The Pitch by Gary O. Bennett
EXT. BEVERLY BERNARD’S BEL AIRE HOUSE POOLSIDE 1
In an EXTREME CLOSE SHOT, we see a cellular phone lying on
mosaic tiles poolside. An infinity pool (the kind that looks
like it has no edge), out of focus, is in the background,
someone swimming laps. We are high in the mountains of San
Gabriel, overlooking Los Angeles. Suddenly the cellular
phone starts to ring with the little red light flashing.
After a few rings, a hand appears from the pool edge and
grabs the phone. BEVERLY BERNARD yanks herself up and flips
the phone open.
BEVERLY
I’m not in the mood this morning. What is
it? (pause) Tell Stone that he wraps by
this weekend or I’ll pull the plug…Can
you handle this minutae yourself,
Hillary?…Thank you.
Hillary flips the phone closed.
2 EXT. WINDING ROADS IN THE SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS 2
INTERCUT several SHOTS of a black convertible Mercedes Benz
sports car winding its way down the San Gabriel Mountains.
Beverly Bernard is at the wheel, wearing sunglasses.
INTERCUT SHOTS from inside the vehicle as well. Beverly
drives at a pace a bit too fast for comfort, certainly
breaking the speed limit.
3 EXT. ENTRANCE TO UNIVERSAL PICTURES STUDIO LOT 3
The SECURITY GUARD nods Beverly past the gates.
4 EXT. PARKING LOT 4
Beverly pulls her car into a reserved spot. She slams her
door shut. As she passes the back of her car, her hand
touches the trunk.
5 INT. BEVERLY BERNARD’S OFFICE 5
Walter Bing sits in one of the guest chairs in Beverly
Bernard’s office. The office is lavish, befitting the
President of Production of Warner Brothers. Walter is the
Head of Security for the studio. Beverly walks in. She
stops, briefly, when she sees Walter. Walter stands.
Beverly heads for her chair, which sits behind a large and
imposing desk table supported by fours legs in the shape of
eagle claws.
BEVERLY
Hello, Walter.
WALTER
Ms. Bernard.
BEVERLY
What can I do for you?
WALTER
Well ma’am, I’m fine. I’m fine.
BEVERLY
I didn’t ask how you are, Walter. I’m
not interested in how you are. I want to
know why you’re here. Is there a
problem?
WALTER
Not really, ma’am.
BEVERLY
Walter, you’re the head of security. If
there is nothing wrong, then why the fuck
are you here?
WALTER
Well, you see…
BEVERLY
I’m tracking thirty-six productions.
Eight of them are over budget, one of my
stars is out of commission because of an
overdose, one of our “new up and coming”
directors doesn’t know his ass from a
zoom lens, and I’ve got adjada. Adjada,
do you know what adjada is, Walter?
WALTER
No, ma’am.
BEVERLY
Well, you wouldn’t. Do you know why,
Walter. Because all you are is the head
of security.
WALTER
Yes ma’am.
Before Walter can answer, Beverly picks up the telephone.
BEVERLY
(into telephone)
Hillary, what’s up with Stone? Did he
call? He’s playing his disappearing act.
Make certain the plug is pulled Sunday
morning. Sunday morning. I want him to
wake up Sunday morning with no money, no
support, nothing but a plane ticket back
to the States. Got that?
Beverly slams the phone down.
BEVERLY
You’re still here?
WALTER
Yes.
BEVERLY
What could possibly justify you being in
my office? By the way, how did you get
in here?
WALTER
I have a key, ma’am.
BEVERLY
You have a key? You have a key to my
office? Who issued you a key?
WALTER
You did, ma’am.
BEVERLY
Oh. Yes.
Walter takes a few steps toward Beverly.
WALTER
I’ll try to be brief.
BEVERLY
Walter, you’re hovering. You’re hovering
over my desk. Step back.
WALTER
Yes, ma’am.
Walter steps back and sits in a chair.
BEVERLY
What are you doing?
WALTER
I have something to talk to you about.
BEVERLY
No. I mean the chair. You’re sitting in
one of my chairs.
