Great Scene: “Independence Day”

The President makes a memorable speech from Independence Day, written by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich.

HANGAR DOORS — PRE-DAWN

Slowly spread apart revealing the myriad of different planes
 that have been gathered. Pilots, flights crews and refugees
 prepare for the battle.

EXT. AREA 51 — TARMAC — PRE-DAWN

Walking out the President scans the motley collection of
 planes; old, new, high-tech, low-tech.

GENERAL GREY
 Beggars can’t be choosers, sir.

Nodding in agreement, the President walks among the rank and
 file. Slowly they turn their attention to the President.

PRESIDENT
 Good morning. In less than one
 hour planes from here and all
 around the world will launch the
 largest aerial battle in the
 history of mankind…
 (beat)
 Mankind. The word has new meaning
 for all of us now. We are
 reminded not of our petty
 differences but of our common
 interests.

Constance, David and Moishe join the group, listening. Even
 David is moved.

PRESIDENT (cont’d)
 Perhaps it’s fate that today, July
 the Fourth, we will once again
 fight for our freedom. Not from
 tyranny, persecution or
 oppression. But from
 annihilation. We’re fighting for
 our right to live, to exist. From
 this day on, the fourth day of
 July will no longer be remembered
 as an American holiday but as the
 day that all of mankind declared
 we will not go quietly into the
 night. We will not vanish without
 a fight. We will live on. We
 will survive.

The crowd erupts into applause and cheers.

Here is the movie version of the scene:

“Today, we celebrate our Independence Day.” Interesting that line is not in the script. I’m sure someone in their infinite wisdom scratched their head, blinked, went “duh,” and mumbled, “Uh… shouldn’t we end the speech with the… uh… title of the movie?”

Great speech. Great scene.

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