Being Julia Page #2

Synopsis: 1938. Julia Lambert and Michael Gosselyn are the royal couple of the London theater scene, Julia an actress and Michael a former actor who took over running the theater and its troupe upon the passing of their mentor, Jimmie Langton. Jimmie is still constantly with Julia in spirit as she navigates through life. Besides their work, Julia and Michael lead largely separate lives, they long ago having stopped a sexual relationship. Julia of late has been feeling disenchanted with her life, she not wanting to admit it's because she is approaching middle age. Her disenchantment manifests itself in wanting Michael to close their current production early so that she can recharge her juices, something he is reluctant to do if only for not wanting to let the theater sit empty. What Julia ends up doing instead is embarking on an affair with Tom Fennel, an adoring young American who is young enough to be her son. As Julia and Tom's relationship progresses, the more she falls in love with him and b
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Director(s): István Szabó
Production: Sony Pictures Classics
  Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 8 wins & 18 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.0
Metacritic:
65
Rotten Tomatoes:
76%
R
Year:
2004
104 min
$7,652,647
Website
554 Views


you're-- you're otherwise engaged.

[Laughing]

- Tea?

- Lovely.

Ignore me. I'll-- I'll just

sit here quiet as a lamb

until you're done.

So Evie said

something about business. Hmm?

What? Oh, yes.

Um, Michael tells me you

want to close the play.

My husband's a devious little runt.

Oh, that's unfair.

He was perfectly right to consult me.

We're partners. the 3 of us.

A perfect combination.

My money, his know-how, your genius.

I'm exhausted, Dolly.

[Grunts]

I feel twice my age which makes me 90.

I'm bored. Life has

nothing in store for me.

You mean that, or are you acting?

I never know when you're acting.

I'm not acting.

I'm near to having a breakdown.

I feel as though my

life's come to an end.

All right. All right.

All done.

Oh, thank you, you're a dear.

Uh.

Are you really near a breakdown, Julia?

Oh, I don't know. I don't know.

I'm in such an odd state at the moment.

[Inhaling]

It's as if...

It's as if the curtain's

come down on act 1,

but I have no idea

what happens in act 2.

[Inaudible mimicking]

I- I'm in a sort of limbo.

Waiting for something

to happen. But what?

What?

Oh, please, Dolly, be my friend.

Oh.

Make Michael take the play off.

I need a holiday.

I could visit-- visit

my mother in Jersey,

and then visit you in France.

Oh. I could swim in

your pool. In the nuddy.

[Laughing]

(Woman) Lovely flowers for someone.

(Evie) Oh, hello, a

blooming florist's shop.

Who sent them? Mrs. De Vries?

Very likely. Or Lord Tamerley.

Here, don't forget,

you've got dinner with him

after the show tonight.

Yes, I know.

Expect you'll have to

turn on the waterworks

for him again as per usual.

I wish you'd teach me to cry real tears.

The times I've needed them.

Oh, here's a card.

[Humming]

From Mr. Thomas Fennel,

Tavistock Square.

What a place to live.

Who the hell do you suppose he is, Evie?

Oh, some feller knocked all of a heap

by your fatal beauty, I expect.

Probably cost a fortune.

Went without dinner for a week.

Oh, pull the other one.

[Man singing]

Beginners, please, miss Lambert.

Mmm-hmm.

Well, whoever Mr. Thomas Fennel is,

I think it's all right

having a young man send me flowers

at my time of life.

I mean, it

just shows you--

How do you know he's a young man?

He's probably over 80.

Go to hell.

[Band playing]

[People talking and laughing]

I'm on my way I'm on my way

I'm busy 'cause I'm on my way

[People applauding]

Thank you.

Thank you.

Julia Lambert.

The champagne now, my lord?

Thank you, Antoine.

And for you, madame Lambert?

I'd prefer beer but I mustn't,

so I'll make do with bubbly.

Thank you.

[Giggling] It's for you. Open it.

[Woman singing]

Oh.

It's a portrait of Clairon.

She was a great actress,

and I believe you

have many of her gifts.

Charles, you are sweet.

I thought you might like it.

It's by way of being a parting present.

You're going away?

No. But I shan't be seeing you anymore.

Oh, Charles, not again.

[Inhaling]

No. this is becoming a ritual. Why?

