City for Conquest Page #11

me it was gonna be a permanent wave.

Ain't permanent, ain't a wave, ain't

nothing. It's just hair. But it's all my own.

You know, Gladys, it's funny.

After all the places I've

been, things I've done...

...l've just moved across town, that's all.

From East Side to West Side.

You look out and see the same back alleys...

...the same fire escapes,

the same clotheslines.

I'm back just where I started.

Wished I was back where I started...

...with a guy named Jake Smith

right over in Jersey City.

He was just a grease

monkey in a junkyard garage.

He only made 20 bucks a week, but he

was great on this thing called love.

I was a dizzy dope. I was

gonna burn up the world.

I got burned myself. Ever

watch a moth fly in the flame?

Can't stop them till their wings burn off.

Believe me, if Jake would take me back now...

...l'd crawl on my knees right

over to Jersey City, so help me.

We girls never get wise until it's too late.

Let me tell you...

What's the matter, Peggy,

got hay fever or something?

Peggy.

I'm sorry, Peggy. I really didn't mean to...

Well, I didn't care for that routine

that Gaul put in the show today either.

Nowadays the public wants class.

Give them their money's worth, that's

what I say. Here, have a cigarette.

Let's see what's fit to print today.

"Blond beauty marries her fifth."

She gets five and I don't

get one. Call that democracy?

"Fifty more millionaires reported last year."

Reported for what? Wish one

of them would report to me.

Say, here's a guy with the same

name as that pug you told me about.

"Edward Kenny, who will

conduct his own symphony...

...with the Philharmonic at

Carnegie Hall this Thursday night.

This will be the world premiere of

Mr. Kenny's symphony, An American..."

Kenny. Could he maybe be a relative

of that old heartache of yours?

Let me see.

Doing all right, Mutt?

We'll paste these clippings in a scrapbook.

Tomorrow we'll put the write-ups in.

Sure. This is gonna be

a very fancy scrapbook.

I'll put them together with yours.

Keep away from mine. I

don't wanna jinx the kid.

- Hi, Danny.

- Hello, Mr. Sinclair. Evening Post up yet?

- Right here. Late final.

- Final Variety hot off the press, Danny.

Okay, Smitty.

Oh, Mutt? Will you look in that

Variety and see if there's anything...

...about Peg this week?

- Sure.

How are you, Danny?

Well, did you see my scrib in

the column yesterday about you?

Yeah, Mutt read it to me. I didn't like it.

Why? What's the matter?

I only wanted to be nice.

Don't like that tear-jerking sob stuff.

"One of life's little tragedies."

I don't want nobody crying over me.

I don't want no benefits. I'm on my own.

- I got no complaints.

- All right, Danny. I just didn't know.

All right, Pep. So now you know, huh?

Okay. Well, I'll be seeing you, Danny.

- Find anything, Mutt?

- No.

Maybe I missed it. I'll start over again.

Look in the vaudeville gossip

column. Maybe something there.

Wait for me. Hello, Danny. Mutt.

What are you doing? You ought to

be at Carnegie. What's the matter?

Nothing, just skipped out

a minute to shake hands.

Getting kind of jumpy, huh, kid?

The nearer it gets to 9:00,

the faster my heart goes.

Well, hold that ticker down, it'll

hurt your timing. We're not worried.

We know it's good, don't we, huh?

Hey, what am I, a French

general getting a medal?

- See you later, Danny. So long, Mutt.

- Good luck.

- Well...

- Good luck, kid. Hold that ticker down.

I will. Carnegie Hall, and hurry.

We're gonna be proud of him, Danny.

I'm proud of him right

now. Well, come on, Mutt...

...you run home quick and get

yourself all dolled up, see?

And I think you better get a shave too.

Why? I'm staying right here, ain't I?

Oh, no. You're going up to that

concert. Here's the pasteboards.

That ain't right. This

is your brother's show.

I'm staying here. This is your night.

I don't want to go up there

and jinx the kid. Here.

What Are you talking about?

If it wasn't for you, he wouldn't be there.

I don't wanna be no skeleton

in the closet. Now, take these.

Danny, why don't you go up and see it all.

Go ahead. Hear everything for yourself.

I know all that music backwards.

Backwards and forwards.

Besides, I got it all right

here. Will you take these ducats?

Thanks, Danny. As soon as

it's over, I'll come back...

...and tell you all about it.

- I'll be here.

- Sure you won't change your mind?

- No, no. You go ahead. Go on.

- So long, Danny.

- Good night, Mutt.

Speech!

Speech!

Ladies and gentlemen...

...once in each man's lifetime...

...there comes a supreme moment.

For me, here and now, this is it.

Not only because of the generous way...

...in which you have received my symphony...

...but because I can share this moment

with one whose contribution to this music...

...is far greater than

any that I could have made.

I am speaking of and to my brother.

He truly inspired the music

that you have heard tonight.

For in his life story...

...was a story of the great city

as I felt it in terms of music.

No, he's not a musician.

He couldn't read a single note...

...but in his heart and soul...

...there was such wealth

of music. Music of the city.

The music that led him on to glory,

to conquest, to tragedy and defeat.

But in that very defeat, he conquered.

For of all the men that I have come

to know, who have loved and lost...

...this boy retained a great nobility...

...that far surpassed any possible conquest.

Yes, my brother made music with his fists...

...so that I might make a gentler music...

...the symphony that you have heard tonight.

It is his as much as mine.

And so, with deep pride and gratitude...

...I dedicate this music to my brother...

...known to most or you...

...as Young Samson.

Mutt. Mutt.

Hello, Danny.

Hello, Mr. Cahn. I wondered

what happened to you.

- Kept you working late tonight?

- Why aren't you at your brother's concert?

I heard over the radio. Judging from

applause there must've been 5000 people.

- It was a success.

- I'll say.

They're crazy about Eddie's

music. Kept cheering and hollering.

Begging him to make a speech.

Imagine that brother of mine...

...talking to all those people.

- What'd he say?

Oh, nothing much. Just

thanks and appreciation.

It must be wonderful to click that way.

- You should be proud.

- I certainly am.

I'll bet. Well, that's fine,

Danny. See you tomorrow.

- Yeah, thanks, and good night.

- Good night.

What paper, please?

What do you read?

Hello, Peg.

Hello, Danny.

Well.

Hey, this is all right.

This is really a night for the books.

I just finished listening to

Eddie's concert on the radio...

...and it's a big success.

And now Peg's here.

That's all right for one night. Did you...?

Did you hear about the concert?

Yes, Danny. I was there.

You were? Well, great, wasn't it?

Can you imagine that

skinny-legged, redheaded kid...

...used to practice out on the fire escape...

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