It's a Wonderful Life Page #17

INTERIOR FACTORY �� DAY

CLOSE SHOT �� Sam Wainwright showing set of blueprints to two

Army officers.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Sam Wainwright made a fortune in plastic hoods for planes.

INTERIOR FACTORY �� DAY

CLOSE SHOT �� Potter is wheeled in toward a long table around

which several men are seated.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Potter became head of the draft board.

POTTER (reading from papers)

One-A . . . One-A . . . One-A . . .

EXTERIOR STREET IN BEDFORD FALLS �� DAY

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT �� Gower and Uncle Billy are conducting a bond

rally from the top of an Army tank.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Gower and Uncle Billy sold war bonds.

EXTERIOR BATTLEFIELD �� NIGHT

MEDIUM CLOSEUP �� Bert, in uniform, moving cautiously with fixed

bayonet. Smoke and flashes of gunfire in background.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Bert the cop was wounded in North Africa. Got the Silver Star.

EXTERIOR SKY �� DAY

LONG SHOT �� Hundreds of planes, flying overhead, with parachutes

dropping from them.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Ernie, the taxi driver, parachuted into France.

EXTERIOR REMAGEN BRIDGE OVER THE RHINE �� DAY

CLOSE SHOT �� Marty in the foreground, beckoning to soldiers to

come on.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Marty helped capture the Remagen Bridge.

INTERIOR READY ROOM ON AIRCRAFT CARRIER �� NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT �� Harry is fastening the helmet of his flying

clothes. He waves as he exits through the door.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Harry . . . Harry Bailey topped them all. A Navy flier, he shot

down fifteen planes.

EXTERIOR OCEAN FROM DECK OF CARRIER �� NIGHT

LONG SHOT �� A flaming plane crashes into the sea.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

. . . two of them as they were about to crash into a transport

full of soldiers.

CLARENCE'S VOICE

Yes, but George . . .

INTERIOR RATION OFFICE �� DAY

CLOSE SHOT �� George, behind the counter, is trying to quiet a

crowd of people all clamoring for more ration points.

GEORGE:

George? Four-F on account of his ear, George fought the battle of

Bedford Falls.

George shouts.

GEORGE:

Hold on . . . hold on . . . hold on now. Don't you know there's a

war on?

EXTERIOR STRET �� NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT �� George, in the uniform of an air raid warden, is

patrolling his beat.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Air raid Warden . . .

EXTERIOR HOUSE �� NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT �� man beside lighted window pulls down the shade as

George blows his whistle.

EXTERIOR STREET �� DAY

CLOSE SHOT �� George is helping load his old car with scrap

paper.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

. . . paper drives . . .

EXTERIOR DUMP �� DAY

CLOSE SHOT �� Wheelbarrow full of junk being dumped onto pile.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

. . . Scrap drives . . .

EXTERIOR STREET �� DAY

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT �� children wheeling old tires.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

. . . Rubber drives . . .

INTERIOR CHURCH �� DAY

MEDIUM SHOT �� People praying in church.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Like everybody else, on V-E Day he wept and prayed.

EXTERIOR CHURCH �� Another angle.

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT �� People entering church.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

On V-J Day he wept and prayed again.

FRANKLIN'S VOICE

Joseph, now show him what happened today.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Yes, sir.

(END OF MONTAGE)

EXTERIOR BEDFORD FALLS STREET �� WINTER �� DAY

George is walking along the sidewalk reading a newspaper. It is a

raw, gusty day, and his overcoat and muffler flap in the breeze.

Draped around one

arm is a large Christmas wreath. Under his other arm are several

more copies of the paper.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

This morning, day before Christmas, about ten A.M. Bedford Falls

time . . .

George comes to where Ernie, the taxi driver, is standing on the

sidewalk.

GEORGE (holding out paper)

Hi, Ernie, look at that.

INSERT:

NEWSPAPER. The front page of the paper, the Bedford Falls

Sentinel. The headline reads

PRESIDENT DECORATES HARRY BAILEY ��

LOCAL BOY WINS CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. The subhead tells of

a plan for a giant jubilee and parade, to be followed by a

banquet, in

honor of Commander Harry Bailey, U.S.N. on his way home from

Washington after receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor.

There's a large picture

of President Truman pinning the coveted medal on Harry's bosom,

in the midst of dignitaries; a picture of the transport which

Harry saved. Practically

the whole front page is devoted to the story.

CLOSE SHOT �� George and Ernie.

ERNIE (kidding)

Gonna snow again.

GEORGE (outraged)

What do you mean �� it's gonna snow again? Look at the headlines.

ERNIE:

I know �� I know �� I know. I think it's marvelous.

Gower comes running across the street from his drugstore and

joins them.

GEORGE (reading)

Commander Harry Bailey. Mr. Gower, look at this �� the second

page.

(gives them papers)

Now look, this is for you. This is for you, this is for you.

(as he leaves)

See you again.

EXTERIOR STREET �� DAY

MEDIUM LONG SHOT �� Uncle Billy is walking along the street,

humming happily to himself. He sees some men decorating the Court

House with

banners and bunting �� there is a huge sign reading

Welcome Home Harry Bailey.

UNCLE BILLY (calls out)

Be sure you spell the name right.

INTERIOR OUTER OFFICE BUILDING AND LOAN �� DAY

FULL SHOT �� The offices are unchanged, still small-time and old-

fashioned. The same office force, albeit a few years older

Cousin Tilly and Cousin

Eustace. Seated on a chair is a middle-aged man with a brief

case. The outer door opens and George enters:

GEORGE:

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Cousin Tilly and Cousin Eustace are talking on the phone.

COUSIN EUSTACE:

George! George! It's Harry now on long distance from Washington!

GEORGE:

Harry! What do you know about that?

COUSIN EUSTACE:

He reversed the charges. It's okay, isn't it?

GEORGE:

What do you mean it's okay? For a hero?

(takes the phone)

Harry! Oh, you old seven kinds of a son of a gun.

Congratulations! How's Mother standing it? . . . She did? What do

you know . . .

(to Eustace)

Mother had lunch with the President's wife!

COUSIN TILLY:

Wait till Martha hears about this.

COUSIN EUSTACE:

What did they have to eat?

GEORGE (on phone)

What did they have to eat? Harry, you should see what they're

cooking up in the town for you . . . Oh, are they?

(to Eustace)

The Navy's going to fly Mother home this afternoon.

COUSIN EUSTACE:

In a plane?

GEORGE:

What? Uncle Billy?

(to Eustace)

Has Uncle Billy come in yet?

COUSIN TILLY:

No, he stopped at the bank first.

GEORGE (on phone)

He's not here right now, Harry.

Cousin Eustace has turned away from George and caught a glimpse

of the man waiting in the chair. This is Carter, the bank

examiner, come for his

annual audit of the books of the Building and Loan.

GEORGE (cont'd)

(on phone) But look . . .

COUSIN EUSTACE (interrupting)

George . . .

GEORGE (on phone)

. . . now tell me about it.

COUSIN EUSTACE (interrupting)

. . . George, that man's here again.

GEORGE:

What man?

COUSIN EUSTACE (nervously)

Bank . . . bank examiner.

GEORGE:

Oh . . .

(on phone) Talk to Eustace a minute, will you. I'll be right

back.

He gives the phone to Eustace, puts down his wreath and goes over

to Carter.

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