Mr. Deeds Goes to Town Page #19

INT. LONGFELLOW'S BEDROOM

110. CLOSE SHOT

Walter leans over the bed violently, shaking Longfellow,

who is lost in drunken sleep.

WALTER:

Mr. Deeds - Mr. Deeds, sir - you

really must get up. It's late!

LONGFELLOW:

(without budging -

without opening

his eyes)

You're Walter, aren't you?

WALTER:

Yes, sir.

LONGFELLOW:

I just wanted to make sure.

CLOSE SHOT - WALTER

He smiles.

WALTER:

If you'll permit me to say so,

sir, you were out on quite a bender

last night, sir.

CLOSE SHOT - LONGFELLOW

Longfellow opens one eye - and then the other, blinking.

As consciousness returns to him, he glances around the

room as if to get his bearings.

LONGFELLOW:

Bender? You're wrong, Walter. We

started out to a binge but we never

got to it.

MED. CLOSE SHOT - THE TWO

Walter offers him a drink on a tray.

WALTER:

(humoring him)

Yes, sir.

LONGFELLOW:

What's that?

WALTER:

A Prairie Oyster, sir.[10]

LONGFELLOW:

(slow to comprehend

anything)

Prairie? Oysters?

WALTER:

Yes, sir. It makes the head feel

smaller.

Longfellow takes it and downs it in one swig.

LONGFELLOW:

(his face finally

reacting)

Oh. Oh!

(remembering)

Has Miss Dawson called yet?

WALTER:

Miss Dawson, sir? No, sir. No Miss

Dawson has called, sir.

LONGFELLOW:

She was a lady in distress. She

wouldn't let me help her. Got a

lot of pride. I like that.

WALTER:

Oh, I do too, sir.

LONGFELLOW:

I'd better call her up and

apologize. I don't remember taking

her home last night.

WALTER:

I'd venture to say, sir, you don't

remember much of anything that

happened last night, sir.

CLOSE SHOT - THE TWO

Favoring Longfellow.

LONGFELLOW:

What do you mean? I remember

everything! Hand me my pants - I

wrote her phone number on a piece

of paper.

WALTER:

You have no pants, sir.

Longfellow looks up slowly. Walter goes on:

WALTER:

You came home last night - without

them.

LONGFELLOW:

(after a double

take)

I did what!

WALTER:

As a matter of fact, you came home

without any clothes. You were in

your - uh - shorts. Yes, sir.

LONGFELLOW:

Oh, don't be silly, Walter. I

couldn't walk around in the streets

without any clothes. I'd be

arrested.

WALTER:

That's what the two policemen said,

sir.

LONGFELLOW:

What two policemen?

WALTER:

The ones who brought you home,

sir. They said you and another

gentleman kept walking up and down

the streets, shouting: "Back to

nature! Clothes are a blight on

civilization! Back to nature!"

Longfellow watches his face, fascinated. Slowly it is all

coming back to him.

LONGFELLOW:

Listen, Walter, if a man named

Morrow calls up, tell him I'm not

in. He may be a great author, but

I think he's crazy. The man's crazy,

Walter.

115. REVERSE ANGLE

Favoring Walter.

WALTER:

Yes, sir. By the way, did you—

Longfellow slowly swings out of bed into a sitting position.

Walter kneels to put on Longfellow's slippers. Longfellow

balks, points, silently reminding Walter that he has broken

his promise not to kneel down in front of him.

LONGFELLOW:

(pointing)

Please!

WALTER:

But how'll I put on the slipper,

sir?

Longfellow's expression begs no disagreement. Walter stands,

fumbling with the shoes from a stooped posture.

WALTER:

(continuing)

Yes, sir. I beg pardon, sir, but

did you ever find what you were

looking for, sir?

LONGFELLOW:

Looking for?

WALTER:

You kept searching me last night,

sir. Going through my pockets. You

said you were looking for a rhyme

for Budington.

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