The Artist Page #6

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Then she fumbles in her bag for something with which to note down her telephone number on a piece of paper. It takes a while and is a little chaotic, she apologizes, but he visibly takes a lot of pleasure out of watching her. She finally gets the number down and hands it to him, telling him to call her - to really call her. In response he casts a glance over to the young men waiting for her higher up the stairs, and she

bursts out laughing. She leans towards him to say something. Title card: Gadgets!

She looks at him flirtatiously. Then she gestures again for him to call her, and he nods, even though we think that he probably will not do so. She leaves and he watches her go before beginning his decent once more. Once at the top, she turns back to call out to George, he too has turned to look. She smiles at him, breaks into a few tap steps for old time's sake, then blows him a kiss.

18.

He catches the kiss with a smile, pretends to make it disappear in his other hand like a magician, then shows her the inside breast pocket of his jacket as proof that he's keeping it safe and warm. She laughs loudly and goes on her way. He watches her walk away with admiration in his eyes. She vanishes and George's smile takes on a note of melancholy, and then he leaves too.

46 OMITTED 46

47 INT. GEORGE & DORIS' HOUSE - DAY 47

George comes home. Doris is there scribbling on a magazine but he takes no notice of her. When the dog jumps into his arms however, he greets it affectionately. Doris is vexed.

48 INT. GEORGE & DORIS' HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY 48

A while later he's running Jack through his tricks when Doris arrives.

Title card:
We have to talk, George.

George smiles.

Title card:
Or not.

She insists but he doesn't listen. He's with his dog. She

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gets annoyed, he doesn't answer, she ends up throwing Jack. George cannot forgive her for doing so, he looks at her in disgust. She starts to cry.

Title card:
I'm unhappy, George.

He answers without looking at her.

Title card:
So are millions of other people, me for instance.

INT. GEORGE'S STUDIO SET - JUNGLE DECOR - DAY 49

Thanks to a montage of shot frames, photos and press cuttings, we see George begin making his film, the first clap of the board that shows he's both the film's producer and director. The film is called Tears of love, and it tells the tale of an English adventurer - played by himself - accompanied by a young woman, an old man who looks like a professor and who is probably the father of the young woman and, lastly, an African tribe represented as savages and whose humanity remains to be proven.

19.

We see George in the various stages of preparation: writing, re- writing, directing, acting, signing a lot of checks, but also leaving very early in the morning to set up shots with his collaborators, etc. He looks fulfilled, like he truly believes in what he's doing, despite the tiredness he's feeling. His dog has a role in the film too, doing tricks. George looks very happy, very committed. He takes a supple branch, feeds it through the sleeves of a woman's blouse and, by holding the two ends of the branch out in front of him, dances with the imaginary woman. Everyone around him is happy and laughing.

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Then appear on screen the mock ups of posters, they are shown on the set to George.

He chooses the one in which he is most prominent, it's a poster depicting a cutesy melodrama and bears the release date

October 25th.

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OMITTED:

EXT. LOS ANGELES STREET (POSTERS) - DAY 51

He's not shooting a comedy, however, it's obviously a drama some sort from what we see of the set and the way the actors play their role.

of

In the street, at the entrance to a movie theater, George sees a large "Beauty Spot" film poster. The poster shows Peppy close up, wearing a magnificent and jauntily positioned chapka over one eye. She is incredibly stylish but in no way vampish, more the image of a young comedy debut... George looks at her, Peppy seems to be smiling at him. He smiles back. Then his smile becomes strained. He's noticed something. The two theater employees are sticking a banner over the poster that reveals the release date of Beauty Spot - it's also October 25th.

52 INT. ANIMATION STAND - DAY 52

Then we see advertising inserts and full page press articles appearing one after the other, creating a montage of images with a very 1920's feel. "Get some Peps with Peppy!" and a close up on her smiling, mischievous face. "The girl next door", "The girl you'll love to love" "Young and pretty", etc. with a photo of Peppy each time, posters of the film and then, everywhere, the face that it's a talking movie! Talking, talking, talking!

As for George, his image is a lot more austere, the photographs show him as very serious. And the captions are like: "I'm not a muppet anymore, I'm an artist!"

20.

53 OMITTED 53

54 INT. RESTAURANT INTERVIEW - DAY 54

We're in a smart restaurant. George has his back to the room and is eating with his chauffeur. Peppy comes into the restaurant and comes to sit just behind George. They are back to back. She is with several young men, two of whom are journalists and they are interviewing her.

Title card:
Your first film doesn't come out until tomorrow and yet you're already the new darling of Hollywood! How do you explain that?

She starts by bursting into laughter, which draws George's attention. He turns round to listen to the rest of Peppy's answer.

Title card:
I don't know, maybe it's because I talk. And people hear me.

She continues talking, obviously happy that people are

interested in her. She doesn't see George smiling behind her.

Title card:
People are sick to death of those old actors who pull faces to make themselves understood.

She continues talking with the casual arrogance of youth. Behind her, George's smile vanishes.

Title card:
Anyway, it's normal for the young to take over from the old, that's life. Make way for youth!

George is hurt. He gets up and, before he leaves, gestures silently that if she wants his place all she has to do is take it. She watches him leave and immediately regrets what she's just said.

55 INT. GEORGE & DORIS' HOUSE - DAY 55

It's the day of the films' release, October 25th.

It's morning. George opens his front door. His chauffeur is outside. The man's expression announces bad news. He's holding the day's press. The huge headlines talk of a stock market crash, a black Thursday, a catastrophe.

Dressed in a robe, George is on the telephone in the living room. He nods. The atmosphere is stifling. He hangs up. His chauffeur looks at him inquisitively. George replies as though lost in thought:

21.

Title card:
It would seem that we're ruined.

The chauffeur takes it on the chin with as much reserve as he can muster, but George continues.

Title card:
That's the best case scenario...

He almost laughs - not so the chauffeur.

56 INT. GEORGE & DORIS' HOUSE - DAY 56

Now wearing a suit, George is sitting at his desk. Lying in front of him are the front pages of newspapers reporting the Crash. He looks for something on the inside pages of one paper and reads. Next to a large picture of Peppy there's a review of his own film, beginning "Tears of Love, Old and Boring". He shuts the paper and searches for something in the drawer of his desk. He takes out a piece of paper. It's the telephone number

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