Guess Who's Coming to Dinner Page #8

unless we could say...

that we approved the marriage

with no reservations whatever.

Joey doesn't know

that he said that.

Now she's suddenly decided to go

with him tonight. She has her tickets.

The two of them are on their way in

from the airport with John's parents...

and neither of them knows

that Matt has decided...

Well.

Matt has decided

that he can't approve.

That's not true.

Please tell me it's not true.

- Where is Matt?

- He's upstairs changing. He's...

He's not himself.

Excuse me.

It's incredible!

- Table all right?

- It's fine.

- Thank you.

- Miss Christina, what's gonna happen?

I don't know, Tillie.

You and Mr. Matt, you gonna put a stop

to this damn nonsense foolishness?

I don't want to put a stop

to anything.

He's a fine man.

He's a wonderful man,

and Joey is very much in love with him.

And it isn't just

damn nonsense foolishness.

Well, I tell you, Miss Christina.

The way you are talkin',

I don't understand nothin' no more.

Nobody understands nothin' no more.

No, I don't think you're butting

into something that doesn't concern...

Damn blast these lousy laundries.

I understand how you feel.

I understand how everybody feels.

But you have to

understand something too.

They've boxed me

into a hell of a corner here.

And no matter what Christina says

or what you say...

I am not going to behave

irresponsibly.

I'm not gonna tell them they can't get

married. I don't have the right.

But they don't have the right

to come in here...

and expect me to be happy

about something any normal man...

Oh, for God's sake!

You're on the point of destroying

all the happiness there is...

in one of the happiest families

I've ever known.

Have you any appreciation

at all for Christina...

Have you any appreciation at all

of how that woman has behaved today?

From the moment they walked in, she was

for it, as if there were no problems.

But there are no problems that Joey

and young Prentice don't know about.

Christina has more respect for Joey's

judgment than you have. I must say...

Oh, come off it!

If Joey came home with some fuzzy-wuzzy

and said "This is the man for me"...

Christina would say,

"Oh, really? How wonderful.

Where will we get enough roses

to fill the Rose Bowl?"

I'm trying to remember

where I've seen you so angry.

Oh, yes. When you took

nine shots on the seventh green.

Would you mind

getting the hell out of here?

I think I know why you're angry too.

Not with the doctor,

whom you obviously respect.

Not with Joey or Christina,

not even with me.

You're angry with yourself.

You're a pontificating

old poop!

You're angry because all of a sudden,

and in a single day, you've been thrown.

You're the last man in the world I would

have expected to behave the way you are.

You're not yourself.

You're off balance.

You don't know who your are,

what you are or what you're doing.

That's your trouble.

You've gone back on yourself, laddie,

and in your heart you know it.

Now, listen, there's a limit

to what I'll take, even from you.

For 30 years, there's been no man

I've admired or respected more.

You know that.

And for the first time in all

those 30 years, I feel sorry for you.

Damn it, that's enough!

Are you really capable

of putting yourself in my position?

Unless you've got

some kids of your own...

hidden away somewhere

that haven't shown up in the record...

how can you possibly know how a father

would feel in a situation like this?

You don't know!

I happen to believe they wouldn't

have a dog's chance...

not in this country,

not in the whole, stinking world.

They are this country.

They'll change this stinking world.

Yeah, sure. Fifty years, maybe,

or a hundred years.

But not in your lifetime.

Maybe not even in mine.

My dear friend...

I wish with all my heart

you could be restrained.

And if I were ten years younger...

to prevent you

from going downstairs...

I believe I'd make some sort of effort

to wrestle you to the floor.

That'll be the day.

Is that the car?

Did you hear a car?

Mrs. Prentice,

I'm Christina Drayton.

- How do you do?

- How do you do, Mr. Prentice?

I'm so pleased to meet you.

Come on in.

Let me take your coat and hat.

And yours?

Thank you.

How good of you to come

all this long way to see us. Do go in.

What did Dad say? Did you tell him?

I'll bet he was shaken.

- It was a surprise.

- Does he want to talk to me?

Yes, I'm sure he does. Later.

Please come in.

May I get you a drink?

What would you like?

May I have some sherry, please?

What a lovely room.

Thank you. John, would you be bartender?

I'll have some sherry too.

- Of course.

- Shall we sit over here?

What will you have, Dad?

Bourbon?

- Thank you.

- You have such a magnificent view.

Thank you. Please sit down.

Sit down, Mr. Prentice.

Did you have a pleasant flight?

Very pleasant, thank you.

The view of the sunset

was breathtaking.

Only took forty minutes.

Four hundred miles.

It's incredible, isn't it?

My husband will be down directly,

I think.

He's upstairs changing.

And we have a friend of ours

who's coming to dinner with us.

Monsignor Ryan.

I'm sure theyll be down

in a minute.

- Thank you.

- Mom.

- Thank you.

- There you are, Dad.

Thanks, son.

Are you Catholics?

Well, no, we're not.

I'm afraid we're

nothing in particular.

Monsignor Ryan just happens to be

a very old friend.

Do you come often

to San Francisco?

I've got to talk to your father.

There he is.

Dad, I'd like you to meet

Mr. And Mrs. Prentice.

- This is my father.

- Mrs. Prentice, nice to meet you.

- How do you do?

- Mr. Prentice, happy to meet you.

- How do you do?

- May I present Monsignor Ryan?

- How do you do, ma'am?

- How do you do?

Glad to meet you, sir.

- Are you and John tending bar?

- Yes.

The monsignor and I

are both drinking Scotch.

Coming up.

Sit down.

Well.

Did you have a nice flight

from Los Angeles?

Oh, yes. Very nice flight.

Only 40 minutes.

Only 40 minutes from Los Angeles.

- Terrifying.

- If you're going to talk about flying...

you could talk

about flying to Geneva...

because John and I

are hoping to persuade...

all of you to fly over

for the wedding.

Would anybody like to talk about that

before I go up and start packing?

I take it they've told you

all about their plans?

Of course. It's only when you're

eloping that you keep it a secret.

I don't know about you,

Mr. Prentice...

but it seems to me that these two

are rushing it just a little bit.

It seemed that way to me too.

It seems like that to you too?

That's right.

I'm certainly relieved

to hear that.

I was beginning to think I was the only

one around here who had any...

I would like Mrs. Prentice

to see the view.

What the hell are you talking about?

What view?

From the terrace.

Before it gets too cold.

- Would you care to see the view?

- Oh, yes, thank you. I would.

Good. Excuse us.

Bring your drink with you.

Have you had any chance

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