Ninotchka Page #21

NINOTCHKA:

Bring me something simple. I never

think about food.

PÈRE MATHIEU

(horrified)

But, madame! If you don't think about

food what do you think about?

NINOTCHKA:

The future of the common people.

PÈRE MATHIEU

(sagely)

That also is a question of food,

madame. I'll bring you a nice little

lunch à la Père Mathieu.

(he exits)

Leon leans toward Ninotchka with mock humility.

LEON:

Pardon me for addressing you but you

insulted him, you know that. You

hurt his feelings. It was just like

telling a musician you don't like

music. That good old man believes in

food as you believe in Karl Marx.

You can't go around hurting people,

Comrade Yakushova, but maybe you can

make it up to him. Do you know how?

(He changes to the

chair at his table

which is closest to

her table)

By eating everything with relish, by

drinking everything with gusto, by

having a good time for the first

time in your natural life!

NINOTCHKA:

I don't like your following me.

LEON:

I didn't follow you.

NINOTCHKA:

Then how did you get here?

LEON:

I always eat here.

NINOTCHKA:

This is a place for workmen.

LEON:

(laying it on thick)

But my dear child, I am most at home

among working men. I hate the places

where you circulate -- the Hotel

Clarence... This is my natural

element. After all, what are any of

us? Workingmen! At least, those of

us who are worth our salt. Hyah?

He waves off scene to a truckman.

TRUCKMAN:

He is in the middle of an enormous gulp of food. He registers

surprise, winks at his companion, and then, deciding to humor

a drunk, waves back energetically at Leon in greeting.

CUT BACK TO:

CLOSE SHOT -- LEON AND NINOTCHKA

Leon has been so successful with the truckman he tries it on

another.

LEON:

Hyah!

Another truckman responds with equal exuberance.

LONG SHOT -- RESTAURANT

Leon, intoxicated with his success, waves to the whole room.

LEON:

Hyah, fellows!

He gets a wonderful response from all. They realize that a

swell drunk is among them.

LEON AND NINOTCHKA

LEON:

(boastfully)

They are all my friends. They're a

swell bunch!

Père Mathieu enters the shot and serves a plate of soup to

Leon and one to Ninotchka.

LEON:

(trying his bluff on

Père Mathieu)

Ah, my friend! I'm happy to see you

again!

PÈRE MATHIEU

I'm always glad to meet a new

customer, and I hope this first visit

will not be your last.

He exits out of shot.

Ninotchka, her suspicion confirmed, looks at Leon.

LEON:

Just an old man. His memory is getting

weak.

NINOTCHKA:

What are you after?

LEON:

Must one always be after something?

NINOTCHKA:

Your tactics are useless. My name is

neither Buljanoff, Iranoff, nor

Kopalski.

LEON:

Oh, Ninotchka, who wants to talk

business. If you win the suit, fine.

If we win the suit, better. You do

me an injustice.

(He moves over to her

table, leaving the

soup at his table)

When we went to my apartment did I

have the slightest idea that you had

any connection with this deal?

NINOTCHKA:

But you have now, and I know now

that you are a man who employs

business methods which in Russia

would be punished by death.

LEON:

Death! Death! Always so glum! What

about life, Ninotchka! Do Russians

never think of life? Of the moment

in which we are living? The only

moment we really have? Don't take it

all so seriously, Ninotchka. Nothing

is worth it. Please... relax... I

beg you, Sergeant... smile!

NINOTCHKA:

(astonished)

What?

LEON:

Will you smile?

NINOTCHKA:

Why?

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