WALTER
Yes.
BEVERLY
I didn’t say “have a seat” or “make
yourself comfortable,” now did I Walter?
No. I said “step back.” Now get up and
tell me what this is all about.
Walter stands.
WALTER
I understand that you were late this
morning. You all right?
BEVERLY
You understand I was late. What do you
mean you understand I was late? You
track my comings and goings?
WALTER
It’s part of my job, ma’am.
BEVERLY
No. No. My comings and goings are not
part of your job. What I do, who I see,
what I say, when I fart and who I fuck is
not your business.
WALTER
Yes, ma’am. It’s about someone
you…fuck, ma’am.
BEVERLY
Excuse me?
WALTER
An actor, ma’am.
BEVERLY
What in holy sweet Moses are you talking
about?
WALTER
Larry Langford.
BEVERLY
Larry Langford?
WALTER
Yes, ma’am. You don’t have to pretend
not to know him, ma’am. The whole
security staff knows that you and him
are, I mean were, having an affair.
Beverly stares at Walter. There is a pause.
BEVERLY
What about Larry Langford?
WALTER
They found him this morning. Lying on
Mexican tile in his kitchen with a peeled
banana stuck in his mouth. He had an old
Gianni Versace tie around his neck. Tied
real tight in a half Windsor knot, and
there was a bullet in his head.
Beverly appears lost in thought.
WALTER
He’s dead, ma’am.
BEVERLY
So, you’ve come here, you’ve come here to
deliver me the news about Mr. Langford,
is that it? You’re doing me a favor?
WALTER
Not exactly, ma’am. Well, I mean, I plan
to do you a favor. It’s just
that…well…
BEVERLY
Walter, I thank you for this bit of news.
I did know Mr. Langford, and this comes
as a terrible shock. So, if you would…
WALTER
Don’t you want to know who murdered him?
BEVERLY
They know?
WALTER
I would just think that you might be
interested in knowing who killed your
lover.
BEVERLY
Walter, I never said I was his lover.
Larry and I were friends. Occasional
friends. So they know who killed him?
WALTER
No, ma’am. They don’t know. They think
it was a burglary. They think that
because art pieces were missing. They
called me because Mr. Langford just
finished shooting a picture for Warners
and they thought I might know something.
BEVERLY
Yes, of course.
WALTER
So I said I didn’t know anything.
BEVERLY
OK, so you didn’t know anything.
WALTER
No, ma’am. I said I told the police I
didn’t know anything. But I do know. I
know everything. I know who killed Larry
Langford. Like I said, ma’am, I track
your comings and goings.
There is a long pause.
BEVERLY
What do you want?
WALTER
Look, ma’am, I’m on your side. I didn’t
like the man. He was trouble. He was
demanding. He was obnoxious. He treated
everyone with contempt. If I could have
done it myself, I would have. But I’ve
learned, ma’am, that the mild little
insults and put downs I endure all day
long from people like yourself, ma’am, do
not justify something so rash as murder.
But I guess that having the important job
that you do and making the kind of money
you make, can change the way you look
at…people…at life. Why even your
name, ma’am?
BEVERLY
My name?
WALTER
As head of security, I am privy to the
personnel files of all employees. The
Board had you checked up before giving
you your fifteen million dollar annual
contract plus five percent of the net on
your Department. They had your photo in
the file with your name Beverly Bernard
under it. I said to myself, Beverly
Bernard, this lady doesn’t look like a
Beverly Bernard. How could anyone look
like a Beverly Bernard. It sounds so
made up. So I did a little research.
Betsy Bernstein. I see how you got the
Bernard from Bernstein. But Beverly,
ma’am? Why Beverly?
BEVERLY
Walter…let’s cut the crap. You’re here
because you want something.
WALTER
I think I’ll sit down now.
Walter sits. There is a long pause while Beverly sizes
Walter up. Walter reaches into a leather bag that sits next
to the chair and pulls out a 3/4 inch ream of paper bound by
in the upper left by a staple. He places it on Beverly’s
desk by leaning foward, without getting out of the chair.
WALTER
I’ve been working on this for over a
year. It’s a thriller. A thriller about
Hollywood, Ma’am. I call it Murder Me
Monday.
BEVERLY
Murder Me Monday?
WALTER
You can change the title. I’m not
married to it.
BEVERLY
You’re not married to it?
WALTER
No.
BEVERLY
That’s what this is about? Your
screenplay. This is a pitch? This is a
pitch?
WALTER
Yes, ma’am. A pitch.
BEVERLY
This is a play, isn’t it?
WALTER
No, ma’am. It’s for the screen. I know
nothing of the stage.
BEVERLY
You’re making a play, a move, an inside
run, a grab. What do they call it in
your country?
WALTER
This is my country.
BEVERLY
If this was your country, you wouldn’t be
driving cabs or watching doors or going
through files like a clerk. You people
just got here. Your feet are still wet.
You think you can waltze into the head of
production for Warner Brothers and pitch
a screenplay when I can still smell the
stench of your outhouses and cowshit.
The fact is, you’re not a player, Walter.
WALTER
I think I am now in the game, ma’am. I
think I have a royal flush. All I want
is a sale. A big sale, but just a sale.
I don’t expect a movie. Just big money
for a big screenplay. I want to see my
name in Variety. I want to see the big
number paid for my screenplay in Variety.
Then, after that, I’m on my own. I’ll
quit this job and be out of your hair.
Beverly pushes Walter’s screenplay onto the floor.
BEVERLY
I don’t read screenplays. People who
work for me read screenplays. It would
be unorthodox for me to approve a buy
without going through the procedure.
WALTER
I don’t wish to be pushy. Afterall, I am
just a security guard.
And Larry Langford was just a, how do you
say it, second tier actor trying to be a
first tier actor. I can see the
headlines now, ma’am. Warner Brothers’s
President Murders Aspiring Actor. We’ll
read about how wonderful he was and how
much of a shit you are, ma’am. They will
speculate why you did it. By the way,
why? Why did you do it, ma’am?
A long moment passes.
BEVERLY
Take off your shirt.
WALTER
Excuse me?
BEVERLY
You heard me. Take off your shirt.
WALTER
Why, ma’am?
BEVERLY
You want to be in the game? You want to
be a player, Walter? Take off your
shirt.
Walter obliges.
BEVERLY (cont’d)
Don’t they require a physical for your
job?
WALTER
Well, they…
BEVERLY
Now stand up and pull down your pants.
WALTER
My pants, ma’am?
BEVERLY
Walter, I hate to repeat myself. Pull
down your fucking pants.
Walter stands and reluctantly pulls down his pants.
BEVERLY
Now do a 360?
WALTER
A what?
BEVERLY
Turn all the way around.
Walter does this.
WALTER
You like my body, ma’am?
BEVERLY
No, you idiot. I don’t give a shit about
your body. My concern is whether you’re
wired, whether you’re recording this
meeting.
WALTER
No, ma’am. May I dress now, ma’am.
Beverly examines Walter from her chair. Then, a thought
occurs to her. She rises , wlaks toward Walter, facing him
directly, looking into his eyes.
BEVERLY
Walter.
WALTER
Yes?
BEVERLY
I want you to slap me. In the face.
WALTER
Slap you, ma’am?
BEVERLY
Walter…please…slap me. Now. Hard.
Do it…for me.
Walter concludes that this is some sexual quirk of Beverly’s.
He obliges, and slaps her hard. There is a brief moment,
Beverly recovers; she can’t contain her pleasure. She then
lets out a very loud scream. Hillary comes rushing in.
Hillary’s glasses are cock-eyed, and she appears a bit
disheveled. She’s holding a stenographer’s pad and pencil.
BEVERLY
Hillary, thank God you’re here. Walter
Bing, our head of security, has made a
rather boorish and distasteful attempt to
a sexual advance.
Now you and I have caught him with his
pants down, so to speak. I don’t know
what to do, Hillary. I can’t call
security. Mr. Bing here is the security.
WALTER
This is not what it seems.
