Angels Over Broadway Page #2

Wont you join us?

With pleasure.

Do not misunderstand the word

distinguished, Mr. Engle.

lt refers to my misdeeds.

Allow me to present Miss Nina Barona

of the Russian ballet.

Miss Barona, you are enchanting.

Whats your name, son?

Come on now, Gene. lm Bill OBrien.

To be sure, one of the OBriens.

Listen, Brien, will you do me a favor?

For old times sake.

l want to discuss a matter

of personal importance with Mr. Engle.

Always glad to do anything

to oblige my distinguished friends.

Come on, Nina.

We need a little privacy ourselves.

Lets go.

-How did you know my name?

-This letter, sir.

Fine, fine.

l no longer have to order drinks.

l just attract them.

He shall have liquor wherever he goes.

As l understand

from your communication, Mr. Engle...

...youre on the brink of self-destruction.

May l shake your hands, a brilliant idea.

l speak as one who has destroyed himself

a score of times.

l am, Mr. Engle...

...a veteran corpse.

We are all corpses here.

This rendezvous is one of the musical

graveyards of the town.

Caters to zombies

hopping around with dead hearts...

...and price tags for souls.

Will you join me, sir?

lt is the custom here

for the dead to drink...

...heavily.

Allow me to present my credentials, sir,

as a fellow cadaver.

lm being divorced by my wife

whom l love dearly...

...in my own nasty way.

l was disemboweled by another woman.

l have written three bad plays in a row...

...and next year lll write a worse one.

l have neither a home, a single hope...

...nor a shred of curiosity left.

Bankrupt and broke.

lve destroyed myself in becoming famous.

l am no longer a man, Mr. Engle.

lm an epitaph over an ash can.

And now, sir...

...whats your story?

You appeal to me.

Theres something innocent about you.

No, l dont mean really innocent.

-You mean a little dumb.

-Not dumb, just good-natured.

Yes, lm very good-natured.

-No kidding, where you from?

-Brooklyn.

-Where are you from?

-Me?

l fell out of a policemans whistle

in Times Square.

Having fun?

Yes, its fun dancing with someone

who knows everybody.

Come on.

-Gee, its wonderful here.

-Sit down.

-You think lm a big shot, dont you?

-Not necessarily.

l could sell you a penthouse of mink coats,

then youd never see me again.

Just another dream that never came true.

-Youd fall for that, wouldnt you?

-Not necessarily.

l wont keep you in suspense, Miss Barona.

l aint a millionaire.

-No penthouse?

-No penthouse...

...and no carfare.

This is a big disappointment to me,

Mr. OBrien.

The sorrow is all mine, lady.

Millions, millions everywhere,

and not a cup of coffee.

Do you want to make some real dough?

lt depends.

Maybe lm the sap,

but lm going to let you in.

-Oil wells?

-No, no kidding.

Theres a seven rolling for me tonight,

and l could use a partner.

Here, sit here.

Did you ever hear of Dutch Enright?

The gangster?

What do you mean, gangster?

The gambler.

Dont you ever read anything?

Runs the biggest poker game in town.

Didnt you hear about the chump

who lost his hotel on four nines?

Got in all the columns.

So what?

lm the guy who steered him up there

and got a grand for my cut.

Dont get excited. That was five months

ago and all l got left is this suit.

-lts very becoming.

-Save the jokes, now, this is serious.

lm thinking of taking Engle up there

tonight.

Whats the oh for?

Hes stuffed with dough, aint he?

ls he?

A money tramp. l happen to know.

Sorry.

Whats the difference

if he gets took for a little?

A guy like that can afford to lose...

...and besides, he gets a kick out of

meeting important people.

You want to help?

l dont see what use l would be

in that direction.

All you got to do is play up to him a little.

When he starts to get personal,

you say you live at the Sunset Hotel.

We all go up there for a party,

then l take over.

All you gotta do is act sweet, thats all.

Like a gun moll?

Youre scared, huh?

Who, me?

A tragic tale, brother.

A little confused and badly constructed.

l speak as one who eight years ago

won the Pulitzer Prize for drama.

Finish your drink,

while l examine this sad plot.

l disapprove of your death, Mr. Engle.

Nobody has any right

to kill himself for $3,000.

Thats being short-sighted.

My boy, thats killing yourself for peanuts.

Not that you wouldnt be better off dead,

you and l both.

lts a world anyone would be better out of.

lts a rotten world...

...dancing and murdering.

Were l a philosopher, ld say:

An idiot with a gun in one hand

and a clarinet in the other.

ln fact, l did say it,

and the play closed Saturday.

l do not approve of your exit, Mr. Engle.

lf you will be patient

and have faith in a dramatist...

...who once was second to none,

lll rewrite your last act.

Our present plot problem is money.

$3,000.

A straw that destroys.

My boy...

...remove your cerements.

l found you a new godmother.

l refer to the lady

with the pneumatic shape.

That creature loved me madly

three months ago.

As you can see from the jewels

that festoon her battle front.

Mine, all mine.

Homage to love eternal.

Kindly notice that Kohinoor

at the left sector.

Well get that back, son,

in a flanked movement.

Wait here, pilgrim.

lll be back, Charlie, my lad,

with a bauble called Life.

lsnt that Mr. Hugo over there by the wall?

Yeah.

-Would you mind introducing me, please?

-We aint got time for that?

Excuse me.

Mr. Hugo...

...l dont know if you remember me...

...Nina Barona. At the Monkey Club?

l did a specialty,

the slave routine with the chains.

But lm much better now,

if youre remembering, l mean.

l know youre busy,

but if youd give me an audition...

...it would only take a few minutes.

lve still got the costume and the props.

The chains and everything.

What are you doing tonight?

Why, nothing.

Come on, kid,

well go someplace and talk this thing--

There you are! Hello, madam.

lve been combing the joint,

your husband is trying to find you.

-What?

-Yeah, hes breaking dishes.

Come and cool him off

before he starts smacking waiters.

Wait a minute, its a lie.

Youve got a lot of nerve, wasting my time.

l know, Mr. Hugo.

Of all the dirty tricks l ever saw....

Just when l get a break.

This is the most contemptible thing

anybody ever did.

He would have given me a job!

-You fool!

-Maybe, but l figure it wasnt worth it.

You figure?

Listen, you know-it-all,

l dont need you or anybody else to figure.

Take it easy, youll attract attention.

lve always taken care of myself,

understand?

l dont need help from any amateur crooks.

Go on, lve had enough of you.

Please, beat it.

lm no gun moll.

You aint no buzzards dish neither...

...not while lm around.

May l say, those were

the five most wonderful weeks of my life.

l hope you havent forgotten them,

my sweet.

The little farmhouse in Maine...

...winter and the snow...

...and the little stove

burning in the room, as l recall.

And the light on the wall that night.

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