You Can't Take It with You Page #11

Look here, everyone.

Here's a letter from Alice.

Really?

- How is she?

- Where did you get it?

Ned, the postman, chased me

down the street and gave it to me.

He recognized her handwriting.

I've read it, Penny.

Read it aloud, Penny.

- Where's it from, Mother?

- Wait a minute. My hands are shaking.

She's staying with Helen,

that school friend in Riverside.

That's in Connecticut, isn't it, Grandpa?

Read the letter, Mother.

Now, let me see.

"And I was so miserable and confused

I had to do something.

"I do hope you'll understand.

"It's peaceful here and I've thought it all out.

"I know now the situation

between Tony and me is impossible.

"Mrs. Kirby was right.

I should have stayed in my own backyard.

"Don't worry about me, Mother.

I'll get over it.

"But, my darlings, I'm so lonesome for you.

"I don't know how I can stand it.

"Last night I cried myself to sleep,

and that helped a little.

"But this morning when I woke up

and realized I wasn't in my own bed...

"I wish I could rush back home.

But how can I, if I want to forget?

"The newspapers, Tony and a million things

make it impossible.

"Forgive me, my darlings.

"I promise to write every day,

sometimes twice or even more.

"Please, everybody,

take good care of yourselves.

"Don't let anything happen to you.

"All my love, Alice."

Sounds to me like she's not coming back.

Mr. Blakely, please.

Mr. Blakely, please.

Mr. Blakely?

Dad, you don't mean

you're thinking of selling the house?

Alice is right.

She can never come back here.

It would only make her miserable.

I won't let her live alone.

We'll find a place up there with her.

Mr. Blakely, this is Vanderhof.

Do you still want to buy the house?

You'll only pay $25,000 now.

Well, all right. Certainly, today.

All right, that's all. Goodbye.

Well, we had to leave this house sometime,

anyway.

I had a hard time,

but I made the old codger sell.

- Mr. Kirby's got all 12 blocks, solid.

- We can go ahead.

We've got the Vanderhof property.

Line up Kincaid now.

If that old gent hadn't sold,

the whole deal would've been blocked.

To all tenants in the 12-block area.

Notice. You are hereby notified that...

"You are notified that 10 days from this date

your premises must be vacated."

- That's the same as I've got.

- That certainly doesn't give us much time.

No.

Look. The Jensens must have gotten

their notice. Let's go see.

- Mr. Jensen, did you get one of these?

- Sure. We have to get out in 10 days.

- We all have to move.

- I can't understand it.

Grandpa said if they couldn't buy his house,

nobody would have to move.

Look.

Sorry, Mr. Kirby can't be disturbed.

I think it's all over, don't you?

Hello? Sorry, Mr. Kirby's not available.

Hello. He's not answering his phone.

Sorry.

I've just been upstairs.

All our board members are there,

and the heads of those six little companies.

This merger's going to make history!

The market doesn't know

whether to buy or sell.

I hope we're right.

I have everything sunk in this.

- Stop bellyaching. We can't miss.

- Where's Kirby?

- In there. We've been waiting for him.

- Who's with him?

Nobody. He's probably bowing

to the other Kirbys on the wall.

Hello. No.

Tell the senator to keep his shirt on.

- Kirby wants him to stay in Washington.

- No newspapers until after the meeting.

Ramsey make trouble for us?

You're crazy. He's broke.

He's finished.

Kirby hasn't even left him carfare.

You've got to hand it to the old man.

How he squeezed down on old Ramsey,

beautiful.

It wouldn't surprise me

if he were to blow his brains out.

They're waiting up there.

Get Kirby and get this over with

before something happens.

- Good idea.

- Wait, you know he doesn't like that.

Look at the time.

I'll get him on the phone.

Maybe he won't mind that.

Get me Mr. Kirby in the conference room.

Hello. Yeah.

Certainly. Well, come on.

What are you waiting for?

They're waiting upstairs.

We'd better be getting up there.

- Have you got your proxies?

- Including Kincaid's.

When we offered him presidency,

he jumped at it.

You offered what?

I explained you wanted to be

the chairman of the board of directors.

Tell him it's a mistake.

I've chosen the president.

Anthony Kirby, Jr. is to be president.

- Tony? He's much too young, A.P.

- Is he?

- What about our promise to Kincaid?

- Forget about him.

- But, we have obligations...

- I said, forget about him.

Now, please, Mr. Ramsey,

Mr. Kirby is very busy and he...

Well, Mr. Kirby,

I suppose you're very proud of yourself.

Another victory.

The greatest of your career.

What do you want, Ramsey?

You know something.

I actually thought of coming here

to ask for mercy...

...but I couldn't figure out a basis

on which to do it.

Certainly not friendship.

Once, a long time ago,

that might have been possible...

...but you destroyed that, Anthony.

Remember?

Look at me, Anthony.

Tomorrow the world will read

that Ramsey is broke.

Doesn't that please you?

I've seen men jump out of windows for less,

but I'm going to fool you, Anthony...

...because I've suddenly realized

I haven't lost a thing...

...that I never gained

one moment's happiness out of it.

And I warn you, Anthony,

and neither will you.

In spite of your victories...

...you can't shut out

every decent impulse and survive.

You're top-heavy with power right now,

but you'll crack under it.

You're bound to crack under it.

You know what is going to happen,

Mr. Anthony P. Kirby?

You'll scream for help and suddenly

find yourself alone in the world.

You'll wiggle on the hook

and find that nobody gives a hang.

I know because that's what happened to me.

And it will happen to you.

That's what happens

to all men like us, Anthony.

It's coming to us, it's coming to us.

- He's taking it kind of hard.

- Always was a weak sister.

Sounded crazy to me.

- They're waiting upstairs. Let's get up.

- Come along.

Go upstairs and start things.

I'll be up in a minute.

- But they're waiting.

- I'll be up in a minute.

- Hello, Dad. May I come in?

- Hello, Son. Come on in.

How are you?

Glad to see you. Sit down.

I want to talk to you.

You know what I always said

about the Kirbys and Tennyson's brook.

They go on forever.

If you're talking about

the meeting upstairs...

...I know all about that. Congratulations.

- Thank you, but that's nothing at all.

There's more to it than that.

When I get through with them upstairs,

there will be a new president.

- Do you know who that's going to be?

- I know you're going to be busy, so I...

I'm quitting.

You're quitting?

I just handed in my resignation.

I've been thinking about it for a long time...

So, you're quitting.

What are you going to do?

I don't know. I think I'll go away for a while.

Try and get myself organized.

I'm was going to hang on to my job until

this thing with Alice got straightened out...

...but that's all over, so...

There is no use waiting for that.

I don't know, I...

Rate this script:3.0 / 2 votes