Meet John Doe
- NOT RATED
- Year:
- 1941
- 122 min
- 1,281 Views
FADE IN:
EXT. BULLETIN OFFICE - SIDEWALK
CLOSE-UP:
Of a time-worn plaque against the side of abuilding. It reads:
THE BULLETIN:
"A free press for a free people."
While we read this, a pair of hands come in holding
pneumatic chisel which immediately attacks the sign. As
the lettering is being obliterated,
DISSOLVE TO:
CLOSE-UP:
A new plaque on which the lettering has beenchanged to:
THE NEW BULLETIN "A streamlined newspaper fora streamlined era."
CUT TO:
INT. BULLETIN OUTER OFFICE.
MED. SHOT:
At a door at which a sign-painter works. He ispainting HENRY CONNELL's name on the door. It opens and a
flip office boy emerges. The painter has to wait until the
door closes in order to resume his work.
FULL SHOT:
Of the outer office. The activity of the officeseems to suddenly cease, as all eyes are centered on the
office boy.
MED. SHOT—PANNING: With the office boy—who has a small
sheet of paper in his hand. He walks jauntily to a desk,
refers to his paper, points his finger to a woman, emits a
short whistle through his teeth, runs a finger across his
throat and jerks his thumb toward managing editor's office.
The woman stares starkly at him while her immediate
neighbors look on with sympathy. The office boy now goes
through the same procedure with several other people. All
watch him, terror written in their eyes.
MED. SHOT:
Toward CONNELL's office door where painter works.It opens and three people emerge. Two men and a girl. The
girl is young and pretty. All three look dourful. The
painter again has to wait for the door to shut before
resuming his work. The two men exit. The girl suddenly
stops.
CLOSE SHOT:
Of the girl. Her name is ANN MITCHELL. Shestands, thinking, and then suddenly, impulsively, wheels
around. CAMERA PANS with her as she returns to CONNELL's
office door, flings it open and disappears. The painter
remains poised with his brush, waiting for the door to
swing back. There is a slight flash of resentment in his
eyes.
INT. CONNELL'S OFFICE
FULL SHOT:
CONNELL is behind his desk on which is a trayof sandwiches and a glass of milk, half gone. Near him
sits POP DWYER, another veteran newspaperman. ANN crosses
to CONNELL's desk.
CONNELL:
(on phone)
Yeh, D. B. Oh, just cleaning out
the dead-wood. Okay.
ANN:
(supplicatingly)
Look, Mr. Connell . . . I just
can't afford to be without work
right now, not even for a day.
I've got a mother and two kid
sisters to . . .
Secretary enters. (Her name is Mattie.)
SECRETARY:
More good luck telegrams.
ANN:
Well, you know how it is, I, I've
just got to keep working. See?
CONNELL:
Sorry, sister. I was sent down
here to clean house. I told yuh I
can't use your column any more.
It's lavender and old lace!
(flicks dictograph
button)
MATTIE:
(over dictograph)
Yeah?
CONNELL:
Send those other people in.
MATTIE:
(over dictograph)
Okay.
ANN:
I'll tell you what I'll do. I get
thirty dollars a week. I'll take
twenty-five, twenty if necessary.
I'll do anything you say.
CONNELL:
It isn't the money. We're after
circulation. What we need is
fireworks. People who can hit with
sledge hammers—start arguments.
ANN:
Oh, I can do that. I know this
town inside out. Oh, give me a
chance, please.
She can get no further, for several people enter. They are
cowed and frightened. ANN hesitates a moment, then, there
being nothing for her to do, she starts to exit. She is
stopped by CONNELL's voice.
CONNELL:
All right, come in, come in! Come
in!
(to Ann)
Cashier's got your check.
(back to others)
Who are these people? Gibbs,
Frowley, Cunningham, Jiles—
(to Ann at door)
Hey, you, sister!
Ann turns.
CONNELL:
Don't forget to get out your last
column before you pick up your
check!
ANN's eyes flash angrily as she exits.
INT. OUTER OFFICE.
MED. SHOT:
ANN storms out. The painter again has to waitfor the door to swing back to him.
INT. ANN'S OFFICE.
FULL SHOT:
ANN enters her office and paces around, furious.A man in alpaca sleeve-bands enters. His name is JOE.
JOE:
You're a couple o' sticks shy in
your column, Ann.
ANN:
(ignores him,
muttering . . .)
A big, rich slob like D. B. Norton
buys a paper—and forty heads are
chopped off!
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"Meet John Doe" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Dec. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/meet_john_doe_492>.
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