His Girl Friday Page #15

CLOSE SHOT MURPHY

MURPHY:

(into phone)

Ready? The Sheriff's just put two

hundred more relatives on the payroll

to protect the city against the Red

Army -- which is leaving Moscow in a

couple of minutes.

(consults his hand)

Up a dime.

CLOSE SHOT BENSINGER

BENSINGER:

(into phone)

The Sheriff has just received four

more letters threatening his life,

but he says nothing can interfere

with his duty.

CLOSE SHOT MURPHY

MURPHY:

(into phone)

And to prove to the voters that the

Red Menace is on the level, the

Sheriff has written himself four

more letters, threatening his life.

I know he wrote 'em on account of

the misspellings.

MED. SHOT AT TABLE FEATURING HILDY

ENDICOTT:

Trouble is, when the Red Menace shows

up the Sheriff will still be crying

'Wolf!'

MURPHY:

What have you got, Hildy?

HILDY:

Kings and sixes.

MURPHY:

(throwing down)

That's good.

HILDY:

(sweeping coins in)

'Kings and sixes The pot affixes'...

Poetry. I learned that at my grandma's

knee.

WILSON:

That's why I keep losing. My grandma

was a modest woman -- nobody ever

saw her knees, not even my grandpop.

INT. WALTER BURNS' OFFICE MED. SHOT

The doctor has gone. Burns is adjusting his shirt. Bruce is

sitting at the desk.

BRUCE:

I don't know. This makes me feel

funny.

TWO SHOT:

BURNS:

Why shouldn't I make Hildy my

beneficiary? I've got nobody else to

leave it to.

BRUCE:

I feel I ought to take care of her.

BURNS:

Well, you'll take care of her. After

all, if that doctor's right, I'm

going to live for a long time yet.

Look, Bruce, this is a debt of honor.

I was a very bad husband: Hildy could

have got a lot of alimony if she'd

wanted to, but she wouldn't take

any. She had it coming to her, but

she was too independent.

BRUCE:

Well, I'm independent, too.

BURNS:

Figure it this way: I ought to be

good for twenty-five years. By that

time, you'll probably have made enough

so that the money won't mean anything.

But suppose you haven't made good --

don't you think Hildy's entitled to

a quiet old age without any worries?

BRUCE:

Well, of course, if you put it that

way.

BURNS:

(everything he has on

the ball)

And remember this, Bruce! I love

her, too.

BRUCE:

I'm beginning to realize that.

BURNS:

And the beauty of it is she'll never

have to know 'till I've passed on.

Maybe she'll think kindly of me ---

after I'm gone.

BRUCE:

(a lump in his throat)

Gee, you almost make me feel like a

heel -- coming between you.

BURNS:

No, Bruce, you didn't come between

us. It was all over for her before

you came on the scene. For me --

it'll never be over.

He turns away, wipes his eyes, and sneaks a glance to see

how that goes over. It goes over big -- Bruce hurriedly wipes

a tear away.

MED. SHOT

as Duffy comes into the room. He advances toward the desk.

DUFFY:

(placing check on

desk)

Here's that certified check, Walter.

(sotto voce)

I drew out my wife's savings, and if

this isn't back by 5:30 I'm a ruined

man!

BURNS:

(also sotto voce)

Don't worry, Duffy, you'll have it

back by five.

(louder)

Thanks, Duffy. Stick around.

(picking up check he

rises)

He walks over to Bruce.

BURNS:

Well, Bruce, here you are -- certified

and everything.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes