Lady Be Good Page #3

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Funny what a little success

will do to people.

Well, much as I dislike

this divorce business...

...there doesn't seem to be

anything to do here.

There are no children.

No question of money

and certainly sufficient legal grounds.

Therefore, I grant this divorce.

Court's adjourned.

It's all over now, honey,

you're as free as a bird.

Thanks to you, Marilyn.

If anybody got my divorce for me,

you did.

We're going to my place

and celebrating.

You're swell to take me in, honey.

Oh, gosh, it's staring to rain.

Wouldn't it, though?

Today of all days.

I don't mind. It's Eddie's blue suit.

- He always wants it when it rains.

- Eddie's blue suit?

We'll stop at the cleaners

and make sure they send it to him.

Eddie may not have me, but he's gonna

have his darned old blue serge suit.

Gosh, I loved Eddie in that suit.

Divine.

Too divine.

Too, too divine.

Shove, dove, wove, glove...

- Hi, Dixie.

- Hello, honey.

- Working?

- Trying to, and getting nowhere but fast.

Any calls for me, darling?

The phone rang, but when I answered

there wasn't anyone on the wire.

- How are the lyrics going?

- Oh, I guess I'm upset.

This is the third fellow

I've tried to write with, and it's no use.

But I'll find one

if I have to put an ad in Variety.

I'll get it.

Hello? Oh, uh...

Just a minute. I'll see.

- It's Eddie.

- Eddie?

Now, don't be overanxious.

Play hard to get.

I'm afraid she's gone out.

I'll see if I can catch her.

Do something

so you'll sound out of breath.

Run around the room.

Run to the door. Go on.

Hold the wire, Eddie,

I managed to catch her.

Hello, Eddie.

I'm sorry I'm a little out of breath.

I just came in.

Marilyn caught me way down the hall.

I'm sorry to bother you

if you're going out.

Well, it is fairly important.

I was wondering if you could

run over here for few minutes.

You will? Oh, that's swell.

You're a darling.

I'll be right over.

Oh, it's something important, he said.

Marilyn, do you suppose?

Oh, gee.

- Hello, Eddie.

- Hello, Dixie.

Come on in.

Thanks.

- May I take your cape?

- Oh, yes.

I can't stay long,

people are waiting, you know?

Oh, sure, sure. As a matter of fact,

I expect some people by here pretty soon.

- Won't you sit down?

- Oh, thanks.

Oh, uh, cigarette?

- It's empty.

- Oh.

Well, never mind,

I just finished one in the cab.

Well...

...how are things, Eddie?

Oh, fine, fine.

I've been pretty busy lately.

Oh, you've been writing?

No. Been moving around a lot, though.

- You know, parties and stuff.

- Oh.

I was down at the Lessmores' yesterday

on Long Island. I had a swell time.

I bet you did.

Well, what about you?

- Have you been working?

- Me? Oh, sure.

You know me. The sewing machine kid.

- Well, is it good?

- Oh, swell, I think.

I found a new writer just the other day.

He seems to work out fine.

Oh, I'm glad.

You wanted to see me, Eddie?

Yeah.

You see...

...it's like this, Dixie.

I guess I'm not as smart

as I thought I was.

Oh?

No. I found out that living alone

isn't quite what it's cracked up to be.

I used to be able to find everything.

Socks and shirts and neckties.

At least they were put where I could

kind of dive into them like a fireman.

Yes, Eddie?

Well, the truth is, Dixie, that...

Well, it takes a woman to run things.

Yes, Eddie?

And now those crumbs

have walked out on me.

What crumbs?

The servants. They took a powder.

I don't know where anything is.

Even how to hire new ones.

That's why I phoned you.

I thought you'd give me a hand.

You thought that...?

If it wasn't too much trouble,

you could...

Well, you know, tell me what to do.

You mean you brought me over here to tell

you how to call up an employment agency?

- I didn't. You volunteered.

- Are you implying...?

I'm not implying anything except

I don't know how to run an apartment.

I gave them a vacation.

They walked in, walked out on me.

- They didn't even give me notice.

- Probably couldn't find you.

Look at this apartment.

And that dust and those ashes.

And look at that piano.

I'm admitting it.

All I need's a little advice.

- All you need is advice.

- Oh, I'm getting along swell.

You sound as though

you're feeling sorry for yourself.

You always were a sentimentalist,

my boy.

- That's why you were a great songwriter.

- What do you mean "were"?

Just that. You haven't written a thing

since you had an empty stomach.

"Were," indeed.

- What's this? One of your shirts?

- I don't know.

Go on, open it up.

A dust cloth.

Come on, open it again.

Oh.

Hey, don't throw that away.

It's a new tune.

New? It's been hanging around here

for over a year.

I know, but I was

gonna work on it tomorrow.

Oh, yeah, manana.

Don't throw away anything

with notes on it.

- It might go down in history.

- Mm-hm.

You and Beethoven.

Say, that's not bad.

What's that?

I never heard that part before.

- What?

- The middle.

When did you write it?

Quiet. I'm trying to get it now.

- Start it again.

- Huh?

From the beginning. I got an idea.

Okay.

Play the first four bars again.

Play it again, Eddie.

Just the last two bars.

That did it, brother.

- You finished?

- Yeah. Wanna hear it?

Of course. I hope the last part's

as good as the first.

My music couldn't compare

With Liszt's or Schumann's

Or gifted humans

Like Irving Berlin and Jerry Kern

My lyrics aren't in a class

With Ira Gershwin

From Ira Gershwin

I've lots to learn

If our talents we combined

I think they might agree

You mean, I'd bring out the Kern in you

And you'd bring out the Gershwin in me

Could be

Could be

Your words

And my music

Could make such a beautiful song

A simple chorus as warm as the spring

We'll get our big thrill

When we hear

Everyone singing

Your words

And my music

And although its theme may be worn

With your words

And my music

A wonderful love song

Is born

It's perfect, darling.

- You sure it doesn't sound forced?

- No. It's right on the nose.

Plenty of sentiment.

It's exactly what the tune means to me.

- Oh, I think it's swell, honey.

- I'm glad.

There's just this one little part

in the bass here.

- Eddie.

- Huh?

I'm dead. I'm gonna call it a night.

All right, honey.

When we get up we'll listen to it again.

Okay, that's a good idea.

Night, darling.

Night.

You know, honey, I think this is...

You know, Dixie, I think that's the most

commercial tune we've ever written.

Mm-hm.

Say, you don't look very comfortable.

Hey, wake up and go to sleep.

Oh, yeah.

Tired.

- Eddie.

- Hm?

- Zip, will you?

- Oh.

Thanks.

What's the matter?

Oh, dear.

- Hey, where are you going?

- I don't live here anymore.

Gee, my beads.

Well, if...

Sorry, my mistake.

It gets worse every year.

What happened to you?

Oh, I got out of one those new cabs.

I forgot there was no running board.

- No what?

- Running board.

I got out in a hurry and it wasn't there...

- If I find a lawyer, I'm gonna sue the guy.

- Take it easy, Red.

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