The Front Page #8

Why do they need you

to tell them again?

So it makes them look good.

So what?

Howard, they don't care

about names.

They care about getting

people to give names.

They want to show

there's nothing

they can't get people to do.

Fellows, if I don't cooperate,

you don't work. Nobody works.

Is that what you want?

Maybe we're laying

too much on him.

Why should he take the rap?

Because I want him to know

what he's doing.

I'm helping.

You're helping them.

No, I'm using them.

I'm-I'm smarter than they are.

Howard, the time

for this bullshit is over.

Who does it hurt

if I'm friendly?

Where is the personal crime?

I tell them that

you're my friend

from public school.

They-They already

got your name.

You said that yourself.

He's right.

They can't do

anything more to us.

Why can't he just cooperate?

Tell them the truth?

He won't have to.

The network's made a deal.

He says the committee's great,

they leave him alone.

Yes, and everybody

gets what he wants.

That's what this is about,

right? Stop worrying.

You know, they want publicity.

They want Howard Prince

as an example to scare people.

To shut them up.

I think he should

take the Fifth.

They'll blacklist him,

he takes the Fifth.

What's the Fifth?

The Fifth Amendment.

Your right

not to incriminate yourself.

Why do I have to take anything?

It's all fixed.

They might ask you questions

you don't want to answer.

But if you already answered one,

like did you know Alfred,

you don't have that right

anymore.

Then, if you don't answer,

they can cite you for contempt.

Yeah, but I'm going to answer.

Schmuck.

Maybe he should.

What can he tell them?

I don't trust the committee

or the network.

Take the Fifth.

I don't want to take the Fifth.

You can't cooperate!

Don't be a loser all your life.

You quit looking for an out!

Look, do not aggravate yourself.

You want that milk now?

Oh... Howard.

You did a big favor

for all of us.

I don't have to tell you that.

Who's asking?

You saved our ass.

Don't you think I know that?

You did what a friend does.

Exactly.

If I cooperate,

your ass is saved again.

You can't be on their side.

So, all right, fine.

What do I do?

I tell the committee

to shove it?

So then, you don't work,

nobody works.

You let me worry about that.

Yeah, and what about me?

What-What do I do?

Go back to the cash register?

I can't believe this guy.

You're laying here,

you can't use your name,

you're bleeding,

and you're telling me

what to do?

Al, can we ask him

to do what

he doesn't believe in?

Protect yourself.

Take the Fifth.

You know, you're always

looking for a middle

you can dance around in.

Well, I'm telling you,

this time

there isn't any middle,

and you can't lay

any of it off on us.

Whatever you do,

you're doing for yourself.

Open up in the name of the law!

Get out your guns, men.

Nobody move.

This is a raid.

Everybody, everybody out.

We understand you have

a girl in your room.

If not, why not?

Do you have

a little tootsie for me?

Have we met before?

You know you scared me?

I was in the neighborhood

and suddenly

everything went black.

Am I disturbing you?

Are you kidding?

If you really want to know,

I came to apologize

for that terrible night.

I wasn't myself.

You had every right.

Two rights don't make a wrong.

I gave you a hard time

and I'm sorry.

Silly. Have a drink.

Before the sun

is over the yardarm? Never.

A wee touch of scotch.

How's it going?

Not bad. Club dates.

Out of town, but not bad.

Scranton, Allentown, Altoona.

You didn't know

I was a big hit in Pennsylvania,

but my wife found a job,

the kids eat,

we all have our health.

To a prince of a Prince.

You know, I never learned

how to sip a drink.

When I was very little,

every evening before supper,

my father would pour

a shot glass full of whiskey,

mumble a prayer...

And down it went.

I thought that was the way

you drank.

How are things going with you?

Fine.

I hear terrific.

It's nice when nice happens

to somebody nice.

It doesn't happen too often.

Are you sure

I'm not being a nuisance?

Of course not.

Did you know Johnny Parker,

the actor?

Mm-mm. No.

Blacklisted.

He couldn't get arrested.

Wife, three kids,

you can imagine.

He drove a cab for a while.

Finally gave that up.

He came from someplace out west.

Oklahoma, Texas,

some place like that.

He owned a little farm

that his father left him.

Miserable.

He showed me the pictures.

You'd go crazy

in a place like that.

But he could grow his own food,

so he went back.

We had a party for him.

Everybody cried.

Six months later,

right in the middle

of that miserable property,

they struck oil!

You're kidding.

Honest to God. Oil!

He's a millionaire.

So you see...

Every little cloud

has got a silver lining

Come on, let me

make you another drink.

No, no, no, not really.

I came, I apologized.

It's time to go.

Well, you know,

what we should do

is we should

have dinner sometime.

I'd like that very much.

Yeah?

Well, what about tonight?

Tonight? No, no, I'm busy.

So, all right,

so what I should-

I'll call you.

Don't call us, we'll call you.

If I had a buck

for every time

they said that to me

when I first started...

Of course,

I don't have to tell you

later on,

the shoe was on the other foot.

Well, I really will call.

I know you will.

I was making a joke.

You don't mind

I came without phoning?

Come on, are you kidding?

Well, some people mind.

You're a good man.

You know what I think I'll do?

I'll call you tomorrow.

Take care of yourself.

The water is full of sharks.

Thank you, sir.

Where have you been?

I was so worried about you.

I called

and there was no answer.

You know, I was just

walking around.

Are you all right?

You know, I've been thinking

about a lot of stuff.

Well, I saved you your dinner.

I kept it warm for you.

Do you want a drink?

Yeah, but just a drink.

I saw you at the funeral today.

You did?

I didn't see you.

Well, I couldn't handle it.

I couldn't handle it either.

You're lucky you're a writer...

and not an actor.

At least with a writer,

if he gets blacklisted,

he can always still write.

An actor, what's he going to do

if he can't show his face?

Florence...

How would you feel

if I was-

if I was not a writer?

Howard, I know you.

Whatever else

you might have to do

to survive,

you'll find time to write.

Well, but suppose

I said that, uh...

that I was not a writer.

I know you as a writer.

I love you.

Well...

I'm not a writer.

Don't be a defeatist.

Other guys wrote

those scripts, not me.

I put my name on them.

They were blacklisted.

I was helping them out.

It's my name and their scripts.

That's a very bizarre statement.

I'm not a writer, Florence.

I'm a front.

I front for blacklisted writers.

You're not a writer?

No. I... I...

I couldn't write a grocery list.

You never wrote

any of those scripts?

Nothing. Not one.

I'm-I-

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