It's a Wonderful Life Page #8

UNCLE BILLY (trying to control himself)

Oh, that's fine, Potter, coming from you, considering that you

probably drove him to his grave.

POTTER:

Peter Bailey was not a business man. That's what killed him. Oh,

I don't mean any disrespect to him, God rest his soul. He was a

man of high ideals,

so-called, but ideals without common sense can ruin this town.

(picking up papers from table)

Now, you take this loan here to Ernie Bishop . . . You know, that

fellow that sits around all day on his brains in his taxi. You

know . . . I happen to know the bank

turned down this loan, but he comes here and we're building him a

house worth five thousand dollars. Why?

George is at the door of the office, holding his coat and papers,

ready to leave.

GEORGE:

Well, I handled that, Mr. Potter. You have all the papers there.

His salary, insurance. I can personally vouch for his character.

POTTER (sarcastically)

A friend of yours?

GEORGE:

Yes, sir.

POTTER:

You see, if you shoot pool with some employee here, you can come

and borrow money. What does that get us? A discontented, lazy

rabble instead of a

thrifty working class. And all because a few starry-eyed dreamers

like Peter Bailey stir them up and fill their heads with a lot of

impossible ideas. Now, I say . . .

George puts down his coat and comes around to the table, incensed

by what Potter is saying about his father.

GEORGE:

Just a minute �� just a minute. Now, hold on, Mr. Potter. You're

right when you say my father was no business man. I know that.

Why he ever started

this cheap, penny-ante Building and Loan, I'll never know. But

neither you nor anybody else can say anything against his

character, because his whole life was . . .

Why, in the twenty-five years since he and Uncle Billy started

this thing, he never once thought of himself. Isn't that right,

Uncle Billy? He didn't save enough money

to send Harry to school, let alone me. But he did help a few

people get out of your slums, Mr. Potter. And what's wrong with

that? Why . . . Here, you're all

businessmen here. Doesn't it make them better citizens? Doesn't

it make them better customers? You . . . you said . . . What'd

you say just a minute ago? . . . They

had to wait and save their money before they even ought to think

of a decent home. Wait! Wait for what? Until their children grow

up and leave them? Until they're

so old and broken-down that they . . . Do you know how long it

takes a working man to save five thousand dollars? Just remember

this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble

you're talking about . . . they do most of the working and paying

and living and dying in this community. Well, is it too much to

have them work and pay and live and

die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath? Anyway, my father

didn't think so. People were human beings to him, but to you, a

warped, frustrated old man, they're

cattle. Well, in my book he died a much richer man than you'll

ever be!

POTTER:

I'm not interested in your book. I'm talking about the Building

and Loan.

GEORGE:

I know very well what you're talking about. You're talking about

something you can't get your fingers on, and it's galling you.

That's what you're talking

about, I know.

(to the Board)

Well, I've said too much. I . . . You're the Board here. You do

what you want with this thing. Just one thing more, though. This

town needs this measly one-horse

institution if only to have some place where people can come

without crawling to Potter. Come on, Uncle Billy!

George leaves the room, followed by the jubilant Uncle Billy.

Potter's face is grim with hatred. The "frustrated old man"

remark was gall in his veins.

POTTER:

Sentimental hogwash! I want my motion . . .

He is interrupted by a babble of talk, as the directors take up

the argument.

INTERIOR OUTER OFFICE �� BUILDING AND LOAN �� DAY

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT �� George, visibly shaken, is busy with his

bag, his papers. He is worried about the outcome of the meeting.

Dissolving the

Building and Loan will alter his plans. Uncle Billy follows him

around, chattering.

UNCLE BILLY:

Boy, oh, boy, that was telling him, George, old boy. You shut his

big mouth.

(to Cousin Tilly and Cousin Eustace)

You should have heard him.

COUSIN EUSTACE:

What happened? We heard a lot of yelling.

UNCLE BILLY:

Well, we're being voted out of business after twenty-five years.

Easy come, easy go.

COUSIN TILLY (reading a newspaper)

Here it is, "Help Wanted �� Female."

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT �� DOORWAY TO OFFICE. Ernie is in the doorway.

ERNIE:

You still want me to hang around, George?

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT �� George and the others.

GEORGE (looking at his watch)

Yeah, I'll be right down.

UNCLE BILLY:

Hey, you'll miss your train. You're a week late for school

already. Go on.

GEORGE (indicating Board room)

I wonder what's going on in there?

UNCLE BILLY:

Oh, never mind. Don't worry about that. They're putting us out of

business. So what? I can get another job. I'm only fifty-five.

COUSIN TILLY:

Fifty-six!

UNCLE BILLY:

Go on �� go on. Hey, look, you gave up your boat trip, now you

don't want to miss college too, do you?

Dr. Campbell comes running out, all excited.

DR. CAMPBELL

George! George! They voted Potter down! They want to keep it

going!

Cousin Eustace, Cousin Tilly and Uncle Billy cheer wildly. Dr.

Campbell and George shake hands.

UNCLE BILLY:

Whoopee!

DR. CAMPBELL

But they've got one condition �� only one condition.

GEORGE:

What's that?

DR. CAMPBELL

That's the best part of it. They've appointed George here as

executive secretary to take his father's place.

GEORGE:

Oh, no! But, Uncle Billy . . .

DR. CAMPBELL

You can keep him on. That's all right. As secretary you can hire

anyone you like.

GEORGE (emphatically)

Dr. Campbell, now let's get this thing straight. I'm leaving. I'm

leaving right now. I'm going to school. This is my last chance.

Uncle Billy

here, he's your man.

DR. CAMPBELL

But, George, they'll vote with Potter otherwise.

LAP DISSOLVE:

Railroad station �� Harry's return

EXTERIOR SKY �� NIGHT

The same stars we saw in the opening sequence are once more

twinkling as we hear the voices form Heaven:

CLARENCE'S VOICE

I know. I know. He didn't go.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

That's right. Not only that, but he gave his school money to his

brother Harry, and sent him to college. Harry became a football

star �� made

second team All American.

CLARENCE'S VOICE

Yes, but what happened to George?

LAP DISSOLVE:

EXTERIOR RAILROAD STATION �� DAY �� FOUR YEARS LATER

MEDIUM SHOT �� Characteristic activity; a number of people

waiting for the train. Uncle Billy is seated on a baggage wagon

eating peanuts as George

paces up and down in front of him.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

George got four years older, waiting for Harry to come back and

take over the Building and Loan.

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