His Girl Friday Page #33

He points the gun at Hildy, pulls the trigger and we hear a

faint "click!"

WILLIAMS:

(weakly)

I guess I used all the shells.

CLOSE TWO SHOT:

He drops the gun and clutches at the edge of the desk for

support. Hildy lurches forward and she grabs the other side

of the desk for support. And at this moment she looks more

tired than he does. She looks at Earl and breathes heavily.

HILDY:

Earl, you must never do that again.

WILLIAMS:

Oh, I'm awful tired. I couldn't go

through another day like this.

HILDY:

(more her old self

now)

Well, maybe you think I could!

CAMERA FOLLOWS HER as she retrieves the gun and jams it in

her purse, jumps to the windows, pulls down the shades.

EARL'S VOICE

I'm not afraid to die. I was tellin'

the fella that when he handed me the

gun.

Hildy crosses swiftly to the door, locks it and puts out the

lights, so that they are visible only faintly in the light

from the areaway.

HILDY:

Don't talk too loud.

WILLIAMS:

(babbling on as she

moves about)

Wakin' me up in the middle of the

night -- talkin' to me about things

they don't understand. Callin' me a

Bolshevik. I'm an anarchist. It's

got nothin' to do with bombs. It's

the philosophy that guarantees every

man freedom. You see that, don't

you?

HILDY:

Sure I do, Earl.

Hildy is looking around for a hiding place for him.

WILLIAMS:

I wish they'd take me back and hang

me. I done my best.

He abruptly crumples and falls to the floor. Hildy stands

for a second, desperate. Then she picks him up and half

carries, half drags him over toward a chair and places him

in it. Then she makes a quick dash for her phone.

HILDY:

(into phone)

Hello... Gimme Walter Burns -- quick!

Another phone there rings. Hildy answers it, propping the

receiver of her own phone between ear and shoulder.

CLOSEUP HILDY AT PHONE

HILDY:

(into second phone)

Hello -- hel -- Oh, hello, Bruce...

Oh, Bruce, please -- I know I said

I'd be down in fifteen minutes, but

something terrific's happened! Hang

on, Bruce --

(into first phone)

Walter?... Hildy. Come over here --

right away!... Wait!

(into second phone)

Bruce, just a second, Bruce -- I'll

explain everything.

(into first phone)

Walter! Get this: I've got Earl

Williams... Yes! Here in the Press

Room... Honest! On the level. Hurry --

I need you.

She hangs up and turns into second phone.

HILDY:

Bruce, this is the biggest thing

that ever happened...

(lowers voice)

I just captured Earl Williams -- you

know -- the murderer --

There is a knocking on the door, but she doesn't hear it.

HILDY:

Bruce, I'll be down -- Well, Bruce,

the minute I turn him over to the

paper I'll be right down. Bruce,

don't you -- Bruce, I can't now -- I

can't, don't you realize?

There is a click from the phone. He has hung up. Hildy

dejectedly hangs up the phone. There is the sound of knocking

on the door. She springs up.

MED. SHOT

taking in door. Hildy glares apprehensively, then crosses to

it.

HILDY:

(cautiously)

Who's there?

MOLLIE'S VOICE

It's me, Mollie Malloy! Let me in.

Hildy carefully unlocks the door. Mollie bounds in like a

wildcat and seizes her.

MOLLIE:

Where are they gone? You know where

they are?

HILDY:

Wait a minute, Mollie.

She manages to relock the door, then turns, leaning against

it, facing Mollie.

CLOSE SHOT HILDY AND MOLLIE

MOLLIE:

They got him surrounded some place --

gonna shoot him like a dog!

HILDY:

Mollie, they haven't got him. You

gotta help me, Mollie! We've got to

do something!

MOLLIE:

What do you mean?

There is a sound -- a groan -- as Williams starts to come

to.

MOLLIE:

(spinning around)

What's that?

HILDY:

Quiet, Mollie!

MOLLIE:

There's somethin' funny going on

around here.

MED. SHOT

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