Original subtitles

"When I have fears that I may cease to be,

"before my pen has gleamed my teaming brain,

"before high-piled books and charactery

"hold like rich garners a full ripened brain.

"When I behold upon the night’s stark face,

"huge cloudy symbols of a high romance

"and think that I may never live to trace their shadows

"with the magic hand of chance.

"And when I feel fair creature of an hour,

"that I shall never look upon thee more.

"Never have relish the fairy power

"of unreflected love.

"Then on the shore on the wide world

"I stand alone.

"To think, to love,

and fame to nothingness to sink."

WOMAN [LAUGHS]: Oh! Oh, nice.

You’re gonna be a ravishing bride, Fran.

Let me guess.

Diane!

They’ll go great with that red dress

you’re getting married in. Oh, no.

Not me. I want every ounce of tradition.

Marching down that aisle.

Everyone gasping, "isn’t she spectacular?"

And then Mark lifts my veil,

and he gazes into my eyes for a long moment.

It better be long. DIANE: Mmm.

I’ve dreamt about it ever since I was a child.

Oh, yes. And then the nightmare begins.

Oh, Nancy. Don’t listen to her.

Marriage is beautiful.

Keeps the dew fresh on your eyelids.

Maggie teaches poetry, she doesn’t write it.

Marriage gives you a point of view of balance.

The lens you see things through that’s important.

Well, I’ve had a problem with 20-20 vision

with both of my husbands.

Hey, this is a bridal shower, not group therapy.

Just one bit of advice, Fran.

IN UNISON: Oh, no! Oh, no. This is vital.

Whatever you do, have your own bathroom.

I mean, there are some things you just don’t wanna see him do.

Ugh.

A toast, to Fran.

FRAN: Mm, okay. Yes.

[MAGGIE SIGHS]

Happiness forever.

MAGGIE: To a man who’s your soul mate.

Fresh dew on your eyelids. Hmm.

BOTH: And your own bathroom.

Oh. Oh.

Oh, I’m sorry. Oh, God. NANCY: Here, here.

Oh, today of all days. Here.

Oh.

FRAN: Oh, here, here. I’m sorry.

Mom, hey, Mom. Wait up.

Can I borrow the car?

Oh, sorry.

Home to change. Betrayed again by chocolate.

You look fine. I do not look fine.

I have a meeting with curriculum committee

in, uh, 47 minutes.

I’m not gonna give them the chance to say no.

Now where are my keys?

Hey, do you have the list?

Your anniversary party, who you and Dad want to invite.

Oh please, Diane, you don’t need to give us a party.

It’s just too expensive.

Well, why wait tables

if I can’t squander the money on my parents?

Because you have student loans and books.

Mom, your 25th anniversary is a major.

How many of your friends are you inviting?

I wanna celebrate you and Dad.

Oh, listen, your father and I

are probably gonna go to Bermuda, have a little sex.

MAGGIE: So touching.

I think they’re filthy perverts.

When can I have the car?

Five o’clock. Okay.

Hey, and get that list together!

Key experience could be thought of as intricate collages,

crafted from fragments of the past.

But even more relevant today.

Particularly his view of romantic love.

[INAUDIBLE CHATTERING]

[GASPS]

[CAR DOORS CLOSE]

TOM: How’s that list coming for Diane?

She’s inviting everybody we’ve ever met.

Pretty impressive.

Not too sure about the Harrisons, though,

he’s such a jerk.

So how’s that list coming?

Hmm?

I’m sorry, muffin.

Did the meeting go badly?

It went splendidly.

They’re very enthusiastic about poetry.

Particularly Keats.

Terrific.

How’s about a nice, big Caesar salad?

Lots of anchovies.

I’m starving.

You feel like a Caesar salad?

TOM: Yeah.

Is that what you want?

[CLATTERS]

Go on playing house?

What?

Bridgette. Bridgette.

Isn’t that her name? Your new paralegal.

I recognized those ridiculously long legs.

What are you talking about?

I saw you, Tom.

I planted those gardenias that you gave to her.

I’m sorry, Mags.

That’s it?

That’s all you have to say?

It just happened.

Here? In our house?

Which room did it happen in, Tom?

Let’s cool it, okay?

For 25 years, I have come home to you.

Was it so difficult?

I’m the one who dropped out of college to work

so you could go to law school.

[CELL PHONE RINGS]

Oh, don’t answer that phone. Turn off the phone.

What do you want me to say?

Is there anything I can say that’ll make it okay?

I don’t know. I want you to say that I didn’t see right.

What happened?

I fell in love.

Oh, my God.

MAGGIE: Happiness forever.

With a man who’s your soul mate.

Fresh dew on your eyelids.

And your own bathroom.

After years of controversy,

during which John Keats’ work had been,

alternately, savagely criticized,

and extravagantly praised,

and then finally, neglected.

[BELL RINGS]

His position as one of England’s finest poets has been confirmed.

Have a great summer everybody.

[STUDENTS CLAPPING]

[STUDENTS CHATTERING]

Oh, Mrs. Weber. Yes.

Listening to you talk about Keats

with such passion this semester,

well, would you read this?

Oh, sure, Jennifer.

It’s beautiful, Jennifer.

You have real talent.

Did you know that?

Really?

Well, thank you.

You gave me the courage to write it.

Have a great summer, Mrs. W.

Thanks.

[♪♪♪]

Oh, hey, Jim Rogers.

Just trying to be a gentleman.

What a relief.

Chivalry’s not dead.

And I’m looking forward to these, uh, weeks off.

You?

Um, yeah, sort of.

It’s been an unusual three months.

I know. Thanks.

Uh, do you like The Stones?

Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, the guy with the lips.

Um, yes.

I thought you would.

Third row.

They’re gonna be here on the 26th.

Been to every Stones concert around here since 1972.

Oh, fantastic.

And would you, uh, like to go with me?

Um...

Thank you, but...

Okay.

Everybody knows how devoted Jim Rogers was

throughout his wife’s cancer.

I mean, come on, he’s a damn jewel.

Would you just lay off me?

Everyone has a solution.

Then help yourself.

I was married for 25 years.

I slept next to someone I thought I knew,

every night for 25 years.

And, suddenly, it’s over!

What am I supposed to do?

Just shake myself and just snap to?

Yes, exactly. Oh, God.

Come on. Tom isn’t worth it, Maggie.

Oh, just-- Would you just knock it off?

Fran’s husband knows a lawyer in Tom’s firm.

And he says that Tom was well-known

for dipping into the paralegal pool.

Maggie, this was not the first time.

[CLOCK TICKING]

[♪♪♪]

NANCY: You’re going to take a sabbatical?

Why didn’t you tell us?

I just decided yesterday.

Maggie, you are so secretive.

No, Maggie’s just private.

So where are you going? Up north.

To an unbelievably beautiful spot called Little Bear Lake.

Little Bear Lake?

Yeah, there’s a restaurant, a dance hall there

where I spent one of the happiest summers of my life.

I was eighteen, waiting tables.

I want to go back there and find that girl.

You haven’t been in touch

with anybody up there all this time?

No.

There’s one person, though, in particular,

I’ve always wondered about.

A male person?

Patrick Fleming.

He was... Oh, God, he was my first love.

Handsome and gentle. Hmm?

No. I was too young.

But it didn’t stop me from wanting him.

Didn’t take a breath that summer without thinking of Patrick.

That is romantic.

I found his letters.

I haven’t a clue what happened to him.

You’re not going up there because of this Patrick guy,

hoping you and he might...?

No, I’m going up there

because I want to sort out my life.

And I wanna see the old dance hall again.

Patrick and I had this secret place.

It was a dock that he had built.

And we used to go there and recite poetry to one another.

Does that sound hopelessly sappy?

No.

No, it wasn’t. It was-- It was perfect.

What happened? I ended it.

I’m worried about your expectations, Mom.

This guy’s probably married with 10 kids.

I’m not expecting him

to be waiting for me on our dock.

I just don’t want you to be hurt anymore, okay?

It’s enough Dad’s living with Bridgette so soon,

that bastard.

Don’t you ever call your father a bastard.

I’m okay.

I’m better than okay. I’m excited.

You gonna be okay?

I love you.

[♪♪♪]

[DOOR OPENS]

MAN: What are you doing here, lady?

[DOOR CLOSES]

Oh, I’m just looking for the owner.

I can’t hear what you’re saying. My batteries are low.

You’re breaking the law, you know, you’re trespassing.

I saw you from my place. I’m just looking around.

Um, how long has this place been closed?

A few years.

Come on, you’ve gotta go.

Mr. Finnegan.

Gil? What?

It’s so nice to see you again.

Maggie Patterson. I used to work here.

How is Harriet?

Same as she’s always been.

Who are you?

Maggie!

Oh, yes.

Those blue eyes. You don’t forget.

You’re the one who couldn’t balance your tray.

Well, a few beer bottles did hit the deck.

What a coincidence.

An old friend of yours just came up here too.

Someone you were very close with.

Oh, who was that?

Our daughter, Claire.

Oh.

Great.

[♪♪♪]

I thoroughly enjoyed each marriage.

Until the crash landing.

Oh, they’re tough.

Very.

But you just have to get back up on the horse.

Yeah. Yeah.

Oh, I, um, I grabbed this.

Oh, wait. Out of a box of old memories.

This is gonna take you back.

How unafraid we were.

We really believed we could do anything, didn’t we?

Oh, yes. Remember how passionate we were?

Oh.

We were gonna stop the bombing.

End the war, bring the troops back home.

And we did it.

Oh, how we used to argue for hours

over every conceivable topic.

Patrick was-- He was good at that.

He was good at everything.

Well, to survival. Right.

And old friends.

Uhm.

Somehow I always knew,

even after you didn’t come back that summer

and we never heard from you.

Still, I just knew I’d see you again.

Well, I wrote to Patrick after.

I told him why I couldn’t come back to the Harvest Moon.

Didn’t he ever talk about me?

Uh-hmm. He wouldn’t.

My father was sick.

My mother had just died.

He was in such a panic

that if I came back here to Patrick,

I would never go home again.

I devoted all my time to my dad.

It just-- It just took me over.

When I wrote to Patrick, I asked him

if it wouldn’t be better if we broke up.

And he never responded. He never wrote back.

It’s important to me that I straighten things out.

I want to tell him I’m sorry for what I--

For what I did and for what I didn’t do.

But Maggie...

He’s married with 10 kids. I know, I know.

Well, after that summer, he did marry a girl

that he met over in Twin Falls.

She was pregnant.

Is he still with her?

Patrick’s dead.

Heart attack.

Quite a few years ago.

[♪♪♪]

I’m so sorry.

[♪♪♪]

HARRIET: Reopen The Moon?

It’s more decrepit than we are.

Speak for yourself.

Oh, put that out.

I wanna open The Moon and fix it up.

So it gleams the way it used to.

And rocks with music and life and fun.

And I wanna open in eight weeks,

on the night of the actual Harvest Moon.

It’s the most romantic night of the year.

It won’t work. The Moon’s up for sale.

If we open it again,

we’ll be right down there working with you.

I’ll buy it then.

I approve, I approve.

Just borrowing money for a dance hall?

I’ve never let myself go. I’ve always wanted to and I--

I’ve never listened to myself.

This is my chance to move forward.

DIANE: I hear you, Mom.

I’m sorry about that man, Patrick.

Must have been a bummer.

I’m gonna try and put him to rest.

Financial statements.

Uh, list all your assets,

bank accounts, real estate, stocks, cars, boats.

And, uh, since you’re on sabbatical

with only half your income, Mrs. Weber,

we do require a, uh, co-signer

who, in effect, will guarantee the loan in case of default.

Have any idea who you might get to co-sign for you?

I have several possibilities.

Mr. Stanton. Paul.

MAGGIE: Oh, right. If I fill this in now,

when am I gonna get the loan?

Um, if everything’s in order, six to eight weeks.

No! I have to open in eight weeks.

I have to get the word out that The Moon is open

for the rest of the year.

And we want to open on the night of the actual Harvest Moon.

It’s eight weeks.

Well... [CHUCKLES]

Well, we have to be sensitive to your calendar, don’t we?

I mean, being the friendly bank.

I’ll tell you what.

If you can get a co-signer right away,

I will guarantee the loan.

And you can get started on these repairs.

Well, I have some savings back home.

And Harriet says that I can stay upstairs

at the Moon for a while, so...

[SIGHS] Ah.

[♪♪♪]

Hi.

Hi.

Are you-- You lost?

MAGGIE: No.

Um, I know this area.

I’m just wandering about.

MAGGIE: Excuse me. Is this your dock?

No. But, uh...

Actually, my father built it.

A long time ago.

Who was your father?

MAN: Patrick Fleming.

I’m John Fleming.

Hi, I’m Maggie.

Hi, Maggie.

Are you sure I can’t help you with anything?

No.

I’m staying up the hill.

[♪♪♪]

Diane told me about this dance hall thing.

Is this your way of getting back at me?

You really do think everything is about you, don’t you?

I’m sorry, but you must be getting in touch

with some long hidden part of your inner psyche,

but it’s way beyond anything reasonable or responsible.

That is a little odd coming from you.

What do you know about running a dance hall?

Look, I’m not asking you for your stamp of approval.

I just need you to co-sign the loan.

There’s some money in the house, my share.

Yeah, but you won’t put the house on the market.

It’s not worth anything if we don’t sell it.

I’m not ready to sell my house.

Our house. Our house.

This means a lot to me.

I would appreciate your help.

Look, uh, I’ve got an early meeting--

No, no, no, Tom!

It can’t wait.

Put the house on the market.

Well now you’re making some sense.

Look, you send me the facts on this dance hall thing

and I’ll consider co-signing the loan

after we sell the house.

Go to hell!

Just you go to hell!

Listen, everybody, this is the great woman

who’s opening the Harvest Moon again.

No, no! We hope! We hope!

We hope! We hope!

Hi.

Does that mean we’ve got the loan?

I can’t take rejection.

Never could. Right.

I think it was just a wave.

I called him.

Told him I didn’t have a co-signer.

He wasn’t thrilled. Oh, bummer.

Well...

I got them.

Is that John’s wife?

On the verge, I hear.

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

Let’s hear it for the goalie, huh?

Nine saves! [LAUGHS]

[INDISTINCT CHATTERING]

MAN: What you got cooking there?

[LEAVES RUSTLING]

Mrs. Weber?

Oh, call me Maggie. Great, Maggie.

Um, so you don’t go through the weekend in suspense.

Oh, God. What?

We’re gonna give you the loan on the Harvest Moon.

Without a co-signer? Yes.

It’s irregular but, uh, we want the Moon to reopen.

It’s a big deal around here.

It used to be called the Treasure of Little Bear Lake.

Thank you! Thank you!

I’m gonna try and make it an even greater treasure.

Sure you will. Listen,

we’re delighted to have you here.

Uh, yeah. Thank you.

Appreciate it. You’re welcome.

[♪♪♪]

JOHN: Maggie? Hi.

You’re Maggie Patterson, right? John Fleming.

I hear you’re gonna reopen The Moon.

Yes.

Well, I’m sort of a jack of all trades.

You can ask anyone.

And, uh, I carve wood too.

Although it’s kind of hard to make a living out of that.

If you’re hiring, I’ll work very hard for you.

I figure whatever you need, I can get it for you.

I know everybody in town.

I’m not gonna let anyone put their hand in your pocket.

I know your father was the architect

who restored the Moon in the ’70s.

God, I always wondered

what he was like when he was younger.

I know he was completely into his work.

’Cause I get that from him.

Although he could be a little grandiose at times.

Grandiose? Oh, yeah.

John Keats Fleming.

He named me after the poet.

I’d say that’s pretty grandiose.

Gives you something to live up to.

Named after a poet. Yeah.

I try not to be too intimidated though.

So you gonna take a chance on me?

Sign me on as your foreman.

I’ll give it a try.

See you Monday morning.

Early.

Thank you.

[♪♪♪]

[WORKERS HAMMERING]

MAN: It’s almost over.

[CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]

Oh, my God!

HARRIET: Maggie!

We have to admit, we’re excited about what’s going on here!

We’d like to offer our services.

And it won’t cost you a cent.

