Original subtitles

Here.

712.

Are you Mr. Miller? Yeah.

She's pretty bad.

I couldn't think of anything else to do

so I called you. She?

Miss Carey.

She asked me to call someone.

And yours was the first name I could find.

She should have a woman.

When I heard your voice on the phone,

I naturally thought you were the one that needed help.

You sounded urgent enough.

Brother, if you don't think I need help, you're crazy.

That's why I told you to come direct to the room.

Is she noisy? No, no, she's not noisy.

More the brooding kind. Uh-huh.

But they don't like drinking in this hotel.

It's more of an old ladies' home.

Here's the key.

You'd better come in with me. I'll come up later.

I don't know the girl, I know nothing about her.

She's tops. She just hit a detour.

Sometimes I'm afraid she's going to bump herself off.

Go easy with her and you'll make out all right.

Hey, which way do I go?

Around to the left.

I'm sorry to barge in on you like this,

but I believe you sent for me.

I didn't send for you.

Billy sent for you.

Well, you asked Billy to send for me,

which amounts to about the same thing.

Billy doesn't pay any attention to what I want.

He does as he pleases.

He evidently thought it was a good idea to send for you.

Well, do you want AA to help you or not?

You're from AA?

Mm-hmm.

I thought they usually send a woman in cases like these.

Well, Billy made a mistake.

Well, what's the remedy, doctor?

Oh, now wait a minute, I'm no doctor.

I didn't come here to preach to you

or bring you any particularly magic cure.

I belong to AA and I got a call.

Now maybe if you came to a couple of the meetings,

you might find out something about it.

But if you want to continue

to fight this thing out by yourself,

it's all right with us.

Oh, don't be so touchy.

Come back and sit down.

Heh. Funny situation.

Glad you think so.

Are you a lush?

Well, uh...

Do you drink too much?

I did.

And you pulled yourself out of it.

Well, let's say that AA showed me the way

to pull myself out of it.

I'm not very good at hanging onto

the hand of a wet nurse.

Do I look like a wet nurse?

Not very much. Good.

I was afraid my slip was showing.

By the way, when did you last have something to eat?

Yesterday.

Uh-huh. I thought as much.

Come on.

Where are we going?

Take you out and get you some hot food.

Do you always drink alone?

You said you were cured.

You call that a drink?

Well, here's mud in your eye.

Phew! Where did you get that stuff?

Say, that's private property!

I don't like these strong-arm methods.

Neither does the AA. This is strictly my way

of handling obstinate little girls.

Now come on, wash your face.

Make yourself look like something, huh?

I've got a good mind to report you to the society.

Go right ahead.

I think you'd better answer that.

It's probably the manager.

Hello?

Who?

Oh, no, uh, she's not here.

She went out for a walk.

Oh, I wouldn't know about that.

You see, I'm just the boy that cleans up around here.

Say, are you an actress?

Who told you?

Well, that was the stage manager

of one of the theaters.

He wanted to know where you were.

What'd you tell him?

Oh, I said you went out for a walk.

Hmm.

All the time I was locked in the bathroom.

Hey, how about our dinner date?

A date with you?

I never saw you in my life before.

I don't care if I ever see you again.

What you need is something to eat.

What I need is a double Manhattan.

How about an imperial fizz?

What's that?

You mean, you don't know what an imperial fizz is?

Never heard of it.

Oh, well, I've got to tell you.

First you put a little brandy

in the bottom of a very tall glass.

Not much, you understand,

just about a couple of fingers.

And then you put in some cracked ice.

And then a little Cointreau over the ice.

And then you get some chilled champagne, very dry.

And you pour that over the Cointreau.

Huh?

Where's that imperial fizz you were talking about?

I don't know.

Waiter.

Where's that imperial fizz you were talking about?

In a minute, sir.

I've got to get him some eggs.

Oh, he's got to get him some eggs.

You didn't say anything about eggs.

Well, I guess they make it differently here.

Anyway, hurry it up, will you?

And in the meantime, we'll eat our soup.

Mmm, this is good.

Just wonderful.

I suppose you want me to eat my soup.

What difference is that to me?

I'm not an actress,

I don't have to preserve my looks,

or go on the stage and make a jackass out of myself.

You can eat it or leave it alone

for all I care.

Well, all right, just for that, I'll eat it.

Feeling better?

Sleepy.

Who are you anyway?

The name is Miller. Alan Miller.

Doesn't mean a thing to me.

Doesn't mean much to me either.

My mother just gave me the name

so she could mark the laundry.

Mine's Jenny. Jenny Carey.

Yeah, I know.

The man told me on the phone.

What man?

The man who called from the theater.

Jeepers, I forgot.

Were you supposed to be in a play or something tonight?

Supposed to be at a rehearsal.

Well, it's too late now.

I wasn't there yesterday either.

Fine thing.

You'll probably get the sack.

Won't be the first time.

Don't you care? Of course I care.

Then why do you it?

Why did you?

I don't know.

Touche.

Well, at this rate, I'll never be a star.

I'll probably die in the gutter

like an old hag, clutching a bottle of gin.

Oh, now you're overdramatizing.

Can't help it, that's where I am.

I hate things being dull.

What's that?

An imperial fizz, sir.

An imperial fizzelby, more like it.

Take it back.

Pour it down the sink.

Tell the bartender from now on,

I'll take my business some other place.

Yes, sir.

And get my check ready, will you?

Perhaps just one ordinary little high ball.

No, no, no.

I'm going to get you out of this place.

Imagine trying to palm off a thing like that

on two experts like us.

Disgraceful.

You know, I don't think you ever had any intention

of giving me a drink.

You going to get up and go to that rehearsal tomorrow?

Mm-hm. - You know your lines?

I watch him. That's why I don't trust any of it.

It's all too swift and hectic

and you might turn out to be a most awful louse.

I'm flattered.

Don't be. Those are the lines in the play.

I love it where I call him a louse.

Is he?

I don't know, they haven't cast the part yet.

Well, I hope everything goes off all right tomorrow.

Well, it was awfully good of you to come.

I still don't know anything about you.

Oh, it doesn't matter,

so long as I was of some help.

Good night.

Good night.

Thanks.

Seven.

Really?

Oh, Billy.

Billy.

Look, if this should happen again,

maybe you'd better call a woman, huh?

Is that you?

Yeah.

What time is it?

Time you were asleep.

Oh, what is this?

It's that electric blanket.

Pull out the plug, will you?

It's so hot you could raise orchids.

What's the matter?

Nothing.

Have I got egg on my face or something?

No, I'm just looking at you, that's all.

Seems to me you'd have gotten used to it by now.

What?

My going out on these calls.

That's the whole idea.

Once you've pulled yourself out of it,

you're supposed to help somebody else that needs it.

You know I'm very grateful.

It's done wonders for us.

I wish I could be more help sometimes.

Only a drunk can help a drunk, you know that.

And besides, I like you the way you are.

I don't.

What do you mean by that?

When you tripped over that cord last night,

my heart stopped.

I know what you've been through, darling,

and you're not going to go through it again.

How'd you come out last night?

Oh, fine, fine.

You know, it was the funniest thing last night.

It turned out to be a woman.

A woman? Mm-hm.

Somebody got their signals crossed.

Hope that doesn't happen very often.

Oh, so do I.

Was she attractive?

Used to be, I guess.

Come on, children. Good night, Johnny.

Good morning, Mr. Miller. Good morning, uh...

What's her name?

Nora. Oh, good morning, Nora.

Good morning, Alan. Morning.

- Good morning. - Morning, Mr. Miller.

Oh, morning, JB. You send for me?

Yeah.

Alan, this is terrible.

Well, what's terrible about it?

Everything. It's got no punch,

it's got no wallop, it's got no, no...

Careful, you'll sprain your wrist in a minute.

After our last talk, I'd hoped you'd have

pulled yourself together. But this, this is nothing.

I happened to ask young Baker

to turn in something on the same account.

And this is what he came up with.

I thought this Bahema cruise-- Bahama.

This Bahama cruise was supposed to be

for the family trade. It is.

How do you know that guy isn't married?

All right, where's his wife?

And don't tell me that's his wife.

No, here she is.

There's his wife.

Romance, that's your keynote.

Romance with a capital R.

That's what the people want.

And it's our job to give it to them.

You knew all these things at one time, Alan.

What's happened to you, boy?

Gotten old, I guess.

Of course you're older, so am I older.

That's what's wrong with this.

It's the same old stuff done in the same old way.

We've been using it for years.

You're a young fellow yet, Alan.

How old are you?

I'm old enough to know that the average ship's captain

doesn't look like Clark Gable.

And I know that that woman would be downstairs

trying to stop her husband

from playing Tarzan with that willing gal

in the French bathing suit.

Alan, what is the matter?

Nothing.

I'm just fed up with cooking up these smoke dreams

for Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public.

I guess my pipe's gone out.

Trouble at home?

No.

Been drinking again?

That's a fine thing to say.

Alan, I think you know how much I think of you.

If there's anything troubling you,

I'm behind you 100 percent.

I have faith in you.

What's faith got to do with it?

This is a business, isn't it?

Well, if Baker's stuff is better than mine,

why don't you use it?

Why don't you try again, Alan?

All right.

All right, I'll see what I can do.

Morning, Baker.

Cheer up, my friend.

No sale.

He didn't like the drawing, huh?

Oh, it wasn't the drawing, it was the whole idea.

He wants romance with a capital R.

Same old thing in the same old way.

Yep.

Hey, you, where do you think you're going?

Well, I'm expected for rehearsal.

Carey. Jenny Carey. Oh.

All right, Miss Carey.

...I didn't want you.

- But I want it. - I want you back.

And I want you.

But that's why I don't trust any of it,

it's all too swift, too hectic.

I might find out you're the most awful louse.

Say, you been drinking around here?

Me? No.

Maybe it was the alcohol.

I've been washing out some brushes.

Where are you going to lunch?

Oh, I don't know,

I ought to go to some new place.

I want to get some new ideas.

See you later.

Ringing Miss Carey.

Billy, I don't feel well.

Maybe you could get me just a little--

I won't do it. But you're supposed to.

I'm supposed to run the elevator, not run errands.

I suppose the guest is supposed to be bossed around

by the elevator boy.

No, but guests are supposed to behave themselves,

and not get a snoot full

every time they have some hard luck.

Miss Carey doesn't answer.

Is there any message? No, no message.

Circle 63098, please.

I'd like to speak to Mr. Miller, please.

Alan Miller.

Mr. Miller is out to lunch.

Thank you.

How many, sir? Just one, please.

There's nothing at the moment, sir.

Uh-huh.

Just wait at the bar and I'll call you.

Thanks. Name?

Miller. How long do you think it'll be?

Just a few minutes, sir.

What's yours? Nothing, thanks.

I'm just waiting for a table.

You're sure you wouldn't like a glass of water?

Yes, and would you put some ice in it?

Ice.

Never make any money that way.

They seem to be doing all right.

I can't take it anymore.

Honestly, one drink puts him right under the table.

I said, "Tom, what's gotten into you lately?

You used to be so much fun."

- Let's have another. - All right.

Oh, so sorry.

That's perfectly all right.

That man's drinking straight gin.

Well, I can't help that.

Put in eight ounces of skim milk,

12 ounces of distilled water,

and three level tablespoons full of maltose.

Be sure you boil your nipples.

Besides, there's an eavesdropper

standing right outside the booth.

Hofstadter. How much longer?

What's the name, sir? Miller.

Just a few minutes more, Mr. Miller.

Will you wait at the bar, please?

- Hofstadter. - Hi.

This way, please.

A mix of scotch and soda.

I'll have a very dry martini.

What's yours?

Old-fashioned.

How many?

Well, I was just looking around.

Would you mind waiting at the bar, please?

But--

But you're blocking the entrance, madam.

You'll find seats in the bar.

Four for Reynolds.

Hello.

It's quite a surprise.

Waiting for a table?

Yes. Yes, I am.

Fancy running into you like this.

It is quite a coincidence, isn't it?

Do you come here often?

No, no, no. You?

No. Quite a coincidence.

How did you come out this morning?

On my ear.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I guess I had it coming to me.

I thought a lot about what you said last night.

Please. I know.

When I got home this morning,

there was a little left in the bottle,

and I threw it away.

Good.

Then I found myself headed here.

Out for a drink?

Well, I don't know.

You know how one kids oneself.

Yeah.

I guess I did, but I'm all right now.

Here's your old-fashioned.

Well, you were talking about kidding oneself.

I wish you all the luck in the world.

You know I wasn't kidding you last night, Jenny.

I haven't had a drink in 14 months.

Then what made you do it?

I don't know.

The same thing that makes you do it, I guess.

Whatever that is.

All I know is that I suddenly got that feeling

of being on the edge of the slide again,

and, well, I tried to call you.

You did?

Yeah.

I thought it might help.

Did anything special happen this morning?

Yeah.

As a matter of fact, it did.

My boss had me on the carpet,

he said my work was falling off.

What business are you in?

Advertising.

Do you like it?

Well, I can take it or leave it alone.

You sound the way I do about spinach.

Well, with a wife and kids, it's a job,

and that's what counts.

You didn't tell me you were married.

You didn't ask me.

I love my job.

I wouldn't trade the theater

for anything else in the world.

Not even for a home and children?

Well, I've thought about that, naturally,

and I've decided that the two don't mix.

Well, they don't mix with liquor, that's sure.

Say, when did you start this acting?

When I was born, I guess,

but I didn't make a living out of it

until about five years ago. When I came to New York,

I made the usual pilgrimage of theatrical offices

and the stage was very much of a religion to me.

Then I met Tony Colton.

You've heard of Tony Colton?

Oh, yeah, he's a pretty big name in the theater, isn't he?

Yes, he is, and outside of himself,

he loves the theater more than anything else in the world.

And he--

Something about me must have appealed to him,

and he decided to make me an actress.

Sounds like a smart operator.

Well, then we fell in love, at least I did,

and he taught me whatever I know about the theater.

Yeah.

It's a gloomy looking place, isn't it?

To me it isn't.

But I don't see what you see, of course.

Oh, you don't?

No, I see the seats filled with people

and the light on the curtain,

orchestra in the pit.

And you up on the stage

just knocking them in the aisle.

I suppose you think I'm silly.

Yeah, but I like it.

Go ahead, tell me some more.

Well, anyway, after a while,

I was offered the leading part

under somebody else's direction in a play out of town,

and it never occurred to me he wouldn't be pleased.

Well, I can tell you the answer to that one.

So can I now.

He called me every name under the sun,

and said I had absolutely no talent whatsoever,

and if it hadn't been for him and his word,

nobody would ever have heard of me.

But you went.

I went, of course.

Then we came to New York.

Go on.

Well, I-- I couldn't go through with it.

I got...

Afraid?

Terribly. I was afraid

that he'd be sitting down there somewhere,

waiting for me to fail.

You still love him?

No.

I guess we better go now.

The thing is, I'm all right on the road during the tryouts,

but then when we come to New York,

I go all to pieces and that's the pattern.

Can't seem to make the hurdle of that

first night.

But you did stop seeing him, didn't you?

Who?

This Colton character.

I mean, you stopped seeing him

when you broke away on your own.

You did, didn't you?

What difference does it make to you?

None.

But it makes a lot of difference to you, young lady.

It makes all the difference in the world.

I broke off completely when I went away.

I never saw him again.

Just a minute.

This is for you.

I only hope it'll last until that triumphant first night

when I can throw it at you over the foot lights.

Who's the lucky girl?

712.

By the way, there was a message for you

while you were out.

Tony Colton.

What did you say?

The usual.

That's right. Keep on saying it.

Sure you don't want me to carry that for you?

No, thanks. I've got special training for this.

Colton call you often?

No, it just started recently.

Where shall I put this?

Let's put it out on the sill, where it'll grow.

Come here.

Jenny...

You've been so kind and have been so lovely.

Please.

When am I going to see you again?

Well, I don't think--

Don't say that, please.

You need me as much as I need you,

and it's important that we work this thing out together.

You know, if we hadn't bumped into each other today,

I don't know what I might have done.

You see, I need someone who understands.

So do you.

Yes, but we mustn't lose sight of what we're doing, Alan.

We mustn't lose the way.

But you will see me again.

Well, next time it better be in the park

or the avenue or some little restaurant.

We must never meet up here again.

Who is it?

Ice water.

Dear Billy, he always says the right thing.

Joe, you got another job.

Hey, what the heck?

What about the steamship account?

Water under the bridge, my boy.

Water under the bridge. Baker got it, huh?

You've just been given first crack

at an entirely new account. Kennedy shoes.

