Mr. Deeds Goes to Town Page #11

DOUGLAS:

Quite right! Now, gentlemen, the

next business will be—

MED. CLOSE SHOT

Featuring Longfellow, as he interrupts:

LONGFELLOW:

Wait a minute. What does the

Chairman do?

DOUGLAS:

Why, the Chairman presides at the

meetings.

LONGFELLOW:

That's what I thought. If you don't

mind, I'm rather interested in the

Treasurer's report. I'd like to

hear it.

There is an uncomfortable shuffle. For a few minutes, no

one speaks. From the rear, a tall man rises.

59. CLOSE SHOT

Featuring treasurer.

TREASURER:

The treasurer reports a deficit of

$180,000 for the current year.

CLOSE SHOT - LONGFELLOW

He is stunned.

LONGFELLOW:

A deficit! You mean we've lost

that much?

61. WIDER ANGLE

To include all at table.

DOUGLAS:

You see, Mr. Deeds, the opera is

not conducted for profit.

LONGFELLOW:

It isn't? What is it conducted

for?

DOUGLAS:

Why, it's an artistic institution—

LONGFELLOW:

We own an opera house, don't we?

A VOICE:

We do.

LONGFELLOW:

And we give shows?

DOUGLAS:

We provide opera.

LONGFELLOW:

But you charge. I mean, you sell

tickets?

VOICE:

Of course.

LONGFELLOW:

And it doesn't pay?

DOUGLAS:

That's impossible. The opera has

never paid.

LONGFELLOW:

(conclusively)

Well, then, we must give the wrong

kind of shows.

Cobb smiles. The directors are stumped.

MED. CLOSE SHOT

Featuring Douglas and Longfellow.

DOUGLAS:

The wrong kind! There isn't any

wrong or right kind. Opera is opera!

LONGFELLOW:

I guess it is. But I personally

wouldn't care to be head of a

business that kept losing money.

That wouldn't be common sense.

Incidentally, where is the $180,000

coming from?

DOUGLAS:

Well, we were rather expecting it

to come from you.

LONGFELLOW:

Me?!

DOUGLAS:

Naturally.

LONGFELLOW:

Excuse me, gentlemen, there's

nothing natural about that .

He is suddenly startled. His ears prick up.

SHOT OF DIRECTORS

They all stare at Longfellow. Over scene comes the low

wailing cry of a siren, which increases in volume as it

gets closer to the building.

64. MEDIUM SHOT

Longfellow jumps up.

LONGFELLOW:

Hey, a fire engine!

He rushes to the window and peers out. The others stare

unbelievably. The shriek of the siren finally dies down.

Longfellow turns back.

LONGFELLOW:

(admiringly)

Gee, that was a pip![4]

(as he goes back to

his seat)

We expect we're going to have one

like that in Mandrake Falls pretty

soon – with a siren, too.

There is a pause while he gets seated.

LONGFELLOW:

Now, where were we?

MED. CLOSE SHOT AT TABLE

DOUGLAS:

You see, Mr. Deeds, the opera is

not conducted like any ordinary

business.

LONGFELLOW:

Why not?

DOUGLAS:

Because it just isn't a business,

that's all!

LONGFELLOW:

Well, maybe it isn't to you, but

it certainly is a business to me,

if I have to make up a loss of

$180,000. If it's losing that much

money, there must be something

wrong. Maybe you charge too much.

Maybe you're selling bad

merchandise. Maybe lots of things.

I don't know. You see, I expect to

do a lot of good with that money.

And I can't afford to put it into

anything that I don't look into.

That's my decision for the time

being, gentlemen. Goodbye, and

thank you for making me Chairman.

66. MED. SHOT - DIFFERENT ANGLE

He exits, followed by Cobb, whose eyes shriek his

admiration. The directors watch them leave, flabbergasted.

Cobb's head reappears in doorway.

COBB:

Gentlemen, you'll find the smelling

salts in the medicine chest.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes