At the beginning of the movie Charlie Wilson's War, there's a bunch of people in an auditorium, watching while an award is given out. This scene directly precedes the Las Vegas hot tub scene.
When I started blogging this movie, I began with the hot tub scene ("It'd be like Dallas -- like Dallas, set in Washington...") because Awards-scenes are boring to me.
But now that we know the story, I wanted to mention that early Awards scene because at the end of the film, they cut back to that scene, and finish it.
-------------------
[at beginning of the film]
CIA man -- "The defeat and breakup of the Soviet empire, culminating in the crumbling of the Berlin Wall, is one of the great events of world history. There were many heroes in this battle, but to Charlie Wilson must go this special recognition. Just 13 years ago, the Soviet Army appeared to be invincible.
But Charlie, undeterred, engineered a lethal body blow that weakened the Communist empire. Without Charlie, history would be hugely and sadly different. And so, for the first time, a civilian is being given our highest recognition, that of Honored Colleague. Ladies and gentlemen of the Clandestine Services, Congressman Charles Wilson."
------------------------
[back to the Night scene toward the end where the celebration's going on inside, and Gust Avrakotos and Charlie Wilson are conversing outside, in the city-night -- darkness punctuated by lights]
Gust concludes the Zen Master story and says, "So you get it."
And Charlie says, with a rueful laugh, "No!
No -- I don't, 'cause I'm stupid."
Gust -- You're not stupid, you're just in Congress.
Charlie looks at him, "reading" where Gust is going with this -- "Send them money."
Gust -- You can start with the roads. Move on to the schools, factories.
Charlie is not in the mood to be lobbied. He's tired. (After nine years of covert war who could blame him?)
-- Gust, now, it's a party.
Gust -- Restock the sheep herds.
Charlie -- Hey.
-- Give them jobs, give them hope.
-- I'm trying. I'm trying.
-- Yeah, well, try harder.
-- I'm fighting for every dollar!
-- Yeah, yeah.
Charlie's getting a little indignant. Sometimes we're not ready to address new problems when we want to relax a little after solving old ones. (But the ball keeps on bouncing....)
Charlie -- I took you from 5 million to a billion! I broke the ice on the Stinger and the MILAN. I got a Democratic Congress in lockstep behind a Republican President!
Gust -- Well, that's not good enough. 'Cause I'm gonna hand you a code word classified N-I-E right now, and it's gonna tell you that the crazies have started rollin' into Kandahar like it's a fuckin' bathtub drain.
[Gust hands Charlie a sheaf of papers.]
Charlie's energy for debate subsides, as he looks down at the papers. "Jesus, Gus, you could depress a bride on her wedding day."
Avrakotos takes Charlie's glass of whiskey out of his hand and abruptly waters a nearby plant with it.
Charlie -- Hey!
Gust -- Listen to what I'm telling you!
In silence they look at each other. Charlie Wilson is tired, and you feel like he's having trouble giving up the idea that the job is finished.
(This film was released in 2007, so by the time people watched it they could easily say, Yeah, we should have helped re-build Afghanistan and make it work-able, then maybe we wouldn't have World Trade Center attack and a worldwide terrorism movement! Gust Avrakotos is right!)
But in that time and place, with what they knew then, not what we know now, people were tired. Plus where's the guarantee that Afghanistan would want our help(/influence), in their culture?...etc.)
Charlie Wilson is getting ticked; he doesn't want to be lobbied or picked on. And he wanted that drink. But as he looks down at Gust, his eyes soften and go sentimental; he cannot help but feel good. He hugs Gust Avrakotos and says, "You did a hell of a job for the son of a soda pop maker."
Gust -- We'll see.
Charlie -- Said the Zen master.
INT. Committee Room - Day
Congressman Wilson argues for aid to Afghanistan. It doesn't go too well.
Wilson -- One million for school reconstruction?
Man 1 -- Oh shit, Charlie.
Wilson -- Listen.
Man 2 -- He's like the "congressman from Kabul"!
Wilson -- Did you hear me say it was a million, not a billion, for school construction?
Man 1 -- Yeah, we heard you. Everybody heard you, buddy. They heard you in Dover, Delaware.
[One of these congressmen is smoking a cigarette; another has a can of Slim Fast in front of him.]
Charlie -- Well, I sure hope I'm not annoying you Bob, 'cause that's the last thing I want to do.
Man 1 -- Look...
Man 3 -- I was in the Roosevelt Room with the President last week. You know what he said? 'Afghanistan? Is that still going on?'
Charlie -- Well it is. Half the population of that country is under the age of 14.
-- Charlie.
-- Half the population is under the age of 14. Now think how dangerous that is. They're gonna come home and find their families are dead, their villages have been napalmed.
Man 2 -- And we helped kill the guys who did it!
Charlie -- Yeah, but they don't know that, Bob, because they don't get home delivery of The New York Times. And even if they did, it was covert, remember?
See this is what we always do. We always go in, with our ideals, and we change the world! And then we leave. We always leave. But that ball, though, it keeps on bouncing.
-- What?
-- The ball keeps on bouncing.
Man 1 -- Yeah, we're a little busy right now, reorganizing Eastern Europe, don't you think?
-----------------------------------------
The effort for the big funds to defeat the Soviets had an "engine of energy" in Congress.
An effort to appropriate small funds to re-build Afghanistan lacks an inherent "engine of energy."
Charlie Wilson can't get it done.
Later he's at home, thinking about it.
-----------------------------
[CUT TO: the scene from the very beginning, where Charlie's being honored, continuing...]
INT. Auditorium at Langley - DAY
Agency man -- "So, for the first time, a civilian is being given our highest recognition,
that of Honored Colleague.
Ladies and gentlemen of the Clandestine Services, Congressman Charles Wilson. Bravo, Charlie."
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
I saw her today at the reception
A glass of wine in her hand
I knew she was goin' to meet her connection
At her feet was, footloose man
You can't always get what you want
you can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes, well you might find
You get what you need
Oh yea-ay (hey-hey-hey, oooh)
And I went down to the demonstration
To get my fair share of abuse
Singin' 'We're gonna vent our frustration
If we don't, we're gonna blow a 50-amp fuse'
Sing it to me, now
(You can't always get what you want)
(You can't always get what you want)
(You can't always get what you want)
But if you try sometimes, well you just might find
You get what you need
Ooh baby, yeah, ooh
Went down to the Chelsea drugstore
To get your prescription filled
I was standin' in line with Mr. Jimmy
An' man, did he look pretty ill
We decided that we would have a soda
My favorite flavor, cherry red
I sung my song to Mr. Jimmy
Yeah, and he said one word to me, and that was "dead"
I said to him
(You can't always get what you want) well no!
(You can't always get what you want) tell ya baby
(You can't always get what you want) no
But if you try sometimes, you just might find, mmm!
Mmm! you get what you need
Ooh yes! Woo!
(Instrumental & choir) Ooow-ooh!
You get what you need
Yeah!
Ooow, babe!
Ooh, yeah
I saw her today at the reception
In her glass was a bleeding man
She was practiced at the art of deception
Well I could tell by her blood-stained hands
Say it!
(You can't always get what you want) yeah!
(You can't always get a-what you want) ooo-yeah, baby!
(You can't always get a-what you want)
But if you try sometime, you just might find
You just might find
You get what you need
Ooh, yeah!
Ooh, baby!
Woo!
Ah, you can't always get a-what you want
No, no baby
You can't always get a-what you want
Tellin' you right now
You can't always get what you want, mmm!
But if you try sometimes,
you just might find
You just might find, that ya
Get what you need
Oooh, yeah!
I'm tellin' the truth, babe
Ooow-ooh!
Ooow-ooh!
Ooow-ooh!
(Instrumental & choir to end fade)
{Charlie Wilson's War, 2007 film. Written by Aaron Sorkin}
{"You Can't Always Get What You Want" -- written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Producer: Jimmy Miller. July 1969. Let It Bleed album, The Rolling Stones. (Single version, 4:50. Album version, 7:30.)}
-30-
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