Gentleman's Agreement Page #5

What's the matter with this way?

It's the rules.

Leave that alone.

It's nothing I can help,

Mr. Green. It's the rules.

The renting agent

should have explained...

...that is...excuse me...if you are.

Excuse me, nothing.

This is my place for two years,

and don't touch that card.

You don't mean

we're going to have dinner here?

I do, indeed.

-So we can talk.

-Talk?

You sit there.

I'm not going to let you

get going on another thing.

You don't get dinner

until you tell me the angle.

I've been trying to guess

all day long.

-Have you?

-Yes.

I kept thinking...

...''Suppose I were he,

and I needed an angle?''

What would you do?

Well, I got just no place.

Some of your ideas

were excellent...

...but you threw them out.

You'll see why

as soon as I tell you.

Phil, tell me.

All right. Here it is.

I'm going to let everybody know

that I'm Jewish, that's all.

Jewish?

But you're not, are you?

Not that it would make

any difference to me...

...but you said...

...''I'll let everybody know,''

as if you hadn't before.

So I just wondered.

Not that it would matter to me.

Phil, you're annoyed.

I was just thinking.

Well, don't be

so serious about it.

You must know where I stand.

Oh, I do.

It's just that

you caught me off guard...

...not knowing

too much about you...

...because you make me talk

about myself...

...so for a minute,

I wasn't very bright.

Well, anyway, you don't

think much of my angle?

Oh, I do.

-It's...

-What?

It's just that I...

...I think it'll mix everybody up.

People won't know what you are.

Of course, after this series

is finished, they'll know...

...but even so,

it'll keep cropping up.

All right.

Let it.

I must be out of my head.

''Let it'' is right.

Who cares?

I was just being too practical

about things.

That's what comes

from being a schoolteacher.

Now tell me more.

Well, to begin with...

...you and the Minifys have

to promise not to give me away.

No exceptions for anything, OK?

OK.

Won't the people

at Smith's talk?

They don't know, only Minify.

They think you're Jewish?

I don't think you understand.

If this is going to work,

we have to go whole hog.

It's got to go

right through everything.

Of course.

I hadn't really seen it before.

I didn't mean to be so sharp.

I'm sorry.

Dinner?

Fine.

You sit there.

I'm doing the serving myself.

More coffee?

Only take a minute to heat it.

No, thanks.

Well, I think I'd better be

getting along.

So soon?

I should look in at Ma

before she gets to sleep.

Of course.

You have to get to the school

pretty early, don't you?

Yes.

I had a pretty full day

at the magazine, too.

Yes.

That was a mighty fine dinner.

I'm glad you liked it.

My car's downstairs.

Let me run you home.

No, thanks.

I think I'll walk.

It's a lovely night.

Yes, it is.

It's lovely.

I'd better be getting off.

Oh, don't bother.

I know where my hat is.

Oh, it's no bother.

I'll call you sometime tomorrow.

All right.

Good night.

Good night, Phil.

Mary said to come right over.

She's cooked a big dinner,

so there's plenty...

I forgot something.

-Darling!

-Kathy.

I'm so glad you came back.

It's my fault.

I'm always weighing and judging.

I'm such a solemn fool.

I should have said the angle

was fine right away. It is.

I don't know what happened.

I felt insulted.

If I were Jewish, that's the way

I would have felt...

...and I couldn't let you off.

All through dinner, I tried

to tell you I was sorry...

...and I couldn't.

I don't know what happened to me

when you told me...

...except the whole beautiful

evening was spoiled.

I wanted you to come back.

Darling.

But, Mr. Minify, I never make it

a policy just to hire.

It's a question of personality.

If a girl's personality

is the type that fits in...

It's just by chance, you mean...

...that we haven't one secretary

named Finkelstein or Cohen?

In the city of New York?

Come off it,Jordan.

Miss Miller,

take a help wanted ad.

Expert secretary

for editorial department...

...national magazine.

Exacting work, good pay.

Religion is a matter

of indifference to this office.

-Got that?

-Yes, Mr. Minify.

In any ad you run,

use that last line.

That's all.

Good afternoon,Jordan.

By the way, if you should

fire Miss Wales...

...for any reason whatever

at any time...

...remember, I'd like to review

the case myself first.

Good afternoon, Mr. Minify.

I'm ashamed of myself

and this magazine, too.

The sloppy notion that

everybody's doing bigger things.

There isn't anything bigger...

...than beating down

the complacency about prejudice.

Yes, I'm ashamed of myself.

Go on back to work.

I've given a clear picture

of my qualifications...

...and I would

very much appreciate...

...your immediate

consideration and reply.

Sincerely yours.

Better ask for an immediate

reply on all of them.

Don't bother today.

It's too late.

Tomorrow will be all right.

When will you start

dictating the series?

I'd like to get the decks

cleared.

I'll type it myself

to start with.

I'm not much good

on dictating copy.

That'll be all, Miss Wales.

You'd better get along home.

All right.

Mr. Green,

is it true about Mr.Jordan?

Is what true about Mr.Jordan?

Well, he's telling everybody

about Mr. Minify's ad.

He thinks it's

a wonderful thing...he says.

He does, huh?

Is it true

that the ad says right out..

Right straight out, Miss Wales.

It's going to be

in all the papers tomorrow.

Practically inviting

any type at all to apply?

Any type? What do you mean?

Mr. Green, you don't want things

changed around here, do you?

Even though you are a writer,

and it's different for writers.

How?

Get one wrong one in here,

and it'll come out of us.

It's no fun being the fall guy

for the kikey ones.

Now, look, Miss Wales...

...we've got to be frank

with each other.

You have a right to know

right now...

...that words like

yid and kike and kikey...

...and n*gger and coon make me sick

no matter who says them.

I only said it for a type.

Yeah, but we're talking

about a word first.

But, Mr. Green,

that doesn't mean a thing.

Sometimes I even say it

about me.

Like if I'm about to do

something I know I shouldn't...

...I say,

''Don't be such a little kike.''

That's all.

But let one objectionable one...

What do you mean

by objectionable?

Loud and too much rouge...

They don't hire

any loud, vulgar girls.

Why should they start?

It's not only that.

Mr. Green,

you're sort of heckling me.

You know the sort that starts

trouble in a place like this...

...and the sort that doesn't,

like you or me...

...so why pin me down?

You mean because we don't

look especially Jewish...

...because we're OK Jews...

...with us it can be kept

comfortable and quiet?

I didn't say...

Miss Wales,

I hate anti-Semitism...

...and I hate it from you

or anybody who's Jewish...

...as much as I hate it

from Gentiles.

Me? Why, Mr. Green!

See you tomorrow, Miss Wales.

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