Burton and Taylor Page #6

- What?

- Stop the car. Stop the car!

- What's the matter?

I'm... I'm gonna walk. I need some air.

I'll see you at the apartment.

Tell Sally, will you?

Now there's a surprise.

I went to the party.

Chen said you hadn't shown up, so...

No, I'm... I'm glad you came back.

The way it's all ended, it...

Not how you planned it?

- No one made you do it.

- No, you're right.

I chose to.

You need help, Elizabeth.

You know that, don't you?

Yes.

I say that as someone who...

No, I know, you've got your help.

I understand, and I'm happy for you.

No, I am. Really.

- I'm sure Victor would...

- Oh, we'll see.

I love you, Richard.

I always will.

- You want me to say it, don't you?

- Yes, please.

Of course I love you.

Don't say any more.

I just wanna hear the first bit, okay?

We're addicts, Elizabeth, you and I.

What?

It's what King Lear's all about,

that's why I wanna do it so much.

About the need we all have

for drugs of one kind or another.

Without which we'd crumble.

What drugs?

Kingship, power, love...

- Love is not a drug.

- Isn't it?

I don't know,

but you can have too much.

Until just a sip

takes you beyond and ravages you.

I'll always love you, Elizabeth,

as long as I live,

but us, together,

it'll destroy me.

I can't do it.

That's what I wanted to say to you.

All I had to say, but...

That's why I did this bloody job,

to ask your forgiveness, because...

your love, I know,

is total and unqualified

and it makes a mockery

of all my bombast.

I can't do it anymore.

I can't match you, Elizabeth.

I'm not as brave as you.

And I'm sorry for that.

For not measuring up as a man.

You're Richard Burton.

You're every man there ever was.

I know,

and I have known,

for a while.

I just didn't want to admit it.

I'm gonna miss you.

- I'm gonna miss you.

- No, no, no, love.

No.

I couldn't manage that, either.

I love Sally, Elizabeth.

My time is with her now.

But I need you in my life as well.

I can't ever be completely apart

from you again.

Right, so you want me close but not...

Not too close?

I'm sorry, I'm bloody hopeless.

Yeah, you're bloody hopeless.

- What about another play?

- Oh, God! No!

At least, not together.

Yeah, well, I think I'm ready

for a break from the stage.

I'll come and watch you, though.

And whatever you're in.

You're the greatest actor

I have ever seen, Richard.

Likewise, Elizabeth.

What a King you'll be.

I'm worried, you know. About my arms.

Carrying on Cordelia at the end.

- Oh, you'll be fine.

- They're so weak.

The nerve damage is...

Richard, you can do it. Look. Try.

Try now.

- Lift you?

- Yeah, just take me over to the couch.

- But Cordelia's...

- What? Thinner?

No, no. She's younger.

I mean, she's waif-like.

Thinner.

I...

Come on, you can do it, come on.

Yay! You see, you see?

You can do it, Richard.

- Yeah, it's okay.

- You see, I know you.

- Better than you know yourself.

- Yeah.

- You wanna say the lines?

- No, not at the same time, no!

- I'll never do it.

- You'll be fine!

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