Les Girls Page #7

-Just Sybil and l.

Joy would rather go home

with an old book.

lt wouldn't hurt you two girls

to stay home once in a while...

Stay home once in a while

and read a book because....

Well, in this business

you need a lot of rest.

Dear old Dad forgets that his little girls

have blossomed into womanhood.

-Good night.

-Good night, girls.

-Good night, Joy.

-l envy you, Joy.

Why?

Well, you're so self-sufficient.

You don't need a lot of friends

or companionship or men hanging around.

lt's a great gift.

You sound as though l were hortense

the hermit, living down under a bridge.

l like companionship and l like men.

Only, the ones l meet, companionship

is not what they're looking for.

l know how you feel.

l'm kind of lonely myself tonight.

l thought, maybe we could

do something together if...

Are you gonna start that again?

-Start what?

-Look, Barry, l'm tired.

This debate ended last night.

Joy, l wish you'd thought more of yourself.

Then maybe you'd realize that a man...

can wanna be with you just to be with you.

For yourself.

For your mind.

For laughs.

You said all that last night.

There.

-Was l all right?

-You were a perfect little gentleman.

l promise not to tell.

l know what your reputation

means to you.

-Thanks. Good night.

-l'm coming up.

-l said ''good night.''

-l know. lt's getting pretty monotonous.

Look, l told you,

l can't offer you any supper.

All l have is a few carrots and some milk.

Could you spare some salt?

What for?

l brought along my own supper.

Oh, Barry!

l wanna talk to you about something.

No kidding, it's important.

lt better be.

[Joy sniffing]

There's a loose connection

around here someplace.

Someday it's gonna blow us all up.

Light some place, will you please?

All right, Barry, what do you want

to talk about?

Books, vegetables, cauliflower...

Shakespeare, Tolstoy, l don't care.

l come up here for a sociable visit,

you act like a district attorney.

l told you l was tired.

Would it make any difference

to you if l told you...

l'm in love with you?

No.

When a man's really in love with me,

he'll have more to say than that.

Well, what more can

a man say that...

You mean marriage?

l'm an old-fashioned girl, Barry.

l know, that's what l like about you.

But not marriage.

That's a serious step.

Not that l haven't thought about it.

But, Joy, if that's what you want,

why not?

l mean l'm all for it.

l really am, honest l am.

-Sweetheart.

-Yes, Barry?

Let's do it right away.

Let's get engaged.

l suppose you believe

in long engagements?

Well, yes, to get to know

each other better.

And really make sure.

You know what l mean?

Yes, l think l do.

First let me get comfortable, huh?

Joy!

What's in that green bottle?

Sauerkraut juice.

l like it.

Joy, what are you doing?

Slipping into something else.

Just a minute? l'll be right with you.

[Groaning]

Nothing better for a dancer's feet.

Now we were talking

about our engagement.

That's right, so we were.

Would you mind pouring a little more

hot water in the basin for me, dear?

Not at all.

You know it's amazing...

lt's just amazing

how the average girl...

looks like nothing at all

without a lot of rouge...

and elaborate hairdos

and attractive clothes, but...

you...

you, especially in this light,

you have a quality...

a glow like

a wonderful lmpressionist painting.

A painting of a dried-up old carrot.

BARRY:
Some day there's going to be

a murder in this attic...

and it won't be a mystery.

[Knocking on door]

You brought help this time.

lf you wanna make trouble--

No, we have enough trouble.

We're here to ask for your help.

Why didn't you say so? here, have a drink.

-Oh, thank you very much.

-What's your problem?

Angele thinks that she has deceived me

about her career.

But l know...

We have decided our only rival

is the theater.

Yes, of course. But what can l do?

-You could dismiss them, Nichols.

-You mean fire two of my best girls?

They will be much happier.

Would you promise to look after them...

cherish and protect them

when they can no longer dance?

l'm sorry, boys, but it took me a long time

to build up this act.

You don't actually need Sybil and Angele.

You and Joy could do superbly,

just the two of you.

Do you know what a dirty trick

you're asking me to pull?

-Contemptible.

-Unpardonable.

But have you ever been in love?

have l ever...

have l ever...

That iceberg...

is sinking me in mid-ocean.

l still have the theater, you know.

lt's yours if you want it.

Joy might rather like being

the most important girl in the show.

Then you will consider

dismissing the girls?

Oh, no. That's too cruel. lt's...

You have a plan?

have l a plan?

lt takes a rat to think like a rat.

Gentlemen, l give you Les Girls.

All but one.

Merci, madame.

-hello, Barry.

-hello, Joy.

Madame--

l don't know why you have to go...

on sulking like a spoiled 10-year-old boy.

-Barry, what is it?

-lt's nothing, please.

[ln French] -What's wrong?

-lt's nothing.

-Twenty francs.

-Can l?

No. l'll see you at the theater.

[Playing slow instrumental music]

[Gun firing]

[Motorcycle engines revving]

[Singing Why Am l so Gone

(About that Gal)? by Cole Porter]

[Motorcycle engines revving]

Will you get me a glass of water?

There is something wrong. Tell me.

lf you just get me a glass of water

l'll be all right. Please.

-here now. Drink this.

-Thanks.

Are you sick?

l'd rather not talk about it.

Make your change.

You're acting so strangely.

You frighten me.

Frightening you is the last thing

l wanna do, you know that.

Go on. Make your change, will you?

l guess l should've stopped dancing

the first time this happened.

What is it, Barry?

What's happened before?

Please make your change,

l don't wanna bother--

Barry, you're not bothering me.

have you seen a doctor?

-Dozens.

-What'd they say?

-The same thing.

-Barry.

Now look. l don't want you to worry.

l've worried enough for all of us.

Go on, make your change.

lt's kind of ironical for someone

who likes to dance as much as l do.

Barry, is it your heart?

l don't wanna talk about it.

But if you've known about it,

why haven't you stopped dancing?

lt's my life, you know that.

Now don't get the idea

it's because l don't want you girls...

thrown out of work.

Naturally that does concern me.

l'm not a heel.

lt is your heart? lsn't it?

You've got to promise me

you won't tell the other girls.

Swear you won't tell them. Swear it.

Oh, Barry. l swear it.

lf you don't want anyone

to know your secret,

l'll keep it for you,

Barry dear.

l swear it.

The awful part about it is...

he's been working every night

against the doctor's orders.

-Oh, no.

-l'm sure it's so we won't be out of a job.

-lt's too dreadful.

-Did he say what it was?

heart, but he wouldn't admit it.

l wondered why he'd given up

drinking a few weeks ago.

-And he's been so quiet lately.

-And his hands.

Joy, l noticed, they've been trembling.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes