Guess Who's Coming to Dinner Page #5

and put them through courses just like

they do the U.S. Army Corpsmen.

Only his idea is

that they're all specialists.

You know, each one trained

to do one simple thing...

like sewing up a wound

or delivering a baby or what have you.

They go into places where people

have never heard of an aspirin tablet...

let alone a doctor.

Imagine what that means.

For every thousand kids they train,

they can save a million lives a year.

Now just think of that.

He seems to have made

quite an impression on you.

Yeah.

I asked him how he got so far.

You know, he's only 37.

He said he thought he got the best

breaks because everybody he met...

didn't want him to think

they were prejudiced against him.

Yeah, he made an impression, all right.

I wouldn't know how to fault him.

Are you trying to fault him?

No, I'm not trying to fault him.

You know, his father is a mailman.

Retired now.

Lives in Los Angeles.

Now how do you suppose

a colored mailman...

produced a son

with all the qualities he has?

- You'll find out this evening.

- What?

Guess who's coming to dinner?

Who?

You mean, his parents?

Now wait a minute.

- Whose idea was that?

- Joey invited them.

Yeah, Joey. We're being pressurized.

You know that, don't you?

First there wasn't gonna be a marriage

unless we approved.

Then we had one day

to make up our minds.

Now we have to spend hours entertaining

somebody we never heard of.

What the hell

is coming off here?

Oh, don't look at

those baby pictures.

That was at Klosters,

the year before last.

I'll get it!

Just a second.

Monsignor Ryan!

How wonderful to see you.

- Well, good afternoon.

- Come on in. Good afternoon.

Why are you here

when you should be in Hawaii?

What is the problem that caused your

father to chicken out on our golf game?

- Who is this gentleman?

- Monsignor, this is Dr. John Prentice.

We met in Hawaii 11 days ago.

The two of us are going to be married.

Are you, indeed?

I take it you mean to each other.

- Dr. Prentice.

- Monsignor.

Well, of course,

you're the problem.

I'm afraid I am.

I knew nothing of this.

Why haven't your parents informed me?

They didn't know either.

We only flew back this morning.

Excuse me a second.

I forgot to tell Tillie something.

Well...

- This was all very sudden, was it not?

- Yes, it was.

I suppose you two have had time

to consider what you're doing.

No, we've not.

We'll be two more for dinner.

How many steaks did you get?

I got four

'cause I was told four.

Order two more because the doctor's

father and mother are coming.

- We'll be six.

- His father and mother! Here?

That's right.

If the butcher can't send 'em...

tell him to put 'em

in a taxi.

It's gettin' more like

a holy rollers meetin' every minute.

Of course!

I know about you.

I read an article about you

in "Common Wheel."

I shall want to talk to you

about that.

You know, this fellow you brought home

is a very important man?

- Are you aware of that?

- I'm wholly aware of it.

When I'm married to him,

I'll be important.

I guess you will,

as a matter of fact.

- Where's Arnold Palmer?

- Dad and Mom are in the garden.

Good. Well, just go on

with what you're doing. Fore!

Of all the friends we've ever had,

I guess he's the closest.

We're not Catholics, but he and Dad

and Mom have done things together.

You know,

sat on committees and things.

He's a wonderful man,

and we love him.

You're a remarkable fellow, Mike.

You get younger every minute.

- Did you...

- Yes, I've just seen him.

Handsome fellow, isn't he?

Little Joey is nothing less

than radiant.

It warms me chilly old heart

just to look at her.

Aren't you just

a little shocked?

Shocked?

Why should I be shocked?

I've known a good many cases

of marriages between races in my time.

Strangely enough,

they usually work out quite well.

I don't know why.

Maybe because it requires

some special quality of effort...

more consideration and compassion...

than most marriages

seem to generate these days.

- Could that be it?

- Yes, it could.

I'm glad you said that.

That's a beautiful thought.

You do have beautiful thoughts.

That's my trade, you know.

What about laddie over here?

You making heavy weather of it?

You know, this man is quite

a famous fellow in his own right.

He's done incredible work in Asia

and some awful place in Africa.

Mom! Hilary's here.

She wants to see you.

Excuse me, will you? Express some more

beautiful thoughts to the lad there.

Thank you.

I hope you won't think

that I'm prying, Doctor...

but naturally

one is curious.

- Naturally.

- We are going to be married.

Are you?

Well, I didn't even know.

I mean, Christina

hadn't even mentioned that...

She didn't know.

It was a surprise to her too.

A surprise.

Well, I should think it was.

My dear!

Joey tells me that congratulations

are in order, and you didn't even know.

What's the problem, Hilary?

What brings you all the way up here?

- Mr. Cazalet phoned about the pictures.

- Oh, that. Excuse us, will you?

I'll walk out to your car

with you.

- I hope I'll be seeing you shortly.

- Actually, no.

Dr. Prentice is leaving tonight...

and Joey within

the next couple of weeks.

Well, then you must permit me

to wish you every happiness.

Come along.

My poor dear,

what a shock for you.

I knew something was up

when I came into the gallery.

But this!

Whatever are you going to do about it?

- I mean, the child is of age.

- Yes, the child is 23.

Why didn't you simply ring up

with the Cazalet information?

Well, I must admit,

I was intensely curious.

I couldn't believe it.

It's so unlike Joey to do anything

so appallingly stupid.

- Yes, come along.

- But what you must be going through.

You must try not to worry about it.

Now I have some instructions

for you.

I want you to go straight back

to the gallery. Start your motor.

When you to the gallery,

tell Jennifer...

she will be looking after things

temporarily.

She's to give me a ring if there's

anything she can't deal with herself.

Then go into the office

and make out a check for cash...

for the sum of $5,000.

Then carefully...

remove absolutely everything...

that might subsequently remind me

that you had ever been there...

including that yellow thing

with the blue bulbs...

which you have

such an affection for.

Then take the check for $5,000...

which I feel you deserve...

and get permanently lost.

It's not that I don't want

to know you, although I don't.

It's just that I'm afraid

we're not really the sort of people...

that you can afford

to be associated with.

Don't speak.

Just go.

You see that boy?

The tall one?

If he'd played his cards right,

you'd never even have met me.

But he fell for some girl

from Pomona.

- That'll teach him.

- Mom!

Do you know what Hilary was doing?

She was being an absolute b*tch.

She was. I almost wish you'd fire her.

I really do.

Joey, how can you be so hard?

She has a really quite ruthless streak.

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