Sweet Smell of Success Page #3

SIDNEY:

Is Frank D'Angelo around?

RITA:

At the bar - Sidney...

But Sidney has moved away from her.

D'ANGELO

He is at the bar, listening with satisfaction to the music,

watching the performers and studying the audience. Sidney

comes up behind him. We see Sidney's eyes flick from

D'Angelo towards the bandstand and back again. Then, as he

takes the stool next to D'Angelo, he assumes a different

manner, a sulky resentment. D'Angelo sees Sidney.

D'ANGELO

(to the bartender)

Joe, give my nephew a drink.

SIDNEY:

(sullen)

Your nephew doesn't want a drink.

D'Angelo is still watching the quintet. The guitar can be

heard again.

ANOTHER ANGLE:

Shooting past D'Angelo and Sidney towards the bandstand.

D'ANGELO

That's a lollipop that, boy. The

kid is only great.

SIDNEY:

And with ten percent of his future,

you're great, too, Frank.

D'Angelo looks quickly at Sidney, sensing the undercurrent.

Then he turns his back on the musicians, remarking in a

quiet tone.

D'ANGELO

Went over to Philly yesterday an'

seen the folks...it's nice you send

them the fifty a month...

SIDNEY:

(after a pause)

See my mother?

D'ANGELO

(shaking his head)

I only had a few hours.

A glum moment. Frank sips his highball: Sidney lights a

cigarette, animosity on his face.

D'ANGELO

Thanks for the publicity spread you

got the boys for the benefit

tomorrow.

SIDNEY:

(begrudgingly)

Robard's my client. I did it for

him and his club, not your boys.

Frank again notes Sidney's resentful manner. Sidney looks

towards the musicians.

SIDNEY:

(quietly)

Frank, I think maybe you lied to me.

D'ANGELO

(quietly)

Looka, Sidney, you're my own

sister's son, but where does that

give you the right to call me a liar?

SIDNEY:

(looking towards Steve)

You told me that your boy was

washed up with Susie Hunsecker,

didn't you?

D'ANGELO

Yeah, and it's the truth, to the

best of my knowledge. And, frankly,

I'm glad. For Steve's sake, I'm

glad, not yours. I manage these

boys and I got their best interests

at heart. Steve shouldn't get

mixed up with no bimbo at his age.

SIDNEY:

(narrowly)

You told him that?

D'ANGELO

Not in those exact words - you know

what a temper he's got.

A pause. Sidney is thinking.

SIDNEY:

When do these hot-headed boys of

yours go on the road?

D'ANGELO

Coupla weeks. For eight weeks.

SIDNEY:

That's a nice tour. All booked?

(Frank nodding)

When was Susie around here last?

D'ANGELO

Four five nights ago. That's how I

know the romance is off. Also

Steve's in a very bad mood.

SIDNEY:

(abruptly)

Listen, Frank, you'd better make

sure you're telling me the truth.

D'ANGELO

(annoyed)

I don't like this threatening

attitude. When it comes to it,

what the heck is it your business

what they do, this boy and girl...

RITA:

Locating Sidney, she comes up behind him. He turns away

from D'Angelo as she whispers to him. As she departs,

Sidney turns back.

SIDNEY:

If you knew Hunsecker as well as I

did, you might understand why it's

my business. Maybe you're walking

around blind, Frank, without a cane.

Sidney gets off his stool. Casually, but to effect, he adds:

SIDNEY:

...and in case you didn't know it,

Susie Hunsecker's out there on the

back step right now.

He turns away, glancing towards Steve on the bandstand

behind him.

D'ANGELO

He looks disturbed.

INT./EXT. BACKSTAGE AND COURTYARD

From D'Angelo's point of view. CAMERA LOOKS UP at Steve.

The Quintet is now reaching the end of the number, a driving

rhythm of considerable excitement. A waiter passes in f.g.

and the CAMERA CRANES BACK through the curtained doorway to

the backstage part of the club. This movement is continued

as we see some other employees, including Jerry Wiggins, the

intermission pianist, who is waiting in the corridor near

the fire-exit. As he steps out of the door to discard a

cigarette, CAMERA AGAIN CONTINUES ITS MOVEMENT, CRANING BACK

AND DOWNWARD into the little courtyard. Here, it discovers

the figure of a young woman who is waiting in the shadow

near the steps of the fire-escape, listening to the music.

CLOSER ANGLE:

This is SUSAN HUNSECKER. She wears an expensive mink coat.

It is oddly in contrast with her personality; the face is

sensitive and intelligent, but childlike and tragic. A girl

in adolescence already burdened with problems beyond her

capacity. Over scene, the music continues. Susan shifts

her position, knowing that the session will soon be at an

end and that the musicians will be coming backstage.

INT. ELYSIAN ROOM

Steve is playing the last bars of the number; the whole

group now in unison.

QUINTET:

The music comes sharply, dramatically to its finish. There

is some applause. The boys relax. Steve reaches for the

microphone and in the characteristically casual manner of

the "cool" musician, announces the end of the set, thanking

the audience, identifying the quintet by name and introducing

the intermission pianist. During this, Carson, Chico and

Paul wander off the bandstand behind him.

EXT. BACKSTAGE AND COURTYARD

Chico, Paul and Carson come through to the corridor backstage.

As they do so, Chico, glancing out of the open door sees

Susan in the courtyard. He goes out onto the fire-escape;

Paul following behind.

CHICO:

Hi! Susie...

SUSAN:

Hello, Chico. Paul.

CHICO:

(to Paul)

Throw a rope round this chick while

I go get Steve.

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