The Libertine Page #2

Maurice picks up his PHONE and dials.

MAURICE:

(dialing)

Pig. Snake. Stop mixing metaphors.

(talking into phone)

Edith, thank you for not picking up.

I didn't want to talk to you either.

Jaqueline's at it again. Will youcall her?

Maurice hangs up the phone.

JAQUELINE (V.O.)

I think one of the great things aboutyour country, and why I am happy tobe studying here, is that you callyour leaders to task on their sexualmisconduct. You end their careers.

We need more of that in Europe.

HOST (V.O.)

Let's get back to your mother, apersonal hero and a feminist icon.

Why is she still with him? And will

this trial impact her upcomingpurchase of The Euro Post?

Maurice turns off the TV and sits for a moment. He walks

into the

8.

SECOND BEDROOM:

Which is much more modest than Edith's room. He opens the

top drawer of his DRESSER.

The drawer is filled with socks, rolled and color-coded from

light to dark. Maurice starts reorganizing them from dark

to light.

Maurice closes the drawer and opens the CLOSET.

The closet contains clothes also organized by shade and color.

Maurice takes out a pair of SLACKS and walks with them back

into the -

LIVING ROOM:

Where Maurice starts to put on the pants. He changes his

mind and drops them on the floor.

Maurice returns to the couch and opens his laptop. He taps

the top of the screen, and closes it again.

Maurice walks over to the SIDEBOARD and pours himself a

BRANDY.

INT. LIVING ROOM - LATER

The television shows a French channel covering a soccer match.

Maurice lies on the floor staring at the ceiling with his

feet on the couch. Next to him are a somewhat depleted BOTTLEof Brandy and his glass.

There's a KNOCK on the front door.

DAVE (O.S.)

Mr. Lunel-Caspi?

Maurice snaps out of his daze and stands as Dave enters.

DAVE (CONT'D)

The legal associate is here.

Maurice fixes his robe and hair.

MAURICE:

Send her in.

DAVE:

Don't you want to get dressed first?

MAURICE:

I'll consider it.

9.

Dave shakes his head and exits. Maurice sits on the arm of

the couch with his legs spread a little too wide.

BECKY, 25, pretty in a tight outfit that stretches the limitsof professional, strolls in.

MAURICE (CONT'D)

Welcome to the lonely castle.

BECKY:

That's quite an entrance you have.

MAURICE:

Don't worry about Dave. He's

harmless.

BECKY:

Maybe you could use some legal advice.

MAURICE:

Then, should we get down to business-

BECKY:

-Becky

MAURICE:

I prefer Rachel.

RACHEL A.K.A. BECKY

Whatever.

MAURICE:

Rachel, do you want to take off thatpretty outfit?

RACHEL:

Isn't he a cop?

MAURICE:

If you're worried about Dave-

Maurice reaches into his robe's pocket and pulls out a WADof HUNDREDS. He drops them on the table.

MAURICE (CONT'D)

-You could always do this pro-bono.

I believe that takes care of the

legality.

Rachel looks at the money.

MAURICE (CONT'D)

I put in extra for the added

circumstances.

10.

Rachel picks up the money and fans it. She drops the cashin her PURSE.

RACHEL:

Do I recognize you?

MAURICE:

Why don't you take off that prettyoutfit?

Rachel looks toward the front door nervously. She looks at

the master bedroom door.

RACHEL:

Is that the bedroom?

MAURICE:

No, it's this one.

Maurice leads Rachel into the

SECOND BEDROOM:

And sits on the edge of the bed. Rachel moves toward him.

MAURICE:

Stop. Stand back.

She does.

MAURICE (CONT'D)

Take off the left shoe first. Leave

your right shoe. Now your bracelet.

LATER:

Rachel awkwardly tosses aside her undershirt, leaving hertrying to balance in her bra and panties on one high heel.

MAURICE (CONT'D)

You may now take off your right shoe.

She does. She finds this creepy.

RACHEL:

You're not going to hurt me?

MAURICE:

I'm offended you would ask. There's

a police officer right outside.

Crawl to me.

Rachel crawls to him. Maurice stands.

11.

MAURICE (CONT'D)

Take off my robe.

LATER:

Rachel rides Maurice as he lies passively, his head proppedup by multiple pillows. He watches her without contributingany motion to the sex.

Maurice hears the FRONT DOOR CLOSE. He tosses Rachel off

him and covers her mouth.

MAURICE (CONT'D)

Shhhhhh.

They listen. Someone rustles through the living room.

Maurice locks the bedroom door.

EDITH (O.S.)

Maurice? Are you in there?

MAURICE:

Yes, darling.

Rachel stifles a laugh. Maurice glares at her.

EDITH (O.S.)

Did you steal my pen?

MAURICE:

How can I steal our shared property?

EDITH (O.S.)

I had a panic when I couldn't findit. That's not funny.

Edith tries to open the door.

EDITH (O.S.) (CONT'D)

Why is the door locked?

MAURICE:

I'm not dressed.

EDITH (O.S.)

You haven't been dressed in days.

MAURICE:

I'll be out soon.

EDITH (O.S.)

Never mind. I have the pen.

12.

Maurice hears Edith walk out of the apartment and close thefront door. Maurice sighs with relief.

RACHEL:

I should go.

MAURICE:

Let's try you facing the other

direction.

LATER:

Maurice lounges as Rachel gets dressed post-coitus.

RACHEL:

So, what do you do?

MAURICE:

Would you believe I'm a civil servant?

RACHEL:

I've had politician clients.

MAURICE:

But I'll wager none of them werereal civil servants.

RACHEL:

What they get you on?

MAURICE:

Nothing. I'm innocent.

RACHEL:

Of course you are.

Maurice closes his robe and leads Rachel into the

LIVING ROOM:

Where they see Edith sitting on the couch and waiting.

MAURICE:

Edith, this is Becky, an associatefrom Nick's office.

EDITH:

(to Becky)

You can leave.

Becky hightails it out.

EDITH (CONT'D)

I don't want to hear an explanation.

13.

MAURICE:

I don't have one.

EDITH:

And you took my pen.

MAURICE:

It would seem you have better thingsto be mad about.

EDITH:

Pen, prostitute, they're the samething. Careless, risky behaviorthat effects us both.

MAURICE:

Are you saying I should have beenmore discrete?

EDITH:

Why would you do something that mightbring me back?

MAURICE:

I didn't think you'd come back forthe pen.

EDITH:

But it was a chance. Just like Dave

coming in and finding you f***ing.

You had to skirt the danger. Did

you pay with a credit card?

MAURICE:

I gave cash.

EDITH:

Bravo. What if she'd been an

undercover cop? You don't think

you're a high value target? Maurice

Lunel-Caspi, awaiting trial in NewYork for attempted rape and solicitingprostitution. They'd have a fieldday.

MAURICE:

That would be hard on you.

EDITH:

And Dave just let her right by.

What a moron of a doorman.

MAURICE:

He's a police officer.

14.

EDITH:

He's a buffoon.

Edith marches to the front door.

INT. BRANDILL TOWERS - HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

Edith opens the door and fakes a smile to Dave.

EDITH:

Dave, honey-

DAVE:

Yes, Ms. Rivet?

EDITH:

Did you happen to check that woman'scredentials?

DAVE:

Was she not supposed to be here?

EDITH:

No, of course she was supposed to behere.

DAVE:

Because if someone came in who wasn't,

I have to report that.

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