The Bonfire of the Vanities

Synopsis: Financial "Master of the Universe" Sherman McCoy sees his life unravel when his mistress Maria Ruskin hits a black boy with his car. When yellow journalist Peter Fallow enflames public opinion with a series of distorted tabloid articles on the accident, the case is seized upon by opportunists like Reverend Bacon and mayoral candidate D.A. Abe Weiss.
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Director(s): Brian De Palma
Production: Warner Home Video
  1 win & 5 nominations.
 
IMDB:
5.5
Rotten Tomatoes:
16%
R
Year:
1990
125 min
311 Views


00:
01:34,612 -- 00:01:39,242

Fallow arriving, area A. Do you copy?

2

00:
01:44,892 -- 00:01:47,122

Hi, Mr. Fallow. Welcome.

3

00:
01:49,492 -- 00:01:51,881

Hi, so nice to see you!

4

00:
01:55,972 -- 00:01:57,200

Careful with that!

5

00:
01:57,292 -- 00:01:59,601

We're in a bit of a rush...

6

00:
01:59,772 -- 00:02:01,842

so let's hop on the cart and get going.

7

00:
02:01,932 -- 00:02:04,002

There are a lot of people waiting.

8

00:
02:04,092 -- 00:02:06,401

We're so honored to have you.

9

00:
02:06,492 -- 00:02:09,928

This is really

an historic occasion, Peter.

10

00:
02:15,132 -- 00:02:18,010

Mr. Fallow, I'd like

to take this private moment...

11

00:
02:18,292 -- 00:02:21,011

to tell you how much I admire your book.

12

00:
02:21,372 -- 00:02:24,250

When Faulkner was asked

to recommend three novels, he said:

13

00:
02:24,332 -- 00:02:26,687

"Anna Karenina, Anna Karenina,

Anna Karenina."

14

00:
02:26,772 -- 00:02:30,287

Today, he'd say:

"The Real McCoy and the Forgotten Lamb.

15

00:
02:30,492 -- 00:02:34,121

"The Real McCoy and the Forgotten Lamb,

The Real McCoy and..."

16

00:
02:35,292 -- 00:02:38,443

I know you've heard it a million times...

17

00:
02:39,212 -- 00:02:43,683

but the scene where the mayor is hit

in the head with the mayonnaise jar...

18

00:
02:44,332 -- 00:02:46,243

Well, to be continued.

19

00:
02:48,732 -- 00:02:50,290

Right this way.

20

00:
02:57,652 -- 00:02:59,643

I've got Mr. Fallow.

21

00:
03:05,452 -- 00:03:08,046

Get away!

This should never have happened.

22

00:
03:08,132 -- 00:03:09,406

I'm so sorry.

23

00:
03:12,972 -- 00:03:15,122

Right this way, Mr. Fallow.

24

00:
03:15,212 -- 00:03:18,409

We're just going through these two doors.

25

00:
03:19,692 -- 00:03:21,364

We're on our way.

26

00:
03:21,452 -- 00:03:24,649

But I must say, if I may quote you...

27

00:
03:26,732 -- 00:03:29,166

Look at all the busy bees.

28

00:
03:33,772 -- 00:03:35,842

If I may quote you...

29

00:
03:36,012 -- 00:03:39,049

"How in the name of God...

Who in the name of God...

30

00:
03:39,212 -- 00:03:42,887

"would bring a half-eaten jar

of mayonnaise to a public meeting?"

31

00:
03:42,972 -- 00:03:43,961

Ambassador!

32

00:
03:44,052 -- 00:03:48,170

I'm Charles Buchanan. This is my wife,

Stephanie, and my daughter.

33

00:
03:48,372 -- 00:03:51,045

Mr. Fallow, I read your book 15 times.

34

00:
03:51,252 -- 00:03:56,201

Next year, next year I'm going

to take a course in it.

35

00:
03:57,012 -- 00:03:59,082

We're going to go up by ourselves.

36

00:
04:03,252 -- 00:04:04,685

Are you hungry?

37

00:
04:06,572 -- 00:04:09,962

That's salmon, but I don't think

you should touch that.

38

00:
04:14,292 -- 00:04:17,762

Mr. Fallow, it's such an honor

to finally meet you.

39

00:
04:18,092 -- 00:04:19,525

Oh, my God!

40

00:
04:19,612 -- 00:04:20,727

Oh, my God!

41

00:
04:22,292 -- 00:04:24,169

We are running a bit late.

42

00:
04:24,252 -- 00:04:26,766

I don't know what to say. Let me see...

43

00:
04:26,932 -- 00:04:28,843

-What's your name?

-Suzanne.

44

00:
04:28,932 -- 00:04:30,251

Are you married?

45

00:
04:31,212 -- 00:04:32,486

Excuse me!

46

00:
04:36,252 -- 00:04:37,924

Excuse me!

47

00:
04:40,372 -- 00:04:42,010

Animals!

48

00:
04:46,612 -- 00:04:48,648

Someone needs deodorant.

49

00:
04:50,092 -- 00:04:53,323

All right, all right, here we go.

50

00:
04:54,292 -- 00:04:56,123

Everything is under control.

51

00:
04:56,332 -- 00:04:57,970

Nothing to worry about.

52

00:
04:59,372 -- 00:05:02,762

Excuse me. I haven't

introduced myself, have I?

53

00:
05:03,412 -- 00:05:05,130

My name is Peter Fallow.

54

00:
05:05,452 -- 00:05:06,885

I am a writer.

55

00:
05:07,372 -- 00:05:09,090

But you know that already.

56

00:
05:09,292 -- 00:05:12,648

Unless you haven't read a newspaper

or seen a TV recently...

57

00:
05:12,852 -- 00:05:14,763

you know exactly who I am.

58

00:
05:15,732 -- 00:05:18,485

I am the man of the moment.

59

00:
05:19,532 -- 00:05:21,488

The hero of the evening.

60

00:
05:21,932 -- 00:05:24,162

Me and a book I happened to write.

61

00:
05:25,812 -- 00:05:29,282

The real hero of the evening

is not even with us tonight.

62

00:
05:29,612 -- 00:05:31,523

We'll come to him in a minute.

63

00:
05:31,692 -- 00:05:34,968

For now, indulge yourself

in the extravagance of the moment...

64

00:
05:35,052 -- 00:05:39,284

and remember, ifyou will,

a phrase from another little best-seller.

65

00:
05:41,812 -- 00:05:45,851

"What does it profit a man if he gains

the whole world and loses his soul?"

66

00:
05:46,812 -- 00:05:48,131

They're waiting.

67

00:
05:48,972 -- 00:05:52,089

This is a story about such a man.

68

00:
05:55,532 -- 00:05:57,170

There he is!

69

00:
06:08,412 -- 00:06:11,688

And it begins on a rainy night

a little over a year ago.

70

00:
06:17,732 -- 00:06:20,929

Our hero, Sherman McCoy,

was about to make a simple phone call.

71

00:
06:22,572 -- 00:06:26,645

But despite the existence of 11 phones

and seven different lines...

72

00:
06:26,772 -- 00:06:30,242

in the 14 rooms

of his $6-million-plus apartment...

73

00:
06:30,492 -- 00:06:33,370

this was a phone call

he could not make at home.

74

00:
06:34,092 -- 00:06:35,491

Gotcha!

75

00:
06:35,572 -- 00:06:37,608

What on earth are you doing?

76

00:
06:40,012 -- 00:06:41,923

I'm taking the dog for a walk.

77

00:
06:42,132 -- 00:06:45,568

You're not taking "the dog" for a walk,

you're taking "Marshall."

78

00:
06:45,652 -- 00:06:49,008

Marshall has a name. He's family.

And, anyway...

79

00:
06:49,492 -- 00:06:50,891

it's raining.

80

00:
06:51,052 -- 00:06:52,565

I know that.

81

00:
06:52,812 -- 00:06:54,404

So does Marshall.

82

00:
06:54,612 -- 00:06:56,409

He doesn't want to go.

83

00:
06:56,492 -- 00:06:57,720

Do you, Marshall?

84

00:
06:58,972 -- 00:06:59,961

Judy...

85

00:
07:00,972 -- 00:07:03,611

All right. Have a nice time.

86

00:
07:08,692 -- 00:07:11,126

He's not happy about it, Mr. McCoy.

87

00:
07:11,212 -- 00:07:12,850

Neither am I, Bill.

88

00:
07:12,932 -- 00:07:14,968

Tony, sir. My name is Tony.

89

00:
07:15,052 -- 00:07:16,644

Well, whatever.

90

00:
07:20,492 -- 00:07:22,562

Let's be men about this.

91

00:
07:35,532 -- 00:07:36,647

Hello, Sherman.

92

00:
07:36,732 -- 00:07:38,324

Good evening, Pollard.

93

00:
07:38,412 -- 00:07:40,004

It's raining, you know.

94

00:
07:40,212 -- 00:07:42,362

I did notice, yes.

95

00:
07:42,572 -- 00:07:45,882

Ah, Sherman, a true friend

to man's best friend.

96

00:
07:49,292 -- 00:07:52,170

Pollard, you old phrase-maker.

97

00:
07:52,372 -- 00:07:53,566

I beg your pardon?

98

00:
07:53,652 -- 00:07:55,847

Is that the best you can do?

99

00:
07:56,052 -- 00:07:58,088

Is that as witty as we get?

100

00:
07:58,332 -- 00:08:00,402

I don't know what you're talking about.

101

00:
08:00,492 -- 00:08:05,441

Furthermore, if you're wet

when you return, take the service elevator.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes

Michael Cristofer

Michael Ivan Cristofer (born January 22, 1945) is an American playwright, filmmaker and actor. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play for The Shadow Box in 1977. more…

All Michael Cristofer scripts | Michael Cristofer Scripts

0 fans

Submitted on August 05, 2018

Discuss this script with the community:

0 Comments

    Translation

    Translate and read this script in other languages:

    Select another language:

    • - Select -
    • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
    • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
    • Español (Spanish)
    • Esperanto (Esperanto)
    • 日本語 (Japanese)
    • Português (Portuguese)
    • Deutsch (German)
    • العربية (Arabic)
    • Français (French)
    • Русский (Russian)
    • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
    • 한국어 (Korean)
    • עברית (Hebrew)
    • Gaeilge (Irish)
    • Українська (Ukrainian)
    • اردو (Urdu)
    • Magyar (Hungarian)
    • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
    • Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Italiano (Italian)
    • தமிழ் (Tamil)
    • Türkçe (Turkish)
    • తెలుగు (Telugu)
    • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
    • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
    • Čeština (Czech)
    • Polski (Polish)
    • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Românește (Romanian)
    • Nederlands (Dutch)
    • Ελληνικά (Greek)
    • Latinum (Latin)
    • Svenska (Swedish)
    • Dansk (Danish)
    • Suomi (Finnish)
    • فارسی (Persian)
    • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
    • հայերեն (Armenian)
    • Norsk (Norwegian)
    • English (English)

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this screenplay to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "The Bonfire of the Vanities" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Dec. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/the_bonfire_of_the_vanities_4470>.

    We need you!

    Help us build the largest writers community and scripts collection on the web!

    Watch the movie trailer

    The Bonfire of the Vanities

    The Studio:

    ScreenWriting Tool

    Write your screenplay and focus on the story with many helpful features.


    Quiz

    Are you a screenwriting master?

    »
    Who is the main actor in "The Godfather"?
    A Robert De Niro
    B Al Pacino
    C Marlon Brando
    D Jack Nicholson