INT. GAIL WYNAND’S OFFICE - DAY
Howard is standing across the desk from Gail who is sitting looking up at him with an air of suspicion instead of looking at the plans laid out before him.
GAIL WYNAND
Do you want me to speak of it first?
HOWARD
Of what?
GAIL WYNAND
The Enright House.
HOWARD
You had forgotten that, hadn’t you? Let it remain forgotten.
GAIL WYNAND
I know what the Banner has done to you, but I stand by every word in the Banner. I was away at the time of that campaign but my editor was doing what I had taught him. Had I been in town, I’d have done the same.
HOWARD
That was your privilege.
GAIL WYNAND
You don’t believe I would have done it.
HOWARD
No.
Pause.
GAIL WYNAND
Sit down. I wish to sign a contract to make you sole architect for all the future buildings I may erect. If you accept, you will make a fortune. If you refuse, I will see to it that you never build again. You may have heard. I don’t like to be refused. I want you to design my future commercial structures as the public wishes them to be designed. You will build colonial houses, Rococo hotels and semi-Grecian office buildings. You will take your spectacular talent and make it subservient to the taste of the masses. That is what I want.
HOWARD
Of course. I’ll be glad to do it. It’s easy.
Howard quickly sketches a Grecian temple style building and puts it on Gail’s desk.
HOWARD
This what you want?
GAIL WYNAND
Good heavens, no.
HOWARD
Then shut up and don’t ever let me hear any architectural suggestions. I didn’t think anyone would waste time trying to tempt me again.
GAIL WYNAND
I meant it until I saw that.
HOWARD
I knew you meant it.
GAIL WYNAND
You were taking a terrible chance.
HOWARD
Not at all. I had an ally I could trust.
GAIL WYNAND
What, your integrity?
HOWARD
Yours, Gail.
GAIL WYNAND
Why do you think that about me?
HOWARD
Why don’t you admit to yourself what we both knew the moment we met?
GAIL WYNAND
What?
HOWARD
That we are alike, you and I.
GAIL WYNAND
You’re saying it about Gail Wynand of the New York Banner?
HOWARD
I’m saying it. Gail Wynand of Hell’s Kitchen who had the strength and spirit to rise by his own effort but who made a bad mistake about the way he chose.
GAIL WYNAND
No. You shouldn’t deal with me. You shouldn’t remain here.
HOWARD
You wish to throw me out?
GAIL WYNAND
You know I can’t.
Gail rolls up Peter’s plan for the house.
GAIL WYNAND
I’ll take this drawing home to show my wife. I want her to see it and to thank you in person. Will you come and have dinner with us tonight? - Will you?
HOWARD
Yes.
INT. RUN-DOWN APARTMENT BLOCK, STAIRWELL - EVENING
Two strong men are carrying Mr Mitchell down in his chair. Rosie is following behind them.
Two young boys are coming up the stairs.
BOY1
What’s happening? Is he OK?
BOY2
Are you OK Mr Mitchell?
MR MITCHELL
I’m fine boys. My son-in-law has won award for a paper he wrote. We’re going to an awards ceremony.
They carry on down the stairs.
BOY1 (O.S)
Rosie, better get an elevator in the new place.
Rosie stops takes out a little notepad from her bag and writes in it.
BOY2 (O.S.)
And a swimming pool.
ROSIE
Don’t push it boys.
Then she thinks about it and writes in her notebook again.
INT. SMALL NO-LONGER-BARE OFFICE - EVENING
Ann enters. Peter is working away at a drawing with just a light on over his desk. She turns on the room lights.
ANN
You’ll go blind.
PETER
Hm?
ANN
Mrs Daniels is delighted with my drawings for the sun room.
PETER
Is she? That’s good.
Ann walks over behind him and looks at his drawing. She starts smiling.
ANN
That looks expensive.
PETER
Yeah. - You know what I’ve realized? I have no idea how to design low-cost buildings. And I never want to learn.
ANN
Maybe start by not calling them low-cost? How would you feel about “producing high-quality structures built cost effectively with the very latest technologies and materials”?
PETER
Huff n’ puff.
ANN
Would it be so bad if we were the firm of choice for those looking for high quality sun rooms, beach houses and that sort of thing?
PETER
But I do want to build this.
They fall silent for a moment.
ANN
We should collaborate with Howard on something. Get to know his[]
PETER
Ann, Howard Roark does not collaborate. (doing an impression of Howard) I will not dilute the strength, the power, the GODLINESS of my work by collaborating!
ANN
No... I suppose he wouldn’t. But we could ask to work with - well for - him on something.
PETER
Are you mad?
ANN
Father always says you should never get too hungry to eat or too ignorant to learn.
PETER
Well if the farmers of Idaho can’t give the architects of New York career advice then I don’t know who can.
