Gentleman's Agreement Page #4

If you're Jewish, I am, too.

Take it easy.

I got to phone right away.

Why don't you have Kathy

come over here?

How did you know

I wasn't going to phone Minify?

Dope. Nobody phones

a magazine editor...

...with that look on his face.

Oh, Phil, it's nice.

It's attractive.

Well, it's not done yet.

Those packages are pictures.

The last of our books just came.

You have a fireplace.

Mine's only fake.

How's your mother?

The doctor said she'd be fine.

Oh, she's all right.

What's the angle?

Tell me fast.

Just a minute.

I want to check up on Ma.

Good. Give her my love.

She's sleeping like a baby.

Good.

Don't worry about her.

-Let's have a drink.

-No, thanks.

-Just some sherry.

-All right.

You're still not telling me.

Funny. I thought I'd spill it

out the minute you got here.

-You sounded so excited.

-I am.

It must be really something.

There will be stumbling blocks,

but I don't care.

I'll lick...lick them

when I get to them.

Kathy.

Phil.

Phil, wait, now.

You go over there and

let me sit here for a minute.

What is it, Kathy?

Nothing.

I was just thinking.

Marriage can be

such a good way to live, Kathy.

All these years

I've kept hoping.

I've kept hoping, too...

...but when you've made a mistake

once, you're afraid.

You're not afraid now.

No, Phil.

Darling.

What are you smiling at?

-Nothing.

-Come on, no secrets.

I was just thinking.

I was playing that game.

All women do it...

...trying out the name.

Say it out loud.

Mrs. Schuyler Green.

Well, how does it sound?

It sounds just fine.

How does it look on me?

I like it.

Kathy...y...you're not

sorry about...Tom?

Oh, Phil, I'm glad.

It's almost as if my marriage

hadn't been wasted...

...as if I'd had a son

growing up for me.

I knew you'd get it...

...but can you get away with it?

Yeah, sure, if you and Kathy

and Mrs. Minify...

...won't give me away.

I haven't told Kathy yet.

When do you start?

Why not now?

I'll get you an office

and a secretary...

...but wouldn't the secretary

have to know?

Why?

Supposing I were reallyJewish?

What difference would it make

to her or anybody?

You're right, Phil.

I'm excited about this.

-They'll read this.

-Mr. Weisman is waiting.

Yes. What about lunch?

Chance to meet the whole staff.

Irving Weisman

is lunching with us.

-He's the big industrialist?

-Yes. Come on.

He's a colorful fellow.

Old friend of mine.

I know you'll like him.

Picture

of the Empire State Building.

It was over a year.

Over to the left.

Sorry we're late, Irving.

Mr. Phil Green,

Mr. Irving Weisman.

Mr. Weisman.

Lew Jordan, personnel manager.

Joe Tingler, demon photographer.

Bill Payson, art editor.

Bert McAnny, the best layout man

this side of the Mexican border.

And last is a kind of dessert...

...Anne Dettrey,

our fashion editor...

...clever, beautiful,

and dangerous.

Eats men alive.

Sit down beside her.

I thought it was Schuyler Green.

That's my writing name.

Mr. Green is doing

a series on anti-Semitism.

Really? Again?

Not again.

For the first time.

We're going to split it

wide open.

As an old friend,

this is a very bad idea,John...

...the most harmful thing

you could possibly do now.

Not at all.

Why is it a harmful idea?

It'll only stir it up more.

Let it alone.

We'll handle it our own way.

The hush-hush way?

Call it what you like.

Let it alone.

You can't write it

out of existence.

We've been fighting it

for years.

We know from experience...

...the less talk there is,

the better.

Sure.

Pretend it doesn't exist...

...add to the conspiracy

of silence.

I should say not.

Keep silent and let Bilbo...

...and Gerald L.K. Smith

do all the talking?

No, sir.

Irving...you and your...

...let's-be-quiet-about-it

committees have gotten no place.

We'll call a spade

a dirty spade.

I think it's high time

and a fine idea.

So do I.

I couldn't agree more.

You sound pretty hot about it.

I feel hot about it...

...and it hasn't anything to do

with being Jewish myself.

Right office?

Mr. Green?

This is your office.

I'm your secretary Elaine Wales.

How do you do?

Mind if we get right to work?

Not at all.

You know about my series?

Yes, sir.

Good. I want to start a file.

Write form letters

to clubs, resorts...

...interviews for jobs,

apartments...

...applications for

medical schools, and so forth.

I have a list somewhere.

Yes, sir.

Write the letters

on blank stationery.

Send two to each address...

...one signed Schuyler Green,

the other Philip Greenberg.

See what I mean?

Yes, sir.

Have the replies

sent to my home address.

Yes, sir.

Of course,

it will be yes to the Greens...

...and no to the Greenbergs.

Sure,

but I want it for the record.

If your name was Saul Green

or Irving...

...you wouldn't have to go

to all this bother.

I changed mine. Did you?

Green's always been my name.

What's yours?

Estelle Walovsky,

and I just couldn't take it...

...about applications, I mean...

...so one day I wrote

the same firm two letters...

...same as you're doing now.

I sent the Elaine Wales one...

...after they'd said

there were no openings.

I got the job, all right.

Do you know what firm that was?

Smith's Weekly.

No.

Ha ha. Yes, Mr. Green.

The great liberal magazine...

...that fights injustice

on all sides.

It slays me. I love it.

Mr. Minify know about that?

He can't be bothered

thinking about small fry.

That's Mr.Jordan's department...

hiring and firing.

But if anybody snitched...

...you know there'd be some excuse

for throwing them out.

So I thought maybe you had

changed yours sometime...

...I mean, when I heard

you wereJewish.

You heard it?

Why, sure.

Is this the list?

Yeah.

When?

When you finished luncheon...

...and went back

to Mr. Minify's office...

...it kind of...got around.

She'll be fit as a fiddle

day after tomorrow.

I'd like her to see

a good internist.

Good idea.

I'll make an appointment.

I always use Mason Van Dyck

or James Kent.

One of the editors

recommended someone...

...Doctor, uh...Dr. Abrahams.

Abrahams?

Yes,J.E. Abrahams,

Mount Sinai Hospital...

...Beth Israel, or both.

Yes, yes, of course.

If you decide to use Van Dyck

or Kent, I'll arrange it.

Why?

Isn't this Abrahams any good?

No, nothing like that.

Good man, completely reliable.

Not given to overcharging

and stringing visits out...

...the way some do.

Do you mean

the way some doctors do...

...or do you mean

the way some Jewish doctors do?

I suppose you're right.

Some of us do it, too,

not just the chosen people.

If Abrahams doesn't impress me,

I'll try Van Dyck or Kent.

I've no special loyalty

to Jewish doctors...

...simply because I'm Jewish.

No, of course not.

A good man's a good man.

I don't believe in prejudice.

I see.

Well, uh...

...good evening.

-Evening, Mr. Green.

-Evening, Mr. Olsen.

Say, Mr. Green...

...why don't you fill out one of

them cards at the post office...

...or tell the mailman?

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