Full screenplay script transcript for Seinfeld S05E04: The Sniffing Accountant
17 Scenes386 Lines
Scene 1
Opening Scene
1 lines
To me government is basically parents or adults especially the IRS, the IRS is like Ward and June Cleaver, and we're all Wally and the Beaver and your accountant is Eddy Hascal showing you all these neat tricks to get away with stuff. Which is fine unless you get audited then you don't want some wise guy in a suit just standing there going 'You have a very lovely office here sir.' Because jail is the government's way of sending you to your room and when you meet Whitey and Lumpy in the joint, there's really gonna be something wrong with the Beaver.
Scene 2
Monk's Cafe
70 lines
Jerry, George and Elaine at he booth behind the cash register
Jerry
So, does he like you?
Elaine
What do you think?
Jerry
You like him?
Elaine
Yeah, yeah like him, definitely like him. I like him a lot.
George
So, what's wrong with him?
Elaine
Nothing, and I've looked.
George
Well, I'm sure you'll find something.
Jerry
So, how did you meet him?
Elaine
In the office.
Jerry
So, he's a writer.
Elaine
Yeah.
Jerry
Yeah, big surprise.
Elaine
So, I was sitting at the reception desk, I was looking pretty hot. I was wearing my sling back pumps.
George
What are those?
Elaine
Ask your mother, (making fun of George's living situation) you live with her now, don't you? Anyway, so then this guy comes up to me and starts feeling my jacket through his thumb and his forefinger like this.
Elaine feels George's material
Jerry
So, what did you do?
Elaine
I said: "So, what do you think?". And he said, "Gabardine?". And I said, "Yeah." That was it.
George
Wow, just felt your material?
Elaine
YeahJake Jarmel.
George
Sounds like a cool guy.
Jerry
Sounds like a jerk. Felt your material, come on.
George
Jerry, where did you get that sweater?
Jerry
Oh, what do you think? I found it at the back of my closet.
George
I think that's what the back of closets are for.
Elaine looks out the window
Elaine
Hey, that's Barry. Look it's Barry. (taps on the window)
Jerry
(taps on the window) Hey
Elaine
Hi.
George
Who's that?
Jerry
That's Barry Prophet, he's our accountant.
George
I don't know how you can let this guy handle all your money.
Elaine
Oh, he doesn't handle my money, he handles Jerry's money. He just does my taxes.
Barry comes in
Jerry
Hey Barry, how you doing?
Barry
Hey, how are you?
Jerry and Barry shake hands
Jerry
This is my friend George.
Barry
Hi George. (shakes George's hand)
Elaine
Hi, what are you doing on this neighborhood?
Barry
Nothing really. (sniffs; looks around) You, eh, you eat here?
Jerry
Yeah, so how's my money?
Barry
Well it's still green. (sniffs twice)
Jerry
What, you got a cold?
Barry
No, no.
Elaine
Wow, look at that ring.
Barry
(showing off the ring to Elaine) Oh, uh you like that? (Elaine not amused gives Barry a polite laugh; Barry sniffs) Say uh, where's the bathroom?
Jerry
Bathroom uh, bathroom's uh right over there.
Barry
(turns looking in the direction Jerry mentioned) Oh, great.
Barry goes to bathroom
Jerry
Did you see that?
Elaine
See what?
George
Yes, I saw that.
Elaine
What?
Jerry
What was all that sniffing?
Elaine
I don't know.
Jerry
You don't think?
Elaine
Oh, no! Come on Jerry.
George
He was definitely sniffing.
Jerry
I mean what if, what if, this this guy has got all my money. Plus he has got some Kramer's money with him. This guy could write checks to himself right out of my account.
Elaine
No, I have known this guy since college. He doesn't do drugs.
Jerry
Then, what was all that sniffing?
Elaine
Maybe it's the cold weather.
Jerry
Today's not cold.
George
All right, I gotta get going. My parents are expecting me.
Elaine
(making fun of George as he leaves) Don't forget to wash your hands before supper.
COSTANZA'S. GEORGE, ESTELLE AND FRANK ARE EATING DINNER. GEORGE IS POUNDING A KETCHUP BOTTLE.
Frank
Why do you need all that ketchup for?
George
This is my ketchup. I bought this ketchup just so I could have as much as I want.
Scene 3
Scene 3
41 lines
Frank
So I, I talked to Phil Casacof today.
Estelle
Phil Casacof?
Frank
Yeah, you know my friend, the bra salesman. He says they are looking maybe to put somebody on so I got you an interview next Friday with his boss.
George
Next Friday, what time?
Frank
2 o'clock.
George
That's my whole afternoon! I was going to look for sneakers.
Frank
You can look for sneakers the next day!
Estelle
He doesn't know anything about bras.
George
I know a little. Besides, what do you have to know?
Frank
Well, it wouldn't hurt to go in the and be able to discuss it intelligently. Maybe you should take a look at a few bras? (to Estelle) Where is you bra? Give him a bra to look.
Estelle
I am not giving him a bra.
Frank
Why not?
Estelle
Because I don't need him looking at my bra.
Frank
Why, so he'll go to the interview and he wouldn't know what he's talking about!?!
George
Do we have to?
Frank
You don't even know what they're made from.
George
They are made from lycra-spandex.
Frank
Get out of here! Lycra-spandex?
Estelle
I think they are made from lycra-spandex.
Frank
Wanna bet? How much you wanna bet?
Estelle
I'm not betting!
Frank
Take a look.
Estelle
All right, I'll get a bra.
Estelle leaves
Frank
(Yelling to Estelle as she leaves)I don't know what the big problem is getting a bra?!
George
She doesn't want to get a bra.
Frank
I'm not saying go to the library and read the whole history, but it wouldn't kill you to know a little bit about it.
George
All right, it wouldn't kill me.
Frank
How long it takes to find a bra? What's going on in there? You ask me to get a pair of underwear, I'm back in two secondsyou know about the uh cup sizes and all? They have different cups.
George
Yea I-I know about the cups.
Frank
You got the A, the B, the C and the D. That's the biggest.
George
I know the D is the biggest. I've based my whole life on knowing that the D is the biggest.
Estelle
Here, here's the bra.
Frank
Let me see it.
Estelle
(reading the bra) 100% lycra-spandex.
Frank
Let me see it.
Estelle
I told you. Here, think you know everything?
Frank
Hmm, that's surprising. All right, what else? You got the cups in the front, two loops in the back. All right, a guess that's about it.
George
I got it. Cups in the front, loops in the back. (puts the bra on the table)
Estelle
You got ketchup on it!
George takes his plate and the ketchup and leaves.
Scene 4
5a. Jerry and Kramer.
23 lines
Kramer
Sniffing, what do you mean sniffing?
Jerry
Sniffing, with his nose.
Kramer
Jerry, he probably had a cold.
Jerry
No, I asked him.
Kramer
So, what are you saying?
Jerry
I don't know, you know, what if?
Kramer
Drugs? You think he's on drugs?
Jerry
I don't know.
Kramer
Jerry
Jerry
All I know he was sniffing.
Kramer
Listen, we went in on a CD together.
Jerry
I know.
Kramer
And Newman gave you money too. So, I didn't even meet this guy. You know, we trusted you.
Jerry
Look, it doesn't necessarily mean anything yet, it just means he was sniffing.
Kramer
Well, what else? Was he nervous? Did he use a lot of slang? Did he use the word 'man'?
Jerry
No, he didn't use 'man'.
Kramer
I mean when he was leaving did he say "I'm splittin'"?
Jerry
No, but in one point he did use the bathroom.
Kramer
Whoh!
Jerry
Do you think that's a bad sign?
Kramer
Yes!! Yes, that's what they do! They live in the bathroom! All right, what are we going to do? We are going to get our money back, right?
Jerry
I don't know. (takes off his sweater) This sweater really itches me. You want it?
Kramer
(grabbing the sweater) Yeah.
Scene 5
Elaine's Apartment. Jake Is There and Elaine Comes In.
34 lines
Elaine
Hello. hello, oh
Jake
Well, you notice anything?
Elaine
You have cleaned out the whole apartment and you're making dinner. You're perfect, you're a perfect man.
Jake feels Elaine's coat material.
Jake
Ooh
Elaine
Did anyone call?
Jake
You got a few messages, I wrote them down.
Elaine
Where are they?
Jake
Lets see, they are (looking for the paper; finds it; hands it to Elaine) here they are.
Elaine
Thank you. (looking at the messages) Oh ya, heh, I'll call you back. Ooh, Myra had the baby! Oh, my God that's wonderful! Who called?
Jake
She did.
Elaine
She did? Oh, that's so great!
Jake
Where do you keep the corkscrew?
Elaine
In the drawer on the right. Hmm
Jake
What?
Elaine
Nah it's nothing.
Jake
What is it?
Elaine
It's nothing.
Jake
Tell me.
Elaine
Well, I was just curious why you didn't use an exclamation point?
Jake
What are you talking about?
Elaine
See, right here you wrote "Myra had the baby", but you didn't use an exclamation point.
Jake
So?
Elaine
So, it's ya nothing. Forget it, forget it, I just find it curious.
Jake
What's so curious about it?
Elaine
Well, I mean if one of your close friends had a baby and I left you a message about it, I would use an exclamation point.
Jake
Well, maybe I don't use my exclamation points as haphazardly as you do.
Elaine
You don't think that someone having a baby warrants an exclamation point.
Jake
Hey look, I just chalked down the message. I didn't know I was required to capture the mood of each caller.
Elaine
I just thought you would be a little more excited about a friend of mine having a baby.
Jake
Ok, I'm excited. I just don't happen to like exclamation points.
Elaine
Well, you know Jake, you should learn to use them. Like the way I'm talking right now, I would put an exclamation points at the end of all these sentences! On this one! And on that one!
Jake
Well, you can put one on this one: I'm leaving!
Elaine laughs as Jake leaves
Scene 6
5a. Jerry and Elaine
41 lines
Jerry
You're out of your mind you know that.
Elaine
Why?
Jerry
It's an exclamation point! It's a line with a dot under it.
Elaine
Well, I felt a call for one.
Jerry
A call for one, you know I thought I've heard everything. I've never heard a relationship being affected by a punctuation.
Elaine
I found it very troubling that he didn't use one.
Jerry
George was right. Didn't take you long.
Kramer enters
Kramer
Anything new with that guy on drugs?
Elaine
Oh, he's not on drugs.
Kramer
Then why the sniffing? Who walks around (sniff, sniff) sniffing?
Elaine
All right, here, you call him right now. See if he's sniffing right now.
Jerry
Good idea. (Jerry calls Barry's office)
Voice On The Phone
Prophet and Goldstein.
Jerry
Yes, I'd like to speak to Barry Prophet, please.
Voice
I'm sorry he's out of town this week.
Jerry
Out of town?
Voice
Yes, he went to South America.
Jerry
South America?
Kramer
South America?
Jerry
I'll call back, thank you. (hangs up the phone) He went to South America!
Kramer
Yyyeeaaah!!
Elaine
So what?
Jerry
Who goes to South America?
Elaine
People go to South America.
Jerry
Yeah, and they come back with things taped to they're large intestine.
Elaine
So, because of a few bad apples you're gonna impugn an entire continent?
Jerry
Yes, I'm impugning a continent.
Kramer
Well, I say we're going to take our money right now!
Newman enters
Newman
Hey, hey
Jerry
Hello Newman.
Newman
Hello Jerry. (to Kramer) So, any news?
Kramer
Yeah, he skipped out and *ptruut* went to South America!
Newman
South America?! (to Jerry) What kind of snow blower you get us mixed up with?
Elaine
Look it, gentlemen. The fact remains you still have no proof. This is all speculation and hearsay.
Kramer
Wait, there is one way to find out. We set up a sting. You know like Abscam. Like Abscam Jerry.
Elaine
Ohh, what are you gonna do? You gonna put on phony beards and dress-up like Arab sheiks and sit around in some hotel room. I mean come on
Jerry
Wait a second. Maybe there is someway we can tempt him and find out
Newman
If we put our three heads together we should come up with something.
Jerry, Kramer and Newman begin thinking
Scene 7
Jerry's Car
27 lines
Jerry, Kramer and Newman
Kramer
What's today?
Newman
It's Thursday.
Kramer
Really? Feels like Tuesday.
Newman
Tuesday has no feel. Monday has a feel, Friday has a feel, Sunday has a feel.
Kramer
I feel Tuesday and Wednesday
Jerry
All right, shut up the both of you! You're making me nervous. Where is he already? He should've been out of work by now.
Newman
Hey, you know this is kind of fun.
Kramer
Yeah, maybe we oughta become private detectives
Jerry
Yeah maybe you should.
Kramer
Maybe I will.
Newman
Yeah, me too.
Jerry
All right, what are you gonna say to him?
Kramer
Just gonna find out if he's interested.
Newman
Hey, hey maybe I should go with him?
Jerry
No, you stay here in the car.
Newman
Who made you the leader?
Jerry
All right Newman, one more peep outta you, you're out of the whole operation!
Newman
Alright.
Jerry
There he is. He's going into that bar.
Kramer
All right, I'm going in.
Jerry
Be careful Kramer.
Kramer leaves
Newman
I shoulda gone in with him.
Jerry
No, you stay here in the car. I may need you.
Newman
What you need me in the car for?
Jerry
I might need you to get me a soda.
Scene 8
Bar
11 lines
Barry is drinking by the counter. Kramer enters
Kramer
I'll have a brewsky, Charlie.
Bartender
The name's Mitch.
Kramer
Oh, there's nothing like a cold one after a long day, eh?
Barry
Yeah.
Kramer
Oh yeah, I've been known to drink a beer or two. But then again, I've been known to do a lot of things. (Waiter opens the counter which hits Kramer on the head) Cigarette?
Barry
(sniffs) No, I never touch them.
Kramer
I suck'em down like Coca-Cola. Well here's to feeling good all the time. (Kramer drinks the beer and smokes the cigarette at the same time. Barry sniffs) Looks like you've got yourself a little cold there, eh fella?
Barry
I don't think so.
Kramer
Me neither.
Kramer puts the cigarette back in his mouth the wrong way
Scene 9
Jerry's Car
10 lines
Newman is now in the passenger seat
Jerry
You should try this new dental floss Glide, it's fantastic.
Newman
I use dental tape.
Jerry
You should try this.
Newman
I don't wanna.
Jerry
Not even once?
Newman
No.
Jerry
You're an idiot.
Newman
Why, because I use dental tape?
Jerry
Right, anyone who uses dental tape is an idiot.
Scene 10
Bar
13 lines
Kramer
South America?
Barry
Yeah, yeah.
Kramer
Well that's a burgeoning continent.
Barry
Well, they are expanding their economic base.
Kramer
Tell me about it.
Barry
(sniffs) Excuse me, I gotta goto the bathroom.
Kramer
I'm hip.
Barry
Hip to the what?
Kramer
To the whole scene. (sniff)
Barry
What scene?
Kramer
The bathroom scene. (moves his knows as you would if you sniffed)
Barry
Listen, don't take this personally, but when I'm coming back I'm sitting over there.
Kramer
What ever turns you on.
Scene 11
Jerry's Car
5 lines
Newman takes a dental floss out of his mouth.
Newman
No, no I don't like it.
Jerry
What do you mean you don't like it? How could you not like it?
Newman
I like the thick tape.
Newman puts dental floss on the dashboard. Jerry looks disgusted.
Scene 12
Bar
2 lines
Kramer enters the bathroom, kicks the door open and takes a photograph
Barry
Heeyy!! What kind of a nut are you?
Scene 13
George's Job Interview.
23 lines
Farkus
So, basically George the job here is quite simple. Selling bras.
George
Well, that interests me very much Mr. Farkus.Very much indeed, sir.
Farkus
Have you ever sold a woman's line before?
George
No, but um I have very good report with women, very good, comfortable. And from the first time I laid eyes on a brassieres, I was enthralled.
Farkus
Hum. tell me about it.
George
Well, I was 14 years old. I was in my friends bathroom. His mother's brassieres were hanging on the shower rod and I picked it up, studied it. I thought, I like this. I didn't know what way or what level, but I knew: I wanted to be around brassieres.
Farkus
That's an incredible story. You have a remarkable passion for brassieres.
George
Well, they're more than an underwear to me Mr. Farkus. Two cups in the front, two loops in the back. How do they do it?
Farkus
Well, I think I can say, barring some unforeseen incident, that you will have a very bright future here at E.D. Granmont.
George
Thank you Mr.Farkus, thank you very much indeed sir.
Farkus
See you monday 9 o'clock.
George
If you don't mind, sir. I'll be here at 8.
Farkus
Excellent.
George
So long, Mr. Farkus.
George leaves the office and goes to the elevator. A women there is waiting for the elevator. George feels her blouse material.
Ms. De Granmont
What you're think you're doing?
George
Oh, nothing
Ms. De Granmont
Farkus, get out here!
Farkus
Yes, Ms. De Granmont?
Ms. De Granmont
Farkus, who is this pervert little weasel?
Farkus
Uh, this is Costanza, he's our new bra salesman. (George's offers his hand to shake) He's supposed to start on monday.
Ms. De Granmont
If he's here on monday, you're not. Take a pick.
Farkus
(to George): Get out! (to Ms. De Granmont) I'm terribly sorry Ms. De Granmont
Scene 14
Pendant Publishing. Elaine Is at Lippman's Office.
62 lines
Elaine
You wanted to see me, Mr. Lippman?
Lippman
I was just uh going over the Jake Jarmel book and I understand you worked with him very closely on this.
Elaine
Yes (clears her throat) yes I did.
Lippman
And uh, anyway I was just reading your final edit and um, there seems to be an inordinate number of exclamation points.
Elaine
Uh well um, I felt that the writing lacked certain emotion and intensity.
Lippman
Ah, (reads an excerpt) "It was damp and chilly afternoon, so I decided to put on my sweatshirt!"
Elaine
Right, well
Lippman
You put exclamation point after sweatshirt?
Elaine
That's that's correct, I-I felt that the character doesn't like to be ch-ch-chilly
Lippman
I see, (reads another excerpt) "I pulled the lever on the machine, but the Clark bar didn't come out!" Exclamation point?
Elaine
Well, yeah, you know how frustrating that can be when you keep putting quarters and quarters in to machine and then (prrt) nothing comes out
Lippman
Get rid of the exclamation points
Elaine
Ok, ok ok
Lippman
I hate exclamation points
Elaine
ok I'll just.
5A. JERRY, KRAMER, NEWMAN WRITING A LETTER. ELAINE READS ON THE COUCH.
Jerry
'Dear Barry. Consider this letter to be official termination of our relationship effective immediately.'
Kramer
Exclamation point.
Elaine
You still have no proof.
Kramer
Elaine, he was sniffing like crazy around me.
Jerry
'I will expect all funds in form of cashier checks no later than the 18th'.
Kramer
Double exclamation point!
Newman
Will that take care of ours too?
Jerry
Yeah, I'll give you yours as soon as I get my money back.
Newman
Hey, you want me to mail it? I'm on my way out anyway.
Jerry
Yeah, thanks.
Newman
It'll be my pleasure.
Kramer puts the photograph in the envelope. Newman and Kramer laughs and Newman leaves.
Newman
See'ya later.
Jerry
You know this
Knock on the door. It's pizzaguy
Kramer
Hey, Ralph.
Jerry
Hi Ralph.
Ralph
What's up fellas? That'll be 14.30.
Jerry
All right.
Kramer
Mushrooms, you got mushrooms Jerry?
Jerry
Yeah.
Ralph sniffs and rubs his eyes.
Kramer
What's the matter? You've got a cold?
Ralph
No man (sniffs again) Kramer, what is this?
Kramer
It's a sweater.
Ralph
What is it made out of?
Kramer
I don't know, Jerry gave it to me.
Jerry
Mohair, I think.
Ralph
Mohair, that figures, I'm allergic to mohair.
Jerry
You mean you just started sniffing?
Ralph
Yeah, mohair does it to me every time.
Ralph leaves
Jerry
I was wearing that sweater in the coffee shop when Barry came in.
Kramer
Jerry, I was wearing it in the bar.
Elaine
The sweater! The sweater made him sniff! See, I told you he wasn't a drug addict.
Jerry
Oh no! The letter, Newman, it's got exclamation points all over it!
Kramer
Not to mention the picture of him on the toilet.
Jerry leaves the door and comes back second later
Jerry
The what??
Kramer looks very confused, and smiles at Jerry
NEWMAN IS TAKING THE LETTER TO THE MAILBOX. THERE'S A WOMAN AT SAME TIME AT THE LETTERBOX.
Newman
After you.
Woman
Thank you.
Newman feels the woman's coat material.
Woman
Get your hands off of me! Johnny!!! Johnny!
Newman rushes away dropping the letter on the ground. Johnny chases after him
Scene 15
Costanza's
4 lines
Frank
What do you mean you felt the material? What, with your fingers like this?
George
So what, what is so bad about that?
Estelle
Who goes around feeling people's material? What can be gained by feeling a person's material? It's insanity!
Frank
What ever happened to "Why, that's a lovely dress you have on. May I have this dance?"!!
Scene 16
Monk's Cafe
18 lines
Kramer and Elaine at the booth behind the cash register
Elaine
You are really lucky Newman never mailed that letter.
Jerry enters and tosses a letter on the table
Jerry
Sorry I'm late, I just came from a meeting with my lawyer.
Elaine
What is this?
Jerry
It's a letter from your friend Barry Prophet's lawyer.
Elaine
He is filing a chapter eleven. Why, what's going on, why is he filing a chapter eleven?
Jerry
Bankruptcy, bankruptcyas in I've taken your money and spent it on drugs!
Elaine
What do you mean, I thought it was the sweater.
Kramer
All right, What about the money?
Jerry
What about the money? Apparently if I had dissolved my relationship with him prior to his filing chapter eleven, I've could've got the money back. Which I would've done, if a certain imbecile had been able to get to a mailbox and mail a letter!!
Newman enters and goes to the counter.
Newman
Pair of bear claws, please.
Jerry approaches Newman, but some women comes between and feels Jerry's shirt.
Woman
Nice.
Jerry
Think so?
Woman
Yeah, what is it?
Jerry
Half silk, half cotton, half linen. How can you go wrong?
Scene 17
Closing Monologue
1 lines
My accountant actually did take a big chunk of money from me and use it to buy drugs and the thing that was hardest for me to comprehend about this is the life choice of drug abuse and accounting. But actually it makes sense I mean why would an athlete or a musician take drugs? They have an interesting job but an accountant if ever a job required some hallucinogenic support this is the job. That should be the legal defense, you're in court "You're charged with possession of illegal narcotics" "But you're honor, I'm an accountant." "Bang, case closed. Bailiff give this man back his peyote buttons and tequila back for the drive home. Sorry to bother you sir, terribly sorry."