Sunset Boulevard movie - Schwab's Drugstore lyrics
rate me<br>
Schwab's is a Sunset Boulevard institution, a combination of soda-fountain, news-stand, tobacconist's and diner; it's crowded with movie people of one sort or another. It's closing time, and the patrons are on their last cup of coffee, preparing to drift away.<br>
<br>
ALL<br>
Every <br>
movie's a circus <br>
on the wire<br>
without a net<br>
<br>
JOANNA<br>
Coffee?<br>
<br>
MYRON<br>
I'm up too early<br>
shooting at seven<br>
I gotta go<br>
<br>
ALL<br>
Movies<br>
<br>
BOY<br>
What's wrong?<br>
<br>
MARY<br>
Can't get a screen test. <br>
Don't you hate it <br>
when a yes-man says no?<br>
<br>
ALL<br>
Movies<br>
<br>
GIRL<br>
Good part?<br>
<br>
BOY<br>
I'm a policeman<br>
"Hang up, punk" <br>
That's all I say.<br>
<br>
ACTOR<br>
First time<br>
you worked on the lot there<br>
<br>
ACTRESS<br>
I must say R.<br>
K.O are O.K.<br>
<br>
ALL<br>
Movies.<br>
<br>
BOY<br>
Then what?<br>
<br>
GIRL<br>
He pressed a button. <br>
Out of the wall <br>
fell a four-poster bed.<br>
<br>
ALL<br>
Movies.<br>
<br>
MYRON<br>
Busy? <br>
<br>
JOANNA<br>
They shot my screenplay<br>
<br>
MYRON<br>
Isn't that great?<br>
<br>
JOANNA<br>
No, they shot the thing dead.<br>
<br>
ALL<br>
Every <br>
movie's a circus <br>
on the wire <br>
without a net.<br>
<br>
BOY<br>
Lonely?<br>
<br>
GIRL<br>
That's how I like it.<br>
<br>
BOY<br>
Can't you be nice?<br>
<br>
GIRL<br>
Why? We're not on the set.<br>
<br>
ALL<br>
Movies.<br>
<br>
(JOE slips into the drugstore. ARTIE, who's sitting at the bar by the telephone greets HIM.)<br>
<br>
ARTIE <br>
Hey, Joe <br>
what are you, slumming?<br>
<br>
JOE<br>
Here for a meeting.<br>
<br>
ARTIE<br>
This time of night? <br>
<br>
ALL<br>
Movies.<br>
<br>
JOE<br>
Yeah, it's some <br>
studio smartass<br>
You know I'm famous <br>
for being polite.<br>
<br>
ALL<br>
Movies.<br>
<br>
ARTIE<br>
Guess what? <br>
I'm getting married.<br>
<br>
JOE<br>
Congratulations<br>
<br>
ARTIE <br>
She'll be right back.<br>
<br>
ALL<br>
Movies.<br>
<br>
ARTIE<br>
Fact is <br>
we were just leaving<br>
She's been stood up by <br>
some uppity hack.<br>
<br>
ALL<br>
Movies.<br>
<br>
JOE<br>
Married<br>
Who would have thought it?<br>
Why don't you look happy?<br>
Come on, be brave.<br>
<br>
ALL<br>
Movies.<br>
<br>
ARTIE<br>
It's this <br>
movie I'm shooting.<br>
<br>
JOE <br>
You first assistant?<br>
<br>
ARTIE<br>
More like a slave.<br>
<br>
ALL<br>
Every <br>
movie's a circus.<br>
<br>
ARTIE<br>
But this is a circus <br>
movie as well. <br>
Problems, <br>
nothing but problems.<br>
Animals, actors, <br>
two kinds of hell.<br>
<br>
ALL<br>
Every <br>
movie's a circus <br>
on the wire <br>
without a net.<br>
<br>
(BETTY comes in.)<br>
<br>
BETTY<br>
Well, hello, <br>
Mr. Gillis.<br>
<br>
ARTIE<br>
You two have met?<br>
<br>
JOE<br>
I'm the uppity hack.<br>
<br>
ARTIE<br>
And she's <br>
the studio smartass.<br>
<br>
BETTY<br>
What's going on here?<br>
<br>
(The phone rings. The BARMAN picks it up.)<br>
<br>
BARMAN (To ARTIE)<br>
Artie, they're calling you back.<br>
<br>
(BETTY and JOE move over to a table; there's a moment of awkwardness between them, before BETTY decides to grasp the nettle. As THEY begin their number, isolated phrases from ARTIE's phone call puncture their tentative conversation.)<br>
<br>
BETTY<br>
I just <br>
reread "Blind Windows"<br>
It needs some real <br>
re-working, of course.<br>
If we <br>
fixed up the opening<br>
<br>
ARTIE<br>
Call up the wrangler <br>
pay off the horse. <br>
<br>
JOE<br>
Girl meets boy <br>
That's a safe beginning<br>
<br>
BETTY<br>
It's nearly closing<br>
I thought you weren't <br>
going to show.<br>
<br>
JOE <br>
So did I. <br>
I felt it might be kinder<br>
<br>
BETTY<br>
What are you saying?<br>
<br>
JOE<br>
Come on, Miss Schaefer, <br>
you know.<br>
<br>
BETTY<br>
What?<br>
<br>
JOE<br>
Every time I see some young kid<br>
dreaming they'll produce <br>
a masterpiece<br>
I just want to throw them <br>
on the next train home.<br>
<br>
BETTY<br>
Never thought <br>
you'd be so condescending.<br>
<br>
JOE<br>
Sorry, Miss Schaefer <br>
I didn't come here to fight.<br>
<br>
BETTY<br>
Girl meets boy. <br>
If that's how you want it.<br>
She's a young teacher, <br>
he's a reporter. <br>
It's hate at first sight.<br>
<br>
JOE<br>
It won't sell,<br>
these days they want glamour:<br>
Fabulous heiress <br>
meets handsome Hollywood heel.<br>
The problem is, <br>
she thinks he's a burglar.<br>
Would you believe it? <br>
A wedding in the last reel.<br>
<br>
BETTY<br>
It doesn't have to be so mindless.<br>
You should write from your experience<br>
Give us something really moving; <br>
something true.<br>
<br>
JOE<br>
Who wants true? <br>
Who the hell wants moving? <br>
Moving means starving<br>
and true means holes in your shoe.<br>
<br>
BETTY<br>
No, you're wrong. <br>
They still make good pictures.<br>
Stick to your story,<br>
it's a good story.<br>
<br>
JOE<br>
O.K. Miss Schaefer;<br>
I give it to you.<br>
<br>
(HE's on his feet; BETTY is looking up at him, completely wrong-footed by his unexpected reaction.)<br>
<br>
BETTY<br>
What do you mean?<br>
<br>
JOE<br>
It's what I said. I've given up writing myself. So you write it.<br>
<br>
BETTY<br>
Oh, I'm not good enough to do it on my own. But I thought we could write it together.<br>
<br>
JOE<br>
I can't, I'm all tied up.<br>
<br>
BETTY<br>
Couldn't we work evenings? Six o'clock in the morning? I'd come to your place.<br>
<br>
JOE<br>
Look, Betty, it can't be done. It's out.<br>
<br>
(HE relents a little at her obvious disappointment, smiles apologetically)<br>
<br>
Let's keep in touch through Artie. That way if you get stuck, we can at least talk.<br>
<br>
(HE smiles at HER, relaxed now.)<br>
<br>
Write this down<br>
I'll give you some ground rules.<br>
Plenty of conflict <br>
but nice guy don't break the law. <br>
Girl meets boy<br>
she give herself completely<br>
and though she loves him<br>
<br>
JOE/BETTY<br>
She keeps one foot on the floor.<br>
<br>
BETTY<br>
No one dies except the best friend<br>
No one ever mentions communists<br>
No one takes a black friend to a restaurant.<br>
<br>
JOE<br>
Very good.<br>
Nothing I can teach you<br>
We could have had fun <br>
fighting the studio.<br>
<br>
BETTY<br>
Yes, Mr. Gillis. <br>
That's just what I want.<br>
<br>
ARTIE<br>
What a nightmare. <br>
Good to see you.<br>
Come to my new year party.<br>
<br>
JOE<br>
Last year it got out of hand.<br>
<br>
ARTIE<br>
Guaranteed bad behavior.<br>
<br>
JOE<br>
See you then.<br>
<br>
BETTY<br>
Don't give up, you're too good.<br>
<br>
(SHE begins to move off with ARTIE.)<br>
<br>
JOE<br>
Thanks.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
(THEY leave; and JOE is the last customer in the drugstore, staring ruefully into his cup of coffee.)<br>
<br>
