Biography: Robert Taft
Biography: Robert Taft
Preview Tape #210535 0' to 100' ............. opening montage of Robert attending a meeting; features the before, the during and after of said event. Opening credits and Wallace's opening statements. Tight LS of William Howard Taft waddling off the caboose of a train on a sunny day only to be mobbed by reporters and hangers-on. MS's of W.H. Taft, as well. Several LS's of early 1900's city street life. Several MS's of President Taft basically standing around and not doing anything at various outdoor locations (ah, that Taft magic at work for the press). 100' to 200' .......... stills of Robert as a young man. Several MS's of President Taft standing around for the camera... again.....MS of TR wearing a long gray duster and standing on the backseat of a convertible, speaking very adamantly to a crowd gathered offscreen...... MS montage of President Taft on the campaign trail; he meets and greets the public, cutaway to him giving speeches... to no avail, for he loses the election to Woodrow Wilson. Stills of Robert as a young man, a Yale graduate. MS's of a Taft family reunion in Canada. 200' to 300' .......... William Howard Taft dies. Funeral montage: tight LS of a flag-draped coffin on a horse-drawn carriage being carted through the streets of Washington; tight LS of the coffin being carried out of the family home by six strong individuals.....Republican National Convention in Chicago: CU's of signs bearing the names of states; MS's of the delegates; MS of Wendell Willkie accepting the nomination; MS's of pro-Robert Taft supporters wearing hats and carrying signs bearing Robert's likeness..... Wide shot of Capitol Building Dome, tilt down to a full shot on a sunny day..... MS, sideview, of Taft talking to a reporter, a film camera separating the two..... MS, pan left, of several reporters, cameramen and soundmen inside an office and doing their jobs..... MS of Taft talking to the camera about national spending and balancing the budget. 300' to 400' .......... Steel mill labor strike. Montage: tight LS's of stalled mills; tight LS's of striking mill employees with placards..... The Taft-Hartley Bill is born. MS's of signs for and against the Bill. MS's and tight LS's of marches, protests and rallies against and for the Bill, mostly against. MS of Harry S. Truman seated at the desk in the Oval Office, reporters to screen left, signing the veto of the bill..... Taft seeks presidential nomination... again. CU of a placard bearing the stirring likeness of Robert, gets pulled scren left to reveal several young ladies working in a campaign office, stuffing envelopes, making phone calls and so on. CU of a sticker bearing the eloquent, "Taft", being put into an envelope. LS and MS of Mrs. Robert Taft being interviewed by a press panel, reagrding her husband's chances. 400' to 500' .......... 1948 Republican National Convention in Phladelphia. High angle LS's of the large crowd. Level tight LS's of the largely pro-Taft sections of the crowd. MS of Thomas Dewey waving and smiling, accepting the nomination. 500' to 600' .......... MS's of Taft meeting steel workers and farmers in Ohio during his Senate re-election campaign. It works. He wins his seat for another term..... MS of Taft speaking at a press conference. He seeks the presidency... again?! Good cutaways of the mid-sized press-crowd-audience..... MS of Taft and two guys dressed as Indians (full regalia, including war bonnets). They smoke a peace pipe at an outdoor, radio-sponsored event..... CU of a baby doll being held up by a little girl (the doll holds a Taft pin); tilt up to the girl sitting on Taft's knee. 600' to 700' .......... LS and MS of Dwight D. Eisenhower at the Republican National Convention. He walks onstage with wife Millie, and stop at the podium. MS's of the exuberant delegates. MS's of pollsters. Wide shots of the crowd. CU's of signs reading the names of certain states, tilt d to CU's of delegates sweating. Taft loses the nomination... again. 700' to 800' .......... MS of Ike and Taft, surrounded by reporters..... MS of Ike and Taft sitting on a couch in a private library..... MS of taft standing at a podium, delivering a pro-Ike speech..... tight LS of the Senate floor, senators seated, get up to welcome the new president of the Us, Ike. 800' to 900' .......... MS's and tight LS's of Ike and Taft playing golf..... MS of several reporters scribbling into small notebooks..... Taft dies. Funeral montage, Washington DC. MS's of Nixon and his wife arriving at the ceremony, same with Ike and his wife. LS's of the Capitol Building, the streets filled with well-wishers. LS of the casket being carried by Marines. Wallace's closing words and final credits. END AT 900'