Original subtitles

-You know...

I think you are very musical,

and you have real talent. - Yes.

-But you have so much talent for architecture.

I mean, you're so structured

and formalized in your thinking, and I think,

if you can make a great living as an architect, you do that.

Instead, you bang your head against the wall

trying as a composer to make a living,

and then you end up having to score other composers' work,

and that is so terribly dull, right?

- Right.

-If you were to have been famous,

it would've happened by now.

-No?

-What do the following six people

have in common?

Andre Previn, Nelson Riddle, Jerry Goldsmith,

Henry Mancini, John Williams, and Jerry Herst?

If you said they're all musicians, you'd be right.

If you said, they had made music for the movies,

you'd also be right.

But if you'd said they studied music composition

with the same teacher, you'd be brilliant.

- But I don't want to mislead you, either.

You know, I have to be honest.

I have a student, I'm so sorry, waiting.

- Oh, great. - Yes.

- Oh, Maestro. - It's a real pleasure.

Hello.

- Maestro.

- It's Mario.

It's Mario.

- Jerry Herst. - Hello, Jerry.

Come in.

Have a seat.

Play me something of yours.

- Okay.

Oh, um...

From the beginning?

- Wherever you like.

- Yeah, alright.

- Don't be nervous.

Once again, from the same place.

You were a lawyer.

- I was, how did you know?

- What is this word, sequestered?

- What word?

- Never mind.

Go, go, go ahead, carry on.

Jerry, is it true that a lawyer

must suppress, hide his feelings

and must always have his mind working active?

- Not necessarily.

- Can you show me some feelings in your music?

- Okay.

- This word, sequestered, it's the same word as stifled?

- With all due respect,

I have been playing for my whole life.

I did have the number one song in my country.

- So Rare.

1937.

A very fitting title.

Jerry, what have you been doing since then?

- Um, well, since the war--

- Why you come to me, Jerry?

- Everyone said, um,

they said everyone comes to you and you're a great teacher,

and you make them play better.

- Make? No, I don't make anybody do anything.

But I hope I help students to play like themselves.

You like to do this?

- Yeah, I'd like that. - Good.

First time, the melody line,

you begin the bassline with G-flat.

It's more surprising, yes?

- Yes.

- Never cover up your first draft.

You cover up your divine inspiration for intuition.

No more erasing.

Only use the pen.

If you make a mistake,

draw a line through it.

Next time, bring me poetry.

But, I warn you.

No sonnets.

Just anything you like that

you feel you can compose to, yes?

I help you to bring forth what is inside you, Jerry.

We see what blooms from your mind.

- You've probably never heard of Mario,

but you've heard his music.

He's written for big movies like The Big Storm

with the Marx Brothers.

Mario wrote of whimsical trio for Harpo to play

with his reflections.

Sometimes Mario got the credit, but usually not.

I guess you could call him a ghost composer.

Mario was born and raised in Florence, Italy.

He and his family were doing just fine,

until Mussolini showed up.

With the help of Arturo Toscanini and Jascha Heifetz,

Mario immigrated to America, then got a job at MGM.

He's been composing all his life.

Songs, concerti, oratorio, chorales,

overtures, even an opera.

Before the war, I was aiming for a career in music.

But then the Japanese aimed at Pearl Harbor.

I volunteered for the Navy.

Had even received my orders to sail to Corregidor.

But my mother fell ill with cancer.

The doctor said it was terminal.

So I stayed home to care for her.

Her death saved my life.

If I had been on that ship, I would've been there

when the Japanese sent everyone on the Death March.

- $30 a month.

Rent due on the first.

No if, ands, or buts.

- Oh, that's fine, Mrs. Stella.

- And if I don't get paid,

you sleep on the street until I do.

- Yes, Mrs. Stella.

The posting said something about a piano?

- Oh, you're the composer?

Yes, that's right.

- I don't like renting to musicians.

- Why not?

- They're always broke.

- Ah.

- You have all the amenities.

Kitchen, shared bathroom,

bedroom's upstairs, shared also.

- I thought my days in the Navy were over.

- And no women.

My husband hasn't touched it in years.

- Yeah.

I'm sure it'll be fine.

- That's nice.

$5 extra per month.

- Gotcha.

- Thank you.

- Thank you.

- Well...

- Hi. - Howdy.

- Hi, I'm Jerry Herst. - Jerry Herst, I'm Holden.

- Holden, it's a pleasure. - Pleasure to meet you.

- Yeah, uh, is this me? - Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Come on, Jerry, take a seat, this is you.

- Thank you.

- So you're a musician, huh? - Uh, yeah.

Yeah, piano.

What about you? - I'm a painter.

- Really? What do you paint? - Houses.

But, I mean, really, I'm an actor.

- Listen, Holden, how many fellas live here?

- Oh, there's four of us.

That's Ray, Ray's drunk.

That's Dave, Dave's not being rude.

Dave decided he'd take a lot of bennies

so he could write his screenplay for 72 hours straight.

We're all GI bill here, except Vladimir down the hall.

Vladimir's, uh, well, he's a Russian fellow.

- Is he a writer, too? - No, he's a dancer.

Jerry, I don't mean to pry, but how much you being charged

'cause we're all being charged about 30 bucks a month

for this room and--

- 35, I have to pay her to use the piano.

- For Christ's sake! - I'm unarmed.

- You can rent the whole dump for that much!

- Listen, do you think she would let me use the telephone?

- That all depends, Jerry, how much do you got?

- Yeah.

- To bear with me for a moment, as I--

- Are you okay?

Are you mad at me?

It's okay if you're mad at me, I'm kinda mad at me.

I mean, I don't know.

I don't know if it's the right decision.

Well, no, I don't mean that's a decision, I just mean a,

choice.

I just mean being here.

And not there.

Okay.

"Whatever it blooms from your mind."

- What were you thinking?

It's like mixing strings with brass.

Follow minor ninth with a dominant seventh?

This is Schumann!

Not jazz.

This belongs in the school of wrong notes.

We'll shoot for next time to rewrite it.

- Yeah.

- You've brought me some poetry?

- They are by Walter de la Mare.

- Walter de la-- - I wrote them in ink.

- It's very academic, Jerry.

But what is it about this, inspires you?

- Uh...

- I see.

- As you have

employed me to be your teacher,

I feel it is my duty to instruct you not only in music,

but also in my philosophy.

I hope you don't mind?

- No, please.

I believe there is music in everything.

In, in a tree.

It grows in the mountain.

In river, it comes down.

In the ocean.

The air, all around us.

In paintings.

Poetry.

But whatever the medium you choose, very important,

whether it is in nature or art or ideas.

Let it speak to you.

To the real you.

Do you understand?

- I think so.

- What am I supposed to do with this?

"Little remains, but every hour is saved

"from that eternal silence something more

"a bringer of new things and violy."

Well, you're an actor, you're in touch with yourself.

Read that.

Feel something, go.

- Alright, you got it, okay.

- Ah.

- Yeah.

- "The bodies and the bones of those

"that strove in other days to pass,

"are withered in the thorny close

"or scattered blanching in the grass."

"He gazes on the silent dead.

"They perished in their daring deeds.

"This proverb flashes thro his head.

"The many fail.

"The one succeeds."

- Mrs. Stella, good afternoon.

- Which one of you animals left the light on

in the bathroom?

- I, uh, I don't know.

- Do you think I'm made of money?

- No.

- You haven't left this room since last night.

- Nope.

- Can you hand me that box?

- Sorry, which box?

- Over there.

- Okay.

Merci

- Did someone die in here?

- Wow.

Oh, you're kidding me.

Son of a...

You gotta be kidding me.

- Hello, Jerry, I'm very sorry to be late.

The little men at MGM have many demands on employee 11694.

What you have for me today?

- The fugue assignment.

- No, no, no, something of yours.

- I'm struggling with Keats.

- Well, I warned you about him.

He's a no easy walk in the park.

Go ahead, play.

What is it?

Awful.

It's terrible.

No, no, not the music, not so bad.

It's just, what is...

Jerry, it's you.

No, I'm afraid I must cancel our lesson for today.

- Why?

- Jerry, your odor, it's, it's like a violence.

- Violins? - Violence!

Go, Clara, Clara.

She'll show you to my son's room.

- You're joking, right? - Clara!

- Per favore

My wife will show you to the washroom,

and you can put on some of Pietro's clothes, go.

- What did you think about the--

- It's a fine effort.

Have no problem.

With the music.

Whoa!

Yes.

Yes.

As darkness comes in, yes.

Sadness.

Now.

Tear my heart out.

Yes.

No, play, play.

Ah, Jerry.

dammi i tuoi vestiti, lo laver?

- Thank you.

Should I go back in for my lesson now?

Adesso no

- Jerry, if I may.

You vo fare frango

Pour manjare

- Oh, no, no, no, no.

Sei troppo magro, devi mangiare

Mm.

Thank you.

- Vino?

- No, no, no. Un pouco

Un pouco Yes.

Thank you, Mrs. Tedesco.

- I've played that lick and it's simple.

I mean, I've seen myself do it.

I've watched my hands do it a million times at home

and then I'd get in front of you, and I freeze.

And tell me, if I freeze in front of you,

how am I ever supposed to perform it

in front of an audience?

- You know how to swim, right?

- Yes.

- Then why don't you, why don't you go jump in the lake?

Or a swimming pool?

Or the ocean?

It's cold.

It will, uh...

Cool you off, okay?

Don't think too much!

He's so good, but he thinks he's going to have

everything happen all at once.

It takes time, Jerry, you understand this?

- Yeah, sure.

Why? How good is he?

- Oh, this young man, will have much success.

Okay, so we took a little break, we come back,

we make a fresh start.

Let's, maybe we try something a little different.

- Okay.

- Play with the first few measures of anything.

- Alright.

- The lawyer preparing for a trial.

Trust, the way the leaf trusts the breeze to carry it away.

Make it carried away, Jerry.

Play.

Wait, wait, you see what happened there?

You stopped.

Your brain wants to have jurisdiction.

Control, it works if you stay free a little longer.

Unexpected, you don't know where you go.

Stay.

You have sweetheart back home?

- Oh, yes, I do.

- Describe her to me.

- Where do I start? - No, but not in words.

With the keys, please.

Play your beloved.

From where you were, it's so lovely. 388 00:25

Your family are back home, far away.

And you, uh...

You don't know if you can

play music or if you must go home.

You don't know if you have both.

Is that what you're worried about?

What's your fear?

- What's your fear?

- My fear?

The death of my master, Ildebrando Pizzetti.

My Clara.

What's your fear?

- Failing, I guess.

- More, failing by what?

- Hurting my family.

- Deeper.

- I just need to know if I have it in me, Mario.

- Yeah.

Well, we'll have to keep walking.

Find out.

Keep our eyes open.

Keep playing.

We're here to play.

See, there is something. 415

- Well, how goes it? - Gentlemen, it goes well.

- What's goin' on?

- She locked us out of the house.

- Vlad paid the rent late. - Yeah, and, and we didn't.

- So, how does that work?

- Well, she's a sultry bitch.

- She's got that fire in her eyes.

- It burns so good.

- No don't apologize, brother.

This isn't your fault.

- I mean, I don't wanna be the mean one, but it kind of is.

- We're all in this together. - Oh, yeah, I don't think so.

I mean, you know, this isn't a Pinko commune.

I paid, Holden paid, Jerry paid, you paid on time.

- That's not the point. - Really? How so, Dave?

- A person is entitled to a home.

- They're entitled to home?

I didn't realize we were in Moscow, California.

- Hey, Jerry, weren't you a lawyer before the war?

- No offense, Vlad. - Uh, I was.

- Look, they can't throw us all out like this, am I right?

Jerry, you were a lawyer, right?

Is this legal?

- It is technically not legal.

- My screenplay's in there, guys.

- My God, forget your stupid,

I'll help you with your screenplay.

Interior, man turns right, woman yells "help."

Exterior, cut to, my ass-- - You know something.

You don't know what the hell you're talking about!

- You know, how much money do you owe her?

Vach, vach dollars.

How much is--

- 20 bucks. - 20 bucks.

Alright, will you wait here?

Can I?

May I?

Yes, stay here.

If I am not back in five minutes,

it's been nice knowing you.

- Good luck, Jerry.

- What do you think you're doing?

- I'm gonna let my roommates inside.

- Well, you do, and I will have all of you evicted.

- You can't do that.

- I can do any Goddamn thing I want.

- I have Vladimir's $20 for you.

- And why doesn't give it to me himself?

- Well, because you locked everyone outside.

- You and the other three, you can come back.

- Vladimir wants you to know that he is very sorry

and that it will not happen again.

- You've heard me.

He goes, that's final.

- What if he offered some restitution?

Excuse me.

Ah, Clara.

Buongiorno

Mario.

Everything alright? - Oh...

Sometimes when Igor comes to visit me,

we drink a little too much wine.

Now MGM has summoned me and, Jerry, I'm sorry,

I'm afraid I have to cancel our lesson today.

That was Stravinsky.

- Yeah, Jerry, um, Clara wondered maybe you might

drive me to the studio today so I can review my notes?

- Of course.

You probably shouldn't drive in your condition anyway.

- Clara shouldn't drive in her condition.

I don't drive.

- Ah, then I should definitely drive.

Who are you meeting with at MGM?

- You are familiar with the MGM lion?

- Sure.

- Today, you shall be meeting their turkey.

- Music for moving pictures cannot have any form.

The music must be bland.

Of course, it has to be dramatic,

when something dramatic happens,

but you don't want it to be disruptive.

You don't want people listening to the music.

And characters should not have their own themes.

This is not Wagner, you know?

You got it?

- So, this is the title of your film?

- Look, you worry about the tunes, Teddy,

and I'm gonna take of the creative stuff, alright?

You music types, you're all the same.

You're always tryin' to change the world.

What about you, kid, what are you, a student of his?

- Yes, I am.

- You're not tryin' to change the world, I hope?

- I'm not even really supposed to be here.

- That's a good answer.

Well, keep in touch.

- I want to bite fat little finger, he points it in my face,

he call me Teddy.

- How long do you have to turn in the lead sheets?

- One week. - A week?

That doesn't seem like much time.

- Jerry!

- Jess, hi. - How are you?

- Oh, I'm well, how are you? - Jess Oppenheimer.

- Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco.

- Say that 10 times.

So you're back in town?

- Yeah, for now, I'm, uh--

- That's great!

I'm off to a meeting right now, but this Saturday,

Estelle and I are having a little party.

You should come.

- Sure, sure. - And both of you.

- No, great.

- Alright. - Okay.

- Alright. - Thank you.

- Good to see you. - Goodbye.

- Good to see you, Jess.

- He, that's...

You don't want go to your friend's party?

- I don't know, it sounds like a lot of, uh...

Yeah, I don't know. - A lot about what?

Come on, you don't have many friends, you should go.

You're alone too much. - Alright, you wanna go?

- Me? - Yeah.

- He doesn't even know who I am.

- Of course he does.

- Listen, I am not so much a social butterfly.

I'm more a social camel.

- He knows who you are.

Everybody's like that out here, Mario.

- Okay.

I ask Clara for permesso.

- Okay.

- Hello, Jerry.

- Hi, Ray.

- What a strange place to be reading.

- Oh, am I in your way? - What is it?

Walt Whitman, of course.

Oh, your father called, he left you a message.

To call him.

- Yeah.

Thanks, Ray.

- How's Los Angeles?

- Yeah, it's hot.

I found a house.

- Is it a nice place?

- It's real nice, real classy.

Landlord's a piece of work.

- That's okay, you won't be there forever.

You're coming home for the holidays, right?

Your sister would love to see you, she has a new boyfriend.

He works in something called broadcasting.

Maybe you'd find it interesting.

- Well, I'll try and come up soon for a visit, Dad.

- How's your money holding out?

- Fine, fine, Pop, real, real fine.

Just fine.

- Were you in the Army?

- Navy, briefly.

- I saw that on you.

You can always tell.

How's your schooling going?

- It's going very well, actually.

- Mm-hm.

I've noticed a change in you since you've begun.

Till now. - Really?

- Something about you, you're more alive, feeling creative.

Open.

Vital.

Hm?

- You're right.

- Your vitality smacked me in the face the other day.

- Really? - Yes, it was nice to see.

- How'd I do that?

- It's almost like you've had a, what do you call it,

a bar mitzvah, since you've been here.

You've become a man a little bit.

- Yeah, I like that.

I like that.

- Yes, you are...

I've noticed certain changes around here with you.

There was perhaps one alpha lion in the helm,

and now there's two.

There is a certain gazelle...

We have our sights on.

I see it.

I see it on you.

It's like...

It's almost like you're the albino boy with the opaque eyes

who suddenly sees in vivid colors.

Rushes home from school--

- Who the hell are you talking about, Ray?

- Well, your muse would be Stella.

The vivid colors would be your aggressive libido

that I've taken notice of, much like my own.

You cannot be contained nor denied.

- Okay. - Mm, I see you feeling.

I feel you seeing.

Oh, it's interesting.

Challenge accepted, my friend.

We'll call it a snake fight.

- There's no snake fight, Ray.

- Oh.

- I have a sweetheart, you know that, Ray.

- Don't we all.

- Yes?

Oh.

- Hey, we're goin' into town.

Do you wanna come chase some skirts?

- Yeah, I got a lotta work to do.

- Yeah, your girl called again.

- I'm on it, Dave.

- Hey, um...

How come you never said bye to Holden?

- What do you mean, where's Holden?

- He moved back to Skokie,

and work in his old man's frame shop.

- What?

When?

- A couple of days ago.

- He quit?

- Yeah.

- Why didn't he come down?

- I guess he didn't wanna bother you.

Here.

He left this for you.

- Good evening, Mrs. Stella.

- You've been playing the same song for three days.

- Four days, actually, wait, what day is it?

- You practically live down here.

- Yeah, well, that's part of the work.

- So why don't you?

- Why don't I what? - Live down here.

And I will rent your bunk to someone else.

- Okay.

- From from now on, it's five dollars each time you play

that damn song that is living inside my head, thanks to you.

- We left our parents behind.

Our aunts and uncles and cousins.

When I first left to come to Los Angeles,

I leave Clara and the children behind.

- That must've been very hard for you, you're so close.

- Never again, never again.

Loneliness is a very underestimated emotion.

- I know what you mean.

- Maybe it is, as with all good things in life,

it begins with a little pain.

- I haven't seen some of these guys

since before the war, Mario.

- Close friends?

- I wouldn't say close.

- Oh, hello. - Hi.

- Oh, welcome. - Thank you.

- Hors d'oeuvres and cocktails are in the lounge.

Oh, lovely, thank you. - Thank you so much.

- Okay. - She's lovely.

- Is that Jerry Herst?

Oh, I don't believe it.

- Gene, long time no see, how have you been?

- Oh, fine, you? - Great.

Gene, do you know Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco?

He writes music for the studios.

Mario, meet Gene Kelly.

- Oh, yeah, sure, I think I've heard your name before.

- I certainly recognize yours.

Very impressed by your dancing.

- Oh, thank you very much, I like your accent, it's lovely.

- My accent. - Well, gentlemen, excuse me.

I'm gonna go fix myself a drink.

I'm feeling a little thirsty, good to see you, and pleasure.

- Likewise.

- Oh, there's Jess.

Hi. - Oh, you made it.

- Of course we made it. - Jerry.

- We wouldn't miss it, Jess, you remember Mario.

- I do, hello.

- Thank you so much for inviting me, it's wonderful.

- We've lived here for four years and just finished some

renovations so we thought we'd have a little bit of a party.

- Yeah it's a hell of a place, Jess, it's a hell of a place.

You've outdone yourself.

I had no idea, to tell you the truth.

- Do you have an agent?

Because there's a bunch of agents here

that I could introduce you to.

- Oh, okay.

I, uh, I don't right now.

- Excuse me, Jess, there's a call for you.

- Oh, who is it?

- Okay, hm-hm.

- I remember you, you had that, that song.

What was it called? - So Rare?

- So Rare. - Yes, yes!

- That was, that was a long time ago.

- Anything coming up?

- We can but hope.

- I'll keep hoping.

- Oh, Jess, hey.

Who is the girl with the cigarette on the couch?

- Oh, that's Cyd Charisse.

She's the new dancer with the studio.

You should talk to her.

- Think he wants to dance with you.

- Close your mouth, sweetheart.

- I have to dance with her.

- Oh, please do. - Look at him, poor thing.

- Enjoy.

- Okay, I will.

- I'd would kill for a little excitement.

Is that the guy Jess was talking about?

Oh, look, here he comes.

Mean Gene.

Wanna see something? - Oh, you really gonna do it?

- Kubrick, Kubrick, Kubrick.

- Will you stop moving around?

- Well, hello. - Hello.

And what's your name?

- My name is Jerry, I've almost forgotten it.

- Don't look at the camera, I'm not here.

- Are you an actor, Jerry? - I am not an actor.

- You're awfully good pals with Gene.

- I knew Gene for a little while before he was Gene.

That was a long time ago.

- Yes, it was.

You're really not an actor? - I am really not.

Is that hard to imagine?

- Stuntman?

- A stuntman? No, I...

I'm a Pianist.

- Really?

What's the name of your band? - It is just me.

- Well, that must get lonely.

- Well, I'm good company.

- Not at the camera.

- You're trouble.

- Wonderful! - Bravo!

- Jerry? - Yes, Jerry.

- It's your turn.

- No, no, no, no, no. - Yes, come on, you must.

You must.

Show us what you've got, Jerry.

- Okay.

- And I never see you play in front of an audience before

and you were wonderful.

It was so relaxed, so, so...

Musical.

Wonderful.

- Thanks, Mario.

- I think maybe this is my favorite party

I've been to since I can remember.

- Yeah, me too.

Come on, let's get you inside.

- That little lady at the party seemed to like you.

- I know, and I liked her, too,

but my heart belongs to another, Mario.

- That does not mean you can't write a little song for her.

- Okay, how should that go?

You could say, uh...

¶ I want to create a million little pleasures in your heart ¶

¶ That will course through your soul ¶

¶ With explosions of ecstasy ¶

¶ I think, baby, maybe you were made for me ¶

- I will, I will get to work on the arrangement.

- That sounds familiar, maybe I...

- Maestro.

- Jerry? - Yeah.

- It's okay.

You got it.

You're gonna make it.

- Oh, come on, Mario.

- What, you don't think so?

- I think you're a little drunk.

- You aren't?

- No, I very much am.

- And even so, you don't think so?

- I mean, it's great to hear you say it.

- Nobody knows you,

better than you.

And you are not so sure.

- If I am not so sure?

- Then maybe I am less sure.

Buona notte

¶ Oh, baby, I think maybe you were made ¶

What song am I thinking of?

I hear this song.

Somewhere, but I like the little,

the little pleasures in your heart, that's good.

- "I regret to inform you."

Oh, no.

- What are you doing here? - Mrs. Stella, I'm so sorry.

- Get out!

- I'm sorry, I'm--

- Out!

Leave me alone!

- "To my beloved Anna, at our favorite time of year.

"October weather."

October weather, yeah.

October, uh.

When purple oak leaves fall.

When, when, when, when.

Yeah.

Leaves fall.

¶ October weather ¶

¶ That bright, blue weather ¶

- How dare you!

Who gave you the right?

- Mrs. Stella.

- This is personal property!

I should have you arrested, arrested!

- I am sorry, I did not-- - This is all I have left.

Do you understand?

- I'm very sorry. - No, you're not, you're not!

I hear you all, making fun of me, calling me names!

He was my best friend and now he's gone.

And I want him back.

You have no right, no right!

- It's a lovely a poem.

Oh, wow.

I wanted to thank you. - Quiet!

You say one word about this,

I will throw you out on your ear.

- "There is no joy, but calm."

Tennyson.

- Who am I teaching today?

- This is in the style of Wagner.

- No, not the Nazi.

Anything but the Nazi.

I would prefer The Marquis de Lafayette.

- You liked the Ravel the best?

- If you wanna put it that way.

Do you have anything else, Jerry?

- I have, uh--

- Oh, just play it.

Hey.

It's you!

It's good, hey, mind if I cut in?

- No, please.

- It's fun.

Hey, hey, we'll find a place for you tomorrow night!

It's supposed to be--

- Gershwin, of course.

Why you not bring me this sooner?

- You said he was just a tune writer.

- Yeah.

But what a tunes.

- I see why Jerry's such a heartbreaker now.

- Dad, what're you doin' here?

- I, uh, I was in town, thought I'd drop by.

- Is everything okay? - Oh, everything's fine.

I just wanted to see how you were doing.

Thought we might have some dinner.

Great setup you guys got here.

- We were just telling Abe about crazy head.

- Yeah, she does sound like a piece of work.

- Ah, she's not so bad.

- How come you never told us your father invented

the octopus plug?

- Ah, Jerry's not interested in the kind of work I do.

- Oh, come on, Jerry.

Apparently, there's good money in lighting.

- Wait till you see the Bowl.

So, um, you guys take care of yourselves

and good luck with that book, Ray.

- Luck is a fleeting mistress, Mr. Herst.

- Take care, Mr. Herst.

- Real good.

¶ Stay as sweet as you are ¶

¶ Don't let a thing ever change you ¶

¶ Stay as sweet as you are ¶

¶ Don't let a soul rearrange you ¶

- We've all had that dinner.

- What are you doing down here, kiddo?

- I'm living my life, dad.

- From where I sit, it looks more like

you're running away from your life.

- Maybe so.

I hope not.

What if this is the bravest thing I've ever done?

- I guess I don't see that.

We've seen a lot of bravery just lately and I don't wanna

hurt your feelings, son, but this is not that.

- It's not that, that's true.

So, how's it going with Peerless?

- We have the possibility to do the lighting

at the Hollywood Bowl.

- Pretty exciting, huh? - That's great, Dad, really.

- How are you fellas doing? - Ah, excellent, thank you.

- No.

- Your brother has done a heck of a job

with the business, we're thinking of expanding,

maybe open up plant down here, you could work part-time.

Hm?

- I don't know.

Think I'm just gonna keep at it, you know, full-time.

- Sure.

Sure.

- When does the GI bill...

- Until the middle of next year.

- Son.

The sweet little girl's face when she comes over to dinner.

- What about it?

- This is not the face of a girl who knows she's loved.

- That's a horrible thing to say.

- I'm not trying to be horrible,

but she waited for you, Jerry.

She stood by you.

I hope that you're not...

- What?

- Just going to...

- I'm not.

- Well, don't you think that she might

expect something in return?

- A return on her investment? - If you wish.

- Maybe not everyone has your quid pro quo mindset, dad.

- What is wrong with wanting

to make a good life for yourself?

- What if I wanna take my life and give it to something?

- What are you, guilty?

To have it?

They tried to wipe us out, Boychick, you remember this.

There are not many of us left.

Talk about giving.

Why don't you think about giving the world a baby or two?

- Dad?

- You don't think the sweet,

young girl, maybe not so young anymore,

you don't think that she thought that was in the cards?

- I think about it.

- Good, you think about it.

- Should I give those babies a father

who can't look in the mirror?

- What are you saying?

- I'm saying I have to do this, Dad.

- This teacher, this Italian, what does he think?

Does he think you have what it takes?

- I don't know.

- What about you?

What do you think?

- I don't know.

I know I have to find out.

- Tell me there's some goal in mind.

Tell me there's some metric to measure success by.

- You know what, Dad?

- What? - I just realized something.

- What is that?

- I do have a metric,

and that's the problem.

- Well, how long do you think this dream of yours can last?

- I'm trying to see if it can last forever.

- You are in the clutches of this marvelous augmented chord.

Ta-dum!

And the drama builds!

And then, kaput.

A major chord.

You drop all of the tension right there, why?

Now, you go to the trouble to grab us by the throat,

to shake us around a bit, you know?

'Cause you're afraid of being shaken and it's rattling

that precious brain of yours.

- Bye-bye, Mario.

cominciamo

- It's true, I mean, you have still got it.

And what you were playing there was incredible.

- Ah-- - It was, it was.

And I remember the time-- - Thank you.

- I remember the time when I would be dropping

Jerry Herst's name to get into parties.

- Nah. - Do you remember that?

Yeah, I was, I was. - It never happened.

Get out. - Yeah

I would drop your name to get the dames.

- Well, watch it, you're a one dame fella now, my friend.

- Hey, come here for a second.

You were at the top, you were number one.

We all looked up to you, and you just, you left.

Why?

What happened?

- What do you want me to tell you, Jess?

It didn't happen for me after that.

- Why not?

- Do you think there's always a reason, my friend?

Come on, let's go inside, huh?

- What's the occasion?

- Mario is scoring Rita Hayworth's new film,

Lady from Shanghai, and Mario wanted to thank you

for inviting him to the party by feeding you some dinner.

- Yes, and so, in their great wisdom,

the studio has decided that it would be a good idea to have

him write the music for the Lady from Shanghai himself.

Yes.

Yes, yes.

Orson Welles should act in,

and direct, and then write,

and now write the music.

It's doing too much.

- Well, he does seem to do everything else pretty well.

And he is married to Rita Hayworth.

- And that will make him a good composer, because,

as we all know, she's very well composed.

- That and he's a genius, uh, I'm, no offense.

- I'm sure Wells will realize he has to hire a composer.

- After the studio has wasted a good deal of time and money

first trying to make music for Americans

which is sentimental and empty and hostile.

But, now, Chopin.

He could compose.

And Bach.

He was a genius.

Ah, but Mozart.

He was a nice German.

Ah, Austrian.

And Brahms.

I don't know if I've ever mentioned, but,

I was often thought of as the Italian Brahms.

The Nazi!

- Who's the Nazi? - Wagner.

- Is that true? - I don't know.

- Well, I actually do understand

the studio's being a little bit cautious at the moment

as to what they put in movies and on the radio.

- I think they should be able to write

whatever they want in their movies.

- I agree with Pietro.

- Well, I do agree, but I just think right now,

there's a climate where they have to acknowledge what

messages are being put forth.

- Why?

- I'm a little surprised at you, Jess, yes, why?

Per favore, basta di parlare di politica al tavola.

- Jerry, um, how, how's the new piano concerto?

- It's going great, I'm enjoying it.

It's kind of Jazzy, kind of Gershwin-like.

- Really?

You know, they're doing all these musicals

over at MGM right now.

Maybe I could walk you in there and try and get you a job?

- Perfect.

Jerry writes a musical.

If he's not too busy practicing law, uh,

maybe he can swing some jingles together for you.

Jingle for the judge.

Jingle for the jury!

I have gone dry.

I get some more picante.

Chair.

-Jerry writes a musical!

Okay, here in this passage, where you mark the sostenuto.

You might want to express the slowing also in the tympani

and maybe andante, what you think?

- Yeah, okay.

- You don't seem quite yourself today, Jerry.

- I just have a lot on my mind.

- And if you'd like my advice--

- I wouldn't.

Can we just focus on the jingles?

- You're really quite upset, aren't you?

- Can you mind your own business, Mario?

- I can.

And I will.

Our lesson is over.

- I'm sorry I said that.

- It's quite alright, I have another student waiting.

Funny enough, his name is Jerry, too.

- I like the Mets.

- She got blue eyes, I don't know.

I go 100 for the redhead, that's what I'd say.

- 100 for the redhead? - Hey, man, that's her quote.

- Uh, excuse me, is one of you guys Gus?

- Yeah, I'm Gus, who wants to know?

- Yeah, I'm just wondering, are you guys

in need of a pianist?

- Why don't you take a hike, fella, get outta here.

- Okay. - Hold on a second, wait.

Come on over here.

Come here!

You any good?

¶ Well, there's joy over here ¶

¶ Well, the table is set ¶

¶ And the feast of the Lord is goin' on ¶

¶ Well, the joy over here ¶

¶ And the feast of the Lord is going on ¶

Oh, boy.

- What's that supposed to mean, "oh, boy?"

- It's a bad time, Sam.

- You're not happy to see me?

- Of course I am, come here.

Come here.

How's Claire? - Claire's great, yeah.

- How're the boys? - The boys are great, yeah.

- And the aunts? - Everybody's great, Jerry.

- Great.

- Everybody's been asking about you.

- So they encouraged you to check in?

- No!

No, look, I haven't been out of the suburbs in six months.

New Year's, notwithstanding, you know, it's uh,

it's a lot of pressure.

You know, sometimes it feels like the walls are closing in.

- Hey, listen, I have a gig tonight.

- A gig?

Whoa, look at mister big shot!

- It's just a dive downtown, but, you're welcome to come.

- Sure, Jerry, yeah.

- Yeah? - That's, that's fine.

- Nothing is more beautiful than the eggplant that's swollen

bruised, hanging heavy in the summer sun.

Defying the worms, this light nightshades history.

An aubergine mystery.

Arrival of the fittest, a butterfly flaps its wings

and the spring proves itself again.

The bluebells competing against the March sky.

I've seen God before, but he was deep, deep down

in the royal purple bottom of a wine glass.

This is not my America that I signed up for.

This America is a bird with two right wings

in a death spiral waiting to alight

upon the mountain of Fools Gold.

- That was somethin', that was, that was really somethin'.

I gotta tell ya.

- That was a good crowd tonight.

- Has dad seen you play?

I mean, I mean, like this?

That one babe at the bar, she was givin' you the eye.

She was.

- Yeah, I think I know which one you mean.

- Yeah.

You know, your girl.

She has dinner with us at least once a week.

- Okay, Sam. - Oh, she's a great gal.

That's all I'm saying. - I know.

- You love her?

- Yeah.

- You're losin' her.

You know, Dad says that you can't stay down here

in this dreamland forever, but...

I think that if you want to do that,

you can do that.

A lot of people do that, look around.

- Nice to know a grown man can make his own decisions.

- Hey, pal.

I have been carrying your weight for years, alright?

You're the older brother.

- You made your choice, Sam.

- What is that supposed to mean?

- You took the keys to the kingdom, you knew the trade off.

- Everyone just hates to see you struggle, that's all.

- That's the thing.

I'm not.

I'm freer and I'm a more alive than I have ever been.

- You sounded pretty damn good.

- I need to finish what I'm doing, Sam.

On my own terms.

That's what Mom would've wanted.

Tell Dad what I said word for word when you

report back to him. - It's not like that.

- It is like that.

Sam.

It's okay.

Really, I get it.

Come on.

I'll let you buy me a drink.

- One more.

- So tell me about this new movie.

Did you have to audition?

- No, this time, I think Stoloft felt so bad,

Orson Welles ended up hiring another composer on Shanghai

and, uh, wasted so much time and money,

he handed it to me on a silver platter.

- Do you think you'll get credit this time?

- Yes and they are also preparing a sponge bath for me.

- It's your work.

People should know.

- I know.

And that is enough.

- "The Loves of Carmen."

- I knew, when he brought you to that meeting,

that you were somethin' special.

Even though he put you in the back there, I knew.

- Well, thank you, sir.

- Well, we're gonna hire someone new

for the orchestration department,

and this is your application.

- "Ode to a Baked Bean."

- Yeah, I wrote it myself.

- Wow.

- Go ahead, sing a few bars, go on.

- Oh, uh, my falsetto stinks, Mr. Englehart.

- Alright, then just read it.

- Okay.

"My eyes are filled with admiration

"the moment you appear on the scene.

"Oh, tender morsel out of nowhere.

"Oh, lovely, luscious baked bean."

- Go on, go on.

- Okay.

"Delightful dish of immortal fragrance.

"I'm thrilled with your romantic sheen."

- Not bad, huh?

- Yeah, no.

- Alright.

Standard orchestration, string section, four pieces.

And, uh, what, are you just gonna memorize this?

- Sorry.

- Okay.

Woodwinds, horns, uh, two pieces each.

No tubas, they always sound like they're passin' gas.

Whatever percussion you would like,

just don't make it too elaborate, you got it?

- Sure.

- Okay, you have till the weekend.

If we choose you to join our orchestration team,

I'm gonna put you on the new Tarzan picture.

- Tarzan.

- Don't get precious, kid, everyone loves Tarzan.

- Do I get an get any screen credits?

¶ My eyes are filled with admiration ¶

¶ The moment you appeared on the scene ¶

¶ Oh, tender morsel ¶

¶ Out of nowhere ¶

¶ Oh, lovely, luscious ¶

¶ Baked bean ¶

Play eight more bars.

- So far, so good.

- Can you forget so soon

Can you?

- Go back to him.

Go on now, go back were you belong.

- Look at me, Josito.

- I thought you had strings, not brass.

- Mm.

No.

Not mine.

- I've spoken to you often of my master,

Ildebrando Pizzetti and, uh, I remember one time,

so clearly, when he said to me,

"Mario, I feel I can tell you anything."

- Oh, no.

- Why "oh, no?"

- "You're very musical and you have much talent."

- You parakeet, you memorize my little speeches I make?

Jerry.

You are waiting for your life to begin.

And and while you wait, time passes, it...

It passes.

You wonder.

"Do I have it?"

Is it here?

Is it there?"

What is "it?"

What is "it?"

I've been invited to, uh...

Become the director of the conservatory in Napoli.

- Wow. - Yes, wow.

- So, would you go to Italy now, how is it over there?

- It is better.

They held the elections and they were good.

You know, of course, my Clara, she, uh,

she's always so homesick.

- Speaking of Europe, do you remember that

letter of recommendation I asked you to write?

- Oh, you've been accepted, Jerry!

Congratulations.

And you will be studying with

the Grande Dame Madame Boulanger.

She's very demanding.

But you can learn a lot from her.

Well, perhaps I have underestimated

the extent of your commitment.

Chin-chin.

To eat. 1360

Allez-y commancé

Excusez Moi M'Sieur

Comme va tu l’énvier

Le cour est terminé

- Mr. Herst.

Oui,Mademoiselle

Colette.

Your work from last week.

It is very good.

Mercy, Mademoiselle

Is it yours?

- Mademoiselle?

- I think maybe you had some help?

- Mademoiselle!

- I should like for you to continue

the polyphonic progressions you have started.

Ah-ah.

Ici

- Right now? Absolutement

Vous avez trinte minute

I expanded the counterpoint.

I moved the progression through the circle of fifths

which essentially employees pandiatonicism.

I hope that's okay?

Will there be anything else, Mademoiselle?

- Dear Jerry.

My country is just a shadow of its formal self.

The people are all stuck on this old idea of life

that does not make sense anymore.

But they cannot conceive of a new one.

Everyone has been very friendly to me

but I see how much they hate and distrust one another.

It is true what they say.

You can never go home again.

If you look here.

- Yeah, it's the same.

They just copied it?

- Oh, no.

No, no, no, he, I assure you, cannot write a single note.

So, he hired some of his staff to do it for him.

- He directs the music department, why would he do that?

- So that he can put he studied with Tedesco on his resume.

Doesn't even have the courtesy to put my whole name.

Well, enough.

Let us examine the work of a real composer, hm?

This is splendid, Jerry!

Have you been working on this all this time?

- It'll be an orchestral suite.

- I think you need to reconsider this decision

to leave Hollywood behind.

You're still so young, you know?

- Englehart offered me a contract.

- Well, that is big news, Jerry.

- I turned it down.

- Well, now, I don't, I don't understand.

Why on earth would you turn it down?

It's everything you wanted, isn't it?

To earn your living as a musician?

To, to have your talent appreciated?

- It was.

- Well, what will you do now?

- Play jingles.

When I'm not practicing law.

- Jerry, I hope...

A foolish remark I make when I am upset and I've had

too much to drink doesn't make a decision for you.

Because the fact is, maybe,

Hollywood needs young voices.

- Come on, to write Tarzan and the Cheetah People?

- Hey, No, no, no, it's a start.

- Mario.

I can't spend my life waiting for people who I don't respect

to give me their approval.

- Hm.

Okay.

That is fair enough.

- Hey.

How is it to be back in the theater?

- It's good.

You know, they, uh...

They criticize me because I put beautiful sounds

into Shylock's mouth.

- That's good?

- When I left, they were killing all the Shylocks.

So, I have to see it as improvement.

- You have a point.

- I think, at least,

the worst is surely over.

- And perhaps, the best is yet to be.

- Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco died on March 16th 1968.

Two weeks before his 73rd birthday.

He worked as a composer on hundreds of Hollywood movies.

And he received screen credit on seven.

As for me, I wrote one song that got into the movies.

Tarzan The Fearless.

I didn't get credit for it, either.

Some of us don't go on to do great things.

But if we're lucky, we do small things with great love.