American Madness Page #2

Matt opens the inside door, made up of perpendicular steel

bars. The tellers scurry into the cavernous-looking

interior. Someone

8. MED. SHOT

snaps on a light. CAMERA TRUCKS UP TO VAULT.

The back walls of the vault are lined with steel cabinets

divided into many small compartments. On one side is a

wall safe which is also opened by a combination and which

contains the surplus cash carried by the bank. Matt is in

charge of this. All around the room are numerous hand trucks -

one for every teller. These trucks contain the cash in the

charge of the individual tellers. While the tellers in the

b.g. obtain their keys and open the drawers of their trucks,

Matt examines the time clock which is attached to the inside

of the vault door.

INT. VAULT - MED. CLOSE SHOT

At the door, as Matt enters and goes directly to the burglar

alarm box to the left of the doorway. He leans over to

throw off the burglar alarm switch.

CUT TO:

10. CLOSEUP - BURGLAR ALARM SWITCH

The handle of the switch points in the direction of a sign

reading ON. Matt's hand comes into the scene and throws

the switch up toward a sign reading OFF. This is done with

no comment, it being a routine matter with Matt.

MATT:

Come on, white collars. The day's

started!

11. MED. SHOT

As the tellers file out with their trucks. Before they do,

however, each one signs the cashbook. One or two exit

silently.

CLOSE SHOT - MATT

As one of the tellers comes into scene. Matt examines the

cashbook.

MATT:

You're carrying too much money on

you, Hank. You better turn some in

tonight.

TELLER:

(as he goes)

Okay, Matt.

He exits out of scene.

MATT:

How are you fixed?

TELLER:

I'm okay, Matt.

MATT:

(to another teller)

You've got enough?

2ND TELLER

I'll be all right.

Charlie, the last man, comes up.

CHARLIE:

Say Matt, I'll have to have some

money for those Manville payrolls.

MATT:

How much?

CHARLIE:

About twenty-four thousand.

MATT:

(counting out money)

It was more than that last week.

CHARLIE:

Yeah.

MATT:

Here's twenty-five thousand.

He hands Charlie four stacks of bills. As Charlie is signing

the cash book, Matt speaks:

MATT:

Say, do me a favor, will you

Charlie?

CHARLIE:

Yeah.

MATT:

Let me have ten bucks?

CHARLIE:

(aghast)

Ten bucks? Say, if I had ten bucks,

I'd quit.

MATT:

Charlie!

CHARLIE:

Yeah?

Charlie starts out. Matt follows him.

13. OUTSIDE OF VAULT - MED. CLOSE SHOT

As Charlie comes out, followed by Matt. CAMERA TRUCKS ALONG

WITH THEM as they walk.

MATT:

(as they walk)

I'll pay it back to you Saturday -

on the level I will. Give a guy a

break, will you? I've got to get

it back in my account. If Helen

ever finds out that I—

CHARLIE:

(unsympathetically)

Baby, I can't give you anything

but love...

LAP DISSOLVE TO:

INT. MAIN FLOOR OF BANK - BACKSTAGE

CAMERA TRUCKS with them as Charlie pushes his truck forward

and Matt walks alongside of him. En route, CAMERA TAKES IN

ATMOSPHERIC SHOTS of the general activity backstage of the

bank.

Male and female clerks stand around at various angles,

checking away at adding machines. Several are assisted by

someone who calls off figures to them as they record it on

machines. We hear these figures read in a monotone as we

pass them.

Matt is still trying to pry the ten dollars loose from

Charlie.

MATT:

Now listen Charlie. I'll give you

an I.O.U. I'll give you a note,

I'll pay your mortgage, it's a

matter of life and death—

Ad-lib conversations from the other clerks distract his

attention.

CHARLIE:

Whose death?

MATT:

It'll be yours if you don't kick

in with that ten bucks.

CHARLIE:

Say pal, did you ever hear of a

Depression?

MATT:

Aw, nerts!

Charlie arrives at his cage. CAMERA STOPS with them.

CHARLIE:

Come over and see us sometime.

CAMERA CONTINUES TO FOLLOW Matt as he continues on to his

cage, muttering half to himself.

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