The Distinguished Gentleman Page #19

TOMMY:

Now let's get to work.

140 INT. POWER AND ENTERPRISE COMMITTEE - DAY 140

The Members are being seated for a hearing. At the dais,

Tommy approaches Dodge. A beat as Dodge studies Tommy'sface.

TOMMY:

Eli Marshall caught his tail in acrack, didn't he?

DODGE:

He did.

TOMMY:

You kept my name out of it.

DODGE:

I did.

TOMMY:

I owe you one.

DODGE:

(pleased)

You learn fast.

TOMMY:

Do me one favor, Dick. Next time

you pull some heavy sh*t involvingmy ass, tip me off, okay?

DODGE:

(indulgent chuckle)

Alright, son.

(BANGS gavel)

This hearing of the Power andEnterprise Committee is now inorder. The health of America's

securities industry -

(CONTINUED)

THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN - Rev. 4/3/92 97.

140 CONTINUED:
140

Reinhardt approaches Tommy and slips him a packet ofmaterials.

TOMMY:

(whispering)

Thanks. Listen, Reinhardt, something'scome up, and I don't quite know howto handle it. There's a guy fromthe EPA -- I don't know him -- sayshe wants to see me. Tonight. Out

of the office. Alone, he says.

Sound of it makes me nervous. I'd

feel better if you were there.

REINHARDT:

You got it, jefe.

141 EXT. GRANT'S STATUE - NIGHT 141

A man waits, alone, in the shadow of a large statue.

It's Homer. In a jacket and tie, his stubble shaved off,

he looks like a plausible government worker. Tommy andReinhardt approach.

TOMMY:

Mr. Yancey?

HOMER:

(cold)

I thought you'd be alone.

TOMMY:

He's my AA. He goes where I go. If

you can trust me, you can trust him.

Homer eyes Reinhardt a moment, then continues.

HOMER:

Congressman, I have information Ithink you may want. It's about

something going on at the EPA.

TOMMY:

What have you got?

HOMER:

I got a wife and three kids, and anote on my house, that's what I got.

(CONTINUED)

THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN - Rev. 4/3/92 98.

141 CONTINUED:
141

TOMMY:

(laughs)

Nothin' comes for nothin' in this

town, do it?

(to Reinhardt)

You got any cash on you? I'm kind

of light.

REINHARDT:

(whispering)

You can't do that!

TOMMY:

(to Homer)

This stuff's pretty good?

HOMER:

In the right hands, it could mean agreat deal.

TOMMY:

Okay. Sunday. Fifth race at Del

Mar. Blueboy is running twenty to

one. I'd take a major position.

HOMER:

You have to be shitting me.

TOMMY:

No, not at all -- my Cousin Henryspends his days pumping water intohorses' stomachs and stuffingPercodan up their butts. Trust me.

Reinhardt is interested in this. And he admires Tommy's

m.o.

HOMER:

(after a moment)

Alright. The White House is puttingheat on the EPA. They want us toannounce a major investigation ofthe relation between power lines andcancer clusters.

REINHARDT:

But didn't the EPA already do a study?

HOMER:

Yeah, but when the draft got to theWhite House, they didn't like it. So

they brought their own scientists into kill it.

(CONTINUED)

THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN - Rev. 4/3/92 99.

141 CONTINUED:
(2) 141

TOMMY:

Why did the White House change itsmind?

HOMER:

Who knows?

TOMMY:

Is there new evidence?

HOMER:

Yeah -- their polls have droppedlike a rock. They need an issue.

This one makes them look good onthe environment, and they don't haveto spend a penny.

TOMMY:

And what good is this to me?

HOMER:

Come on, congressman, in this town,

information is currency. And

advance information is gold.

Reinhardt nods in agreement.

HOMER:

But you've got to move fast. Once

the White House goes public withthis, they can't turn back. If yourfriends at the power company want tokill this investigation, they'd betterdo it now. Evening, gentlemen.