We have such a beautiful

friendship, Julia.

It's unique in my

experience, but people talk.

They don't understand.

And even though we know the truth,

if we go on seeing one another,

there will be a terrible scandal.

No, there won't.

Michael and I lead separate lives.

That's why we're so happily married.

More or less.

Jumped-up little tart,

that's what she is.

Never stops acting, on-stage or off.

She's just one big pose.

Dashed pretty.

Shut up, Rupert, don't

show your ignorance.

I know all about her.

We were both born

in the channel islands, Jersey.

Her father was our

doctor. A Jersey doctor!

You can't get more common than that.

It's only common sense, darling.

I don't want to lose you.

I-- I have few

friends. Real friends.

You're the only person in my life

with whom I can be entirely myself.

I'm terribly low at the moment.

I-- I

need you.

Let's go on seeing each other. Please.

Uh, please forgive us intruding

like this, miss Lambert.

My friend and I are

such very great admirers.

And I wonder... do you remember me?

Florence Coltraine, isn't it?

[Whispers] Correct.

Rupert and I want you

to settle an argument.

I think I used to know

your father in Jersey.

He was a doctor, wasn't he?

He used to come to

our house quite often.

Actually, he was a vet.

He used to go to your house

to deliver the b*tches.

The house was full of them.

Life is just a bowl of cherries

don't take it serious

life's too mysterious

you work, you save you worry so

but you can't take

your dough when you go

[Exclaims]

I'm sorry, I didn't

mean to frighten you.

T- O-M.

You remember.

Did you like

the-- the flowers?

Oh, Mr. Thomas Fennel, Tavistock Square.

Yes, of course, thank you.

Well, uh, I couldn't

decide between a single rose

and every flower in the store.

Is that why you're here

at this time of night?

To find out if I received the flowers?

No. You see, I don't have a phone yet.

[Door opening] And I...

[Wilson clearing throat]

Um...

You wouldn't come to tea

with me one day, would you?

I don't see why not.

Will you really?

How about next Friday?

138 Tavistock Square, 4:30?

[Laughing]

All right. I'll be there.

Gee, that's swell. See you then.

The sweet things in life

to you were just loaned

so how gonna you lose

what you've never owned?

Life is just a bowl of cherries

[Tom and Julia laughing]

so live and laugh at it all

(Chorus) Life is just a bowl of cherries

don't make it serious

life's too mysterious

you work, you save you worry so

but you can't take your

dough when you go go

keep on repeating "it's the berries"

the strongest oak must fall

Oh?

I saw you drive up.

I'm afraid I'm on the 3rd floor.

I hope you don't mind.

And if I do?

[Both chuckle]

We're there.

Thank God for that.

[Door squeaking]

[Julia panting]

[Laughs]

The gas ring's in the bathroom.

Oh.

It isn't the Ritz, but it's home.

No, it's-- it's

charming. It's so London.

It reminds me of my early days.

[Laughing]

I have to put coins in the gas meter.

Oh, yes, so did I.

[Both laughing]

Have some cake. I bought it specially.

Oh.

I shouldn't, but I will.

[Laughs]

[Sighing]

You know something? You

ought to be in movies.

Real actresses don't make films.

But beautiful actresses do.

Hmm.

Well, I saw you in "Nobody's

perfect" on Broadway.

I was 14 at the time.

I wish you hadn't told me that.

[Both laughing]

I stood outside the stage door

and, uh, I got your autograph.

You asked me my name. I told you.

You knew how to spell it then.

[Both laughing]

What's so funny?

You remind me of something.

What is it?

My husband. In a scene we had to play.

He didn't know how to sit down.

[Both laughing]

Jimmie made him do it

over and over again.

Uh, I can't stay long.

I must have a nap before my performance.

But you've only just arrived.

And you-- you can't

go without, uh,

without, well, seeing the view.

It's really great.

If you just come over to the window...

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Ronald Harwood

Sir Ronald Harwood, CBE, FRSL (born Ronald Horwitz; 9 November 1934) is an author, playwright and screenwriter. He is most noted for his plays for the British stage as well as the screenplays for The Dresser (for which he was nominated for an Oscar) and The Pianist, for which he won the 2003 Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He was nominated for the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007). more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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