T.I.M.E. de cine

Diálogo entre ACE - Robert de Niro - y el comisionado de juegos de Las Vegas, nombrado Pat Webb, en la extraordinaria película de Martin Scorsese, Casino. Iustra los P R I N C I P I O S de la gerencia en el emprendimiento privado :-)... y los F I N E S del "servidor público" :-)... (Extractos del guión)

INT. ACE'S OFFICE - DAY

Pull back from a sign, with a tiny 'yes' on top of a gigantic
'no', leaning on a window overlooking the sportsbook. We see
ACE, behind his desk, taking a swig of Mylanta. His SECRETARY
telephones.

INT. ACE'S OUTER OFFICE, SECRETARY'S DESK - DAY

We see past PAT WEBB's cowboy hat down onto Ace's SECRETARY
on the phone.

SECRETARY
(Into telephone)
Mr Rothstein? County Commissioner
Pat Webb is here to see you.

ACE
(Over telephone)
Okay...

INT. ACE'S OFFICE - DAY

ACE
(Into telephone)
...give me a minute.

SECRETARY
(Over telephone)
Okay.

ACE hangs up the phone.

INT. ACE'S OUTER OFFICE, SECRETARY'S DESK - DAY

SECRETARY
(To WEBB)
It'll just be a minute.

INT. ACE'S OFFICE - DAY

ACE gets up from his desk and we see he is in his boxer
shorts. He opens the closet and carefully puts on the trousers
hanging inside.

INT. ACE'S OUTER OFFICE - DAY

A very patient WEBB is leaning against some double doors
across from Ace's SECRETARY.

SECRETARY
Mr Webb... Can I get you anything?

WEBB
Oh, no.
(Cordially tipping
his hat.)
No, thank you, little lady.

INT. ACE'S OFFICE - DAY

ACE
(Into telephone)
Okay, send him in and call me four
minutes after.

WEBB walks in. He is big, tough and western, wearing a
Stetson, tooled boots, jeans, an elbow-patched jacket and a
turquoise bear claw string-tie. His headband contains a
rattlesnake head. Ace's SECRETARY shuts the door on her way
out.

WEBB
Mr Rothstein...
(With hand outstretched
to ACE.)
I'm Pat Webb.

ACE
How do you do?

They shake hands.

WEBB
Hey, it is my pleasure.

ACE
Yeah, I heard a lot about you.

WEBB
Oh, thank you, sir.

Looking out Ace's office picture window overlooking the
sportsbook.

WEBB
Hey, house is doin' well.
(Chuckling.)
Hey, all that money is rollin' in. I
appreciate you takin' the time to
see a poor ol' civil servant.

ACE
No, that's quite all right.

TILT UP FROM WEBB'S SNAKESKIN COWBOY BOOTS AND ACE'S BLUE
SHOES AS THEY CONTINUE TALKING.

ACE
Why don't you have a seat?

WEBB
Hm? Oh. Thank you, sir.

WEBB sits down in a chair in front of ACE's desk.

WEBB
Uh, I come here personally to kind
of smooth over a fracas about a
certain matter. See, uh, maybe you
didn't know it, but, uh, Don Ward is
a very well-liked man in this town.
He's got lots of friends here. Now,
his family and their money go back
many, many years. Now, friends vote...
family and money votes. That's
important to me... and you. And if
you'll think about our little problem
along them lines... and you forgive
me for sayin' it, maybe he did not
deserve to be fired.

ACE
I'm sorry, but he knew about our
gettin' hit on three big machines in
a row and he did nothing about it.
That means either he was in on it
or, forgive me for saying this, he
was too dumb to see what was going
on. Either way, I cannot have a man
like that workin' here.

WEBB
Before we point the dirty end of the
stick at 'ol Don, uh, we better be
sure we can prove them charges.

ACE
Believe me, if I could prove it, he
would be under arrest.

WEBB
Are, uh -
(Clears throat.)
- are we certain that you want the
Gamin' Control Board eyeballin' your
record and your gangster pals like
Nicky Santoro?

ACE
I think you're way out of line talkin'
to me like that. What you're sayin'
is libelous, and you're in no position
to challenge my expertise. I went
way out of my way to be very helpful
and courteous to that kid. He's weak,
he's incompetent. He jeopardizes the
whole place. There's not much more I
can do for him.

WEBB
(Chuckling)
You have got me there. Old Don is as
useless as tits on a boar.
(Chuckles.)
But, he is my brother-in-law, and I
would look on it as a personal favor
if you'd think some more on hirin'
him back.

ACE
I can't do that. And I appreciate
the fact that he's your brother-in-
law, and I do want to help you and I
like to do favors, and I know who
you are, but I cannot do that.

WEBB
Well, could there be any position...
further down the trough?

ACE
(Pause)
I'm sorry, I can't do anything. He's
too incompetent. And the bottom line
is, he cannot be trusted.

The telephone rings. ACE picks it up.

ACE
(Into telephone)
Okay, thanks.
(To WEBB.)
Um... you know, that's it. I'm sorry.

WEBB
Mr Rothstein. Your people never will
understand the way it works out here.
You're all just our guests. But you
act like you're at home. Let me tell
you somethin', partner... you ain't
home. But that's where we're gonna
send you if it harelips the Governor.
(Pause.)
Thank you for your time.

ACE
No problem.
(Getting up and shaking
hands.)
Sorry.

WEBB
(Smiles slightly)
You bet.