A Face in the Crowd Page #10

MEL:

Home town boy, not only making

good, but making everybody.

MARCIA:

For a mild man,

you sound vicious.

MEL:

Didn't you know?

All mild men are vicious.

They hate themselves for being mild

and hate the windy extroverts whose violence...

seems to have a strange attraction for

nice girls who should know better.

(We hear an announcer’s voice)

ANNOUNCER:

Today, "A Face in the Crowd"

takes you on a sentimental journey...

62

as Lonesome Rhodes, your old

Arkansas traveler, goes home...

to the typical dirt road

cotton-picking town of Pickett.

(ANNOUNCER’S VOICE READs THE REST – high angle shot of field)

Where America's favorite country

cousin got his humble start...

he now returns to the simple folk

who saw and loved him first.

The latest face in the crowd,

the lucky, talented girl...

whom he will select from

hundreds of contestants...

as Miss Arkansas Drum Majorette

of 1957.

And here's the man

you've been waiting for...

LONESOME:

Look at them.

Look at them!

Ain't that the most?

I mean the most!

Cornfed gals,

country people.

the heart of America,

the salt of the earth.

(The marching band forms the letters “WE LOVE and the baton twirlers

“LR”)

Hey, Beanie, L.R.!

"We love L.R.".

BATON TWIRLERS IN UNISON:

Hi, Lonesome!

LONESOME:

Hi, you all!

(The girls mob him, screaming)

(CUT TO:
the studio where Mel and Marcia are watching this)

MEL:

It’s dangerous.

MARCIA :

63

What, baton twirling?

MEL:

No, power.

You've got to be a saint to stand

the power that box gives you.

LONESOME:
(watching the girls parade past him His eye is

particularly caught by Betty Lou.)

Oh, it’s wonderful!

J.B. (as Betty Lou goes by gazing up at Lonesome)

She's only seventeen.

LONESOME:
(somberly)

She looks like a very sweet child.

J.B.:
(into mike)

Friends...

Friends...

Friends...

my heart is too full...

to say anything more...

than welcome back

to Pickett.

A great artist...

a great humanitarian...

a great American.

Our very own

Lonesome Rhodes.

LONESOME:

Friends...

fellow Arkansasians,

fellow Americans...

I know I should start off

with a funny story...

about them kinfolk of mine in Riddle...

but I just feel too humble

this afternoon...

as I look out on this fine

representative body...

of wholesome young

American womanhood.

You know I've been a fan

of baton twirling from way back.

64

I think it’s a honest to God

American art form.

Here's a little number I just recorded

for the Golden Oak Label.

I thought you kids might enjoy

twirling to it.

Here she goes,

"Mamma Guitar"!

Oh, yeah.

Our first contestant will be...

Miss Suzanne McKinley

of Beagelstown...

let’s have a real doozie, Suzie!

(We watch her routine, and others’, here, while Lonesome’s new song

plays over the loudspeaker.)

And now, Miss Linda Bruce

from Ganderstown.

Go, girl, go!

From the town of Snakebite...

Miss Peggy May Hardy.

Let’s see you twirl it

and swirl it, Peggy May!

I give you

Miss Mary Jane Johnson...

from the neighboring village

of Pocahontas.

And now,

Miss Betty Lou Fleckum.

(Betty Lou does her routine; Lonesome watched closely. Joey watches

Lonesome watching Betty Lou.)

And I say, that the winner...

by unanimous decision

and that’s me...

is little Miss Betty Lou Fleckum!

Miss Arkansas Drum Majorette...of 19 and 57!

BETTY LOU:
(coming up close to him, nearly hysterical)

I'm so excited... I’m so…

I'm sorry.

You're my idol, honest.

I pasted your picture

on the ceiling over my bed...

so you're the first thing I see

when I wake up in the morning.

LONESOME:

Well, bless your heart.

65

(DISSOLVE TO bar in New York City frequented by TV people Macey enters

and greets Mike Wallace. Macey goes on and greets Faye Emerson and

Bennett Cerf at the bar.)

FAYE:

Mace, good show.

MACEY:

Yes, I think it had size.

Hi, Burl. Virginia (to Burl Ives and Virginia Graham at a table nearby.

They return the greeting.)

Betty PURVIS:
(at the same table)

Mace, that baton bit

was the living end.

MACEY:

Thanks.

As Lonesome said,

it’s an, uh, American art form.

(to bartender)A glass of water, Joe.

(to Marcia, seated down the bar)

Oh, peach of a show, Miss Jeffries.

MARCIA (sitting at the bar with Mel)

Thank you.

MACEY:
(taking a pill)

Should boost the ratings.

MARCIA:

Poor Macey.

MEL:

He lives on a diet of nitroglycerine

and Trundex ratings.

Call it a Bible, but it’s really

a death warrant with decimal points.

MESSENGER:

Here you are, sir.

66

MAN:

Thanks.

MESSENGER:

Miss J, this just came for you.

MARCIA:

One thing about being in this place

It’s just like being in the office.

MEL:

Not quite. Joe, two more, please,

and this time would you just...

let the vermouth blow a kiss

at the gin?

MARCIA:

Our barefoot boy won't be flying in

tonight. He's hopping over to Juarez.

"Get Arthur Godfrey to fill in,

Tell him I'll do the same for him someday.

Counting on you to hold the fort."

This shoulder's getting a permanent

callus from holding that fort.

MEL:

What’s in Juarez?

MARCIA:

Bars...

lawyers, quick marriages...

quick divorces.

MEL:

Then this is it?

You're blushing.

MARCIA:

It’s these sixty to one martinis.

MEL:

I suppose I should be a gentleman

and wish you all the happiness.

I think I'll just be a cad and hope

he chokes on a Vitajex pill.

(She kisses him on the cheek, and then looks away)

67

FADE to Black

Fade in on the airport: an airplane arriving, with a big crowd waiting,

restrained by police.

MEL (to Marcia, wistfully)

You look nice.

Cut to Betty Lou hanging out of the plane’s cockpit window, waving to

the crowd. Stairs taken to plane door. Crowd breaks loose, girls

screaming)

MARCIA (excited, runs with the crowd)

Larry!

(A line of policemen restrains the screaming girls. Joey emerges from

he plane first.)

MAN:

Looks like he’s gone to all the regional sponsors

JOEY:

It’s for the bride.

This is great stuff.

(Only Mel is left behind by the crowd. Clamoring girls waving autograph

books; Betty Loy emerges from the plane door in a sombrero carrying two

Chihuahuas, followed by Lonesome)

MARCIA (to policeman, fighting crowd)

Officer, I'm his fiancée.

MAN:

You said he what?

OTHER MAN:

Sure did.

LONESOME:
(to crowd of reporters)

This little lady has just done me the honor

of becoming Mrs. Lonesome Rhodes.

We do’d it in Juarez.

(Marcia looks around, stunned and confused, then turns and fights her

way back through the crowd of cheering girls)

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