Being There Page #13

REPORTER #1

Mr. Gardiner, what did you

think of the Posts' editorial

on the President's speech?

CHANCE:

(smiling for photogs)

I didn't read it.

REPORTER #2

But sir - you must have at least

glanced at it.

CHANCE:

No. I did not glance at it.

REPORTER #3

Mr. Gardiner, the New York Times

spoke of your 'Peculiar brand of

optimism,' what was your reaction

to that?

CHANCE:

(continues to pose

for pictures)

I did not read that either.

REPORTER #3

Well, how do you feel about that

phrase, 'Peculiar brand of

optimism?'

CHANCE:

I do not know what it means.

REPORTER #2

Sorry to persist, sir, but it

would be of great interest to

me to know what newspapers you

do read.

CHANCE:

I do not read any newspapers.

I watch TV.

There is a moment of silence as the reporters digest this.

The TV Reporter smiles, questions Chance.

TV REPORTER:

...Do you mean, Mr. Gardiner, that

you find television's coverage of the

news superior to that of the news-

papers?

CHANCE:

(flatly)

I like to watch TV.

TV REPORTER:

Thank you, Mr. Gardiner.

CHANCE:

(thinks the interview

is over)

You're welcome.

Chance turns and goes toward the house, Eve follows.

the TV Reporter turns to the TV camera.

TV REPORTER:

Well, that is probably the most

honest admission to come from a

public figure in years. Few

men in public life have the

courage not to read newspapers.

None, that this reporter has met,

have the guts to admit it.

104INT. SOPHIE'S - EVENING

Chance and Eve move through the hallway toward the Living

Room.

EVE:

I've never seen anyone handle

the press the way you do,

Chauncey - you're so cool and

detatched.

CHANCE:

Thank you, Eve.

They move on to reveal the Black Tie Reception in progress,

crowded with Ambassadors and other such dignitaries.

SOPHIE ROWLEY, the hostess, comes rushing toward to greet

them.

105INT. WASHINGTON, D.C. COCKTAIL LOUNGE - NIGHT

The same lounge as before. Sidney Courtney sits at the

same table as earlier, only this time with the editor

of the Washington Post, LYMAN STUART. Courtney puffs

on his pipe as he speaks.

COURTNEY:

...It's strictly rumor at this

stage, Lyman - just something

in the wind...

STUART:

Something rather big in the

wind, I'd say. So whose files

were destroyed? The CIA's or

the FBI's?

COURTNEY:

I don't know. But we should

start nosing around, see if we

can talk to some people...

The CAMERA begins to slowly MOVE AWAY from their table.

STUART:

What is it about his past they

are trying to cover up?

(his volume fades)

...A criminal record? A

membership in a subversive

organization? Homosexual,

perhaps?

The SOUND of Stuart's voice dissolves into Thomas

Franklin's as the CAMERA SETTLES on Dr. Allenby and

Franklin sitting at a table nearby.

FRANKLIN:

...And he told us that he had been

living there since he was a child,

working as a gardener. He showed

us a room in the garage, where he

said he stayed, and I... Well, I

didn't really believe him, of

course - but why the act? He

must have been involved on some

major financial level with the

deceased...

(catches himself)

Mr. Jennings, but our firm has

no record of any such transactions.

ALLENBY:

Hmmm. You say he showed you

his garden?

FRANKLIN:

Well, he said it was his, he

walked us through it.

ALLENBY:

I see.

(leans close to

Franklin)

Mr. Franklin, I must ask you and

Miss Hayes to keep this incident

with Mr. Gardiner to yourselves.

There's no telling what he was

involved in, and the matter may

be extremely confidential. So

please, not a word.

FRANKLIN:

Of course, Doctor, I understand.

ALLENBY:

Fine. Thank you, Mr. Franklin.

FRANKLIN:

Certainly, glad to be of help.

Allenby rises, leaves the bar.

106INT. SOPHIE'S - NIGHT

Sophie pulls Eve and Chance to AMBASSADOR SKRAPINOV and

his WIFE. As they arrive, Eve steps in front of Sophie and

makes the introduction.

EVE:

Mr. Chauncey Gardiner, let me

introduce you to the guest of

honor, His Excellency Vladimar

Skrapinov, Ambassador of the

Soviet Union.

Chance warmly shakes Skrapinov's hand with both of his own.

CHANCE:

(stumbles over name)

Hello... His... His...

SKRAPINOV:

Delighted, Mr. Gardiner...

(a nod to Eve)

Mrs. Rand, delighted.

SOPHIE:

And this is Mrs. Skrapinov.

Chance smiles at Mrs. Skrapinov as The Ambassador puts

am arm around him.

SKRAPINOV:

(to Chance and Eve)

You must sit with us, my

friends, we have much to

discuss.

CHANCE:

I agree.

SOPHIE:

(tugs at Eve)

Come, Eve, let's let the men

talk.

(to Chance and

Skrapinov)

Would you two excuse us for

a moment?

SKRAPINOV:

Regretfully - we shall yield the

pleasure of your company to

others.

CHANCE:

Yes, Eve. I shall yield, too.

EVE:

Fine. You two have a nice chat.

Skrapinov leads his wife and Chance to their table as Eve

and Sophie move through the crowd.

EVE:

(with self-importance)

You see? Didn't I tell you?

SOPHIE:

Oh, I'm so glad you brought him,

it makes everything perfect.

(looks back at Chance)

He's very, very sexy - don't let

me alone with him for too long...

A smiling Senator Jensen comes out of the crowd.

SENATOR JENSEN:

Mrs. Rand! How good to see you!

EVE:

Well, Senator Jensen.

SENATOR JENSEN:

I certainly would like to meet

Mr. Gardiner.

EVE:

I'm sure you would.

Eve turns away, Sophie follows.

As they are met by the Senator, we CUT.

107INT. SOPHIE'S - NIGHT

Chance is seated between Ambassador Skrapinov and his

wife at their table.

SKRAPINOV:

(moves chair close

to Chance)

Considering the gravity of your

economic situation, Mr. Gardiner,

shouldn't we, the diplomats, and

you, the businessmen - get together

more often to exchange our thoughts?

What does a Russian know about

business? On the other hand,

what does an American know about

diplomacy? So why not a coming

together? An interchange of

opinion? We may find, my friend,

that we are not so far from each

other, not so far!

CHANCE:

(an engaging smile)

We are not so far...

(motions at nearness

of their chairs)

...our chairs almost touch.

SKRAPINOV:

(laughs)

Bravo! Bravo! Our chairs are

indeed almost touching! And

we want to remain seated on

them, correct? We don't want

them snatched from under us,

am I right? Because if one

goes, the other goes, and then -

boom! Boom! And Boom, Boom!

And we are both down before our

time, you see? And neither of

us wants that, do you agree?

CHANCE:

I certainly do.

SKRAPINOV:

Yes. Tell me, Mr. Gardiner -

do you by any chance enjoy

Krylov's fables? I ask this

because there is something...

there is something Krylovian

about you.

CHANCE:

Do you think so? Do you

think so?

SKRAPINOV:

So you know Krylov!

Skrapinov pauses, then leans close to Chance, speaks

softly in Russian. Chance, having never heard this

language, raises his eyebrows and laughs. Mrs. Skrapinov

remains impassive.

SKRAPINOV:

(amazed)

So you know your Krylov in

Russian, do you? Mr. Gardiner,

I must confess I had suspected

as much all along.

CHANCE:

(beat)

Would you tell me your name

again, please?

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