Original subtitles

Who can turn the world on with her smile?

Who can take a nothing day and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile?

Well, it's you, girl, and you should know it.

With each glance and every little movement you show it, love is all alone,

need to waste it. You can never tell, why don't you take it?

You're gonna make it after all.

You're gonna make it after all.

Now,

Ted, I don't want you to make a big deal out of this. We're trying to do

something really tricky.

We're trying to make you look like a working newsman.

All right.

What's going on?

Well, the station manager ordered some new promos for the 6 o 'clock news.

Okay, Ted, okay.

All you have to do is pull a copy off the teletype, walk over to the desk,

up the phone... and pretend somebody's calling in a big story.

Got it?

Okay, let's shoot it. Give me that.

It makes me feel more like a man.

Ted, why don't you try typing?

Okay.

T, T, T, T.

Kurt! Hey, there's a four -arm fire downtown.

Will you hold it down? Newsmen are working.

Four -arm?

I just remembered I have a previous engagement.

What engagement? And make it good.

Oh, I have to pay my last respects to my closest friend.

One day, laughing, joking, eating, and the next, the old happy hunting ground.

It was tragic.

But why cry over spilled milk?

and I just had to come over and tell you about it.

You know how you said you had nothing planned for this weekend?

Yeah. Let's go to New York.

New York? Yeah. You're kidding.

No, I'm serious. We'll take in a couple of shows, you know, go shopping. See the

ballet. Eat some great food. Go to a wedding.

My sister's wedding. Now, Mary, you'll be having such a great time. Surely you

can spare an hour to come to my little sister's wedding. Yeah, sure.

Great. Oh, but I must warn you about one thing.

My parents will be there. Oh.

who must be exhausted.

Oh, no, not really.

Hey, Pop, could we come in, please?

She said hotel in our house. Mary, I'm surprised at you, Mary. I'm going to go

down to the cab.

I'm going to get your bag and I'm going to pay the cab fare. Oh, no, no. How

much would you like me to tip? Never mind. I'll figure it out myself.

No, but I've got a room all reserved with a view of the park.

Oh, Mary, you don't want to see what goes on in that park.

Where's Debbie?

She's out.

But it's all right. She's engaged.

She's got till 1 .30.

Mary, you are going to have a wonderful time. I know.

Let me take you on a little tour.

Let's see. Oh, we'll start with the mantle.

You will never in a million years guess who is in this photo.

Rhoda!

Yeah, right.

Oh, yeah, that's me, all right. When I just reached the age of not dating.

Mary,

I want you to come in with me to the

guest room.

I'm imposing. I'm going to be in your way.

Nonsense. We'll be in your way.

Mr. Morgenstern, where's my makeup case?

What makeup case? The cab driver said this was all.

Uh -oh.

Don't worry. Don't worry.

New York cab drivers always return everything.

Listen, I'm really sorry, but I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll call him the

first thing in the morning.

Oh, thank you. Listen, I'm going to have to borrow some things, though. What?

Let's see. Toothbrush, toothpaste.

Hair rollers, nightgown. Hair rollers, nightgown. So what did you have left to

pack in here?

I got some Chinese pajamas that Martin bought me three years ago that I've

worn. They're in there in the break front in a gift wrap package.

Come on, let's leave the girls alone. Yes, yes. Good night, girls.

Good night. Sleep tight and don't let the bedbugs bite.

Good night, Bob.

That's a joke.

a Christian.

Oh, you look at this scribbling. Oh, kid, I remember every night sitting with

this diary, writing and smoking.

Writing and smoking. Hey, I didn't know you ever smoked. Are you kidding?

At PS 142, everybody smoked. It was required.

That's what PS meant, people smoking.

Oh, Rhoda, and do you remember parties on Friday night, and the boys were

afraid to ask you to dance, and so... Girls had to dance with each other.

in those days, even the girls wouldn't ask me to dance.

Hey,

listen. February 23rd.

Today, my mother came in my room, sat me down, and whispered that a wonderful

thing was going to happen to me.

Once a month.

home is always a little... Well, her younger sister getting married, that's

tough, but Martin and I are so grateful that you're going to be here to support

Rhoda in her time of real hurt.

No, Mrs. Morgenstern, Rhoda isn't hurt.

That Debbie is getting married?

No, no, can't you see how happy she is? Ah, she covers.

She's unhappy because she thinks that I think that Rhoda should be getting

married. Oh, that's not true.

It is true.

I do think Rhoda should be married.

Rhoda knows me.

She knows there's a pain in my heart this weekend because she's not getting

married. And it's hard to convince Rhoda that the pain is not there.

Because there isn't anybody on this block that doesn't know that that pain

there.

That's why we've decided not to talk about the wedding or dwell on it. Debbie

won't mind. I mean, she's getting married. She won't know what's going on.

But the point... is not to hurt Rhoda. Martin agrees with me, don't you,

Oh, yes.

You see, what we'll do, Mary, is we'll play down the whole thing.

See, it'll be a Sunday just like any other Sunday, except there'll be a

ceremony we don't usually go to, and 350 people will be coming to dinner. That's

the best way to handle it. No, Mrs.

Morgenstern, listen to me, because I'm going to tell you the truth.

Rhoda is delighted that Debbie is getting married. She is delighted.

I mean, it never even...

to be upset because Rhoda is very happy with her life. So, Mrs.

Morgenstern, I am telling you, as Rhoda's best friend, who knows her

anybody else, she is thrilled that Debbie is getting married, okay?

Mary, butt out.

Well, it's going to be a big weekend, right, Deb? Of course it's a big

How many times has her sister come to visit, right?

Ma, that's ridiculous. I'm talking about the wedding.

Yeah, the wedding. Listen, today a lot of people get married, but a lot of

people don't have a sister.

Deborah, I haven't seen your wedding dress yet. You know that? It's white.

But listen, has anybody noticed how thin Rhoda's getting?

Martin, what about that? That's right. But then she was always thin to me.

Even when she was fat, she was thin.

Isn't it lovely how many topics a close family has to talk about? Oh, yes.

Fat, thin, dresses, white.

Hey, Rhoda, we'd better be going. The wedding rehearsal starts pretty soon.

what rehearsal? You don't have to go to a rehearsal. Aunt Rose can stand in for

you.

I mean, that's silly. Go have fun with your friend Mary.

I'm trying. Why don't you go shopping? You'll take in a matinee.

Wait, folks, look. I am going to that rehearsal, okay?

Rhoda, don't be so stubborn. Go to a show.

Look, what do you need a rehearsal for? You'll wing it.

Yeah, Debbie won't mind, will you, Deb?

Sure.

If you want to wing my wedding, we can wing it.

Excuse me.

Mary?

Debbie's wedding will somehow make me happy. Yeah, I know. She told me.

There's only one thing I can do. I gotta leave.

Rona, you don't believe what I'm hearing.

Mary. I mean, you dragged me here to New York.

But, Debbie, they're making it terrible for her.

I mean, this is the most important thing in the kid's life, and my mother is

ignoring it.

You're sitting on my coat.

I know.

Get up.

No.

Okay, Mayor, you're right. I'm being crazy. I mean, I'm going to...

Once you've got your mind made up, you don't switch that easily.

All right, I give up.

Off day.

Rhoda? Yeah, kid?

Is something wrong with Mom?

Well... What do you mean?

Well, she just told me not to act too happy at my wedding.

Hey,

Martin. Martin, take a look.

Do you ever see such a beautiful bride?

Hey, Daddy, what do you think?

Honey, you look beautiful.

But I'll show you somebody else who's going to look beautiful.

Here you are.

What are you talking, Morgenstern? You're gorgeous.

I'm putting on my...

Could be Debbie here that's making the mistake, you know.

Tell me, why is Rhoda leaving?

Oh, well, Mrs.

Morgenstern, I think you're talking to the wrong person.

Why don't you ask Rhoda? Did you ever try and ask her anything and get a

straight answer from this?

Too late, Ma. Mary already knows about the wonderful thing that happens once a

month.

I'm sorry.

Goodbye. Rhoda, listen, I want to talk to you. No, Mary, stay.

Yes, stay, Mary. I want you to stay.

I want you to be the judge of this.

Now sit. Judge or sit. So sit.

Okay, why do you think I'm leaving? Ten to one, you're wrong.

You're leaving because you're hurt that Debbie's getting married.

Ma, listen to me, please.

I am leaving because you have the crazy idea that if you make Debbie's wedding a

disaster, I'll be happy.

I can smell trouble a mile off. What's going on in here?

Well, they're having a talk, and I really think they should be left alone.

Then why are you here?

I'm the judge.

was never your favorite. Debbie was.

That's true.

But you were your father's favorite.

And then about the time you moved, well, your father and Debbie got very close.

And so for the past five years while you've been out in Minneapolis, although

you didn't know it, you've been my favorite.

Except for those two weeks when your father and I came to visit you and then

was okay because you were your father's favorite.

Are you finished, Ma?

Yes. Okay.

You can go.

But before you leave, I want to give you something.

Maybe after you've read this, you'll understand your mother a little better.

To be read by my darling daughter on the day of her wedding. This is for Debbie.

No, it's for you. I wrote it the day you were born.

Some mothers would just have rested after such an exhausting day.

Oh, Mary.

You read it, will you? She reads it. She'll probably cry.

see who won't cry.

Sit.

Read.

Dear Marsha. Who's Marsha?

That's you. It's a name your father hated.

Dear Marsha, as you are reading this letter, I see you standing in your white

gown and veil.

Well, this certainly has been a big day.

My mother wants me to name you Rhoda, but I told her that I refuse to let her

run my life anymore, Marsha.

Oh, gee, you're so cute.

Dark hair, dark eyes.

I know you'll be lovable because we are a lovable family.

Do I see tears?

No. I just knew you'd be a girl.

God has been good to me.

The nurses haven't been so nice, but God...

Getting late.

Uh -oh.

The letter.

Someone once said, a son is a son till he has a wife, a daughter the daughter

all of her life.

I hope this is true for us because tonight my imagination is running wild.

When you are sweet 16, I want you to have a dancing party with an orchestra.

Do you need this?

Well, it'll be right here when you do need it.

And when you are married, I want you to have the most gorgeous wedding in the

whole world with even a bigger orchestra.

I hope by then we will be able to afford those things.

Right now, we can't even afford you.

Here I already have you married, and you haven't even had your first meal yet.

Dear daughter, I love you very much.

And even if... And even if

I have ten more children, you will still be my favorite because you were my

first.

Love and kisses, your mother.

Oh, Ma.

Rhoda, please, you know how I hate it when you cry.

Will you, ma 'am? We're trying to film here.

How's New York?

Well, I didn't really get to see too much of New York. Hey, what are they

Didn't they get this promo on Friday? Well, we have to do it over. That fire

went to turned out to be a false alarm.

But if we ever need film of Ted asking a fire chief if he can ring the bell,

we've got it.

You ready, Ted?

Ready, LG.

Really good.

I don't smile at me when I say good.

Good, Ted. Good, Ted.

Ring, ring.

Ring, ring.

Oh, that's perfect, Ted.

That's wonderful.

Now just hang up the phone and go get your trench coat.