Mr. Smith Goes To Washington Page #19

A NEWSPAPER FRONT PAGE come to view. It reveals a full-length

picture of Jeff, and then the caption:

SENATOR (RANGER) SMITH

Demands More Common Sense--

Less Law In Government

This dissolves to ANOTHER HEADLINE:

SMITH ATTACKS:

GOVERNMENT SPENDING

No Money Left for Boy's Camp

In SAUNDER'S ROOM, Saunders is drinking her morning coffee--

looking at the morning papers. She nearly chokes as she stares

at the paper.

This scene dissolves to MCGANN'S ROOM, with McGann, half-

dressed, one eye bandaged, staring at a paper. A NEWS PICTURE

comes to view, showing Jeff kneeling over a little fire of

sticks. The caption reads:

MAKES CAMP FIRE--SHOWS HOW

HE'LL PUT THE HEAT ON CONGRESS

MCGANN, shirt-tails flying, tears for the door to Jeff's

room. It is empty.

MCGANN:

Senator! Hey--ranger!

(Clapping a hand to

his forehead)

Gone again!

The scene dissolves to a NEWSPAPER PICTURE of Jefferson

imitating a bird-call eyes bulging--while his two hands appear

to be gripping his nose as if warding off a bad odor. The

caption reads:

RANGER SENATOR GETS FIRST

"WHIFF" OF OFFICIAL WASHINGTON

In the DINING ROOM OF PAINE'S HOTEL APARTMENT, Paine and

Susan are at breakfast, Paine's eyes glued wildly to the

paper; Susan also holds a paper and laughs.

PAINE:

His first 'whiff'!

SUSAN:

Such pretty knees for a big boy!

PAINE:

Do I actually *see* this--?

SUSAN:

Listen, Father! "Young Lochinvar

smitten with Susan Paine"!

The scene dissolves to PAINE'S PRIVATE OFFICE as Saunders

enters and Paine rises from behind his desk.

SAUNDERS:

(belligerently)

You want to see me, Senator?

PAINE:

Yes. Good morning, Saunders.

(Picking up the

newspaper; genially)

Have you--uh--any idea how this

happened?

SAUNDERS:

The ranger's notices? No idea at

all.

PAINE:

(with good humor)

No?

SAUNDERS:

No--I'm sorry. I merely saw him home.

I'm not supposed to tuck him in and

give him his bottle. That's McGann's

job.

PAINE:

By the way, Mr. McGann just phoned--

in a high fever. Smith's gone again.

Have you any idea where?

SAUNDERS:

Yes. He went to Mount Vernon to give

himself a patriotic address.

PAINE:

(smiling)

Well--that's very fine.

(Then)

Saunders, some person in your office

says you've quit--

SAUNDERS:

That's right.

PAINE:

Oh, now--that won't do--

SAUNDERS:

Look, Senator--I wasn't given a brain

just to tell a Boy Ranger what time

it is. What do you need me for? Get

somebody else--get a registered nurse--

PAINE:

You're the best nurse I can think of--

SAUNDERS:

Nice *compliment*!

PAINE:

I meant it for one. I meant--Sam

Foley couldn't get along without you--

and neither can I at the moment--

SAUNDERS:

No?

PAINE:

You see--Governor Hopper made an

appointment in this case that--well,

Jeff isn't exactly fitted to the

work, let's say. He's here to see

monuments--and pass the time. That's

important to--to my work--and

everybody concerned. So, someone who

can be trusted has to occupy him and

keep him out of trouble--

SAUNDERS:

And I'm an old hand at following

instructions--

PAINE:

You're more than that. I've had

example of the fact that wild horses

couldn't pull confidential matter in

these two offices out of you. That's

why I tell you what I do--about Smith

and this situation. So, you see--

SAUNDERS:

Yeah--I see I'm right where I've

been for seven years--

PAINE:

You deserve a lot better. And I'll

tell you what we'll do. Stay and

play nurse, as you say--and if certain

things happen I'm taking everybody

up with me, and you'll get one of

the biggest jobs in Washington.

SAUNDERS:

Yeah?

(A pause)

And what else?

Rate this script:4.5 / 2 votes