American Hustle Page #5

DANNY:

Did you know they make a lamp that

has the sun in it? [Irv looks at

him] Mommy got the lamp. She made

her special drink and the lamp made

a fire.

Irv looks concerned.

59 INT. MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT 59

Irv’s wife Rosalyn sits up on the bed in a muumuu, half her

face is burned.

ROSALYN ROSENFELD

I put out the fire. The fire is

out.

IRVING ROSENFELD

For the first time in my life I do

the right thing.

25.

ROSALYN ROSENFELD

Oh shut up -

IRVING ROSENFELD

I save a young single mother, and

her kid. I marry her. I adopt him -

ROSALYN ROSENFELD

You fell in love! Don’t forget we

fell madly in love!

IRVING ROSENFELD

Yes, I fell in love. My God, I

fell in love. Yes. But you know

what? I thought you were

mysterious like my mother until it

turned out that mysterious just

meant depressed, hard to reach. I

mean, I'm dying here! And you need

somebody who's gonna be quiet like

you. You’re young, you're

beautiful. You gotta find somebody

else. You gotta go out and get

some friends all right? Don't sit

inside -

ROSALYN ROSENFELD

I don’t like going out. You know

that I get anxiety when I have to

meet people. You know how hard that

is.

IRVING ROSENFELD

Yeah but you can’t just stay in the

house with the f***ing sun lamp.

Alright? And I can't--I mean,

look, I can't trust you with it

anyway. That fire and everything. I

can't trust to leave you with

Danny.

ROSALYN ROSENFELD

I put the fire out Irving! There is

no fire! Maybe if you were here

more, then there wouldn't have been

a fire in the first place.

IRVING ROSENFELD

Oh, what, there wouldn't have been

a fire if I was here?

26.

ROSALYN ROSENFELD

Just stop with the whole fire

thing. God it was a mistake. I’m

sure a million people do that all

the time. Those sun lamps are

dangerous. Shouldn't even have them

in the house, really. I bet that

happens all the time. This was

nothing.

IRVING ROSENFELD

We’re not happy. Alright?

Rosalyn just stares there for a moment at Irving saying

nothing.

ROSALYN ROSENFELD

You know that I could take Danny.

You know that most of your work is

illegal. And you know that if you

tried to divorce me, you know that--

I'm not saying that I would, but

I'm saying that I could. And I'm

saying that that is why I don't

like divorce, Irving. Women do that

in divorces. Women get the

children, and then the fathers

never see them. My mother never got

divorced. My grandmother never got

divorced. There are NO divorces in

my family. I am not getting a

divorce.

IRVING ROSENFELD

Come on. What are we doing here?

ROSALYN ROSENFELD

We fight and we f*** and that’s

what we do. That’s our thing.

IRVING ROSENFELD (V.O.)

She was the Piccaso of passive

aggressive karate. She was better

than any con artist I'd ever met

including myself. And she had me

like nobody had me.

Rosalyn sheds her muumuu, to reveal a white leotard.

ROSALYN ROSENFELD

Irving, come to mama. Come on.

27.

IRVING ROSENFELD (V.O.)

You might say she was my karma for

how I took advantage of people.

ROSALYN ROSENFELD

Irving, come here. Come on. Get

into bed.

IRVING ROSENFELD

Alright.

ROSALYN ROSENFELD

63 Baby, there’s such good stuff here. 63

INT. DANNY’S ROOM - NIGHT

DANNY SITS PLAYING ON THE BED WITH HIS TOYS.

IRVING ROSENFELD (V.O.)

I did not want to leave the kid

behind. He was my son. She had me.

I was her mark.

INT. LONDON ASSOCIATES - DAY

SLOW PUSH IN FROM WIDE SHOT BEHIND NEW CLIENT/MARK, FROM THE

BACK, AS THEY SIT FACING EDITH, TO ONE SIDE, AND IRV, BEHIND

THE DESK.

CAMERA KEEPS PUSHING IN SLOWLY TOWARD THE BACK OF THE MARK’S

HEAD AS HE FACES SYD AND IRV.

WE NOW SEE THE MARK: A charismatic, mercurial, wild eyed

BUSINESSMAN “MORT PAPIERMAN” in need of a loan.

Mort’s eyes go from her knees to her eyes -- His eyes meet

Sydney’s -- he looks soulful, open. She stares at him. Irv

notices uncomfortably. He’s JEALOUS.

IRVING ROSENFELD

-- and every deal I take, I close.

However, my fee is non refundable,

just like my time.

MORT PAPIERMAN/RICHIE DIMASO

(filling out paper work)

I want to thank you very much

Irving for seeing me. Sorry I’m so

nervous.

Richie reaches for his top button to adjust it.

28.

MORT PAPIERMAN/RICHIE DIMASO (CONT’D)

Am I not buttoned?

Edith stares at him and smiles.

MORT PAPIERMAN/RICHIE DIMASO (CONT’D)

I just gotta say Mr. Rosenfeld,

that Lady Edith was very adamant

that you were top notch and -

IRVING ROSENFELD

That’s correct.

MORT PAPIERMAN/RICHIE DIMASO

I really need your help. I’m

desperate. I’ve got the Audis for

collateral and the two boats, and I

forgot to mention that I have a

little piece of real estate in Long

Island.

EDITH GREENSLY:

No, you didn't mention that. Two

lunches and you never mentioned

that.

MORT PAPIERMAN/RICHIE DIMASO

Oh, I was gonna mention it and then

the guy with the hat walked in.

EDITH GREENSLY:

The hat.

MORT PAPIERMAN/RICHIE DIMASO

And I forgot totally. It was the

second time we had lunch.

EDITH GREENSLY:

You couldn't see his eyes. He had

no eyes. It was like, did he make

it?

MORT PAPIERMAN/RICHIE DIMASO

(laughing)

Do they sell hats like that? Where

do they come from? Actually, I went

to the store that I thought maybe

he bought it there. I was gonna get

you one -

EDITH GREENSLY:

You were going to get me one?

29.

MORT PAPIERMAN/RICHIE DIMASO

Like as a memento.

Irving decides to interject.

IRVING ROSENFELD

Two lunches?

EDITH GREENSLY:

Yes. It’s two lunches. What’s the

big deal?

IRVING ROSENFELD

That’s unusual.

EDITH GREENSLY:

I was trying to get him to be more

aggressive. On his loan that is.

Mort PAPIERMAN/RICHIE DIMASO

You showed me a whole new side of

the city I'd never seen before.

EDITH GREENSLY:

Oh, good. You’re welcome.

Mort PAPIERMAN/RICHIE DIMASO

No, thank you.

IRVING ROSENFELD

Yeah, right. You liked it? Should I

take you there?

EDITH GREENSLY:

Yes.

IRVING ROSENFELD

Should I take you there twice?

EDITH GREENSLY:

Stop.

IRVING MOTIONS SYDNEY TO COME CLOSE HE WHISPERS

CONFIDENTIALLY TO HER.

IRVING ROSENFELD

(confidential to Edith)

What’s going on, you like this guy?

EDITH GREENSLY:

Yes I like this guy.

30.

IRVING ROSENFELD

Is that messing up your judgement?

Don’t be stupid.

SYDNEY PROSSER:

No, he’s not messing with my

judgment.

IRVING ROSENFELD

Hey, play your part.

EDITH GREENSLY:

Fine. You play your part.

MORT PAPIERMAN/RICHIE DIMASO

(holds out cashiers check)

Take it to your people in London.

Please, take it to them. I got the

cashier’s check right here. I give

you five and you give me fifty

right back, right? Please. Please

don’t reject me. Give a guy a

chance.

MORT/RICHIE REPEATEDLY TRIES TO HAND IT TO IRV, WHO IS BUSY

STARING AT SYDNEY STARING AT MORT. MORT HOLDS THE CHECK IN

THE AIR UNCOMFORTABLY AWKWARDLY UNTIL -- almost in slow

motion --Edith takes the check -- staring at Mort. IRV STARTS

TO LEAVE -

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