Advice, chores, hand-holding.

Oh, we just can’t stay away.

Well, this is an offer I can’t resist.

CLAIRE: Maggie! Thank you.

Maggie! Yeah.

Can I speak with you for a minute, please?

Madam?

These, um--

These records that you asked me to order for the jukebox?

Some Enchanted Evening? Light My Fire? You Send Me?

What about them?

These were Patrick’s favorites, weren’t they?

Well, why tear yourself up?

Going back to Patrick and the past...

Well...

Look at that list. There’s current ones.

Maggie, come on.

Well, part of the reason for me coming up here,

this whole journey was just to reconnect with a happy time.

Come out refreshed and with my head together.

Hey, good. I just hope that all this work

is building something for your future,

not getting you stuck in the past.

Ladies, I found a great buy on lilies for the front entrance.

My dad had this picture of the place years ago

with all these lilies out in front and it was great.

I almost forgot. You have to decide

whether you want to paint the dance floor

or if you want stain and seal coats.

Oh, well, just check it with Claire.

Eighty dollars for this ad. It’s ridiculous.

Let me see.

We should be putting posters up on telephone poles.

Well, people don’t read telephone poles.

Maybe John can get it cheaper.

Well, you ask him then.

Speaking of your foreman,

Maggie, he thinks you’re avoiding him.

And he keeps asking me why.

He’s uncomfortable.

Well, I don’t know what to do. I--

I see him and I think of Patrick,

whom I loved so much.

My first romance.

There John is smiling at me,

telling me a section of the roof has got dry rot and I--

I’m just shivering inside.

It shakes me up.

Even his hands are like Patrick’s.

Same broad palms and long fingers.

You could get lost in them.

Am I supposed to tell him that?

Sounds positively pornographic.

Tell me.

Oh, Maggie, he is not Patrick.

He’s nothing like him.

And it’s not nice, the way you’re treating him.

JOHN: Maggie?

I’d like to show you something.

Would you mind coming with me, please?

Yep.

You’ve got people all excited about the opening of The Moon.

I want it to be the biggest event of the year.

I think this town needs the Harvest Moon.

My dad used to always go on

about how you could go down there any night of the week

and you’d always run into your friends.

And in those days everyone danced

and nobody cared whether they looked cool or not.

They just let themselves go. You know?

I think you’re bringing that back here.

You think people today want the same things?

Yeah.

I do.

What do you think? Oh, you fixed the sign.

That’s the way it looked in my dad’s photo.

I remember. It’s just the way it was

when I drove up in my pale blue Plymouth.

Years ago, for the first time.

I was so nervous.

I wanted to become part of the whole thing here.

Well, well, I did.

After breaking 30 beer bottles, I wasn’t much of a waitress.

I’m amazed Harriet didn’t fire me.

Look, look. There’s a monarch.

He’ll probably hibernate soon.

No, actually,

I think monarchs are the only butterfly

that migrates thousands of miles south in the winter.

All with these delicate wings.

Ah.

Oh, thousands of miles.

God, how could anything be so determined

and so fragile?

It’s like you.

Doing all of this.

Maggie, there’s been an accident!

Oh my God! What happened?

He fell off the roof. Bring him in.

I’ll call the doctor. We were putting the tarp up.

The doctor wants you observed for at least three hours.

So you don’t fall asleep or lose consciousness.

I should go home now.

No, you should be lying quietly. I feel fine.

You should stay at least one more hour, John.

JOHN: Claire tells me you’re a teacher.

What do you teach?

English literature.

JOHN: Literature. I like that word.

You know, it’s just got to be good for you.

I wasn’t very good in school.

Guess, I was more interested in working with my hands.

Always liked books, though. It was school that put me off.

Didn’t your father encourage you to read?

A Keats fan? Oh, yeah.

He said that I would come to it eventually, in my own time.

In my own way.

He was right, of course.

I find myself reading more and more.

What are some of your favorite books?

Maybe Crime and Punishment.

Or Steppenwolf.

That’s funny. So many guys love that book.

Is that sarcasm? No.

No, they’re both fine books, really.

Recently I read Wuthering Heights.

Unbelievably romantic.

The characters long to be together for years.

But when she finally gets her man, she dies.

In a sense, she loves the wrong man.

How can you love the wrong man?

I mean, love is such a gift.

I think it’s enough just to love.

Don’t you? Oh.

I don’t really have a philosophy.

Not about love, anyway.

I have sort of been having a fantasy.

Sort of an exercise to get me through a difficult phase.

I call it the Cult of Aphrodite.

All the women can have five lovers.

And all the men must be monogamous.

Or they turn into eunuchs.

Wow.

That must be some phase.

Yeah. It is some phase.

Facing that you’re a supporting player

in other people’s lives and not truly important.

I didn’t--

I didn’t thank you for drying my boots off.

I’m gonna have to go get them wet now.

Oh, there you are. Oh, sweetie.

Thanks so much for taking care of him.

JOHN: Amy, I told you I was okay.

I could have driven myself.

Honey, you fell off a roof.

Come on, let’s go. Come on.

Thanks for the first aid.

And don’t worry, we’ll open The Moon on time.

Promise. Goodnight.

Okay, thanks. All right.

Uh, they say the Moon’s foundation is slipping.

We’re gonna have to reinforce it with concrete and steel.

Well, then we’ll do it. We have three weeks.

Um, it’s gonna cost a lot.

That building has been standing a hundred years.

We can refinance our place, can’t we, Gil?

Get some money for this.

