you when you're upset.
Why, in God's name,
did you have six children
if you clearly have no interest
in being a mother?
Sometimes
just because you want something
doesn't mean you'll be any good at it.
I'm afraid I'm rather clumsy at love.
But look at you.
My only daughter,
exactly as I'd hoped you'd be.
You're independent,
you're strong-willed, so kind.
And you are a wonderful mother
despite my failings.
And I'm
I'm so proud of you.
Uh
Um
Can we at least try and spend
a bit more time together?
There's no time like the present.
And I really want to show you this card.
And I finally found it.
Look at her penmanship.
It's very sweet,
what she said about your father.
And very touching.
- Oh.
- I'm back.
Tommy, look who's here.
- Hello.
- Anna. Hello. Hello.
- Good to see you.
- It's lovely to see you.
Look at this.
Oh. Wow.
Can you believe it?
- Oh, look what Franklin wrote.
- Oh.
Uh, Mother, uh, I should get going.
Oh, so soon?
Yes, but I'll see you
I'll see you soon.
- All right.
- Bye, Tommy.
Be well.
May God be with every member
of the United Nations Organization
and, through your noble efforts,
bring lasting peace to us all.
All over the world.
Mr. President.
Eleanor, please.
If we don't yet know
each other all that well,
it is only because you were
more Franklin's vice president
than I was.
Before we get to business, I want to ask
is there anything I can do for you?
We are all under the cloud of his loss,
you more than anybody.
Well, that may be true,
but I think the real question is
what can I do for you?
You're the one in trouble now.
Please.
There is something.
I would like you to serve
as our American delegate
to the United Nations General Assembly.
That is
- I'm flattered but
- Now, don't be modest.
I'd had to have been living under a rock
not to know of your
expertise in internationalism.
Well, this is a most
unusual appointment.
Because you're a woman?
- There is that.
- Forgive me,
but since when has that stopped you?
This will be a long-overdue
opportunity for you
to help build a lasting movement
for peace and human rights.
If you think I'm the right
person for the job
I think you are the only person.
Then I would be honored, Mr. Truman.
Wonderful. Now, may I?
Yes.
Mr. President. Fellow delegates.
The long and meticulous study and debate
to which this universal declaration
of human rights is a product
Thank you, President Bush.
I am so honored
to receive this wonderful award.
My mentor, Martha Graham, used to say,
"All that matters is
this one moment in movement."
Make the moment important,
"vital, and worth living."
Mrs. O. Can I call you that?
Call me Michelle, please.
Oh, okay. Michelle.
We got a lot of hate
in this country right now.
Can a country survive this?
Now, I don't have a crystal ball.
I ain't happy about it.
But here is something I know is true.
We stand today
at the threshold of a great event
both in the life of the United Nations
and in the life of mankind.
This Universal Declaration
of Human Rights
may well become
the international Magna Carta
that will raise human beings
around the world
to a higher standard of life
and to a greater enjoyment of freedom.
Do not let it slip away
unused or unnoticed.
Every year, there's a day
I walk outside thinking it's winter
and I see a crocus
poking up through the snow.
I believe in this country
because we're good.
And in the end, we never cease
to make things new again.
I have made many mistakes
in my 73-year dance.
But I know now
that I have used my moment well.
And let us, as members
of the United Nations,
conscious of our own
shortcomings and imperfections,
join our effort in good faith
to live up to this high standard.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.