Beloved Infidel

That article appeared in

the Daily Express...

Lord Beaverbrook's newspaper.

Oh, thank you.

Thank you, Miss Brill.

Thank you.

The old boy thought the one about

cabinet ministers' wives

was going a bit far,

so I sold it

to the Daily Mail instead.

Debunking celebrities

seems to be your passion, Miss Graham.

It sells newspapers, doesn't it?

This one has a kind of broad

appeal to it.

"Given a choice in these hard times,

would a wife take a car or a baby?"

A car, of course.

"Stage-door Johnnies

by a London chorus girl. "

You were a chorus girl too, Miss Graham?

I couldn't have written that article

if I hadn't been, could I?

I thought you said you...

I mean, you were born...

Oh, well, even a duchess

can join the chorus

if she has the legs, Mr. Wheeler.

I just went in to get background

for my story, that's all.

That's where I met Lord Donegall.

Who's he?

My fianc, the Marquis of Donegall.

He came to the show one night

and without even knowing who I was

he sent a note round afterwards.

As a matter of fact,

I felt rather proud of myself.

I let him take me out to supper and,

of course, when he found out who I was,

he thought the whole thing

was a huge joke.

And are you still

going to marry Lord Donegall?

Certainly. Eventually.

Uh...

His mother is the one I can't stomach.

The old dowager marchioness.

So Don thought perhaps

a few months in the States...

sort of cool off a bit, you know, and...

When I meet her again, perhaps

I'll find I don't mind her so much.

So, you see, I do hope you can find

something worthwhile for me, Mr. Wheeler.

- Get me Fred Johnson at the Mirror.

- Yes, sir.

You certainly write a good story,

Miss Graham.

Johnson is the managing editor

of the Mirror.

They take a lot of our features.

Fred? Is it hot enough for you?

Listen. I have a girl here... a lady.

- That's what I said.

- Who? Sheilah Graham?

Yes, John, yeah.

No. I've never heard of her.

You will hear of her, Fred.

And another thing -

this girl knows everybody.

Friend of Lord Beaverbrook's.

Everybody under the sun.

The Prince of Wales?

Certainly she does.

Read all about it.

Mrs. Wallis Simpson granted divorce.

Paper?

Rebel planes bomb Madrid.

Read all about it.

New feature starts today. Read Sheilah

Graham's column - "Is Marriage Obsolete?"

Sheilah, my love, my wife called me and

said that if ever mention your name again

- she's calling a lawyer.

- You mean your wife read the story?

Sheilah, everyone's wife has read

the story.

I'm having trouble with mine...

Oh-oh. Here comes John. Be brave,

Sheilah, and if you need help...

Don't call us.

Woody, Frank. How are you?

John. Well, uh...

we have to catch a train.

- Merry Christmas, John.

- Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas, John.

I trust it will be a merry one.

This is quite a story, Sheilah.

Unfortunately in an opposition paper.

Well,

I did offer it to the Mirror first.

"Who cheats the most in marriage?"

You have the English

as odds-on favourites.

I do know them best, you know.

"Germans are too stodgy.

Frenchmen make no secret of it. "

"If the main occupation of American women

were not alimony,

Americans would cheat the most. "

That's the real reason Johnson fired me.

He's paying three alimonies.

Well, I must say you do sell newspapers.

I warned you I would.

Sheilah, I have a little

Christmas present for you.

A year's contract.

Well, thank you, John.

But I'm not sure. I've had a letter

from Donegall begging me to go back.

I'll terminate the contract

the day you get married.

No...

Meanwhile, I'll raise your salary.

- By how much?

- Double what you got on the Mirror.

Sheilah, I want you to do a column...

from Hollywood.

Hollywood?

You know, John,

I think I might like that.

It's a deal.

No, no, no, Jack. That's all wrong.

You can do as you please, of course.

But I'm not going to bar her

from our studio.

I'm handling that in my own way,

personally.

All right, Jack. I'll talk to you later.

Sheilah.

- Well, how are you?

- Very well, thank you, Mr. Harris.

- How are you?

- Fine. Won't you sit down?

Yes.

- I'm glad you could come over.

- I'm glad I could get in.

I must say, you're a very

controversial figure this morning.

Harry, if you want me after you've talked

to New York, I'll be on stage 10.

- Bye, Sheilah.

- Goodbye, Harry. Thank you.

It was a pleasure.

- Will you come over to stage 10 with me?

- Yes, I'd love to.

I'd like you to watch some scenes

we're shooting for The O'Learys.

Oh, yes... The cow that kicked

over the lamp that burned Chicago.

Janet Pierce.

I'm curious, Sheilah.

What have you got against Janet Pierce?

Personally, nothing whatsoever.

Then why did you take

that slap at her in your column?

I merely stated the well-known truth

that she can't act.

Sheilah, you're in a position where

a thing like that in your column

can do a lot of harm.

Even to a star as well-established

as Janet.

Mm...

Should I consider that a compliment,

or a spanking?

I'd like you to consider it

a responsibility.

You're a member of the community now.

You can afford to be

a little constructive too, you know.

All right. I suppose I can.

Although I think you have an exaggerated

idea of the power of my column.

I understand Miss Pierce

is sizzling at the box office.

Fortunately for the studio...

that is true.

The Coopers are having

a few people over after dinner.

Come to our house first

and we'll go together.

I'd love it, but I don't know

if the Coopers would.

Of course they would.

Ronnie Colman is coming. You know him.

- Yes, slightly.

- And Janet Pierce will be going.

- You're very kind. I'd love to.

- Good.

They're rehearsing.

Janet, when you look in the mirror

and see Dion standin' there,

pick it up a little bit quicker.

Quiet, please. This'll be a take.

- Camera.

- Roll the tape.

- Speed.

- Action.

- Get out of here.

- Belle, listen...

- Get out of here.

- Listen to me, Belle...

Get out!

- Will you... get out?!

- Listen...

Hey, no! Help, Hattie!

Will you get out?

Cut.

What's the matter, Janet?

It was going beautifully.

Why did you stop?

Sorry, Bill.

There's a visitor on the set.

Sure.

It's Sheilah Graham.

I know who it is.

When she leaves

I'll be in my dressing room.

Janet... Janet!

Darling, the dailies this morning

were wonderful.

And you?

You were just great.

Oh, thank you.

- I have Sheilah Graham here.

- Here? On the set?

Yes. She wants to do a story on you.

Oh, Sheilah?

- Hello, Miss Pierce.

- Tell me, Miss Graham.

How did a girl as pretty as you are ever

get to be the biggest witch in Hollywood?

And that word is spelled

with a capital 'B '

- Janet...

- Well, Miss Graham?

Not the biggest, Miss Pierce.

The second biggest.

Stan, why do you bring

these stray cats onto the set?

Janet!

Not the biggest, Janet.

The second biggest.

I'll only be a minute.

- Sheilah.

- John!

Oh, John...

Forgive me. I'm just so happy to see you.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes