Complete Works of F. Scott Fitzgerald (Illustrated) (500 page)

CUT TO:

84 A LARGE SAFETY PIN —
 — on a very gaping vest. This is upon Bobby who is in his room, being valeted by Koster and Lenz. There are open suitcases of clothes on the floor.

Lenz
: No — we need that safety pin to keep his tie down at the back.

Koster
: I know a way to do that with string.

(
he finished pinning the vest and begins on the string
)

Bobby
: Won’t it show?

Lenz
: Not as long as you don’t take your coat off. That’s a point I forgot to tell you. Always keep your coat on in the opera — no matter how you hate the tenor.

(
he helps Bobby into his own dress coat, but it is too big
)

Koster
: Give us the coat.

Lenz
: Awful! Try mine. (
Lenz’s coat is tight but passable
) Like a glove.

Bobby
: It’s tight under my arms. Can’t reach my pockets.

Koster
: That’ll save you a lot of money.

Lenz
: It’s fine. In that crowd, you won’t show.

Bobby
(
nervously
): I wish you were coming.

Lenz
: There’s just enough clothes for one complete swell. Money?

(
he hands some banknotes to Bobby
)

Bobby
: I’ve got enough. (
he pushes the money away
) We may not have a good month so soon again.

Koster
(
fiercely
): I am your superior officer. Anyhow, we’re going to race Heinrich next week and make a fortune. (
he thrusts the money into Bobby’s pocket and speaks seriously
) It’s quite right what you’re doing, Bobby.

Bobby
(
pretended indifference
): I can’t figure her out exactly — how she stands with — Herr Breuer.

Koster
: Does it worry you?

Bobby
(
lying
): Not a bit.

Koster
: It shouldn’t. And I envy you.

Bobby
: Why?

Koster
: Because nothing else is worth a dime. (
picking up an opera hat
) And this tops you off. (
he tries it
) The thing won’t open. Got a tire wrench?

Lenz
: Bang it on something.

Koster tries that — on the electric light, which explodes. But not the hat.

Koster
: Never mind, Bobby. Carry it for the effect. It’ll open when it sees the other little hats.

(
Bobby takes a last look and turns toward the door
)

Lenz
: And don’t forget to —

Koster
: Let him alone. You’ve given him enough advice to last a year.

Bobby winks at them and as a hand organ outside strikes up an old army song, “The Three Lilies,” he goes out at a waiter’s trot, carrying the opera hat like a tray on his fingers.

Lenz
: Do you think it’s wise?

Koster
: Yes. It makes me happy that one of us at least has found —

(
he hesitates
)

Lenz
: Found what?

Koster
: A window — to look back into the past, into what might have been.

Lenz
: You need a drink. Bobby among the rich. I don’t quite like it.

Koster
: Pat’s not rich.

Lenz
: She is in her heart. I couldn’t go to the opera while there are shootings in the street every night. That’s the sound in my ears.

Koster
: Then for God’s sake, let Bobby have his moment of happiness.

DISSOLVE TO:

85 INTERIOR.

A NEW, SNAPPY-TAXI CAB

 — SHOOTING FROM the driver’s seat at Pat, occupying the backseat alone. She wears a magnificent evening dress of silver brocade and sits pictorially with her arms stretched out to either side of the cab. Bobby is on the little seat with his knee visible and the unopened hat upon it.

Pat
: Silly. Come back here.

Bobby
: Of course I won’t. I might rumple you. You look like a silver torch in this light.

Pat
: That’s what clothes are for.

Bobby
: You need a richer man to match it.

Pat
: The rich men I know are pretty awful, Bobby.

Bobby
: If you say that often enough, I may got interested.

The hat on his knee suddenly opens with a “Pop!” As Pat laughs, we —

CUT TO:

86 TWO HANDS IN THE DARKNESS —
 — lying along the arm of a theatre seat. SHOOTING FROM BEHIND, through the interval between the seats, we see them touch and then rise together, back to back. The fingers intertwine and lock.

The curtain of the stage in front of them comes down to end an act of
Tales From Hoffman.
The music dies away, but the lights have not yet come on. Behind a voice whispers:

The Usher
(
off scene
): Let me see your ticket stubs, please.

Wonderingly, Bobby fumbles for them as the usher repeats the request to the pair at the end of the aisle — a plain German grocer and his fat wife.

Usher
: Thank you. I’m sorry, but these seats were sold by mistake. They are reserved for special customers.

The Grocer
: What’s that now?

Usher
: The management requires these seats. You will get your money back at the door.

THE CAMERA PANS to a party of four waiting impatiently in the aisle.

CUT TO:

87 ROW OF SEATS

Bobby
(
angrily
): I won’t move from here.

The Grocer
: (
amid general turning of heads and murmurs of protest
): This is an outrage!

The lights go on, showing that one of the party in the aisle is Breuer — very arrogant and unconcerned. The other man is a baldheaded oldster. With them are two richly dressed women.

Breuer
(
to the usher
): Hurry them, please. (
suddenly he sees Pat and Bobby. Surprised, he changes his tone
) Not those two there — they are friends of ours. These.

(
he indicates two in front
)

The Usher
(
to the two in front
): Let me see your stubs, please.

CUT TO:

88 THE GERMAN GROCER AND HIS WIFE —
 — going angrily up the aisle. Following them is another couple, an insignificant man and woman, humiliated and weepy.

The Grocer
: Politics — that’s it. New bullies in power.

CUT TO:

89 BREUER’S PARTY —
 — seating themselves. Breuer leans across Bobby, who is frowning disgustedly, and speaks to Pat.

Breuer
: I’m sorry you were accidently disturbed. We’ll meet after the performance.

DISSOLVE TO:

90 THE EXTERIOR OF THE THEATRE —
 — after the performance. There is a marked contrast between the wealthy opera patrons and the poverty-stricken crowd. Breuer’s party is walking haughtily to the curb. Pat turns back to speak to Bobby, who has fallen a little behind.

Pat
(
with sympathy
): You’re sad, darling.

Bobby
: It was such fun — till he came.

Pat
: He’s just an old friend.

Bobby
: That makes it worse.

Pat
(
gently
): Don’t be silly.

Breuer
(
turning around
): I’m taking you to a new night club — that will especially interest Pat.

Unwillingly, Bobby gives in as we —

DISSOLVE TO:

91 A NEON SIGN: “TRIANON”

PAN DOWN TO a doorway in what looks like an elaborate private house. Breuer’s party is getting out of the limousine.

They stop as Breuer points with his cane to a coat of arms above the doorway. Pat gives a little cry.

Pat
: It’s our old house. (
shocked
) A night club!

Breuer
: And a great success, I’m told.

Pat recovers from her moment of shock and laughs.

Pat
: I suppose I should be proud of that.

CUT TO:

92 THE INTERIOR OF AN INTIMATE NIGHT-CLUB —
 — Cossack music — rhumbas and tangos rather than jazz — and a distinguished-looking clientele.

The party sits down — Pat next to Breuer, Bobby between the two other women, thirtyish, rich, and bejeweled, not quite “out of the top drawer.” The waiter takes the order.

Breuer
(
looking at the menu
): Champagne first? This Pol Roget, 1922?

(
he looks around inquiringly
)

Bobby
: Some mineral water for me.

Pat
(
clapping her hands
): Bravo, Bobby.

At her evident interest in Bobby, Breuer’s face tightens a little.

Breuer
(
in a chilly voice
): And Appolonaris for — one.

Pat
(
looks around and shivers slightly
): This was the reception room. How often I’ve leaned over those stairs and watched the dancing down below. (
ironically
) And now at last I can dance here myself.

Breuer
: Will you?

They dance off, Bobby’s eyes following. Frau Schmidt, the woman at Bobby’s side looks him over lasciviously, wetting her lips.

Frau Schmidt
: Are you an old friend of Erich Breuer’s?

Bobby
: Scarcely.

Frau Schmidt
: He’s become a man of influence. You saw how quickly he got seats in the theatre.

Bobby
(
ironically
): Yes.

The waiter draws a champagne cork.

Frau Schmidt
: He’s very fond of Fraulein Hollman. And it’s a lucky thing for her. (
acidly
) These fallen aristocrats. (
but rather impressed
) To think she used to live here!

93 OUT ON THE FLOOR —
 — Pat’s cheek touches Breuer’s. His arm tightens around the silver dress. He talks in a low, confident voice — sometimes she looks up at him and laughs.

94 BOBBY —
 — suddenly holds his glass out to the waiter pouring champagne.

Bobby
: Include me.

95 FROM THE DANCE FLOOR — PAT —
 — looks at Bobby. She smiles encouragingly. For answer —

96 BOBBY —
 — raises the champagne glass to her gravely.

97 PAT —
 — opens her eyes as if saying, “Ahhh!” She and Breuer stop dancing and come back to the table.

Pat says her old house makes her dizzy. We’ll drink and move on.

As they sit down —

DISSOLVE TO:

98 ANOTHER NIGHT CLUB —
 — brighter and noisier. Breuer’s party is gathered about a tank of live, swimming trout. A waiter brandishes a fish net.

Breuer
: That fat one.

The net goes in, the fish is captured.

Breuer
(
to Pat
): There’s one the exact color of your dress.

Pat
: Oh, which one?

Bobby
: I hope he gets away.

Breuer
: He won’t. Catch him, there.

(
the fish manages to escape. The waiter goes after another
)

Breuer
(
testily
): No. I want that one.

Pat
(
suddenly comparing the fish to herself
): I don’t. Oh, let it go — let it go!

Bobby
(
as it escapes again
): Poor little silver trout!

Breuer meets Bobby’s eye; aware of the symbolism of the episode, Breuer laughs contemptuously.

DISSOLVE TO:

99 THE TABLE — LATER

The trout eaten. Breuer and Pat talking.

Breuer
(
lightly
): There’s no reason why the Trianon Cabaret shouldn’t become a house again, if you chose.

Bobby overhears this and stands up, facing away and taking a step toward the bar.

Frau Schmidt
(
a little drunk
): Where are you going, handsome?

Bobby
: For a drink.