I'll See You in My Dreams Page #9

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my suits, my tune-writers.

You even order for me in a restaurant.

Well, from now on, just order for one.

Gus.

I'm leaving.

Take the kids out for a walk

or something.

Aren't you going to

say goodbye to them?

You'll think of something to tell them.

Yeah. That's one thing I'm good at.

- Stop it. Stop it.

- What's the matter?

Isn't that Johann Strauss?

I don't see how it can be.

I got paid for it last Thursday.

Johnny, why don't you try

something of your own?

This is no time to be revolutionary.

We've gotta have

a complete score in 10 days.

So we take a little of Strauss.

And we steal a little of this:

And we throw in a little of this:

And then some... and we got it. Listen.

You're a great tune-writer,

how can you do a thing like this?

- I'll tell you in one word. Money.

- Yeah.

Look, Gus, you've been fighting this

for months, and what has it got you?

You've been thrown out

of two studios already.

Believe me, you can't win.

There are only two kinds

of people in this town:

The ones who eat at Romanoff's

and the ones who serve them.

Stop rehearsing for a tray

and let's give them what they want.

Okay, okay, I give up. Go ahead, play it.

I can't put my finger on it,

but it just doesn't ring a bell.

I've got one outside on my bicycle.

Should I bring it in?

I know you've been working

14 hours a day on this.

The bad stuff always comes

twice as hard.

Well, that's that.

Gus, did I ever tell you how

I first met you?

Met me?

Back in college, there was a beat-up

phonograph in our fraternity house.

Nine out of 10 records we played

were Gus Kahn songs.

That's how I first met you.

When all the smart boys in Hollywood

said you were through...

...I remembered that phonograph player.

Stop. I'm getting all choked up.

Thanks for the kind words,

but it's no use.

I don't write what they're singing today.

Is it that you don't write it

or you can't write it?

Maybe the smart boys are right.

Listen here, son. Don't you sit there

and tell me I'm through.

This is Gus Kahn you're talking to.

I was writing hits

when you were in kindergarten.

And I'm gonna go on writing them,

but my way, not yours.

Look, don't fly off the handle, Gus.

Times change, formulas change.

A man with your talent shouldn't

let the parade pass him by.

I don't want any part of this parade.

It was my own fault for trying to copy it.

I don't copy anybody. They copy me.

I don't write by formula.

To me, a song isn't just words

set to music.

It's something from the heart that's

real and honest and says something.

- Not silly sounds... and:

- Oh, now, Gus...

I'm through. Go get yourself a parrot.

What got into him?

Better find a parrot who plays the piano.

Gus!

- Hello.

- Grace. Hello.

- You look pretty good.

- I'll get him in the next round.

- Would you mind if I kissed you?

- Come here.

Well, what do you think of me?

I finally did something all by myself.

No help from anybody.

- I knew I had a talent.

- Stop. Stop it.

I had to come 2000 miles to

find out I'm washed up.

You know, when they brought me

to this hospital...

...it was the first time in two years

I had my name in Variety.

I couldn't even get in the Brown Derby.

When I was younger,

I didn't mind if people pushed me around.

I had to struggle, because I never knew

what success was really like.

But once you've lived

on the top of the world...

...it's no fun anymore at the bottom.

Gus, I'm ashamed of you.

I'm ashamed because

you're forgetting who you are...

...and what you've done

and what you're going to do.

Who pulled the blinds down?

This is the town where they'd ask

Shakespeare, "What have you done lately?"

But you write one hit

and you're back up on top.

- I don't write their kind of songs. I can't.

- Well, I should hope not.

First thing I have to do is get you out

and put you to work.

I can't let you lie here

feeling sorry for yourself.

- You know something?

- What?

When you first walked in,

I thought I was sick.

- You'll have to leave. It's his bath now.

- All right.

- Isn't she pretty?

- Of course. This is Hollywood, isn't it?

- Oh, honey.

- What?

You remember the backstage

that time at Whoopee?

You mean Gloria Knight?

Big phony. Nothing happened.

I've been meaning to tell you that

for a long time.

Oh, you took a load off my mind.

Thank you.

Isn't she pretty?

Well?

- How'd he take it?

- Fine.

He's gonna be all right, Fred.

And he's gonna keep on writing songs.

But, Mrs. Kahn, I've warned you.

If he works...

What do you think will happen to him

if he doesn't work, doctor?

You know, there are some things in a man's

heart that don't show up on a cardiogram.

Fred, is it all right for

a girl my age to cry?

Sure.

- How's the new team coming along?

- Great. He's teaching me quite a bit.

Wouldn't it sound better this way?

Sorry.

If that tune doesn't strike you,

how about this one?

Crackerjack Song Service. If you don't

hear what you want, just ask for it.

- Walter.

- Hello, Grace.

I'm so glad to see you.

I thought you didn't approve of me.

Then why would I send for you?

Come on in.

- You're sure it's all right?

- Of course.

What's the trouble, money?

No. Money won't help Gus.

- He needs something only you can give.

- What?

Another hit, Walter.

That's the best medicine in the world.

Grace, how do you guarantee a hit? I might

come up with nothing. I've done it before.

But that isn't important.

Gus has to feel

that he's back with the boys on top.

He'll take it from there.

We stopped running as an entry

a long time ago.

It'll be much easier for him

with somebody else.

Here he comes.

- Well, if it isn't the smiling Irishman.

- Hello, Gus.

I must be in pretty bad shape

to drag you away from the track.

As a matter of fact, I was losing...

...and I thought it was about time

I dropped in and said hello.

- How are you, Gus?

- Fine. Fine, I'm working.

Matter of fact,

I'm working on a few tunes right now.

I found an up-and-coming young fellow

with a lot of fresh new ideas.

We expect to have

a few tunes out any day now and...

Why am I telling you

the story of my life?

Visiting hours are over.

Gus, you kind of put me in a tough spot,

because I came to ask a favor.

I haven't got it anymore, Walter.

You caught me between millions.

No, it isn't money.

It's something that only you can give me.

- What?

- Another hit.

And I sure need one.

You won't have to chase me around

anymore. I'm a new kind of guy.

I got a wonderful wife and a new home

and I'd like to be able to afford them.

So...

...if I bring you a note from my mother,

could we work together again, chief?

What do you think, Grace?

Oh, it's up to you, Gus.

I'm not running your life anymore.

- I finally got her trained.

- Yeah.

It's a deal.

I don't know how word got around so fast,

but I just got a call from Jerry Kern.

He wants to know how soon

Gus can go to work.

Same from Harry Akst,

same from Harry Warren...

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