Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

FADE IN:

EXTERIOR - MONTAGE 1. QUICK SHOTS OF A CAR SPEEDING AROUND

CURVES IN A MOUNTAINOUS REGION. THE CAR JUMPS A BRIDGE,

HURTLES INTO SPACE, CRASHES IN A FIREBALL. FOLLOWED BY

NEWSBOYS HAWKING SPECIAL EDITIONS, PEOPLE ON STREETCORNERS

BUYING AND READING NEWSPAPERS WITH A SUCCESSION OF BANNER

HEADLINES:

"MARTIN W. SEMPLE, FINANCIER, DIES IN ITALY,"

"CIVIC LEADER KILLED IN AUTO ACCIDENT,"

"DISCLOSURE OF BANKER'S WILL AWAITED" AND FINALLY "SEMPLE

HEIR AS YET UNKNOWN"

DISSOLVE TO:

INTERIOR - EDITOR'S OFFICE, DAILY MAIL

2. CLOSE SHOT

of Mac, the editor, at his desk, barking into the telephone.

MAC:

Say listen, Corny, who do you think

you're talking to? If the Semple

attorneys don't know who the heir

is, who does?

(listens)

Aw, come on Corny, I've done you a

lot of favors. What do you say -

who's getting the Semple dough?

CUT TO:

INTERIOR - CEDAR'S PRIVATE OFFICE

3. CLOSE SHOT

Of Cornelius Cobb - a hardened ex-newspaperman, customarily

impatient, grouchy and nervous - victim of the New York

tempo. His friends call him "Corny."

COBB:

(on the phone)

You're asking the wrong guy, Mac.

I'm only a press agent.

THE CAMERA PULLS BACK GRADUALLY TO REVEAL a plush law

office, leather chairs and shelves of books. Arthur Cedar,

attorney, briskly enters scene and seats himself at his

desk. Cedar is in the neighborhood of fifty - grey-templed -

dignified - sharp. Cobb is using the phone on his desk.

Cedar glances at him.

CEDAR:

Newspaperman?

COBB:

(covering mouthpiece -

confidentially)

Wants to know who the heir is.

CEDAR:

(firmly)

Hang up.

COBB:

(returning to the

phone)

Sorry, Mac, I can't. Yeah, Mac.

Sure, but I ain't the attorney—

CEDAR:

(more firmly)

Hang up.

THE CAMERA PULLS BACK FURTHER TO REVEAL another attorney

at one end of the desk, reviewing a pile of papers.

COBB:

(continuing)

Mr. Cedar is, and I haven't seen

him in two days.

(hangs up the phone)

Listen, Cedar, we've got to do

something about the newspapers.

CEDAR:

(barely glancing up)

I'm not interested in the

newspapers.

COBB:

But it's a great story. Somewhere

in this country a guy is walking

into twenty million bucks.

CEDAR:

Yes, I know. My first concern is

to locate the lucky man. When I

do, it's your job to keep the

newspapers away from him.

COBB:

(resignedly)

It's okay with me as long as my

weekly stipend keeps coming in.

THE CAMERA PULLS BACK TO A FULL SHOT as two men rush in

with a flurry of excitement. One of them is Anderson, an

obsequious employee of Cedar's. With him is another lawyer,

one of the Cedar brothers.

ANDERSON:

We located him, Mr. Cedar! We found

out where he is.

CEDAR:

Good!

FIRST BROTHER:

Yes, John, we got him.

ANDERSON:

Here's the report: Longfellow Deeds,

single, 28, lives in Mandrake Falls,

Vermont.

CEDAR:

(glancing at the

report)

Thank heaven.

FIRST BROTHER:

Better wire him right away, John.

CEDAR:

I'll do no such thing. I'm going

there myself. You're going with me

too, Anderson - and you too, Cobb.

He pushes a button on the intercom.

VOICE:

Yes?

CEDAR:

Make three reservations on the

first train out to Mandrake Falls,

Vermont.

VOICE:

(skeptically)

Where?

CEDAR:

Mandrake Falls.

(begins to spell as

scene fades)

M-A-N—

CUT TO:

EXT. A STATION

4. MEDIUM SHOT

It is a pleasantly rural scene - with just a handful of

local characters scattered about. At one end of the platform -

some mail - newspapers - and a few pieces of freight are

being loaded. Cedar, Cobb and Anderson stand in front of a

welcome sign. The three obviously are out of their element

here - obviously "City folks."

Over their shoulders. We hear Cobb's voice as he reads:

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