Album: Sunset Boulevard

Dance Sequence

(A group of EXTRAS from Cecil B. DeMille's latest extravaganza 'Samson and Delilah' crosses the stage. JOE thinks he recognizes a man with a false beard and gold helmet who's accompanied by a gaggle of scantily-clad DANCING GIRLS: SAMMY. HE raises his hand in a priestly gesture.)

SAMMY

Bless you, Joseph

JOE

That you, Sammy?

SAMMY

How do you like my harem?

JOE

How come you get such lousy breaks?

JOE

One learns to grin and bear 'em.

GIRLS

This is the biggest film ever made

JOE

What're you playing?

ANITA

Temple Virgin

DAWN

Handmaiden to Delilah

JOE

Let's have lunch, gotta run.

(The FINANCEMEN, meanwhile, settle down to watch and wait. JOE moves swiftly towards a sharply-dressed middle-aged man, MORINO , his agent. MORINO is with a very much younger man and does his best to pretend not to notice JOE. When he realizes the encounter is unavoidable, HE makes a great show of pleasurable surprise and greets JOE with effusive bonhomie.)

JOE

You've got to find me a job.

I'm way behind with my payments

I thought you were meant to be my agent

I need some work

MORINO

I only wish I could help

this town is dead at the moment

there's been this slowdown in production....

(JOE interrupts, indicating the YOUNGER MAN)

JOE

Who is this jerk?

MORINO

He's my wunderkind from Broadway.

Every major studio wants him .

YOUNGER MAN

Playing one against the other....

JOE

What I need is three hundred bucks.

MORINO

Maybe what you need is a new agent.

(JOE spots a friend of his, ARTIE GREEN, a fresh-faced assistant director in his mid-twenties)

JOE

Hello, Artie

ARTIE

Joe, you bastard!

JOE

You never call me anymore.

ARTIE

Found a cuter dancing partner

How are things?

JOE

Not so great.

ARTIE

Will this help?

Twenty bucks?

(ARTIE hands JOE a twenty dollar bill; JOE hesitates then accepts it.)

JOE

Thanks, you're a pal.

ALL (Ad-Lib)

Good morning, Mr. De Mille

MYRON

Good morning, C.B.

(During this exchange, the lights have come up on SHELDRAKE's office. SHELDRAKE, a mournful, dyspeptic figure sits behind his desk, speaking into one of an array of phones.)

SHELDRAKE

This is Sheldrake

bring some water

get me that shithead Nolan.

(HE puts down one phone and picks up another)

Nolan, sweetheart,

great to talk

This draft is so much brighter.

You're the best

even so

I've hired another writer.

(HE puts the phone down as his SECRETARY shows JOE into the office, handing Sheldrake a tumbler of water as she does so. SHELDRAKE seems surprised to see JOE and makes some unconvincing stab at conviviality as HE shakes some bicarb into the water.)

SECRETARY

Mr.Gillis