It's a Wonderful Life Page #21

GEORGE (shouts)

How should I know? What do you think I am, a dictionary?

He yells at Tommy, noisily playing with his vacuum cleaner.

GEORGE (cont'd)

Tommy, stop that! Stop it!

Janie is still practicing at the piano, monotonously.

GEORGE (cont'd)

(savagely) Janie, haven't you learned that silly tune yet? You've

played it over and over again. Now stop it! Stop it!

INTERIOR LIVING ROOM �� NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT �� The room has suddenly become ominously quiet, the

only SOUND being George's labored breathing. George goes over to

a corner of

the room where his workshop is set up �� a drawing table, several

models of modern buildings, bridges, etc. Savagely he kicks over

the models, picks up

some books and hurls them into the corner. Mary and the children

watch, horrified. George looks around and sees them staring at

him as if he were some

unknown wild animal. The three children are crying.

GEORGE (gasping for breath)

I'm sorry, Mary, Janie. I'm sorry. I didn't mean . . . you go on

and practice. Pete, I owe you an apology, too. I'm sorry. What do

you want to know?

PETE (holding back his tears)

Nothing, Daddy.

Mary and the children stare at him, stunned by his furious

outburst. There is silence in the room.

GEORGE:

What's the matter with everybody? Janie, go on. I told you to

practice.

(shouts) Now, go on, play!

Janie breaks into sobs.

JANIE:

Oh, Daddy . . .

MARY (in an outburst)

George, why must you torture the children? Why don't you . . .

The sight of Mary and the children suffering is too much for

George.

GEORGE:

Mary . . .

He looks around him, then quickly goes out the front door of the

house. Mary goes to the phone, picks it up.

MARY:

Bedford, two-four-seven, please.

PETE:

Is Daddy in trouble?

JANIE:

Shall I pray for him?

MARY:

Yes, Janie, pray very hard.

TOMMY:

Me, too?

MARY:

You too, Tommy.

(on phone)

Hello, Uncle Billy?

WIPE TO:

George asks Potter for help/At Martini's/Clarence saves George

INTERIOR POTTER'S OFFICE IN BANK �� NIGHT �� 8:00 P.M.

MEDIUM CLOSE UP �� Potter is seated at his desk, his goon beside

him. He is signing some papers. George is seated in a chair

before the desk, without

a hat or coat, covered lightly with snow.

GEORGE:

I'm in trouble, Mr. Potter. I need help. Through some sort of an

accident my company's short in their accounts. The bank

examiner's up there today.

I've got to raise eight thousand dollars immediately.

POTTER (casually)

Oh, so that's what the reporters wanted to talk to you about?

GEORGE (incredulous)

The reporters?

POTTER:

Yes. They called me up from your Building and Loan. Oh, there's a

man over there from the D.A.'s office, too. He's looking for you.

GEORGE (desperate)

Please help me, Mr. Potter. Help me, won't you please? Can't you

see what it means to my family? I'll pay you any sort of a bonus

on the

loan . . . any interest. If you still want the Building and Loan,

why I . . .

POTTER (interrupting)

George, could it possibly be there's a slight discrepancy in the

books?

GEORGE:

No, sir. There's nothing wrong with the books. I've just

misplaced eight thousand dollars. I can't find it anywhere.

POTTER (looking up)

You misplaced eight thousand dollars?

GEORGE:

Yes, sir.

POTTER:

Have you notified the police?

GEORGE:

No, sir. I didn't want the publicity. Harry's homecoming tomorrow

. . .

POTTER (snorts)

They're going to believe that one. What've you been doing,

George? Playing the market with the company's money?

GEORGE:

No, sir. No, sir. I haven't.

POTTER:

What is it �� a woman, then? You know, it's all over town that

you've been giving money to Violet Bick.

GEORGE (incredulous)

What?

POTTER:

Not that it makes any difference to me, but why did you come to

me? Why don't you go to Sam Wainwright and ask him for the money?

GEORGE:

I can't get hold of him. He's in Europe.

POTTER:

Well, what about all your other friends?

GEORGE:

They don't have that kind of money, Mr. Potter. You know that.

You're the only one in town that can help me.

POTTER:

I see. I've suddenly become quite important. What kind of

security would I have, George? Have you got any stocks?

GEORGE (shaking his head)

No, sir.

POTTER:

Bonds? Real estate? Collateral of any kind?

GEORGE (pulls out policy)

I have some life insurance, a fifteen thousand dollar policy.

POTTER:

Yes . . . how much is your equity in it?

GEORGE:

Five hundred dollars.

POTTER (sarcastically)

Look at you. You used to be so cocky! You were going to go out

and conquer the world! You once called me a warped, frustrated

old

man. What are you but a warped, frustrated young man? A miserable

little clerk crawling in here on your hands and knees and begging

for help. No securities �� no

stocks �� no bonds �� nothing but a miserable little five hundred

dollar equity in a life insurance policy. You're worth more dead

than alive. Why don't you go to the

riff-raff you love so much and ask them to let you have eight

thousand dollar? You know why? Because they'd run you out of town

on a rail . . .But I'll tell you what

I'm going to do for you, George. Since the state examiner is

still here, as a stockholder of the Building and Loan, I'm going

to swear out a warrant for your arrest.

Misappropriation of funds �� manipulation �� malfeas-

ance . . .

George turns and starts out of the office as Potter picks up the

phone and dials.

POTTER (cont'd)

All right, George, go ahead. You can't hide in a little town like

this.

George is out of the door by now. CAMERA MOVES CLOSER to Potter.

POTTER (cont'd)

(on phone)

Bill? This is Potter.

EXTERIOR MAIN STREET BEDFORD FALLS �� NIGHT

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT �� George comes out of the bank into the

falling snow. He crosses the street, tugs at the door of his old

car, finally steps over

the door, and drives off.

EXTERIOR MARTINI'S BAR �� NIGHT

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT �� An attractive little roadside tavern, with

the name "Martini's" in neon lights on the front wall.

INTERIOR MARTINI'S BAR �� NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT �� The place is an Italian restaurant with bar. The

bottles sparkle. There are Christmas greens and holly decorating

the place. It has a

warm, welcoming spirit, like Martini himself, who is welcoming

new arrivals. The booths and the checkered-cloth-covered tables

are full. There is an air

of festivity and friendliness, and more like a party than a

public drinking place. George is seated at the bar �� he has had

a great deal to drink, far more

than he's accustomed to.

MARTINI'S VOICE (greeting new customers)

Merry Christmas. Glad you came.

MAN'S VOICE

How about some of that good spaghetti?

MARTINI'S VOICE

We got everything.

During this, CAMERA MOVES CLOSER to George. Nick, the bartender,

is watching him solicitously. Seated on the other side of George

is a burly

individual, drinking a glass of beer. George is mumbling:

GEORGE:

God . . . God . . . Dear Father in Heaven, I'm not a praying man,

but if you're up there and you can hear me, show me the way. I'm

at the end of my

rope. Show me the way, God.

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