Sunset Boulevard Page #16

GILLIS:

Where's the bar?

The two make their way toward the punch bowl. It's

a little like running the gauntlet for Gillis. There

are whistles and 'stares of astonishlnent at his tails.

When they reach the punch bowl, Artie picks up a

half-filled glass and fills it.

GILLIS:

Good party.

ARTIE:

The greatest. They call me the Elsa

Maxwell of the assistant directors.

(To some guests who are

dipping their empty cups

into the punch bowl)

Hey, easy on the punch bowl. Budget

only calls for three drinks per extra.

Fake the rest.

GILLIS:

Listen, Artie, can I stick around

here for a while?

ARTIE:

Sure, this'll go on all night.

GILLIS:

I mean, could you put me up for

a couple of weeks?

ARTIE:

It just so happens we have a

vacancy on the couch.

GILLIS:

I'll take it.

ARTIE:

I'll have the bell-hop take care

of your luggage.

He runs his finger across the decollete back of a

girl standing in a group next them.

ARTIE:

Just register here.

The girl turns around. She is Betty Schaefer.

BETTY:

Hello, Mr. Gillis.

ARTIE:

You know each other?

Gillis looks at her a little puzzled.

BETTY:

Let me help you. Betty Schaeter,

Sheldrake's office.

GILLIS:

Sure. Bases Loaded.

ARTIE:

Wait a minute. This is the woman

I love. What's going on? Who

was loaded?

GILLIS:

Don't worry. She's just a fan

for my literary output.

BETTY:

(to Artie)

Hurt feelings department.

GILLIS:

About that luggage. Where's

the phone?

ARTIE:

Over by the Rainbow Room.

Gillis squeezes his way through groups of people

to the telephone, which is next to an open door

leading to the bathroom. The phone is busy. A

girl sits listening to it, giggling wildly. Another

girl beside her is laughing too. They are apparently

sharing a conversation with some man on the other end

of the wire. The telephone passes from hand to hand.

Gillis watches impatiently, then

GILLIS:

When youlre through with that

thing, can I have it?

The girl just nods, going on with her chattering.

Gillis stands waiting, and Betty Schaefer comes up

with his glass.

BETTY:

You forgot this.

GILLIS:

Thanks.

BETTY:

I've been hoping to run into you.

GILLIS:

What for? To recover that knife

you stuck in my back?

BETTY:

I felt a little guilty, so I got

out some of your old stories.

GILLIS:

Why, you sweet kid.

BETTY:

There's one called....Window...

something with a window.

GILLIS:

Dark Windows. How did you

like it?

BETTY:

I didn't.

GILLIS:

Thank you.

BETTY:

Except for about six pages.

You've got a flashback there ...

There is too much racket for her.

BETTY:

Is there someplace we can talk?

GILLIS:

How about the Rainbow Room?

They squeeze their way towards the bathroom, past

Artie.

ARTIE:

I said you could have my couch.

I didn't say you could have my

girl.

BETTY:

This is shop talk.

She and Gillis go through the open door into

C-20 ARTIE'S BATHROOM

It's a little less noisy, although there are some

guests there, chatting and having fun. Betty and

Gillis sit down on the edge of the tub.

GILLIS:

Now if I got you correctly, there

was a short stretch of my fiction

you found worthy of notice.

BETTY:

The flashback in the courtroom,

when she tells about being a

school teacher.

GILLIS:

I had a teacher like that once.

BETTY:

Maybe that's why it's good.

It's true, it's moving. Now

why don't you use that character...

GILLIS:

Who wants true? Who wants moving?

BETTY:

Drop that attitude. Here's some-

thing really worth while.

GILLIS:

Want me to start right now?

Maybe there's some paper around.

BETTY:

I'm serious. I've got a few ideas.

GILLIS:

I've got some ideas myself. One

of them being this is New Year's

Eve. How about living it up a

little?

BETTY:

As for instance?

GILLIS:

Well....

BETTY:

We could make some paper boats

and have a regatta. Or should

we just turn on the shower?

GILLIS:

How about capturing the kitchen

and barricading the door?

BETTY:

Are you hungry?

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