Mr. Smith Goes To Washington Page #8

HUBERT:

Jim--the answer to a prayer--manna

from heaven--the man *we want*--and

the votes *we need*--

MCGANN:

He's batty!

HUBERT:

Listen--the simpleton of all time--a

big-eyed patriot--knows Washington

and Lincoln by heart--stood at

attention in the Governor's presence--

collects stray boys and cats--

TAYLOR:

What!

HUBERT:

Joe--*you* know what I'm talking

about. The perfect man. Never in

politics in his life. Wouldn't find

out what it's all about in two

*years*, lets alone two months. But

the important thing--and this was

the genius of the stroke--*it means

votes*!

MCGANN:

Oh--oh.

HUBERT:

He's the hero of fifty thousand boys

and a hundred thousand parents. Look

at these congratulations pouring in!

I tell you, gentlemen, by this one

statesman-like act, I have--

TAYLOR:

(deadly)

But you went ahead and made this

appointment without asking me--

HUBERT:

Jim--when the lightning hit, I--I

just--

TAYLOR:

*But you never asked me*!

HUBERT:

(petulantly)

Oh--Jim!

PAINE:

Wait a minute, boys. Happy may have

hit on something tremendous here.

Rather than let Miller or anyone

else in at this stage, we simply put

blinders on this simple son of nature--

and turn him loose on monuments.

He's completely out of the way in

Washington, and as Happy says, you

make political capital out of it at

home.

TAYLOR:

Joe--do you mean to say--do you think

you can actually *handle* this--this

whatever-you-call-it in Washington?

PAINE:

(quietly)

A young patriot?--Who recites

Jefferson and Lincoln?--turned loose

in our nation's capital? I think I

can.

TAYLOR:

(after a pause)

Chick--turn the ballyhoo boys loose

on this right away. Greatest

appointment ever made. A banquet--

declare a holiday.

MCGANN:

Wow! A star-spangled banquet--and

one of Happy's windy spiels--music--

little kids--the flag--a tear-jerker

from way back--!

The scene dissolves to a MONTAGE, a series of headlines

screaming approval of Happy's choice--pictures of Happy with

Smith--of Happy shaking hands with person after person in

his office--of Jeff Smith surrounded by boys in his home,

cheering him, clustered around--and adults shaking his hand--

of telegrams coming to him in stacks--of, finally at night,

the Boy's Club band in the street, marching to a martial

air, banners at their head reading: "OUR OWN SENATOR JEFFERSON

SMITH."

This dissolves to a BANQUET HALL, in which HOPPER, seen at

close range, in white tie--beaming--on his feet at the banquet

table--is addressing an assemblage.

HUBERT:

--in the hands of your Governor lay

the power to confer a great honor--

to raise a man to the high office of

United States Senator. And how did

your Governor confer that honor?

The scene then reveals a great, horseshoe banquet table,

crowded with leading citizens. At Hubert's left and right

sit Jefferson and Ma, Mrs. Hopper and Paine. MA is seen

beaming, while JEFFERSON looks dazed and nervous.

HUBERT'S VOICE

Did he give it to some wealthy or

influential citizen merely to curry

favor? No!

(As Paine is seen

looking down at Jeff)

Did he give it to some unworthy

political hireling? No!

TAYLOR AND MCGANN are seen seated at one of the wing tables--

to be out of sight. McGann raised his eyes to heaven for

relief.

HUBERT'S VOICE

What *did* he do? True to our party's

tradition--

EDWARDS is seen listening skeptically.

HUBERT'S VOICE

--he went down among the people--

(warming to a climax,

the banquet now in

full view)

--and there found--a nugget! A hero!!

That was the spirit your Governor

acted in. And in that spirit we have

come together tonight to acclaim and

bid Godspeed to--Senator Jefferson

Smith.

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