IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE
	La sceneggiatura	I suoni	Jimmy Stewart	La gallery

LA SCENEGGIATURA

FADE IN

EXTERIOR BAILEY BUILDING AND LOAN SIGN OVER ENTRANCE

INTERIOR BAILEY BUILDING AND LOAN OFFICE –– DAY

CLOSE SHOT –– Directors Meeting. There are about twelve directors seated around a long table. They are the substantial citizens of Bedford Falls: Dr. Campbell, a lawyer, an insurance agent, a real estate salesman, etc. Prominently seated among them is Henry F. Potter, his goon beside his wheelchair. Uncle Billy and George are seated among the directors. The Chairman of the Board is Dr. Campbell. They have folders and papers before them, on which they have been reporting. Before each of the directors there are individual reports for them to study.

DR. CAMPBELL: I think that's all we'll need you for, George. I know you're anxious to make a train.

GEORGE (rising): I have a taxi waiting downstairs.

DR. CAMPBELL: I want the Board to know that George gave up his trip to Europe to help straighten things out here these past few months. Good luck to you at school, George.

GEORGE: Thanks.

DR. CAMPBELL: Now we come to the real purpose of this meeting –– to appoint a successor to our dear friend, Peter Bailey.

POTTER: Mr. Chairman, I'd like to get to my real purpose.

MAN: Wait just a minute now.

POTTER: Wait for what? I claim this institution is not necessary to this town. Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to dissolve this institution and turn its assets and liabilities over to the receiver.

UNCLE BILLY (angrily): George, you hear what that buzzard . . .

LAWYER: Mr. Chairman, it's too soon after Peter Bailey's death to discuss chloroforming the Building and Loan.

MAN: Peter Bailey died three months ago. I second Mr. Potter's motion.

DR. CAMPBELL: Very well. In that case I'll ask the two executive officers to withdraw.

Dr. Campbell rises from his seat. George and Uncle Billy start to collect their papers and leave the table.

DR. CAMPBELL (continued): But before you go, I'm sure the whole board wishes to express its deep sorrow at the passing of Peter Bailey.

GEORGE: Thank you very much.

DR. CAMPBELL: It was his faith and devotion that are responsible for this organization.

POTTER: I'll go further than that. I'll say that to the public Peter Bailey was the Building and Loan.

Everyone looks at him surprised.

UNCLE BILLY (trying to control himself): Oh, that's fine, Potter, coming from you, considering that you probably drove him to his grave.

POTTER: Peter Bailey was not a business man. That's what killed him. Oh, I don't mean any disrespect to him, God rest his soul. He was a man of high ideals, so-called, but ideals without common sense can ruin this town.
(picking up papers from table)
Now, you take this loan here to Ernie Bishop . . . You know, that fellow that sits around all day on his brains in his taxi. You know . . . I happen to know the bank turned down this loan, but he comes here and we're building him a house worth five thousand dollars. Why?

George is at the door of the office, holding his coat and papers, ready to leave.

GEORGE: Well, I handled that, Mr. Potter. You have all the papers there. His salary, insurance. I can personally vouch for his character.

POTTER (sarcastically): A friend of yours?

GEORGE: Yes, sir.

POTTER: You see, if you shoot pool with some employee here, you can come and borrow money. What does that get us? A discontented, lazy rabble instead of a thrifty working class. And all because a few starry-eyed dreamers like Peter Bailey stir them up and fill their heads with a lot of impossible ideas. Now, I say . . .

George puts down his coat and comes around to the table, incensed by what Potter is saying about his father.

GEORGE: Just a minute –– just a minute. Now, hold on, Mr. Potter. You're right when you say my father was no business man. I know that. Why he ever started this cheap, penny-ante Building and Loan, I'll never know. But neither you nor anybody else can say anything against his character, because his whole life was . . . Why, in the twenty-five years since he and Uncle Billy started this thing, he never once thought of himself. Isn't that right, Uncle Billy? He didn't save enough money to send Harry to school, let alone me. But he did help a few people get out of your slums, Mr. Potter. And what's wrong with that? Why . . . Here, you're all businessmen here. Doesn't it make them better citizens? Doesn't it make them better customers? You . . . you said . . . What'd you say just a minute ago? . . . They had to wait and save their money before they even ought to think of a decent home. Wait! Wait for what? Until their children grow up and leave them? Until they're so old and broken-down that they . . . Do you know how long it takes a working man to save five thousand dollars? Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you're talking about . . . they do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community. Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath? Anyway, my father didn't think so. People were human beings to him, but to you, a warped, frustrated old man, they're cattle. Well, in my book he died a much richer man than you'll ever be!

POTTER: I'm not interested in your book. I'm talking about the Building and Loan.

GEORGE: I know very well what you're talking about. You're talking about something you can't get your fingers on, and it's galling you. That's what you're talking about, I know.
(to the Board)
Well, I've said too much. I . . . You're the Board here. You do what you want with this thing. Just one thing more, though. This town needs this measly one-horse institution if only to have some place where people can come without crawling to Potter. Come on, Uncle Billy!

George leaves the room, followed by the jubilant Uncle Billy. Potter's face is grim with hatred. The "frustrated old man" remark was gall in his veins.

POTTER: Sentimental hogwash! I want my motion . . .

He is interrupted by a babble of talk, as the directors take up the argument.

INTERIOR OUTER OFFICE –– BUILDING AND LOAN –– DAY

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT –– George, visibly shaken, is busy with his bag, his papers. He is worried about the outcome of the meeting. Dissolving the Building and Loan will alter his plans. Uncle Billy follows him around, chattering.

UNCLE BILLY: Boy, oh, boy, that was telling him, George, old boy. You shut his big mouth.
(to Cousin Tilly and Cousin Eustace)
You should have heard him.

COUSIN EUSTACE: What happened? We heard a lot of yelling.

UNCLE BILLY: Well, we're being voted out of business after twenty-five years. Easy come, easy go.

COUSIN TILLY (reading a newspaper): Here it is, "Help Wanted –– Female."

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT –– DOORWAY TO OFFICE. Ernie is in the doorway.

ERNIE: You still want me to hang around, George?

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT –– George and the others.

GEORGE (looking at his watch): Yeah, I'll be right down.

UNCLE BILLY: Hey, you'll miss your train. You're a week late for school already. Go on.

GEORGE (indicating Board room): I wonder what's going on in there?

UNCLE BILLY: Oh, never mind. Don't worry about that. They're putting us out of business. So what? I can get another job. I'm only fifty-five.

COUSIN TILLY: Fifty-six!

UNCLE BILLY: Go on –– go on. Hey, look, you gave up your boat trip, now you don't want to miss college too, do you?

Dr. Campbell comes running out, all excited.

DR. CAMPBELL: George! George! They voted Potter down! They want to keep it going!

Cousin Eustace, Cousin Tilly and Uncle Billy cheer wildly. Dr. Campbell and George shake hands.

UNCLE BILLY: Whoopee!

DR. CAMPBELL: But they've got one condition –– only one condition.

GEORGE: What's that?

DR. CAMPBELL: That's the best part of it. They've appointed George here as executive secretary to take his father's place.

GEORGE: Oh, no! But, Uncle Billy . . .

DR. CAMPBELL: You can keep him on. That's all right. As secretary you can hire anyone you like.

GEORGE (emphatically): Dr. Campbell, now let's get this thing straight. I'm leaving. I'm leaving right now. I'm going to school. This is my last chance. Uncle Billy here, he's your man.

DR. CAMPBELL: But, George, they'll vote with Potter otherwise.