His Girl Friday Page #51

BURNS:

Does it? You forget the power that

always watches over the Morning Post.

MAYOR:

Your luck's not with you now!

HARTMAN:

(into phone)

Cooley?... I caught Williams single-

handed -- we're going to proceed

with the hanging per schedule!

He wiggles the hook for another call.

BURNS:

(to Mayor)

You're going to be in office for

exactly two days more and then we're

pulling your nose out of the feed

bag.

HARTMAN:

(into phone)

Give me the District Attorney's

office.

(to Burns)

I'll tell you what you'll be doing --

making brooms in the State

penitentiary.

(into phone)

Hello, D'Arrasty! This is Hartwell.

Come over to my office, will you?

I've just arrested a couple of

important birds and I want to take

their confessions.

He hangs up. Burns makes a sudden lunge for the Morning Post

phone and cries into it.

BURNS:

(into phone)

Duffy! Get Liebowitz!

MAYOR:

All the lawyers in the world aren't

going to help you!

BURNS:

This is the Morning Post you're

talking to!

MAYOR:

(enjoying himself)

The power of the press, huh!

He laughs. Pinkus, the Governor's messenger, plentifully

stewed, reels in the door. He approaches the Mayor and Sheriff

who have their backs to him.

BURNS:

(at the Mayor)

Bigger men than you have found out

what the power of the press is...

President!... Yes -- and Kings!

PINKUS:

(woozy; handing Sheriff

the reprieve over

his shoulder)

Here's your reprieve.

The Mayor and Sheriff spin around.

MAYOR:

(in a panic)

Get out of here!

PINKUS:

You can't bribe me!

BURNS:

What's this?

HARTMAN:

Get out of here, you!

PINKUS:

I won't. Here's your reprieve.

HILDY:

What?

PINKUS:

I don't want to be City Sealer. I

don't like seals anyhow. They smell.

MAYOR:

Who is this man?

HARTMAN:

(to an officer)

Throw him out, Frank.

HILDY:

(seizing Pinkus with

her free hand)

Who was bribing you?

Burns also seizes Pinkus who is being pulled out of shape.

PINKUS:

They wouldn't take it.

MAYOR:

You're insane!

BURNS:

(triumphant)

What did I tell you? An unseen power!

(to Pinkus)

What's your name?

PINKUS:

Silas F. Pinkus.

MAYOR:

You drunken idiot! Arrest him! The

idea of coming here with a cock-and-

bull story like that!

HARTMAN:

It's a frame-up! Some imposter!

HILDY:

Wait a minute!

(to the officers)

Let go there!

BURNS:

(to Sheriff and Mayor)

Murder, uh?

HILDY:

Hanging an innocent man to win an

election!

HARTMAN:

That's a lie!!

MAYOR:

I never saw him before!

BURNS:

(to Pinkus)

When did you deliver this first?

HILDY:

Who did you talk to?

PINKUS:

They started right in bribing me!

HILDY:

Who's 'they'?

PINKUS:

(indicating the Mayor

and Sheriff)

Them!

MAYOR:

That's absurd on the face of it, Mr.

Burns! He's talking like a child.

BURNS:

Out of the mouths of babes.

MAYOR:

He's insane or drunk or something.

Why, if this unfortunate man,

Williams, has really been reprieved,

I personally am tickled to death.

Aren't you, Pete?

HILDY:

Go on, you'd kill your mother to get

elected!

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes