Imitation of Life Page #9

I think I'll go

and come back later.

Will you tell your mother?

Yes.

Good-bye, Jessie.

Good-bye.

Stephen.

How's Delilah?

I don't know.

The doctor's

still with her.

Are you going?

Yes.

I was going to run along

and dress and come back for you

in about an hour.

Is that all right?

Stephen...

Do you mind

if I don't go to dinner?

Of course not.

I'm dreadfully tired,

more than I realized.

After the trip and

all that's happened today.

I understand.

You go to bed early

and get a good night's rest.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Yes. Tomorrow night

for dinner.

Yes.

Good night, dear.

Good night.

Oh, there you are,

Mother.

Hello, dear.

I like your dress.

It's one I got

while you were away.

It's very nice.

Stephen not here yet?

No. Come sit down.

Mother, would you mind terribly

if I went back to school

the end of the week?

Darling,

what's the matter?

Aren't you enjoying

your vacation?

Yes, it's been nice, but...

Then what is it?

You still have

another week.

And only yesterday you were

asking me why you ever had

to go back to school at all.

I was just talking then.

I really do like school.

And I've been thinking,

if I do a lot of cramming, I could...

Mother, may I go to Switzerland

to finish my last two years?

Switzerland?

Yes. A lot

of the girls go.

Even Janie Prentice is talking

about it. There really are

a lot of advantages in going.

[Bea]

Switzerland...

Mr. Smith.

Show him in.

Hello, Jessie.

Hello, Elmer.

Hello, Elmer.

Well, there you are.

You dodging me?

What have I done?

What are you

talking about?

I've been trying

to get in touch with you

for the last 24 hours.

You won't come near the office,

and you won't answer the telephone.

All I can get is the butler,

and I can't penetrate past him.

You're too busy! You're tired!

You can't be disturbed!

I'd never known about Delilah

except through the butler.

Why have you gone

into the silence?

What's it all about?

Elmer, what is it

you want?

I dropped in to tell you

that unless we move in

the matter of national brands,

the deal is going to be

called off.

Well, let it!

But they're willing to meet

our demands.

You turn the management

over to them

and keep 50% of the stock.

That relieves you

of all responsibility.

And there's more money

in it than you can

possibly think of.

In fact, there's more money

than I can pronounce

without stuttering.

Would you like

to hear me try?

I don't want to sell.

What?

I don't want to give up

active management.

What's the matter?

Before you went south,

you couldn't sell quick enough.

I've changed my mind!

You wanted to get from behind

that desk, be a human being!

I'm not going to sell!

Isn't that sufficient?

But, Bea...

Must I always give you

an account of everything

I do or don't do?

Bea.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Forgive me, Elmer.

I really don't know

what I'm saying.

I'm so worried

and unhappy.

Is it Delilah?

Yes. Yes, of course

it's Delilah.

Elmer, did you see much

ofJessie while I was away?

She came to the office

a couple of times. Needed money.

Alone?

Steve was with her.

Why?

Nothing.

I just wondered.

That's all.

Hello.

May I come in?

Hello, Stephen!

Is he boarding here?

Hello, Steve.

Are you following me?

Every time I come here

lfind you.

You might do worse.

Might.

Well, so long.

Good night, Bea.

I hope in the morning

you'll have better news

of Delilah.

Thank you, Elmer.

Hello.

You look so worried, dear.

Isn't Delilah feeling any better?

No, she's much worse.

If we could only find Peola.

She keeps calling for her

over and over.

[Choir]

#Lord, have mercy #

#Lord, have mercy #

#Lord, have mercy #

#On my soul #

Do you realize I haven't had

a moment alone with you

since you came back?

Yes, I know.

You were gone

five whole days.

I've got a great many things

to talk over with you.

So have I.

I want to talk to you

aboutJessie.

Mother. Mother,

the doctor wants you

to come quickly.

Excuse me, Stephen.

Hello, Jessie.

Hello, Stephen.

Anything serious?

Yes, I'm afraid so.

[Choir]

#Lord, have mercy #

#Lord, have mercy #

#Lord, have mercy #

Peola.

#On my soul #

[Delilah]

Peola.!

## [Choir Singing,

Humming]

Where's my baby?

I's your mammy.

Delilah, darling.

I'm all right, Miss Bea.

I'm resting better now.

That's good.

But... But I'm going...

across Jordan...

pretty soon now.

[Crying]

Peola?

Peola!

Doctor, leave me have

her picture, please?

It never done her justice.

Miss Bea?

Yes, darling,

what is it?

Miss Bea,

try and find my baby.

Yes, darling.

If she gets in any troubles,

you'll see her through 'em.

Of course I will.

Ain't nothin' bad

about Peola.

She didn't mean to harm me

when she turned away.

No, of course she didn't.

[Delilah]

Just tell her

a right sweet good-bye.

Tell her to be

a good girl.

Why, Peola ain't...

little more

than a baby now.

[Gasps]

Doctor!

#Lord, have mercy #

#Lord, have mercy #

[Crying]

#On my soul ##

Oh, Stephen!

[Bea Crying]

## [Choir Humming]

[Choir]

#There is rest #

# For the weary #

#There is rest #

# For the weary #

#There is rest #

# For the weary #

#There is rest #

# For you #

# On the other #

#Side ofJordan #

# In the sweet #

# Fields of Eden #

## [Singing Continues]

[Crying]

Did you know her?

[Choir]

#There is rest #

# For you ##

Mother!

Mother!

Please forgive me.

[Peola]

I didn't mean it.

[Sobbing]

Mother, it's Peola.

Peola.

I didn't mean it,

Mother.

Can't you forgive me?

Peola. Peola.

I killed you.

Peola, come on.

Miss Bea,

I killed my own mother.

Don't talk like that.

Come with us.

Step back.

All right, folks.

Step back, please.

[Peola Sobbing]

## [Funereal]

##

## [Funereal Continues]

She worked for me,

slaved for me.

Always thought of me first,

never of herself.

[Stephen]

Bea.

You're so lovely.

Oh!

Darling, let's not wait

any longer.

Let's be married right away,

tomorrow, and go away on my boat

as we planned to do.

Away from business

and worry.

What's the matter?

Jessie's in love with you,

isn't she?

Oh. She's told you?

No, she didn't have to.

I knew.

I think I knew right away

when I came back

from Virginia.

I hope you don't think

that l...

Oh, no, no.

I don't, not now.

It just happened.

It isn't serious.

Just a childish infatuation.

She'll get over it.

No, not if I marry you,

darling.

What are you saying?

I'm trying to say

that we can't go on

as we planned.

Bea, you can't mean that.

She'll forget all about me

the first attractive boy

that comes along.

Don't you see, darling,

right now you're the man

she loves.

If I were to marry you,

she'd always feel I'd come

between her and her happiness.

But she's going back

to school next week.

She'll find new interests.

Soon she'll laugh at this

as a schoolgirl crush.

Oh, no, darling.

Don't you see?

If you're here with me,

she'll keep on thinking

about you.

She won't even want

to come home,

where the three of us

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes