High-Rise Page #5

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You are fired.

I don't work for you.

I work for the building.

Woman:

Fisher, south-westerly,

bearing westerly,

six to gale eight,

perhaps severe gale nine later.

Rain then wintry showers,

moderate or poor becoming good.

German Bight and Humber.

Come on! Come, come, come!

Et tu, Digby?

Right.

Which one of you bastards

is going to f*** me up the ass?

Woman:

...rain at times,

moderate or poor becoming good.

Biscay, south-westerly,

six to gale eight.

Occasional rain,

moderate or poor.

I'm coming.

- What floor are you on?

- Uh, this one.

What are you doing?

Shh.

Richard Wilder.

It's a real pleasure,

Mr. Wilder.

I'd watch out, if I were you.

There's some very unhappy

bunnies bouncing about.

P.C. White:
Hello?

White.

Mr. Royal.

Everything all right, sir?

Perfectly.

Bit of a mess in there,

isn't it?

Oh, you know, nothing that can't

be "swept under the rug".

Royal:
Enough!

Kill you.

Go on, all of you!

Quite enough fun

at my wife's expense.

So if you will excuse us.

We have guests waiting upstairs.

Guests?

- Come on, come on.

- Silly old me.

Thank you, darling.

I don't know what I would have

done without you.

Shh.

Mrs. Hillman:
Leave me alone!

Leave me alone!

Wilder:
I won't be ignored.

Tell me about the architect.

Hillman:
Senior side down!

I won't be ignored.

You work for the Royals,

you must have a way

into the penthouse.

If I give you the key,

will you get my money?

Money? Of course.

If you really wanna know

about Anthony Royal,

you'll have to talk

to that tart on 26

with that poor little

bastard of his.

Charlotte Melville?

That's her.

To sweethearts and wives.

May they never meet.

Mrs. Hillman:
I suppose you're

a good boy really, aren't you?

Big enough to come and go

as you please.

Big enough to have your own key.

What are you doing?

I want to see you,

just once, properly.

Please don't.

I'm nearly perfectly

happy just as I am.

Probably for the first time.

Well, Charlotte's

right about one thing.

You are definitely the best

amenity in the building.

Bugger off, you little sh*t!

Or I'll pull your teeth out

through your ears

and use them for buttons!

F***!

What's this?

It's all right, Steele.

Are you sure?

It could be worth something.

I've heard people are bartering

wives for food on other floors.

I'm not that hungry.

Helen:
Charlotte's right

about one thing.

You are definitely the

best amenity in the building.

My name is Richard Wilder.

My name is Richard Wilder!

My name is Richard Wilder!

My name is Richard Wilder!

Richard Wilder!

Wilder?

What are you doing here?

How did you get in?

I thought you'd be downstairs

manning the barricades.

I only came to get the

last of the supplies

but I see you found them.

Get off!

I know why I'm not your type.

Don't be so silly.

Oh, God, it's not just you.

It's everyone.

Fibber.

Let go!

I know about you.

I know about the architect.

I know about Toby.

You don't know anything.

Quite the little building

project, isn't he, our Toby?

The little professor.

Power will be restored tomorrow.

Day after at the latest.

I'll help you with your

stupid documentary then.

But now I'm going

back to the party.

Oh, I think you've had

enough excitement for one day.

Richard, stop it. Stop it!

No!

Please help me.

Please help!

Please!

Cosgrove:

What are you doing in there?

Cosgrove:

What are you doing?

What are you doing in there?

Cosgrove:
What do you all do

while I'm at work?

Good morning.

Now he's raping people

he's not supposed to.

And to top it all, Mercer here

says he actually shat

in his attach case.

Seems Richard Wilder

is certainly a maverick.

A barrister, aren't you, Mercer?

Retired.

But it's still,

it's the principle.

And I suppose you believe that

there should be unspoken rules?

Even for this sort of thing?

Mercer:
Quite.

Simmons has come up

with a workable solution.

We get Laing to

lobotomize Wilder.

Royal:

You can't be serious.

It's an interesting thought.

For the good of the building,

you mean?

If you like.

Shouldn't be too difficult.

We've already made

contact with Laing.

He insists on carrying out a

psychological evaluation first.

Humor him, then.

There's bound to be something

we can give Laing in exchange.

I'd imagine he

wants to be left alone.

Nevertheless, you're all

forgetting one small point.

This is my party.

You're all my guests.

I shall be the one who decides

if someone is lobotomized.

You should thank us!

You're the one he really wants!

What?

Simmons:

After all, you stole his wife.

I what?

Certainly looks like that

on paper.

Where is Wilder's wife now?

Mercer:
Broom cupboard.

Pangbourne:
Oh, perfect.

We've got a vacancy

for a cleaner, haven't we?

Yeah, right,

anyone going to work?

Cosgrove.

Most have taken leave.

Well, quite right.

The real work is here.

Once we've dispensed

with the likes of Wilder,

we play the lower people

off against each other.

In short, Balkanize

the central section.

Then begin colonization

of the entire building.

Then I propose that Royal,

here, draw up plans

to remodel the lower floors.

Oh.

Yes, a driving range.

Cricket nets.

Clubhouse.

Pangbourne:
Ah!

What about the horse?

What about the horse?

We're gonna eat it.

Dinner parties don't

grow on trees, darling.

French do it all the time.

Motion's carried.

Meeting adjourned.

Wouldn't say no

to a Bloody Mary.

Mercer:
I'll have the

kitchen look into it.

Pangbourne:
Who is the kitchen?

The wives are rotating.

- Ah!

Still enjoying the party,

darling?

F***ing Christ.

Cosgrove really is

quite convincing.

Cosgrove:
What are you doing?

I... how f***ing dare you!

Laing!

Funny, I was just

thinking about you.

I was just about to leave.

Come in.

How are things?

Comme ci comme a.

Have you seen Helen?

No.

I'm no good without her.

She shouldn't leave me alone.

It's this place.

Won't let me find

my equilibrium.

I thought I was cut out

for it, but...

I'm not.

Living in a high-rise requires

a special type of behavior.

Acquiescent.

Restrained.

Perhaps even slightly mad.

The ones who are the real danger

are the self-contained

types like you.

Impervious to the psychological

pressures of high-rise life.

Professionally detached.

Thriving.

Like an advanced species

in the neutral atmosphere.

I'm sorry you think that.

No, you're not.

Perhaps you're right.

This might help.

Simmons:

You won't be needing that.

Come on, chop-chop!

Pangbourne:
Ah, Laing.

Good of you to join us.

Simmons:
He won't do it.

Oh.

You should probably

reconsider that.

It's not possible, I'm afraid.

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