His Girl Friday Page #17

HILDY:

Now, darling, you go back to the

hotel and pack and you and Mother

pick me up here about half-past five.

Goodbye, dear.

INT. PHONE BOOTH CLOSE SHOT BRUCE

He blows a kiss into the phone and hangs up.

EXT. OUTSIDE RESTAURANT LOUIS

Studying a paper, reads it for a moment. Bruce comes out of

restaurant and starts out. After a second, Louis follows

him.

INT. ENTRANCE TO A CELL BLOCK OF COUNTY JAIL MED. SHOT

Warden Cooley sits at a desk near the grilled doorway that

leads to the cells. He is studying a Racing Form. Hildy's

hand reaches into the shot and flicks the newspaper. He looks

up. THE CAMERA PULLS BACK to include Hildy.

COOLEY:

Hello, Hildy! What are you doing

around here?

HILDY:

I want to interview Earl Williams,

Warden. How about a little service?

COOLEY:

No more interviews. Besides, a

doctor's coming over.

Hildy reaches down out of camera range -- comes up with bill.

HILDY:

Say, isn't this your twenty dollars?

COOLEY:

(looks at bill eagerly)

I think it is.

HILDY:

(handing it over)

I thought so. Come on, I'm in a hurry.

Cooley pockets the twenty and reaches for his key ring.

EXT. STREET SCENE

There is a milling mob around a center of activity that the

Camera can't find.

SHOT OF COP:

as he sees this and strolls determinedly toward it.

THE CROWD:

The cop comes in and breaks ranks. He pushes his way toward

center and looks down.

CLOSE SHOT BRUCE

lying down, held by Louis.

MED. SHOT

COP:

What's going on?

LOUIS:

This guy stole my watch.

COP:

(lugging them both to

feet)

Have you got his watch?

BRUCE:

He's crazy. I haven't any watch.

LOUIS:

I saw him. He put it in his back

pocket.

BRUCE:

I haven't got --

COP:

Wait a minute.

The cop reaches into Bruce's back pocket. Watch comes out.

COP:

(to Louis)

Is this yours?

LOUIS:

Yeah! That's it!

COP:

What about it?

BRUCE:

I never saw it before.

Cop grabs Bruce. Louis grabs his other arm.

COP:

Come on!

He whistles.

COP:

(to mob)

Beat it!

CLOSE SHOT THREE

as they go through crowd. The look on poor Bruce's face,

muddy anyhow, is something. Suddenly, Bruce cries:

BRUCE:

My hat!

COP:

Get his hat, somebody.

CLOSEUP BRUCE'S HAT

lying top up, in a puddle. Hand reaches in and picks it up.

CLOSE SHOT THREE

as hat is passed to cop, who jams it down on Bruce's head.

Another takem from Bruce.

INT. COUNTY JAIL MED. CLOSE SHOT

at the door of Earl Williams' cell. Hildy sits on a stool at

the door, pencil and copy paper in hand. Earl Williams sits

at the edge of his cot, facing Hildy. There is a bouquet of

roses in a water pitcher by the cot. Our first impression of

Williams is that he's a rational, well-poised citizen. It is

only under Hildy's questioning that he gradually reveals

himself.

WILLIAMS:

I couldn't plead insanity, because

you see I'm just as sane as anybody

else.

HILDY:

(puzzled and worried)

You didn't mean to kill that

policeman?

WILLIAMS:

Of course not. I couldn't kill anybody --

it's against everything I've ever

stood for. They know it was an

accident. They're not hanging me for

that -- they're hanging me for my

beliefs.

HILDY:

What are your beliefs, Earl?

WILLIAMS:

They're very simple. I believe in

the Golden Rule. I'm not the first

man to die for preaching it. But if

they would only listen to it -- we

could have a fine, decent world

instead of this mass of hate that

makes man do such cruel things.

HILDY:

How would you go about applying the

Golden Rule, Earl?

WILLIAMS:

I'd do away with the profit system

and have production for use only.

There's enough food and clothing and

shelter for everybody if we'd use

some sense.

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