The Libertine Page #6

MAURICE (CONT'D)

Perhaps I'll show you my stump speech.

Edith says nothing.

MAURICE (CONT'D)

You make coffee?

Edith points to the kitchen.

KITCHEN:

Maurice pours himself a COFFEE.

MAURICE (CONT'D)

The paper this morning, did you seeit? It said that they're talkingabout impeaching me.

No response.

MAURICE (CONT'D)

Are you excited about our dinnerguests?

No response.

37.

MAURICE (CONT'D)

You are coming, right? I'll take

your lack of response as a yes.

EDITH (O.S.)

I'm not coming.

LIVING ROOM:

Maurice walks over sipping his coffee.

MAURICE:

Well, you lied about the not talkingto me thing, so you'll forgive me ifI take that as a lie too.

Edith carries her work into her bedroom.

Maurice looks momentarily proud, then bored. He flops ontothe couch, spilling some of his coffee onto his lap.

MAURICE (CONT'D)

Ow!

SERIES OF SHOTS:

-- Maurice sits in front of his computer, trying to

concentrate.

-- Maurice lies on his back with his computer on his knees,

trying to concentrate.

-- Maurice walks with his coffee and trips over the cereal

bowl from earlier. He spills milk and coffee.

MAURICE (CONT'D)

Damn it.

-- Maurice lies in bed and starts to masturbate. He gets

bored and stops.

INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT

Maurice, dressed nicely, sits at an empty DINING ROOM TABLE.

He raps his fingers and looks bored. He hears a KNOCK and

perks up.

INT. MAURICE'S APARTMENT - FRONT HALL - MOMENTS LATER

Maurice walks toward the front door.

MAURICE:

Coming. Coming.

Maurice pauses about five feet from the door.

38.

MAURICE (CONT'D)

I'll be right there. Hold on a sec.

Maurice stands and waits.

MAURICE (CONT'D)

Almost there.

Maurice waits another second then opens the door. KEN BIRKE,

33, enters wearing a TOO HIP SWEATER. His wife, NINA, 32,

enters wearing an ARCHITECTURAL DRESS and WIDE RIM GLASSES.

MAURICE (CONT'D)

I'm sorry. I was just in the middleof something. Everything's so busy.

Come in.

KEN:

It's ros..

Ken hands Maurice a BOTTLE OF WINE. Maurice jokingly sniffsthe bottle.

MAURICE:

Smells fresh. I'll go put it in thedining room. Can I take your coats?

Of course, you're not wearing any.

KEN:

Not too cold in the elevator. Nina

almost wore one anyway.

NINA:

It looked awesome.

MAURICE:

I'll just deposit this in the dining

room.

Maurice exits.

NINA:

The first thing you say is a dig atme?

Ken ignores her comment.

KEN:

Is that a Magritte?

NINA:

It's a Mondrian. And it's a print.

KEN:

I know it's a print.

39.

NINA:

Then don't act impressed.

Maurice returns.

MAURICE:

Where are my manners?

Maurice shakes their hands.

MAURICE (CONT'D)

Maurice Lunel-Caspi.

KEN:

Ken Birke.

NINA:

Nina.

MAURICE:

Entr..

Maurice leads them into the

LIVING ROOM:

And gestures to the couch.

MAURICE:

We're just waiting on the Mrs.

Ken and Nina sit.

KEN:

This short term rental, where youfind your broker?

MAURICE:

Thinking ahead to your next housearrest?

KEN:

Ah, well, I suppose you never know.

Nina shoots Ken a look. Ken seems anxious and has an

occasional sniffle. Maurice walks to the SIDEBOARD.

MAURICE:

You want a drink? Bourbon, maybe?

KEN:

Is the Argentine peso worth morethan the Bolivian boliviano?

40.

MAURICE:

Is it?

KEN:

Last time I checked

NINA:

I don't drink.

MAURICE:

Wild American youth.

KEN:

You should offer her a -

Ken mimes smoking.

NINA:

Ken!

MAURICE:

What's your brand?

NINA:

Not that kind of smoke.

Ken looks amused.

MAURICE:

Oh. It's been hard for me to walk

to Washington Park.

NINA:

Frankly, with Ken's house arrest-

MAURICE:

-It's best not to bother with illegaldrugs.

NINA:

That's been our thought. Kinda crazy,

but, you know.

Maurice hands Ken his drink.

KEN:

Life saver.

NINA:

Actually, I will have a drink.

Ken looks surprised.

MAURICE:

Excellent. Bourbon as well?

41.

NINA:

What are you having?

MAURICE:

A martini.

NINA:

Make it two.

MAURICE:

Don't get lost without me.

Maurice exits.

KEN:

You'll drink here but not at Dad's?

NINA:

They're European. Chill.

KITCHEN:

Maurice makes two MARTINIS while he shouts to the other room.

MAURICE:

Do you like the gym?

INTERCUT LIVING ROOM / KITCHEN

Ken gets up and starts looking at Maurice's collage.

KEN:

What did he say?

MAURICE:

The gym in the building? How do youfind it?

KEN:

Four point five out of ten.

NINA:

We should follow him into the kitchen.

KEN:

Bah.

Ken starts thumbing through all of Maurice's STUFF.

NINA:

What are you doing?

KEN:

What are you doing?

42.

MAURICE:

Does it have an elliptical machine?

NINA:

Not that I've seen.

Ken looks through Maurice's BOOKS.

NINA (CONT'D)

I'm going in.

KEN:

Suit yourself.

Nina stands just as Maurice returns with the drinks.

MAURICE:

Then I don't feel so bad about beingstuck up here.

Maurice notices Ken looking through his shelf.

MAURICE (CONT'D)

See anything you like?

KEN:

(ignoring question)

Cheers.

Ken toasts Maurice and Nina. Maurice sits next to Nina.

MAURICE:

You sure you don't want to join thegin crowd?

KEN:

Bourbon's great.

MAURICE:

Good man. I always try to drink thebooze of the country I'm staying in.

It shows solidarity. When I'm in

Scotland, I drink Scotch. When I'm

in Japan, I drink Sake. When I'm in

Mexico, I drink the water.

Nina rests a hand on Maurice's thigh.

NINA:

But you're drinking a martini.

MAURICE:

I may switch to bourbon later.

Maurice looks at Nina's hand on his thigh.

43.

MAURICE (CONT'D)

Where is Edith?

Maurice goes and knocks on the bedroom door.

EDITH:

Go away.

Maurice keeps knocking.

MAURICE:

Darling, our guests are here.

EDITH (O.S.)

F*** off!

MAURICE:

We like to use pet names for eachother. I call her c*nt mouth. She

calls me f*** face. It's magic whenwe kiss.

NINA:

That's a lovely print you have.

MAURICE:

It came with the rental. Like the

books.

Maurice resumes knocking.

MAURICE (CONT'D)

Edith, we all miss you.

Edith throws the door open and stands fuming.

EDITH:

What?

MAURICE:

Edith, this is Nina and Ken.

NINA:

Your husband's been telling uswonderful things about you.

MAURICE:

Is her scowl not as lovely as I said?

Edith looks at Nina as though about to snap, then regainscomposure and walks calmly into the room.

KEN:

Ken Birke.

44.

EDITH:

Edith. Don't you two look smart?

MAURICE:

Edith envies intelligence.

Edith pours herself a bourbon.

EDITH:

Refill?

Edith freshens Ken's drink.

EDITH (CONT'D)

Has Maurice been boring you withstories?

NINA:

I love a good yarn.

MAURICE:

I was waiting for my audience.

EDITH:

But I've heard all your stories.

MAURICE:

That's why I make them up. At the

age of fourteen, I was ranked numberone in the world at backgammon.

KEN:

No.

EDITH:

He loses at checkers. But he can

wear you down with his chatter.

NINA:

I think he's a blast.

EDITH:

Ken, you strike me as a man who speakshis mind. Is my husband boring?

KEN:

If you want to share complaints abouthim, I'm a good listener.

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