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vp #B-33594 13 Rev. 12/27/71
32 INT. RESTAURANT - BURKE AND PROF. PUTMAN - NIGHT 32
seated at a small table in a corner. From the o.s. noise
we establish that the restaurant is crowded. The empty chair
is for Ginny, and Prof. Putman addresses it.
PROF. PUTMAN
Well, darling, I imagine that after
two weeks of cotton candy and
sweets, I wouldn't be hungry either.
BURKE
But she looks wonderful.
PROF. PUTMAN
Yes -- nothing like sea air.
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Burke nods and is sipping his wine when a burly Man comes up
and starts to remove the empty chair. In a flash, Burke's
other hand reaches out to intercept.
BURKE
Sorry, but that seat's taken.
MAN
It is? Then where's the plate?
BURKE
I said it's taken.
Prof. Putman watches and listens intently.
MAN
Listen, you -- there's not another
chair in the place, and I'm hungry.
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Burke glances at Prof. Putman: sanity or insanity is only
seconds away. Burke rises to confront the Man, and when the
Man grips the back of the chair to remove it, Burke roughly
pushes him away. It has virtually no effect, and the Man
starts to grapple with Burke. Almost before the fight has be-
gun, however, a Waiter rushes up and interposes himself.
WAITER
A table just vacant over here.
(to Burke)
Sorry, sir.
Grumbling, the Man permits himself to be led away. Burke re-
sumes his seat. Prof. Putman is silent for a long time.
PROF. PUTMAN
You know, Tom, the world is full
of bad people.
CONTINUED
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gc #B-33594 14
32 CONTINUED 32
BURKE
(of the Man)
That oaf? Forget him.
And he winks at the empty chair.
PROF. PUTMAN
Forgive me if it's a delicate sub-
ject, but -- your leg.
33 BURKE 33
BURKE
A mistake.
PROF. PUTMAN
'Mistake'?
BURKE
(hesitantly)
Not at all deliberate, I assure
you. Assembling a modern aircraft,
as if I need tell you, involves a
great number of people in a great
number of complicated tasks.
PROF. PUTMAN
(darkly)
And someone was incompetent.
BURKE
(grudgingly)
The ejection mechanism.
PROF. PUTMAN
Of course.
34 PROF. PUTMAN 34
PROF. PUTMAN
(quietly vicious)
That's what I mean -- excuses in
the name of 'human frailty.' When
all it amounts to is that this
world is infected by destroyers in
one form or another! Criminals...
murderers...
35 BURKE AND PROF. PUTMAN 35
As Burke is surprised by the dangerous outburst.
CONTINUED
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gc #B-33594 15
35 CONTINUED 35
PROF. PUTMAN
-- people who would be better off
dead. Sometimes I wish something
would happen so that they would
all die.
Alarmed, Burke tries to deflect him.
BURKE
Don't think about it, sir. Takes
all kinds to make a world.
(again a wink at
the empty chair)
How's the work?
PROF. PUTMAN
Finished. You can have the results
tonight.
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Burke cannot conceal his surprise.
PROF. PUTMAN
Well, that's what you want, isn't
it? The last set of equations so
that they can begin the tests for --
BURKE
(breaking in, fearful
of being overheard)
Professor!
PROF. PUTMAN
-- tests for controllable fission
of non-radioactive materials.
Bigger and better bombs at a
fraction of the price! Demented
fools!
BURKE
Please -- let's -- let's get out of
here....take a walk. Buy Ginny a
doll....something.
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Trying to initiate action, Burke stands and moves to pull
back Ginny's chair. To his shock:
36 HIS POINT OF VIEW - PROF. PUTMAN 36
He has already risen and is walking away -- forgetting his
daughter.
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