It's a Wonderful Life Page #2

EXTERIOR MAIN STREET �� BEDFORD FALLS �� SPRING AFTERNOON

MEDIUM SHOT �� Five or six boys are coming toward camera, arm in

arm, whistling. Their attention is drawn to an elaborate

horsedrawn carriage

proceeding down the other side of the street.

MEDIUM PAN SHOT �� The carriage driving by. We catch a glimpse of

an elderly man riding in it.

CLOSE SHOT �� the boys watching the carriage.

GEORGE:

Mr. Potter!

CLARENCE'S VOICE

Who's that �� a king?

JOSEPH'S VOICE

That's Henry F. Potter, the richest and meanest man in the

county.

The boys continue until they reach Gower's drugstore. The

drugstore is old-fashioned and dignified, with jars of colored

water in the windows and little

else. As the kids stop:

GEORGE:

So long!

BOYS (ad lib)

Got to work, slave. Hee-haw. Hee-haw.

INTERIOR DRUGSTORE �� DAY

MEDIUM SHOT �� George comes in and crosses to an old-fashioned

cigar lighter on the counter. He shuts his eyes and makes a wish:

GEORGE:

Wish I had a million dollars.

He clicks the lighter and the flame springs up.

GEORGE (cont'd)

Hot dog!

WIDER ANGLE �� George crosses over to the soda fountain, at which

Mary Hatch, a small girl, is seated, watching him. George goes on

to get his

apron from behind the fountain.

GEORGE (calling toward back room)

It's me, Mr. Gower. George Bailey.

CLOSE SHOT �� Mr. Gower, the druggist, peering from a window in

back room. We see him take a drink from a bottle.

GOWER:

You're late.

MEDIUM SHOT �� George behind soda fountain. He is putting on his

apron.

GEORGE:

Yes, sir.

WIDER ANGLE �� Violet Bick enters the drugstore and sits on one

of the stools at the fountain. She is the same height as Mary and

the same age, but

she is infinitely older in her approach to people.

VIOLET (with warm friendliness)

Hello, George.

(then, flatly, as she sees Mary)

VIOLET:

'Lo, Mary.

MARY (primly)

Hello, Violet.

George regards the two of them with manly disgust. They are two

kids to him, and a nuisance. He starts over for the candy

counter.

GEORGE:

Two cents worth of shoelaces?

VIOLET:

She was here first.

MARY:

I'm still thinking.

GEORGE (to Violet)

Shoelaces?

VIOLET:

Please, Georgie.

George goes over to the candy counter.

VIOLET (to Mary)

I like him.

MARY:

You like every boy.

VIOLET (happily)

What's wrong with that?

GEORGE:

Here you are.

George gives Violet a paper sack containing licorice shoelaces.

Violet gives him the money.

VIOLET (the vamp)

Help me down?

GEORGE (disgusted)

Help you down!

Violet jumps down off her stool and exits. Mary, watching, sticks

out her tongue as she passes.

CLOSE SHOT �� George and Mary at fountain.

GEORGE:

Made up your mind yet?

MARY:

I'll take chocolate.

George puts some chocolate ice cream in a dish.

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