The Artist Page #8

Title card:
Too much face-pulling?

She stops smiling because it's not funny at all. It's bitter,

even. There's an embarrassed silence. Softly, she tries to

explain.

Title card:
About last night...

She stops because George is not looking at her anymore. He's

watching the arrival of the young, smiling, handsome and

wholesome man who is with Peppy. George bears a melancholy

smile.

Title card:
You’re right. Make way for youth...

The young man shakes George's hand. He's obviously a nice

lad, and very polite.

Title card:
I’m so happy to meet you. My Dad just loves you.

He says it very nicely, with no ulterior motive, but George

is cut to the quick. The comment wounds him and Peppy

notices. She cuts short the meeting by smiling and upping the

cheerfulness stakes, as though to kid George she hasn't

noticed any embarrassment or perceived anything that might

have shocked or hurt him during their encounter.

Title card:
OK! Well, we’ll be off now. I’ll call you soon.

Bye!

George smiles politely. She leaves, taking the handsome jock

with her. George watches them leave. As does his dog, who

sits with his head and ears hanging low as though very

disappointed. George watches Peppy walking away, then steps

forwards and sits down on the steps leading up to the house.

25.

As she gets into the car, Peppy seems surly, unhappy even,

for the first time. She turns her back on her companion.

Title card:
Take me home. I’d like to be alone.

George watches the car leave, then goes and sits on a bench

next to the front door. But the bench breaks and George finds

himself on the ground next to the dog. George remarks evenly

to Jack:

Title card:
See, could be it just wasn’t my day...

FADE TO BLACK.

68 EXT. MOVIE THEATER - “TEARS OF LOVE” - DAY 68

In the rain, a worker is taking down letters from the facade

of a theater. Of Tears of Love, only the word Tears remains.

69 INT. KINOGRAPH STUDIOS - PEPPY’S DRESSING ROOM - DAY 69

Peppy is facing her mirror and putting her make up on. She

takes a break, looking a little sad. Someone (some kind of

assistant) opens the door to her dressing room and says

something like you need to hurry up. She nods and gets back

to work.

70 EXT. MOVIE POSTERS - LOS ANGELES - DAY 70

Alternate shots of three or four film posters and frames from

them which illustrate Peppy's rising fame. Her name moves

higher up the posters and into bigger letters. The films are

called "The Rookie", "The Brunette ", "The Girl Next Door" and,

finally, "On the Roof ".

71 OMITTED 71

72 INT. KINOGRAPH STUDIOS - PEPPY’S DRESSING ROOM - DAY 72

We catch up with her in a close up, applying her make up. The

camera pulls back and we see that not only is she not putting

the make up on herself - a make up artist is doing that - but

there are in fact four pairs of hands getting busy around her;

two make up girls, a hairdresser and a wardrobe assistant.

Peppy, fortunately, has stayed completely natural and doesn't

seem to take any of it seriously. As the last touch is put in

place, Peppy gets to her feet and turns round.

26.

At her feet lie a dozen pairs of shoes, each pair as

magnificent as the next, and all in their swanky boxes. Peppy

tries on a pair. Close up of her feet.

73 INT. GEORGE’S HOUSE (1931) - DAY 73

Crossfade to a man's pair of shoes with used heels and uppers.

George's dog comes to sit at his feet. The date is superimposed

on the screen:
1931.

The camera climbs up his legs to reveal George lying fully

dressed in his bed, obviously at home in view of his attitude.

He's changed. And even if his suit is still pretty smart, he's

become more "common", less unattainable. He seems to have lost

whatever it was that made him so superb. Primarily he's a bit

drunk, somewhat hesitant. George gets up and closes his Murphy

bed, the kind of bed that slots up into the wall to look like a

closet. Then he walks across the living area. His home has

changed too, it's fallen in class and is a lot more modest than

the one we were used to seeing him in. We do however recognize

some of the objects, furniture and paintings from his old

house, notably the huge portrait of him smiling. He goes into

the kitchen which is open onto the rest of the apartment.

There's nothing in the refrigerator. He looks for something to

drink but there's only one bottle left in the rack. He lifts it

up. It's empty.

He opens a closet. Inside, a tuxedo hangs among a number of

bare hangers.

74 INT. PAWNSHOP - DAY 74

In a pawnshop, George, still a little drunk, is selling his

tuxedo. The pawnbroker and he are visibly disagreeing on the

price, but of course it's George who folds first and hands

over the tuxedo. The pawnbroker counts out the bills and

hands them to George who, in a fit of pride, leaves a tip as

he leaves - his dignity intact even in the face of adversity.

75 INT. GEORGE’S HOUSE - DAY 75

At home, George is drinking and watching his chauffeur fix some

food. He seems preoccupied.

Title card:
How long's it been since I paid you last,

Clifton?

The chauffeur answers as he carries on doing what he's doing.

Title card:
Been one year now, Sir.

27.

George gets up, visibly thinking that he shouldn't have done

that, that it's wrong. He go gets the keys and a jacket,

comes back and gives them to the chauffeur.

Title card:
You’re fired. Keep the car. Get yourself a job

someplace else.

The chauffeur refuses, George insists. They don't agree but

George ends up throwing him out, even though we've understood

that he's doing it for Clifton's benefit and not through any

unkindness.

76 EXT. GEORGE’S HOUSE - DAY 76

Once outside, the chauffeur doesn't move. He stays next to the

car. George watches him through the window. The chauffeur

still doesn't budge. George pulls the curtains.

77 EXT. GEORGE’S HOUSE - EVENING 77

In the evening, George looks out between the curtains, the

chauffeur is still there. George turns on his heels and gets

into his Murphy bed.

78 INT. GEORGE’S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT 78

Night time. George is in bed with his eyes open.

79 EXT. GEORGE’S HOUSE - NIGHT 79

Outside, the chauffeur is still in the same position.

80 INT. GEORGE’S HOUSE - DAY 80

The next morning, George gets up and goes to look from the

window. The chauffeur has gone. George is a little sad, but

that's just the way it is... He looks around at his home.

A little later, George looks at himself in a mirror. We pass

from him to his reflection, which he hides by placing his drink

against the mirror.

81 INT. AUCTION ROOMS - DAY 81

A sign says that the effects of George Valentin are to be

auctioned. Furniture, costumes, objets d'art and paintings on

September 14th. There aren't many people in the room, just five

or six. George is standing at the back, smoking a cigarette.

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