Original subtitles

Oh, Lester, you have no idea what a joy it is not to have to watch where I step.

Doesn't take a lot to make you happy, does it, sugar?

Good morning. Can I help you?

Yes, Mr. and Mrs. Lester Hooten.

Oh, yes, Mr. Hooten. Mr. McDermott asked that you call the minute you arrive.

Good. Where are your house phones?

Darling, do you suppose we could wait until we get to the room and wash the

off before you men start stumbling down the back roads of your youth?

Yeah, sure.

Thank you. Do you suppose he'll mind?

Who? Peter.

Mind what?

Well, you know that I tagged along.

Seeing you again just might make his day, pumpkin.

Well, some of these ideas are very interesting.

Some? Oh, but honestly, Mrs. Cabot, there are a few here that aren't going

very popular.

For instance?

Well, for instance, moving the early housekeeping shift forward an hour.

You see, most of those women are married and have small children. They like

coming in early so they could go home by three o 'clock.

I never thought of that.

You know what the trouble is?

I have lost touch with the people who really run this hotel.

The workers.

Don't you think you should be somewhat removed from us worker bees?

The captain of a ship doesn't stoke the furnace.

I know, but when my father was teaching me the hotel business, I had to do

everything. I waited tables, I made the beds, I even cooked.

That's what I need to do.

Cook?

No.

Get back in touch.

Can I have a credit card, please?

Credit this against my bill.

Never could get used to going on the cuff.

Drives my business manager crazy.

Shoot a little nine ball, mister? Buck a game? Peter!

You look terrific.

I like the beard. Bet the ladies do, too. Well, the years haven't been too

on you, huh?

Lester yet?

Uh, Lester Hooten checked in yet, Julie?

Uh, yes. They checked in a little while ago.

They?

Mister and missus.

You suppose Tracy doesn't trust Lester out in the big city all by himself?

What a pleasant surprise.

Don't con me.

You're thinking another minute or two, and you could have been out the door.

No, Mother, not true. I was just, uh... I was just going over those insurance

papers. Darling, there's something I want you to do for me.

What's that, Mother?

I just left my friend Betty Mincer. Her daughter Dorothy is arriving at the St.

Gregory today.

Is she the one who digs around in bones and things?

The archaeologist, yes.

Oh, yes. I never met her. No matter.

I've arranged for you to look her up for dinner tonight.

Mother, I already have an engagement.

Well, you just have to postpone it.

She'll only be there for the weekend, going off to Africa, some such place.

Mother, you can't do this to me. Of course I can, Ashley.

I already have.

I don't have that much of you.

Besides, you wouldn't want me to be late with your next allowance check, would

you, darling?

Bye -bye.

I believe you have a reservation for Dorothy Minster.

Thank you, Mother.

I'm Beth Hiller, Miss Minster's assistant.

She'll be arriving a little late, and I got concerned about the room.

Everything's in order. We'll make sure to hold it.

Now, where were we? Okay, let's see.

Now, reservations feeds all of the information into the disk in each of the

terminals.

I see.

Billy, what if the mayor were to walk in right now?

I bet you'd get one of the better sweets.

Okay, now when a guest announces himself, say, Smith, you just enter it.

Okay.

I got one!

603. Now, now, now, what would you do? Okay, well, 11 is the code for sold, so

you just... Okay.

Let's see.

Uh -oh.

Oh, what did I do?

Listen, my, uh, my finger slipped.

I get the S and that one there.

Oh, uh, well, that was the code for restart.

Oh, is that bad?

Uh, we've, uh, lost the memory for the S's for today's check -in.

Oh, Storm.

Roger, Storm. I have a reservation.

How is Borshak?

Biology, too.

Well,

20 years ago today, they turned us loose on the world.

I'm glad we kept our promise, guys.

You know, we never should have let so much time go by.

Well, Lester and I almost got together a couple of times, but we kept missing

each other, and we never could find you.

What are you talking about?

Addresses in Nassau, Australia, Alaska.

What do you do, anyway?

The Dreyer Development Company.

That's me.

Buys big chunks of land and sells it to the masses in little bitty pieces.

Nothing to it.

You know, Tracy and I read about you marrying an actress in the paper.

What's her name?

Adrienne?

Yeah, how come you didn't bring her along?

Well, I thought it was boys' night out.

Tracy didn't see it that way.

Well, it sounds like you made it big, Helen.

I'm glad.

Well, you just got to know where the frontiers are.

No, I envy you.

I get about as far as Kansas City every year.

Oh, poor Lester.

When he moseys out on his back veranda, he's got to stare at the same 14 ,000

acres every day.

How many heads you got, Les? 1 ,000?

1 ,742.

You see, Les sits around getting rich while the bulls do all the work.

It's quite a place you've got here, Peter.

It is mine. I just, uh... Oh, you're running the show, right?

General manager?

Not too shabby. Excuse me, Peter. I'm sorry to interrupt your reunion, but the

bank messenger's here.

Oh, Christine Francis, my administrative assistant.

This is Lester Hooten. Nice to meet you.

Thank you.

Sorry to interrupt.

No problem.

A beautiful creature spoken for.

Now we know why you left Adrienne at home.

Planning a little away game?

Hello, Dorothy.

Ashley Bennett.

Dorothy, Mother asked me to give you a call, but I've come down with this

terrible rash on my feet.

You have some things that need pressing? Yeah, they're right in on the bed.

Dorothy, it's not that you're not attractive.

I... Are you all right, sir?

Yeah, I will be as soon as I can think of plan B.

Well, if there's anything I can do... What do you do when you're double

Double -booked? Yeah.

Two engagements, same evening, different women.

It should only happen to me.

You're right.

It should.

My friend, you're in the right place at the right time. How would you like to

make $500?

Doing what?

Escorting a charming young woman to dinner tonight.

Mister, for $500, I'd grill steaks for the lady in the middle of the Golden

Bridge, but I'm working.

Till when?

Nine o 'clock.

Couldn't you get someone to fill in for you?

Where am I going to find a replacement on this short notice?

No way, John, this is crazy. What if Connors from personnel sees him? Just

close to him, will you, Dave? I mean, how much trouble can you get into? It's

only for a couple of hours.

All right.

All right.

We've got a bigger problem. If this Dorothy Mincer person is a friend of the

family, how am I supposed to convince her I'm you? I don't know anything about

you. It's simple.

I'm a completely shallow person.

I can tell you everything there is to know about me before we reach the top of

the stairs.

But I thought this was strictly a stay agreement.

Must have brought his wife, so Hal said he'd try and get a date.

Sure. I'd love to join you and your friends.

Good.

Is anything wrong?

You seem sort of down.

When we were in college, we did everything together.

We played together, we studied together, we got in trouble together, chased

after the same women.

Meeting at the St. Gregory was my idea.

Because I just wanted to play host.

Now that they're here, it seems kind of hollow.

You know, nothing's ever as wonderful as we think it's going to be.

The good part is, nothing's ever as bad as we think either.

Al and Lester are doing great.

Lester has this ranch about the size of Rhode Island.

A wife and three good -looking sons.

Hal has businesses all over the world, married, penthouse on the east side.

If he's so happily married, why is he looking for a date?

Someone to fill in the blanks.

Peter, being the general manager of the finest hotel in this city is quite an

achievement. I know.

I know, but for the first time in a very long while, I feel like I haven't done

much with my life.

Look, Ashley, why don't you let me take the next guest and you watch what I do?

David, relax.

I've been in and out of enough hotels to know what this job is all about.

Step aside, my friend. I have to start somewhere.

Hi, Mincer. Dorothy Mincer. Do you have a reservation for me?

Mincer?

You mean she's the one you, uh...

I even think the sea air makes me feel better. Tracy, that's enough.

You made your point. Now quit harping on it.

On what?

That I love the city?

That I enjoy being with people who have more to talk about than the cost of

cattle feed?

I'm sorry.

Me too.

We're here now.

Just don't spoil it.

Lester, I have pleaded with you for years to get away from the ranch so we

spend some time together.

You've always had an excuse.

But you make a schoolboy pledge 20 years ago to meet some pals, and wild horses

couldn't keep you away. Now, how am I supposed to feel?

I think you've been looking forward to seeing one of my pals.

As much as I have.

Have you got any rocks?

Oh, yes, actually, I do.

Hello?

Oh, hello, Ashley.

Yes, yes, Mother told me you'd be calling.

I made a reservation in the Carlisle at 8.

Fine. I'll meet you there.

You don't sound too excited about your dinner companion.

An arranged date with the family near do nothing.

You are?

Yeah. I hope you don't think this too forward of me, but

perhaps later on this evening when I get off work we could...

What

would you like, sir?

A perfect Rob Roy, please.

Best Manhattan I've had in years.

Look, I'm sorry to get you through this little inconvenience, but it looks like

I'm going to be able to handle my obligation to Miss Minster after all.

You got a look at her, did you? I beg your pardon?

No dice, Ashley. A deal's a deal.

You're right.

You're absolutely right.

I'll tell you the full amount that we agreed on.

I went out on a limb for you. You can't just waltz in here and pull the plug.

Look, I could simply tell her who you are, you know.

The truth?

The whole truth?

Do you think there'd be any future for you two if I told her what you did?

And what if I told your mother?

Now, shouldn't you be down at the desk? I am on duty, you know.

to see you, Tracy. Oh, you look wonderful.

Were your ears burning earlier, Peter? I was saying that suite you put aside for

me has everything but a warm woman.

We have a very nice double.

I think Lester's decided that he wants to give the impression that he's

I'm sorry your wife couldn't come too, Mr. Dreyer.

Hal, okay.

She's at Sotheby's in London buying some bronzes. Anyway, the weekend is young.

What's that supposed to mean?

Well, Adrian and I have an understanding.

I'm envious of you, Peter. You wouldn't happen to have an opening on your staff,

would you?

Tracy.

Just a little fantasy, Lester.

You must thank the world of our boy, Christine. Putting in a full day's work

with him, then going out on the town, too.

Yes, I do.

I have a terrible case of the Gilts.

This was supposed to be a stag weekend.

Oh, don't be silly, Tracy. I'm glad you came.

Well, I'll second that. As the only unattached man, at least for the moment,

like to say I'm delighted that these lovely ladies have joined us.

So everybody's standing around watching, right?

The guy takes the bet.

Stoop over, put my hands under my feet, and stand there for five minutes, right?

Standing on my hands.

You know, you're awfully pretty for a lady who trowels around in the mud.

And you are not anything like what I've been warned.

Oh, why?

Mother said you were rich and spoiled and, um, directionless.

Well, always listen to your mother.

I think it's all an act.

You do?

Mm -hmm.

I'll bet that beneath that jet -set exterior lurks the heart of a very

man.

You know, your mother wasn't entirely correct. I do have a direction.

Oh, what's that?

To spend the rest of the evening with you.

Christine, you and Peter make a gorgeous couple.

Well, we're not exactly a couple.

Whatever it is.

I envy you.

Oh, not just Peter.

It's your work here, San Francisco.

You know, you remind me of myself a while back. I had everything in front of

And then I discovered sex with Lester in college.

Well, he seems like a very nice guy.

Very successful.

Well, no matter how big it is.

A cow pasture is still a cow pasture.

David, I'll bet you my arms are two inches longer.

Hang in there. Relief will be here soon.

Front, please.

It's north of Kona. It's got 13 miles of beach. As soon as we get the trees

cleared, we're going to put in an airstrip, cottages.

Excuse me.

I know this is none of my business, but isn't this supposed to be social?

Enough business talk.

Why don't you dance with Tracy, Peter?

She's not going to be happy until you do.

Well, I guess I better seize the moment, Christine.

Come on, I don't bite.

I wouldn't count on that.

I've missed you, Peter.

I've missed the old days. I never should have taken no for an answer from you.

You've done pretty good for yourself.

You're right.

A girl can't have everything, can she?

suppose if I challenged Peter to a duel that he'd fight for you?

Why don't we go back to discussing your land development?

Does that mean he has exclusivity?

I don't belong to anyone.

That's the best news I've had all night.

This isn't turning out the way it was supposed to.

You're telling me.

You were supposed to be a quick steak and salad before I flew off to Africa.

Oh, that's flattering.

Hang on a second.

I have resigned. I

want my sweet back. Don't spoil everything now. Think about your mother.

You're going to spend the night with her, aren't you?

Under an assumed name. Hey, you got me into this, remember?

Where am I supposed to sleep?

Room 204. Your bags are already there.

But...

Everything

all right?

Oh, oh, yeah. The valet just lost a pair of my shoes. Now, where did we leave

off?

I was about to remind you how late it's getting.

Well, don't say you're going to leave.

I have to. I have a grant from the universe.

No, I mean now.

I feel like if I let you out of my sight, I'll never see you again.

Was it wonderful, Tracy?

Did he help you to recapture the memory of your youth?

Lester, stop.

Don't you think you've had enough of those?

No, I don't.

Hope you don't mind me borrowing Christine for a little whirl, Peter.

Of course not.

Guess you gotta be pretty careful about your social life after that nasty time

you had down in New Orleans.

That's ancient history, Al.

What's he talking about?

The time he got caught in a sack with the wife of that city councilman who was

working at a hotel down there. Remember?

Ever heard about this?

Yeah, you did. They ran him out of town.

It's pretty heavy stuff.

Ellis, Pete, was it worth it?

I sure wish you didn't have to go tomorrow.

Why don't you come with me?

I'll put you to work numbering bones.

It's time you started working for a living.

Oh, you think so, huh?

Excuse me.

All right.

John. What do you want?

John, you've got to get down there. The bell cabin's looking all over for you.

Cover for me, will you, Dave? Tell him I called in sick. Tell him anything.

John, John, there's no...

Well, I think we both have things to do, so I guess I'd better get myself

together. Well, why don't we meet later on for lunch? We'll talk.

Where? At my apartment.

You have an apartment here in the city?

Oh, sure.

I'm just living in hotels all the time. It starts to get tiring.

I'll write down the address for you.

You're on.

You've been here at the St. Gregory quite a long time, haven't you,

Seventeen years come this February.

Housekeeping.

You, uh, you put both your children through college, didn't you? Just one so

far. My youngest boy, Henry, is booming around here for a while. He wants to

find himself.

Oh, here, let me help you with that.

I don't mean to be disrespectful, Mrs. Cabot, but would you please get your

hands off my bed?

We've all got our jobs to do around here.

I've been stripping this bed for all those 17 years now, and I'll keep on

it as long as the good Lord lets me.

Now, I don't know too much about what you do.

But whatever it is I believe it's somewhere up on the top floor where it

should be.

I understand.

I was young. It was my first job.

Assistant manager.

I had no idea she was married.

Peter, it's all right.

It's one stupid mistake, and it ruined me for a long time.

I had to go to Europe to get a job.

You don't have to explain.

Look, we all have little dark spots we soon forget.

Do you get enough of each other during the week?

Sorry about last night.

I guess we all had a little too much John Barleycorn to drink.

You don't need to feel that way.

You two will excuse me. I'm going to go fix myself a pen.

I shouldn't have been jabbing Tracy about you

a whole world ago.

Well, there's never much to it, Les. I don't know what she told me. I know, I

know.

She can't let go of it.

Maybe it's what you represent. I don't know.

Lately, all she can think of to do is make dumb jokes about what a great catch

you would have been.

I'm losing her, Pete.

She's the most important thing in the world to me.

I'm losing her.

I can't be like you.

You're really one contradiction after another, you know that?

Ashley Bennett, an artist.

You really do have direction.

Dorothy, there are a lot of things about me you don't know.

Oh, that sounds ominous.

Come here.

Well, I'll understand if last night was just, well, last night, but

there are a lot of things that have to get out into the open.

Are you sure you can't get away for a month? We could learn all about each

eating grapes on the banks of the Nile.

It isn't that simple.

Then I don't want to hear about it.

If I can't get you to come with me, then don't say anything that'll spoil our

last few hours.

Good serve, Christy.

13 -6.

We need a handicap. You two have an unfair advantage.

How's that?

Your partner has great legs. How am I supposed to concentrate on the game?

That's it.

You play with him if you want.

Hey, wait a minute. It was just a joke.

No. It's no joke.

If you want to act like an over -the -hill teenager, fine. I don't.

I'm tired of your oversexed mouth and your underdeveloped manners.

She's got more than a good pair of legs, doesn't she?

A little peace offering for Beth. I was supposed to meet her an hour ago.

I guess I must have other things on my mind, huh?

Duh. Miss Bennett!

What a nice surprise.

Oh. Have you and Ashley been enjoying yourselves?

Oh, it's been wonderful.

Do you have any idea where he is?

There's no answer in his room, and I wanted to surprise him.

But this... I'm pleased to meet you, Mrs. Bennett.

John Kolzak. I'm a sculptor.

I pay my rent working as a bellman here in the hotel.

Now, wait just a minute. Miss Dorothy, please, let me... Hello, Mother!

Your timing is... Lousy as usual.

I am Ashley Bennett.

Have I been enjoying myself?

You certainly have.

Listen, Dorothy, please, let me... If you'll excuse me, I have a date tomorrow

with a 2 ,000 -year -old tomb. I think I'm going to find the company far more

civilized.

What have you done this time?

leg, lady.

Cocktail party in hell, sweet and sour.

I'll see you at Leicester.

You go.

Be with your friend.

Nice chance to spend a few hours in the old place.

What you came here for, isn't it? No.

Why do you keep waving him in my face?

Leicester, I don't want to go on like this.

What's that supposed to mean?

It means I need... I need to be away from you right now.

I'm thinking of staying on here for a while.

Children can join me.

Stay with you whatever they want.

Lester, I feel like I'm dying.

Suffocating little by little. There is nothing for me to do. My days are... so

predictable.

It's not a life for me, Lester.

It's existing.

You know, everything I've ever done has been for you and the boy.

Everything.

Now it seems like the very thing I worked so hard to create is destroying.

Not exactly the way our last night was supposed to go, is it?

What happened to Christine?

She, uh, wasn't feeling well.

You know, I've always considered myself to be a lucky man.

Everything seemed to drop in my lap.

Doing what I loved.

Plenty of money, beautiful wife, great kids.

It's all disintegrating like so much cotton candy.

Maybe Tracy's dreams were different.

Maybe she didn't know what they were until now.

You know, if I were you, Les... Save the wisdom, will you, Hal?

You've got yourself all figured out.

You just let things happen around you. You're gonna let your marriage fold as

there's nothing you can do.

There is nothing I can do.

Les, you've had 20 years of calling the shots.

Why not tell her you're ready to do 20 more, only this time on her terms?

I wish I could say it's been a swell weekend.

Come on, Pete.

Lighten up.

I got to learn not to expect too much from you, Hal.

That way I'll never be disappointed.

Look, I'm sorry about Christine.

You know, you always came out on top with the women. I guess I needed to see

anything had changed.

Yeah, well, maybe if Adrian had been able to come... Look, there is no

She left me two years ago.

I'm sorry.

There's no dryer development company anymore.

There's no land deal in Kona.

I paid cash for this suite because I can't get credit anymore. I kept getting

in deeper and deeper until I just couldn't outrun it.

I'm a failure, Pete.

I was voted man

most likely.

What a laugh.

Everything that I have ever touched has turned to dust.

Mark, have you seen Miss Cabot? Yeah, she's down in the employee lounge.

Employee lounge?

Yeah, she's in a hot bridge game with some of the beltmen. Oh, and Megan?

She's already taken your husband for a buck eighty -five.

I called the boys and told them we won't be home tomorrow.

We? I'm going to stay on, too.

I've got a lot invested in this marriage.

I'm not going to let it drift away without a fight.

I won't be damned angry if you're not willing to put out the same effort.

Seeing Pete and Hal again after all this time has made me realize just how

childish looking backward is.

I almost didn't see you standing there beside me.

Lester, it's more than that.

I know.

Been in San Francisco for two days and we haven't done a thing together. I

just by ourselves.

Say tomorrow we're tourists and we go and ride the cable cars together.

I really don't think that's going to make any difference, Lester.

We've got next week, next month.

Do something different with his life every seven years.

I'm long overdue.

While we're riding the cable cars, we can talk about what to do with the

Lester, I couldn't let you give up something you love so much.

That's what I am trying not to do.

I love you, Tracy.

Everything else can go on the block.

I went to have sweet looking for you.

What brought you back?

I promised I'd go.

I didn't want it on my record that I canceled our date.

Well, what do you say we get down to the wharf for a bucket of clams?

I don't know.

Just the two of us?

Then you're on.

Ashley, you've always been irresponsible, lazy, short -sighted, a

cad.

I know that, Mother.

And now you want me to do this.

Tit for tat.

Well, you may be many things, son, but I think I've learned something new about

you. This morning.

What's that, Mother?

That in spite of your lack of initiative, in spite of everything,

you do have a heart.

Oh, Mrs. Cabot.

Well, how's it going, mingling with the working class?

Wonderfully. I just spent the nicest morning with this young busboy, Carlos.

And I told him I wanted to learn all about what he did here at the hotel.

Mr. Scottwood?

Carlos, we were just talking about you.

Some of the boys and I were thinking about what you said this morning.

It was all right. We'd like to come upstairs and see you after work.

I beg your pardon?

Well, we want to show the same initiative as you have.

We want to learn all about how the hotel operates from the executive level.

Carlos,

you know...

I'm not sure that... I'll give you a ring later. See what's a good time, eh?

Gotta run.

Getting in touch with the employees has a downside, doesn't it?

You have no idea what a lucky girl you are.

My son can be a dear, but essentially he's a boob.

He makes all his decisions from the waist down.

I'm sure that has to be picked.

Excuse me.

Thank you for coming, young man.

I know I'm interfering again, but you have to humor me, because I'm old.

Dorothy Mincer.

This is John Colesack.

John. Dorothy.

Now, you both can start all over again.

By the way, this was Ashley's idea.

He may be a boob, but he's also a hopeless romantic.

Just like his mother.

Do you suppose there's any way I can make up for acting like such a jerk?

I'm leaving in an hour. I guess we'll never know.

Well, now, if that offer is still open, I'm pretty handy with a pick and shovel.

I have people to do that.

Besides, you're a sculptor, not a laborer.

You'd make a wonderful subject.

Maybe I could sculpt while you dig.

It gets pretty hot in North Africa.

Yeah, well, I'll bring a pair of shorts.

John, you've been a real rat.

Yeah, I know.

But I think I'm falling in love with you.

If you tell John I won't allow him to give this back, remind him of how many

pounds of clay you can buy for $500. But why don't you?

Yoo -hoo, Ashley.

Because, Mother, I'm busy.

Oh,

good luck.

Let him speak.

Lester is taking me on a long cruise.

A second honeymoon.

No children, no cows.

Let's not wait another 20 years before we get together again, okay?

You got it, partner.

Where can I find you?

My brother's got a car dealership in Tucson.

For the longest time, he's been bugging me to go and help him out.

I'm going to take him up on it. Deal -making on a smaller scale, but steady.

You take good care of our boy, okay?

Come on.

Bye -bye. See ya.

The grass wasn't so green in the other guy's pasture, was it?

Al was right about one thing.

What's that?

We do have great legs.