Original subtitles

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,

and boys and girls.

I am seeking the Fountain of Youth.

Unfortunately, I’ve had absolutely

no luck at all. I keep finding oil instead.

Of course, oil has its good points, too.

It may not make you young, but it can make old age

much more tolerable.

My task is made more difficult because I don’t know

what to expect.

When searching for the Fountain of Youth,

one doesn’t know whether to look for a milk bar

or a water pistol.

While I continue my search,

suppose you watch tonight’s story.

It was especially written to elucidate our theme.

[woman] My ad! Set point!

[man] Ah, darn it. I should’ve had that one, too.

[woman] Come on. I’ll give you the booby prize.

You’re too good for me.

Hey, what do I get for winning?

-How about that? -That’s better than the Gold Cup.

Oh, you know it.

Charlotte! Over here.

-Over here. -Hello, Mr. Rutherford.

Mr. Rutherford, how are you?

Run along, young man. Run along, now.

Yes, sir. Thanks for the use of court, Mr. Rutherford.

[Charlotte] Bye.

You’re becoming a real tyrant.

I still had five minutes of my lunch hour left.

Sit down.

Oh, I have to go and change my clothes

before I start taking dictation.

I’m not going to dictate. I’m going to talk.

Sit down.

I was hoping to get in the swim before I... started work.

I want to talk to you about marriage.

All right. That’s a nice subject.

Well, whose marriage should we discuss? Mine?

Mine.

I am worth... over $11 million,

give or take a few.

Not one of my ex-wives has

that much claim to any inheritance.

They were paid off. Everyone of them.

[chuckles]

-Well, it’s very nice. -So,

the new Mrs. Howard Rutherford

will inherit absolutely everything.

A distinct advantage over the others. Do you follow?

Well, uh, is it anyone I know?

Really, Charlotte.

My dear girl.

Instead of $85 a week as my secretary,

I am offering you upward of $11 million,

for the few months you would spend as my wife.

As you know I-- I have a weak heart.

I haven’t long to live.

Why, I’m sorry I was so slow getting it, Mr. Rutherford.

It... just never occurred to me.

Perfectly understandable, my dear.

Oh, I’m very flattered. Really I am.

And if I’d met you before I met Mark,

well, I’m sure I would’ve jumped at the chance.

But I am marrying Mark, you know?

You’ll have all the time in the world for marrying Mark,

after I’m gone, my dear.

At the very most, my prognosis is a year.

I don’t think Mark would like loaning me out.

But, uh, thanks, anyway.

You talk it over with Mark and let me know.

[both moaning]

-So I said I’d tell you... -Mm-hmm.

[giggling] Thank you.

-Kind of disgusting, isn’t it? -Oh, shocking.

You don’t believe? [giggles]

But you’re worth losing $11 million.

Pie in the sky.

Probably never get it, anyway.

Oh, don’t you minimize my sacrifice.

It was a sure thing.

-How? -Hmm?

I said how is it a sure thing?

Oh, he can’t possibly last more than a year or so.

You didn’t tell me that part.

-[giggling] Who cares? -No, wait a minute.

Eleven million bucks is an awful lot of dough.

I told you, you’re worth every penny of it,

-my love-- -No, wait, Charlotte.

I mean, when you come right down to it,

how much is a year out of a lifetime?

It’s just 12 months, right?

So, if somebody drives up and says to you,

"Here’s 11 million bucks for a year’s work"...

[chuckles]

...how do you turn that down?

-Mark Lansing. -Oh, come on, Charlotte.

You know how much I make as a salesman. Where’s my future?

When you come right down to it,

what have we got to look forward to?

-I thought we had love. -Oh, baby, come on.

Lover-girl, use that gorgeous head of yours.

Can’t you put up with him for a few months or a year if necessary,

if that meant we’d have everything?

Do you realize what we could do with 11 million bucks?

Do you have any idea?

Oh, Charlotte. All the rest of our lives together.

Every day and every night.

I thought you loved me.

I do. I do love you.

[chuckling] Sure,

but not enough to give up a few months of your life,

is that it?

Mark, he wants to marry me.

Charlotte, he’s 65-years-old with one foot in the grave.

Is it gonna kill you to hold his hand?

Will there be anything else, Mrs. Rutherford?

Oh, I-I don’t think so.

