The Great Gatsby Page #2

TOM:

Never heard of em.

Tom slaps Nick with irritating heartiness!

TOM (CONT’D)

Hey! What say after dinner we gointo town?

NICK:

Can’t-

TOM:

Catch up with the old wolf pack?

NICK:

Big day on the new job tomorrow-

8.

TOM:

Nonsense! We’re going.

INT. BUCHANAN MANSION - HALL OF CHAMPIONS - LATE AFTERNOON

Tom leads Nick down a grand hall lined with the trophies thatchronicle Tom’s infinite sporting achievements.

TOM:

First team, all-American!

Tom admires his own achievements.

TOM (CONT’D)

You see? Made me who I am today.

Tom pulls his favorite trophy from the cabinet-TOM

(CONT’D)

Here-- Forest Hills... I played thePrince of Wales. What a sissy!

Tom exchanges the trophy for a football.

TOM (CONT’D)

Life’s something you dominate Nick.

He pelts Nick with the ball-TOM

(CONT’D)

If you’re any good.

Nick fumbles as Tom charges him-TOM

(CONT’D)

Ha-ha-ha!

Tom tackles Nick, knocking him back, through a pair ofvaulting doors, and into...

INT. BUCHANAN MANSION - SALON - LATE AFTERNOON

A shimmering, sun-dazzled room in which enormous whitecurtains whip and snap in the breeze...

CLOSE ON:
Nick, frozen, awestruck.

We hear the giggle of naughty children...

BOOM!!! As the French doors shut, and the curtains fall, a

beautiful white hand rises from behind the couch, and with

it, a low, thrilling voice...

9.

DAISY (O.S.)

Oh Nicky... Is that you my lovely?

Suddenly, 23 year old DAISY BUCHANAN, appears from over theback of the couch. Her bright eyes and passionate mouth areframed by a strawberry-blonde bob.

CLOSE ON:
Daisy, captivating...

NICK (V.O.)

Daisy Buchanan. The golden girl. Abreathless warmth flowed from her.

A promise that there was no oneelse in the world she so wanted to

see...

She whispers dramatically...

DAISY:

Do they miss me in Chicago?

NICK:

Oh, yes. About a dozen people sendtheir love.

DAISY:

(unimpressed)

How gorgeous.

NICK:

They’re absolutely in mourning...

They’re crying...

DAISY:

No-

NICK:

They’re wailing...

DAISY:

No-

NICK:

They’re screaming, they’re

shouting...

DAISY:

No-

NICK:

“Daisy Buchanan, we can’t livewithout you!”

10.

DAISY:

I'm p-paralyzed with happiness...!

Daisy takes Nick’s hand and squeals with childish glee as shedrags him over the sofa and onto his back on the floor.

He stares up... And, a mysterious, athletic girl glares back.

This is 22 year old, JORDAN BAKER.

DAISY (CONT’D)

Jordan Baker; a very famous golfer.

CLOSE ON:
Nick, the blood drains from his face...

NICK (V.O.)

She was the most frightening personI’d ever seen-

Nick rights himself and extends his hand.

NICK:

I’ve seen your face on the cover of“Sporting Life”. Nick Carraway...

But Jordan merely yawns and stands (we get a good look).

NICK (V.O.)

But I enjoyed looking at her.

JORDAN:

I've been lying on that sofa for aslong as I can remember...

Daisy turns to Nick with scandalous delight.

DAISY:

I know! This summer I'll sort of,

fling you and Jordan together...

As Tom prepares drinks at the bar, he glances skittishly at awhite telephone set ostentatiously upon a marble pedestal.

DAISY (CONT’D)

I’ll push you into linen closets,

and out to sea in boats...

JORDAN:

I’m not listening to a word!

Irritated, Tom turns to Nick.

TOM:

Nick, Daisy tells me you’re over atWest Egg;

(MORE)

11.

TOM (CONT'D)

throwing your lot in with thosesocial-climbing, primitive NewMoney types...?

