Sunset Boulevard Page #5

GILLIS (cont'd)

shortstop? You've got the best

man for it right here on this lot.

Alan Ladd. Good change of pace for

Alan Ladd. There's another thing:

it's pretty simple to shoot. Lot

of outdoor stuff. Bet you could

make the whole thing for under a

million. And there's a great little

part for Bill Demarest. One of the

trainers, an oldtime player who

got beaned and goes out of his head

sometimes.

The door opens and Betty Schaefer enters -- a clean-

cut, nice looking girl of 21, with a bright, alert

manner. Dressed in tweed skirt, Brooks sweater and

pearls, and carrying a folder of papers. She puts

them on Sheldrake's desk, not noticing Gillis, who

stands near the door.

BETTY:

Hello, Mr. Sheldrake. On that Bases

Loaded. I covered it with a 2-page

synopsis.

(She holds it out)

But I wouldn't bother.

SHELDRAKE:

What's wrong with it?

BETTY:

It's from hunger.

SHELDRAKE:

Nothing for Ladd?

BETTY:

Just a rehash of something that

wasn't very good to begin with.

SHELDRAKE:

I'm sure you'll be glad to meet

Mr. Gillis. He wrote it.

Betty turns towards Gillis, embarrassed.

SHELDRAKE:

This is Miss Kramer.

BETTY:

Schaefer. Betty Schaefer. And

right now I wish I could crawl

into a hole and pull it in after

me.

GILLIS:

If I could be of any help...

BETTY:

I'm sorry, Mr. Gillis, but I

just don't think it's any good.

I found it flat and banal.

GILLIS:

Exactly what kind of material do

you recommend? James Joyce?

Dostoosvsky?

SHELDRAKE:

Name dropper.

BETTY:

I just think pictures should say

a little something.

GILLIS:

Oh, you're one of the message

kids. Just a story won't do.

You'd have turned down Gone With the

Wind.

Rate this script:5.0 / 3 votes