First we're on a vacation cruise,

and next we're following a plow in the mud.

Yes, Joey, that's the life for you.

Now, what can we say about shoes?

Nothing very romantic. Oh, nonsense.

Anything's romantic if you go about it right.

Take shoes, for instance.

Now, if shoes could only talk,

think of the stories they could tell.

Tales of love and far-off places.

Kings and queens, princes, paupers,

highways, byways. Uh...

Have you been drinking again?

Certainly not.

Hello.

Oh, I called to tell you I have another job.

Well, you didn't tell me who this is.

Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you'd know.

I didn't know you were in the habit

of having women call you up out of nowhere.

No, that's why I'm so delighted.

I want to see you. I want to hear all about it.

Look, if you don't say yes, I'm going out

and drowning myself in a barrel of bourbon.

Well, meet me in the Egyptian room at the museum.

I'm-- I'm going there to get the mood.

All right, meet you in the Egyptian room.

You know, I'm just crazy about this shoe account.

Send in the other pair after lunch.

I'll take a look at them.

Give my regards to the mummies.

Has he been nipping again?

No.

Hi, mummy. No, you're early.

I was just going through my part.

I'm her and I'm with him for eternity.

Well, maybe I better go away and come back later, huh?

No. As a matter of fact, while you're here,

you might as well hear my lines.

I'm a queen and you're a slave.

Oh, now wait a minute. Here. Take it, slave.

Start here.

Top of the page?

"A cat may--" No, wait for me.

"Ankar, why have you followed me to the tomb?"

"A cat may look at a queen." "Blasphemy.

A cat is more honored in Egypt than a thousand slaves."

"Last evening by the temple as the priest--"

Of whos-is? Isis.

"Made his vows, you looked at me,

and your look spoke love."

"Fool, I looked at you and saw a slave."

"The heart of a slave is early broken,

"and therefore troubles him no more.

"Food is his ambition, and love his only game."

"A game? Poor reason.

"Love is like the Nile.

"It nourishes while the reaper sleeps.

"It spreads its bounty

"over the banks that would confine it,

"turns the sterile plains to green,

and brings forth fruit to half-forgotten trees."

"Leave thy songs for those poet's ears

"and those that bear a father's name.

Mine is a slave's reality."

"I am your queen."

"Not my queen, my love."

"My love. Thy words too are dying.

Our eternity is now."

Sure kicked the tar out of that, didn't we?

We certainly did. If I play it a hundred times,

I'll never feel it like that.

Let's do that last part again. Now, wait a minute.

There's more to the play than that.

You know, I've never seen you laugh before.

Well, I haven't laughed very much.

How about having dinner with me tonight?

No, I don't think that's a very good idea.

Well, I'll find someplace

where they don't have a liquor license.

No, I didn't mean that. It's--

Then you will have dinner with me tonight?

Well, it's not even that, I have time for a cold water.

I guess I'm not a very good teacher.

Well, I guess I'm not a very good pupil

because I came out with an entirely different answer.

Hello, Dad.

What are you doing here? Oh, I...

What a pleasant surprise, Mr. Miller.

Yes, isn't it?

This is our day for searching for culture.

But we'd no idea we'd add you to our collection.

Well, beauty is where you find it, Miss Purdy.

And how is Mrs. Miller?

Oh, she's fine, just fine.

Dad? Yeah.

Give me a nickel, will you?

Children, children.

Really, Mr. Miller, I'm so humiliated.

I've never known them to act like this before.

Oh, that's all right, Miss Purdy.

I'll all in favor of progressive education.

I think you better take this and buy them some ice cream

- or something like that. - Thank you.

That's very kind of you.

Come along, children,

and leave Mr. Miller to his studies.

Don't miss dinner tonight, Pop.

We're having roast beef.

Silly of me, I-- I knew you were married,

but it makes me feel a little ashamed of myself.

I'm sorry it happened.

No reason to feel ashamed.

You keep on saying it, perhaps we'll begin to believe it.

Why haven't you told me about this?

Later, dear. Johnny, pass this to your father.

Mommy, I don't like raisins.

You eat your raisins, Chris, they put iron in your blood.

Why isn't Daddy eating his raisins?

Because I got enough iron in my blood.

What were you doing at the museum today, Dad?

Oh, I went in there to make some sketches

of Egyptian architecture for a new account.

Sounds interesting.

Why do they make us kids go there?

Well, to learn about art, of course.

But men don't learn about art.

Of course they do.

Some of our best artists are men.

How come there were no men there today?

Just that dumb girl.

Well, I guess most of the men

are in their offices at that time.

Alan, pass the cream, please.

Give that to your mother.

Chris.

We're going out in the street to play.

No you're not, now you come--

Why didn't you tell me? Darling, later, please.

I want you to go right upstairs now, it's late.

- Go on. - Bam, bam, bam!

Night, Chris. Night, Mom.

Night, Johnny.

All right, sonny.

Night, Pop. Good night, John.

Don't forget to come and kiss me good night, Mom.

I'll be up soon.

I don't see how or why you can keep a thing

as important as this from me for so long.

Well... Why?

Because I was worried about you.

I thought it might upset you.

Yes, but, honey, this--

You haven't been yourself lately

and I was afraid you might fall off again.

You've been so blue.

Well, don't worry about me,

you're the one to be concerned about now.

Darling,

what is it?

Tell Mama.

There is something, isn't there?

No. Just that the pressure at the office

is greater, that's all.

Do you still have that feeling

that you're slipping in your work?

Is that it? No, no.

I'm just not in love with this new account.

Don't worry about it.

It'll come out all right.

You're the one to be worried about now.

You always treat me as if I'm such a delicate little thing.

I'm really pretty tough, you know.

Lick your weight in wildcats, huh?

I don't know about wildcats.

Made those things pink.

That's just in case.

Just in case what?

In case we have a girl.

What if it's a boy again?

In that case, I guess I'll have to

start unraveling them again like Penelope.

Penelope?

Yes, don't you remember?

When Ulysses was on his voyages.

Penelope sewed in the day and unraveled at night.

Guess it gave the poor girl something to do.

"Love is like the river Nile,

it nourishes while the reaper sleeps."

Oh, yeah.

Sounds romantic.

Is Crawley going in for television?

I don't know, we could never tell about that guy.

He's probably working up some campaign

for Egyptian cigarettes or something, I don't know.

Well, maybe we can show a cat walking on a fence

with the caption "He's surefooted, are you?"

Cat doesn't wear shoes.

You're too conscientious.

Young Baker says the advertising business

is a racket.

It's gotta be played that way.

You like Baker?

No.

But he's succeeding.

Mind if I come in?

Having trouble?

No, we're just enjoying our work.

We get a big boot out of it.

Tough subject?

How'd that steamship thing come out?

They renewed their contract for three years.

Congratulations. Giving a little blowout

at my place on Friday to celebrate.

Wondered if you and your wife would like to come along, Alan.

Well, I--

It'll be gay.

Plenty to drink. All that.

Have to let you know. I have to ask my wife,

we haven't been going out much lately.

Let me know as soon as possible, will you?

Have to know how many people are coming

to make a deal with the caterer.

Uh, the boss is coming.

I know he'd like to see you there.

I'd give that sharpshooter a wide berth.

Young Baker seems to be doing pretty good for a beginner.

None of it's paid for.

It will be though.

Go ahead.

Will you have a drink, sir?

No, thank you.

Excuse me. Mrs. Miller.

I'm so glad you could come.

Pardon me for not shaking your hand,

I seem to be all cluttered up with crockery.

Quite a nice place you've got.

I cannot tell a lie.

I did it all with my own little hatchet.

Come along. I want you to meet everybody.

Mr. Crawley. Excuse me.

Look who I found.

A top man and his cozy little wife.

I do believe you haven't heard one word I've been saying.

Oh, yes, I have, please go on.

Mrs. Miller, now that I've met you,

tell me the secret of your success.

Success? Yes, success.

Don't you consider it a success

to keep this unpredictable genius

at the top of the ladder for these many years?

They say he's an awful lush.

He's only being able to hang on by his toes now.

Bravo. That's loyalty for you.

With a woman like that, a man could do anything.

What's the matter with that little hatchet

you were telling us about?

Better mind his Ps and Qs tonight,

or he'll get the sack in the morning.

Mademoiselle Morley, Mr. and Mrs. Miller.

Know what Ps and Qs means?

No, I don't. Pints and quarts.

They don't speak any English.

Mrs. Miller, this is Miss Carey.

How do you do? This is Mr. Miller,

pride and mainstay of Crawley Inc.

How are you? Miss Carey is an actress.

An aspiring young Bernhardt.

Really? I wonder if I've ever seen you in anything.

I doubt it, you see--

She's a protege of Tony Colton.

Hoping he'll drop in later on.

I'm frankly using Miss Carey as bait.

Really, Mrs. Miller, isn't it dreadful

the way these ambitious men use us?

Bait, he called me and all the time I'd thought

he'd asked me for my own natural charm.

Natural is right,

she's turned down three cocktails already

and yet she's been even brighter than I am.

I haven't seen Mr. Colton in ages.

What did he say when you said I was going to be here?

He said nothing.

Which I take to be a very good sign.

I think it's so clever of you

the way the way you carry your baby, Mrs. Miller.

Most women look as though they're carrying

a bundle of laundry,

but you manage to look quite smart.

Thank you.

I imagine it comes with practice.

How many children have you?

Two. Both boys.

I think boys are much more interesting than girls.

They're more trouble, but they're worth it.

Are you married? No.

Cocktail?

They say it's not good for expectant fathers either.

I must say this is an abstemious corner.

I hope you don't all sit together at dinner.

The caterer will get quite discouraged.

I'll have another.

Thank goodness I've got no career to think of.

No, thank you.

No.

What are your children like?

Alan thinks the oldest takes after me,

but I think he's the spitting image of him.

I guess you always see what you want to see

in your own children. I guess.

Well, if that's true, it's because you're in love

and you're always searching for the face of the other.

I must say you seem to know a lot about it.

I imagine things, that's my business.

Now, Jenny, I must insist on you being sociable.

Your favorite, a Manhattan.

That's better.

First thing you know, Mr. and Mrs. Miller will think

you're the driest actress they've ever met.

They wouldn't come to see you

if you played Lady Godiva with the short bar.

Here's to the new place. May I?

I wonder if Miss Carey would do me the honor

of having dinner with me.

I'm very interested in the theater,

I'd like to ask her a few questions.

Do you mind? Of course not.

I'll have dinner with this nice young man

who thinks I don't look like a laundry bag.

That was very brave of you and I appreciate it.

Hardly help myself.

Why didn't you tell me you knew Baker?

Well, I didn't know him.

I knew the boy sitting on the floor, he's a set designer,

and Baker asked him to bring me.

Why haven't I heard from you?

Why should you?

I called the hotel several times.

I know.

Then why didn't you call?

There's your answer over there.

You're a lucky man.

Jenny, let's not talk about that now.

Oh, no, no, no.

I'm on the wagon for a few days.

A wife was never a reality to me.

I've been playing a girl with the umbrella

and you the boy seeing her home.

Even when we're alone together, we don't exist,

because the rest of the world's been shut out.

Where would you have been tonight

if I hadn't come along?

You'd have drunk that cocktail.

And you'd have had another and another,

and your precious part

would have gone a-glimmering like the rest of them.

I took that cocktail because you were here,

not because you weren't.

Hasn't been easy for me either.

I can feel Mr. David Baker and all his friends

taking pot shots at me from every corner of the room.

I know what they're saying. That I've lost my grip,

that I've hit the skids.

You're imagining that. No, I'm not.

What do you care what they say, it isn't true.

Perhaps it is.

Sometimes I wonder.

I only know that you brought something into my life

that tells me it's not true.

And when you're gone, I'll believe it.

I'm not gone, Alan, I'm right here.

But you're not mine.

You are going, I can feel it.

No, I'm not yours.

Well, here's to us.

Fun while it lasted.

Tony! Tony Colton, ou old buzzard, you're late.

I was reminding Miss Morley

that we met at Patsy Mandels' in Paris last summer.

You should go to Paris, my dear, do you a world of good.

Mr. Colton, Mr. Miller,

Mr. Miller, Mr. Colton.

How are you? How you doing?

I always think this custom of ours of repeating the name,

of reversing the order of introduction is so amusing.

It's as if both parties are worried

about who should come first.

Now, in Europe, they have no introduction

unless one is being presented at court.

Either people know each other already

or the fact that they find themselves

together in a good house

is sufficient introduction in itself.

In other words, one doesn't expect to meet any burglars.

Over here, sometimes it's hard to tell.

I want a very dry martini.

Very dry, understand?

Put a thin slice of lemon in it,

very thin so that the oil of the lemon

has an opportunity to permeate the entire cocktail, understand?

Yes, sir.

Now, tell me, darling, how have you been?

You know, Miss Carey and I are old friends.

In fact, I pride myself on being her discoverer.

Not much of a discovery I'm afraid,

I've yet to set the town on fire.

Setting the town on fire takes a long time, my dear.

And then of course it's always nice to have a Nero

to play the violin for you.

While it is burning.

And what business are you in, Mr. Miller?

Advertising.

Oh! With young David?

What an amusing business.

What a delightfully amusing business it is.

You know, the American people are dreamers,

every last one of us.

They're like Jack and the Beanstalk

with the six beans in his pocket,

you can sell them anything.

Incidentally, they all love their mothers just as he did.

Sometimes I think that is what makes most of them

such unsatisfactory lovers.

Don't you think so, Mr. Miller?

Not being an American woman, I'm in no position to say.

And you, Jenny?

I'm afraid I'm not qualified either,

but there is one thing I can say,

and that is that you wouldn't know any more about love

than you would about the advertising business

or anything else for that matter except the theater,

so why don't you stick to your knitting.

To free speech.

You're not drinking?

No. But we've such a toast.

Oh, it isn't the toast,

I just happen to be on the wagon for a few days, that's all.

To you, my dear, and your new-found courage.

And to your success.

Tell us about your new play,

we hear the reviews are wonderful.

I'd much rather hear about you.

They tell me this new part you have is quite interesting.

Good part. As good as the last one?

You know, you never did tell me why you ran out on it.

By the way, I did see the play when it got to town.

Now, that was a fine part,

you've missed quite an opportunity.

Did you like the performance of the girl who replaced you?

I didn't see her.

No? She was fantastically good in it.

Incidentally, I heard excellent out-of-town reports on you.

But I'm afraid it takes more than mere talent

to get anywhere these days.

The world is simply brimming with talented people, my dear,

particularly in our profession.

What one needs is emotional stability.

Didn't seem to have much success with that Carey girl.

She got up and rushed out as if you had measles.

I like to think it was that other character.

The one that joined the party.

She was very attractive.

Seemed rather nice, too.

It's funny she got tangled up with a man like that.

Well, he's a director and she's an actress.

Even so, I think I know the kind of girl she is.

She could be easily hurt.

Yeah, I guess you're right.

Miss Carey.

Miss Carey.

What's the matter?

Just leave me alone.

You didn't answer your phone.

I got worried.

All of a sudden, the guy's poison.

He is to me.

Listen, Miss Carey, it may be none of my business,

but when somebody's nuts about somebody,

they talk to him when he calls her.

Poison or no poison.

Well, you don't know everything.

Well, I guess I know a few things.

He's married.

To a woman?

I guess I don't know everything.

You could give him a message for me.

Tell him not to worry,

that I'm not drinking and I feel fine.

Mr. Miller.

It's Billy.

Talking from the phone downstairs.

Miss Carey says you're not to worry,

she's not drinking, she's feeling fine. Okay?

What did he say?

He said that's fine, that's all he was worried about.

If you believe that, you'll believe anything.

Send Mr. Miller and Mr. Baker in.

- Mr. Kennedy's here. - I beg your pardon.

Kennedy Shoes.

Mr. Crawley wants you. Kennedy's here.

All right.

Well, gentlemen, my idea is to stress romance.

The light touch.

Whet the appetite.

Enterprise and imagination,

those are the foundations of American industry.

Who was the first man to drink champagne

from a woman's slipper, Mr. Kennedy?

Well, you may not be able to drink champagne

from Kennedy Shoes.

No, no, Baker, that's not what he wants at all.

Alan...

Well...

Durability is the key note of mine.

As you can see, the word "arches"

leads right into the letter press

stressing the importance of the durable arch

in shoe construction.

Well, anyway, that was my idea.

Good, it has backbone. It tells the truth.

You tell the truth and you can sell shoes.

You hit the ball squarely, young fellow. Squarely.

I knew you'd like Alan's idea.

It has a great deal of dignity.

