Movie Scripts  >   Fountainhead, The (1949)

Fountainhead, The (1949) Movie Script

Springfield! Springfield!

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Do you want to stand alone

against the whole world?

There's no place

for originality in architecture.

Nobody can improve on the buildings of the

past. One can only learn to copy them.

We've tried to teach you

the accepted historical styles.

You refuse to learn. You won't consider

anybody's judgment but your own.

You insist on designing buildings

that look like nothing ever built before.

This school has no choice

but to expel you.

It is my duty as your dean

to say you will never become an architect.

You can't hope to survive

unless you learn how to compromise.

Watch me. In just a few short years

I'll shoot to the top...

...of the profession because

I'm gonna give the public what it wants.

You'll never get anywhere.

So you want to work

for Henry Cameron, huh?

Oh, I know. He was a great

architect 30 years ago.

But he fought for modern

architecture...

...and he's done for. What do you get?

Why do you wanna work for me?

You're setting out to ruin yourself.

You know that?

I ought to throw you out of here

right now before it's too late.

l... I wish I'd done this

at your age.

Why did you have to come to me?

I'm perfectly happy

with the drooling dolts I've got.

I don't want any fool visionaries

starving around here.

You're an egotist. You're impertinent.

You're too sure of yourself.

Twenty years ago, I'd have punched

your face with the greatest of pleasure.

You're coming to work for me

tomorrow morning at 9:00.

No, no, no.

Now, leave these here. Now get out.

Wait.

What's your name?

Howard Roark.

Paper here. Read all about it.

Paper, mister?

Get your morning Banner.

Read all about it.

Morning Banner.

Paper, mister?

Get your Banner.

Read all about it.

Morning Banner, sir.

Read all about it.

Give me that paper.

Now give me another one.

Give me all of them.

I said, give me all of them.

You... You all think

I'm beaten, don't you?

That's all the money I've got,

but I can still do this with my money.

I can still do this...

Howard. Look at... Look here.

In this paper, won't you...

It's no use, Howard.

Why don't you give up?

Come inside.

It's no use.

You... You took over

when I gave it up.

My... My heir, eh?

And look at it.

You haven't got

any further than I did...

...and you won't.

- We'll see.

How many years have you

been on your own now?

And what have you got

to show for it?

You've done four buildings

in all these years.

That's quite a good deal

to show for it.

After the kind of struggle you've had?

I didn't expect it to be easy,

but those who want me will come to me.

They don't want you, son. Don't you

understand? This is what they want.

Gail Wynand's Banner the foulest

newspaper on earth.

You hold to your own ideas

and you'll starve.

Gail Wynand gives people

what they ask for:

The common, the vulgar,

and the trite.

And he's maybe the most

powerful man living.

- Can you fight that?

- I never notice it.

Look. You see those people down there?

You know what they think of architecture?

I don't care what they think

of architecture or anything else.

l... I don't want to see

what they'll do to you.

Me, I am... I'm through.

I've had enough.

I don't want any part

of Gail Wynand's city!

Get me an ambulance.

Howard, look

at those buildings.

Skyscrapers, the greatest structural

invention of man.

Yet they made them

look like Greek temples...

...Gothic cathedrals and mongrels

of every ancient style they could borrow...

...just because others had done it.

I told them.

I told them that the form of a building

must follow its function.

That new materials demand new forms.

That one building can't borrow

pieces of another's shape...

...just as one man can't

borrow another's soul.

Howard, every new idea in the world

comes from the mind of some one man...

...and you know the price

he has to pay for it?

I built that.

Howard, you do me a favor.

All my things that you're keeping

for me, I want you to burn them.

All my... My papers,

my drawings, my contracts.

- Everything. Burn them, will you?

- Yes.

I don't want to leave anything

to the world.

How sorry, I'm leaving you

to face them.

Howard, it's no use!

Give in. Compromise.

Compromise now.

You'll have to later, anyway.

Why are you saying that to me?

That's not what you did.

That's why I'm saying it.

Because it's not what I did.

Do you want to end up this way?

It's your future.

- Do you want it?

- Yes.

Then may God bless you, Howard.

You're on your way into hell.

- Hello, Howard.

- Hello, Peter.

Just passing by. Thought I'd drop in.

I haven't seen you for such a long time.

Did you know Guy Francon

made me his partner last week?

No.

You see, you don't keep track

of my career, but I've watched yours.

Yes, it's Francon and Keating now.

