INTERIOR OUTER OFFICE –– BUILDING AND LOAN –– DAY
MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT –– More people have crowded around the counter. Their muttering stops and they stand
silent and grim. There is panic in their
faces.
GEORGE: Now, just remember that this thing isn’t as black as it appears.
As George speaks, sirens are heard passing in the street below. The crowd turn to the windows, then
back to George.
GEORGE (cont’d): I have some news for you, folks. I’ve just talked to old man Potter, and he’s
guaranteed cash payments at the bank. The bank’s going to
reopen next week.
ED: But, George, I got my money here.
CHARLIE: Did he guarantee this place?
GEORGE: Well, no, Charlie. I didn’t even ask him. We don’t need Potter over here.
Mary and Ernie have come into the room during this scene. Mary stands watching silently.
CHARLIE: I’ll take mine now.
GEORGE: No, but you . . . you . . . you’re thinking of this place all wrong. As if I had the money
back in a safe. The money’s not here. Your money’s in Joe’s
house . . .
(to one of the men)
. . . right next to yours. And in the Kennedy house, and Mrs. Macklin’s house, and a hundred others.
Why, you’re lending them the money to build, and then, they’re
going to pay it back to you as best they can. Now what are you going to do? Foreclose on them?
TOM: I got two hundred and forty-two dollars in here, and two hundred and forty-two dollars isn’t
going to break anybody.
MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT –– ANOTHER ANGLE
GEORGE (handing him a slip): Okay, Tom. All right. Here you are. You sign this. You’ll get your money
in sixty days.
TOM: Sixty days?
GEORGE: Well, now that’s what you agreed to when you bought your shares.
There is a commotion at the outer doors. A man (Randall) comes in and makes his way up to Tom.
RANDALL: Tom . . . Tom, did you get your money?
TOM: No.
RANDALL: Well, I did. Old man Potter’ll pay fifty cents on the dollar for every share you got.
(shows bills)
CROWD (ad lib): Fifty cents on the dollar!
RANDALL: Yes, cash!
TOM (to George): Well, what do you say?
GEORGE: Now, Tom, you have to stick to your original agreement. Now give us sixty days on this.
TOM (turning to Randall): Okay, Randall.
He starts out.
MRS. THOMPSON: Are you going to go to Potter’s?
TOM: Better to get half than nothing.
A few other people start for the door. CAMERA PANS WITH George as he vaults over the counter quickly,
speaking to the people.
GEORGE: Tom! Tom! Randall! Now wait . . . now listen . . . now listen to me. I beg of you not to do
this thing. If Potter gets hold of this Building and Loan there’ll
never be another decent house built in this town. He’s already got charge of the bank. He’s got the
bus line. He’s got the department stores. And now he’s after us.
Why? Well, it’s very simple. Because we’re cutting in on his business, that’s why. And because he
wants to keep you living in his slums and paying the kind of rent he
decides.
The people are still trying to get out, but some of them have stood still, listening to him. George
has begun to make an impression on them.
GEORGE (cont’d): Joe, you lived in one of his houses, didn’t you? Well, have you forgotten? Have you
forgotten what he charged you for that broken-down
shack?
(to Ed)
Here, Ed. You know, you remember last year when things weren’t going so well, and you couldn’t make
your payments. You didn’t lose your house, did you? Do
you think Potter would have let you keep it?
(turns to address the room again)
Can’t you understand what’s happening here? Don’t you see what’s happening? Potter isn’t selling.
Potter’s buying! And why? Because we’re panicky and he’s not.
That’s why. He’s picking up some bargains. Now, we can get through this thing all right. We’ve got to
stick together, though. We’ve got to have faith in each other.
MRS. THOMPSON: But my husband hasn’t worked in over a year, and I need money.
WOMAN: How am I going to live until the bank opens?
MAN: I got doctor bills to pay.
MAN: I need cash.
MAN: Can’t feed my kids on faith.
During this scene Mary has come up behind the counter. Suddenly, as the people once more start moving
toward the door, she holds up a roll of bills and
calls out:
MARY: How much do you need?
George jumps over the counter and takes the money from Mary.
GEORGE: Hey! I got two thousand dollars! Here’s two thousand dollars. This’ll tide us over until the
bank reopen.
(to Tom)
All right, Tom, how much do you need?
TOM (doggedly): Two hundred and forty-two dollars!
GEORGE (pleading): Aw, Tom, just enough to tide you over till the bank reopens.
TOM: I’ll take two hundred and forty-two dollars.
George starts rapidly to count out the money. Tom throws his passbook on the counter.
GEORGE: There you are.
TOM: That’ll close my account.
GEORGE: Your account’s still here. That’s a loan.
Mary turns and slips out through the crowd, followed by Ernie. George hands the two hundred and forty-
two dollars to Tom, and speaks to Ed, the next
in line.
GEORGE (cont’d): Okay. All right, Ed?
ED: I got three hundred dollars here, George.
Uncle Billy takes out his wallet and takes out all the cash he’s got.
GEORGE: Aw, now, Ed . . . what’ll it take till the bank reopens? What do you need?
ED: Well, I suppose twenty dollars.
GEORGE: Twenty dollars. Now you’re talking. Fine. Thanks, Ed.
(to Mrs. Thompson, next in line)
All right, now, Mrs. Thompson. How much do you want?
MRS. THOMPSON: But it’s your own money, George.
GEORGE: Never mind about that. How much do you want?
MRS. THOMPSON: I can get along with twenty, all right.
GEORGE (counting it out): Twenty dollars.
MRS. THOMPSON: And I’ll sign a paper.
GEORGE: You don’t have to sign anything. I know you’ll pay it back when you can. That’s okay.
(to woman next in line)
All right, Mrs. Davis.
MRS. DAVIS: Could I have seventeen-fifty?
GEORGE: Seven . . .
(he kisses her)
Bless your heart, Of course you can have it. You got fifty cents?
(counting)
Seven . . .
I’m glad someone thought to post that…