His Girl Friday Page #3

DUFFY AND LOUIE:

(together)

Well -- But I gotta --

They look at Burns.

BURNS:

Scram, you guys.

They start to go.

HILDY:

You won't miss anything. You'll

probably be able to hear him just as

well outside as here.

They go.

HILDY:

Mind if I sit down?

Hildy sits.

CLOSE SHOT DUFFY AND LOUIE

going out of the door. They cast an interested look back and

linger a second. Over scene comes Burns' voice.

BURNS' VOICE

I said scram!

They close the door hurriedly.

MED. CLOSE SHOT BURNS AND HILDY

HILDY:

May I have a cigarette, please?

Burns reaches into his pocket, extracts a cigarette and tosses

it on the desk. Hildy reaches for it.

HILDY:

Thanks. A match?

Burns delves into pockets again, comes up with matchbox,

tosses it to Hildy, who catches it deftly, and strikes the

match.

BURNS:

How long is it?

Hildy finishes lighting her cigarette, takes a puff, and

fans out the match.

HILDY:

How long is what?

BURNS:

You know what. How long since we've

seen each other?

HILDY:

Let's see. I was in Reno six weeks --

then Bermuda... Oh, about four months,

I guess. Seems like yesterday to me.

CLOSEUP BURNS:

BURNS:

(slyly)

Maybe it was yesterday. Been seeing

me in your dreams?

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT THE TWO

HILDY:

(casually)

No -- Mama doesn't dream about you

any more, Walter. You wouldn't know

the old girl now.

BURNS:

(with conviction)

Oh, yes I would. I'd know you any

time --

He grows lyrical and, rising from his seat, is about to start

toward her, as he continues:

BURNS AND HILDY:

(together)

-- any place, anywhere --

He sits.

HILDY:

(half-pityingly)

You're repeating yourself! That's

the speech you made the night you

proposed.

(she burlesques his

fervor)

"-- any time -- any place --

anywhere!"

CLOSE SHOT HILDY AND BURNS

BURNS:

(growling)

I notice you still remember it.

HILDY:

I'll always remember it. If I hadn't

remembered it, I wouldn't have

divorced you.

BURNS:

You know, Hildy, I sort of wish you

hadn't done it.

HILDY:

Done what?

BURNS:

Divorced me. It sort of makes a fellow

lose faith in himself. It almost

gives him a feeling he wasn't wanted.

HILDY:

Holy mackerel! Look, Walter, that's

what divorces are for.

BURNS:

Nonsense. You've got the old-fashioned

idea that divorces are something

that last forever -- till 'death us

do part'. Why, a divorce doesn't

mean anything today. It's only a few

words mumbled over you by a judge.

We've got something between us nothing

can change.

HILDY:

I suppose that's true in a way. I am

fond of you, Walter. I often wish

you weren't such a stinker.

BURNS:

Now, that's a nice thing to say.

HILDY:

Well, why did you promise me you

wouldn't fight the divorce and then

try and gum up the whole works?

BURNS:

Well, I meant to let you go -- but,

you know, you never miss the water

till the well runs dry.

ANOTHER ANGLE:

HILDY:

A fellow your age, hiring an airplane

to write:

(she gestures above

to indicate sky-

writing)

'Hildy:
Don't be hasty -- remember

my dimple. Walter.! It held things

up twenty minutes while the Judge

ran out to watch it.

BURNS:

Well, I don't want to brag, but I've

still got the dimple -- and in the

same place -- I just acted like any

husband who doesn't want to see his

home broken up.

HILDY:

What home?

WALTER:

What home? Don't you remember the

home I promised you?

HILDY:

Oh, yes -- we were to have it right

after our honeymoon -- honeymoon!

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes