Ninotchka Page #5

RAKONIN:

I am sorry... I have to leave.

SWANA:

(to Rakonin)

Thank you so much, my friend. I will

get in touch with you.

Count Rakonin leaves.

SWANA:

(into phone)

This is the Duchess Swana... I want

to speak to Monsieur Cornillon...

it's very important... please get

him right away... Hello, Monsieur

Cornillon? The most incredible thing

has happened! My jewels are here in

Paris! Three Bolshevik swine are

trying to sell them! Yes... yes...

we must act immediately!... Call the

police... Have them arrested!...

Well, then, get an injunction!...

But do something, Monsieur Cornillon!

(apparently the answer

is some objection

from Cornillon)

...But they are my jewels! There

must be some way of getting them

back!

LEON:

(just as nervous as

Swana)

What does he say?

SWANA:

(to Leon)

Shhh!

(into phone)

...But how can there be a question?...

Are you my lawyer or theirs?... All

right, I'll let you know!

She hangs up, rises, the legal situation whirling around in

her brain.

LEON:

What did he say?

SWANA:

(discouraged)

It looks pretty hopeless... there

may be a chance... that's all... The

French Government has recognized

Soviet Russia and he doubts that

they will risk a war for my poor

sake. He might be able to make up

some kind of a case but it would

cost money, money, money!... That's

all they are interested in -- those

lawyers!

LEON:

(taking her in his

arms)

Darling, calm down. Why do you need

a lawyer? Haven't you your little

Volga boatman?

Swana looks up at him, hope dawning in her eyes, as we

INSERT OF THE JEWELS

DISSOLVE TO:

spread out on a table in the Royal Suite. Camera pulls back

to a LONGER SHOT. We see Mercier, the jeweler, examining the

jewels with an eyepiece screwed in his eye. Around him stand

the Three Russians. Mercier, a middle-aged man of the greatest

suavity and elegance, but a shrewd trader none the less,

looks up.

MERCIER:

Very good... superb... excellent...

it would be foolish to belittle the

quality of the merchandise but your

terms are impossible. My counteroffer

is the absolute maximum.

KOPALSKI:

But, Monsieur Mercier...

MERCIER:

(continuing)

Gentlemen, I'll let you in on a little

secret... we are only undertaking

this deal for the prestige involved,

and, quite frankly, we are expecting

to take a loss.

Iranoff draws Buljanoff aside and whispers in his ear.

IRANOFF:

(whispering)

Capitalistic methods...

BULJANOFF:

They accumulate millions by taking

loss after loss.

The telephone rings.

BULJANOFF:

(answering phone)

Hello... this is Buljanoff, Iranoff,

and Kopalski... Who?... Count

d'Algout?... No, no... it must be a

mistake... we can't be disturbed.

MERCIER:

(continuing)

I assure you no one else could meet

the figure named by my syndicate...

at least under the present economic

conditions.

KOPALSKI:

We can wait.

IRANOFF:

(pompously)

Do we give the impression of people

who are pressed for money?

MERCIER:

Yes. Gentlemen... let's put our cards

face down. Right now there is a

Russian commission in New York trying

to sell fifteen Rembrandts. There is

another in London mortgaging the oil

fields in Baku. You need money and

you need it quickly. I think my offer

is fair and does not even take

advantage of your situation.

CLOSE-UP -- BULJANOFF, IRANOFF, AND KOPALSKI

KOPALSKI:

(to Mercier)

Just a minute.

The Three Russians step to one side.

IRANOFF:

(in a low voice)

He's cutting our throat...

BULJANOFF:

But what can we do?... We have to

accept.

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