Ninotchka Page #19

Leon is disappointed.

BULJANOFF:

And Leonitchka! What she said about

us...!

IRANOFF:

And they might believe her in Moscow.

BULJANOFF:

What do you mean they might -- they

will!

KOPALSKI:

We don't blame you, Leon, but when

we came from Russia we believed in

simplicity...

IRANOFF:

We avoided luxury and extravagance

and today... well, if you were to

offer us a glass of champagne, we

wouldn't say no.

Leon is so engrossed in his thoughts that he overlooks the

hint.

LEON:

Well, boys, I'd like to help you but

what can I do? Yesterday I waited

six hours in the lobby!

KOPALSKI:

She doesn't leave her room! She has

been locked in for the last two days

with lawyers and law books!

LEON:

All right, then make an appointment

with her so I can see her!

KOPALSKI:

We can't... but you are so ingenious,

Leon...

IRANOFF:

You found your way to us and we

weren't easy to reach, were we?

LEON:

No, no.

BULJANOFF:

Didn't we put up a strong resistance?

LEON:

Oh, yes, yes.

KOPALSKI:

You must help us, Leon... if you

don't win her over we're on our way

to Siberia!

BULJANOFF:

Or it might be the firing squad!

KOPALSKI:

Or we can't go back to Russia!

An idea dawns on Iranoff.

IRANOFF:

What's wrong with that?

Kopalski and Buljanoff seize on the same idea.

BULJANOFF:

Yes! We could stay with Leon!

IRANOFF:

Leon, how would you like to have

three lifelong friends?

LEON:

Boys, boys... don't forget Russia is

your mother country. Three sons

walking out all at once... that's

too much for any mother.

BULJANOFF:

Well, if your mother turns against

you, you have to look for someone to

adopt you.

Swana's voice comes from the next room.

SWANA:

Leon! Just a minute...

Leon goes back to the other room.

LEON'S BEDROOM -- CLOSE SHOT, shooting toward the door of

the living room.

Swana stands putting on her gloves.

SWANA:

I'm leaving, dear. I'm lunching at

Fouquet's if you can make it, and...

Leon, remember, a man should think

it over twice before he decides to

become a mother.

She kisses him lightly and walks out.

LIVING ROOM -- ROYAL SUITE -- MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT -- AT THE

DESK:

It is piled deep with law books and papers. Ninotchka sits

at it, conferring with two Lawyers.

FIRST LAWYER:

(uncertainly)

I seem to remember some additional

injunctive provision dealing with

the property of foreigners residing

in France.

NINOTCHKA:

(with the precision

of a machine)

You are referring to paragraph 59b,

section 25f of the Civil Code.

The Lawyers exchange a glance of surprise at her knowledge.

One of them takes up one of the law books and as he starts

to look up the case, Ninotchka speaks.

NINOTCHKA:

Page eight hundred twenty-four.

Again the Lawyers exchange a glance of astonishment.

NINOTCHKA:

And do not fail to read the three

footnotes. While you are studying it

I will eat.

(She picks up the

telephone)

Food please.

A LITTLE CORNER IN THE ROOM SERVICE PANTRY

Rakonin is answering the telephone.

RAKONIN:

(into phone)

Room service... Just a moment please.

He beckons to someone out of the scene. Leon enters the scene

and takes the telephone.

LEON:

(with an assumed French

accent -- into phone)

Room service speaking.

CLOSE SHOT -- NINOTCHKA -- AT THE PHONE

NINOTCHKA:

(into phone)

Send me a plate of raw carrots and

beets, beets predominating on a ratio

of sixty-forty... What? There is a

strike in the kitchen? Good! Will

you assure the strikers of my hearty

sympathy in their cause. I hope they

will not weaken in their demands and

tell them to put no dressing

whatsoever on my vegetables... What?

You won't serve me either? Now look

here, Comrade, I think it is a fine

idea to let the capitalists go without

luncheon but when you keep food away

from me you're weakening the people.

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