I don't have to tell you that Guy Francon

is the leading architect.

No, you don't have to.

Remember? I told you once I'd rise.

- Hello?

- Western Union?

No. You have

the wrong number.

Are you waiting for

something, Howard?

You were telling me

about Guy Francon.

I was just reminding you

of what I once predicted.

I hate to see you brought down to this.

Remember how we started?

And look at us now.

Haven't you had enough of it?

Why did you

come here, Peter?

Because we're old friends...

...and I hate to see you being beaten.

- I'm not.

Oh, it's no use pretending now.

You haven't had any clients for a year.

You're wrong, Peter.

For a year and a half.

Well, you might have a couple

of hundred dollars left and then it's the end.

I have $ 14 left and...

...57 cents.

And all those bills?

It's an unpaid electric light bill?

It's a disconnect notice and in the drawer,

you'll find an eviction notice.

How do you expect to go on?

That's my concern and not yours.

Now, don't protest, Howard.

You can pay me back anytime.

You need it.

Thank you, Peter.

I don't need it.

But I want to help you.

I don't give or ask for help.

Oh, why don't you drop it?

- What?

- The pose.

Or the ideals, if you prefer.

You can't stand alone. Give in.

Learn to get along with people.

Design the kind of buildings everybody

does, then you'll be rich, famous.

You'll be admired.

You'll be one of us.

Is that what disturbs you

about me, Peter?

That I want to stand alone?

Is that it?

I don't know.

Go home, Peter.

It's getting late.

- Have you lost your watch, Howard?

- I hocked it.

Good night.

Good luck.

- Hello?

- Mr. Roark?

- Yes.

- I promised our answer today, Mr. Roark...

...but unfortunately, the board of directors

hasn't reached a decision yet.

I know you've been

kept waiting a long time...

...but the drawings you submitted

for our building are so unusual...

...that we

find it difficult to decide.

I think I can promise you

a definite answer tomorrow.

If not, it'll have

to wait over the weekend...

...but by Monday we'll know.

You've been wonderfully

patient with us, Mr. Roark.

Can you wait

a little longer?

Yes, I'll wait.

Thank you.

Mr. Roark, the commission is yours.

The Board of Directors...

...of the Security Bank of Manhattan has

chosen you as the architect for our building.

My congratulations.

You've done a beautiful job.

The board was quite impressed

by the project.

It's a tremendous assignment,

an unusual opportunity for an architect.

You're unknown but you'll be famous

when this is erected.

It's a chance you've wanted for years.

- Yes.

- It's yours.

On one minor condition.

Oh, it's just a small compromise...

...and when you agree to it,

we can sign the contract.

- What is it?

- Well, of course...

...we wouldn't alter

your plans in any way.

It's the ingenuity of your plans

that sold us on the building.

But its appearance is not

of any known style.

The public wouldn't like it.

It'd shock people.

It's too different, too original.

Originality is fine, but why go to extremes?

There's always the middle course.

So we want to preserve

your beautiful design...

...but just soften it

with a touch of classical dignity.

Here.

We've had this made to show you

our general idea.

It's very simple. All you do is copy it.

We want you to adapt

your building like this.

Now there's a touch of the new

and a touch of the old...

...so it's sure to please everybody.

The middle of the road.

Why take chances when you

can stay in the middle?

You see? It doesn't

spoil anything, does it?

And we must always compromise with the

general taste. You understand that.

No.

If you want my work,

you take it as it is...

...or not at all.

- But why?

A building has integrity,

just like a man.

And just as seldom.

It must be true to its own idea, have

its own form and serve its own purpose.

But we can't depart from

the popular forms of architecture.

Why not?

- Because everybody's accepted them.

- I haven't.

Do you wish to defy

our common standards?

I set my own standards.

- Do you intend to fight against the world?

- lf necessary.

But after all, we are your clients,

and it's your job to serve us.

I don't build in order to have clients.

I have clients in order to build.

Mr. Roark, we can't argue about this.

The decision of our board was final.

We want these changes.

Will you accept the commission

on our terms, or not?

You realize, of course,

your whole future is at stake.

This may be your last chance.

Well?

Yes or no, Mr. Roark?

No.

You realize what you're doing?

Quite.

Roark, this is sheer insanity.

Can't you give in just once?

After all, you have to live.

- Not that way.

- How else?

Don't you have to work?

I'd rather work as a day laborer,

if necessary.

- Well, can you beat that?

- No.

It was you who recommended

Roark in the first place.

