Born to Be Blue Page #5

- Doesn't matter

who's flying in.

- But I don't want to break

my promise to Jane.

- I'm not gonna stand up

in front of Judge Hays

tomorrow and tell him

you're shy of hours.

- L-I have

to tell you something.

Do you realize

that it's people like you,

okay, that killed

Billie Holliday?

- What?

- You realize that?

No, it's-it's true-

- What does that have

to do with anything?

- No, it's true.

- Heroin...

- No.

- Just do the hours.

- Cops harassing her

day and night.

- Nobody harassed her

day and night.

- Dick, can I go back

to work, please?

- She was a junkie and-

- It's not worth it.

- That went pretty well,

I thought.

- All right, round two.

Here we go.

All right, we set?

Hit it.

[lively trumpet melody]

- You know, I've been working

with junkie musicians

for over 20 years,

and I have never seen anyone

work this hard before.

- Yeah.

- Well, he's stayed clean

this long, right?

- Yeah, that's a miracle.

- Must be love.

II:

- That's why you give him

the hours.

- Write it out.

Give him a tick.

- Give him a tick.

You gotta promise me

one thing first.

Get him some half decent clothes

to meet your parents.

- It's a deal.

- Nice!

[romantic jazz music]

- I bought our boat

about 12 years ago.

I love being out on the water.

- Yeah, me too.

I used to have

a Pacific Cat.

It was a 19-foot catamaran.

- Wow.

- Yeah.

- And now you're squatting

in the back

of my daughter's van?

- Yeah, that's true.

- Some of my colleagues

found out

Junebug was living

with Chet Baker,

and all they could talk about

was wasted talent.

- Oh, they must be

critics, huh?

- Real talent-Chamberlain,

Bird-always flourishes.

But then there's the type

that promises

more than they can fulfill.

I listen to your records.

I see you here today,

Mr. Baker.

And I wonder

if that's all there is:

a white man's promise.

- I'm gonna be a good husband

to your daughter, sir.

- Are you asking

for her hand?

- Uh, yeah, yeah.

I-l guess so, yeah.

- Elsie told me you've asked

for Junebugs hand

twice already.

But you never bothered

to call me.

- Well, we don't really

have a phone.

Uh, hey, so your father

has some colleagues at work

that know everything

there is to know

about Chet Baker, huh?

I mean, here's the deal,

all right?

I don't mind if you want

to give me a lecture

about being responsible

or anything like that,

but if you start talking to me

about music

or talent or Bird...

you know, uh,

I might have to say,

"F*** you."

- Let's cut the crap.

You were a drug addict, right?

- Yeah.

- Would you want your daughter

to marry a man like you?

~ Dad!

- You know, why don't we

head back, get some ice cream?

- I'm gonna go for a swim.

- Where are you going?

Chet!

Chet!

Chet! What are you doing?

Huh?

[slowjazz version

of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"]

II:

II:

II:

II:

- What'd I tell you?

- Surprise, surprise, man.

- Maybe poor technique will

actually give his sound

a character like the old Chet

but deeper.

- Nick!

It's so good to see you.

- Good to see you.

Chefs so amazing.

II:

II:

- You should get him a gig.

- Hmm.

II:

[soft piano music]

II:

[music stops]

- This is, uh, Danny Friedman.

- Hey, Chet.

- Hey, D.

- Been a while.

- Dizzy's a promoter.

- Yeah, I know who he is.

- That was something else,

man.

- He's doing this,

uh, West Coast tour.

He might be able

to help you get a gig.

- That'd be okay.

- Wow!

You know, this is the first

place I saw you recording.

- Right?

- That's it.

You and Mulligan trading solos.

- Mm-hmm.

- Wow, this was the birth

of West Coast swing, baby.

- That's what they say.

- I got-l got an idea.

Bear with me.

Why don't-why don't

we do a gig here?

- Yeah, yeah,

that could be nice.

- A couple more execs

and promoters.

- He dims the lights.

- Make a night of it.

- It's kind of fun.

We play some tunes.

- Now, Dick, Dick,

what did I tell you?

I'm only in the area

till Monday.

- Okay, well...

- Well, we could do Birdland,

if you want.

In a couple of weeks, you know?

- [laughs] I wish.

- You're out Monday.

ls Sunday good for you?

- Uh, yeah, after 4:00.

- After 4:
00?

- Yeah, so...

- What are you thinking?

It'll be fun.

8:
00.

- That'd be good.

That'd be good. All right.

Chet, it's good

to see you, man.

- We'll have a good time.

- See you Sunday.

- All right, see you, D.

- It'll be fun.

- Yeah, it'll be nice.

I'll see you guys Sunday.

- Hey, say hi to Dizzy.

- I will, brother.

- Did you just do that?

- You did that.

- Now I see why I pay you

the big bucks, Dick.

- You make some big bucks,

then you pay me.

- All right, I mean, you're not

half as bad as everyone says.

Hey, Jane!

Jane!

- She left.

- She left?

- Yeah.

- Where did she go?

- Um, with that, uh -

- What, she left

with that director, Nick?

- Yeah.

Look, how's she supposed

to get an acting gig

if she never leaves the studio?

Come on, Chet;

try to be happy

for more than 'IO seconds

at a time, all right'?

Forget about that movie.

You've got a big show

to think about.

[gentle music]

II:

- He's just jealous, Chettie.

- What a jerk!

- Now don't let him get

to your head.

- Why the f*** would you

bring up the polls?

- Honey, calm down.

- Don't touch me.

Get off me!

- Good night.

We'll be there all night.

See you later.

- He's married with kids.

- Yeah, so that means he

doesn't like to have sex, huh?

Did he hit on you?

- Yeah, but that doesn't mean

I'm gonna go for it.

I mean, he knows that!

Come on;

all guys do the same thing.

They play games, right?

Well, just remember

I haven't had a job

since you screwed up

the last one.

- All right.

But what, you-you-

so you two went off

and you rehearsed together?

- Yeah, that's exactly

what I did.

- But I was helping you

with that audition.

- Okay, Chet, just calm down.

He-he's the director.

He can get me the job.

- Oh, so he's the big-shot?

So he's important?

- Come on.

I can't do this all the time.

- You're leaving me, huh?

Is that what you're doing?

Is that what's happening?

- Don't be silly, Chet.

- [indistinct]

- Hey... .

I'm pregnant.

So why don't you ask me again?

- Two seconds.

- [chuckles]

- Here, hold this, okay?

And hold this.

There. All right.

Go right back. Okay.

Will you marry me?

- What is that?

- This is extremely valuable,

all right?

This is a valve ring.

- Yeah, I will.

- This is the valve ring to the

first trumpet my dad gave me.

You can put it

on a chain, you know.

Huh? That way..

You won't lose it.

You're not gonna lose it,

are you?

- No, I won't.

Beautiful.

[slow jazz music]

II:

I love you.

- I love you too.

II:

[indistinct chatter]

- Settle, people.

We are recording

tonight's performance, so...

be quiet.

And if you could hold

your applause

until after every song,

it'd be much appreciated.

- Chet, ready?

- Yeah, I'm ready.

[exhales]

[bass plays]

Uh, I'm not ready.

I wasn't ready.

Can we try it again? It's okay.

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