RKO 281 Page #17

A long pause Hearst finally turns and walks to them.

HEARST:

(to Lewis)

When will it come out? When will the public know?

LEWIS:

We can't keep it a secret, sir. Once we announce

the Gimbels sale and start liquidating the assets.

MARION:

(pained)

This is your whole life. Pops. Don't do it. We'll

find another way..

A long beat as he looks at her. Then he quickly signs the document on

the desk. He puts down the pen and leaves the room without a word

INT. SAN SIMEON. STAIRWAY_NIGHT

Marion sits nestled on a sweeping marble stairway Weeping

INT. NIGHTCLUB. HOLLYWOOD_NIGHT

A swank benefit dinner is in progress A band plays

A banner hangs over the nightclub stage: CHILDREN'S MILK FUND BENEFIT,

1940

We float through the elegant crowd and spy Louis B. Mayer and Louella;

Clark Gable and Carole Lombard; all manner of movie stars and power

brokers.

We also spy Schaefer sitting with Mank and Toland and a few other men

and women.

The evening's EMCEE takes the stage

EMCEE:

Next up we have a real treat. It's Orson Welles.

Now, during the rehearsal for the benefit tonight

Orson banished everyone from the club so he could

proceed in utmost secrecy. But you all know how

Orson is!

Laughter from the crowd

EMCEE:

So, lets give a big round of applause for Mr. Orson

Welles and Miss Rita Hayworth.

Polite applause as Welles bounds to the stage with RITA HAYWORTH and

the band begins to play a buoyant tune.

Schaefer practically drops his fork

Welles is dressed in a padded costume and made up in a way that can

suggest no one but William Randolph Hearst. Rita Hayworth is dressed in

a manner mightily like Marion Davies.

Louella glances to Mayer, daggers. Some knowing laughter from the

audience. Particularly Mank

A line of chorus girls hoof on and join Welles and Rita Hayworth as a

row of harsh footlights snap on, giving the scene a resemblance to the

"Charlie Kane" dance in CITIZEN KANE.

And Welles launches into a jaunty song and dance version of

"DISGUSTINGLY RICH" an almost unknown Rodgers and Hart song;'. Welles

has wickedly changed some of the lines. '

WELLES:

"I'll buy everything I wear at Saks. I'll print

gossip and I'll call it facts

RITA HAYWORTH:

"Swear like a trooper, Live in a stupor--

WELLES AND RITA HAYWORTH

"Just disgustingly rich!

WELLES:

"I'll make money and I'll make it quick, Starting

little wars I think are slick. Smother her in

sables, Like Betty Grable's-- Just disgustingly

rich. "I'll build a castle, That'll cost a passel.

And as a resident, I will pan the president I'll

aspire, Higher and Higher. "I'll get married and

I'll buy a girl, So darn pretty that your head will

swirl

RITA HAYWORTH:

"Swimming in highballs-- Stewed to the eyeballs--

WELLES AND RITA HAYWORTH

"Just disgustingly rich!

Welles, Rita Hayworth and the chorines do a nifty soft-shoe turn as

Schaefer turns to Mank:

SCHAEFER:

(seriously)

He truly doesn't care if he ever works again.

MANK:

Yeah, ain't it swell?

Welles and Rita Hayworth conclude their little dance break and Welles

resumes the song:

WELLES:

"Ev'ry summer I will sail the sea, On my little

yacht the Normandie, Pet my little dachshund

friends, Kiss Louella's big rear end, Just

disgustingly rich.

About here Louella storms out.

"I'll eat salmon, I'll play backgammon. Turn breakfast into brunch,

I'll take Thomas Ince to lunch I'll aspire, Higher and Higher.

About here Louis B Mayer and a few others storm out.

RITA HAYWORTH:

"He'll be photographed with Myrna Loy, Just to

prove he is a glamour boy.

WELLES:

"Perfumed and scented, Slightly demented-- Just

disgustingly rich

RITA HAYWORTH:

"I'll get my capers, Into his papers. Hoping his

folly would Lead me out to Hollywood. I'll aspire,

Higher and higher.

About here Schaefer buries his face in his hands

WELLES AND RITA HAYWORTH

"In the funnies and the valentines, We'll be

pictured drinking Ballantine's. Dopey and screwy,

Voting for Dewey. Just disgustingly-- Too, too

disgustingly-- Riiiiich! "

Welles and Rita Hayworth conclude the number with a big flourish.

Some applause

Mank stands and applauds loudly. Laughing. Welles bows solemnly to Mank

EXT. NIGHTCLUB_FOLLOWING

Later that night, Welles is about to climb into his limousine outside

the nightclub with Rita Hayworth when Schaefer suddenly appears and

grabs his lapel.

WELLES:

(happily)

George- -!

Without a word, Schaefer pulls Welles roughly into an alley beside the

nightclub. He slams Welles into the alley wall.

SCHAEFER:

(brutally)

This isn' t some kinda f***ing game! You know how

many people RKO employs?! You know how many people

depend on what we do for a living?!

WELLES:

I really think you're

SCHAEFER:

You wanna commit suicide, fine! You got some death-

wish, fine! But you will not drag this company down

with you!

WELLES:

It was a -joke, George

Schaefer slaps Welles firmly across the face. Welles is stunned.

SCHAEFER:

There are no jokes! There are people making a

living. There is food on the table!

Schaefer glares at him and then rages off

Welles straightens his suit and then, with a shaking hand, reaches for

a cigar. He tries to laugh, but cannot.

INT. SCHAEFER'S OFFICE. RKO_DAY

Schaefer sits at his desk, absolutely dazed. Speechless

B. Mayer sits across from him.

SCHAEFER:

Where did this money come from?

beat

MAYER:

It came.

MAYER:

800,000 dollars fully covers the production budget

and a little more. Hell, George, you even make a

profit on the deal.

SCHAEFER:

Very generous

MAYER:

And we gotta be clear here. I need the negative and

every existing print.

SCHAEFER:

To do what?

MAYER:

That's for me to decide.

SCHAEFER:

You're going to destroy it

MAYER:

No, maybe put it on the shelf until the old man

kicks it.

SCHAEFER:

You're lying to me.

MAYER:

We already made the same offer to the stockholders.

Schaefer is stunned.

SCHAEFER:

You talked to New York?

MAYER:

Yes

SCHAEFER:

You talked to Mr. Swanbeck?

Pause.

MAYER:

Yes

SCHAEFER:

Get out

MAYER:

You're bettin' on an inside straight this time.

You'll never pull it off.

SCHAEFER:

Get out.

Mayer stands and smiles

MAYER:

This picture, George, it'll just break your heart.

Mayer goes. Schaefer sits, smelling defeat.

We linger on Schaefer as a haunting echo of "I CAN'T GET STARTED" is

heard. . .

INT/EXT. SAN SIMEON_NIGHT

We float through the estate as we hear the ghostly strains of Bunny

Berigan's recording of "I CAN'T GET STARTED."

It is a sad journey.

By this time many of the ornate antiquities have been removed from the

castle and it resembles Welles' stark and dreary Xanadu all the more.

BUNNY BERIGAN:

"I've flown around the world in a plane, I've

settled revolutions in Spain, And the North Pole I

have charted, Still I can't get started with you...

We float past the private zoo, now empty, the cages hanging open. We

move past the tennis courts, empty.

BUNNY BERIGAN:

"On the golf course I'm under par, Metro Goldwyn

has asked me to star, I've got a house, a show

place, Still I can't get no place with you.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes