Inside Daisy Clover

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The 24th of August, 1936.

ngel Beach, California, U.S.A.

The world, the universe. ngel Beach.

I'm 15 today,

but I won't let it go to my head.

I'm still the same happy, adjusted,

polite young lady.

People say

I'm quite sophisticated for my age.

That's only skin deep.

Underneath the veneer...

...I'll bet my simple healthy instincts

against yours any day.

Look, Mrs. Clover,

were there any distinguishing marks?

I never heard of a distinguishing mark.

It's anything special about a person

like a scar or a missing tooth.

- Where you been? You had your breakfast?

- Yeah.

- This your daughter?

- Well, it's not my mother.

Mr. Clover never lost a tooth.

Your mother called us

to report the sad news about your father.

Does Mr. Clover often fail to come home?

It's too long ago to remember.

I haven't seen him in seven years.

You waited seven years

to report your husband's disappearance?

I only started to miss him this morning.

Human nature.

Photographs never did him justice,

but he looked exactly like this.

Okay, Mrs. Clover, you've had your fun.

Yeah, well, I certainly have not.

He's got a button missing.

Hey, how long

has your mother been like this?

Like what?

Like that.

The Dealer's been a little moody

since Mr. Clover took a powder, that's all.

- The Dealer?

- The Old Chap.

I call her The Dealer

because she plays a lot of cards.

- Well, that's no way to live.

- Oh, live and let live.

What do you do for money?

Mr. Clover left us some government bonds.

Plus his gold cuff links by mistake.

- What was your father's profession?

- He invented things.

What things?

Oh, like musical earrings, you know.

He got the idea from cowbells.

That one never caught on.

I'd better figure out

what kind of report to make.

Hey, wait.

Listen, take my advice

and drop the whole thing.

It's no good asking Daisy questions.

She doesn't remember as well as I do.

The cards are giving me nothing

but trouble this morning.

Hey, Old Chap?

After all this time,

you really want that old joker back?

Maybe I do, maybe I don't.

It's none of his business.

- Some people got no imagination!

- Yeah.

Milton.

Hey.

- You stinking sneak.

Daisy.

- You stinking sneak.

How is business?

Like to buy me out?

My folks get back from Hawaii tomorrow.

You said that yesterday.

I forgot about the time belt.

You gotta come down to the store and see

that Victorian brass bedstead we got.

It's fantastic.

- I can see it when your folks get back.

- You said that yesterday.

Daisy, dear,

when can I expect my Myrna Loy?

Oh, she just came in.

Milton, why don't you keep busy

in the summer vacation like I do.

Get your mind off it.

I helped my father move furniture

around the store for a whole month.

But it didn't take my mind off it.

Nothing takes my mind off of it.

Here she is.

You know,

even our handwriting's the same.

- Thanks, Daisy.

- Okay.

"'I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good. '

Daisy Clover. "

Oh!

You sing?

What's the matter?

Wanna be a singer or something?

What's the matter with wanting

to be a singer or something?

Don't you want to be anything?

I'm gonna be kept

by some rich older dame.

- It happens if you're good at it.

- Then get to work.

Daisy, what are you doing in there?

- I'm frying up fish burgers.

I got beans and hot chocolate too.

It's my birthday,

and I want a party, damn it.

Stay off those four-letter words.

There's too many of them around.

- Try and concentrate. It's my birthday.

- You take an awful lot for granted.

Well, the 24th of August

has always been my birthday.

- That's your story.

- You got a better one?

- I have never heard of such a thing.

- What?

Your sister, Gloria,

ought to be ashamed of herself.

If it's your birthday, she's forgot it.

Well, I certainly intend to forget hers.

Oh, the hell with Gloria's birthday,

it's my birthday.

Yeah, well...

Come on, Old Chap.

Pull yourself together, huh?

Try to get in a party mood.

We're gonna eat and cut up.

We'll take a walk along the beach. We'll

treat ourselves to a sweet sherry or two.

Maybe we'll call up Gloria

and give her the bird, okay?

Hey. Old Chap?

Hey!

Your mother just drew the ace of spades.

Her number may be up.

I'll let you know.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four. Five.

Close the door.

- Huh?

Close that door.

Something is very wrong.

There's a hearse outside.

And I got an insulting telegram.

Who from?

Some smart aleck asking me

to present myself for an interview.

I never give interviews.

- Where's the telegram?

- I threw it away.

No point in keeping trash like that around.

Daisy, I wish you'd send that hearse away.

Hey. Hey, you. I'll be right out. Wait.

Try and concentrate.

I got something to explain.

I can sing.

I open up my mouth,

and a song comes out.

- You ought to be in school.

- Try and concentrate.

I got an appointment

with Mr. Raymond Swan, see?

They said in the newspapers

that he was running this talent contest.

So I recorded my voice,

and I sent it to him.

Who is this joker? Some cop?

No, it's got nothing to do with the cops.

It's Mr. Raymond Swan. It's the movies.

Oh, I never go to them.

That hearse is still outside.

Go away, go away.

It's going away, Old Chap. With me in it.

You shouldn't accept rides

from strangers.

They take you to a foreign country.

They leave you there.

- Hi. I know, but I'm late.

- You never hear from them again.

There ought to be a law against it.

Wish me luck.

I'm gonna make a noise in the world.

Send me a postcard. If you get there.

Follow me.

What's your name?

Daisy Clover.

- What do you want to see me about?

- I thought you wanted to see me.

You sent me a telegram and a limousine.

I sent you a record with my voice on it.

Who taught you to sing?

No one.

Will you take your hand away

from your face?

All right, tell me why you sing.

- Why shouldn't I?

- Well, don't you know it's bad for you?

Huh?

Oh, yes, singers breathe out more air

than they breathe in.

Especially when they sing loud like you.

They get too much carbon dioxide.

It makes them jittery,

they start seeing things.

I can't see anything.

I didn't ask you that.

I asked you why you sing.

My mother says

this world's a garbage dump.

And we're just the flies it attracts.

Maybe she's right.

But when I sing,

the smell doesn't seem so bad.

I don't like your hair.

I think she looks charming.

Wonderful eyes.

Ray, won't you turn off

that horrible light?

This is my wife, Miss...?

- Clover.

My name is Melora.

Did you come here all by yourself?

I call that very brave.

Well, my mother's a little bit

under the weather today.

Tell me about the rest of your family.

My father took a powder.

So did my sister, Gloria.

She went off

and married some guy in real estate.

Stand up for Mrs. Swan, please.

Smile.

Thank you, dear.

I presume you can spare us

a little of your time today?

Everyone tells me to know my place

But that ain't the way I play

Why am I daring to show my face?

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