The Front Page #5

that I remember.

You know already.

Your sincerity is important,

your desire to cooperate fully.

I told you what I did!

I apologized!

I come to you

on my hands and knees,

Mr. Hennessy.

Please. All I want

to do is work.

That's all I care about.

I have a wife...

Two growing boys.

Children.

Look.

Here.

Plus a wife from before.

If the alimony doesn't come...

I sold my car last week

for peanuts.

A brand-new model.

All the money I made,

I ask myself,

where did it go so fast?

I can't pay the rent,

Mr. Hennessy.

Nothing can go out

if it doesn't come in.

Do you know Howard Prince?

I was on the show.

A big talent. Big.

Do you know him personally?

Only from the show.

Once in a while,

a bite to eat afterwards.

Do you think you could

get to know him better?

I'm not good

at that sort of thing.

Honestly.

Actors, inside,

you'd be surprised,

are very shy.

He knows you already.

You're very likable.

I'm sure he feels sympathy

for you.

What could I find out?

Who his friends are.

What he does in his spare time.

Where he stands

on the issues of the day.

Can't you ask him that yourself?

If he were a part

of the Communist conspiracy,

could we believe what he said?

And if he isn't?

We'd like you

to help us find out.

You want me to spy

on Howard Prince?

We are in a war, Mr. Brown,

against a ruthless

and tricky enemy

who will stop at nothing

to destroy our way of life.

To be a spy

on the side of freedom

is an honor.

And if I spy on Howard Prince,

I can work?

I don't do the hiring,

Mr. Brown.

I only advise about Americanism.

But in my opinion,

as the sign of a true patriot,

it would certainly help.

I quit.

Quit, quit, finished.

Resigned... Quit.

Let Sussman

do his own dirty work.

I won't be part of it.

No more, not anymore.

Finished

watching people destroyed,

crucified like Hecky.

I'm going to fight it.

I don't understand.

What are you talking about?

Howard, this is beautiful.

You quit your job?

I feel so relieved.

You have no idea.

I've been such a hypocrite

to take their money

and keep my mouth shut.

I still don't understand.

You quit your job?

They count on

our silence, you know.

People keeping quiet,

afraid to speak up.

Do you know

what I'm going to do?

Publish a newspaper.

Well, anyway,

a pamphlet-

Facts About Blacklists.

Do you like the title?

I've been on the phone

all morning.

People are dying to talk,

as long as

I don't use their names.

Oh, Howard, we'll shake them up.

I'll do the legwork

and you'll do the writing.

Hey, not so fast.

Jesus.

Florence,

you're making a big mistake.

I believe in personal

responsibility, Howard.

If you believe, act.

Oh, but I don't under-

You're throwing away

a whole career.

You-You-You could-

You're a terrific script editor.

You could be a producer.

You'd be

the first woman producer

of a dramatic series.

If I keep my mouth shut.

So? That's not such

a terrible idea sometimes.

But that's what

they're counting on.

Florence, do me a favor.

Please, sit down.

Sit down.

Relax, will you?

You're going off the deep end.

Jesus, let me give you

some champagne.

I'm serious, Howard.

What do you mean you're serious?

You come bursting in here,

you're ready

to start a revolution.

For God's sake, Florence,

what are you trying to do?

I want us to fight them,

not get bought off.

I'm not mad at anybody.

We live in the world, Howard.

No, you live in the world,

I live right here.

Hey, come on,

what are you trying to do to me?

You know how long

it took me to get here?

I like it here.

I like what I'm doing.

For the first time in my life,

I got everything that I want.

I'm not trying

to take it away from you.

No, but that's

what's going to happen.

Howard, I'm only talking

about a simple commitment.

I didn't ask you to marry me.

Oh, Jesus, you know,

we got such a terrific

relationship going.

So why do you want to spoil it?

A relationship isn't

only sex, you know.

There are more important

aspects.

I know there are.

Like what?

Human rights.

What about my rights?

I'm human.

What happened to my rights

all of a sudden?

I live here, it's clean...

Come on, what are you

putting me on the spot for?

You really want success,

don't you?

So, what should I want,

a disease?

Yes, I want success.

What's wrong with that?

More than anything else?

Florence, you're looking

to get me killed here.

I'm a writer.

I'm not looking for

any kind of trouble.

I don't want to make waves.

A writer looks for trouble.

No. Wrong.

A lunatic looks for trouble.

Florence, you're crazy.

You're behaving crazy.

You're out of your mind.

You've already said that.

There's really no need

in your repeating yourself.

I want you to go in

to Sussman tomorrow,

and tell him that

you made a mistake.

I should tell him?

Exactly. You should

go in and tell him

that you're sorry

and you should-

But I'm not sorry.

Florence, I don't think

you know exactly

what's good for you.

But I do know when

I've made a mistake,

and I made this kind

of a mistake before,

confusing the artist

with the man.

I just want you to know

I still admire the artist.

You're going?

Yes.

I have a this club date

in the mountains.

I thought maybe

you could drive me.

Sure, you couldn't have

called me at a better time.

You know, when you work

as hard as I do,

you've got to make time

to relax.

Otherwise it's all work

and no play.

I guess you have

a lot of friends.

Me? The usual.

I like to pick up a phone,

get out, have a little fun,

but the important thing

is that you've got

to get right back to basics.

What do you like to do

in your spare time?

The usual.

The usual?

I used to love the usual,

but my ship has sailed.

Watch your step

around this place.

The broads up here,

take a look at them,

and you say to yourself,

"Where's this been

all my life?"

They come at you

from all directions.

It's like shooting fish

in a barrel.

Later on, you find out

you're the fish.

Yeah, well, don't

worry about me.

Don't make any promises.

These broads come up here

with their lawyers.

Yeah? You play

these places much?

Until I got in TV.

Do you know what I used

to get for one night?

What?

Three grand.

That should come in handy now.

Do you know what

I'm getting tonight?

What?

Five-

That doesn't seem fair.

And where is it written

it should be fair?

Come on, Howie,

you must have some friends

in the same position.

Hecky/

it's a pleasure.

How long? A year?

Two years?

It's a pleasure having you back.

Likewise. I'd like you

to meet my friend,

Howard Prince,

the great and famous writer.

Pleasure, Howard.

Any friend of Hecky's.

Come on, we'll go inside,

have a little drink.

I never drink before a show.

We'll have a little talk.

How's everything?

Oh, it's Hecky Brown!

Would you please

park my car for me?

Thank you.

You staying long?

Just the weekend.

You too?

What do you do?

I'm a...

A writer.

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