Sweet Smell of Success Page #32

Steve, still without looking back, walks up the street;

CAMERA TRACKING WITH THEM.

D'ANGELO

(with sympathy)

Not that I don't like her - she's a

very lovely person, but who can

tell? A year from now you might

thank your stars that it turned out

this way.

(changing the subject)

By the way, Robard said that...

Steve, his manner full of pain, stops.

STEVE:

Frank, I don't want to make the

benefit. They'll be jammin' all

night, and the way I feel -- I'd

like to be alone -- I'd like just

to walk and walk and never come back.

D'Angelo takes him firmly by the arm.

D'ANGELO

No. I don't leave you alone on a

night like this. And, anyway, you

promised...

Steve looks at him, knowing that he can never shake off the

devoted Frank; he shrugs. They walk past CAMERA.

INT. HUNSECKER'S PENTHOUSE - NIGHT

The heavy brass doors of the elevator slide open and the

Elevator Man pulls open the grille. Susan, still in the

mood in which Steve left her, stands in the elevator for a

moment before she realizes that she has reached the top

floor. As she walks out, the Elevator Man looks at her

anxiously. CAMERA PANS with Susan towards the door to the

apartment. Susan fumbles for her key.

INT. HUNSECKER'S PENTHOUSE

The apartment is dark as Susan enters. She does not switch

on the lights. She walks through the shadows of the big

room, which has a grim and menacing atmosphere. She kicks

off her shoes and, hugging the coat about her for warmth

walks to the glass windows of the terrace. After a moment

she opens them and steps out.

EXT. TERRACE - NIGHT

Susan walks across the terrace. At this height the wind is

very strong. CAMERA TRACKS with the girl, emphasizing the

dizzying panorama of New York at night. The girl's manner

is strange; she moves as if under compulsion, a sleepwalker.

When she reaches the stone parapet, she leans against it

with her body slumped, still hugging the fur coat as if it

were some protection against her misery.

EXT. FROM THE TERRACE - NIGHT

Vertically downward. From Susan's point of view. The stone

sidewalks of Broadway are a terrifying distance below.

SUSAN:

An angle, shooting sharply upwards against the night sky.

Wind blows the girl's hair, as she looks fixedly downwards.

Her face is blank, expressionless. (For a moment we may fear

for her, afraid that she may have suicide in mind.) But

presently she lifts her head looking towards the horizon...

LAP DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. ROBARD'S CLUB - NIGHT

CAMERA SHOOTS PAST the entrance to Robard's Club, framing

the outline of the bridge in sky in background. From inside

comes the sound of music -- the Quintet.

The taxi drives up; Sidney gets out; he glances at his

wristwatch, looks around and then makes his way into the club.

INT. ROBARD'S CLUB - NIGHT

Steve Dallas' Quintet on the stand. CAMERA FRAMES the group

in foreground, SHOOTING towards the entrance way.

INT. ROBARD'S CLUB - NIGHT

Sidney has come in through the entrance. He is taking off

his overcoat. He moves forward past the hat check room on

the left, approaching the recess in which several music

cases are stacked beside a coat rack on which the musicians'

overcoats are hung.

DETAIL:

As he hangs up his coat, Sidney identifies the other coat, a

black and white check raglan which he (and we) saw Steve

wearing when he visited Hunsecker at the TV Studio.

SIDNEY:

A CLOSE SHOT. The coat appears to have some significance

for him; Sidney is under tension.

A waiter, carrying a carton of beer cans, comes out of the

doorway just behind Sidney, moving between him and the

overcoat. Thus interrupted, Sidney turns away.

INT. ROBARD'S CLUB - NIGHT

Robard is standing at the bar, surrounded by a group of his

cronies. Drink is flowing and there is a sentimental mood

of celebration.

As Sidney arrives at the bar, ordering a drink, FRANK

D'ANGELO is seen coming from the interior of the club where

Dallas and the Quintet can be seen playing; D'Angelo accosts

Robard:

D'ANGELO

Lew, Steve don't feel too good...

ROBARD:

(interjecting)

I'm sorry to hear it.

REVERSE ANGLE:

CAMERA shoots past D'Angelo and Robard in f.g. towards

Sidney, who overhears:

D'ANGELO

(continuing)

...So, if you don't mind, he'll

leave after this set.

In b.g., Sidney sets down his drink, reacting to this

information. Robard clamps D'Angelo on the shoulder,

reassuring him with warm emphasis:

ROBARD:

I like that boy, Frank. Anything

he does is okay with me...

SIDNEY:

Sidney, thinking rapidly, leaves the bar, moving

unobtrusively but purposefully towards a telephone booth.

He enters and closes the door.

PHONE BOOTH:

A CLOSER ANGLE. Shooting through the glass panel we see

Sidney dialing. His manner is urgent.

QUICK LAP DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. ROBARD'S CLUB - NIGHT

A long shot of the club exterior. A different musical

number is now being played in the interior. (GOODBYE BABY).

A black car comes swiftly under the bridge, turns into the

little square opposite the club, braking sharply.

CLOSER ANGLE:

As the car comes to a stop, CAMERA shoots across the hood

onto the windshield where we see the insignia: POLICE.

The occupants of the car are not visible.

INT/EXT. ROBARD'S CLUB

Sidney lingers near the doorway of the club. He is looking

across the square towards the car which can be seen in b.g.

Now he turns and walks towards the coat rack, CAMERA tracking

with him. He takes his own coat and, as he thrusts his arm

into the sleeve, contrives neatly to slip some unseen object

into the pocket of Steve's overcoat; CAMERA notes the

gesture, but only very briefly. Overscene a voice addresses

Sidney:

D'ANGELO (O.S.)

Hey!..........

SIDNEY:

A CLOSE UP. As he turns in swift apprehension, we note the

moment of panic in his face.

REVERSE ANGLE:

CAMERA shoots past Sidney in foreground towards D'Angelo who

advances on Sidney. D'Angelo's manner is unfriendly; for an

instant we feel, like Sidney, that D'Angelo may have seen

Sidney tampering with Steve's coat, but then we are reassured

as D'Angelo, deliberately using Sidney's surname, says:

D'ANGELO

(continuing)

Mr. Falco...I hate to give you this

satisfaction - they broke it off

tonight for good.

REVERSE ANGLE:

Shooting across D'Angelo onto Sidney, who now relaxes, his

fears ungrounded.

D'ANGELO

(continuing)

Tell that to Hunsecker - tell him

we agree - he's a big man - he wins

all the marbles!

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