Holiday Inn Page #6

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- Yes, we love having you too.

Uh, when are you leaving?

Oh. Oh.

- Why didn't you say something?

- You look so silly.

- Where's Jim?

- Inside.

Good. I fixed it. Here's the news

in one luscious word: Hollywood.

I told you I'm not leaving

until Linda goes with me.

But this is the setup you needed

to get her away from Jim.

There're gonna be two Hollywood men

here tonight. One's a director.

If they like your dancing, you and Linda

will be on a train tomorrow.

We'd better find out

if Linda's interested.

- We let her know when there's a contract staring her in the face.

- Look...

I know you're in love but forget it

until we get her away from him.

- This is no time to be honest.

- Well, what should I do?

We have to convince Jim that he'd be a heel

if he stood in the way of a chance like this.

Well, that'll be easy.

Like peeling a turtle.

- Mamie says these go up here.

- Yes. Set 'em right down.

Say, Gus, how'd you

like to earn a slow $10?

Don't care how slow, but sure.

It's sure, all right.

Here's the wrinkle:

I want you to go to the station, pick up a party

and start for Holiday Inn, but never get here.

- Could you handle that?

- Wouldn't be surprised.

Hello? Long distance. That's what

I want you to do with Linda Mason.

Miss Mason?

Our friend?

You're not supposed

to understand it, Gus.

With that kind of money, you oughta

be able to go by way of Medicine Hat.

Hello? Yeah.

Just a minute.

Long distance. I want to get

Parkway Hotel, New York City.

Miss Lila Dixon.

Didn't Linda say she'd

be here for rehearsal?

Oh, relax. Our audiences

aren't professional critics.

- Gus, you made a wrong turn.

- Shortcut.

- Gus!

- Shortcut... to the shortcut.

How could you possibly expect

to drive through this?

I never had no trouble with a horse.

You'd better carry me to shore,

and I'll walk back to the highway.

I think you'd be better off

waitin' right here.

Gus, will you please do as I say?

Oh, all right.

- The other way! Turn around!

- Huh?

- Gus, turn around! Oh!

- Oh!

Oh!

Gus! Oh! Oh!

Oh, my hat!

- Ya pushed me!

- Get my hat!

I swear the show

will start any minute now.

You said that an hour ago.

Yeah, but this time I'm sincere.

Excuse me.

- Who started the show?

- I did. You're on.

- What about Ted's partner?

- You've kept this crowd waiting long enough.

- He can go on without her.

- Have you gone nuts? I rehearsed a double dance!

Let's say it

with firecrackers

And banners held high

Let's have a real

old-fashioned

Noisy Fourth of July

Let's say it

with firecrackers

Down south and up north

Let's have the kind we used

to call a Glorious Fourth

Let's salute our native land

Roman candles in each hand

While a Yankee Doodle band

Gets hotter than a firecracker

Don't need any long speeches

Or shouts of hooray

No words can say as much

as firecrackers can say

Freedom

Freedom

Here comes the Freedom Man

On this day of independence

On this Independence Day

Listen to an American troubadour

From the U.S.A.

I'm singing a song of freedom

For all people

who cry out to be free

Free to sail the seven seas

Free to worship as we please

If the birds up in the trees

can be free

Why can't we

I'm bringing a song of freedom

To all people

wherever they may be

Free to speak

and free to hear

Free from want

and free from fear

Sons of freedom

far and near who agree

Sing with me

That all God's people

shall be free

I'm singing a song of freedom

For all people

who cry out to be free

Free to sail the seven seas

Free to worship as we please

If the birds up in the trees

can be free

Why can't we

I'm singing a song of freedom

To all people wherever they may be

Free to speak

and free to hear

Free from want

and free from fear

Sons of freedom

far and near who agree

Sing with me

That all God's people

shall be free

All God's people shall be free

- Will you give me a lift?

- Sure. Hop in.

Aren't you Ted Hanover's

former dancing partner?

Yes, although I wouldn't

exactly say "former. "

I'm dancing with him

at the Inn tonight.

But I... Doesn't he

have a new partner?

Oh, she won't be there tonight.

I didn't know that.

I- I work at the Inn.

Oh? Waitress?

- Yes.

- I know your boss, Jim Hardy, quite well.

Quite well.

- He's responsible for your

rejoining Mr. Hanover? - Uh-huh.

By the way, if I were you,

I'd look my prettiest tonight.

Jim says there'll be men there from

Hollywood to consider Ted and me for pictures.

Mr. Hanover's other partner will be

missing this chance to go to Hollywood.

Yes, although she can't be very talented

or they wouldn't be working at the Inn.

Ted and I played

only the best places.

Listen, you're late

for the show already.

If you'd care to let me drive, I know a

shortcut that'll get us there 15 minutes sooner.

There's a farmhouse near here, and I'll

have us towed out in a couple of minutes.

- For the love of mud, hurry!

- Wait right here!

What else can I do?

You're on now.

- But Linda isn't here yet.

- You've got to save the pieces.

Keep those men interested now

and do a number with Linda later.

- What can I do?

- Well, fake something.

Fake something.

There's your cue!

Don't fail me! Keep 'em flying!

I'll keep 'em flying.

- Linda! What happened to you?

- Bad job of sabotage.

Excuse me.

- Jim, you deliberately kept me from working at the Inn tonight, didn't you?

- Yeah.

You knew there would be men here from Hollywood

who might offer me a chance in pictures.

You decided I shouldn't have that opportunity,

not even the opportunity to refuse.

I was afraid the offer might be

too important for you to turn down.

The point is you don't trust me

to make my own decisions...

because they might interfere

with your own selfish plans.

I've had about enough of that, Jim.

Ted! Linda!

Mr. Parker, Mr. Dunbar, I want you to meet

the greatest dance team in show business:

Hanover and Mason

and the owner, Jim Hardy.

Nice little place you've got here.

Even though you haven't seen

Miss Mason dance, I can assure you...

Hardy, Hollywood is always interested in

new ideas and we think this is a honey.

We'd like to do a picture

based on Holiday Inn.

The idea behind it, how it works,

the special holiday songs.

It's purely a speculative thing, far from

foolproof, and we can't afford to pay too much.

You don't have to start talking it down

because the idea is not for sale.

We expect to use Mr. Hanover

and his partner in the picture.

I don't know how the others feel, but I'd

like to keep this setup just the way it is.

Jim, would you be decent just once and

let somebody else here have a chance?

Wait a minute, Danny. The place

belongs to him. He can do as he wants.

I guess it was just

too good to last, huh?

A simple little layout where we could

do our best at the work we know...

without having any illusions of glory.

But I can see now that I'm the only one

who could be happy here.

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