Get Shorty Page #10

Harry walks over to Chili, sees Chili sitting there. Chili

tosses Harry his key ring.

CHILI:

Here's your keys, Harry.

HARRY:

Get the f*** outta my chair.

EXT. HARRY ZIMM'S OFFICE -- NIGHT

As Chili pulls out front, gets out of the minivan, he looks

up, sees a light on in Harry's office.

INT. CORRIDOR -- NIGHT

Chili walks down the hallway, dark except for a light on at

the end of the hall . . .

INT. HARRY'S OFFICE -- NIGHT

Bo Catlett, reading glasses, script open in front of him,

looks up from Harry's desk as Chili steps into the office.

BO CATLETT:

This ain't bad, you know it? This Mr. Lovejoy. Needs a

better ending but yeah, I can see why Harry wants to do it.

Chili says nothing, sits down in one of the red leather

chairs.

BO CATLETT:

You understand I knew Harry was lying, saying this wasn't

any good, but holding on to it, man, like you have to break

his fingers to get it from him.

CHILI:

That's funny, I was just wondering what I was gonna break of

yours to get it away from you.

Bo Catlett smiles at him, doesn't give up the script.

BO CATLETT:

I'm just explaining to you what I'm doing here. Case you

think I come to rob the place, rip off any of this dusty old

sh*t the man has.

CHILI:

I'd never make you as a burglar, not in that outfit.

Bo Catlett sits back in the chair a moment, watches Chili

light a cigarette . . .

BO CATLETT:

Harry called you his associate, but what does that mean? I

never heard your name or read it in Variety or The Reporter

or anyplace.

CHILI:

It's what he said, I'm his associate.

BO CATLETT:

You must bring something heavy to the deal.

CHILI:

That's right, me.

Bo Catlett picks up a piece of paper off the desk . . .

BO CATLETT:

Says here you're getting Martin Weir for the part of

Lovejoy.

CHILI:

Yeah, we're getting Martin.

BO CATLETT:

No sh*t, come on. How you gonna do that?

CHILI:

I put a gun right here . . .

(touches the side of his head)

. . . and I tell him, 'Sign the paper Marty or your f***in'

dead.' Like that.

BO CATLETT:

I wonder, would that work?

(then)

You know who I see for Al Roxy? Harvey Keitel. The man could

do it in his sleep.

CHILI:

Harvey Keitel. Yeah. Maybe. He was pretty good in the movie

Fingers.

BO CATLETT:

I missed that one. Or, hey, you know who else? Morgan

Freeman. You know Morgan?

CHILI:

Yeah, Morgan Freeman. But he's a colored guy.

BO CATLETT:

So what? Where's it say in this script he's white? Color is

what the part needs, man, somebody to do it has some style.

The way it is now, Ronnie could do it, play himself, some

cracked out a**hole.

(then)

So whatta you think of the script?

Bo watches as Chili picks up a copy of the script, begins

flipping through it.

CHILI:

Title's the first thing's got to go. And the guy's name. I

mean, even this writer's name, Murray Saffrin is better than

Lovejoy.

BO CATLETT:

I'm with you on that. And don't you think it needs a good

female part? Increase the romance angle.

Chili flips through the script, sees a name . . .

CHILI:

There's Ilona.

BO CATLETT:

What about her?

CHILI:

Get something going there.

BO CATLETT:

With Ilona? You know how old Ilona is?

CHILI:

She's . . . young.

BO CATLETT:

Young? She's f***in' nine-years-old, same age as Lovejoy's

kid. Bernie. One she calls Bernard. Have you read the

script?

CHILI:

Yeah, I read it. I was just thinking you could make her

older. We might even be able to get Karen Flores.

BO CATLETT:

Who?

CHILI:

She's been out of movies a few years, but she's good. Real

good.

Bo Catlett studies Chili a moment, smiles . . .

BO CATLETT:

You know what I'm thinkin'?

(leans forward)

You wanna make the girl older. I don't like the ending. We

could do that, you and me, sit down and write the script

over where it needs it.

Chili fips through the script a moment . . .

CHILI:

You know how to write one of these?

BO CATLETT:

There's nothin' to know. You have an idea, you write down

what you wanna say. Then you get somebody to add in the

commas and sh*t where they belong, if you aren't positive

yourself. Maybe fix up the spelling where you have some

tricky words . . . although I've seen scripts where I know

words weren't spelled right and there was hardly any commas

in it at all. So I don't think it's too important. Anyway,

you come to the last page you write in 'Fade out' and that's

the end, you're done.

CHILI:

That's all there is to it, huh?

BO CATLETT:

That's all.

Chili sits forward, stabs out his cigarette, exhales into Bo

Catlett's face . . .

CHILI:

Then what do I need you for?

Bo Catlett starts for the door.

BO CATLETT:

I really think I can be of service on this one.

CHILI:

Yeah, well, we need a ride somewhere, we'll let you know.

EXT. NUART THEATER -- NIGHT

As Karen walks up to the box office. A Touch of Evil on the

marquis.

INT. MOVIE THEATER -- NIGHT

Not so full. Chili sits in the middle, watching the final

scene as Orson Welles gets blown away, falls into the oily

river. He can't take his eyes off the screen . . .

Karen comes in, starts up the aisle, looking for Chili. She

spots him, just as he mouths the dialogue along with Marlene

Dietrich . . .

MARLENE DIETRICH (O.S.)

He was some kind of man.

Karen smiles, decides to wait a moment. Chili, lost in the

movie . . . keeps mouthing the dialogue.

MARLENE DIETRICH (O.S.)

What does it matter what you say about people?

MORT MILLS (O.S.)

Good-bye, Tanya.

MARLENE DIETRICH

Adios.

As Tanya/Marlene Dietrich resumes her slow walk away, Karen

sits down at the end of the row. People start getting up to

leave. Chili turns to a GUY a few seats away from him . . .

CHILI:

Wow, huh?

The guy gives Chili a look, puts his arm around his DATE,

and quickly starts up the aisle so that Chili can now see

Karen sitting there at the end of the row . . .

CHILI:

You been here the whole time?

KAREN:

I just caught the end.

She gets up, they start up the aisle together . . .

CHILI:

You know, Welles didn't even wanna do that one. Some studio

made him do it. He owed 'em one and all his own movies lost

money.

(walking out now)

But, hey, sometimes that's when you do your best work, you

got a gun to your head . . .

EXT. NUART -- NIGHT

As Karen and Chili exit the theater, stand there a moment.

CHILI:

I got you a copy of the script.

KAREN:

I already read it. Harry left a copy at the house.

CHILI:

What do you think?

She starts walking.

KAREN:

I think it's not horrible.

CHILI:

I don't like the title. Or the main guy's name.

KAREN:

Then you've read it?

CHILI:

Not yet.

KAREN:

You and Harry'll make a great team.

(then)

I'm gonna make a deal with him.

CHILI:

There a part in it for you?

KAREN:

I don't want to act in it, I want to produce it with Harry.

Especially if I help him get Martin.

CHILI:

Sounds fair.

KAREN:

What do you get out of it?

He stops, looks at her.

CHILI:

That why you came over here, to ask me that?

KAREN:

I want to know.

CHILI:

Why does anyone want to be in movies?

KAREN:

Yesterday, you were a loan shark.

He starts walking again . . .

CHILI:

I was never much into it. All that bullshit having to do

with respect. It's bad enough having to treat those guys

like they're your heroes, having to smile when they make

some stupid remark they think's real funny.

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