Original subtitles

Previously on L .A. Law.

Mr. Becker, am I correct in assuming that you're interested in entering into

some sort of romantic relationship with me?

Possible inappropriateness of such candor notwithstanding, interested would

far too mild of a word.

Please understand something.

I don't believe in recreational sex.

Do not deprive each other so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, 1

Corinthians, chapter 7. Paul's letter to the Corinthians was referring to

married couples.

I'm a virgin.

I'm a virgin by choice, and I will remain a virgin until the night of my

wedding.

The night of my... The answer is yes.

Can I look now?

No, not yet. Please.

Okay.

Now you can look.

I stopped on the way to work this morning. We should do that before we're

married. Oh.

Well, we have to see if they fit.

Right.

Hold the judge. In

fact, me. The wedding vows.

So... If you want, we could practice before Saturday.

Wow.

Those are a lot of words.

Yeah. Last time, I just said, I do.

What do you mean?

Well, when I got married before, we just said, I do.

You got married before?

I told you that, Benny.

Didn't I?

No.

I thought I did.

I guess I didn't.

But it doesn't matter now. It was a long time ago.

How long were you married?

About three days. Then my parents found out, and I haven't seen them much after

that.

Did your parents make you get a divorce?

We didn't tell them we got married.

How did you get a divorce?

I guess we didn't.

Do you think that that would be a problem?

Rosalie forgot to mention she was married.

Yeah, she was in high school. She and another retarded kid ran away to Reno.

They got married, lived in a motel for a few days.

Neither one of them told their parents about the wedding. So Rosalie figured

since they didn't really live together, they weren't really married.

How do you get a divorce finalized by Saturday?

I'm not going for a divorce. I'm going for annulment.

They were both underage. Neither one had parental consent. All I have to do is

get the husband to sign a declaration to that effect. Walk it past the judge. No

big deal.

Well, I hope you're right. Let's get started.

Joyce versus Westland City School Board, wrongful termination.

That's mine.

Michael Joyce is a high school biology teacher.

School board fired him for including a discussion of creation science in a

senior honors biology class. Good, let's continue.

Alvarez versus National... Wait a minute, wait a minute. I'd like to hear

little bit more about Jane's case, if you don't mind. What would you like to

know? Tell me that we're representing the school board.

No, we're not. We're representing Michael Joyce.

Why? That's who approached us. Well, he didn't exactly approach us, Leland. No,

that's right. He approached Jane. Jane came to me, and I approved. Wait a

minute. Jane, this guy teaches creationism in public schools? In a

class, no less. He teaches both evolution and creationism in a

designed to permit the students to make up their own minds. So now we are

opposed to the separation of church and state. Is that right? We are lining up

against the First Amendment. I don't believe what Michael did was violative

the First Amendment. Leland, at the very minimum... Should this not have been

discussed among the partners prior to taking the case? I wasn't aware that we

had to be in ideological agreement with every client we represent.

With all due respect, Leland, I think that's a little disingenuous. This isn't

your garden variety adversarial contest. This dispute is entirely ideological.

Yes, it is. And there are attorneys here with differing ideological as well as

religious persuasions. I don't think that Michael Joyce deserved to be fired

teaching his students that one explanation for how the world came into

that God created it. Nor do I. Oh.

Nor do you. And are you going to favor us with a biblical citation? No, I'm

I'm simply going to say that each one of us at different times has represented

clients or causes that others have found odious. That's not the point. This

young woman is entitled to the same latitude now that we've afforded each

in the past. And as far as biblical citations, Stuart, I believe that which

writ large in the book of Job, chapter 33.

The Spirit of God hath made me.

The breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

With that, it is done.

Jane, don't hesitate to let me know if you need any help with this case.

Dad?

Hi, baby.

What are you doing here?

I came to see the trial.

Why didn't you call me and tell me that you were coming? Because you have enough

on your mind without worrying about me.

Uh, Arnold, this is my father, Reverend Halliday, Arnold Becker.

How do you do, Mr. Becker? Very nice to meet you. Likewise, Reverend.

I'm sure I don't have to tell you, your daughter is a great pleasure to have

around. No, you don't, Mr. Becker. If it had been up to me, she'd never left

Oklahoma. Well, I have to get to court.

Reverend, maybe the three of us can go out and have lunch while you're in town.

Oh, I don't think so.

How about tomorrow?

Oh, tomorrow I have to come back here and have lunch at my desk. We could join

you. No, no, I have to work.

Well, Reverend, you and I should go out then. Get me a tuna sandwich on rye, and

I'll be here at 1 o 'clock.

Should we go?

Nice to meet you. Bye -bye.

What sort of academic credentials do you have, Dr.

Joyce? I have a Ph .D. in biology.

My thesis was in evolutionary theory.

And how long have you been teaching biology at Westland High?

Nine years.

In that time, what kind of evaluations have you gotten from your supervisors?

Only good ones.

In fact, last year I was offered a promotion to an administrative position,

which I declined.

Why did you decline?

Because I love to teach. That's all I've ever wanted to do.

In your discussions of the origins of life on Earth in your senior honors

science class, did you teach your students about evolution?

Absolutely. Did you teach it as the dominant scientific theory regarding the

origin of life?

Yes, I did.

Did you also teach your students the theory of creation science?

Yes, I did. Why'd you do so?

Because creation science is another explanation for the origins of life.

if anything, did the school board do in response?

They instructed me to cease and desist to teach anything to do with creationism

in my classroom.

Did you comply?

No, I did not.

Why didn't you?

Because as a teacher, I believe in the right to explore alternative theories.

I want my students to challenge and question and...

I want them to learn to think for themselves and not just absorb

And I'm doing what I'm doing because I believe it's right.

And as far as I'm concerned, that, that is the most important lesson I can teach

them. Thank you. I have no further questions.

Are you a Christian, Dr. Joyce?

Objection irrelevant.

We're trying to determine whether this man is teaching science or religion. His

own religious beliefs are relevant.

It's what he does, not what he believes that's relevant.

Objection is sustained.

Did you ever make your students aware of your religious beliefs, sir? I never

hid it from them.

I also never took class time to discuss them. Oh, did you talk about them other

than during class time?

Objection irrelevant.

Your Honor, the way in which his students perceived this man is directly

relevant. Objection overruled. Witness may answer.

Sir?

I ran a Bible study class on weekends.

Some of my high school students attended.

So it's fair to say, is it not, that the students in your biology class knew

that you yourself were a Christian? Is that bad?

Ask that the witness be instructed to answer the question. Yes, they knew I

a Christian.

They knew, did they not, that to you, creationism was not just another theory.

Creationism was the way it happened.

Creationism was the word of God. That is not what I teach. My religious beliefs

do not dictate what I do in my science class.

What I taught my students was appropriate curriculum for biology

taught. Didn't. Did not your principal inform you there was, in fact,

inappropriate... Yes. ...that the curriculum was not to include the

creation science? Yes, he did. Yet you went right on teaching it. Yes. Thank

you. Nothing further, Your Honor. What are you all so afraid of? You may step

down, Mr. Joyce. Well, what is so threatening about a teacher uttering the

of God? Mr. Joyce.

Let me walk you through this, Tim.

I've prepared the papers.

Once you and Rosalie sign the papers, I'll file them with the court, and it'll

be as though you two were never married.

It's as easy as that.

An annulment is quicker than a divorce. It's simpler. It's also way cheaper.

Yeah, plus it'll let them get married on Saturday.

Right.

Are you going to invite me to the wedding?

No. You want to come?

Maybe I do.

Naturally, you are free to hire an attorney, although this is all pretty

straightforward. Why don't you read it over? If you have any questions, I'll

explain it.

If you want to, you can take it home and show it to someone else. You can do

that, too. The only thing I ask is that we get this done by tomorrow.

How come you never call me back, Rosalie?

I don't know. It was a long, long time ago. I don't remember.

I called you every day for two weeks, and you never returned my call.

My mom didn't want me to.

You always do what your mom wants? No.

Then why didn't you call back?

Arnie, might I suggest that we stick to the here and now?

First you walked out on me.

Then you ignored me.

Now you call me, after all this time, to sign this paper so you can marry

somebody else? Tim, we're all men of the world here. We've all loved and lost.

Admittedly, it's no fun.

But when the game is over...

And the game is over here.

It's time to sign the papers and move on.

Do you still have those blue cowboy boots?

No. I love the way you looked at them.

I remember you wore them on the bus to Reno. What are you going to do?

Are you going to sign that paper or not?

Not?

Tim, we're supposed to get married on Saturday.

You cannot prevent them from getting married, Tim.

Eventually, we will get an annulment or a divorce, whether you agree to it or

not, and Rosalie will be free to marry whoever she wants.

Well, maybe she'll change her mind by then and decide to stay married to me.

That's him there.

Hey, Tim.

You can't come back here. I told you, boss, I'd only keep you a minute. Why

don't you come over here?

Listen,

I think we may have all gotten a little carried away by emotion yesterday. What

do you think?

I don't know.

What are you talking about? I thought I owed it to you to come by here and make

sure you understand the realities of the situation.

Rosie and me are still married. That's reality.

Well, as far as it goes, yes, but...

You want to marry Benny, and you can't stop her from divorcing you.

You said divorce could take a year.

It can, but so what?

In the end, you still won't be married anymore.

Maybe yes, maybe no.

Tim, there's also the possibility of a criminal investigation.

What do you mean? Taking a minor across state lines is a crime.

Encouraging her to lie about her age on a marriage license, sex with a minor,

that could be statutory rape.

Did the Rosenstein rape her?

It doesn't matter what she says.

She was under 18.

You know what? I think you're trying to scare us, so I signed a paper.

I just want you to understand what might happen.

That's all I'm doing here, Tim. I'm not going to sign the paper. I don't care

what you do.

Tracy, could you tell the court how you know Mr. Joyce?

I was in his senior honors science class.

Approximately how much of that class would you say was spent discussing the

origins of life?

Out of the 15 -week semester, I'd say we spent about three weeks on it. And what

did you talk about during those discussions?

We talked about evolution theory, and we talked about creation science theory,

and then we discussed the strengths and weaknesses of both.

Did Mr.

Joyce encourage debate among the students on those ideas?

Oh, absolutely.

More than half our grade depended on class participation. Did Mr.

Joyce ever tell you that evolution was wrong and creation science was right?

No. What did you believe in before you took Mr. Joyce's class, Tracy?

I believed in evolution.

And what do you believe in now?

Evolution. I've questioned it on occasion, but I still believe that's

how life on Earth came into being.

I have nothing further.

Tracy, when Mr. Joyce taught creationism, did he do so critically?

I'm not sure I know what you mean.

Did he place it in any historical context?

Did he mention, for example, the scientific impossibility of the world

into being in six days?

He said there were things in both evolution theory and creation science

that don't have scientific explanations yet. Did Mr. Joyce give as much

credibility to creationism as he did to evolution?

Yes. Were there any students who objected to that?

Objection calls for hearsay. I'll allow it.

Tracy?

Yes, there were students who objected. And how did Mr. Joyce respond to those

objections?

He said any students who felt uncomfortable could go to the library.

Anyone take him up on that?

No. Why do you suppose that is?

Objection calls for the witness to testify to the operation of another

mind. I am asking the witness for an opinion about her peers, Your Honor.

Objection is overruled.

Witness may answer. Tracy, why do you suppose no one left the class?

I don't know.

Maybe it didn't seem so bad after all, or maybe they wanted to be exposed to a

different point of view. Do you think it's possible they just didn't want to

stand out from their peers, no matter how uncomfortable they felt?

Objection. Sustained. Do you like to stand out from your peers, Tracy?

No. No.

Thank you. I have nothing further.

Witness may step down.

Tell me that I'm dreaming.

This is unbelievable.

How could she make us wear these?

Well, she's not exactly Coco Chanel, Denise.

This is Beyond, not Chanel. This is Beyond's queen.

Don't come in.

Laugh and you're a dead man.

Did Rosalie describe these ensembles to you beforehand?

She told us she would order things that we would wear again.

Excuse me while I change.

No, it's...

It's not so bad. Are you kidding? I feel like Little Bo Peep.

It's a bridesmaid's outfit. I don't care, Stuart. I don't want to go out in

public looking like this.

It's no big deal.

What do you mean? I mean that everybody will primarily be looking at the bride

anyway. Will you primarily be looking at the bride?

No, but it doesn't matter to me what you're wearing.

Uh -huh.

I said the wrong thing.

Forget it. No.

It's not that I don't care what you're wearing.

It's that what you're wearing has no effect on me.

No, what I mean is it doesn't change the way I think about you. You know, I know

that you're capable of looking good.

I mean, you do look good.

In that dress, you look good. You know, not everybody can get away with wearing

a dress like that, but you...

Eli, I'm changing.

Why are you changing in here?

Because the ladies' room is fully occupied. Now, can you please close the

Eli, close the door from the outside.

Oh. I'll just be a minute, okay?

Should I take my briefcase or leave my briefcase? Eli! I'll leave my briefcase.

Okay, I'm leaving.

You know, I find that certain theological questions come to mind

Is that right?

Well, I wonder about the nature of things.

Sin, the revelation of God, Satan.

The Bible has a good deal to say on all those subjects, Arnold. I find myself

thinking Thessalonians says one thing, Obadiah says something else. What's the

story? Tell me something, Arnold.

Have you always been such a keen student of the Bible?

No, sir, I haven't. To tell you the truth, your daughter has awakened in me

real hunger for spiritual direction.

Look, I have to get some work done before I go back to court.

Lunch is here. Ah.

You like meatball sandwiches?

Excuse me? Place not far from here makes great meatball sandwiches.

I wanted to buy you from them. Ben says you like this place, so we went there

instead. By the way, Dominic knows you.

How do you do?

Dominic, this is Jane's father, Reverend Holiday.

Reverend, how do you do?

Fine. Nice to meet you.

How's the plans for the wedding coming, Benny?

Not so good.

Hey, don't worry, Benno. We'll get there. Be good, everybody.

Thank you.

You know I'm surprised Jane has never mentioned you to her mother or me.

You seem to know each other very well.

Not as well as I'd like to.

Mr. Osborne, as president of the school board, is it your policy that once you

hire a teacher, he or she can teach their students anything they want?

No, it's not.

The curriculum for each area of study is laid out by the State Board of

Education.

If a teacher wants to augment that, we look at the additional materials, and

then we make a determination as to whether or not it's appropriate.

I see.

And is creation science part of the established curriculum?

No, it is not.

According to the State Board of Education, creationism, or creation

you will, is a religious and not a scientific explanation for the origins

life. And as such, it has no place in a public high school science class.

But don't the students have the right to hear and discuss a variety of points of

view? In a science class, students have the right to hear and discuss science.

Mr. Joyce was not teaching science. He was teaching religion.

And in your opinion, was that alone sufficient grounds for termination?

Absolutely. He'd been given numerous warnings.

and willfully ignored them.

I think those grounds are eminently sufficient.

I have nothing further.

Mr. Osborne, are there circumstances under which you deem the discussion of

religion permissible?

Yes, there are. In social studies class, literature class, but not...

in a science class why not in a science class because when you teach biblical

explanations of historical events under the heading of science the tacit

implication is that they are true is it possible mr osborne that for some people

they are true what is true for some people does not constitute science are

true for you

I don't take the Bible literally, no.

And you want to make sure that nobody else does either. Objection. I want to

make sure we're not allowing a high school biology class to be used to

fundamentalist Christian point of view. Does a belief in the Bible make one a

fundamentalist Christian, Mr. Osborne?

No.

I did not mean to suggest that it did.

I have nothing further.

Witnesses excused.

You want I should talk to him?

What would you say to him?

I'd straighten him out. Don't worry about what I'd say.

Arnie already talked to him. He won't sign.

Hey, Benny, all due respect, Arnie's a lawyer.

This situation calls for a different approach.

Arnie goes in with the briefcase, the big words. I go in with a bing, with a

bang, it's done.

Hey,

Benny, did Arnie give him his sign?

No. What are we going to do?

I don't know.

The place has been reserved because the food, the dresses, the invitations have

been sent.

What's the band? I got a six -piece band coming.

I've got to talk to you, Benny.

What? Oh, you want a little privacy?

Fine.

Let me know if you want me to take care of it, Ben.

I don't want you to be mad at me anymore.

Ever since I told you about that guy, you've been mad at me. I don't want you

be mad at me anymore.

Do you still love him? I never loved him.

Then why did you marry him?

I thought that would be fun.

Anyway, you had someone who you did love. You told me that yourself.

And not the same.

I told you about her.

Tim is not a secret.

I forgot about him.

I do that sometimes. I forget about things.

Maybe you'll forget about me.

I could never forget about you, Benny.

I love you.

How do you gentlemen feel about your firm being placed in the service of

Jesus?

Pretty good.

Some of us. Our little girl may be the standard bearer, but it's you people who

are making it possible for her to go forward.

Daddy. Well, Reverend, we have nothing but the highest regard for your

She's done nothing but great work since she got here. When Jane told us she was

going to work as a lawyer in Los Angeles, we said, dear Jesus.

Give her the strength to keep the devil under her feet. Keep old Slewfoot from

snatching our little girl away. And I can't tell you how happy we are that

living here and still doing the work of the Lord.

Dad, we need to get to court.

I'll see you gentlemen at the wedding.

You're going to the wedding?

Benny asked me to officiate.

Yikes. Well, there's Goyim and there's Goyim.

Never mind.

Tim?

Go away.

I want to talk to you.

You can't scare me. Your friend already tried.

I'm not trying to scare you. I just want to talk to you.

Come here.

What do you want?

I want you to sign that paper.

I don't want to. I want to marry Rosalie this Saturday.

She's already married.

She wants to be married to me.

Oh, yeah? How come you're so great?

I'm not so great.

You think you're smarter than me? No.

You think you're better than me because you work in the office and I work in the

kitchen? No. Then how come you get to marry her? How come you get everything

want?

Because she loves me.

She could love me, too.

She wants to love me.

That was a long time ago.

I don't care.

I want a wife, too.

You can have a wife. It just can't be Rosalie.

I don't know anybody else.

I got to get back to work.

Dan, would you please sign that paper?

Would you please tell the court your occupation, sir? I'm a research

and an advisor on science curriculum for the State Board of Education.

My specialty is origins of life theory.

Now, in your view, does the biblical explanation for the origins of life

as science?

No, it does not. Why does it not?

In science, one bases one's conclusions on scientific methodology, on empirical

observation. Now, how does this differ from creationism, doctor?

Creationism starts with a conclusion.

as set out in the Bible in Genesis.

Then goes about finding data and ways to interpret that data to support the

conclusion. I think I'm safe in saying that the body of scientific knowledge

our civilization, draws on does not support the notion that the world as we

it was created in six days.

No further questions.

You believe in the theory of evolution, isn't that right, Doctor?

It isn't a theory, Miss Halliday.

It's an observable fact.

Like the shape of the Earth, the speed of light? Is the origin of the first

forms found on Earth an observable fact?

Not yet, no, but there are various theories that seek to explain it. Is the

development of DNA an observable fact?

Not yet, no, but again, there are a number of theories.

But those are just theories, isn't that right, Doctor? They are scientifically

grounded, but yes, they are theories.

That would lead one to conclude, would it not, Doctor, that there are things

about the universe that can't be explained with observable scientific

Not yet, no.

So not yet, but definitely not God.

Miss Halliday, if we pointed to the existence of God every time we came up

against something that we couldn't explain, we'd still be living in the

Ages. Isn't part of not living in the Dark Ages that we are free to consider a

wide array of ideas and beliefs? You can consider whatever you want, Miss

Halliday. What you can't do...

is place religious mythology on the same pedestal as evolutionary science. In

other words, you want the pedestal all to yourself.

Objection. Nothing further.

You're still brooding. Why are you still brooding?

I'm not brooding. Yeah, you are.

Ever since I said whatever it was I said about your dress, you've been in a full

-on brood.

It was a painful thing to hear, Stuart. Why?

You know that I still have desire for you, don't you?

I guess I don't know it as much as I used to know it.

Yeah, well, there's a lot of things that aren't the way they used to be, huh?

Like what else?

Like one's desire doesn't come to the fore as often as it used to.

We work hard all day.

We've got a kid at home. We're tired.

Our stamina isn't what it used to be.

I don't want to require stamina, Stuart.

I don't want our marriage to be something that we endure.

Why do you read these vast, gloomy passages in everything I say?

There will be periods of time when the fire is out, yes.

But that doesn't mean I don't love you. It doesn't mean I don't desire you. It

probably just means that I'm tired.

Fine.

And now she says fine.

And now she is not going to let up on me.

Because I haven't demonstrated the requisite amount of sympathy or passion

whatever the hell it is I'm supposed to demonstrate.

I'll tell you something, honey.

Demonstrations of passion are supposed to arise spontaneously.

And it doesn't help matters that I live in fear of offending you all the time.

That I think you're going to jump down my throat every time I might make an

inappropriate remark.

Think about that.

And think about what you might have done if the fire is out to put it out.

What do you want, Arnie?

He said he wanted to see you.

What do you want?

I came to sign the paper.

You did?

Yeah, I didn't do it because of you.

And I didn't do it because of you either. I did it because of Rosalie.

That's okay.

But I want you to give this to her before the wedding.

May I inquire as to what is in there? No.

And you can't...

Look at what's inside there, either.

You gotta promise not to look.

Oh, okay.

You also gotta promise that you'll give it to her.

Okay.

So you promise?

I promise.

Where do I sign?

Right there.

You're getting married.

Yeah.

You may proceed with your closing, Ms. Halliday.

Michael Joyce is a teacher.

His job was to prepare a group of students to go out into the world, to

them. That's what he loved to do.

That's what he did.

What he refused to do was put blinders on his students to tell them to ask

questions, but only these questions.

to look for answers, but don't look over there. Don't even look over there.

When he didn't comply, when he refused to narrow his students' vision, he was

fired. Michael Joyce is not the first to refuse to be bound by convention, to

refuse to adhere to a set of ideas and beliefs held out to him as the one and

only truth.

That's what Galileo did, that's what Charles Darwin did, and that is also

John Scopes did.

In Dayton, Tennessee in 1925, those in power would permit only the teaching of

creationism. In Los Angeles, California in 1994, those in power permit only the

teaching of evolution.

In both cases, those in power have sought to cut off the field of inquiry

forcibly impose their view of the world onto everyone else. The greatest service

that we can do, Michael Joyce's students, is to permit them to make up

minds. We ask... that you reinstate Michael Joyce with full back pay and

allow him to resume teaching.

Michael Joyce's job was to teach science to high school students.

When he signed his contract, he agreed to an authorized curriculum and he

to follow the directives of his principal and his school board. He has

either of those things.

Now, the plaintiff contends that the authorized curriculum was unreasonably

narrow, that those directives were without justification.

They're wrong, ladies and gentlemen. The fact is that the United States

Constitution requires the separation of church and state.

Despite plaintiff's claims to the contrary, what Michael Joyce did was in

violation of that. He was teaching religion as if it was science.

He was using his authority and his influence as a teacher to propagate his

religious views, and he can't do that.

Now, it doesn't matter that his students want him to continue. It doesn't matter

that he himself is utterly sincere in his beliefs. What matters here is that a

school board is upholding its responsibility for keeping religious

of the public school because the First Amendment requires them to.

I ask that you find for the defendant.

How do you respond to charges that your client represents an encroachment on

public education by members of the religious right? I would categorically

it. Are you in favor of the constitutional separation of church and

I would prefer to try my case in the courtroom rather than the corridor.

Ephesians 6 tells us to put on the full armor of God and take our stand against

the devil's schemes. Are you connected to this case, sir? He is not. Come on,

Reverend, let's go. We have to be willing to speak the word of God

are, Jamie. My Redeemer liveth. This is what he commands me to do.

What is it you're so afraid of, Doctor?

I'm afraid of religious zealots like you, Reverend. Praise God, that must

I'm doing my job. Whenever I see the power of Satan lined up against me...

Whenever I see the eyes of schoolchildren turned upward so that the

revealed and that truth is not revealed and that truth is hidden and perverted

and denied, then I have only to turn to the nail -scarred hands of Calvary for

my strength. And you, Doctor... Now we're going to lead off with a miniature

seared ahi, then we go to the miniature lasagna, then the miniature panini, and

then the miniature bellini. Now, is everyone aware of that?

Yes, ma 'am.

Have you seen Rosalie?

She's getting dressed.

Where? Upstairs in the bedroom. Why?

Well, I've got to give her something.

Oh, no, Benny, that's not possible. You're not permitted to see the bride

the wedding.

Well, I don't.

Dominic, how many times are you going to tell her that you paid for the band? I

wasn't aware I told you. Hello, Denise. Don't you look wonderful?

Thanks. Hello, Dominic.

Hello. I can't see Rosalie before the wedding? Of course not. It's bad luck.

Would you give this to her?

What is it?

Oh, I don't know. I promised Tim I'd get it to her before the wedding, and I

promised him I wouldn't look inside.

I'll give it to her right now.

I wonder what it is.

It's in an envelope, so chances are it's a letter.

You think that's a letter?

What are you worried about, Benny? She's marrying you.

They tell me I can't get a drink before the ceremony. What is this? They told me

the same thing. It's the mother.

Barney, you think I should have looked in that envelope?

For what?

I don't know.

See what he said or... Benno, do yourself a favor. Don't start looking

rocks. You've got a past.

She's got a past.

You start delving into it, you're only going to cause yourself a lot of

unnecessary anguish. In other words, forget about it. Exactly.

Meanwhile, have you seen the band?

No. I hired a six -piece band. I haven't seen Musician One.

Don't worry about what came before the wedding.

Start worrying about what comes after.

Don't tell me you're never going to talk to your old father again.

I'm sorry if I stepped on your toe yesterday.

You're not the least bit sorry.

You saw the opportunity to preach, and you preached.

Preaching's what I do, daughter. I was put on this earth so I would preach.

And I was put on this earth to be a lawyer. And from what I can see, you're

doing a fine job as a lawyer, as well as being a decent young Christian woman.

Why wouldn't you stop yesterday when I asked you to? Why did you embarrass me?

Because some things are more important than your embarrassment. This is where I

work.

You showed up unannounced and uninvited and proceeded to take over. I left

Oklahoma so you wouldn't be able to do that to me.

Is that why you left?

Among other reasons, yes.

Can we talk about this?

I'm due in court.

Has the jury reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor. What say you? On the claim of wrongful termination, we

for the defendant.

