Female (Warner Bros.) (1933)

pectal Radio Sketch CORKING 10 MINUTE ACT ENTERTAINS AND SELLS In putting on this sketch enlist local young people who are interested in dramatics. There are such groups in every town. Plant news stories about their becoming radio players. These will benefit your theatre, your picture, the station and the actors themselves. In case of lack of an orchestra at the local station, recordings can be used with good effect for musical interludes. If you're not using the air, begin now. FIVE CHARACTERS ALISON DRAKE: Beautiful business woman who tries to make money and "make" men—and accomplishes both. JIM THORNE: Her handsomest employee, who fights back. COOPER: Office Adonis who falls for her. OLD PETTIGREW: Snooping office man. Regular Station Announcement Followed By— ANNOUNCER: Friends, at this time we are pleased to present a grand bit of entertainment gleaned from the swift-moving and amusing smart dialogue of “Female,” Warner Bros.-First National production starring Ruth Chatterton, with George Brent, her husband, in the leading male role. “Female’’ opens its local engagement tomorrow at the Strand Theatre. Mr. (name of narrator) will describe the situations leading to the opening of our play. NARRATOR: Thank you. Ruth Chatterton noted for her portrayal of different types of women in her former pictures is seen in “Female” las a new type—a modern woman, who as the head of a large automobile manufacturary is in a position to command men to do her will in business and socially too. Miss Chatterton as Alison Drake, plays the game as men do .. . that is: treats men exactly as they’ve always treated women. The _ scene opens with Alison Drake seated before a long table in the director’s room of the Drake Automobile Company. A modern Catherine the Great is Allison! Listen to her: ALISON: I’ve been listening to you big brains for an hour—and all I’ve heard is a lot of statistics. You’re all suffering from statistic poisoning!—Here. boy, set the coffee tray here—In case you don’t know it, this business is slipping. men—slipping fast! We’re making better cars than we ever made when my father was alive—but we aren’t selling them. And why? OLD PETTIGREW: But, Miss Drake—(clears his throat) for the past three years ALISON: (interrupting sharplv) That’s the trouble with of you—you’re living in the -past! Our problem is this year—today! You’re being paid to sell automobiles! (curtly) That’s all! NARRATOR: Self-conscious!v the men get up and file solemnlv vou—all out. Young Cooper is the last ir line. Alison gives him an apnraising glance. Old Pettigrew hands her a cup of coffee. She nods him away. As the huskv Mr. Cooper is about to go out, she calls abruptly: ALISON: Oh — Cooper! — (door heard closing) May I see you a moment? COOPER (respectfully): Yes. Miss Drake. ALISON: (coolly businesslike) You’ve been here about two weeks haven’t you? COOPER: (bovishly, much impressed) Sixteen days—Miss Drake —to be exact. ‘ALISON: (softly) Like the work? You look as if you might— Page Twenty-two COOPER: (eagerly) Oh, yes, very much—lI’ve been—lI’ve been trying to make an appointment with you to—ah—outline a new sales-promotion plan of my own. . ALISON: (crisply) I haven’t time to go into that now.—Set this cup over there on the tray, will you. COOPER: Drake ALISON: Thanks, so much—— Certainly, Miss COOPER: (off) Not at all—I—— ALISON: Oh, by the way, Cooper —suppose you come to my house for dinner tonight—and we'll talk things over. COOPER: (off, surprised, delNiehted) Oh—thank you very much —Miss Drake—(Door heard open‘ng) Well, Pettigrew PETTIGREW: So long, Cooner (Door shuts) He’s rather attractive don’t you think Miss Drake? (He cackles suggestively which is faded off.) NARRATOR: We are now in the magnificent penthouse of Alison Drake. Dinner is over and the servants are dismissed for the night. Miss Drake leads Cooper to a divan on which she settles herself voluptuously. She speaks softly: ALISON: (low and_= alluring tone): Come here... sit down beside me... that’s the boy... how tall you are. Why don’t you relax = eiesthat’s betteg:. .’. there ©. . lovely! COOPER: (breathlessly) Gee I can’t quite figure you out. At the office you’re so strict and... all business ... and... I can’t get used to seeing you this way... so human! ALISON: Oh, I’m really quite human—you’d be amazed! You’re not afraid of me now are you? COOPER: No I should say not. Maybe I shouldn’t bother you with my sales promotion plan tonight. ALISON: Yes, some other time. Tonight we’re just—well—male and female. Have some more Vodka! COOPER: (Hoarsely) Alison— (kissing her) you’re wonderful... youre... (Fade Into Slow Romantic Music) NARRATOR: What a female! Well, we’re back in Miss Drake’s office and she’s as business-like as ever. Old Man Pettigrew is hanging around as always. Listen: ALISON: Well, Pettigrew ? PETTIGREW: You sent for Mr. Cooper—he was out of the office— I left word—he’ll be here in a minute—(small cackle of delight) ALISON: grew ? PETTIGREW: Nothing, Miss Drake—(short cackle) Oh, here’s Cooper now—(door opens) ALISON: That’s all, Pettigrew —you may go. What ails you, Petti PETTIGREW: (off) Yes ma’am, Miss Drake. (Door shuts) COOPER: (ardently) Oh, my dear—last night—let me take you in my arms just for a moment— please—I ALISON: (businesslike) Listen, Cooper! Don’t get sentimental! And no more flowers! Do you understand ? COOPER: But—Alison—— ALISON: (sternly) Miss Drake, to you. COOPER: (protesting) But last night we ALISON: (briskly) Forget last night! This is my office. We’re only interested in making automobiles here. That’s what you’re being paid for. Is that plain? Furthermore, I can’t be annoyed with moody men! Yovu’re being transferred to our Montreal office. COOPER: But Miss Alison, | don’t want to go to Montreal. ALISON: That’s all. your way! You’re on NARRATOR: She certainly can toss them aside—just as Napoleon would have dismissed a ballet girl! To her men are all a pack of spineless yes-man—she’s fed up with them. Will there ever be a man who will conquer her? We shall see. We now have Miss Drake taking a stroll, after walking out on a big party in her own home. As she strolls along, she is attracted by the sound of rifle shots at a shooting gallery. On closer observation she is more attracted by the handsome marksman who is popping off the targets in rapid fire. She buys a gun full of cartridges and begins shooting, one, two, three, four, five, six, . .. (pick up dialogue with sound of rifle for four more shots.) THORNE: You shoot pretty well. Where did you learn? ALISON: I was with Buffalo Bill once. You remember me—the cowgirl with the long blonde curls. THORNE: I didn’t recognize you without your horse. ALISON: Poor old Dobbin. There was a wonderful horse—and a true pal too. Do you believe that the horse is man’s best friend? Did you ever stop to think what we owe to the horse? THORNE: Well, I can look any horse in the eye and tell him I don’t owe him a cent. ALISON: Really! You must be awfully lonely to spend your evening in a shooting gallery. THORNE: Nothing else to do. I just landed in town and I don’t know anybody here. Besides, er, shooting galleries are an old weakness of mine. Well, so long! ALISON: Wait a minute I’m going with you. THORNE: Oh, no. You’re a nice kid, but I don’t take pick-ups home with me—understand? Goodnight. NARRATOR: Maybe there is something wrong with Alison’s technique. But let us shift the scene back to the Drake Automobile Company, where Thorne has been contracted to work as engineer. Of course you must remember that Miss Drake and Thorne have never met before as employer and employee, so you can well imagine Thorne’s surprise when he suddenly meets her face to face at the factory. THORNE: Oh, Oh, I’m—sav. what is this? Are you still follow ing me around. Do you work here ? ALISON: Yeh—do you? THORNE: Uh-huh. I just started today. What department are you in? ALISON: Pick-up department. What department are you in. THORNE: Well, I’ve got a two years’ contract as chief engineer. Not that it’s any of your business. ALISON: No? THORNE: No. Baby, you certainly are fresh. You better get out of that chair before the boss comes in. Come on, come on—(Interruption by dictaphone buzzing.) VOICE ON DICTAPHONE: Miss Drake those blue-prints you wanted are ready, shall I bring them in? THORNE: Is that who you are Miss Drake? You-y-y-y-. ALISON: (very stern) Sit down! I sent for you because I understand you are the new automatic gearshift genius. I want to get started right away. How soon can I have a. working model ? THORNE: (still bewildered) That depends. First I’d like to go over my design with you. ALISON: Well, I haven’t got time to think about it now. Come to my house to dinner tonight and we can discuss it. Be there at seventhirty. Is that understood ? NARRATOR: Alison looks her alluring best in a tight-fitting dinner gown which shows off her shapeliness magnificently. She pours another glass of vodka as _ she hands it to Thorne. THORNE: Whew! Eight! You know you’re an amazing person. I found out quite a bit about you; first meeting you in a shooting gallery as a pick-up and then having drinks with you in your own home. Whew! H’mm that’s excellent vodka. ALISON: Have another drink. THORNE: Oh, no, no, no more vodka. Mind if I smoke a pipe? ALISON: (seductively) Why is it you big out-door men always take cover behind a pipe? THORNE: Take cover? ALISON: Isn’t that what you’re doing ? THORNE: Certainly not. (gruffly) You don’t take cover unless you’re running away from something: ALISON: aren’t you? (meaningly) Well— THORNE: in the Look here—what— ALISON:. I love the fragrance of a pipe—but—there are times— when—let me put it over here— there, isn’t that lovely—the firethe wind around the house—and just—you and I—Come—(her voice is silky) Why don’t you relax_— THORNE—Relax, eh?—I was just thinking (he clears his throat) that ALISON: (cutting in softly) Never mind thinking—Ill do that THORNE: Oh, I see. You'll do the thinking, will you? ALISON: (caressingly) Calm yourself, Jim dear THORNE: (as fiercely as though he’d like to sock her) Listen—you! I’m not going to be roped and tied by any woman!—I don’t care who she is! Understand? (rushing on furiously) I want to do my own hunting! And don’t think you’ve got me in a spot—just because I’m working for you!—I’ll do my work, as well as I can. But from now on —I don’t want to see you—except on business! (voice fading) Do you understand ?—Good night! (door bangs) NARRATOR: But that’s not all, my friends. There are still greater thrills in store for you if you will but follow Alison Drake’s merry chase to get her man. See Ruth Chatterton in “Female,” which begins its local showing tomorrow at the Strand Theatre. You’ll find it sparkling entertainment and we know you'll enjoy it. Goodnight. THE END