The Front Page #7

up to your standards, Howard.

You know, it's possible

that maybe going to an hour

is a little too much

pressure for you guys,

because I've been

noticing the stuff lately,

and it's thin, fellows.

You know what I mean?

The key word, I think,

is "substance."

I've been reading

what you-

the Eugene O'Neill plays,

and I would like, if possible,

something more

along those lines.

But more laughs.

Exactly, you know, but gutsy.

Incidentally, I think-

I think I made a deal

for a new series.

Well, we've got our hands

full here, Howard.

So you put on

a couple more writers.

I mean, I need a pilot script.

How about Eugene O'Neill?

He's dead, Herb.

What's the subject?

It's a woman reporter,

which, I think, is a great idea.

You know, and I got

the perfect actress

to play the Pa"-

Her and a Howard Prince script.

We'll look around for somebody.

Right, but good, Bill, good,

because blacklisted

is not enough.

Scrambled eggs, loose.

White fish.

Let's see...

Eggplant steak.

Eat in good health.

I'm going to kill you.

I'm going to kill him.

You little rat.

Hey, hey, AI,

take it easy, please.

Look, this is ridiculous,

because I've been

calling you now

for three weeks,

and you don't answer me.

Nothing, you know, and I mean,

what's the big deal?

We had a little argument.

We don't think alike, Howard.

We don't believe

in the same things.

Jesus. What, do you think

I like the blacklist?

I hate the blacklist.

But you...

Did I send money

for your pamphlet?

Giving money is easy.

Oh, yeah, what's easy for you

is not always easy

for everybody else.

You know, you see trouble,

and right away

you run to get a gun.

Or a pamphlet, you know...

I'm just looking all the time

not to get killed, that's all.

So is that

such a big difference?

We have to break up over that?

Yeah, maybe we do.

So, what do you say?

You want to stay broken up?

Howard...

You think I want

to make you lose everything.

You think I'm intolerant

and demanding,

and maybe I am, but that's me.

Well, then...

Then I need more time,

because I've never

met anybody like you,

you know?

Hey, I tried to get us tickets

to the Paul Robeson

concert, you know,

but it happened to come

on the same night as the

basketball game, so...

We'll go to a

basketball game, right?

I have tickets for the concert.

All right,

so here's what-

I'll give up the tickets

to the basketball game,

and you give up the tickets

to the concert,

and we'll go to dinner.

Right?

Florence, I miss you.

I miss you too.

So we'll have a date.

A subpoena?

For me?

To appear before

the House

Un-American Committee.

Well, what do you mean?

When?

How do you know?

They found out upstairs.

It hasn't been issued yet,

but any minute now.

But I'm not a communist.

So you go and tell them that.

I tell you. isn't that enough?

Howard, you've got to go.

I don't like it

any more than you do,

but if you don't do it,

you don't work.

Why don't they all just go away

and let us do the show?

Who needs this?

You know, Phil...

I didn't believe Florence

when she told me that about you.

That crazy broad.

You know, because I know

it was very tough

for you to fire Hecky...

I had a migraine for a week.

Phil, it just takes one guy

to say no to them.

Just one.

What can I do, Howie?

You can be that guy.

No, I'm serious.

If just one person says no...

You know, especially

a guy like you.

You're respected,

you got a big name...

Tell them no.

Who the hell are they?

Come on, Phil, take a stand.

The real you.

Get me Hampton.

Hello, Tom? Phil.

There is no reason Howard Prince

has to go to that committee.

That's right.

It's our network.

Who the hell are they,

telling us what to do,

giving us orders?

No, no, no.

You listen to me.

He doesn't have to go.

What are we, sheep?

We make a stand, Tom.

We tell them

to lay off his back.

We tell them

to stop threatening.

Piss off, or they're in trouble.

We fight, Torn.

We show them there are

some people they can't scare.

We tell them flat out,

"Howard Prince doesn't go."

Right.

Mm-hmm.

Right.

Okay-

You got to go.

Howard, you've got

nothing to worry about.

Nothing to worry about at all.

You see, we've dealt

with the committee before,

and they're, well, they're

really very understanding.

They understand our problems

and we understand theirs.

Yeah?

And what about my problems?

You're cooperating.

That's all they care about.

Now, this friend of yours,

Alfred Miller?

We went to school together.

And you had no idea

that he was a communist?

He was only 12.

You have no idea now?

We never talk about politics.

Good.

Let's see, now. The two men,

Delaney and Phelps?

They're friends of Allie's.

All right.

And the girl, Florence Barrett?

That's just sex.

Is that why you gave money

to her pro-communist

publication?

You know, we were going out,

and she wanted

to start a magazine,

so how was I supposed

to know what kind?

That's hardly credible,

Mr. Prince.

Uh, Mr. Hennessy...

You and your staff

have done a splendid job.

The network

appreciates your efforts,

but Mr. Prince is being

entirely cooperative.

I think that I can handle

the legal end.

Thank you very much for coming.

Good luck, Mr. Prince.

Howard, don't mind him.

He's only doing his job.

I still don't see

why we can't fix it.

You know, I mean,

like pay somebody off,

because how much-

how much could it cost?

Because they're

just congressman.

It won't be necessary.

You see, they've agreed

to an executive session.

No reporters, no publicity.

As a matter of fact,

you won't even have

to go to Washington.

They'll send

a subcommittee here.

Now, what we'll do

is write you a strong

anti-communist statement

to go along with your testimony.

You will be out of there

in no time at all.

Take my word for it.

Howard...

Howard, all they want

11s a friendly witness.

Okay.

So I'll be a friendly witness.

Hi, Howard.

Is he here?

Hey, very nice.

You got to lay off health foods.

Jesus, when are they going

to operate,

get rid of that ulcer already?

Then how am I going

to know when I'm mad?

Nobody knows how

to relax anymore, right?

You got to kind of roll

with the punches.

What about the subpoena?

Nothing.

Don't worry about a thing.

Did they write

a statement for you?

Yeah.

I'd let you read it,

only you'd start bleeding again.

Don't worry about it, really.

You just-You know,

take care of yourself.

Worry about who's going

to write the scripts

while you're in here.

We've got a very good writer.

You won't be ashamed.

Blacklisted?

Impeccably.

Named by his own brother-in-law.

Visiting hours are over.

Nurse,

I'm Dr. Prince.

This is a consultation,

you know.

These are my associates.

Uh-huh.

Howard, why do you think

they want you to testify?

I'm a feather in their cap.

I'm a big writer.

Howard Prince.

Why do you think

they want you to name names?

They've already got our names.

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