Platinum Blonde Page #14

91. MEDIUM SHOT

Of other reporters, the older man at the copy desk, and

perhaps a sob sister or two nearby, who look up with

expectant interest, expecting to hear Stew get a bawling

out.

CLOSE SHOT - GALLAGHER

At her desk. She looks up worried and apprehensive.

CONTINUATION SCENE 90

Stew and Conroy.

STEW:

It has been alleged - yes—

CONROY:

You wouldn't know news if you fell

into a mess of it, nose first. So

you're the bright lad that's never

been scooped!

STEW:

(defensively)

Not on my own beat, no.

CONROY:

(howling so that he

can be heard all

over the room)

No? Well, where were you when that

happened?

He slaps the copy of the Tribune furiously and shoves it

into Stew's face.

CLOSE SHOT - STEW

Not knowing what it is all about, Stew, with an injured

expression, takes the paper and looks at it.

INSERT:
FRONT PAGE OF TRIBUNE

ANN SCHUYLER ELOPES WITH REPORTER

(with subheads giving more explicit information)

94. MEDIUM SHOT

The other reporters, copy readers, sob sisters, etc., seeing

the unusual commotion and Stew's bewildered reaction, get

out of their chairs and cross over to the City Desk, where

they take up other copies of the same paper to look at.

There are amazed and excited exclamations.

95. CLOSER SHOT - STEW AND CONROY

Stew, still staring dumbly at the paper. A few others are

crowding around, glancing over his shoulder, etc.

CONROY:

I've heard of people being scooped

on their own funerals, but this!

Holy mackerel! Why, it's news when

Anne Schuyler gets her fingernails

manicured, but this! She gets

married to one of our own reporters

and the Tribune beat us to it!

(he notices other

reporters milling

around)

Well! What do you guys want? Go

on, get back to your desks. Go

back to your work.

(returning his

attention to Stew)

Now don't tell me you were drunk

at the time and don't remember! Or

is this one of Bingy's snow-storms?

STEW:

No, no - it's true, all right,

only we didn't want to get it in

print yet, that's all.

CONROY:

Why not?

STEW:

Well, you see, I've acquired one

of those new mother-in-laws, and

we were afraid she wouldn't

understand the whole idea. So we

were going to wait till she went

to Europe.

CONROY:

What do I care about your mother-

in-law! You're still working for

this paper, aren't you! Or are

you?

STEW:

Yes, sir.

CONROY:

Well, it's your business to get

news! And here you had a story

right in your own lap and you let

the Tribune scoop us on it. Making

a first class Grade A monkey out

of me. If it ever happens again -

just don't bother about coming

back. That's all.

He dismisses Stew with a wave of his hand.

STEW:

Thanks for your congratulations.

96. MEDIUM SHOT

Stew turns away from Conroy's desk, and a group of his

confreres come up, surrounding him in a series of ad-lib

congratulations. (Some slightly profane, pounding him on

the back, whooping, and in general manifesting great

surprise and glee.) This group is increased by copy readers,

office boys and everybody jabbering and shouting at him.

GROUP:

(ad-lib

congratulations)

Stew manages to break thru them

and exits from scene.

97. MEDIUM SHOT

Gallagher—to intercut with above scene. She gets up and

goes over, CAMERA PANNING WITH HER and picks up another

copy of the paper and reads the headlines.

CLOSER SHOT - GALLAGHER

Her face stricken and sick as she reads about Stew's

marriage. Abruptly she turns away, out of scene.

99. MEDIUM SHOT

At Gallagher's empty desk. Stew comes in trying to stave

off the mob. He turns on the congratulators, pushing them

off.

STEW:

What's the matter with you mugs?

Can't a guy get married without

all this?

(looks around)

Where's Gallagher? Anybody seen

Gallagher?

He forcibly breaks away from them and walks back toward

the door, the last of the wisecracks and goodnatured jeers

being flung after him.

LAP DISSOLVE TO:

INT. JOE'S SPEAKEASY

MED. CLOSE SHOT

Gallagher is seated alone at a table, looking very forlorn.

Her life is suddenly empty. A drink is in front of her,

untouched. She is fighting hard to keep her emotions under

control.

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