It's a Wonderful Life Page #13

As George speaks, sirens are heard passing in the street below.

The crowd turn to the windows, then back to George.

GEORGE (cont'd)

I have some news for you, folks. I've just talked to old man

Potter, and he's guaranteed cash payments at the bank. The bank's

going to

reopen next week.

ED:

But, George, I got my money here.

CHARLIE:

Did he guarantee this place?

GEORGE:

Well, no, Charlie. I didn't even ask him. We don't need Potter

over here.

Mary and Ernie have come into the room during this scene. Mary

stands watching silently.

CHARLIE:

I'll take mine now.

GEORGE:

No, but you . . . you . . . you're thinking of this place all

wrong. As if I had the money back in a safe. The money's not

here. Your money's in Joe's

house . . .

(to one of the men)

. . . right next to yours. And in the Kennedy house, and Mrs.

Macklin's house, and a hundred others. Why, you're lending them

the money to build, and then, they're

going to pay it back to you as best they can. Now what are you

going to do? Foreclose on them?

TOM:

I got two hundred and forty-two dollars in here, and two hundred

and forty-two dollars isn't going to break anybody.

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT �� ANOTHER ANGLE

GEORGE (handing him a slip)

Okay, Tom. All right. Here you are. You sign this. You'll get

your money in sixty days.

TOM:

Sixty days?

GEORGE:

Well, now that's what you agreed to when you bought your shares.

There is a commotion at the outer doors. A man (Randall) comes in

and makes his way up to Tom.

RANDALL:

Tom . . . Tom, did you get your money?

TOM:

No.

RANDALL:

Well, I did. Old man Potter'll pay fifty cents on the dollar for

every share you got.

(shows bills)

CROWD (ad lib)

Fifty cents on the dollar!

RANDALL:

Yes, cash!

TOM (to George)

Well, what do you say?

GEORGE:

Now, Tom, you have to stick to your original agreement. Now give

us sixty days on this.

TOM (turning to Randall)

Okay, Randall.

He starts out.

MRS. THOMPSON

Are you going to go to Potter's?

TOM:

Better to get half than nothing.

A few other people start for the door. CAMERA PANS WITH George as

he vaults over the counter quickly, speaking to the people.

GEORGE:

Tom! Tom! Randall! Now wait . . . now listen . . . now listen to

me. I beg of you not to do this thing. If Potter gets hold of

this Building and Loan there'll

never be another decent house built in this town. He's already

got charge of the bank. He's got the bus line. He's got the

department stores. And now he's after us.

Why? Well, it's very simple. Because we're cutting in on his

business, that's why. And because he wants to keep you living in

his slums and paying the kind of rent he

decides.

The people are still trying to get out, but some of them have

stood still, listening to him. George has begun to make an

impression on them.

GEORGE (cont'd)

Joe, you lived in one of his houses, didn't you? Well, have you

forgotten? Have you forgotten what he charged you for that

broken-down

shack?

(to Ed)

Here, Ed. You know, you remember last year when things weren't

going so well, and you couldn't make your payments. You didn't

lose your house, did you? Do

you think Potter would have let you keep it?

(turns to address the room again)

Can't you understand what's happening here? Don't you see what's

happening? Potter isn't selling. Potter's buying! And why?

Because we're panicky and he's not.

That's why. He's picking up some bargains. Now, we can get

through this thing all right. We've got to stick together,

though. We've got to have faith in each other.

MRS. THOMPSON

But my husband hasn't worked in over a year, and I need money.

WOMAN:

How am I going to live until the bank opens?

MAN:

I got doctor bills to pay.

MAN:

I need cash.

MAN:

Can't feed my kids on faith.

During this scene Mary has come up behind the counter. Suddenly,

as the people once more start moving toward the door, she holds

up a roll of bills and

calls out:

MARY:

How much do you need?

George jumps over the counter and takes the money from Mary.

GEORGE:

Hey! I got two thousand dollars! Here's two thousand dollars.

This'll tide us over until the bank reopen.

(to Tom)

All right, Tom, how much do you need?

TOM (doggedly)

Two hundred and forty-two dollars!

GEORGE (pleading)

Aw, Tom, just enough to tide you over till the bank reopens.

TOM:

I'll take two hundred and forty-two dollars.

George starts rapidly to count out the money. Tom throws his

passbook on the counter.

GEORGE:

There you are.

TOM:

That'll close my account.

GEORGE:

Your account's still here. That's a loan.

Mary turns and slips out through the crowd, followed by Ernie.

George hands the two hundred and forty-two dollars to Tom, and

speaks to Ed, the next

in line.

GEORGE (cont'd)

Okay. All right, Ed?

ED:

I got three hundred dollars here, George.

Uncle Billy takes out his wallet and takes out all the cash he's

got.

GEORGE:

Aw, now, Ed . . . what'll it take till the bank reopens? What do

you need?

ED:

Well, I suppose twenty dollars.

GEORGE:

Twenty dollars. Now you're talking. Fine. Thanks, Ed.

(to Mrs. Thompson, next in line)

All right, now, Mrs. Thompson. How much do you want?

MRS. THOMPSON

But it's your own money, George.

GEORGE:

Never mind about that. How much do you want?

MRS. THOMPSON

I can get along with twenty, all right.

GEORGE (counting it out)

Twenty dollars.

MRS. THOMPSON

And I'll sign a paper.

GEORGE:

You don't have to sign anything. I know you'll pay it back when

you can. That's okay.

(to woman next in line)

All right, Mrs. Davis.

MRS. DAVIS

Could I have seventeen-fifty?

GEORGE:

Seven . . .

(he kisses her)

Bless your heart, Of course you can have it. You got fifty cents?

(counting)

Seven . . .

WIPE TO:

INTERIOR OUTER OFFICE BUILDING AND LOAN �� NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT �� George, Uncle Billy and Cousin Tilly are behind the

counter, watching the minute hand of a clock on the wall as

George counts off the

seconds. Cousin Eustace is ready to close the door.

UNCLE BILLY (excitedly)

We're going to make it, George. They'll never close us up today!

GEORGE (counting)

Six . . . five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . . one . . .

Bingo!

Cousin Eustace slams and locks the door, and scurries around the

counter to join the others.

GEORGE (cont'd)

We made it! Look . . .

(holds up two bills)

. . . look, we're still in business! We've still got two bucks

left!

Uncle Billy is taking a drink out of his bottle.

GEORGE (cont'd)

Well, let's have some of that. Get some glasses, Cousin Tilly.

(to Uncle Billy)

We're a couple of financial wizards.

UNCLE BILLY:

Those Rockefellers!

GEORGE:

Get a tray for these great big important simoleons.

UNCLE BILLY:

We'll save them for seed. A toast!

They raise their glasses.

GEORGE:

A toast! A toast to Papa Dollar and to Mama Dollar, and if you

want the old Building and Loan to stay in business, you better

have a family real quick.

COUSIN TILLY:

I wish they were rabbits.

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