His Girl Friday Page #21

DISSOLVE TO:

CLOSE SHOT BENSINGER

at phone.

BENSINGER:

Hello, baby, get me the Sheriff's

offico, will you... Hello, Sheriff

Hartman?... This is Bensinger. How

about that favor? You know what:

once and for all, will you hang this

guy at five A.M. instead of seven?

It won't hurt you and we can make

the City Edition.

INT. SHERIFF'S OFFICE CLOSE SHOT SHERIFF HARTMAN

at phone.

HARTMAN:

(indignantly)

Once and for all, I'm not going to

hang anybody except at the legal

hour... What? Don't threaten me,

Bensinger! I'm not afraid of any

newspapers. Yeah?... Oh, shut up!

(he hangs up; an

afterthought -- he

calls up operator)

And, operator, I told you not to

disturb me! I don't care who calls --

I don't want to be disturbed again

till I tell you!

(he hangs up -- turns

to somebody o.s. and

speaks)

How do you like that, Dr. Egelhoffer?

Want me to hang williams at their

convenience!

CAMERA PULLS BACK TO A MED. GROUP SHOT, showing Williams,

Sheriff Hartman and Dr. Egelhoffer. They are the only

occupants of room. Williams is seated facing a large standing

searchlight.

EGELHOFFER:

The newspapers! Sheriff, they're the

scum of modern civilization.

HARTMAN:

You said it!

EGELHOFFER:

They're always after me for

interviews.

HARTMAN:

Me, too.

EGELHOFFER:

(fencing)

Of course, I sort of promised them I

would give out a statement when I

got through here. You don't mind?

HARTMAN:

(not liking it)

Well, I don't know if that's ethical.

You see, all statements are supposed

to come from me.

EGELHOFFER:

(he'll bargain)

We'll have to satisfy them. What

would you say to giving them a joint

interview? I could give them some of

the psychological aspects of the

case and you could give them the

legal aspects.

HARTMAN:

(he buys)

A joint interview, eh? That might be

all right. We could have our pictures

taken together, Doctor.

EGELHOFFER:

Yes, shaking hands. I don't take a

very good picture, though.

HARTMAN:

It doesn't matter. The publicity's

the main thing.

EGELHOFFER:

Yes, I suppose so. It all helps.

WILLIAMS:

(just a spectator up

to now)

Are you gentlemen all through with

me?

EGELHOFFER:

Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot you were

here. No, Mr. Williams, we still

have some questions for you. Sheriff,

will you kindly extinguish the lights?

The Sheriff puts out the lights and the Doctor switches on

the searchlight, which shines in Williams' face.

EGELHOFFER:

You know you are to be executed, Mr.

Williams. Who do you feel is

responsible for that?

WILLIAMS:

The system. But I'm not afraid to

die, Doctor. I'm dying for what I

believe.

EGELHOFFER:

I see. You realize, however, that

you committed a crime?

CLOSEUP WILLIAMS

WILLIAMS:

In a legal sense, yes. But not

actually. Actually, I'm innocent. I

didn't do anything.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. POLICE CELL CLOSEUP BRUCE

BRUCE:

I'm innocent. I didn't do anything.

I never stole a watch in my life.

CAMERA PULLS BACK to show us Bruce in police cell. Hildy

outside. A police lieutenant with her in b.g.

HILDY:

I know you didn't, Bruce.

She whirls on lieutenant.

HILDY:

(to lieutenant)

Let him out of here, Lieutenant.

LIEUTENANT:

(conciliatingly)

But, Hildy, I can't. He's accused of

stealing a watch. And they found the

watch on him.

HILDY:

And who accused him? Diamond Louis!

One of the worst crooks in town! Why

don't you arrest Louis instead of

innocent people that he frames?

LIEUTENANT:

Now, Hildy --

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