Babes in Arms Page #8

He's sweet just like chocolate candy

And just like honey from the bees

Wait a minute, folks!

Don't go. Please stay.

Don't leave. It's only a little shower.

Well, you'll have to admit,

it took a hurricane to stop me.

Mickey, that was a fine effort.

Where's Dad?

Mom, where's Dad?

You have to keep pounding on the piano?

Nobody can hear himself think.

- Nobody can think in this house anyways.

- You're so smart...!

Children, please.

Gee, I'm sorry, Mom.

Don't worry, he'll be home.

He'll be home? Say, what is this?

You two trying to keep something from me?

Something happen that I don't know about?

Where's pop?

Mickey, don't shout.

I'm nervous, that's all.

- I wish your father was home.

- He didn't come home.

He didn't get up and go out before I did.

- Where is he? What...?

- Mickey, quit picking on Mama.

If you must know, well,

we're afraid Dad's been drinking.

- Dad?

- No, no, it isn't that.

- I'm quite sure he's looking for work.

- What? For the act?

- No, he's through with show business.

- Through?

That's all he knows.

That's all he's good for.

He's trying to find something steady.

Something we can depend on.

Maybe you could sell Mr. Randall

a couple of your songs to tide us over.

- I was over there this morning.

- Well?

They got enough songs on the shelf

to drive the country crazy.

I'll still keep on trying.

Maybe Dad is right. Maybe he is through.

But I'm not.

Show business owes us something

and I'm gonna collect.

Is that so?

We're through. All of us.

Starting over.

And if ever I hear show business,

song writing...

...or that word vaudeville mentioned here,

I'll kick the tar out of you.

You didn't raise me

on that kind of talk.

I'll take that rap.

I didn't know any better. I do now.

Come on, take it easy. Take it easy.

The theater is full of promises,

great promises...

...so long as you hand over

your heart and soul.

Then something new comes along,

you're tossed in the ditch.

The procession goes on.

Well, I got a job. I start tomorrow.

Doing what?

- Running an elevator.

- Listen...

- At least we'll eat.

- Yeah, that counts me out.

- What do you mean?

- I'm getting out on my own.

- No, you're not.

- No? You just try and stop me.

- Mickey.

- Well?

- Mr. Moran.

- Yes?

I've brought the papers.

Papers? What papers?

After you've signed them,

return them to Judge Black's office.

Have the children there

at 9:
00 on Friday morning.

Hey, what...? What is this?

- Haven't you told them yet?

- I'll take care of this, thank you.

I'm sorry.

Dad...

Dad, you've... You've turned against us.

- You, you...

- It'll only be for the time being.

You'll get education there.

I can't do it no other way and

I won't let you be a tramp in the streets.

Listen, son, you gotta be something.

You'll thank me someday, I know you will.

Quit talking like that.

It makes me sick to hear you.

Go on, sign the papers!

- But that Steele, she'll never get me!

- Shut up.

All right, Dad.

Here comes Mickey now.

- Wait a minute.

- What's happened?

- What's the matter?

- Something the matter?

- What's up?

- Anything wrong?

They're gonna sign us

to the state work school.

- They are?

- Oh, no.

- Did you near that?

- Hey, Mickey, here's a letter for you.

The mailman just brought it.

It's from Harry Maddox.

- Say, that's the big producer.

- Read it, Mickey.

- Yeah, go on.

- See what it says.

You read it, Don.

"Dear Mickey. Your friend, Judge Black,

talked me into coming to see your show.

It was the only time I came near

being drowned and liking it.

Drop in and discuss your

production with me.

Sincerely yours, Harry Maddox."

Say, anybody got a dime

that I can get to New York with?

- Here, I got two bits.

- Oh, what a pal.

- Come on, let's go to the station with him.

- All right.

Look what it says in the paper

about the show. "Babes In Arms..."

Come on, get back on the stage.

We got a lot of rehearsing to do. Come on.

Hello. Yes, this is the Harry Maddox

Theatrical Productions.

Yes, ma'am. Yes, we're casting children

for the new show.

You're welcome.

Stage mother. Why doesn't Mr. Maddox

produce lbsen instead of kid shows?

You got me.

Sorry, Mr. Maddox is busy.

You'll have to wait.

Hello. Yes, Mr. Maddox.

No, he hasn't come in yet. Yes, sir.

- I beg your pardon.

- Only casting children today.

I'm Joe Moran. Mr. Maddox sent for me.

Mr. Moran. Oh, yes, he's expecting you.

Please come right this way.

Hello, Joe.

By golly, it's good to see you.

Thanks, Mr. Maddox.

Cut it out. Where did you get that

Mr. Maddox stuff?

- Well, you're a big shot now, Harry.

- Apple sauce.

You know show business, up today

and down tomorrow and back up again.

Sit down, sit down, I wanna talk to you.

Say, Joe, do you know it's taken me

a month to find you?

Well, Florrie and me have got

a place down near the job.

- You know, the kids went out on their own.

- Yeah.

Yes, I know. They'll...

They'll do that, kids will.

What I wanted to see you

about was this.

- I'm in a spot where you can help me out.

- Oh, no show business.

The world has been changing so rapidly

in the last few years, it's kept us all dizzy.

The public...

The public is like the Frenchman's flea...

...you put your finger on them

and boom, they aren't there.

They're always hungry

for something new.

I'm not interested in the public.

Didn't talk like that the night Mickey

was born, back in the Palace Theater.

When everybody in the audience got

to be your brother and your sister.

Gee, they were great that night.

Remember?

- Yeah, they were.

- A lot of that's come back, Joe.

Old-fashioned sentiment's

not taboo anymore.

And, Joe, a song-and-dance man

as great as you are...

...is just as much of a miracle

as he ever was.

Leave me alone, Harry.

I want no part of it.

I stood on Broadway corners

and watched the business I grew up in...

...that I was good in.

I watched it pass me by

like I had no place in it.

Never turned around to see

if your feelings were hurt.

Kids had nothing.

Home gone.

I got up out of the rosin

as often as I could.

I'm tired.

- I'll stay where I am.

- You...

Kidding yourself that you can live

without doing what you were put here for.

You mean to say that you think you can

keep away from show business? No.

Joe, I'm offering you a job.

A job where you'll see the people crowding,

sure they're gonna have a good time.

You get to the theater,

you meet your pals...

...you get your makeup on.

You hear the orchestra tuning up.

The stage manager calls, "First act places,

please. Curtain's going up."

Then the curtain goes up.

Oh, boy, what a thrill.

No, Joe. You and I,

we can't ever live without it.

We know too much about it.

What's your proposition, Harry?

Well, I've got a show.

A new show. A bunch of kids, see?

As fresh and sparkling as anything

that ever hit Broadway.

But, well, they don't know as much about

song and dance as they think they do...

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