A Summer Place Page #5

You the sheriff?

- Then why aren't you out looking for her?

- My posse's combing the island right now.

And the Coast Guard's

searching the beaches.

I take it you're the girl's father?

Well, you've come home

to a serious situation, sir.

Not only is your daughter missing...

...but this young man

has just threatened your wife with death.

Johnny? You're crazy.

Now, let's play this back

from the beginning, shall we?

"Saturday p.m.,

the girl and the boy capsize...

...make shore on Dead Man's Eye,

spend that night together."

Nothing happened, sir, not to her.

"Sunday a.m., Coast Guard finds them,

brings them home.

Mrs. Jorgenson sends for doctor.

Doctor comes,

gives girl physical examination.

Sunday p.m., girl runs away."

Now, could she have run away...

...because of anything that happened

at that physical examination?

Did she seem upset about anything?

When I insisted on her having

a physical examination...

...she became quite hysterical.

Obviously I had to find out

what happened out there.

- I had to be sure.

- We gave you our word.

And the doctor's report, ma'am,

could she have run off because of that?

No. The examination

revealed nothing wrong.

- But she was upset by all this?

- She seemed to be.

She's always been a difficult child.

We had words.

I locked her in the room,

and later, when I knocked, she was gone.

So you went looking for her...

...and you met Johnny here

and he threatened to kill you?

- That is correct.

- And you don't deny that, son?

- No, sir.

- I wouldn't have blamed you if you had.

Of course you wouldn't.

It would make it easier for you to sneak off

and sleep with his harlot of a mother.

- Any more questions, sheriff?

- Nope.

Then I suggest we all retire

to our respective quarters.

I suggest we find my daughter.

Oh, Mr. Hunter,

I'll hold you responsible for your son.

You seem to have an infinite capacity

for hurt.

First you try to destroy your daughter,

and now our son.

As soon as Molly is found,

and I'm sure she will be...

...I suggest you vacate these rooms

as swiftly as possible.

Don't tell me that you're on their side?

Let's merely say that I'm not on yours.

What an awful way for you to find out.

Find out?

I've only known it for 20 years.

I've never told you this before,

but when Johnny was being born...

...it was Ken you cried out for, not me.

It was rather embarrassing

in front of the doctors and nurses and all.

I didn't know what I was saying.

I was under sedation.

Your subconscious did.

And you've faked it with me ever since.

True? False?

Why have you put up with me?

You kept me continually fascinated

by your good-wife-and-mother front.

Front?

I've tried to be. Haven't I been?

Until Ken came back.

You know, I had a hunch to turn down

his reservations...

...but I guess, subconsciously,

I wanted a showdown.

Well, I got a beaut, didn't I?

A very cruel one.

Where have you been meeting him?

- Nights, in the boathouse.

- I see.

I have no defense, Bart,

except to say I love him.

I know that may sound stupid

and sentimental to you, but it's true.

He's given me back a hope

I thought was gone.

A hope for what?

Happiness. Being loved.

I see.

Well, what's next?

Obviously...

...I can't live on here with you.

Obviously.

I thought I might get a little place

where Johnny and I could...

Johnny and you?

Do you think any court in the land

would give you custody of our son?

Aren't you forgetting

that you're an adulteress?

If it came to that,

I could prove you're an alcoholic.

But I can't believe

that you'd stoop to throwing dirt.

Thanks.

Ken loves his daughter.

Do you honestly think he'll give her up

for you?

- I was hoping he wouldn't have to.

- Then you're a fool.

He'll never make the trade,

so he'll never marry you.

Perhaps not.

Since he won't swap Molly for you...

...and since I'm more reasonable

than she is, I'll make the deal.

I'll just let bygones be bygones,

and we'll go on together as it was.

Oh, Bart.

We can't now.

I was afraid of that.

Most women don't wanna be forgiven.

Well, this is final: You can't have Johnny.

Bart, I can't leave him here

to pour you into bed night after night.

That's not being a fit father.

Any court would recognize that.

And what kind of a mother are you?

Don't worry, I'll...

I'll ship him off to Virginia...

...to my alma mater.

And I'll start right here

on a four-year toot.

If that's your plan,

why do you want him?

Because he's still my son.

He's mine, and I intend to see

that he stays mine.

- Just let him be ours.

- Not on your life.

- You've got to let him visit me.

- You'll do this my way.

- Bart, I've got to see him.

- No, because you'd try to get him back.

I don't want him ever to speak to you again

except in my presence, period.

Because you're a common slut.

They found her.

They took her ashore to the island,

to the hospital.

It was only shock.

Come on in, Johnny.

Your mother and I

have something important to discuss.

Sometimes things happen to people,

Johnny.

Even to so-called nice people.

I hope you'll try to understand.

You're getting a divorce. Why?

Son, people get married

because they fall in love.

And sometimes

they stop loving each other.

Then it's better for them

to get unmarried.

It's as simple as that.

Is it?

Is it?

Is it as simple as that?

Damn you both.

Mrs. Jorgenson has given the whole truth

to the press...

...on the simple ground that she, at least,

has nothing to hide.

She holds all the cards.

We're not dealing with cards, are we?

We're dealing with the lives of our clients

and their children.

Shall we be seated

and consider first things first?

The children.

I am sure we can all agree

that it's their best interest...

...to be sent away to schools

immediately...

...away from the curiosity of neighbors

and the press alike.

Mrs. Jorgenson has already enrolled

her daughter...

...in a very exclusive finishing school

near Boston.

My client, Mr. Hunter, has sent his son

to his alma mater in Virginia.

Good. I'm sure our respective clients

agree on at least one thing:

They love their children

and don't want them to be hurt...

...any more than they have been.

Dear Johnny.

I guess you've read in all the papers

about our parents.

I guess everybody has.

Everybody in this school knows about it

and they whisper.

I hate it.

I hate my mother and I hate my father

and I hate your mother too.

They're all rotten people.

Do you ever get lonely?

Or is it just something funny about me?

I guess we're all we've got now.

- Sincerely, Molly.

- Mr. Hunter? Mr. Hunter?

Mr. Hunter...

...would it be too much to ask you

to give me your attention?

Or is it possible, Mr. Hunter...

...that your interest in Latin

is less than nil?

Yes, sir. Well, I guess I'm really not much

of an intellectual, sir.

I mean, I guess my ambitions

don't run along those lines.

And what are your ambitions, may I ask?

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes