Ida Tarbell Page #4

Synopsis: Ida Minerva Tarbell was an American teacher, author and journalist. She was one of the leading "muckrakers" of the progressive era of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is thought to have pioneered investigative journalism.
Year:
2015
531 Views


SAM MCCLURE:

(laughs out loud)

You don’t want much, do you? Fifty dollars

is simply out of the question! I’ve never

paid a writer that much before.

IDA:

You paid Lincoln Steffens fifty dollars a

week when he worked here.

SAM MCCLURE:

Who told you that?

IDA:

I’m a journalist, Mr. McClure. I believe in

doing my research. So should you.

10.

SAM MCCLURE:

Lincoln Steffens is one of the most

respected writers in New York.

IDA:

Yes, and lucky for him he’s also a man. But

if a woman does the same work as a man,

shouldn’t she be paid the same as him?

SAM MCCLURE:

All right, 45 dollars then. But I’m afraid

that’s the best I can do.

Ida drops her head, then slowly stands.

IDA:

Thank you for your offer, Mr. McClure. But

I need fifty dollars a week. There are

plenty of other magazines in New York

willing to pay for my services.

As Ida goes to leave...

SAM MCCLURE:

All right, all right, Jesus Christ! Fifty

dollars then. Will that stop you from

haranguing me?

IDA:

(firm)

Do we have an agreement, Mr. McClure?

SAM MCCLURE:

Yes! Praise the Lord! We have an agreement!

They shake hands on it, Ida too moved almost to speak.

IDA:

(simply)

Thank you.

INT. OFFICE OF MCCLURE’S MAGAZINE - DAY

JOHN PHILLIPS, the grouchy editor we met earlier is showing

Ida around the office. He is 50 but looks 60.

PHILLIPS:

I read your series on Lincoln. Good

writing. Lively...

IDA:

Thank you.

PHILLIPS:

Something of a history buff myself.

(indicating)

11.

PHILLIPS (CONT'D)

What we do here is file all manuscripts,

alphabetical by author’s name. The deadline

for filing stories is 5pm on Wednesday.

IDA:

Do you know who is to be my editor?

PHILLIPS:

I’m afraid you’re looking at him.

(pointing)

That’s my little fiefdom over there.

They come to an old broken down desk. Looks more like a

collection of “spare parts” than a writing desk.

PHILLIPS:

(apologetic)

And this...this is your desk. Apparently,

it belonged to Rudyard Kipling when he

lived in New York. Wrote Gunga Din on here.

IDA:

(amused)

And without a chair it seems. Impressive.

PHILLIPS:

We have to supply our own. Here on the S.S

McClure, chairs are considered an

“optional” accessory.

They continue on down the hall.

IDA:

Does Mr. McClure have a lot of ideas for

new stories?

PHILLIPS:

Like a dog has fleas. He has 300 new ideas

every minute. That’s his job.

IDA:

Then what’s yours?

PHILLIPS:

Figuring out which one’s don’t stink.

INT. IDA’S APARTMENT - NIGHT

It is small and simple. A third-floor walk-up located in

Greenwich Village. Ida is unpacking groceries in the kitchen

when there is a KNOCK at the door. She goes to answer.

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Mark McDevitt

Mark McDevitt grew up in Sligo on the northwest coast of Ireland, and later attended University College Dublin. In 1995, he moved to the United States after winning a green card "in the lottery." As a writer and journalist, his work has appeared in The Irish Times, The New York Times, The Irish Independent and The Examiner. In 2001, he moved to New York to pursue a career in film. He went on to work on several movies and TV shows as a camera assistant and operator, while writing film scripts on the side. In 2015, his spec screenplay about pioneering investigative journalist Ida Tarbell landed on the Hollywood Blacklist. It is currently in development as a feature film with Amazon Studios. Mark lives in New Jersey with his wife and son. more…

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Submitted by marina26 on November 30, 2017

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    "Ida Tarbell" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/ida_tarbell_1322>.

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