Mr. Deeds Goes to Town Page #35

LONGFELLOW:

That's fine. Thanks. I'll look 'em

over later.

FARMER:

Oh, Mr. Deeds—

Longfellow looks up. Farmer goes on:

FARMER:

—my wife wanted me to tell you

she—

(hesitates)

—she prays for you every night.

LONGFELLOW:

(embarrassed)

Well, thanks, I - uh—

(to applicant in

front of him)

How do you do? What is your name?

RANKIN:

George Rankin, sir.

WHILE LONGFELLOW WRITES—

CLOSE SHOT AT A DESK

Cobb is on the phone.

COBB:

(into phone)

No! No! We're not buying any bulls.

What's that?

Listen, fellow, bull's what I've been selling all my life!

He slams down the receiver.

INT. CEDAR'S OFFICE

230. MEDIUM SHOT

Cedar behind his desk. In front of him is Henry Semple and

his nagging wife. Cedar shoves a paper in front of Semple.

CEDAR:

We have very little time. He's

ordered me to turn everything over

to him immediately. We have to

work fast before he disposes of

every penny.

WIFE:

See! I told you something could

be done. I knew it all the time.

Sign it, dear.

SEMPLE:

(hesitating)

We may get into trouble.

WIFE:

Oh, don't be so squeamish.

CEDAR:

There are millions involved. After

all, you have your legal rights.

You're his only living relatives.

CLOSE SHOT AT DESK

As Semple picks up the paper.

SEMPLE:

What's it say?

WIFE:

That's your agreement with Mr.

Cedar, if we win.

CEDAR:

You see, my end is going to be

rather expensive. I have a lot of

important people to take care of.

I have the legal machinery all set

and ready to go. I've been working

on nothing else for the last week.

You say the word, and we'll stop

this yokel dead in his tracks.

WIFE:

Sign it!

SEMPLE:

Oh, all right.

With the perturbed expression still on his face, Semple

reaches over to sign the document. Simultaneously, Cedar

flicks a button on his dictagraph.

CEDAR:

(into dictagraph)

Charlie, we're off! Papers all

set?

VOICE:

All set.

CEDAR:

Okay, then. Go to it.

(afterthought)

And, Charlie—

VOICE:

Yeah?

CEDAR:

Find out who wrote those newspaper

articles and subpoena them right

away.

VOICE:

Okay.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. LONGFELLOW'S DRAWING ROOM

232. MEDIUM SHOT

A large, raw-boned Swede stands before Longfellow.

LONGFELLOW:

What is your name?

SVENSON:

Christian Svenson.

LONGFELLOW:

Farmer?

SVENSON:

Yes, ma'am.

LONGFELLOW:

Where is your farm?

SVENSON:

South Dakota north.

LONGFELLOW:

South Dakota - north?

SVENSON:

South Dakota - but on the top.

LONGFELLOW:

Oh. Oh!

233. WIDER ANGLE

Cobb enters, very businesslike.

COBB:

What about your knocking off for

lunch?

LONGFELLOW:

Not hungry. I want to get through

this work in a hurry, and then I

want to go home. What price did

you get on those trucks?

COBB:

Come on, come on. What are you

trying to do, kid? Keel over? You

haven't been out of this house in

two weeks.

LONGFELLOW:

(tired)

Well, maybe I will have a sandwich.

(to Swede)

Do you mind waiting a few minutes?

SVENSON:

(undoing paper

package)

Oh, sure, sure. If you like to

have a sandwich, I can give you

one, please.

He brings out two huge sandwiches, and hands one to

Longfellow.

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