She gazes longingly at the window display of a woman in ansapphire evening gown... and then we RACK FOCUS to the motherwith three kids reflected in the glass.
ARIADNE (O.S.) Are we going home now?
GAIL:
One last stop, darling.
INT. WILSHIRE CORRIDOR OFFICE BUILDING -- DAY Gail approaches the building's registry, with her childrenin tow. She steps closer. She takes off her sunglasses.
There, encased beneath glass, are the white letters pressedinto black felt:
GETTY OIL CORPORATION -- 28TH FLOOR. CONCIERGE (O.S.) Excuse me, miss. May I help you?
EXT. WILSHIRE CORRIDOR OFFICE BUILDING -- DAY Gail and her children stand out on the sidewalk, squintingup at the 20-story glass tower that looms above them.
PAUL:
Must be eighty stories at least.
How many stories is it, Mom?
GAIL:
I don't know, darling. An awful lot of stories.
PAUL:
What are we looking for, Mom?
Gail puts her sunglasses back on.
GAIL:
Your grandfather.
INT. APARTMENT -- LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT
JOHN PAUL JR:
I've never even met the man.
JOHN PAUL GETTY II (known in the family as "Big Paul") isyoung, bearded and handsome, his feet propped up on the wantads on the coffee table before him.
JOHN PAUL JR (CONT'D) You know he refused to pay my mothera nickel of child support.
9.
Big Paul climbs out of his chair and digs around inside thedesk drawers. The apartment is warm, bohemian, filled withpaintings and books and music on the record player.
JOHN PAUL JR (CONT'D) When I was a boy, I would send myfather letters. "Dear Daddy, how Iwish I could meet you. I'll be waiting for you at the baseballdiamond," that sort of thing.
(a beat) You know what he sent back?
He hands Gail a letter. It's in little-boy handwriting, onlined paper -- but marked up with red ink.
JOHN PAUL JR (CONT'D) He mailed it back with the spellingcorrected. Nothing else.
GAIL:
He is your father, that's got tocount for something, Paul, the rentis due and Christmas is coming.