Cavalcade Page #8

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- Just about killing herself, I suppose,

with war work and all that.

She's pretty wonderful.

You look pretty tired, too, sir.

Well, we're moving troops very rapidly.

Enemy's on the run.

- What did you do with your leave?

- Oh, I don't know. Lots of things.

- I saw Aunt Margaret.

- Yes. Couldn't dodge it, I suppose?

- How is she?

- She's all right.

- When do you go on leave, sir?

- Probably never again.

Good Lord, why?

Because they're talking about

an armistice.

- No.

- Fact.

We may all be home in a few weeks.

Train for First Greenjackets,

number one platform, five minutes, sir.

Five minutes? I gotta collect my kit.

- Good-bye, Dad.

- Good-bye.

Good of you to look me up, Joey.

Good-bye.

(TRAIN WHISTLE)

General Staff Home Command speaking.

"An armistice has been signed and

hostilities will cease today

"at 11:
00 ack-emma.

"At 11:
00 precisely, the Hyde Park battery

will fire a salute of 21 guns.

"And the officer in charge of mortars

will let off a salvo of maroons.

"Written orders will follow.

"Officers will now proceed

to synchronize watches."

Are you ready?

Her ladyship will not keep you

a moment, madam.

Much obliged, I'm sure.

Why, Ellen.

My maid said, "Mrs. Bridges."

it never occurred to me that it was you.

Yes, I just thought I'd call.

It's rather important, as a matter of fact.

Do sit down.

I'm delighted to see you again.

Thank you.

- How's Fanny?

- Oh, very well.

She's in Over the Moon now, you know.

It's about her I've come to see you, really.

Oh. Well?

Well, it's rather difficult.

Oh, what's the matter?

About her and Master...

(CLEARS THROAT) Her and Joe.

- Joe'?

- Yes, Joe.

They've been having a...

(CLEARS THROAT) Well, to put it frankly,

if you know what I mean...

They've been having an affair.

His last two leaves

he's spent a lot of time with her.

I wouldn't have come

to see you about it at all, only...

Well, I think Fanny's very upset about it.

Now that the war is over and he'll

be coming home, I thought that...

- What did you think?

- I thought they ought to get married.

Does she want to marry him?

No, not exactly. That is...

Oh, well, I haven't talked about it to her.

She doesn't know I know.

- How do you know?

- Found a letter from him.

- And you read it?

- Yes. I've got it here.

- I brought it with me.

- I don't wish to see it, thank you.

Oh, but I only brought it

because I thought you might...

Tell me, is Fanny in any sort of trouble?

Oh, no, nothing like that.

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

I think we'd better wait until Joe

comes home. Then they can decide.

Well. I'm sure I didn't wish to upset you.

I'm not in the least upset.

But it's been on my mind.

It's been worrying me to death.

I think you should have spoken to

your daughter before you came to see me.

I never interfere with my son's affairs.

I'm sure I'm ever so sorry.

Please, don't let's discuss it any further.

Good-bye, Ellen.

Oh, I suppose you imagine

that my daughter isn't good enough

to marry your son.

Well, if that's the case, I can

assure you you're very much mistaken.

Fanny's received everywhere.

She knows all the best people.

How nice for her. I wish I did.

Things aren't what they used to be,

you know.

- No, it's all changin'.

- Yes, I see it is.

But Fanny's at the top of her tree now.

She's having the most wonderful offers.

- Oh, Ellen!

- What is it?

I'm so very, very sorry.

I don't know what you mean.

Oh, yes, you do. Inside, you must.

Something seems to have

gone out of all of us, and I...

I'm not sure that I like what's left.

Good-bye, Ellen.

I don't know why you should talk like that.

Some of us have got on in their world,

and some of us haven't.

I said, "Good-bye, Ellen."

(MAROONS FIRING)

Yes, what is it?

It's all over, milady.

The maroons are going off.

Excuse me.

- (PEOPLE CLAMORING)

- (MAROONS CONTINUE FIRING)

There's no answer.

What is it? What's happened?

You needn't worry about Fanny and Joe.

He won't be able to come back.

He's... Dead.

Oh, your ladyship.

Oh, milady.

(CHEERING)

(BAND PLAYING)

(MOUTHING WORDS)

Why are we here in Geneva?

To bear witness to the truth

that if the world war

is to be crowned by peace,

the world must disarm.

All efforts to appoint this paramount...

You talk of disarmament, but where is it?

What defense does it offer?

But this poison gas gives us security.

What's all this talk

about balancing the budget?

The whole world's broke.

We're all broke.

The whole thing is a heartless mockery.

After centuries of investigation,

it comes to this.

God is a superstition too crude

to impose upon a child.

We abandon the primitive yearning of

a savage for an object of worship

- and focus instead...

- We are all free to join the scramble

for power and riches,

and to sell our beliefs to buy success.

But each of us must one day

face an awful question

that is echoing down through the ages.

What shall it profit a man

if he shall gain the whole world?

- (MUSIC PLAYING)

- (NO AUDIBLE DIALOG)

(NO AUDIBLE DIALOG)

(NO AUDIBLE DIALOG)

(APPLAUSE)

Introducing Miss Fanny Bridges

and her new song hit.

(APPLAUSE)

(BAND BEGINS)

Why is it that civilized humanity

Can make this world so wrong?

In this hurly-burly of insanity

Our dreams cannot last long

We've reached a deadline

A press headline

Every sorrow

Blues value is news value

Tomorrow

Blues

Twentieth-century blues

Are getting me down

Blues, escape those dreary

Twentieth-century blues

Why if there's a God in the sky

Why doesn't he grin?

High above this dreary

Twentieth-century din

In the strange illusion, chaos and confusion

People seem to lose their way

What is there to strive for

Love or keep alive for?

Say, hey, hey

Call it a day

Blues

Nothing to win or to lose

It's getting me down

Blues, escape those dreary

Twentieth-century blues

(APPLAUSE)

(UPBEAT MUSIC)

There.

But, Jane dear, I like jazz.

I don't see the sense in sitting,

waiting for the grave.

Oh, I'm not waiting for anything.

I have a perfectly good time.

I go to the opera.

I go to theaters. I go to the zoo.

So far, I must say, I found the zoo

infinitely the most entertaining.

Really, Jane dear, you're quite hopeless.

Well, I refuse to be jostled about it.

All this jazz and whizzing about.

No wonder you're always

in the clutches of a new doctor.

Now, dear, I don't think

it's quite fair to say that.

He's the most wonderful man I've ever met.

And he has the most marvelous touch.

He's completely cured me.

Cured you of what, darling?

Oh, of my ailment.

(CHUCKLES) Well,

I'm perfectly comfortable where I am...

Without taking cures for ailments

I haven't got.

Yes, but how do you know

you haven't got any ailments?

Because I'm sane and active

and as strong as a horse. So is Robert.

- It's nearly time, milady.

- Oh, put it on the coffee table.

Good heavens! I must fly.

I wouldn't interfere with

your little ritual for the world.

Oh, my dear, you wouldn't interfere.

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