Mom, the little equity you have in your house,

it’s everything you’ve got.

Now I have some money coming from my latest divorce.

Uh, but not for a couple of months.

I could sell my house back home, but...

it’s not gonna help us now.

You could open later.

I was hoping I was gonna be able to raise part of the money

and you’d give me a loan for the rest.

I’ve reached the bottom of my piggy bank.

When you reach the bottom, you wonder what’s gonna happen.

You wonder stuff like...

"am I gonna have a roof over my head?"

Am I gonna starve? Am I gonna die?

You don’t have to. No, I know. I know. I know.

I’m not gonna die.

When you reach the bottom, you-- You just feel dead.

Because your dreams are dying.

And I’m not gonna let that happen.

I am not gonna pull out.

I’m gonna open The Moon,

even if people have to come and dance on the grass

at the water’s edge, I am gonna open The Harvest Moon.

[PHONE RINGS]

Maggie,

we believe in this project.

We’re gonna give you the extra 30,000 you need.

Oh, no. It’s 50. Thirty.

Fifty! Thirty, Maggie.

John Fleming came in with the new figures.

He promised us he could do the job, first class, for 30.

Now, we trust John.

You really are the friendly bank.

Okay, what’s the matter?

Oh, that was a good sigh.

You know, you can sigh when you’re happy.

You can even cry when you’re happy.

I’ve always thought that was amazing.

Come on, let’s celebrate.

No. Got work to do for the next three days.

We-- We must celebrate you.

Maggie Patterson, former teen waitress,

and this amazing accomplishment.

Yes, it is, isn’t it? Yes.

I’m gonna send a copy of this deed to my ex.

All right. To, um, anger, revenge, spite.

No. What?

To love.

That other stuff’s good for a while, but it buries you.

It makes you ugly. All right.

To love. To love.

♪ One, two, three ♪

♪ One, two, three ♪

["LAND OF 1000 DANCES" PLAYING]

♪ Got to know how to pony ♪

♪ Like Bony Maronie ♪

♪ Mash potato ♪

♪ Do the alligator ♪

♪ Put your hands on your hips ♪

♪ Let your backbone slip ♪

♪ Do the Watusi ♪

♪ Like my little Lucy ♪

[♪♪♪]

♪ Na na-na-na-na ♪

♪ Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na Na-na-na-na ♪

♪ Come on, y’all ♪

♪ Na na-na-na-na...♪

Do you have any idea how much I appreciate you guys?

I wish we had some more songs about the moon.

Major love prop.

[LAUGHS]

Um, John,

what is your favorite love song?

Depends on my mood.

CLAIRE [CHUCKLES]: Oh-oh.

I have to go pick up Mom at bingo. Ooh.

Half an hour ago.

So long.

Drive carefully. CLAIRE: I will.

I’ve got a quarter. What would you like to hear?

[DOOR OPENS]

Um, it’s getting late, John.

I’m gonna go upstairs, I think.

No, no, no. Pick a song. Please. Come on.

Would you like to dance?

Um, no. I’m--

I’m gonna go to bed, I think. Just...

[CLICKS AND COIN CLINGS]

[CLICKS]

[LATIN MUSIC PLAYS]

No.

[GASPS]

We can’t do this.

It’s wrong.

Oh, the work’s almost done.

We should stay away from each other.

Just go.

I want you to go.

[LATIN MUSIC PLAYS CONTINUES]

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

[KNOCKING]

CLAIRE: Maggie.

Yeah? Hey.

The plumbers are waiting for John.

Where is he?

And where the devil is my coffee?

You promised to make six cups.

Yeah, I did make six cups. I just drank it all.

Haven’t slept a wink all night.

Hey, what is this? Some new religion?

Oh, it’s Patrick’s letters.

What happened?

Something happened last night.

Oh, it could have.

I could have.

But I asked him to leave. Oh.

Now, don’t tell me what a jerk I am.

Scared, repressed Maggie.

You have any idea what it feels like to wake up

and find yourself captivated?

No.

Turned on by your ex-lover’s son.

That’s pretty disgusting, isn’t it?

No!

A trifle out of the ordinary, yes.

But, uh, normal, for a ripe, red-blooded, divorcée.

Ripe? Is that all it is?

Hey, hey. Don’t knock it. John reminds me of Patrick.

And transferring those feelings to John is just wrong.

I’ve just got to put out this torch.

Right. Which torch?

The one for Patrick or the one for John?

I don’t know!

God!

It’s just genetics.

I see John and I have these feelings for him.

And then I dream of Patrick.

What am I gonna do? Tell me what to do.

I can’t tell you what to do.

Claire, I’m asking you for advice.

Three ex-husbands?

I’m adviced out.

Nobody listens to me anyway.

Ah, what the hell.

I think you should take a look

at what’s really going on with you.

And maybe give yourself permission

to have a little fun,

instead of torturing yourself

about whether it’s Patrick or it’s John.

What do you mean by that?

Your husband of 25 years dumped you.

Now you have got to mourn that relationship.

From what you’ve told me about your ex,

John is completely different.

For starters, he’s, uh--

He’s totally into you.

And he’s outgoing and down to earth, connected.

And he seems to be running away from sexy young things,

instead of after them.

[CHUCKLES]

Well, don’t you see that?

I see that my job now

is to open this wonderful dance hall

and make it the finest Harvest Moon dance ever.

All right. The plumbers await.

Come on. Yes.

[PHONE RINGS]

Hello? DIANE: Hey, Mom, it’s me.

Hon.

DIANE: Hi. How are you?

I’m good. But I’m probably not gonna

be able to make it up there for the opening.

I’ve got this biology paper and you know

how I put everything off until the last minute.

And it is the last minute.

I’m sorry. Really.

And, um, Mom?

What is it, hon?

DIANE: She’s pregnant.

Can you believe Dad?

Who’s pregnant?

DIANE: Bridgette.

Dad has no conscience. It’s so embarrassing.

It’s got nothing to do with you.

And what about you?

Oh, don’t feel bad for me. I’m--

I’m chilling, as you would say.

I’m just sorry you won’t be here.

But I completely understand.

If you need me, I will come.

Oh, I’ll save you a dance.

DIANE: Okay. Take care of yourself, Mom.

Bye, baby. DIANE: Bye.

Every newspaper for miles around.

Listen to this:

"The Dance Hall is like the moon itself.

lighting up the entire area."

Hey, it’s a nice picture of you.

I never got my picture in the paper.

Your picture looks like a mug shot.

CLAIRE: Maggie?

Maggie, look at this.

[CLAIRE SIGHS]

These bows, they are not making it.

Did we look this goofy?

[MAGGIE SCOFFS]

Probably.

Mm. Maybe--

Kind of like-- No, I think lose the bows.

Okay. That’s it, girls.

No bows and what about their hair?

You know, up, I suppose. No?

Hey, where’s John?

That tall grass in the front has got to be cut.

Oh, it will be, Pop.

Yeah. Uh, John is sending some friends over to do it.

I spoke to him this morning, stopped by his place.

And, uh,

he’s not feeling well.

You don’t look so good yourself.

Thanks.

Come on, sweetie.

From people’s excitement around here,

tomorrow night’s opening is like, the nearest thing,

say, to winning the soccer championship.

MAGGIE [ON TV]: Well, I hope the Moon lives up to people’s memory of it.

Um, and more.

We’re gonna have a live band as there’s a magic jukebox.

A song for everyone. I believe that...

Sent in my deposit for Design School today.

...that loving good songs improves your life. And...

[CLEARS THROAT]

I thought that might get your attention.

[SIGHS]

John, we need to make some decisions here.

Sounds like you made yours.

Well, today’s the deadline for the applications, you know?

I’m not moving to Chicago.

I think you know that.

Amy, I don’t want to leave the lake.

Don’t want to leave my friends.

We have five years invested in us, John.

Five years.

Okay, fine.

Let’s live together here then.

Can we do that? Can we make it more

than just weekends

and sometimes on Wednesdays after a movie? I mean,

let’s close the gap, here, let’s make some sort

of commitment to each other.

I like things the way they are.

You do? Yeah.

Okay.

["THAT’S HOW STRONG MY LOVE IS" PLAYING]

♪ If I were the sun Way up there ♪

♪ I’d go with love Most everywhere ♪

♪ I’d be the moon When the sun goes down ♪

♪ Just to let you know That I’m still around ♪

♪ ’Cause that’s how strong My love is ♪

♪ That’s how strong My love is ♪

♪ That’s how strong My love is ♪

♪ Oh, that’s how strong My love is ♪

♪ I’ll be the weeping willow Drowning in my tears ♪

♪ And you could go swimming When you were here ♪

♪ I’ll be the rainbow after The tears are gone ♪

♪ Wrap you in my arms And keep you warm ♪

♪ That’s how strong My love is ♪

♪ That’s how strong My love is ♪

♪ That’s how strong My love is ♪

♪ That’s how strong My love is ♪

♪ I’ll be the ocean deep And wide ♪

♪ And catch all your tears Whenever you cry ♪

[♪♪♪]

MAGGIE: It’s John.

Do you really think this is gonna be enough?

Pray people eat dinner before they come.

Got his answering machine for the third time.

I even went by his place this morning. He wasn’t there.

Well, he could at least return your call. We’re opening

tonight. Gil insists the fire screen be ready.

Hmm. My parents are so jazzed about The Harvest Moon opening.

Well, so am I.

Listen, Maggie,

as soon as my money comes through

from my most recent divorce,

I want to invest. Yes?

I’ll bartend and stock your jukebox.

But also carry wood and--

And just generally work like a fiend.

I would love to be your partner.

Yes! [LAUGHS]

Oh.

This is not advice, just a statement.

John is crazy about you.

Now, unlike myself,

you have this appealing guy in your future.

I don’t think I want to hear this advice.

Well, I’m going to give it anyway.

Listen, my Aunt Myrtle used to say:

"When tarts are passing, take tarts."

Tarts? Is that a metaphor for John?

Your torch. It’s for John, isn’t it?

Look, babe, you have returned to the land of the living.

Don’t let him pass you by.

Do you realize I have all my money,

my future and my dreams tied up in The Harvest Moon?

John Keats Fleming, my foreman, is not around, doesn’t care.

And who needs that?

If he even tries to get through that door tonight,

I’m gonna tell him to turn the hell around and keep marching.

Screw your Aunt Myrtle. Oh.

[♪♪♪]

Oh, God!

Come on, Keats, I gotta go. I gotta get up to Longville,

get Lily’s folks and get back here for the dance tonight.

[THUD]

You’re going tonight, right? No, I don’t think so.

You worked these weeks at The Moon, fixing it up,

and you’re not going? No, I’m not going.

That Miss Patterson opening The Moon?

Lily thinks she’s pretty. You think she’s sexy?

I’ve had fantasies about her.

Oh, man.

Those blue eyes. Built too.

I imagined she asked me to stay late, fixing drinks.

She plays a little music, get a little--

Enough! All right?

Okay.

[PHONE RINGS]

Yes? Hi, it’s me, Tom.

What is it?

Listen, I got an offer on the house.

A great one. I negotiated them. I’m busy now, Tom.

TOM: Look, just give me the word and I’ll send you the papers.

I’m not selling the house.

Maggie, this is a great offer.

Come on, you’re gonna be staying up there.

MAGGIE: I haven’t told the university yet.

And anyway, I want Diane to have the house.

Maggie, please, look.

I need this money. Please, don’t do this to me.

How’s your project?

MAGGIE: It opens tonight.

I’m really proud of it.

That’s-- That’s great.

I’m sorry, really.

Oh.

Are we ready to dance?

Think anybody will come?

Oh, bite your tongue.

The Moon lives.

[ALL CHUCKLES]

[CHATTERS]

Excuse me, Maggie?

May I reserve your first free dance?

Yes, when I’ve greeted everyone.

Okay. I’ll see you later.

His wife ran off with the Buick salesman years ago.

Paul is still looking.

He must be very particular.

Well, you should be too.

Paul Stanton is much better for you than some young buck.

MAN: ♪ One, two, three ♪

♪ One, two, three ♪

["LAND OF 1000 DANCES" PLAYING]

♪ Got to know how to pony ♪

♪ Like Bony Maronie ♪

♪ Mash potato ♪

♪ Do the alligator ♪

WOMAN: Oh, yes!

MAN: ♪ Put your hand on your hips ♪

♪ Let your backbone slip ♪

♪ Do the Watusi ♪

♪ Like my little Lucy ♪

["THAT’S HOW STRONG MY LOVE IS" PLAYING]

♪ If I were the sun Way up there ♪

Have you seen him? Mm-mm.

What time is it?

10:45.

♪ I’d be the moon When the sun goes down ♪

Maggie, I’ve been waiting for my dance.

♪ Just to let you know that I’m still around ♪

Excuse us.

♪ ’Cause that’s how strong My love is ♪

♪ That’s how strong My love is ♪

♪ That’s how strong My love is, oh ♪

♪ That’s how strong My love is ♪

♪ I’ll be the weeping willow Drowning in my tears ♪

♪ And you could go swimming When you were here ♪

♪ I’ll be the rainbow After the tears are gone ♪

♪ Wrap you in my arms And keep you warm ♪

♪ ’Cause that’s how strong My love is ♪

♪ That’s how strong My love is ♪

Let’s give a round of applause to our terrific band.

[CROWD CHEERING AND APPLAUDING]

Uh, I want to thank you for welcoming me so warmly.

And I welcome you into my life and I hope

that we’ll be dancing for years to come

at The Harvest Moon. WOMAN: Yes!

CROWD: Yeah!

ALL: Wow.

Oh.

[CROWD CHEERING AND APPLAUDING]

Well, the dance contest is coming up, folks.

Ten minutes. Ten minutes. [CROWD CHEERING]

[CHATTERS]

[LATIN MUSIC PLAYING]

Would you like to dance?

I’m sorry. I can’t do this.

GIL: Maggie Patterson,

from waitress to owner, you’re the tops.

That’s five scotches talking.

Good night, dear. Good night.

Good night, you two. BOTH: Good night.

Maggie, are you ready for this?

Paul sat talking to me most of the night.

He wants to take me to breakfast.

That’s great.

And I thought my chances had all dried up.

No. See? You never know.

I love you.

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

[♪♪♪]

Your eyes are actually bluer than the sky behind you.

Don’t be romantic now.

I want to be with you...

like this... forever.

Is that too romantic?

Way too romantic.

These last few days I stayed away from you

to protect you.

I had to find out

what it was between us.

If it was just sexual chemistry.

But being away from you made me crazy.

I couldn’t think of anything but you.

It took me over.

It was a full scale invasion.

I call this...

an omelet.

But it might be an anomaly to you.

Hmm. Hmm.

Hmm, it’s very good.

Really...

really tasty.

Hmm. Kind of unique.

Unique?

Spicy.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

Hmm. Come on.

You know what?

I really want to show you my house.

My father designed it.

It was his best work.

All wood and stone.

Terribly masculine.

Just natural wood and carvings.

How did you know that?

Oh, just from--

when your father renovated The Moon.

He would have liked what you’re doing.

What we’re doing.

John, I haven’t been straight with you.

I told you I-- I knew your father.

When I came here that summer, I watched him build that dock.

I was very much in love with him.

And he was in love with me.

You had an affair with my father?

No.

It was a very innocent love.

You should have told me.

Well, I was just looking for the truth.

Truth?

And what is the truth?

I didn’t know what you were to me.

You let me know when you find out.

No, I already know.

I don’t see any future in this,

with the past

and our differences.

Don’t you see?

I don’t care about the past.

Or the differences.

Maggie,

I’m not gonna let something that happened 30 years ago

take you away from me.

Not when I feel this way.

When I know you feel this way.

I don’t know how I feel.

Yes, you do. [SIGHS]

It may scare the hell out of you,

but I couldn’t feel this if you didn’t feel it too.

Come here. Come here.

CLAIRE: Maggie! Maggie! And John!

[DOOR CLOSES]

Hmm. Well, we’re a colossal hit.

The entire town is talking about last night.

Mhm, what’s for breakfast? Tarts?

[♪♪♪]

Oh, this is lovely. This is lovely.

Oh, it’s fascinating.

Oh, this is hilarious.

The Harvest Moon, ducks and--

[SIGHS]

MAGGIE: It’s like silk.

Beautiful furniture.

Patrick had wonderful taste.

I made these.

John.

They actually won some awards in Chicago.

I was approached by some decorators, but...

I decided there’s no way I can work on commission.

Listen to people’s complaints all the time,

try to meet deadlines.

Well, I don’t blame you.

I’m like my dad that way.

He liked who he was in this town.

He felt like he was part of something.

I guess I’m the same way.

I’ve never felt stuck in this town.

Hm.

Amy didn’t get it.

She didn’t get me.

What is this?

That’s me at 10.

You know...

Pretty cute.

You’re gonna get to meet my mom tomorrow.

She’s coming to the game.

It’ll be all right.

Hey, look at me.

Trust me.

Claire? Yes, I’m chilly.

Would you like to share a blanket?

Oh, no, I’m okay. Thanks.

Are you okay?

Yes, I’m okay.

You don’t look okay.

Really, I am. Truly.

Oh, you’re spoiling me.

Don’t stop.

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

Listen, there’s a buzz going around that, uh,

you and John were getting chummy at the flower shop.

The eighth deadly sin, buying flowers.

No, babe. No, flowers are cool. Just...

be smart.

I’m in love.

I’m truly in love.

Oh, honey.

No, you don’t have to worry about me.

He loves me. [WHISTLE BLOWS]

[CHEERING]

Hello.

I know who you are.

I’m Julia Fleming.

John thought that the three of us might get together,

but I thought it would be more honest if we spoke alone.

Sounds like storm clouds to me.

Which I honestly don’t want. I hoped we’d get along.

Good. But that isn’t the most important thing.

No, I’d say John is.

I do love your son.

And you loved my husband too.

Patrick used to talk about you a lot

at the beginning, this Maggie Patterson.

And then one day he stopped talking about you and...

I stopped being so jealous.

You were just a first love and he forgot about you.

Just as John will.

If you love my son, you will end this thing.

I desperately want to get along with you.

I know that would please John.

Would you approve of this if you were John’s mother?

I’m not his mother.

You could be.

What about children? You gonna deny him that?

Are you that selfish?

I want John to have whatever he wants.

He’s a man. He’s not a little boy.

He’s capable of making up his own mind.

Are you so angry

because Patrick didn’t return your letter?

Why don’t you admit that you had to have a piece of Patrick

because you couldn’t have him before?

He forgot about you and turned to me.

And you are using John and that is cruel.

Even if Patrick hadn’t existed,

I’d feel the same way about John.

I want to give him something.

If you really love John,

then you will leave him alone.

What kind of a future would he have with you?

MAN: Get him up there. Yeah! Yes!

[PHONE RINGS]

You should be celebrating with me.

The perceptive part of me is guessing you’re not out here,

pondering my game-winning goal.

I have some things to say to you.

My mother was way out of line, okay?

We had it out. She went home.

What we have isn’t right.

All of this because of what my mother said?

Don’t you understand? I don’t care what she thinks.

What anybody thinks.

John, there’s someone else.

Your father.

I came back here to find him again.

And he was dead.

And there you were.

And I took you like a wonderful confection.

What are you talking about?

I substituted you.

That’s what it was. Um, it’s mistaken identity.

I don’t believe that.

Well, that is what it is.

And you deserve more.

Can I hold you?

Goodbye, Maggie.

[CAR DOOR OPENS THEN CLOSES]

[CAR ENGINE REVVING]

[♪♪♪]

[CLICKING]

Hi, babe. Hi.

Don’t have any pictures of you.

CLAIRE: No. No pictures. Down.

I have burned every single one after 40.

[CLICKING]

Bitch. Why do I even want to be your partner?

Oh, you’re gonna have to sign these papers before you leave.

Oh, I finally get my old friend back

and you, you change your mind and take off.

Why are you running away again?

The whole summer I’ve let you pound me,

analyze me, tell me what’s best for me.

You don’t know what’s best for me.

Nobody does.

First Patrick. Hmm?

And now you’re running away from John.

Enough! John is a gift.

Don’t throw it away.

It’s none of your business.

I’m sorry.

Now you just shut up.

[SIGHS]

You take care of this place.

I’m a silent partner, but I can complain.

At the soccer game,

when you told me about you and John,

I was scared for you, Maggie,

because I thought you’d get hurt.

That it was just a sexual thing for him.

But today I stopped by his place

and the way he talks about you, he does love you.

I know.

What are you afraid of?

I’m afraid he’ll never know where he stands.

As much as you love him?

Come on. Look, no one has a crystal ball.

Take the risk.

It’s worth it.

I’m doing what’s best for him.

And best for me.

No. I, uh--

He gave me this for you.

MAGGIE: Patrick, where are you?

I’ve come to say goodbye.

Couldn’t do it before.

"Maggie, I found this in my father’s belongings.

He never mailed it."

"Dear Maggie. I was saddened by your letter

"and what you’ve been going through.

"The loss of your mother, your father’s illness,

"that you wouldn’t be back to The Moon this summer.

"When I called to talk to you, your father told me

"that the real reason you weren’t coming back

"was because you had met another guy.

"That you couldn’t tell me.

"He asked me not to write to you.

"All right, dear, Maggie. I wish you joy and what else?

"And whatever happens to you or me,

"remember,

"we’ve got to live lives

"fully and unafraid,

"like we pledged to each other.

Love, Patrick."

Can I join you?

I just want to be with you.

[♪♪♪]