His Girl Friday Page #40

Synopsis: When hard-charging New York newspaper editor Walter Burns (Cary Grant) discovers that his ex-wife, investigative reporter Hildy Johnson (Rosalind Russell), has gotten engaged to milquetoast insurance agent Bruce Baldwin (Ralph Bellamy), he unsuccessfully tries to lure her away from tame domestic life with a story about the impending execution of convicted murderer Earl Williams. But when Hildy discovers Williams may be innocent, her reporter instincts take over.
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Production: Columbia Pictures
  2 wins.
 
IMDB:
8.0
Rotten Tomatoes:
98%
PASSED
Year:
1940
92 min
970 Views


CLOSE SHOT HILDY

typing away madly. Bruce comes into the scene.

BRUCE:

Hildy!

HILDY:

(looking up, very

casually)

Hello, Bruce...

She resumes her typing, then suddenly realizes the situation

and jumps up.

HILDY:

BRUCE!! How'd you get out?

BRUCE:

(the hands-off attitude)

Not through any help of yours, Hildy.

HILDY:

Bruce, I know, but I was in the

biggest jam --

BURNS' VOICE

Hildy!

MED. SHOT

As Hildy turns toward his voice, Burns, still with the phone

in his hand, keeps talking to her.

BURNS:

For Pete's sake, Hildy, they're

waiting for the rest of that story!

HILDY:

(resignedly)

Okay, Walter.

(sits down at her

typewriter again)

CLOSE TWO SHOT BRUCE AND HILDY

Hildy begins typing again.

BRUCE:

I waited and waited and then I had

an idea and wired Albany to send me

a hundred dollars so I could get out

on bail...

(desperately)

I don't know what they'll think --

they sent it to the police station!

HILDY:

(she barely stops

typing)

We'll explain the whole thing to

them.

(resumes typing)

BRUCE:

I know I got you into this, Hildy,

but it does seem to me that you can't

care much for me if you're willing

to let me stay locked up for two

hours.

HILDY:

Bruce, you know I'm mad about you

and stop talking like that.

(calling o.s. to Walter)

Walter!

CLOSE SHOT BURNS

BURNS:

(into phone)

Take the President's speech and run

it on the funny page...

(turns to Hildy, o.s.)

What is it, Hildy?

HILDY'S VOICE

What was the name of the Mayor's

first wife?

BURNS:

You mean the one who drank so much?

Tillie!

CLOSE SHOT HILDY AND BRUCE

HILDY:

Thanks.

(she types furiously)

CLOSE SHOT THE DESK

Its top opens slowly and Williams' head sticks out.

CLOSEUP BURNS INCLUDING DESK IN B.G

BURNS:

(screaming)

Get back in there, you mock turtle!

The desk-top falls, the fugitive disappearing within.

CLOSEUP BRUCE:

turning around toward Burns.

BRUCE:

Did you say anything, Mister Burns?

CLOSEUP BURNS:

covering up, fast.

BURNS:

No -- I was just talking to one of

the guys at the office.

(indicating phone in

his hand)

MED. CLOSE SHOT BRUCE AND HILDY

BRUCE:

(to Burns)

Oh.

(turns to Hildy)

I wonder what's keeping mother? She

was supposed to come down and get

you.

HILDY:

Oh, she was here.

BRUCE:

Where'd she go?

HILDY:

Out some place.

She types away. Bruce grabs her and stops her.

BRUCE:

Hildy! Where's mother?

HILDY:

Oh -- mother -- she -- I don't know

where she went.

BRUCE:

Did you give her the money?

HILDY:

No, I was going to give it to her --

but she left hurriedly.

BRUCE:

Then suppose you give me the money.

Four hundred and fifty dollars.

HILDY:

Oh, yes. Here it is.

She gets the wallet. Burns comes into the scene and pulls

another page out of her machine.

HILDY:

Here it is, Bruce. One -- two --

three -- four hundred -- and fifty

dollars.

BRUCE:

(drily)

Thank you.

CLOSEUP BURNS:

watching this with a grin.

MED. SHOT

Featuring the threesome.

BRUCE:

(to Hildy)

And I'll take that certified check,

too. I've decided I can handle things

around here...

BURNS:

Come on, Hildy, we've got to keep

going! Sorry, Bruce, but --

HILDY:

Just a second, Walter. Here, Bruce,

here's the check... And, oh, Bruce,

here's your wallet. I got it back.

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Charles Lederer

Charles Lederer was an American screenwriter and film director. He was born into a prominent theatrical family in New York, and after his parents divorced, was raised in California by his aunt, Marion ... more…

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