Platinum Blonde Page #5

GRAYSON:

Give my regards to your managing

editor.

BINGY:

I certainly will.

They stop at the door. Bingy extends a handshake, which is

again refused. He stops and looks back at the jury.

MEDIUM SHOT FROM HIS ANGLE

The Schuylers all sitting silently and contemplating him.

BINGY:

Well, so long folks!

He flutters his eyes at Anne.

BINGY:

Thanks!

He takes one last look at Mrs. Schuyler and is again gripped

by a violent sneeze.

MRS. SCHUYLER

(rising to the

occasion)

Uh, bless you!

ALL:

Bless you!

BINGY:

Thanks.

The butler appears in the doorway behind him. Bingy exits

past him, beaming.

BINGY:

(waving to butler)

So long!

Grayson nods to the butler.

GRAYSON:

Smythe, bring in the other reporter.

SMYTHE:

Yes, sir.

INT. SCHUYLER DRAWING ROOM - MEDIUM FULL SHOT

The group awaiting the advent of the Post reporter. Stew

is shown in by the butler, still carrying the Conrad book

in his hand. They give him the once-over. Mrs. Schuyler

raises her lorgnette with a magnificent gesture. Stew eyes

them with animation, not in the slightest discouraged by

this supercilious scrutiny. He starts toward them.

32. MEDIUM SHOT

As Stew approaches them.

STEW:

Schuyler's the name, I presume?

Yes, thank you, thank you. My name's

Smith - Stewart Smith. No relation

to John, Joe, Trade or Mark. Of

course you can't have everything.

He smiles engagingly on them. Stew addresses Mrs. Schuyler

ingratiatingly, disregarding her expression of obvious

distaste.

STEW:

Nice set of Conrads you have out

there, Mrs. Schuyler. I was just

glancing through this one.

(indicates the book

in his hand)

What's Michael tearing the paper

about?

GRAYSON:

Just a habit. Mr. Schuyler is a

bit put out by all the rumors going

around.

33. CLOSER SHOT - STEW AND GRAYSON

STEW:

Rumors? Rumors? Since when is a

breach-of-promise case a rumor?

GRAYSON:

No breach-of-promise case has been

filed. The matter has been settled

out of court.

STEW:

(very cagey)

Oh I see, but Gloria doesn't seem

to be satisfied with the twenty

thousand dollars.

MEDIUM SHOT OF GROUP

At this, Mrs. Schuyler rises wrathfully.

MRS. SCHUYLER

(furiously to Grayson)

Dexter Grayson, you told me it was

only ten thousand—and you didn't

even get those letters from that

Jezebel!

STEW:

Oh, so you did give her ten thousand

dollars, eh? and there are

letters...

Behind Stew's back, Grayson makes violent gestures for her

to shut up.

STEW:

Well, well. That takes it out of

the rumor class, doesn't it?

GRAYSON:

We admit nothing. However, I have

a little statement all prepared.

He takes Stew's arm and walks him off toward a corner much

in the same manner as he handled Bingy, and lowers his

voice confidentially.

35. CLOSER SHOT - STEW AND GRAYSON

Apart from the others.

STEW:

A statement? Good.

GRAYSON:

I have it here.

STEW:

Good.

Grayson takes an envelope out of his pocket and hands it

to Stew. Stew puts the book under his arm, takes the

envelope and extracts the contents. It is another greenback.

STEW:

(with interest)

Fifty bucks, eh?

He regards it a moment, then replaces the bill in the

envelope. His voice is matter-of-fact, and almost casual.

STEW:

Don't you know you should never

offer a newspaper man more than

two dollars? If you do, he'll

think it's counterfeit. I don't

need fifty dollars. As a matter of

fact, I've got fifty dollars.

Grayson is considerably disconcerted. He tries again.

GRAYSON:

The man from the Tribune seemed

perfectly satisfied.

STEW:

Who, Bingy? Yeah, Bingy would. He

never saw fifty dollars before.

You could have bought him for six

bits. Funny thing about Bingy. The

more he gets - the more he prints.

He looks stupid, doesn't he? But

oh how smart he gets when he bends

over a typewriter.

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