The Carpetbaggers Page #10

You know what I am.

Jonas Cord doesn't.

I've got a feeling

that you've got what he likes

in a woman.

Its crazy.

That's what Eve probably

said to Adam.

Look what that lead to.

This is a strange world.

Anything is possible.

Is she dead?

Not quite.

She's unconscious.

The doctor didn't give

anything

for her chances

of coming out of it.

Have you told Jonas

about this?

No, I'm afraid to.

That's why I came here first.

I'm trying to work

my way up to him.

How could she do this

to me?

How could she do it?

Cord wants my studio

more than anything else

in the world.

When he finds out

about Rina

I won't have a chance

of selling it.

You know, I never realized

what a cold-blooded...

character you are.

Now, listen, this is

a one-star studio.

When she goes, we go.

Now, I can't keep

her alive, can I?

No.

No, I got to think

about the living

and that's me.

Go ahead, laugh.

Its you, too.

Your job dies with Rina.

-I never thought of that.

-Mm-hmm.

You get to be

pretty cold-blooded fast

yourself, don't you?

You just shot me

with an icicle.

All right, now listen.

Maybe you can fix it

so that you never...

you never have to work

for anybody again, ever.

I-I, I don't follow.

Are you sure Jonas doesn't

know anything about this?

Yeah, I'm pretty sure.

Do you think you can keep Jonas

from learning about the accident

for a couple of hours?

Oh, now, wait a minute, Bernie.

Just what kind of a louse

do you think...?

Just a minute yourself.

How much was he willing to pay

to buy me out?

I don't know,

three or four million.

All right, I'll start with five.

lf the deal works,

you get 15%.

I get...?

You heard me, 15%.

Now, it's worth it.

I waited a long time

for a chance like this.

Suppose he...?

Suppose he finds out...?

I mean, about my

setting him up for the...?

Oh, no.

I'd be taking

a terrible chance. I...

Listen, it's worth

every penny of it.

This way, you come out

with something!

Without Rina,

or the studio

how long do you think

it's going to take

before he fires you?

Come on, get smart.

Suppose he won't meet

this morning?

Well, see that he does.

$750,000.

Yeah. Nice little

nest egg, isn't it?

Come on, get busy.

I'll pull my lawyers

out of bed

and draw up two papers

of agreement.

We'll sign yours first.

Bernie...

Yeah, sure.

Good. This is the day

we pluck Jonas Cord's

feathers.

Now, listen you.

You be at his hotel

at 8:
00 sharp.

Not a minute late.

Sure. Not a minute late.

Yes!

Why this morning, like that?

Well, he's scared.

You know he's had a

couple of heart attacks

and last night

his doctor told him

he was on the edge of a third

and possible final attack

and he called me.

He wants to retire.

Jonas, you got him

on the hook.

Don't let him get away.

I'll get it.

Hello.

No, he's not at the moment.

I-I really don't know.

That's funny.

Norman's lawyer.

Probably wants

to talk him out of it.

How much does he want?

Five million.

What'll he take?

Well, he wouldn't say.

Guess.

Oh, four... and a half.

Uh, could you hold it

just a moment, please?

Oh, Mr. Woolf, Mr. Norman.

Come in, won't you, please?

Yes?

Uh, no, no.

No, you can't.

Morning, Mr. Cord.

Hold all calls

for the next half hour.

Hold them anyway.

My nephew, David.

Mr. Cord.

Well, well, well.

We all finally get together

in one room.

Oh, here, Bernie,

you better sit down.

Excuse me.

So you want to sell

at 8:
00 in the morning?

Mr. Cord...

that's a trick

I learned from you.

You see, you're at

your best late at night.

Me, I'm an early riser.

I figure it gives me

some advantage.

Besides...

I could be dead in 24 hours.

So, not another minute

do I want to work

in this business.

How much?

Well, it's a sacrifice.

I have to-I have

to think of others.

My family...

How much?

Take it off my hands--

$5 million.

It pains me to see you

make such a sacrifice.

I'll give you three.

That's a million below

the market.

Which I helped to make.

All right.

Listen, four-and-a-half.

Three-and-a-half.

Four.

Three-and-a-half.

And if you say four again,

I'll go back to three.

Mr. Cord...

you're cheating a sick man.

All right.

All right.

Here's two letters

of agreement.

Just fill in the amount

and sign it.

I've already signed it.

Witness that.

David.

I told you to hold the calls.

Sorry, wrong number.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Well...

that's it, Mr. Cord.

You now own Bernard

P. Norman Pictures.

Thanks.

"Thanks".

You remember once

I told you, "One day"?

"One day".

Do you remember?

Well, this is the

day, Mr. Smart One.

When you bought Norman Studios,

you bought a corpse.

What's that supposed to mean?

At this moment, your great

drunken star, Rina Marlowe,

is in the hospital dying

of an automobile accident.

Here, you'll need it.

I-I didn't know.

Not until this very

second, I swear it.

Jonas, I work for you.

How-how could

you even...?

Hey, there he is now.

Here he is,

ladies and gentlemen.

Here he is, Jonas Cord.

I'm Virginia Gray.

My radio audience wants

to know, did you love her?

When did you hear, Mr. Cord?

Was she really your

mother, Mr. Cord?

Was she really your mother?

Did you say was?

She's dead.

She died 20 minutes ago.

Good morning,

and welcome back to the world.

How long I been here?

Little over a week.

You know, I've seen some big

drinkers

on Third Avenue in my day--

my own father,

God have mercy on his soul--

but in my sight,

you take the record.

New York, huh?

I hope I didn't mistreat you.

Never laid a glove on me.

Wasn't a woman

you were looking for.

It was the sorrow you were

trying to boil out of you.

Its all there

except I took out

for the whiskey.

Hey, take it easy.

Come on.

Sit down.

When you feel up to it,

there's a razor in the bathroom.

And while you're shaving,

I can take your clothes

down to the cleaners

and have them pressed up a bit.

Get you some food,

if you think you

can keep it down.

You're in the wrong business.

You ought to be

an angel of mercy.

The irish make

lousy hookers.

We always get sentimental

over drunks.

Do you mind if I

give you a sermon?

What?

She's dead, you know.

And all the whiskey

in the world

won't be bringing

her back to life.

Now, if you'll

try and stand up

and take your clothes off

you and I will get

on to the business

of living the best way we can.

...late from the office,

at least it's late...

lf you plan on working for me

stop looking

like small-town librarians.

Fix your hair,

put on higher heels,

shorter skirts

and half your looks.

Bring your books.

Get the head of

the Art Department.

I want this place redecorated.

Send somebody to my hotel

to pick up my clothes.

Call my tailor.

Order four more suits,

same color.

Get rid of this stuff.

Have the barber in here

every morning, 7:00 a.m. sharp.

Tell maintenance to open

the best cottage on the lot.

I'm going to live here.

And have the commissary keep

a cook on day and night.

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