A Face in the Crowd Page #12

MIKE WALLACE:

Senator, do you mean to tell me that

you are not infected with the presidential itch?

FULLER:

Itch?

MIKE WALLACE:

Senator, is it not a fact that you

have a date tomorrow night...

for what is known as Madison Avenue

coaching from Lonesome Rhodes...

in General Haynesworth's

private projection room?

(Dissolve TO:
HAYNESWORTH’s projection room, where a film clip of a

speech by FULLER is being screened. Men smoking, Mrs. Fuller in back

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seated next to Beanie, who is sound asleep. Fuller looks around

nervously at the men listening to the film clip of his speech)

FULLER:

I have said,

it calls for the closest scrutiny.

I am unable to persuade myself

and to believe the belief.

that the blatant squandering

of American wealth...

at home and abroad

is a road to a sound peace.

(Lonesome and Haynesworth exchange telling glances; Lonesome is

disdainful.)

Thank you all...

and good evening all.

HAYNESWORTH:

Lights!

(Scattered applause; Beanie awakens and yawns loudly.)

FULLER:

I know that’s not what the American people

want to hear...

but I think I know what’s best for them.

HAYNESWORTH:

We think so too, that’s why

everyone in this room...

wants you to be the next

President of the United States.

But your problem is getting

the voters to listen to you.

Getting them to like you

enough to listen to you.

Senator, I've got to be blunt.

Your TV appearances have been,

well, catastrophes.

Wouldn't you say, Lonesome?

LONESOME:
(to Beanie, who is seated in the back)

Beanie, did you check the ratings

for the Senator on "Face the People"?

BEANIE:

Brutal.

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(Fulller turns to look at him)

Excuse me, 4.2

LONESOME (turning back to Haynesworth)

Go right ahead, Genberal.

HAYNESWORTH:

We've got to face it, politics have

entered a new stage, television.

Instead of long-winded debates,

the people want capsule slogans.

"Time for a change." "The mess in

Washington." "More bang for a buck.”

Punch-lines and glamour.

(to PURVIS, the newspaper publisher, who has bristled at this comment)

Yes, Mr. Purvis, even glamour.

PURVIS:

General Haynesworth, my papers have supported

Worthington Fuller...

from the first day he ran for office,

he's not a grandstander...

a backslapper or a baby-kisser.

LONESOME:

That’s exactly what

he's got to become.

The majority in this country

don't see eye to eye with him.

We've got to find 35 million buyers

for the product "Worthington Fuller".

Purvis:

You underestimate the respect...

LONESOME:

Respect? Did you ever hear

of anyone buying any product...

beer, hair rinse, tissue,

because they respect it?

You've got to be loved, man.

Loved.

PURVIS:

I may be old-fashioned but I think

there is still a distinction...

between politics and, well, uh

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the field you're in.

LONESOME:

Bull.

PURVIS:

I beg your pardon, sir?

LONESOME:

Sorry if I tread on your corns,

but I said "bull".

Politics is people.

PURVIS:
(rising in anger)

Mr. Rhodes...

HAYNESWORTH:

Now, now...

LONESOME:

Look, the General asked me to cut my rehearsal short to come down here.

But if you don't want to hear my thinking...

FULLER :

Do go on, Mr. Rhodes.

PURVIS:

I'm sorry to make a disturbance,

but...

LONESOME:

Senator, I'm a professional.

I look at the image on that screen

same as at a performer on my show.

And I have to say...

you'll never get over

to my audience...

not to the 65 million people...

who welcome me into their

living rooms each week.

And if I wouldn't buy him,

do you realize what that means?

If I wouldn't buy him,

the people of this country...

aren't ready to buy him for that

big job on Pennsylvania Avenue.

(pointing to Beanie)

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Do you know where I found him?

I don't think he'll mind my saying.

In jail.

He's stupid, he's got no mentality,

he thinks with his feet.

But I trust those feet.

Now if he don't laugh,

if he don't think

the show's any good...

then I know there's

something wrong with it...

something people just

ain't agonna take to.

See what I mean?

Now, Beanie...

What did you think of the personality

you just saw on screen?

BEANIE:
(laughs)

Well, I, uh ---

LONESOME:

Come on, give it to us straight.

BEANIE:

Flatter than last night’s beer.

(Three shot of Lonesome, Haynesworth, Fuller)

LONESOME:

You see your problem now, Senator?

How are you going to get this man,

this bush-monkey to vote for you?

FULLER:

Frankly, I don't know.

LONESOME:

Well, maybe I do.

Do you know how to

lift your ratings...

from 4.2 . to 51.7 ?

You need... Now hold on

to your hat, my friend...

You need a whole

new personality.

FULLER:

A new personality?

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Frankly, that’s impossible.

LONESOME:

Now, wait just a moment.

For instance, do you have a pet?

FULLER:
(looks back at his wife, who is knitting)

My wife and I have a Siamese cat.

LONESOME:

Beanie?

(Beanie looks disgusted)

My public love dogs.

One pitch with a hound

is worth 10,000 words.

That mutt didn't do Roosevelt

any harm, did it?

Dick Nixon either.

(The men all chuckle)

FULLER:

No, I'm sure you're right.

LONESOME:

How about a nickname? (He studies Fuller for a moment, then says)

Only dishonest thing about Curly

is the way he combs his hair. (He leans in and ruffles Fuller’s hair

with his finger)

FULLER:

Curly, that’s rather amusing.

HAYNESWORTH (leaning in for the three shot again)

See?

LONESOME:

Shows you've got a sense of humor

about that fine head of skin of yours.

No hard feelings now,

we're talking television.

(He sits next to FULLER.)

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Don't press your lips together,

it gives you a kind of sissy look.

Keep your mouth relaxed

so you can say... (He laughs; FULLER laughs; Lonesome nods approvingly)

Once in a while.

Uh-huh. It sounds sorta crazy to you to you, doesn’t it?

FULLER:

No, I realize it’s a new technique

I've got to face. That’s why I came.

HAYNESWORTH:

Good!

LONESOME:

That’s a boy, Curly.

You just put yourself in my hands.

I'll have them loving him.

I mean loving him.

HAYNESWORTH:

You know, that’s just what he did

for Vitajex.

JOEY:
(A casual aside to Haynesworth)

He ought to be in the cabinet.

(Dissolve to screening room, later, Haynesworth in a smoking jacket

and Lonesome in his shirt sleeves, drinking coffee.)

SERVANT:

I'll be going to bed now, sir.

HAYNESWORTH:

Night, Sidney. Lonesome,

I don't know anyone in the country...

who could have won the Senator

the way you did. It was...

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