You chose him.

You said he would be good.

- Wasn't he?

- You suggested those changes.

You said he'd accept them.

Oh, yes, so I did.

I told you, Mr. Gail Wynand wants buildings

that show a classical influence.

- Then why did you pick this man?

- An experiment, gentlemen.

A very interesting experiment.

But what are we going to do?

Pick another

architect, of course.

Yes, Mr. Toohey.

I'm sure you know that I seek nothing

for myself, Mr. Wynand.

My only motive is a selfless concern

for my fellow men.

The new building of the Security Bank

is such an important undertaking...

...and you hold

the controlling interest, Mr. Wynand.

The board of directors has attempted

to pick an architect quite unsuccessfully.

They will accept anyone you choose.

And I felt it my duty

to offer you my advice.

- Whom do you recommend?

- The rising star of the profession...

...Peter Keating.

No other architect can equal his ability.

That, Mr. Wynand, is my sincere opinion.

I quite believe you.

- You do?

- Of course, but, Mr. Toohey...

...why should I consider your opinion?

Well, after all, I am

the architectural critic of the Banner.

My dear Toohey,

don't confuse me with my readers.

l... I took the liberty of bringing you

some samples of Peter Keating's best work.

You may judge for yourself.

- lf you have seen any of these buildings...

- I have.

They were excellent 2000 years ago

when they were built for the first time.

But surely you're not in favor

of so-called modern architecture?

It's worthless because it's merely the work

of a few unbridled individualists.

Artistic value is achieved collectively...

...by each man subordinating himself

to the standards of the majority.

- I read that in your column yesterday.

- You did?

Thank you.

The greatness in Peter Keating's personality

lies in the fact that there's no personality...

...stamped upon his buildings.

- Quite true.

Thus he represents not himself

but the multitude of all men together.

And produces great big

marble bromides.

I believe I am failing

to sell you Peter Keating.

Why, no.

You're succeeding.

Your Keating is worthless...

...so he's probably

the right choice for that building.

He's sure to be popular.

You wouldn't expect me

to pick a man of merit, would you?

I've never hired a good architect

for any of the banks, hotels...

...or other commercial

structures I've built.

I give the public what it wants,

including your column, Mr. Toohey.

Am I to understand

you will choose Peter Keating?

I really don't care. One of those fashionable

architects is just as inept as another.

I think you have a good idea, however.

I think I will decide according to the advice

of the Banner's "Architectural Experts."

Yes, indeed, Mr. Wynand.

But you're not my only expert,

Mr. Toohey. You have a rival.

I should consult Dominique Francon,

as well.

- Yes, sir?

- Ask Miss Francon to come in.

- Miss Francon and I do not always agree.

- I'm sure of it.

- Yes?

- Mr. Wynand, I know it's inexcusable...

... but Miss Francon is not in the building.

Shall I telephone her home

and ask her to come here at once?

No.

You're not going in person...

You know, Toohey?

One of these days, you'll bore me.

I shall endeavor not to do so

until the right time.

How did you come in?

Your maid let me in.

Without an announcement?

You can't expect her

to share your attitude.

You're the only person in New York

who'd refuse me admittance.

Why did you come here?

I needed you at the office.

I found you absent.

Isn't it unprecedented for you to come

in person after one of your employees?

I hoped you'd take note of that.

I wanted to ask your advice...

...about a matter which

will be of great interest to you.

I must pick an architect for the Security

Bank building. Whom would you recommend?

No one.

I don't know a single architect of ability.

And you're not looking

for ability, Mr. Wynand.

And if I left the choice up to you?

- I wouldn't care to make it.

- No?

Ellsworth Toohey is very anxious

to get the commission for Peter Keating.

Peter Keating is

a third-rate architect.

- Is he? He's your father's partner.

- Oh, yes.

- Aren't you engaged to Peter Keating?

- Yes.

If you found it amusing to tempt me

by offering to help Peter's career...

...you miscalculated.

I have no desire

to help his career.

I was trying to tempt you,

but I didn't find it amusing.

I should like to meet Peter Keating.

Will you have dinner with me this

evening? We'll discuss the commission.

- lf you wish.

- Incidentally, I'd have fired anyone else...

...for being absent from the office.

I know it.

- Shall I consider myself fired?

- You want to be?

Don't really care

one way or another.

You know, you could do much more

than write a small column about buildings.

You could make a brilliant career

on the Banner...

...if you asked me for it.

I never wanted a career

on the Banner.

Tell me, what would you

consider as tempting?

I'd like to find

something you could want.

Don't try to, Mr. Wynand.

I'll never want anything.

Do you know what I was doing

when you came in?

I had a statue which I found in Europe,

the statue of a god.

I think I was in love with it...

...but I broke it.

- What do you mean?

- I threw it down the air shaft.

- Why?

So that I wouldn't have to love it.

I didn't wanna be tied to anything. I wanted

to destroy it rather than let it be...

...part of a world where beauty and

genius and greatness have no chance.

The world of the mob

and of the Banner.

Do you still want me to have

dinner with you tonight?

More than ever.

It's such a magnificent opportunity.

I'll do my best to please you.

- I take it you want this commission.

- Want it?

I'd sell my soul for it.

That may be the right phrase.

Everything in life has its price.

In this instance, the price is that you

break your engagement to Miss Francon.

My engagement?

Why?

For any reason

you care to imagine.

You may think what you wish about my

motives but that is the condition I demand.

- Dominique?

- No, I'm not going to help you.

I'd like to see it decided

between Mr. Wynand and yourself.

- But would you agree?

- The choice is yours.

Our engagement helped you

to become my father's partner.

Mr. Wynand's patronage

will help you much more.

I'm sure this is a joke, Mr. Wynand.

Things like this aren't being done.

They're done all the time

but not talked about.

I grant you that

I'm behaving abominably.

It's extremely cruel to be honest.

I...

I don't know what I'm supposed to do.

It's simple. You're supposed

to slap my face.

You were supposed to do that

several minutes ago.

No?

You don't wanna do that?

Of course, you don't have to

and you don't have to accept.

Would you rather refuse the commission?

- No.

- Fine, Mr. Keating.

Now I think it would be best if you left.

Call up my office in the morning,

and we'll sign the contract.

If that's what you want,

I'm not going to interfere.

We should be grown-up

about it, shouldn't we?

I'm sure we'll have

no trouble, Mr. Wynand.

Good night.

Why did you do this?

Did you believe I'd agree like Peter? Did you

expect to win me by your usual methods?

Of course not. I merely wanted to show you

that all men are corrupt, anyone be bought.

And that you're wrong

in your contempt for me.

There is no honest way

to deal with people.

We have no choice except

to submit or to rule them.

I chose to rule.

A man of integrity would do neither.

There are no men of integrity.

I have many years behind me to prove it.

I was born in Hell's Kitchen.

I rose out of the gutter

by creating the Banner.

It's a contemptible paper, isn't it?

But it has achieved my purpose.

- What was your purpose?

- Power.

Why are you trying to justify

yourself to me?

I wasn't trying to jus...

Yes.

- That is what I was doing.

- Why?

I think you know it.

You see?

I suppose I'm one of those freaks

you hear about.

A woman completely incapable of feeling.

I was engaged to Peter Keating...

...because he was the most safely,

unimportant person I could find.

And I knew I'd never be in love.

Haven't you ever loved anyone?

No, and I never will.

If I fell in love, it'd be like

the statue of the Greek god again.

I know it. I accept it.

I want you to marry me.

If I ever decide to punish myself

for some terrible guilt...

...l'll marry you.

- I'll wait.

No matter what reason you choose for it.

- Will you let me see you again?

- I'm leaving the city in a few days.

- Where are you going?

- To Father's place in Connecticut.

I'm going there so

I won't have to see anyone.

What are you really seeking?

Freedom: to want nothing, to expect

nothing, to depend on nothing.

Why, Miss Francon.

How do you do?

What are you doing here?

I'm out here for the summer.

Father let me have his house all to myself.

- I thought I'd take a look at this quarry.

- Let me show you around.

This is the best gray granite

in Connecticut.

- Why, last month, we shipped...

- Who's that man?

What man, Miss Francon?

No, never mind.

Why do you always stare at me?

For the same reason

you've been staring at me.

I don't know what you're talking about.

If you didn't, you'd be more astonished

and much less angry.

So you know my name.

You've been advertising it

loudly enough.

You'd better not be insolent.

I can have you fired at a moment's notice.

- Shall I call the superintendent?

- No, of course not.

But since you know who I am, you'd better

stop looking at me when I come here.

It might be misunderstood.

I don't think so.

Come in.

Good evening, Miss Francon.

You sent for me?

Yes.

Would you like to make

some extra money?

Certainly, Miss Francon.