BEVERLY
This is not what it seems? This is not
what it seems? And you call yourself a
writer. Don’t you know nothing is as it
seems? Do you know how you seem, Walter?
Like an absolute idiot standing there in
your boxer shorts.
Walter now pulls up his pants on his own accord.
BEVERLY (cont’d)
Well, idiot is hardly what I would call
you for your attempted rape. Yes,
Walter, you tried to rape me. It may not
seem that way, but it’s true. I call it
as I see it. You are a pitiful piece of
shit, Walter Bing, and you are going to
go down. Do you know why, Walter? Do
you know why? Because you have no balls.
You have no balls. And I wouldn’t be
surpised if you had no prick, either.
You see this, sweetheart (cupping her
groin)…I have more balls than a child
has marbles. And you with your overgrown
muscles and deep voice…big shit…what
will it get you? Nada, sweetpea. And
what is mommy and daddy and girlfriend
going to say when they learn that their
baby Walter is thown in the slammer for
some cheap trick that he couldn’t even
get? Outsmarted and outdone by a woman
half your size and weight. And your
buddies are going to have a good laugh,
they’re going to have a good laugh. And
maybe the girlfriend is going to spit in
your face and fuck one of your buddies.
You’re a loser, Walter.
HILLARY
Ms. Bernard?
BEVERLY
What is it, Hillary?
HILLARY
Maybe we should call the police.
BEVERLY
No.
HILLARY
Excuse me?
BEVERLY
I said no. It’s not necessary.
HILLARY
But this should be reported.
BEVERLY
Are you telling me what to do?
HILLARY
No.
BEVERLY
Are you telling me what to do?
HILLARY
I wouldn’t think of it.
BEVERLY
Oh. Good. For a second there I thought
you were telling me what to do.
HILLARY
No, ma’am.
BEVERLY
I have compassion, Hillary. Compassion.
I don’t want to ruin Mr. Bing’s life just
because he made one mistake. Maybe he
can hold onto some dignity.
Hillary sees Walter’s script on the floor.
HILLARY
I see you have Walter’s script?
BEVERLY
Excuse me?
HILLARY
Walter here, I mean Mr. Bing let me read
it last week.
BEVERLY
You read Mr. Bing’s script?
HILLARY
Yes. He wanted my thoughts.
BEVERLY
You have thoughts, Hillary?
HILLARY
Yes, ma’am.
BEVERLY
You think Hillary here has anything to
contribute to your script?
WALTER
She’s a very nice girl and I wanted to
get her opinion.
HILLARY
It’s a precious little thriller, ma’am.
BEVERLY
Hillary, let us not forget the present
circumstances.
HILLARY
Well, ma’am, it’s very funny, you see,
because Walter’s script, I mean Mr.
Bing’s script, sorry, has a sexual
harrassment thingie in it, but you see
it’s really not sexual harrassment, but
just made up by some woman who seeks to
revenge. You see, she doesn’t much care
for men. Feels threatened by them. You
know the character. There’s a murder,
then guilt, then possibly another murder.
Anyway, so here now you are accusing Mr.
Bing of the same thing, except that I am
sure that it’s not made up. It’s funny.
Don’t you think it’s funny?
BEVERLY
Funny is an odd choice of word, Hillary.
HILLARY
Yes. I’m sorry.
BEVERLY
You may leave now.
HILLARY
Oh, but I can’t do that, Ms. Bernard.
BEVERLY
Excuse me?
HILLARY
I can’t leave you alone under such
circumstances. It’s in the employee
handbook, Ms. Bernard.
BEVERLY
The employee handbook? We have an
employee handbook?
HILLARY
Yes. Sexual harrassment is a matter of
serious concern, Ms. Bernard. It’s a
thing now, you know, and it is my duty to
report this.
BEVERLY
Hillary, I know you’ve only been here for
a month, if that, so maybe you haven’t
learned a minor little matter, BUT IT IS
YOUR FUCKING DUTY TO FOLLOW ORDERS! MY
ORDERS! And I am telling you, politely,
that we are going to let this go. Do you
hear me?
HILLARY
Ms. Bernard, the employee handbook states
on page 23 that only the Vice President
of Personnel may make an exception.
BEVERLY
Page 23? You’ve memorized the employee
handbook? You can’t keep my fucking
appointments, but you’ve memorized the
employee handbook?
HILLARY
Well, ma’am, your appointments change as
often executives around here, so it would
be a waste…
BEVERLY
Hillary, I don’t give a flying fuck what
the Vice President of Personnel has to
say about this. You will leave this
office and you will promptly forget about
anything you heard or saw in this room.
Hillary, are you listening to me? ARE
YOU LISTENING TO ME?
A moment passes. Hillary adjusts her eyeglasses. Her
demeanor changes.
HILLARY
Walter…give me your bag.
WALTER
My bag?
HILLARY
(sternly, but polite)
Please give me your bag, OK?
Walter picks up his bag off the floor and hands it to
Hillary. Hillary reaches into the bag. With her hand in the
bag, she pauses and looks at Beverly.
HILLARY (cont’d)
I just want you to know that today is my
birthday, and…well, I always make a
resolution on my birthday.
Hillary pulls out a handgun from Walter’s bag and tosses the
bag back to Walter. She directs the gun at Beverly.
HILLARY (cont’d)
I’ve decided, well, that Walter and
I…Walter, I hope you don’t mind me
doing this here, now, but I just feel
like saying that I accept your proposal,
Walter. I will marry you.
WALTER
Really!
HILLARY
Yes.
WALTER
Sweetheart, I am so happy.
HILLARY
Wish me a happy birthday, Ms. Bernard.
BEVERLY
Oh, this is cute. This is so very cute.
HILLARY
Walter, why were your pants down?
WALTER
Ms. Bernard is a very strange lady,
Hillary, just like you said.
She tricked me. Wanted to see if I was
wired for sound; then she screamed.
BEVERLY
Look, can we get on with this little
game. I have a lunch appointment with
David Geffen and I don’t have time for
nonsense.
HILLARY
He cancelled.
BEVERLY
He what?
HILLARY
He cancelled. You have no lunch
appointment.
BEVERLY
I always have a lunch appointment. Don’t
tell me I have no lunch appointment.
Call up Eisner or Spielberg. Anyone. I
have to have lunch with someone.
HILLARY
You murdered someone last night in cold
blood, I have a loaded gun pointed at
you, and you’re worried about not having
a lunch appointment?
BEVERLY
This is why you will never be anything in
this town, Hillary, because you just
don’t know the rules. You are playing a
game that’s way above you, Hillary.
You’re like a child in a gun shop.
HILLARY
I don’t like you.
WALTER
Hillary, now, don’t get upset.
BEVERLY
No, Walter, let her get upset. It’s
honest. Get it off your chest. Clear
the air. And then go back to your
fucking desk and get me a lunch date.
HILLARY
Ms. Bernard, ma’am, would you please pick
up that letter opener on your desk.
BEVERLY
Why? So it will have my fingerprints and
then you can claim I tried to use it as a
weapon to justify your shooting me?
HILLARY
Very good, ma’am.
BEVERLY
You’re an idiot, Hillary. The letter
opener already has my finger prints.
HILLARY
Oh, yes. Yes. Thank you.
BEVERLY
What else haven’t you thought of? How
can an idiot be certain of anything? Is
there something else you haven’t thought
of? One little clue, Hillary, just one
little fuck up, and kabaam, they’ve got
you. And just maybe, just maybe I didn’t
kill Larry Langford. So fucking what if
you got me on video going into Mr.
Langford’s house. Maybe I found him like
that, maybe I found him dead already.
Maybe I got scared and took off. didn’t
know what to do. Maybe I should just
goddamn call the police because I founde
Walter here standing over the dead body
and I’m afraid for my life. That’s why
you’re here, isn’t it. You’re here
because I know Walter murdered Larry
Langford, and you want to kill the only
witness, is that it? Is that it? What’s
it going to be, boys and girls? Who wins
this little game?
WALTER
It appears we have a stalmate.
HILLARY
No. No, Walter. We all shall win. We
will get our sale. Killing Ms. Bernard
is only a last resort. She will buy your
screenplay and we will all forget this
ever happened. Yes?
BEVERLY
There is no stalemate in Hollywood. In
every deal, there’s always a loser in
Hollywood.
But the game doesn’t always have a
winner. If you kill me, then we both
lose. And I prefer that.
HILLARY
You what?
BEVERLY
I prefer we both lose. The thought of
you two idiots winning is too unbearable
for me.
WALTER
Yes, but if you buy my screenplay, then
we win big and you win a little.
BEVERLY
No. No one wins a little. In this town,
you either win big or lose big. And
everything I do is big, got that. So
shoot me, you son of a bitch. Go on,
shoot me.
HILLARY
You’re bluffing.
BEVERLY
God dammit, Hillary, do as I say. Shoot
me.
HILLARY
Ms. Bernard, you did this once before wih
the Harrison Ford deal. I remember. You
threatened to kill yourself unless Mr.
Ford signed on for your movie. I do not
think it will work here. I am not going
to shoot you unless…
BEVERLY
Unless what? You guys can’t make up your
minds, can you? Frick and Frack. Laurel
and Hardy. Abbott and Costello. Bush
and Quayle. There should be a law
against you two morons from fucking each
other. I can’t imagine the idiot little
children you’d produce. Can you imagine
the little stupid mongoloid retarded
children you’d produce. With big
foreheads, sluring there words. And you
two shitheads wouldn’t even notice.
WALTER
Oh, now Ms. Bernard, now you went and did
it. You shouldn’t have said that.
You shouldn’t have said that. Hillary
here, well…you see, she’s two months
pregnant. We’re both very excited about
it, and I think you now have upset her.
You know, she has a temper.
BEVERLY
Hillary is pregnant? Hillary has a
temper? This is getting to be a big
joke. Both of you are big fat fucking
jokes, you know that. And now we have
some retarded little fat fucking fetus on
the way.
Hillary walks up to Beverly and places the gun at Beverly’s
left temple. Hillary is shaking with rage.
HILLARY
Like this, Walter?
WALTER
Yes, dear.
Hillary cocks the gun.
BEVERLY
Wait a second. Wait a second. You better
think, Hillary. Hillary about what
you’re doing. First, you’re on the wrong
side.
HILLARY
I’m what?
BEVERLY
You’re on the wrong side. If you’re
going to make this look like a suicide,
then I would shoot myself in the right
temple. I’m right handed.
HILLARY
Oh. Thank you.
Hillary moves to the other side of Beverly and places the gun
to her right temple.
BEVERLY
Now before you go ahead with this scheme,
you better have all the facts. A perfect
crime requires perfect information. Do
you want all the facts, Hillary?
HILLARY
No.
BEVERLY
Hillary, listen to me. I’m trying to
teach you something. I’m trying to help
you.
HILLARY
You’re helping me murder you? I don’t
need you for that, Ms. Bernard.
BEVERLY
Hillary…you must know…you must know
that I’m…I’m pregnant too.
HILLARY
What?
BEVERLY
You heard me. That fucking asshole Larry
Langford got me pregnant. But you see, I
never thought I could get pregnant.
that’s what the doctors told me. So at
first I got pissed. Like I really need
this right now. I’ve got enough on my
plate. But then, I got to thinking…or
should I say feeling…feeling this
attachment. Funny thing…never felt
attached to anything before. Not that I
can remember. So I told Larry. Told him
I was going to keep it. He went bananas.
Said there was no way. So he came after
me. Took a wire hanger and started after
me. The deranged fucking idiot said he
was going to do it himself. So I let him
have it, with his own gun.
HILLARY
You’re making this up.
BEVERLY
No.
HILLARY
You make everything up. This whole town
is one big lie…nothing is
real…everything is a story…everything
is bullshit. There is no truth in
Hollywood, just high concept hype lost in
its own little nothing world. I going to
kill you, Ms. Bernard, because that has
substance to it…that will mean
something. A simple boring murder of a
hideous person.
Everyone hates you, Ms. Bernard, but I’m
sure they’ll come to your funeral and
fake tears, but laughing when they get
back in their limos. Say goodbye to your
little fake world.
WALTER
No. Hillary, dear, you must not do this.
Ms. Bernard is right. They found a wire
hanger. Didn’t know what to make of it.
Ms. Bernard is a person Hillary. Maybe
we don’t like her, but she is a person.
BEVERLY
That’s right, Hillary, I’m a person.
WALTER
What about the banana in his mouth and
tie around his neck?
BEVERLY
I didn’t know what to do. Tried to make
it look like some sex thing. But then I
thought maybe that was the wrong idea.
So I pulled a couple of paintings of the
wall to make it look like a robbery. But
then I the phone rang. I panicked and
took off. Forgot about the bananna and
the tie.
A moment passes.
WALTER
I believe her, Hillary. Put the gun
down. Please, sweetheart.
Hillary uncocks the gun, backs away from Beverly, but keeps
it pointed at Beverly.
WALTER (cont’d)
Where are the paintings now?
BEVERLY
In the trunk of my car.
WALTER
We’ll have to get rid of them. If you
give me the keys, I’ll deal with it.
I’ll get rid of them.
A moment passes. Beverly reaches into her bag and tosses the
car keys to Walter.
BEVERLY
You know where it is?
WALTER
The executive parking lot, 1997 black
Mercedes convertible, license plate
number BEV 1138. Hillary…it’s bad for
the baby to feel angry. Put the gun
away. We will help Ms. Bernard and we
will forget about all this.
A long moment passes. Hillary lowers the gun.
WALTER (cont’d)
It will take me a few hours, but I should
be back by midafternoon.
Walter and Hillary start to walk off. As they reach the
door…
BEVERLY
Hillary…
Hillary and Walter stop. Hillary does not turn around
though, but Walter does.
WALTER
Yes?
BEVERLY
I didn’t…I didn’t mean the things I
said. I’m sorry.
Walter waits for Hillary to respond, but she doesn’t.
WALTER
We understand.
Walter and Hillary walk out. Beverly sits down. After a
moment, she opens Walter’s screenplay and starts to read it.
DISSOLVE TO:
6 EXT. BEVERLY BERNARD’S BEL AIRE HOUSE POOLSIDE 6
An EXTREME CLOSE SHOT of a cellular phone, the infinity pool
in the background. The phone rings. A hand emerges, Beverly
hoisting herself up. She answers the phone. This time we
hear the voice at the other end.
BEVERLY
What is it?
EDGAR
(voiceover)
Congratulations on Murder Me Monday.
BEVERLY
Edgar.
Beverly shows respect.
EDGAR
(voiceover)
It opened at number one last night.
Though I suppose you can’t miss with
Harrison Ford. That’s three for three
Beverly.
BEVERLY
Yes, well, I guess I have a knack for
picking screenplays and getting talent.
EDGAR
(voiceover)
Well, that knack may make you a player
someday in LA.
BEVERLY
I thought I was already a player, sir.
EDGAR
(voiceover)
You’re not a player if you’re working for
someone, Beverly. I saw some dailies of
your next pic.
BEVERLY
Yeah.
EDGAR
(voiceover)
Shitty stuff. Pretty boring. Better
keep your eye on this one. You’re
already over budget. No bankable stars.
Young director. Bad feelings. I have
bad feelings.
BEVERLY
Trust me, okay Edgar. I’m keeping my eye
on things.
EDGAR (cont’d)
Trust you? That’s cute, Beverly.
There’s no trust in Hollywood. Just
fear.
Fear is the fuel in your little town.
Fall in love fast, fall out of love fast.
That’s the motto in Hollywood. That’s
why I stay here in New York. Catch you
next week at the board meeting. Give a
report on the movie. Hope it’s good
news. We only want to hear good news.
There’s a click. Beverly flips the phone closed. Beverly
places the phone down on the mosaic tile. She pauses for a
moment. Then gets out of the pool. We remain on a CLOSE
SHOT of the cell phone. It starts to ring again, and we…
FADE TO BLACK.
THE END.