The Fabulous Baker Boys Page #14

Those standing on the dance floor applaud as the young

couple from the beat-up Eldorado make their way to the

front of the room.

FRANK:

(continuing)

And now, our second couple. I'm talking about

Ethel and Bert Lane, ladies and gentlemen. Now,

Ethel and Bert would be upset with me if I told

you they'd been married for fifty years. Why?

Because, ladies and gentlemen, Ethel and Bert Lane

have been married for seventy-five years!

The audience lets go with an audible "ooh"

and applauds enthusiastically.

FRANK:

(continuing)

Ethel, Bert. Get up here and

show these kids how it's done.

A path is cleared and a tiny couple begins to make

their way to the dance floor.

FRANK:

(continuing)

Aren't they a sight?

They are indeed, and a sight slower getting to the

dance floor than Frank anticipated.

He nods to Jack and they launch into "The Anniversary

Waltz," but have to keep repeating the opening passage

while they wait for Ethel and Bert. Finally, everyone

on the dance floor steps back and, with some help from

a few waiters, who slide a section of tables out of the

way, Ethel and Bert Lane begin to dance in the center

of the room, slowly but wonderfully, while the younger

couple whirls around them like a youthful satellite.

INT. BATHROOM

Jack is sitting in the bathroom again, smoking. He

hears Susie's door open, then VOICES -- hers and a

man's. He puts out his cigarette in the

sink and leaves.

INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR - DAY

The next morning. Frank, the early bird, is

returning to the room with a newspaper under his arm.

Whistling happily, he rounds the corner just in time to

see a man exit Susie's room. Astonished, then outraged,

he goes to Susie's door and knocks sharply.

SUSIE:

(opening door)

Forget your tie, handsome ...

Frank!

FRANK:

You want to tell me what the

hell's going on?

SUSIE:

Huh?

FRANK:

I just saw a man walk out of

your room.

SUSIE:

Uh ...

FRANK:

In case you've forgotten, we're being paid to be

here. So it might be nice if you conducted

yourself with a certain amount of decency.

SUSIE:

Decency? Hey listen, pal ...

FRANK:

No. You listen. I had my doubts

about you from the beginning

JACK:

Hey!

Frank and Susie turn. Jack is standing in the hallway.

JACK:

(continuing)

What're you trying to do? Wake

up the whole goddamn hotel?

FRANK:

We were just having a little

discussion about morality.

SUSIE:

Some discussion.

FRANK:

I just saw a man walk out of your

room!

JACK:

You saw wrong.

FRANK:

Huh?

JACK:

He's with the hotel. I called him.

FRANK:

What are you talking about?

JACK:

We had a leak in the bathroom.

He fixed it.

FRANK:

He was wearing a suit.

JACK:

He had to come quickly. It was

a big leak.

FRANK:

How come I didn't hear anything?

JACK:

You're a heavy sleeper, Frank.

You've always-been a heavy sleeper.

(looking at Susie)

Unlike me.

Frank looks at Jack, then Susie.

FRANK:

I guess I ... If I jumped to...

SUSIE:

Forget it.

The three stand there awkwardly for a moment.

FRANK:

Well...

Frank shrugs lamely and exits.

SUSIE:

Boy, he comes on like a hurricane

in the morning, doesn't he?

Jack just stares at her.

SUSIE:

(continuing)

Yeah, well, thanks for sticking

your head in.

JACK:

Hey, business is business.

He turns to leave. Susie's eyes narrow.

SUSIE:

It wasn't business. It was pleasure.

JACK:

Just dinner and dance, right?

INT. DINING ROOM

Jack, Frank and Susie are sitting at a table in the

smaller dining room. It is conspicuously quiet.

The main course seems to be a conscious attempt to

ignore each other. Finally, Susie looks at Frank.

Then Jack. Then out the window.

SUSIE:

Paradise.

INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

Jack and Frank's room. It is New Year's Eve,

just before show time, and Jack and Frank are in

their tuxes. Frank is on the phone.

FRANK:

(into phone)

Yes, Daddy promises. I'll bring you one of the

little glasses, how's that? Just like Grandma has.

It has a picture of the hotel on it and everything

... No, honey, they don't sell puppies here ...

Who? ... Well, we'll see. Let me talk to Mommy,

okay?... Okay,sweetheart. Happy New Year.

(waits)

Hi, honey. She says Angela Secoli got a puppy for

Christmas. Explain to her why we can't ... I don't

know, tell her you're allergic ... It's not lying.

Well, okay, it is lying, but ... All right, then tell

her I'll explain it ... He what? ... No kidding?

Without the training wheels?

(affected by this)

Well, that's great. Tell him, tell him. I can't wait

to see ... No, no new bike. Maybe for his birthday ...

Okay. Listen, honey, I have to go.We're on in ten

minutes ... Yeah, Happy New Year ... I love you ...

Frank sets the phone down and stares at it.

Jack studies him a moment, then Frank suddenly

claps his hands.

FRANK:

(continuing)

Well, let's go. The public waits.

INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT

A mass of swarming, jubilant people. The voices are

high and loud and there's not a hand without a

champagne glass. Couples lean into one another

intimately, dancing gaily between the tables, toasting

strangers without hesitation.

FRANK:

(yelling to be heard)

All right, everyone. This is it.

Let's hear it. Ten. Nine ...

Gradually, the entire room joins the chant.

FRANK/EVERYONE

Eight. Seven. Six. Five.

Four. Three. Two! ONE!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

There is a blizzard of confetti as people scramble to

find that certain someone to kiss in the new year.

In this moment, Jack, Frank and Susie find themselves

oddly removed from the frantic cheer below them,

their presence suddenly unnecessary, forgotten.

Finally, Susie walks over to Frank and gives him a kiss,

then goes to Jack. They hesitate, then kiss lightly,

pulling away and glancing awkwardly into each other's

eyes. Frank sounds the first chord of "Auld Lang Syne"

and Susie looks away from Jack and returns to her place

on the stage. As she begins to sing, the others in the

room, all intimate friends for one brief moment,

begin to sing with her.

SUSIE/EVERYONE

Lest old acquaintances be forgot ...

As the voices slowly fade, they are joined by the

sound of the OCEAN until the ocean is all we hear

and we see:

INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

Jack, lying on his bed in the dark. He opens his eyes,

squinting against the light from the bathroom, then

glances over to Frank's bed and detects the outline

of a body in the darkness. Swinging his legs over the

side, he sits up on the edge of the bed and rubs his eyes.

Suddenly there is a rustle of blankets and the shadow in

the next bed shifts, falling into the shaft of light cast

from the bathroom. It is a little boy. Startled, Jack

stares at the sleeping boy, then hears movement in the

bathroom. Rising slowly, he walks to the bathroom and

gently eases the door open a few inches. Inside, swimming

murkily in the steamy mirror, is the reflection of a man.

His back is to Jack, but Jack can see that the man is

shaving. As Jack lets his gaze drop to the floor, he sees

that water is dripping off the man's pant cuffs and

gathering in pools on the bathroom floor ... Jack wakes

up. He stares at the ceiling, listening to the waves,

then lifts his head and looks to the bathroom. It is

dark. Turning, he glances at Frank's bed. It's empty.

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