That marble piece is broken

and has to be replaced.

I want you to take it out.

Yes, Miss Francon.

Now it's broken

and has to be replaced.

Would you know what kind of marble this is

and where to order a piece?

- Yes, Miss Francon.

- Go ahead, then. Take it out.

Yes, Miss Francon.

Oh, I'm sorry.

You might have thought that I was laughing

at you, but I wasn't, of course.

I didn't want to disturb you.

I'm sure you're anxious to finish

and get out of here.

I mean, because you must be tired.

There must be things

you'd like to talk about.

Oh, well, yes, Miss Francon.

Well?

I think this is an atrocious fireplace.

Really? This house was

designed by my father.

There's no point in your

discussing architecture.

None at all.

Shall we choose some other subject?

Yes, Miss Francon.

Generally, there are three kinds of marble:

The white, the onyx and the green.

This last must not be considered

a true marble.

True marble is the metamorphic form

of limestone produced by heat and pressure.

Pressure is a powerful factor.

It leads to consequences which,

once started, cannot be controlled.

What consequences?

The infiltration of foreign elements

from the surrounding soil.

They form the colored streaks

found in most marbles.

This is pure white marble.

You should be very careful, Miss Francon.

To accept nothing but a stone

of the same quality.

This is Alabama marble,

very high grade, very hard to find.

What shall I do with the stone?

Leave it here. I'll have it removed.

All right.

I'll order a new piece cut to measure

and have it delivered to you.

- Do you wish me to set it?

- Yes, certainly.

I'll let you know when it comes.

How much do I owe you?

Keep the change.

Thank you, Miss Francon.

- Good night.

- Good night, Miss Francon.

Come in.

The man sent from

the quarry, Miss Francon.

Who are you?

- Pasquale Orsini.

- What do you want?

The tall guy down at the quarry told me

you got a fireplace you wanted me to fix.

Yes. Yes, of course. I forgot.

Go ahead.

Why didn't you come set the marble?

I didn't think it would make any difference

to you who came, or did it, Miss Francon?

Good afternoon, Miss Francon.

How are you?

There was a man you had here.

A tall, gaunt man who worked a drill.

- Where is he?

- Yes, that one, he's gone.

- Gone?

- Quit, left for New York, I think.

- When?

- Two days ago.

What was his...?

No. No, I don't want to know his name.

- lf you want me to find him for you...

- No.

I don't know what to do. I give up.

I've gone the limit. I'm at my wit's end.

- That's not going very far.

- It's all right for you to make cracks.

But I'm in trouble. We need some

excitement to boost circulation.

I've got to invent a crusade and I

don't know what on earth to crusade about.

We start a campaign

against street car monopolies?

We did that two years ago, then we

had a crusade against canned vegetables.

And a crusade against Wall Street.

Now, what else is there to be against?

You're a smart woman,

couldn't you...?

- Sorry, I'm not good at that sort of thing.

- Gail Wynand expects results.

The Banner's got to be active.

I've racked my brain, and I can't think

of anything to denounce.

- I can.

- What?

This.

- Who cares about a building?

- My dear, it depends on how you handle it.

It's an outrage against art and a threat to

public safety. It might collapse any moment.

- Nobody's ever used that structural method.

- Yeah?

The owner of it is Roger Enright,

one of those self-made men.

Stubborn and rich as blazes.

It's always safe to denounce the rich.

Everyone will help you...

- The rich first.

- Yeah.

- Howard Roark, who is he?

- I wouldn't know.

Think what you could do with it.

A super-luxury apartment house going up...

...and there's those poor people

who live in the slums.

We could have some Sunday supplement

stories about beautiful girls...

...who are victims of the slums.

- With pictures in three-color process.

You've got something there.

You've got it.

It's a wonderful idea.

I know Wynand will okay it.

You know that this Enright House

is a great building.

Perhaps one of the greatest.

Ellsworth, what are you after?

I daresay nobody knows what I'm after.

They will, though.

When the time comes.

So we've got three wonderful angles:

Highbrow stories about the bad art.

Scare stories about the girders collapsing.

Sob stories about the poor.

We get everybody riled up

without any opposition.

Who'll want to defend it?

It's only a building.

- My first step would be...

- Don't bother with details.

It's good. Go ahead.

Toohey can handle it.

What a surprise and what a lovely contrast

to my usual visitors. Please sit down.

You approved a campaign

against the Enright House?

Yes, of course.

It'll stir up a lot of noise.