The jury is dismissed with the thanks of the court.

I'm sorry, Michael.

We knew it was a long shot.

We can appeal.

I think I'd rather just teach someplace else, maybe in a private school.

God's been bragging on you, Michael.

I know you're not going to walk away now.

We have to go to a wedding, Dad, and this is something that Michael needs to

decide for himself.

I'll call you.

Thank you.

Why not?

Please?

I just don't think it's a good idea that you open it now.

But he asked me to. Well, he had no right to ask you to.

Mom. All right, go ahead.

Open it.

What does it say?

I love you then, and I love you now.

Tim.

This is all I needed.

Fran, why don't we... Would you help me with this sleeve? I'm having trouble.

Sure.

You okay?

Yeah.

Benjamin, do you take Rosalie to be your wife, to love and to cherish from this

day forward, for better or for worse, until death do you part?

I do.

And do you, Rosalie, take Benjamin to be your husband, to love and to cherish

from this day forward, for better or worse, until death do you part?

I do.

Rings, please.

With this ring, I thee wed.

With this ring, I thee wed.

You're supposed to put on my finger.

With this ring, I thee wed.

With this ring, I be wed.

I now pronounce you husband and wife.

You may kiss the bride.

Ladies and gentlemen, Mr.

and Mrs.

Benjamin Stoller.

What is it about weddings?

They're monumentality.

Is that what it is?

Two people in transversely seemingly impenetrable golf found one another,

in love, and changed their lives accordingly.

It's amazing that it ever happened, isn't it?

It is.

You know, the wildest I've ever been was at a wedding.

What do you mean by wild?

Let's just say I did things I don't ordinarily do.

What kind of things?

Well, I drank a little too much, got carried away, I took off with the

best man, lost several articles of clothing, you know, things like that.

Done that?

Uh -huh.

Uh -huh.

Me too.

Say, you still seeing that dead?

Oh, yeah.

Why didn't you bring her?

I think there were going to be a few too many lawyers here for her.

Oh, hey, Jonathan. Tommy. I heard you became a partner.

Congratulations.

Well, are congratulations in order?

By all means.

Well, hold on, Occupy.

Hey, I...

Happy together?

I...

Don't

ever tell me the fire's out.

Well, I was wondering what was in the envelope Kim sent you.

It was a picture.

What kind of picture?

The picture means him.

There was no letter in there?

No, he just wrote something on the picture.

Would you show it to me if I asked you to?

Yes.

S -T -U -L -W -I -C -Z.

S -T -U -L -W -I -C -Z.

That's nice.

Did the band get here?

I don't know, Dominic. I can't find them anywhere.

Oh, Denise.

Sometimes I look at you and I think of the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.

Eli.

I don't think it a lot.

I allow myself to think it a lot.

We've known each other for a long time.

We work together. We're friends.

We've never been anything other than friends.

And every now and then the thought crosses your mind, right?

It's okay.

It crosses mine too.

It's an impulse though, isn't it?

Everyone has impulses. Some you act on, some you don't.

I think I'll interrupt this dinner party by sitting on my food.

No, I won't do that.

I think I'll...

Ask a complete stranger to loan me $50 ,000.

No, I won't do that.

Oh,

my

God.

I've been looking for you.

What's wrong?

Nothing.

Well, you're out here all by yourself. Something is wrong.

Of course something is wrong. Your father's been out here.

So my father's been out here so long.

So ever since he arrived, you've been reminded of all the reasons you left

Oklahoma in the first place.

The sense of yourself as an attorney has been undermined.

The sense of yourself as a woman has been conflicted.

You don't know the first thing about me.

I think I do.

And I'm telling you, you don't.

I don't want to be psychoanalyzed, and I don't want to be preached to.

Believe it or not, I am not some empty vessel waiting to be filled.

I know what I want.

I know what I need.

And I am perfectly capable of deciding how I want to live my life.

Now I'm go