One Good Turn

FADE IN:

INT. VAUDEVILLE THEATER - NIGHT

A black signboard at the edge of the stage reads ETON AND FARRELL

in white Art Deco type. A piano plays. The voice of RUTH ETON

begins warbling the verse of "If I Could Be With You (One Hour

To-Night)" a pop tune by Henry Creamer and Jimmy Johnson.

We PAN from the signboard, across the stage, past Ruth's studly

accompanist EDDIE FARRELL, and HOLD ON Ruth, a sad-eyed jazz

singer in a sexy black dress who stands in front of the grand

piano, a scarf in her hand.

RUTH:

(sings)

I'm so blue I don't know what to do

All day through I'm pining just for you

I did wrong when I let you go away

And now I grieve about you night and day

I'm unhappy and dissatisfied

But I'd be happy if I had you by my side...

As Ruth begins the refrain, an unseen orchestra joins in.

RUTH:

(sings)

If I could be with you I'd love you strong

If I could be with you I'd love you long

I want you to know that I wouldn't go

Until I told you, honey, that I loved you so

Eddie sings the second half of the refrain, not nearly as well as

Ruth.

EDDIE:

(sings)

If I was free to do the things with you

If I could do the things I know I'd do

I'm telling you true

I'd be anything but blue

If I could be with you

Ruth takes the second refrain in a faster, rhythmically complex

tempo.

RUTH:

(sings)

If I could be with you I'd love you strong

If I could be with you I'd love you long

I want you to know that I wouldn't go

Until I told you, honey, that I loved you so

If I could be with you one hour tonight

If I was free to do the things I might

I'm telling you

I'd be anything but blue

If I could be with you

For just one hour ...

If I could be with you

Ruth bows to the audience as they APPLAUD. She gestures to Eddie

who rises and bows.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. RUTH'S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

Ruth's agents enter the room looking for her: Tall Anglo-Saxon JIM

and heavily-accented Jewish cigar-smoker SAUL. Ruth is out of view,

changing clothes behind a screen.

JIM:

Oh, Ruth! Ruth!

RUTH'S VOICE

Hello?

SAUL:

Hey, Ruth!

RUTH'S VOICE

Hello! Sit down, make yourselves at home.

I'll be out in a second.

Saul strikes a match on the wall and lights his cigar while Jim

takes a seat.

JIM:

You certainly wowed 'em tonight, Ruthie!

SAUL:

You certainly did! Five curtain calls and

they could've rung up again.

(sits)

But I don't blame you, honey. Leave 'em

hungry.

Ruth emerges in a plain white dress. The agents rise to greet her.

JIM:

Hello, Ruth.

RUTH:

Hello, boys!

SAUL:

Hello, Ruth!

RUTH:

To what do I owe the honor of this visit?

Unwrap the bad news.

JIM:

You worrying about bad news after...?

SAUL:

You worrying! Mm-mm! Such a performer! It

is to laughing, ain't it, Jim? Heh! The

office wants to give you a new roof. Such

a roof! Mm-mm! Starting with the Palace,

headline billing. Even the Colonel'll tell

you to sign.

RUTH:

All right, all right. Let's have the

"but--" ...

SAUL:

(laughs)

Cute, ain't it? It's no "but," Ruthie --

it's a "because"!

RUTH:

Well, because what -- ?

JIM:

(hesitant)

Well, be-- Because of your partner. They

don't want Farrell -- and you don't need

him. Oh, why should we beat around the

bush?

RUTH:

They don't want Eddie?

SAUL:

They don't want Eddie -- that's the truth,

straight from the suspenders.

RUTH:

Well, what's the matter with him? Why

don't they want him?

SAUL:

(holds up two fingers)

I can tell you in just two words what's

the matter with him:

(counts off)

Im - possible.

RUTH:

(upset)

Well, if they don't want Eddie Farrell,

they can't have me.

She retreats to her dressing table and sits, fixing her hair and

powdering her nose. The agents follow and stand on either side of

her.

SAUL:

Never mind the display of temperature!

But, listen, it's for your own good!

JIM:

Ruth, it ain't us, it's the office. They

don't want him.

RUTH:

You don't understand. I couldn't break

with Eddie.

JIM:

Oh, I got it. Love certainly makes the

world go 'round.

RUTH:

Oh, I know Eddie's no wonder but he's

young and he'll develop.

JIM:

Sure, he'll develop lockjaw the way he

tries to sing.

The agents walk off in disgust. Ruth rises and confronts Saul

while Jim takes a seat.

RUTH:

Please, Saul, listen. I can talk to you

as a friend. Let us lay off a couple of

months. I'm working with Eddie. I'll give

him poise and polish and I'll show him

how to wear clothes.

SAUL:

Say, what's going on here?

RUTH:

Aw, he has the makings. I'll teach him

how to sell a song and all you have to do

is to book us into the Strand and have

the office catch the act.

JIM:

Yeah, I know. And in Newark, you'll want

us to look at you in Trenton.

SAUL:

Yeah, and in Trenton, you'll want us to go

to Poughkeepsie. And in my condition --!

RUTH:

Say, Saul, with your drag up in that

office, you won't have any trouble stalling

them off a few months. Tell 'em -- aw, tell

'em my health's bad. Tell them anything.

(voice breaking)

I don't care anything about the money. I

want Eddie to come through and I know he can

do it.

SAUL:

A few months?!

RUTH:

A few months. What's the difference?

SAUL:

Say, it's a big difference between you and

Eddie. You're marvelous. And he's, uh, er

... Say, Jim. What's the opposite of

marvelous?

JIM:

(with a dismissive wave)

That's Eddie.

FADE OUT:

TITLE (to a slow instrumental version of "If I Could Be With You"):

Eddie hitched his wagon to a star --

and was on his way to success.

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