Unless if it’s a cup of tea, if it’s not too much trouble.

No trouble at all, madam.

Lovely.

You’re so lovely.

Thank you, Howard.

-What is it? -Open it, my dear.

Oh.

A small token of an old man’s love.

In gratitude for sharing his last days.

One pearl. Well, I guess it’s real.

[giggling]

To commemorate... our wedding day.

One perfect pearl.

I only wish that I might be around

to give you a pearl for every year of bliss

that we share together.

[Howard] Certainly beginning to shape up, isn’t it?

Here’s to five beautiful years, my dear, and... thank you.

[sighs]

What would you like to do tonight, my pet? Hmm?

O-Oh, I don’t mind.

I want you to have a good time.

I really don’t care, Howard.

A penny for your thoughts... Mark?

-Is that who’s on your mind? -Really, Howard.

Now, now, my dear. Plenty of time for that after I’m gone.

[chuckling]

[knocking on the door]

It’s open.

Charlotte!

Darling. Oh.

You shouldn’t be here. You might be seen.

Oh, it’s all right. He’s sleeping off

his anniversary celebration. No one saw me.

I know, I know, but you--

you oughtn’t have come here.

One little slip-up, he’d divorce you.

Oh, don’t talk about that. It’s just so wonderful

-to be... -All right.

Oh.

Darling.

You’ve taken down my pictures.

-But baby, I had to. -Why have you taken them down?

Because they were driving me out of my mind.

Now, will you please be a good girl and leave?

No.

No, Mark. I decided tonight. I’m leaving him.

I’ve been away from you too long.

Oh, Charlotte, you can’t.

Darling, you’ve invested five years of your life.

-You’re gonna throw that away? -I want to be with you.

And I with you, but... he can’t last much longer.

I’m 30-years-old, I’m not gonna waste

-anymore of my life. -Charlotte,

will you listen to me, please?

We can’t quit in stretch now,

we’ll let all that money go to some seedy charity?

-We’ve got to hang on. -We?

We?

Oh, brother.

Do you suppose it’s been easy for me?

Night after night without you, alone, here by this fire?

You have any idea what I go through?

I know that sounds selfish.

I realize you’ve had a difficult time, too, but...

darling, we got it right in our hands.

Let’s not drop it now.

Oh, Mark, I love you.

And I love you.

[door latch clicks]

Hi, lover-boy. Am I late?

Well, that’s pretty fancy competition,

-but, uh, I’ve handled worse. -Oh, Charlotte, I-I...

Mark, how could you? How could you?

-Charlotte, you don’t know-- -Oh. Tell me more

about your lonely nights. Go on, break my heart.

Charlotte, please.

Thank you very much for the advice.

I’ll stick around long enough to collect the payoff.

Eleven million dollars, that’s a lot of money, mister.

-Well, kiss it goodbye. -Charlotte, please--

Charlotte, my dear.

Happy anniversary, my love.

Fifteen down, my pet,

but I’m afraid this looks like the last one.

I doubt it.

I don’t see how I can pull through this time.

Bad relapse, the doctor said.

I think you are indestructible, Howard.

And I think you’re lovely.

-You’ll be fine. -There’s still

some things that money can’t buy,

and I’m afraid health is one of them.

Well, never say die.

-Now, get some sleep. -Oh, where you’re going?

Well, the nurse says I have a gentleman caller.

-[stuttering] -Oh, I-I know. I know.

Time for bed after you’re gone.

[giggling]

-I’ll be back. -Want me to hold my breath?

-No. -[cackling]

[door closes]

Charlotte, you look wonderful.

Clock stood still for you.

What do you want?

Well, I saw a piece in the paper

about your husband being very sick.

I thought I’d drop over and see if you needed me.

Anything I could do for you, like hold your hand or something.

When my ship comes in, you don’t really think

you’re gonna ride on it, do you?

Billy, I told you to wait for me, please.

No, wait a moment.

-What’s your name? -Billy. Billy Lansing.

His mother and I were divorced some time ago.

I’ve tried to do all I can.

I’ve been both mother and father to him.

-How old are you, Billy? -Ten.

Is that your tennis court out there?

-[chuckling] Yes. -God, I’ve never seen one

in a back yard before. It’s a beaut.

-Do you like to play tennis? -[Billy] Oh, sure I do.

I haven’t been able to afford lessons.

He’s really quite good, though.

I don’t have a racket or nothing,

but I can hit the ball pretty hard.

Would you like to play on my court?

Gee, that’d be great.

Well, you must come and play with me some time.

Oh, for a girl, I hit the ball quite hard myself.

You wanna swat a few now?

Oh, well... not just this moment.

-When? -Well,

shall we say tomorrow?

-After school? -OK.

You run along now, Billy, I wanna talk

to Mrs. Rutherford alone. Thank Mrs. Rutherford.

Thank you.

-Bye. -Goodbye.

I knew what I thought in my heart was true.

It’s not dead between us.

You still feel something for me, don’t you?

-I still feel something for you. -Charlotte.

Take your hands off me.

[Billy] I think my racket’s got a hole in it.

My backhand’s worse now than was when I started.

Well, that’s because you’re chopping.

You’re not following through as I showed you yesterday.

[Mark] Say, Billy, that’s pretty good.

-You’re getting better. -Thanks, Dad.

Oh, you could leave that, Billy.

Would you like to run along now?

-I want to talk to your father. -Sure.

-Bye. -Bye.

Well, it’s about time. I was wondering

how long you could keep this up.

You haven’t spoken a word to me all summer.

School starts in two weeks time.

What are your plans for Billy?

Well, he’ll go, of course. What else would he do?

As you know, I’ve become very fond of him

during the summer.

I’ve spoken to Howard about him,

and he has agreed to send him to prep school.

In fact, the one he himself went to back east,

that is, if you agree.

Of course.

What a break for the kid.

He’s a very attractive boy, very intelligent.

I’ve tried to bring him up the best I knew how.

Just because you and I once had an unpleasant relationship,

there’s no need to deny the boy opportunities.

Unpleasant? You must be kidding.

As you know, Howard and I had no children of our own.

If Billy does well at prep school,

then we are prepared to continue helping him.

Well, that’s really wonderful of you, Charlotte.

In the future, my chauffeur will pick him up

whenever he cares to visit me.

I see no reason for you and I to have any contact whatsoever.

[chuckling]

Thank you for 25 years

of unbelievable happiness, my pet.

[giggling]

I’m not even going to give any speeches about, uh,

this probably being the last pearl.

[laughing, coughing]

Oh, e-excuse me, my love.

Uh, what was I saying?

I believe you were suggesting

that you would doubtless outlive me.

[laughing]

Ever-- Ever hear the saying, "Money can’t buy happiness?"

[laughing]

Old wives’ tale.

I bought 25 years of it.

Hasn’t been... too bad for you, has it?

I confess, I’ve grown rather fond of you.

Howard?

There’ll never be another like you.

Oh, hello, Mark. I’ve been expecting you.

How have you been?

So you got it all, Charlotte, at last.

Down to the last million.

Oh, but don’t let’s talk about me.

-What have you been doing? -Oh, stop it!

There’s nothing ever new with me,

and that’s not why I’m here about.

Oh, are you’re still selling shoes

or whatever it is you sell?

I know it’s all very amusing to you, isn’t it?

To me it’s downright indecent.

Mmm. There’s nothing indecent about selling shoes, dear.

I am not talking about that, and you know it.

You can’t marry him.

We have everything in common. I’m sure we’ll be very happy.

Oh, come off it, Charlotte, at your age.

You can’t get back the years you’ve lost.

You’ll only make a fool out of yourself trying.

Oh, maybe I’ll live to be a happy female Methuselah.

Never can tell.

After all, old age runs in the family.

Hmm? Pour yourself a drink, Mark, you’re overwrought.

That car is the sweetest little job on the road.

I wish we could take it with us.

Hmm, I’ll buy you another one in Paris.

He doesn’t approve of us, Billy.

Hi, Dad. What are you doing here?

Oh, what’s the problem, Father?

Our marriage was made in heaven. Wasn’t it, Charlotte?

I’m sure you will agree that Charlotte’s marriage

to her young man has a very good chance of success.

They have at least one thing in common-- Mark.

This is the famed Fountain of Youth.

It must be very powerful stuff indeed.

I had to show my draft card to get in here.

I haven’t noticed any change.

I think I’ll have another and rejoin you in a minute.

[baby crying]

He says, "Night-night, till next week."