The Carpetbaggers Page #5

Not people.

Not even himself.

A perfect description

of the late Jonas Cord, Sr.

No mothers, no home life,

fathers too busy with business.

You know, when you

think about it Jonas,

we're really very much alike.

But you're prettier.

But you're more exciting.

What are your plans, Monica?

Plans?

I don't know. Play?

Burn the candle at both ends

while I still got something

to light it with.

Who knows?

Maybe like my father

I'll get paid off one day

and disappear into the woodwork.

Unless you find somebody.

I already have.

But what can a gold miner

offer the gold,

except maybe a pretty pan

and even that tarnishes fast.

What's the wildest thing

you've ever done?

I was hoping

I hadn't done it yet.

You know all the answers

to interest a man, don't you?

No. Only when I'm lucky enough

to get the right questions.

Go ahead. Ask me something.

Something I can't answer.

Go on. I dare you.

-Good-bye.

-Good luck.

Sorry.

Congratulations.

Cold?

Mm, scared.

I can't believe it happened.

What do I tell'em, mister?

Back to the airport.

What'd you like to see

on your honeymoon?

Lots of lovely ceilings.

Merci beaucoup.

Taxi! Taxi! Taxi.

Excuse me.

This is probably

a foolish question.

You're not by any chance

a Miss Marlowe, are you?

This is probably a foolish

answer, but yes.

Forget-me-nots.

That's for the D.A.R.

You're strictly long-stemmed,

American Beauty roses.

Well, they're lovely anyway.

Nevada said

a very old friend of his.

I was expecting to meet

his first grade school teacher.

Well, on the way into town

I'll give you

a lesson in geography.

I think I've already had one.

Well, this way, please,

to the wheelchair.

All aboard!

My, my.

This is the first 12-cylinder

steer I've ever seen.

Fabulous, isn't it?

Designed it myself.

Whenever Nevada Smith

rolls through town

they know he's somebody

important.

Just think what you

could have done

for Abraham Lincoln.

How about this interior?

Just run your hand

over that leather.

Isn't that nice?

Feel like I've been

swallowed by a buffalo.

Showmanship-- public eats it up.

After all, Nevada Smith's

just about the most important

thing in movies.

Kids all over the country

are crazy about him.

He does all his own

stunts, you know?

Tell me something.

Mm-hmm.

Who are you?

Oh, now, honey,

come on.

I'm Dan Pierce.

I'm Nevada's agent,

his manager.

Yes, I-I get him pictures,

make his deals, bank his money,

and, well, handle him,

personally.

I get ten percent.

That is, of everything

he gets.

Let me ask you,

Mister, uh...

Pierce. Dan Pierce.

Do you handle everybody,

personally?

Only those who show

possibilities.

Here, I'll trade these

for a drink.

lf we get arrested

I hope they put us

in the same cell.

Do the kids know

about that?

Oh, no. No,

we carry milk in here

on personal appearances.

You see, Nevada never drinks

at a picture

and he never kisses

the girl.

I guess that's the real

reason I never became

a cowboy star.

Here, I saved

ten percent for you.

Well, thanks.

Say, do you mind

if I ask you

a rather personal question?

Not at all.

What is your, uh, relationship

to Nevada Smith?

Oh, nothing important.

I'm going to marry him.

Reach!

Don't shoot.

I'm innocent.

Innocent?

I thought you were

Rina Marlowe.

Nevada.

Oh, Nevada!

Welcome home, Rina.

Nobody in the world

thought about me but you.

The money, tickets, love,

everything.

Robin Hood

of the Rio Grande-- that's me.

Are those guns loaded?

Let's see.

Oh!

Blanks.

Now I'll ride off

into the sunset

if I can find

dark glasses for my horse.

What's your hurry,

partner?

Isn't there

some generous way

a lonesome widow

can show her gratitude?

As a matter of fact,

there is.

Got any buttermilk?

Buttermilk?

Whatever happened

to bottles of red-eye

dance hall girls?

That's the villains.

I'm strictly a hero.

I can believe it.

That outfit, this house

that car of yours.

I just try to act out

people's dreams:

purity over passion,

goodness over evil.

But evil can be fun.

Oh, not when Nevada rides.

Killing, yes, but kissing, no.

How did it all happen?

Oh, I joined a Wild West show

that folded in Los Angeles.

I became an extra, did stunts

and people started

writing in about me

and here I am.

Do you like it?

Yes, I do. Its fun.

Nobody gets hurt,

and maybe it helps a little.

Do you ever see Jonas?

Talk about success.

There's a man who's going

to end up running the world.

You can't ride, fly,

shoot a gun, mail a letter,

make a phone call,

or drink a cup of coffee

that Jonas doesn't have

something to do with it.

But you never see him?

No. In the same town,

but different worlds.

You know he's married?

I didn't.

I heard he spent his honeymoon

going from one of his factories

to another,

making new business deals

with bankers.

Something borrowed,

something blue.

Poor girl.

So, let's forget him.

Its the hero's night off.

And for once, he's going

to let the lonesome widow

be properly grateful.

Properly?

Not if I know the widow,

and I do.

Can you really forget Jonas?

Jonas who?

The only Jonas I ever heard of

was swallowed by a whale.

Its the only thing

big enough

to take his ego.

to take his ego.

lf my calculations

are correct,

we should be able

to carry 20 passengers,

in addition to the

pilot and copilot,

at a cruising speed

of about 250.

Should be able

to fly for seven hours

before refueling,

depending on the wind.

Fly from here to New York

with only two stopovers?

I don't believe it.

What would it cost

to build the first one?

A half a million bucks

for one airplane?

Who do you think we are,

the government?

You guys are nuts.

We'll never make

our money out of this.

First-class passage,

coast to coast by train

with compartment, meals

and tips comes to over $250

and takes four full days.

This plane can carry passengers

the same distance

at the same cost in one day

and save three working days.

Build it.

As stockholder who owns

half the stock--

that's me--

just cancel that order.

Cord Chemicals owns

the other half

and also holds over

half a million dollars

in mortgages

on International planes,

most of which are

past due right now.

You want to foreclose now,

make it official.

You're a great pilot, Buzz.

You'd risk your life with

a quart of gas over the Rockies.

Now don't freeze up

when I throw

a few figures at you.

I should

have known better, Jonas.

I should have learned

my lesson

when I lost that Waco to you

in a poker game.

Let me gamble the money.

I'll make you rich.

Fate it, shake'em and roll.

They told me this was

where the action was.

Why, Mrs. Cord, good evening.

Mr. Morrissey, Buzz.

Hi, Monica.

What brings you down here?

Oh, I don't know.

The dishes were all done

and Amos and Andy was over.

I'll have these duplicated

in the morning.

Don't let me break up

the conference.

No, we were through.

I'll think I'll go home

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