American Hustle Page #4

connections

BUSINESSMAN:

I'm Jim. I'm her employer. Listen

-she told me you can get me a line

of credit. I know you have banking

connections in London, England.

SYDNEY PROSSER (V.O.)

And after that...say “no” a lot

until the guy is hooked.

Edith and Rebecca start walking away as the businessman

chases after them.

19.

BUSINESSMAN:

Becky tell her! I’ve never missed acheck!

NO!

EDITH GREENSLY:

(walking away)

SYDNEY PROSSER (V.O.)

It was almost scary how easy itcould be to take money fromdesperate people.

CUT TO:

41 INT. IRV’S DINGY OFFICE - DAY 41

Edith extends her hand to greet ANOTHER BUSINESSMAN, 35.

Edith is dressed in a more sophisticated high end Britishfashion.

EDITH GREENSLY:

Lady Edith Greensly, it’s so good

to see you again.

ANOTHER BUSINESSMAN, 35

Lady -- your ladyship -- thank youagain.

IRVING ROSENFELD (V.O.)

These are the roles that we were

meant to play.

42 INT. IRV’S DINGY OFFICE - ANOTHER DAY 42

Another desperate businessman sits across from Edith andIrving.

SYDNEY PROSSER:

We’re very selective.

IRVING ROSENFELD

You got a strong application. We’lltalk about it.

INT. IRV’S DINGY OFFICE - ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER MARK.

IRVING ROSENFELD

I don’t take a deal that I can’t

close.

20.

SYDNEY PROSSER:

You’re not being aggressive enough

in putting up your assets -

The man looks nervous -

NERVOUS LOAN APPLICANT

Have you ever been to Queens? Have

you ever been to Great Neck?

Everybody knows my dealerships.

CONTINUOUS MONTAGE AS THEIR CLOTHING CHANGES FROM DAY TO DAY

BUT THE SETTING REMAINS THE SAME AS THEY CON MARK AFTER MARK.

A desperate man takes out a BUSINESS CHECK BOOK and writes

his check.

DESPERATE MAN:

Five thousand gets me fifty right?

ANOTHER BUSINESSMAN

Five will get me thirty five. Is

that right?

ANOTHER BUSINESSMAN, 35

Five grand gets me fifty?

INT. IRV’S DINGY OFFICE - ANOTHER DAY

Sydney and Irving laugh and celebrate.

IRVING ROSENFELD (V.O.)

I was doing so much more business

with her. I mean it doubled, then

it tripled.

INT. IRV’S GLASS STORE - DAY

Sydney -- hair getting bigger -- goes over the books with a

Latino Man who nods and watches her -

Edith counts cash in the register - recounts it -- explains

how things can be done better as DRY CLEANING WORKER nods.

Irv watches happy.

IRVING ROSENFELD (V.O.)

And I never met anyone, man or

woman, in business who was so

careful and precise about

everything. Every stylistic detail.

21.

INT. BUSINESSMAN OFFICE - DAY

Irving and Edith discuss a piece of art they’re in the

process of selling to a businessman.

IRVING ROSENFELD (V.O.)

We kept selling art together, too.

EDITH GREENSLY:

It's really a fabulous example of a

genre painting, which is really

rare for the time. It's a boy and

his dog. Non-religious painting.

55. Golden age. Dutch painting.

ANOTHER DAY -- A CAR DEALERSHIP OFFICE -- IRV DROPS THE

CANVAS BAG REVEALING A VINTAGE PAINTING -- (COLORED ORBS AND

LINES) -- TO THE MIDDLE AGED CAR DEALER WHO OWNS THE

WAREHOUSE WHO WRITES A CHECK.

IRVING ROSENFELD

Paul Klee. Bauhaus Movement. 1920s.

MIDDLE AGED CAR DEALER

Before we go any further, is this

legit?

IRVING ROSENFELD

Let’s just say it’s missing from

Spain and leave it at that.

EDITH GREENSLY:

Don’t show any Spanish friends.

Irving and Sydney kiss passionately in front of the middle

aged car dealer as he tries to hand them his check.

