Sweet Smell of Success Page #9

SENATOR:

(who is mildly

surprised and faintly embarrassed)

Err...the Supreme Court story, I

was telling you - Justice Black.

HUNSECKER:

(nodding)

Yes, the Justice, that's right.

But I think you had it in the column.

SIDNEY:

(smoothly, casually)

Last July, the lead item...

Sidney's interjection is quietly well-mannered. Hunsecker

totally ignores it. The other members of the party are a

little astonished at the interplay. The girl, in particular,

is fascinated; she clearly admires Sidney's looks. The

Senator, noting this, glances at Sidney, accepting the point:

SENATOR:

(laughing)

And I believe that's precisely

where I read it, too. You see,

J.J., where I get my reputation for

being the best-informed man in

Washington.

HUNSECKER:

Now don't kid a kidder.

THE SENATOR, THE GIRL, AND THE AGENT

The girl looks again towards Sidney. The Senator again sees

this, addresses Sidney pleasantly.

SENATOR:

I don't think we caught your name,

young man.

REVERSE ANGLE:

Group shot. The Senator in foreground, Sidney beyond

Hunsecker in background, and the others on edge of shot.

SIDNEY:

Sidney Falco, sir. And, of course,

everyone knows and admires you,

Senator Walker.

SENATOR:

(humorously)

Every four years I get less

convinced of that. This young lady

is Miss Linda James.

(indicates the Girl)

She's managed by Manny Davis.

(he indicates the Agent)

SIDNEY AND HUNSECKER

Sidney nods pleasantly to the Girl and the Agent.

SIDNEY:

I know Manny Davis.

HUNSECKER:

(quietly)

Everyone knows Manny Davis...

(as the phone rings

on the table)

...except MRS. Manny Davis.

Hunsecker is picking up the phone, continuing:

HUNSECKER:

Yes? Go ahead, Billy - shoot...

REVERSE ANGLE:

To intercut with the above. The Senator, the Agent and the

Girl watching Hunsecker. The Agent's reaction to Hunsecker's

remark is a sickly smile.

RESUME HUNSECKER

He repeats aloud a story which is told him over the telephone.

HUNSECKER:

Uh huh. Sports cars in California

are getting smaller and

smaller...the other day you were

crossing Hollywood Boulevard and

you were hit by one...you had to go

to the hospital and have it

removed...

(coolly)

You're not following the column: I

had it last week.

During the speech, CAMERA eases back to include Sidney again.

At the end, Sidney looks up in the direction of the Senator.

SIDNEY:

Do you believe in capital

punishment, Senator?

RESUME REVERSE ANGLE

The Senator, amused, asks:

SENATOR:

Why?

RESUME HUNSECKER AND SIDNEY

Sidney glances sidelong at Hunsecker.

SIDNEY:

(pointing to the phone)

A man has just been sentenced to

death...

Hunsecker's face hardens; aware of Sidney's impertinence, he

does not design to react directly; he turns towards the Agent.

HUNSECKER:

Manny, what exactly are the UNSEEN

gifts of this lovely young thing

that you manage...?

THE AGENT AND THE GIRL

The Agent glances uneasily at the Girl beside him.

AGENT:

Well, she sings a little...you

know, sings...

GIRL:

(by rote)

Manny's faith in me is simply awe-

inspiring, Mr. Hunsecker. Actually,

I'm still studying, but -

RESUME HUNSECKER

He studies the Girl intently.

HUNSECKER:

What subject?

RESUME THE AGENT AND THE GIRL

GIRL:

Singing, of course...straight

concert and -

RESUME HUNSECKER

Hunsecker's glance flicks between the Girl and the Senator.

HUNSECKER:

Why "of course"? It might, for

instance, be politics...

As the Girl betrays herself with a nervous glance at the

Senator beside her, CAMERA eases back to include him. The

Senator is unruffled; gravely, he lights a cigar. The Girl

laughs.

GIRL:

Me? I mean "I"? Are you kidding,

Mr. Hunsecker? With my Jersey City

brains?

RESUME HUNSECKER

Again his glance links the Girl and the Senator.

HUNSECKER:

The brains may be Jersey City, but

the clothes are Trainor-Norell.

THE SENATOR, THE AGENT AND THE GIRL

The Girl and the Agent are both nervously uneasy. The

Senator closely examines the tip of his cigar and, with

deliberation, turns towards Sidney.

SENATOR:

Are you an actor, Mr. Falco?

GIRL:

(supporting the

change of subject)

That's what I was thinking. Are

you, Mr. Falco?

SIDNEY AND HUNSECKER

Hunsecker, for the first time, half-turns in Sidney's

direction, amused.

HUNSECKER:

How did you guess it, Miss James?

RESUME THE AGENT, THE GIRL AND THE SENATOR

They all look at Sidney.

GIRL:

He's so pretty, that's how.

RESUME SIDNEY AND HUNSECKER

Sidney bitterly resents the adjective, but contrives to hide

the fact; he smiles, gracefully accepting the compliment.

Hunsecker (who knows what Sidney feels) is pleased; he turns

towards Sidney expansively.

HUNSECKER:

Mr. Falco, let it be said at once,

is a man of FORTY faces, not one,

none too pretty and ALL deceptive.

See that grin? It's the charming

street urchin's face. It's part of

his "helpless" act - he throws

himself on your mercy. I skip the

pleading nervous bit that sometimes

blends over into bluster. The

moist grateful eye is a favorite

face with him - it frequently ties

in with the act of boyish candor:

he's talking straight from the

heart, get it? He's got about

half-a-dozen faces for the ladies,

but the real cut one to me is the

quick dependable chap - nothing he

won't do for you in a pinch. At

least, so he says! Tonight Mr.

Falco, whom I did not invite to sit

at this table, is about to show in

his last and most pitiful role:

pale face with tongue hanging out.

In brief, gentlemen and Jersey

Lilly, the boy sitting with us is a

hungry press agent and fully up to

all the tricks of his very slimy

trade!

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