All About Eve Page #16

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He starts to walk toward the stage door.

ADDISON'S VOICE

...and what a happy coincidence that

several representatives of other

newspapers happened to be present.

All of us - invited that afternoon

to attend an understudy's

performance...

He goes in the stage door.

INT. BACKSTAGE - CURRAN THEATER - NIGHT

More activity than last time, the performance being just

over. Addison comes through the door, picks his way toward

Margo's dressing room.

ADDISON'S VOICE

...about which the management knew

nothing until they were forced to

ring up the curtain at nine o'clock.

Coincidence. Also every indication

of intrigue, skulduggery and fraud...

The door to the dressing room is open just a bit. Addison

pauses beside the door to listen.

BILL:

(from within)

...you were better than all right,

kid, you gave a performance, you

rang a bell-

Addison uses his cane to swing the door open farther, so

that both he and WE can see as well as hear.

INT. MARGO'S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

Bill faces Eve, who wears Margo's costume. She is a ravishing

sight. Her eyes shine up to his radiantly:

BILL:

(continuing)

Little things here and there, it

doesn't matter. You can be proud of

yourself, you've got a right to be.

EVE:

(quietly)

Are you proud of me, Bill?

BILL:

I'll admit I was worried when Max

called. I had my doubts.

EVE:

You shouldn't have had any doubts.

BILL:

After all, the other day was one

scene, the woods are full of one

scene sensations. But you did it.

With work and patience, you'll be a

fine actress. If that's what you

want to be.

EVE:

Is that what you want me to be?

BILL:

I'm talking about you. And what you

want.

EVE:

So am I.

BILL:

What have I got to do with it?

EVE:

Everything.

BILL:

(lightly)

The names I've been called. But never

Svengali.

(he pats her shoulder)

Good luck.

He starts out. Addison ducks.

EVE:

Don't run away, Bill.

BILL:

(stops)

From what would I be running?

EVE:

You're always after truth - on the

stage. What about off?

BILL:

(curiously)

I'm for it.

EVE:

Then face it. I have. Since that

first night - here - in the dressing

room.

BILL:

(smiles)

When I told you what every young

actress should know.

EVE:

When you told me that whatever I

became, it would be because of you-

BILL:

Your make-up's a little heavy.

EVE:

And for you.

BILL:

(slowly)

You're quite a girl.

EVE:

You think?

BILL:

I'm in love with Margo. Hadn't you

heard?

EVE:

You hear all kinds of things.

BILL:

I'm only human, rumors to the

contrary. And I'm as curious as the

next man...

EVE:

Find out.

BILL:

(deliberately)

Only thing, what I go after, I want

to go after. I don't want it to come

after me.

Tears come to Eve's eyes. She turns away slowly.

BILL:

Don't cry. Just score it as an

incomplete forward pass.

He walks out. Addison ducks to avoid being seen. Eve glares

after Bill, tears the wig from her head, throws it on the

dressing table. Her glance is caught by a pair of scissors.

Swiftly, she snatches them up and in a sharp, vicious gesture

she slashes the wig. Addison knocks politely at the door.

Eve turns.

ADDISON:

May I come in?

EVE:

Certainly, Mr. deWitt...

ADDISON:

(entering)

I expected to find this little room

overcrowded, with a theater full of

people at your feet...

EVE:

I consider myself lucky they didn't

throw things.

She starts creaming her face, removing make-up.

ADDISON:

Of course your performance was no

surprise to me. After the other day

I regarded it as no more than - a

promised fulfilled.

EVE:

You're more than kind. But it's still

Miss Channing's performance. I'm

just a carbon copy you read when you

can't find the original...

ADDISON:

You're more than modest.

EVE:

It's not modesty. I just don't try

to kid myself.

ADDISON:

A revolutionary approach to the

Theater. However, if I may a

suggestion...

EVE:

Please do.

ADDISON:

I think the time has come for you to

shed some of your humility. It is

just as false not to blow your horn

at all as it is to blow it too

loudly...

EVE:

I don't think I've done anything to

sound off about.

ADDISON:

We all come into this world with our

little egos equipped with individual

horns. If we don't blow them - who

will?

EVE:

Even so. One isolated pretty good

performance by an understudy. It'll

be forgotten tomorrow.

ADDISON:

It needn't be.

EVE:

Even if I wanted to - as you say -

be less humble, blow my own horn...

how would I do it? I'm less than

nobody.

ADDISON:

I am somebody.

Eve rises. She eyes him steadily.

EVE:

You certainly are.

She goes into the bathroom.

ADDISON:

Leave the door open a bit, so we can

talk.

Eve does so.

ADDISON:

After you change, if you're not busy

elsewhere, we can have supper.

EVE:

(from the bathroom)

I'd love to! Or should I pretend I'm

busy?

ADDISON:

(smiling)

Let's have a minimum of pretending.

I'll want to do a column about you-

EVE:

I'm not enough for a paragraph.

ADDISON:

perhaps more than one. There's so

much I want to know. I've heard your

story in bits and pieces... your

home in Wisconsin, your tragic

marriage, your financial attachment

to Margo - it started in San

Francisco, didn't it?

(no answer; Addison

smiles)

I say - your idolatry of Margo started

in San Francisco, didn't it?

EVE:

That's right.

ADDISON:

San Francisco. An oasis of

civilization in the California desert.

Tell me, do you share my high opinion

of San Francisco?

EVE:

Yes. I do.

ADDISON:

And that memorable night when Margo

first dazzled you from the stage -

which theater was it in San Francisco?

Was it - the Shubert?

EVE:

(a slight pause)

Yes. The Shubert.

ADDISON:

(grins happily)

A fine old theater, the Shubert.

Full of tradition, untouched by the

earthquake - so sorry - fire... by

the way, what was your husband's

name?

EVE:

Eddie...

ADDISON:

Eddie what?

Eve sticks her head and naked shoulder around the door.

EVE:

I'm about to go into the shower, I

won't be able to hear you...

ADDISON:

I can wait. Where would you like to

go? We'll make this a special night...

EVE:

(trustingly)

You take charge.

ADDISON:

I believe I will.

She closes the door. He leans back, lights a cigarette.

EXT. 52ND STREET - NEW YORK - NIGHT

A cab drives up to "21."

KAREN'S VOICE

Some of the morning papers carried a

little squib about Eve's performance.

Not much, but full praise... I

couldn't imagine how they found out

about it - but Lloyd said Max's

publicity man probably sent out the

story...

Karen gets out of the cab, pays and goes in.

KAREN'S VOICE

...at any rate, I feel terribly guilty

and ashamed of myself - and wanted

nothing so much as to forget the

whole thing. Margo and I were having

lunch at "21" - just like girlfriends -

with hats on...

INT. LOBBY - "21" - DAY

Karen consults her watch and the doorman as she enters.

KAREN:

Has Miss Channing come in?

DOORMAN:

Not yet, Mrs. Richards...

Karen sees Eve who waits as Addison hands his hat, coat, and

cane to an attendant. She smiles, crosses to her.

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