Guess Who's Coming to Dinner Page #7

That's the glory of love

You've gotta laugh a little

Cry a little

Before the clouds

Roll by a little

That's the story of

I can't tell you

how happy I am for you.

And the whole thing having

happened so quickly.

You remember what it was

with Peter and me.

It took us three years

to decide to get married...

and we'd been living together

for two.

To John and Joey.

John and Joanna. He won't call me

anything but Joanna.

- I'm beginning to like it too.

- To John and Joanna.

Where you're so lucky

is in Joey's folks... Uh, Joanna's folks.

You've only just met them,

but take my word for it.

Matt Drayton really stands

for something in this town.

Yes. I know the Guardian's

always been a very good paper.

It's a great paper,

and he made it what it is.

There's never been a public issue on

which Matt Drayton didn't take a stand.

When exactly are you flying over?

Sometime next week?

Just as soon

as I can arrange everything.

Why next week? Why aren't you

flying over with John?

Why am I not flying over with you?

- Is your passport in order?

- Yes.

- Do you need clothes or anything?

- Nothing I couldn't get over there.

Then it seems crazy for you to be

going alone when you could go together.

- Why don't you both leave tonight?

- Why not?

It's 6:
00. In an hour

they'll all be here for dinner.

The doctor's plane leaves

at 10:
45.

No matter what it is, you're going

to have to tell them how you feel.

I need more than one day

to make a decision like that.

It's the silliest thing

I ever heard of.

But I'll tell you this.

I am not going to try to pretend

that I'm happy about the whole thing...

because I'm not.

And if the doctor's decision

depends upon that, then too bad.

And I'm thinking only

of Joey's welfare.

I have nothing against him personally,

but he's a grown man.

He behaved irresponsibly in the first

place by letting this thing happen.

Now he wants me to be happy

about a situation...

when I happen to know that they'll both

get their brains knocked out.

I'm sorry,

but that's the way I feel.

And I know how you're reacting.

You're so wrapped up in Joey's

excitement over the whole thing...

that you are not behaving

in her best interest!

Yes, Mom.

But there wasn't any reason

not to go tonight.

You can understand,

can't you, Mom?

My passport's in order. There's

nothing at all that I really need.

And it won't

take me an hour to pack.

I'll be able to be with him.

We'll be together the whole time.

Mom, they're here.

I can see them.

They look like awfully nice people.

His mother looks lovely.

You break it to Dad for me,

will you?

Well...

I guess I should have called you back

because there is this one thing...

I should have...

I've been meaning

to write to you about it.

There was one thing

I didn't explain, Dad.

And...

I'm afraid it's gonna be

kind of a shock.

You see what I mean?

Mom, Dad,

this is Joanna Drayton.

Joanna, my mom and dad.

Mrs. Prentice, I'm so happy.

- Miss Drayton?

- Yes.

Mr. Prentice,

I'm very pleased to meet you.

I can explain.

I can imagine what's going on

in your mind...

but we can explain.

You can?

Of course we can.

You have bags?

Of course you have bags.

Let's go get your bags.

Mama?

- What did your folks say?

- All's well.

- Did you talk to your father?

- To Mom. But she'll tell him.

Tonight?

- I thought I ought to tell you.

- That's out of the question.

This whole damn thing is...

No, that's out of the question.

I'll tell you something else.

I couldn't do what you're about to do...

so I don't begin to understand

how you propose to go about it.

But you can't break their hearts

over a drink...

and expect them

to sit down to dinner.

Don't you think I know that?

I have to talk to the doctor...

I'll talk to him after dinner.

Tell him exactly how I feel.

I'm not trying

to give you an argument.

There's nothing I can say

that you don't know.

It's important that you understand

just how wrong I think you...

I believe you're making the worst

mistake you've ever made in your...

You're gonna regret it with more

bitterness that you've ever known...

for as long as you live.

You're wrong.

You're as wrong as you can be.

Because I'm thinking of her

and even the doctor is going to know...

I'm thinking of her.

There's something else.

I'm surprised

it hasn't occurred to you.

The doctor will accept

whatever you say to him...

because he's a terribly sensitive man

and because he said he would.

But Joey won't. The most obvious

mistake you're making...

is in underestimating

your own daughter.

She'll fight you and

your whole attitude...

and everything you do and every

argument you ever try to give her.

And one thing more.

Until today, I would never have believed

that I could say such a thing...

but when she fights you...

and for what it may be worth...

I'm going to be on her side.

I never believed I'd hear you

say a thing like that.

- Can I get you another drink?

- No, thanks. I'll get it myself.

I wish we had more time.

What, Mom?

I was going to ask Miss Drayton

how her father and mother reacted to...

Yeah. I wanted to ask that too.

Please call me Joanna.

They were shaken, all right.

I don't think

I've ever seen them so surprised.

The thing that really shook them...

was that I wanted to marry anybody

they hadn't even heard about.

I can't blame them

for being sort of stunned by it all.

Well. Then you couldn't blame us if we

were a little stunned, too, could you?

I mean, I wouldn't appear unreasonable

if I suggested...

that the two of you were behaving like

a couple of escaped lunatics, would I?

This whole thing...

happened so quickly...

it's like trying to ride a rocket.

We didn't plan it that way.

It just happened that way.

It's a little hard on Joanna's folks and

I'm sure it's gonna be hard on you.

We've got one evening

to discuss it...

and if you have any objections,

you'd better raise them in a hurry...

because in exactly four hours

we're gonna be on that plane and gone.

I don't think I could list

all my objections in four hours.

I think I'd need

more like eight hours.

Well, you've only got four hours.

So you'll just have to talk

twice as fast.

Hello, darling.

How are you?

Forgive me.

I am a little bit early.

Ego absolvo te.

Come in.

I don't like to be

always repeating myself...

but how long is it since

that I remarked that I thought...

that you were the loveliest woman

I have ever known?

You know, there is a kind of envy

that is no way sinful.

That's what I've always

had for Matt all these years.

- What can I give you to drink?

- Well, I like Scotch if...

- Are we drinking wine?

- Yes.

Oh. I'll have

a little drop of Scotch anyhow.

Equal amount of soda, please.

Thank you.

My dear, what's the matter?

Sorry.

We're in trouble.

Mike...

we're in terrible trouble,

terrible trouble.

John told us...

Matt and me...

that he wouldn't marry Joey

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