The Jazz Singer Page #5

--George Jessel

Back to scene. Jack asks the boy if he can see Mr. Schuler.

101.CLOSE SHOT BOTH

The boy just looks up and snaps out that "it car,'t be done -- he's in

an important conf'rence." Jack hopelessly turns away and the boy

continues his mauling of the typewriter.

102.FULL SHOT ROOM

As Jack walks disconsolately over to the one vacant chair, the young man

hidden behind the copy of Variety looks up. He recognizes Jack and, with

a smile, he jumps up and they grab each other's hands.

103.CLOSE-UP BOTH

They exchange the usual greeting: "If it ain't my old partner of the

sticks, Jack Robin!" and Jack's return:

TITLE 29:
"--and the last time I saw you Buster Billings,

you were getting ready to climb a side door

Pullman in Cheyenne."

Back to scene. They reminisce some more. Jack asks him what he is doing,

and Buster points hopelessly to the door of the inner office, saying,

"The same thing you are."

104.FULL SHOT ROOM

As they are talking, the boy suddenly jumps up as though answering a

buzzer and goes to the inner door. He opens it, listens to something

said within, nods, and closes the door. He walks to the rail and gives

the people sitting around the room a contemptuous look.

105.CLOSE-UP BOY

He pauses a moment as he feels the expectant eyes on him, and with the

cruelty of youth, he barks out at them:

TITLE 30:
"The boss ain't seeing anybody else today --

you can all duck."

106.FULL SHOT ROOM

The occupants start getting up wearily. They start for the door. Jack

and Buster are the last to go. They pause in the doorway.

107.CLOSE SHOT BOTH

They look at each other and Jack says to him: "Where to?" Buster pauses

and says they can take a walk and stall around awhile. He adds:

TITLE 31:
"Later we'll go to Coffee Dan's. My old side

kick, Frank Tames, is the -- impresario down

there and we can bum a feed off him."

They start out of the door.

108.EXT. STREET

In the near foreground looking down the street is the entrance to the

Orpheum theater. The electric sign in front is lighted. The lighted sign

is suddenly extinguished to indicate that the show is over, and people

start coming out of the doors. This DISSOLVES INTO:

109.INT. THEATER BACKSTAGE FULL SHOT

The players who have just finished their act, the closing one on the

bill, a troupe of acrobats, are just going to their dressing rooms. A

door to one of the stage dressing rooms opens, and a girl dressed neatly

in street attire comes halfway out.

110. CLOSE-UP GIRL

She is a small blonde girl, dressed in excellent taste. She is calling

out to someone not in sight.

TITLE 32:
Mary Dale, of the "Little Follies" act, was not

yet a headliner in her own right, but ambition

pointed the way to fame.

111.MED. SHOT GIRL

She comes out of the door and closes it behind her. She calls again, and

in the background another girl and a young man, Ben Thorpe, appear. The

girl is a tall, wise-looking blonde of about twenty-five and the young

man is tall, blond, and good-looking. They come up to Mary and there is

some talk as to where they are going.

112.CLOSE SHOT THREE

They argue a while, then Mary says: "Let's go over to Coffee Dan's."

Estelle says that she won't remain long. The young man takes each by an

arm and they start out.

FADE OUT:

FADE IN:

113.INT. COFFEE DAN'S FULL SHOT

The tables are pretty well filled by a fairly well-dressed crowd. Some

even are in evening clothes. There is a general air of hilarity, but no

drinking is in evidence. Next to a table filled by people in evening

clothes, their women bedecked with diamonds, is a table at which sit

several tough-looking characters. But there are not many of these. Men

waiters dash back and forth carrying mostly ham and eggs, the piece de

resistance of a Coffee Dan meal. At the piano on the platform sits Frank

James, tortoise shell-bespectacled musician and entertainer as well as

master of ceremonies. In the background, up near the platform, is a

small table at which sit Jack Robin and Buster Billings.

114.CLOSE-UP TABLE

Jack and Buster are eating heartily with all the gusto that

characterizes a healthy appetite that has been whetted by lengthy

fasting. They look up at Frank and grin happily.

115.CLOSE-UP FRANK

He looks down at them, gives them a signal, then walks to the edge of

the platform nearest them.

116.FULL SHOT ROOM

Frank is trying to get the diners to be quiet. The people at the tables

gradually hush their noise. Jack and Buster shove their plates away in

complete satisfaction.

117.CLOSE-UP FRANK

He has a hand upraised as he looks over the crowd. Then he casts a look

down at Jack's table and winks as he starts announcing:

TITLE 33:
"And now I am going to ask Mr. Jack Robin to

sing something. Mr. Robin is the famous tenor

from Petaluma."

Back to scene. He winks again as he looks down at the table.

118.CLOSE SHOT TABLE

Jack is shrinking back in an embarrassed manner. Buster reaches over and

claps him on the back, telling him to be a good sport, that they all do

it there, even the big ones in grand opera.

119.MED. SHOT TABLES

The people at the tables are looking at Jack and hammering on the tables

with their hammers in an encouraging manner.

120.CLOSE-UP JACK AND BUSTER

Jack dumbly accuses Buster of framing him, but the latter just laughs.

Jack finally pulls himself together as he realizes that there is no out

for him.

121.MED. SHOT TABLE AND PLATFORM

As Frank leans down with hand extended, Jack stands up, straightens his

coat, and joins him. Frank gives him a hand and yanks him up on the

platform, where they go into a conference as to what Jack is to sing.

122.LONG SHOT FROM PLATFORM

Jack and Frank are in the foreground at the piano talking. In the

background, a group appears at the foot of the stairs just entering the

place. It is the group from the vaudeville theater. Mary is in front,

and as the head waiter motions to them, they enter the place and are

seated at a table just in front of the platform as Frank sits down at

the piano and starts playing for Jack, who has advanced to the edge of

the platform.

123.CLOSE-UP JACK

He starts to sing his song. (The song, which is to be Vitaphoned, should

be one especially written for the occasion, as any current number would

be out of date long before the picture has played every theater equipped

for Vitaphone by release time.)

124.MED. SHOT FROM FLOOR

The table at which Mary and her party are seated is in the immediate

foreground. They are paying attention only to the waiter who is standing

over them awaiting their orders, as Jack is singing. Mary, attracted by

his voice, looks away from the group wonderingly as she listens.

125.CLOSE-UP MARY

She is looking up at Jack curiously as she listens. This is something

new to her.

126.CLOSE-UP JACK

He is singing, his eyes aimed toward the back of the place. As though

feeling the attraction of Mary's gaze, his eyes slowly come down. As

they meet those of Mary, he gulps and almost breaks. With an effort, he

continues singing, his eyes on the girl.

127.CLOSE SHOT GROUP AT TABLE

Mary still has her eyes on the singer. The others of the group, Estelle

and Ben Thorpe, are looking at Jack as they see him looking intently at

Mary. They turn to her and start kidding her about her conquest. She

kids them in return and does not look at Jack again. She is again her

usually reserved self, a girl intensely interested in her work and

wrapped up in her career.

128.MED. SHOT JACK

He is bringing his song to a close. As he does, Frank gets up quickly

and shakes hands with him. Jack is embarrassed at this and, at Frank's

instigation, he turns and bows to the audience and jumps down from the

platform hurriedly as though in fear that he would be called on again.

129.FULL SHOT ROOM

The diners are applauding and pounding on the tables with their hammers.

Jack, in the background, is seen going to his table, where Buster rises

and slaps him on the back and compliments him on his work. The diners

are still applauding and Jack turns and bows to them. Buster tries to

get him to go up again but he shakes his head and sits down at his

table.

130.CLOSE-UP JACK AND BUSTER

Buster is still complimenting Jack, but the latter's eyes have wandered

to the table occupied by Mary and her companions. Buster follows his

gaze. His face lights up with recognition. Jack notes this and turning

to him eagerly says: "Do you know her?" Buster says: "Which her?" Jack

indicates Mary. Buster nods: "Sure I know her -- I'm going over and say

Hello." Jack starts to follow, then subsides, his eyes on Buster.

131.CLOSE SHOT MARY'S TABLE

Mary is saying to Thorpe:

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