Brazil Page #5

20a INT. BUTTLES' FLAT NIGHT20a

MRS BUTTLE stands stunned in the middle of her decimated

flat. The KIDS wail. Slowly MRS BUTTLE collapses -

slumping to the floor with the receipt in her hand: we

tighten into CLOSE UP of "Receipt".

JILL (off CAMERA)

Mrs Buttle? Mrs Buttle?

21 INT. RECORD CLERK'S POOL 21

We come in on a CLOSE UP of a pink version of the RECEIPT

being stamped and impaled on desk spike as we PULL OUT to

reveal an infinite expanse of regularly arranged metal

desks, each desk with a built-in T.V. console, and each

(except one) occupied by a CLERK. Every desk is snowed

under with pieces of paper much like the receipts seen in

the previous scene. More pacers are delivered to each desk

intermittently by way of pneumatic tube. OFFICE BOYS

bustle about with even more paperwork. From the back of

the room we get a view of the screens which show graphs,

tabulations, figures ... All of this activity is

supervised from an elevated walkway by MR KURTZMAN.

Satisfied that all is well with his clerks he turns and

walks towards his glass enclosed private office at the top

of the room, his name lettered on the opaque glass door.

MR KURTZMAN goes through this door and as he closes it

behind him, all activity in the CLERKS pool ceases. each

CLERK adjusts his T.V. screen with the flick of a switch,

and all the screens change to something which looks very

like "The Good, The Bad And The Ugly".

22 INT. MR KURTZMAN'S OFFICEDAY 22

MR KURTZMAN also has a T.V. console. He sits behind his

desk, reaches for his In-tray, and without looking at the

console he turns his screen on. He looks through a number

of files in his In-tray. He is surprised to hear a VOICE

say, "Turn around real slow, amigo". MR KURTZMAN turns

around real slow, his expression relaxes, he thumps his

T.V. console with a large fist, and the screen obediently

flicks to a display of figures. He picks up a file which

we see as marked "Buttle, Archibald". He opens the file

and starts punching the keyboard of the console. The T.V.

starts bleeping in an alarmed way. MR KURTZMAN is puzzled.

He punches more figures. The screen starts to flash

"Error, error, error". MR KURTZMAN sighs with frustration.

He presses an intercom.

MR KURTZMAN:

(into intercom)

Mr Lowry, will you step in here

please?

He returns his attention, puzzled to the file. Nobody

comes into the office. MR KURTZMAN gets up and walks over

to his door and opens it. Beyond the door the room full of

CLERKS is obediently concentrating on the bleeping and

whirring consoles. From MR KURTZMAN'S POV we see that in

the centre of the room is an unoccupied desk.

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