It's honest. It should get them here.

We'll shoot Miller's layout

to the printers right away, gentlemen.

That's what I hired you for, originally.

Imagination.

Banks, here, shoot this over

to the printer's right away, will you?

Good morning, Crawley Incorporated.

Say, where'd you get this idea?

What? I stopped in at the museum

a couple days ago.

Well, keep on pitching.

One moment, please. Get back in the groove again.

Good morning, Crawley Incorporated.

What's the matter? Thank you.

Anything wrong?

No, no, nothing. No, he isn't.

You act like this beautiful baby here isn't yours.

You're welcome. Well, it isn't entirely.

Good morning, Crawley Incorporated.

Let me talk to Billy.

Billy. Listen, Billy.

I've got to see her, I've got to talk to her.

No use you calling me, Mr. Miller, I only work here.

But, look, something's happened

I wanna thank her for. I wanna give her some good news.

Well, why don't you drop her a postcard?

I'm gonna come over there and beat your brains out.

Well, since you've made me an offer,

I'll do something for you.

She's leaving at 12:00 tonight

from Pennsylvania station for Baltimore,

where they're trying out that new play.

Now, if you should happen to drop down there

and buy a newspaper or something.

May I help?

What are you doing here?

I wanted to see you again.

I wish you hadn't.

I suppose I have Billy to thank for this.

Why've you been avoiding me?

I-- I must know.

I thought you could understand why I couldn't see you.

But there's so much I want to tell you--

To say to you.

I'll miss my train, I--

You better hurry, Jenny. We'll be late.

I'll be right there, Albert.

Who's that?

That's Albert Forest, he's playing Ankar.

Oh.

He send you the flowers?

Yes.

I-- I'd better go.

You need your ticket.

Please give it to me.

You've changed, haven't you?

Perhaps, I have, I--

I know that I'm grateful to you

for helping me through a very difficult time.

I really am, and--

I don't think there's anything else to say,

except goodbye.

And that's all there was to it?

You really didn't care for me at all.

I'm grateful. What more is there?

Here's your little sock, Chris.

Gonna put that on?

Gee, aren't these pretty?

Johnny! Look out!

Get down.

But I gotta put the angel on top.

We always have the angel on top.

Daddy will put it on when he comes home.

Where is he?

He's probably still at the office.

Gee, I wish he'd hurry up and get home.

Will he be here soon?

I think so. He has a lot to do.

Who has a lot to do, Mommy?

Your father.

Oh, I thought you meant Santa Claus.

No.

It's good for company morale.

By the way, I wonder where Alan is.

He's around here someplace. We'll find him for you.

Come on, baby. Alan!

Paging Mr. Miller.

Mr. Miller?

- Alan? - We're looking for Alan.

- Well, he's not in there. - No, he isn't.

Is that all?

Jenny, what's wrong?

Oh, just a little lonely, I guess.

When you get on the stage, you'll be all right.

You'd better run along now and get a couple of hours rest.

You've got a big night ahead of you.

I think that's a good idea.

I-- I'll go on right now.

Okay. Curtain's 8:30 sharp.

Don't be late.

Oh, he's not in there, but--!

Mr. Peabody, I don't need your excuses.

Oh! Merry Christmas, Mr. Miller.

Well, well, look who's here.

Mr. Miller, aren't you gonna dance with me this year,

like you did last?

Come on, Alan, let your hair down.

Hi, boss!

Here's to many good years in front of us, like the last.

Yes, let's all drink to the year to come.

To all the years to come.

I'll drink to that!

* For he's a jolly good fellow *

* For he's a jolly good fellow *

There it is.

Little angel.

Yeah.

I remember when we had it last year.

Do you?

Hello, Dad. You're just in time!

What? What'd you bring me, Dad?

Sorry? What'd you bring me, Dad?

Oh, leave that for Santa Claus.

I'm just the guy that works here.

Hi, Edna.

Hello.

How are you feeling?

Oh, fine.

I'm too healthy.

I have three guns. Tired?

No, no, no.

Usual office party. You know, shambles.

Daddy? Yeah.

The angel has to go up on top.

Well, I can't put it up there without a step-ladder.

I'll get it. No, I wanna get it.

Well, why don't you both get it,

and get this show on the road, huh?

Get the little one in the dining room.

How have the kids been today?

Rambunctious, I suppose?

No. Pretty good, really.

Considering how anxious they've been to see you.

They love you very much.

Well, I am their father.

You know, it's a pretty good looking tree.

Better than last year's.

Nice solid branches, dependable.

I get this thing dolled up, things are gonna be pretty gay

and Christmassy around here.

You're a very nice man, Mr. Miller.

Even if you don't think so yourself.

Yeah, I know.

Remember that first Christmas?

When we had the walk-up apartment?

You wanted a dressing gown and I got you a vacuum cleaner.

And the watch.

Did I get you a watch?

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, I got you a watch to go with the cleaner.

Took me 18 months to pay for it.

What's the matter, Alan?

I always get a kick out of the kids

the first time they see this thing light up.

I love you, Alan.

More than Chris and Johnny.

I know you much better.

No matter what's wrong, you've got to tell me.

Nothing's wrong.

That's what you've been saying.

But we're going to talk about it and get it over with.

But everything's fine.

It really is.

You're not yourself.

You haven't been drinking and yet--

Well, I never thought I'd say this,

but you're almost too sober.

I almost wish you would trip over a cord or something.

Well, that's a fine thing to say.

One minute you're worrying about me,

the next minute you're--

Here it is, Daddy.

Stick it in here.

Hand me up that angel.

There you are. How's that?

Fine. Oh, it's beautiful.

You know, if things get rugged around here,

I could always get a job at Macy's window.

Johnny, hand me up a string of lights, will you?

Oh, I'll get Daddy the lights. You help Chris.

Say, let's hurry up and finish this tree.

I have a wonderful idea. What is it?

After the children are in bed, I'm gonna take you

out on the town. Show you the time of your life.

Hey, maybe we better go to bed.

Those kids get up at the crack of dawn, you know.

Oh, don't talk like that. You sound like you're 103.

I'm gonna take you to Lu Chow's, feed you until you burst.

You know, I'm pretty expensive.

Say, I'm gonna try to get tickets for a show.

What, tonight? Yes.

I'll use my influence.

Hello?

Oh, yes, he is, just a moment.

Alan, it's for you.

Hello? What?

Yeah, this is Mr. Miller.

For Pete sakes, speak up.

Haven't you got a passkey?

Somebody's gotta get in there.

The door is bolted. I can't do nothing.

I haven't told them at the desk yet, because--

All right.

All right, I'll be right down.

Edna.

I gotta go out.

Somebody's in trouble, it might be serious.

I hate to leave at this particular time,

but you know how it is at Christmas time.

People get kind of lonesome with no family.

You go and hurry back,

because I'm still gonna take you to that show tonight.

Maybe if I pull the right strings,

I'll be able to get tickets to that new play

- that's opening tonight. - What play?

You know, that girl we met at the party is in it?

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

Gosh, I was never so glad to see anybody so much in my life.

- Fast this thing will go? - Yeah, it's a Model-T.

Billy.

Penny says it's time for his little walk

around the block now.

Just a minute and I'll take you down.

But you'll have to walk him yourself.

I'm very busy.

How are we gonna get in? Maybe she'll open it for you.

Jenny?

Jenny, open the door, it's Alan.

Try it again.

All right, Billy. I'll take over from here.

You go down and get some food and some black coffee.

Yeah.

Jenny, wake up.

Hello.

Say, where's Miss Carey? Has anything happened?

It's nearly curtain time.

Oh, Miss Carey's had some last-minute trouble

with her costume.

But she'll be there, and she never felt better.

Jenny!

Jenny.

Hello.

You love me, don't you?

You love me, don't you?

You love me, don't you?

I do, I do, I do.

That's why you've pulled this trick

of getting drunk again.

I know.

I tried the same thing with you that day in the restaurant.

You knew this would bring me flying over here,

and all the rest of it would be out of your hands.

We'd be together again.

We love each other and we won't--

We just won't admit it. That's right.

We keep kidding ourselves and we will crack up.

But if we admit it, everything will be all right.

But Alan, nothing can come of it

and you know it.

But something has come of it, honey.

Sit up.

But it has come to something.

That's what I mean.

There's a strength in it, don't you see?

You know that night when you went away.

I thought I'd never

see you again. I thought I'd die.

It was tough, but I stayed sober,

because I had something.

I had the thought of you fighting the same thing

that I was fighting.

And there's a strength in that that we'll always have,

wherever we are. Oh, you're stronger than I am.

No, I'm not.

You're the one that taught me that.

Come on.

Admitting it will give us the strength

to do our separate jobs, to go our separate ways.

Now, stand up a minute.

It might even give us the strength

to take a cold shower when all we wanna do is sleep.

Oh! It's cold! It's cold!

Oh, I'll never be able to go on tonight!

Oh, yes, you will!

And what's more, I'm gonna be there!

Hello? Will you order a taxi

and have it standing by for Miss Jenny Carey?

Thanks.

I got a taxi waiting downstairs at the door.

Hello, honey. How was the patient?

Oh, they're all right.

There were two of them.

They got into kind of a tailspin,

but they're all right now.

Let me see that.

Why don't you ring up? What's the hitch?

Keep your shirt on, will you?

Right. Take it up, Jerry.

Where's Miss Carey?

Jenny, curtain's going up. Coming. Coming.

It's all right, now. Wait a minute. Here we go.

Get the cape?

You must always be calm on opening nights, Miss Carey.

I've got it.

Miss Carey.

Miss Carey.

You can't go on without your collar.

You wanna go out looking like nothing at all?

Oh, dear.

But the struggle should be equal.

The soul in its eternal bed

should be as comfortable as within the living body.

Then go inside, my daughter,

dearest of my flesh and blood,

that all within is worthy of our royal ancestry.

A soul so strong

needs walls as stubborn to protect it.

Ankar.

My brave one, were you not afraid to follow me.

Afraid? Last night, by the temple,

as the priest of Isis made his vows,

you looked at me and I swear your look spoke love.

I looked at you and saw a slave.

And I, a lonely woman.

Fools.

We risk so much for things so soon surrendered.

And the body like a broken toy

is put here to rest and soon forgotten.

Only what the heart has made endures.

And the heart of a slave is early broken,

and therefore troubles him no more.

Food is him ambition, and love his only game.

A game?

Poor reason.

Love is like the Nile.

It spreads its bounty o'er the banks

that would confine it,

turns sterile plains to green,

and brings forth fruit to half-forgotten trees.

I am your queen.

Queen.

Where is she?

My love?

My love, thy words to our dying.

Our eternity is now.

First nights are exciting, aren't they?

Yeah.

You know, I wanted to be an actress once.

You did?

You needn't look so surprised.

Everyone thought I was very good as Lady Teazle at school.

Maybe you should've kept on with it.

No.

I decided I wanted a husband and babies.

A few complicated things like that,

so I had to make a choice.

You can't have everything in this world, you know.

Something has to give.

Yeah, I know.

By the way,

did Crawley give up that Egyptian campaign?

Yeah.

Yeah, I guess he did.