After Homer leaves:

REINHARDT:

Blueboy. Twenty to one. Is yourCousin Henry always right?

TOMMY:

I ain't got no Cousin Henry.

142 EXT. PAY PHONE - BY REFLECTING POOL - NIGHT 142

Reinhardt dials.

Hello?

MRS. DODGE'S VOICE (V.O.)

(CONTINUED)

THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN - Rev. 4/3/92 100.

142 CONTINUED:
142

REINHARDT:

Mrs. Dodge, it's Arthur Reinhardt.

May I speak to the Chairman, please?

DODGE (V.O.)

Hello?

REINHARDT:

Are you sitting down?

143 INT. ART CAUCUS ROOM - DAY 143

The Longworth Room, a small circular committee room withan ornate rotunda. The Arts Caucus breakfast is ending.

THIRD MEMBER:

Unless there is further business,

our caucus stands adjourned.

Dodge gets up. As he makes to leave, Tommy comes in.

TOMMY:

Got a minute, Dick?

Tommy takes him aside. The room empties except for them.

TOMMY:

Listen, Dick, I heard something.

There's got to be some bid'ness in it.

Tommy very discreetly gestures with his thumb and palm:

money.

TOMMY:

Maybe we can go in on it together.

DODGE:

I'm listening.

TOMMY:

The EPA is going to make a stinkabout power lines. The White House

is pushing them to do a big study.

DODGE:

That's very interesting, my friend.

I've heard that, too.

TOMMY:

(acting surprised)

Nothing gets by, do it?

Tommy touches his nose, in tribute to the master.

(CONTINUED)

THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN - Rev. 4/3/92 100A.

143 CONTINUED:
143

DODGE:

But thank you, son -- I'm glad youchose to share it with me. We do

make quite a team, don't we?

TOMMY:

I -- I hope it wasn't my press conferencethat started this.

DODGE:

No, this is a stunt for the polls.

TOMMY:

So do you think there's somethingin it for us?

DODGE:

(musing)

If we got the EPA off Olaf Andersen'sback, he'd be extremely appreciative.

TOMMY:

And how do we do that?

DODGE:

My committee writes the EPA's programs.

We audit their funds. We confirm their

appointees. I've got them by the balls.

TOMMY:

And you're going to -- ?

Tommy makes a squeezing gesture, grins.

DODGE:

Oh, no, not at all -- just...

persuasion. Strenuous persuasion.

TOMMY:

That's allowed?

DODGE:

Persuasion, yes. Intimidation, no.

But it's a gray area. Who's to saywhich is which?

TOMMY:

Dick, wait a minute -- shouldn't we

check out the tip? Make sure the

EPA's really going through with thisinvestigation?

(CONTINUED)

THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN - Rev. 4/3/92 101.

143 CONTINUED:
(2) 143

DODGE:

Of course.

(looks at watch)

He should be in by now.

TOMMY:

Who?

DODGE:

Skeeter Warburton, of course.

Always go right to the top, son.

144 INT. DODGE'S RECEPTION AREA - DAY 144

Dodge passes his Secretary's desk on the way into hisoffice.

DODGE:

Get me the EPA Administrator, please.

145 INT. CORRIDOR/STAIRWELL - CANNON - DAY 145

Tommy jogs along the corridor. A tourist Family stares athim. He explains his haste with a smile -

TOMMY:

There's a vote on the floor.

-- and ducks into the stairwell.

146 INT. CATACOMBS - PHONE CABLE ROOM - DAY 146

In a chamber crammed with cables, the Telephone Manlistens to a handset. He now sports a gold Rolex on hiswrist -- his horse must have come in. Van Dyke, alsothere, looks at any array of dials and meters, whosehands all suddenly move. Some electronic phone CHIRPS,

then the filtered RINGING of a call.

VAN DYKE:

Here he comes.

The Telephone Man nods, adjusts some wiring, smilessatisfiedly.

TELEPHONE MAN:

And there he goes.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes