Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

You know,

I just had a thought.

Why don't I check in a hotel

and rest.

- You go find your folks.

- Oh, John.

You wanted to meet them.

Let's go meet them.

The sooner we get it over with,

the better.

Mom may not even be at the gallery.

She'll probably be out to lunch.

Dad's at his office. You may not

meet them till dinner anyway.

You may be wrong about them.

You should have called

and told them we were coming.

You may be in for the biggest shock

of your young life.

After 23 years living

in the same house with them...

don't you think I know

my own mother and father?

I hope so.

There's no problem.

We'll only be a minute, and then

we'd like to go out to Claremont Drive.

Right.

I'll see if Mom's

in the office.

- Joey!

- Hilary, hi! How are you?

What a surprise.

- I'll be with you in just a moment.

- Okay.

- Strange.

- One of Hilary's favorites.

It's called a kinetic sculpture.

- A what?

- Look.

Why, isn't that something?

- Darling, what are you doing here?

- I thought Mother might be here.

Mrs. St. George, I'd like you

to meet Dr. Prentice.

Dr. Prentice,

I'm so pleased to meet you.

Mrs. St. George.

Pleasure to see you.

Christina's lunching

with Mr. Cazalet.

I can ring up.

No. Just tell her I'm back

and that I'll be home.

Has something happened?

I mean, is anything wrong?

Something's happened,

but everything's right. Thanks.

How was Hawaii?

Was it fun?

Hawaii was simply unbelievable.

Do you live in San Francisco, Doctor,

or are you just visiting?

- I'm just passing through.

- I see.

- It was a pleasure to have met you.

- Thank you.

Bye-bye.

No, Hilary runs the gallery now,

but it's Mom who has all the ideas.

Her idea for filling hotel rooms

with originals is brilliant.

It gives people who stay there

time to decide if they want them.

The hotel gets supplied

with free decor.

The guests get to look at good paintings

instead of bad reproductions.

The painter gets a chance to make a sale

and Mom gets her commission.

Next right.

- Isn't that clever?

- Oh, that is clever.

- What do I owe you?

- 10.50, mac.

Twelve bucks, right?

Right.

Right.

Oh, John.

Come meet Tillie.

Tillie, this is Dr. Prentice.

John, Miss Matilda Binks.

Pleased to meet you, Miss Binks.

I've certainly heard

a great deal about you.

What are you

doing home unexpected?

Your folks didn't know you was coming.

You told them you're back already?

I left a message for Mom

at the gallery.

It's lovely to see you.

I missed you.

You still ain't told me

why you're home early.

- You want those bags to go upstairs?

- Not my two. I'm not staying.

It's personal reasons.

I'll tell you all about it.

You eat any lunch yet,

or you expecting it now?

Could you make us sandwiches and coffee?

We'll have it on the terrace.

Do you like it?

It's beautiful.

Come out

and look from the terrace.

- What?

- Hey, who's that?

That's Dorothy. Isn't she a knockout?

She helps Tillie during the week.

- Which days?

- Never mind.

You know, I ought to call my folks

and get that out of the way.

Okay. Use the phone in the study.

- Are you gonna introduce me?

- Not on the phone.

- Aren't you gonna tell them about me?

- I'd rather write to them.

I have to meet them, don't I?

Before I come to Geneva?

Or are we going to keep our marriage

a secret from them?

Why didn't I think of that?

See, that's a thought.

I'll shut this

in case Dorothy goes by.

Los Angeles, please.

Area code 213.

Axminster, two, four, six, nine, nine.

Time and charges.

Well, I got a right

to my own opinions.

And you want my opinion?

I don't care to see a member

of my own race getting above hisself.

Then I don't want your opinion,

and if I ever do, I'll ask for it.

Oh, Tillie, I'm sorry.

I didn't mean that, but you can't mean

what you're saying either.

And you're so wrong.

Look.

You're the last person I'd have expected

to take such a silly attitude.

You know I've always loved you,

and you're just as black as he is.

How could it be all right for me to

love you and wrong for me to love him?

Will you just stop

and think about that?

Listen. What are we having

for dinner tonight?

- Gotta make it something special.

- Celery soup and rump steak.

Oh, now, come on.

Turtle soup and tournedos...

and one of your best pies.

It's Mom!

Joey, darling.

What the hell? Joey!

- Mom, I'm here!

- Hello, darling. Are you all right?

- There's nothing wrong, is there?

- Nothing's wrong. Everything's fine.

I rang the gallery to tell Hilary

that Cazalet agreed to our scheme.

He has? That's marvelous.

I knew he would.

She said you were back. She thought

you might have a surprise for me.

What did she mean?

Do I hear someone?

- Is there someone here?

- Oh, Mom, I'm so happy.

I've never been so happy in all my life.

I'm just...

Bursting. Yeah, I can see that.

And I'm already feeling happy for you.

Do I know him?

No. That's just it.

I only met him myself ten days ago.

You wouldn't believe what's happened

in just ten days.

I think I might if you'd pipe down

long enough to tell me.

- Mom...

- Lots of wonderful things happen...

He's so wonderful!

I've never known anyone like him.

Never known anything like this.

I fell in love with him

in 20 minutes.

Well, that was quick.

Well, Dad, I wanted to stop

on the way back...

but time got so short

and I've got to get to work.

Yeah, but I still don't understand

why you couldn't spend one day with us.

Well, the fact is, Dad,

I met this girl.

You what? You met a girl?

Why didn't you say so?

Mary, he says he met a girl.

Why, that's good news.

- She live up there in San Francisco?

- She lives up here. I'm at her house.

He says he's at her house now,

the girl's house.

Well, that's different, son.

Where'd you meet her? Hawaii?

Yes, in Hawaii,

and I wanted to meet her folks, see?

That sounds good, son.

I mean, serious.

Yes, it's serious.

Well, this is quite a surprise.

Yeah, she's surprising

in a lot of ways, Dad.

Your mother says,

"Is she pretty? '

- Yes, she's very pretty.

- She's pretty. What?

Your mother says,

"How old is she, son?"

Mary, what the hell difference

does that make?

Well, she's only 23, Dad.

Twenty-three. Well, that's good.

You want my opinion?

You're 37.

That's just the right difference.

Women age faster than men,

you know what I mean?

- You reckon to marry the girl, son?

- Well, we've been talking about it.

But...

Dad, there's one or two problems,

you see?

That I'll write to you about...

on the plane to New York tonight,

all right?

He's so calm...

and sure of everything.

He doesn't have

any tensions in him.

He knows what he believes...

and what he thinks is right

and why and where he's going.

Oh, Mom, there's one thing

I must tell you.

He was married before,

and he had a son.

It was so tragic.

Both his wife and his son were killed

in a train accident...

in Belgium eight years ago.

And John...

I haven't even told you

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