Superman Page #10

129CONTINUED

One other aspect of this underground kingdom will soon become apparent: whether through the architecture which strangely resembles that of Metropolis Station, or the row of bookcases which curiously look like old ticket windows, or the odd, faded track marker

which signals the way off into one or another of the hidden corridors of the lair - it is clear we are in an abandoned railroad station, drastically remodeled, but nonetheless a fact.

CAMERA PUSHES IN ON LEX LUTHOR: His face is a task of elegant demonic Genius, for this is a man with an infinite capacity for sadistic evil. Cutting, given to rapidly changing moods, but always thinking - the master criminal incarnate. He stares at EVE, the only person he allows to "nag" him, loving her in spite of all. LUTHOR shakes his head sadly

disappointed.

LUTHOR:

Sick.

(pause)

Here we sit, Miss Teschmacher, mere days

away from executing The Crime of the Century,

and how do you choose to congratulate the greatest

criminal mind or our age? Do you call me brilliant?

A bit obvious, that, I grant you. Charismatic, then?

(hopefully)

Fiendishly gifted?

EVE:

Try twisted.

EVE goes back to her needlepoint as LUTHOR glares. There is a metallic "clank." O.S. OTIS has entered from a lower level, dutifully approaches the desk holding his newspaper, smiles, cheery.

OTIS:

I'm back, Mr. Luthor.....

LUTHOR:

You were followed again, Otis...

OTIS looks over his shoulder, deeply concerned.

LUTHOR:

Yes. In spite of those cat-like reflexes.

EVE:

(new thought)

See if you can just explain to

129CONTINUED

EVE (CONTINUED)

me one thing. Why do millions of people have

to die for this...Crime of the Century? Tell me

that, Lex. Why do they all have to die?

LUTHOR:

Why.

(rising - philosophical)

Why does the phone always ring when you're sitting

in the tub? Why do restaurants call animal intestines

sweetbreads? Why would the most brilliantly

diabolical leader of all time surround himself with

total incompetents?

(to Otis)

Why, in fact, does the chicken cross the road?

OTIS:

(proudly)

To get to the other side.

LUTHOR stares at him, OTIS hangs his head.

OTIS:

I'm wrong again, aren't I, Mr.

Luthor.

LUTHOR:

No, Otis. As a matter of fact, I stuck that last

one in especially for you.

(pause)

Is that the newspaper I asked you to get me?

OTIS:

Yes, sir.

LUTHOR:

Then why am I not reading it?

OTIS:

(knows when he's wrong )

Because I... haven't given it to you, Mr. Luthor.

LUTHOR rips the paper from OTIS'S hands, swats him viciously in the side of the head with it.

OTIS:

Thank you, Mr. Luthor.

129CONTINUED

LUTHOR drops the paper on the desk, sits.

130INSERT SHOT - FRONT PACE

The paper is The Daily Planet. Clearly visible on the front page: a large photo of two nuclear missiles on their launching pads and the headline: TWIN I.C.B.M TEST CONFIRMED - LIVE WARHEADS TO BE USED.

131BACK TO SCENE (DAY)

LUTHOR beams, drops the paper, rises, ecstatic.

LUTHOR:

At last it's official! Thanks to the generous

help of our own government, we are finally

going to realize the greatest real swindle in history!

EVE:

You and your real estate. Why does it mean so much

to you? All the time, "land, land, land."

LUTHOR:

When I was a mere prodigy, Miss Teschmacher, having

passed through vandalism with flying colours at the age

of six, my father said to me: "Son, stocks will rise and fall. . . .

(gesturing around him)

Utilities and transportation systems may even collapse, and

people are no damn good - but they'll always need land, and

for that they'll pay, through the nose. Remember that," my

father said. "Land."

LUTHOR presses a button. A brilliant desert vista appears on one wall.

LUTHOR:

"Land!"

Another button. Another vista. This one of the snow-capped Rockies.

EVE:

(not looking up)

Then your father must have been sick too.

131CONTINUED (DAY)

LUTHOR:

(sad nod)

Arnold "Buster" Luthor. The most inept check

forger of his day. A pity he didn't see how, from

such humble beginnings, I created an empire.

EVE:

An empire? This?

LUTHOR:

Tell me, Miss Teschmacher. How many other girls

are lucky enough to have a Park Avenue address?

EVE:

It isn't a Park Avenue address, really. Two hundred

feet below.

LUTHOR:

Do you know what they're all paying per square foot up

there? For a few miserable rooms of a common elevator?

What more could anyone ask for?

EVE:

Sunlight. Something that overlooks a window.

LUTHOR, angry, turns to OTIS who shifts his feet.

LUTHOR:

Otis, you want something. What can I throw

at you?

OTIS:

The...ah...paper, if you're through with it, sir...

LUTHOR:

(incredulous)

A newspaper? Otis? You want to read the newspaper?

Is there really life after death? Is water finally running

uphill ?

OTIS:

I thought maybe...the funnies. . .

LUTHOR hands him the paper, sighs.

131CONTINUED

LUTHOR:

Here. Don't forget to flush this time.

EVE continues to needlepoint, but feels his gaze on her.

EVE:

You know something, Lex? You're perverted. You're

the most cruel and vicious human being I know...

LUTHOR approaches her, glaring with genuine malice.

EVE:

You'd cut a baby's throat with its own diaper pin.

Steal the wafer from a nun's handbag....

LUTHOR stands over menacingly, looks down. She glances up, smiles helplessly.

EVE:

What's wrong with me, anyway? Why do I love

you so much?

LUTHOR grins, lies down on the sofa next to her, puts his arms around her, looks deeply into her eyes.

LUTHOR:

Life is never boring with me. Admit it.

EVE snuggles in, hopelessly cozy.

EVE:

Never, Lex. You're the absolute pits.

They kiss passionately. LUTHOR reaches into his pocket, pulls out a remote control device, presses a button.

132INSERT SHOT - LANDSCAPE MODEL

CAMERA CLOSE on a high dam set into the landscape of the previously seen model. It cracks, then collapses: sending a rush of water down onto a schoolyard below, knocking over a toy school bus, sweeping away little figures of children standing in the playground.

133INT. PLANET CITY ROOM - NIGHT

Frantic activity: The wall clock indicates 8:00 P.M. CAMERA TRACKS through the chaos as PERRY WHITE exits his office, a sheaf of galleys in his hand.

133CONTINUED

PERRY:

Olsen, take this Loch Ness update down to

composing - tell them to use it as fill unless

something comes in on that jewel robbery.

JIMMY:

Right, Chief.

PERRY:

And don't call me Chief.

JIMMY OLSEN disappears quickly with the galleys. PERRY crosses to a desk, picks up the phone.

PERRY:

Harry? That's it. Put 'er to bed.

PERRY hangs up, crosses to LOIS' desk.

PERRY:

Lois, about that sex maniac profile...

LOIS:

I know. Nine to five it's a Pulitzer Prize.

PERRY:

I was going to say there's only one p in rapist.

(turns to CLARK)

Nice job on the Teamster scandal, Kent.

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