NICK:

Well, my little shack is cardboardbox at eighty a month.

DAISY:

Your life is adorable.

Jordan toys with a golf club, and speaks with bored contempt.

JORDAN:

I know somebody in West Egg.

NICK:

I don't know a single-Jordan

turns dramatically.

JORDAN:

Oh, you must know Gatsby.

Daisy, a sharp intake of breath.

DAISY:

Gatsby?

CLOSE ON:
Daisy, as she struggles to control rising emotion.

DAISY (CONT’D)

What Gatsby...?

Before anyone can reply, Henri announces-HENRI

Madame, le diner est servi!

As Jordan WHACKS a golf ball into a makeshift cup - a trophyon the floor - waiters sweep open the doors and the curtainsflutter up again.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. BUCHANAN MANSION - TERRACE - NIGHT

Daisy, Nick, Jordan and Tom sit at a long, sumptuously laidtable. Food, wine, laughter, smoking...

DISSOLVING ABSTRACTLY: Through fragments of conversation...

12.

DAISY:

Would you like to hear a familysecret? Its about the butler’s

nose...

JORDAN:

Things went from bad to worse...

DAISY:

Nicky... I heard a rumor, that youwere getting married to a girl out

west...

NICK:

Its a libel, I’m too poor.

JORDAN:

They have to be old so they diequickly...

NICK:

Can’t we talk about something else?

Anything? Crops? You’re making me

feel uncivilized Daisy-

This draws a strangely violent interjection from Tom.

TOM:

Civilization's going to pieces!

Have you read 'The Rise of theColored Empires' by this fellowGoddard?

NICK:

Why no...

Tom stands and begins to pace-

TOM:

Everyone ought to read it. The ideais that its up to us, the dominantrace, to watch out, or these other

races...

Tom straightens the bow-tie on his black servant-

TOM (CONT’D)

Will have control of things.

DAISY:

(wickedly)

Tom’s been very profound lately. Hereads deep books with long words inthem

13.

TOM:

It’s been proved. Its scientific.

DAISY:

(subtly mocking Tom)

We’ve got to beat them down.

SUDDENLY, BRINNNGGG! The telephone. All freeze. Another ring.

BRINNNGGG!

TOM:

Excuse me... I’ll be right back.

He goes inside.

An embarrassed moment; suddenly Daisy throws her napkin down.

DAISY:

I’m sorry...

She follows Tom into the house.

Nick, at a loss, turns to Jordan.

NICK:

Well, this Mr. Gatsby you spoke ofis my neighbor...

JORDAN:

Shhhh... Don’t talk. I want to hear

what happens.

A subdued, impassioned murmur is audible in the room beyond.

NICK:

Is something happening?

JORDAN:

I thought everybody knew.

NICK:

I don’t.

JORDAN:

Tom's got some woman in New York.

NICK:

Got some woman?

JORDAN:

She might have the decency not totelephone at dinner-time... Don’t

you think?

14.

Almost before Nick has grasped her meaning, the doors bangopen and Tom and Daisy return to the table.

DAISY:

(a tense gayety)

I just love seeing you at my tableNicky. You remind me of a rose, anabsolute rose... Doesn’t he?

NICK:

I’m not even faintly like a rose-

TOM:

So... After dinner Nick wanted to

go into town. Right Nick? To theYale club.

DAISY:

Nicky, stay-

NICK:

I have to work early.

TOM:

Nonsense. Its only for a drink or

two.

Daisy and Tom stare at Nick - both demanding his allegiance.

SUDDENLY! The telephone rings again: BRINNNGGG! Again, allfreeze. BRINNNGGG!

PUSH IN:
On Daisy as the telephone continues to shriek.

NICK (V.O.)

None of us could ignore that fifthguest’s shrill metallic urgency...

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. BUCHANAN MANSION - BALUSTRADE - LATER

Servants clear. Jordan and Tom retire to the salon, as Nick

and Daisy stroll down toward the water, and Daisy confides:

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