IRVING ROSENFELD (V.O.)

I mean it just took off. We got an

elegant Manhattan office. We called

it London Associates for her

accent.

44 INT. NEW OFFICE LOBBY - MADISON AVENUE - DAY 44

A JANITOR FINISHES POLISHING SILVER PLATED LARGE LETTERS:

LONDON ASSOCIATES to a pale wall as he and Edith sip

champagne from flutes and offer one to the worker who toasts

with them.

22.

IRV DOES HIS TRADEMARK MINIMALIST BADGER DANCE, IN PROFILE,

TO QUIET DELIGHT OF SYDNEY.

Irv and Edith kiss gently, lovingly, sincerely on the lips -They

walk into their CLASSIC LOOKING, STAID, PRIVATE BANKINGOFFICE SUITE.

IRVING ROSENFELD (V.O.)

When I was around her I felt joy.

F***ing joy! And love. That’s what

I felt.

SMASH TO:

46 EXT. PARK AVENUE - SUNNY DAY 46

47 They dance down Park Avenue together.

INT. LOBBY OF PIERRE HOTEL - CONTINUOUS

47

Irv and Edith dance through the lobby.

49 THE PIERRE HOTEL CAFE 49

As they dance among mostly older wealthy couples on the smalldance floor of the elegant restaurant as a live jazz quartetplays “I’ve Got Your Number”. Camera circles them, putting

their foreheads together, very happy. THEY SING TO EACH

OTHER quietly as they dance close.

50 INT. ROOM AT PIERRE HOTEL -- NIGHT 50

Irv and Edith make passionate love, we see in pieces --

He gets up, she watches him dress and leave --

52 INT. IRV’S CADILLAC - NIGHT 52

53 He drives over the Triborough Bridge.

IRVING ROSENFELD (V.O.)

As, as far as I could see, peoplewere always conning each other toget what they wanted. We even conourselves.

53

23.

54

55

56

INT./EXT. IRV’S CADILLAC - NIGHT

He drives through the suburb of ranch houses and driveways

and pulls into his driveway of his split-level ranch. Irvgets out of his Cadillac and walks to the front door of hishouse -54

55

56

IRVING ROSENFELD (V.O.)

We talk ourselves into things. Wesell ourselves things we maybedon't even need or want by dressingthem up. We leave out the risk. Weleave out the ugly truth.

57 INT. IRV’S HOUSE - NIGHT 57

Irv walks into the decorated ranch house, frosted glass withbird designs, glass tables, walls, black and brown lacquereverywhere. He walks into the house and looks at a picturehis son did -- a drawing of the Yankees playing baseball --

that is taped to the refrigerator.

IRVING ROSENFELD (V.O.)

Pay attention to that because we’reall conning ourselves in one way oranother just to get through life.

Irv takes Danny’s picture from the fridge and tip toes --

with low sounds now of O.S. TV -- Irv goes to A CLOSED DOORWITH YANKEE STICKERS on it --

Irv OPENS A BEDROOM DOOR TO REVEAL HIS 5 YEAR OLD SON, DANNY.

SYDNEY PROSSER (V.O.)

He was married, and he had a son.

58 INT. DANNY’S ROOM - NIGHT 58

DANNY is on the bed, picture books, baseball cards, spreadall around him. Irv stands holding the picture. Danny looksover his shoulder.

SYDNEY PROSSER (V.O.)

He had adopted her son.

DANNY:

DADDY!

24.

SYDNEY PROSSER (V.O.)

He was a really good dad and I

respected him for that. It was a

tough situation for everyone.

Irv’s face lights up.

IRVING ROSENFELD

Danny. This is a fantastic

picture. What did you do today?

DANNY:

That kid Donovan is being mean to

me.

IRVING ROSENFELD

The big kid? I thought Mommy picked

you up so he couldn’t bother you.

DANNY:

She was late, and then after we put

out the fire, mommy said stay in my

room with my baseball cards.

Danny reaches across to Irving and takes his glasses off his

face and puts them on.

IRVING ROSENFELD

What fire?

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