Barton Fink Page #4

Synopsis: Set in 1941, an intellectual New York playwright Barton Fink (John Turturro) accepts an offer to write movie scripts in L.A. He finds himself with writer's block when required to do a B-movie script. His neighbor tries to help, but he continues to struggle as a bizarre sequence of events distracts him.
Production: 20th Century Fox
  Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 15 wins & 21 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.7
Metacritic:
69
Rotten Tomatoes:
89%
R
Year:
1991
116 min
601 Views


. . . Are you a tranz or a rez?

BARTON:

Excuse me?

CLERK:

Transient or resident?

BARTON:

I don't know...I mean, I'll be here, uh,

indefinitely.

CLERK:

Rez. That'll be twenty-five fifty a week

payable in advance. Checkout time is twelve

sharp, only you can forget that on account

you're a rez. If you need anything, anything

at all, you dial zero on your personal in-room

telephone and talk to me. My name is Chet.

BARTON:

Well, I'm going to be working here, mostly at

night; I'm a writer. Do you have room service?

CLERK:

Kitchen closes at eight but I'm the night clerk.

I can always ring out for sandwiches.

The clerk is scribbling something on the back of an index card.

. . . Though we provide privacy for the

residential guest, we are also a full service

hotel including complimentary shoe shine. My

name Chet.

He pushes a room key across the counter on top of the index card.

Barton looks at the card.

On it:
"CHET!"

Barton looks back up at the clerk. They regard each other for a beat.

CLERK:

. . . Okay

BARTON:

Huh?

The clerk.

CLERK:

Okey-dokey, go ahead.

BARTON:

What -

CLERK:

Don't you wanna go to your room?!

Barton stares at him.

BARTON:

. . . What number is it?

The clerk stares back.

CLERK:

. . . Six-oh-five. I forgot to tell

you.

As Barton stoops to pick up his two small bags:

. . . Those your only bags?

BARTON:

The others are being sent.

The clerk leans over the desk to call after him:

CLERK:

I'll keep an eye out for them. I'll

keep my eyes peeled, Mr. Fink.

Barton is walking to the elevator.

ELEVATOR:

Barton enters and sets down his bags.

An aged man with white stubble, wearing a greasy maroon uniform, sits on a

stool facing the call panel. He does not acknowledge Barton's presence.

After a beat:

BARTON:

. . . Six, please.

The elevator man gets slowly to his feet. As he pushes the door closed:

ELEVATOR MAN:

Next stop:
Six.

SIXTH-FLOOR HALLWAY

Barton walks slowly toward us, examining the numbers on the doors.

The long, straight hallway is carpeted with an old stained forest green

carpet. The wallpaper shows faded yellowing palm trees.

Barton sticks his key in the lock of a door midway down the hall.

HIS ROOM:

As Barton enters.

The room is small and cheaply furnished. There is a lumpy bed with a worn-

yellow coverlet, an old secretary table, and a wooden luggage stand.

As Barton crosses the room we follow to reveal a sink and wash basin, a

house telephone on a rickety night stand, and a window with yellowing sheers

looking on an air shaft.

Barton throws his valise onto the bed where it sinks, jittering. He shrugs

off his jacket.

Pips of sweat stand out on Barton's brow. The room is hot.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote

Joel Coen

Joel Coen was born on November 29, 1954 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA as Joel Daniel Coen. He is a producer and writer, known for No Country for Old Men (2007), The Big Lebowski (1998) and Fargo (1996). He has been married to Frances McDormand since April 1, 1984. They have one child. more…

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Submitted by aviv on November 30, 2016

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    "Barton Fink" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/barton_fink_692>.

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