American Hustle Page #4

Is that Duke Ellington on your

bracelet?

She does have on a Duke Ellington charm bracelet.

SYDNEY PROSSER:

As a matter of fact, it is. He died

this year, you know.

10.

IRVING ROSENFELD

I know. I doubt anyone else here

knows or cares about it.

SYDNEY PROSSER:

Well I care. He saved my life many

times.

Irving takes a good look at her, impressed.

IRVING ROSENFELD

(impressed)

Mine too. Which one?

SYDNEY PROSSER:

Jeep’s Blues.

IRVING ROSENFELD

(smiles, warm)

Jeep’s Blues. Oh yeah.

Awkward pause.

IRVING ROSENFELD (CONT’D)

You wanna hear it?

SYDNEY PROSSER:

Right now?

IRVING ROSENFELD

Yeah.

SYDNEY PROSSER:

Sure.

CUT TO:
PORTABLE RECORD PLAYER PLAYS START OF JEEP’S BLUES as

Irving and Sydney nod to it - he watches her foot in her high

wedge and her tanned leg rocking as she sits on arm of sofa.

IRVING ROSENFELD

Who starts a song like that?!

SYDNEY PROSSER:

It’s magic.

IRVING ROSENFELD

Magic.

They listen to the record, Edith checks Irving out.

11.

SYDNEY PROSSER (V.O.)

He wasn't necessarily in good

shape, and he had this comb-over

that was rather -- elaborate. He

had this air about him. And he had

this confidence that drew me to

him. He was who he was and he

didn’t care.

IRVING ROSENFELD (V.O.)

Like me, she was a very particular

person. Like me, she came from a

place where her options were

limited -- and she had been someone

she didn't want to be in her past.

CUT TO -- SYDNEY DANCES IN A SMALL TOWN, OLD FASHIONED STRIP

BAR.

SYDNEY PROSSER (V.O.)

It actually can feel kind of sexy

sometimes. There's a boldness in

it. But where would that boldness

take me? I didn't know. But I was

gonna find out.

8 CUT TO:
8

SYDNEY WALKS DOWN A BLEAK INDUSTRIAL STREET.

CUT TO -- RECORD STORE WHERE EDITH FLIPS THROUGH ALBUMS OF

THE OLD GREATS -- ELLA FITZGERALD, DUKE ELLINGTON, AND MORE

OF THE OLD GREATS -- A WORLD OF ELEGANCE, SOPHISTICATION, AND

CULTURE A MILLION MILES AWAY FROM WHERE SHE LIVES.

IRVING ROSENFELD (V.O.)

Like me, she learned to survive and

reinvent herself. She knew she had

to reinvent her life and her

identity. And like me, she

envisioned a better elegant future

for herself. Like me, she knew you

had to have a vision.

EXT. NY STREET -- DAY

Sydney looks at scrap of paper with info in her hand -- looks

up at office building address -- enters.

IRVING ROSENFELD (V.O.)

She came to New York. She

envisioned it.

(MORE)

12.

And just like that, she applied fora job at Cosmopolitan Magazine.

IRVING ROSENFELD (V.O.) (CONT'D)

12 INT. COSMOPOLITAN MAGAZINE OFFICES - DAY 12

Clean bright colors, huge blown up Cosmo covers -Sydney

-- innocent, plain, slacks and blouse, hair back,

nervously awaits interview.

SHE IS CALLED IN -- NERVOUSLY STANDS, small crumpled scrap ofpaper in hand, FIXES HER HAIR --

13 INT. COSMO INTERVIEW OFFICE - CONTINUOUS 13

COSMO INTERVIEWER GIRL

Well you’re obviously here for a

reason. Let’s get to it.

Alright.

SYDNEY PROSSER:

COSMO INTERVIEWER GIRL

Our cover story right now is oncunnilingus. What do you thinkabout that?

SYDNEY PROSSER:

I like it.

COSMO INTERVIEWER GIRL

Do you have any clerical skills?

Yes.

SYDNEY PROSSER:

COSMO INTERVIEWER GIRL

Can you type?

IRVING ROSENFELD (V.O.)

She was unlike anybody I ever knew.

She was smart. She saw throughpeople in situations. And she knewhow to live with passion and style.

She understood Duke Ellington.

14 COSMO MAGAZINE OFFICES: SYDNEY PUSHES MAIL CART DELIVERS MAIL

TO SOPHISTICATED MAGAZINE EDITORS AND EXECUTIVES, SOME TOUGH

BIRDS, MOST ELEGANT.

14

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