It's a Wonderful Life Page #14

GEORGE:

I wish they were too. Okay, let's put them in the safe and see

what happens.

The four of them parade through the office; George puts the two

dollars in the safe.

CLOSE SHOT �� group around the safe door. As George comes out:

COUSIN EUSTACE (handing out cigars)

Wedding cigars!

GEORGE (startled)

Oh-oh . . wedding! Holy mackerel, I'm married! Where's Mary? Mary

. . .

(he runs around looking for her)

Poor Mary. Look, I've got a train to catch.

(looks at his watch)

Well, the train's gone. I wonder if Ernie's still here with his

taxicab?

George rushes into his office to look out the window.

COUSIN TILLY (on telephone)

George, there's a call for you.

GEORGE:

Look, will you get my wife on the phone? She's probably over at

her mother's.

COUSIN TILLY:

Mrs. Bailey is on the phone.

INTERIOR GEORGE'S OFFICE

MEDIUM CLOSEUP �� George is thoroughly rattled.

GEORGE:

I don't want Mrs. Bailey. I want my wife. Mrs. Bailey! Oh, that's

my wife! Here, I'll take it in here.

(picks up phone)

Mary? Hello. Listen, dear, I'm sorry . . . What? Come home? What

home? Three-twenty Sycamore? Well, what . . . whose home is that?

The Waldorf Hotel, huh?

WIPE TO:

"Welcome home, Mr. Bailey"

EXTERIOR OLD GRANVILLE HOUSE �� NIGHT

MEDIUM LONG SHOT �� An old-fashioned, run-down house, unpainted

and warped by the weather. It once had class but has not been

lived in for

years. This is the house that George and Mary will live in from

now on. The rain is pouring down. A faint glow of light shines

out from bottom windows.

George hurries into scene. He stops to make sure it is the right

number before going up the steps.

EXTERIOR SIDE OF HOUSE �� NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT �� Bert and man working in rain, sorting through

travel posters.

MAN:

Hey, this is the company's posters, and the company won't like

this.

BERT:

How would you like to get a ticket next week? Haven't you any

romance in you?

MAN:

Sure I have, but I got rid of it.

BERT (reading poster)

Liver pills! Who wants to see liver pills on their honeymoon?

What? They want romantic places, beautiful places . . . places

George wants

to go.

A sharp whistle is heard.

CLOSE SHOT �� window of house. Ernie is leaning from the window.

ERNIE:

Hey, Bert, here he comes.

CLOSE SHOT �� Bert and man.

BERT:

Come on, we got to get this up. He's coming.

MAN:

Who?

BERT:

The groom, idiot. Come on, get that ladder.

MAN (disgustedly)

What are they �� ducks?

CLOSE SHOT �� side porch of house. Bert and the man are putting

up travel posters to cover up the broken windows.

BERT:

Get that ladder up here.

MAN:

All right �� all right.

BERT:

Hurry up . . . hurry up . . . hurry up.

MAN:

I'm hurrying.

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT �� George is approaching the front door of the

house, on which a sign is hanging

"Bridal Suite." Ernie looks out through the

curtain covering the broken glass of the front door.

ERNIE:

Hiya . . . Good evening, sir.

Ernie opens the door, revealing himself as a homemade butler.

This has been accomplished by rolling up his pants and putting on

an old coachman's hat.

George enters.

ERNIE:

Entray, monsieur, entray.

INTERIOR GRANVILLE HOUSE �� NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT �� George enters. The house is carpetless, empty ��

the rain and wind cause funny noises upstairs. A huge fire is

burning in the fireplace.

Near the fireplace a collection of packing boxes are heaped

together in the shape of a small table and covered with a

checkered oil cloth. It is set for two.

A bucket with ice and a champagne bottle sit on the table as well

as a bowl of caviar. Two small chickens are impaled on a spit

over the fire. A

phonograph is playing on a box, and a string from the phonograph

is turning the chickens on the spit. The phonograph is playing

"Song of the Islands."

Mary is standing near the fireplace looking as pretty as any

bride ever looked. She is smiling at George, who has been slowly

taking in the whole set-up.

Through a door he sees the end of a cheap bed, over the back of

which is a pair of pajamas and a nightie. Ernie exits and closes

the door.

MARY (tears in her eyes)

Welcome home, Mr. Bailey.

GEORGE (overcome)

Well, I'll be . . . Mary, Mary, where did you . . .

They rush into each other's arms and hold each other in ecstasy.

EXTERIOR SIDE OF HOUSE �� NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT �� Bert and Ernie, standing in the pouring rain, start

singing "I Love You Truly."

INTERIOR HOUSE �� NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT �� George and Mary. They remain embraced.

GEORGE:

Oh, Mary . . .

MARY:

Remember the night we broke the windows in this old house? This

is what I wished for.

GEORGE:

Darling, you're wonderful.

EXTERIOR SIDE OF HOUSE �� NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT �� Bert and Ernie. They finish their song, and Ernie

kisses Bert on the forehead. Bert slams Ernie's hat on his head.

FADE OUT:

Martini gets a home of his own/George is tempted by Potter/George

lassos stork

FADE IN:

EXTERIOR SLUM STREET BEDFORD FALLS �� DAY �� TWO YEARS LATER

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT �� In front of one of the miserable shacks that

line the street are two vehicles. One of them is George Bailey's

rickety car, and

the other is an even more rickety truck piled high with household

goods. The Martini family is moving. The family consists of

Martini, his wife and four

kid of various ages, from two to ten. George and Mary are helping

the Martinis move. About a dozen neighbors crowd around. Martini

and George,

assisted by three of the Martini children, are carrying out the

last of the furniture. As they emerge from the house, one of the

neighbors, Schultz, calls out:

SCHULTZ:

Martini, you rented a new house?

MARTINI:

Rent?

(to George)

You hear what he say, Mr. Bailey?

GEORGE:

What's that?

MARTINI:

I own the house. Me, Giuseppe Martini. I own my own house. No

more we live like pigs in thisa Potter's Field. Hurry, Maria.

MARIA:

Yes . . .

GEORGE:

Come on . . .

(to Mary)

Bring the baby.

(to Martini)

I'll bring the kids in the car.

MARTINI:

Oh, thank you, Mr. Bailey.

Mary gets in the front seat of the car, with the baby in her

arms.

GEORGE:

All right, kids �� here �� get in here. Now get right up on the

seat there. Get the . . . get the goat!

The family goat gets in the back seat with the three kids.

MARTINI:

Goodbye, everybody!

GEORGE:

All in . . .

The rickety caravan starts off down the street, to the cheers of

the neighbors.

WIPE TO:

EXTERIOR BAILEY PARK �� DAY

CLOSE SHOT �� Sign hanging from a tree

"Welcome to Bailey Park." CAMERA PANS TO follow George's car and

the old truck laden with furniture as

they pass �� we hear Martini's voice singing "O Sole Mio." Bailey

Park is a district of new small houses, not all alike, but each

individual. New lawns

here and there, and young trees. It has the promise when built up

of being a pleasant little middle class section.

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