Love Me or Leave Me Page #5

- Perhaps you're more talented than I.

- You ain't kidding. You stink.

Fred! This is beginning to lose

its amusement value.

I'll take care of it.

Beat it, errand boy.

I told you 10 times already!

I don't do business with assistants.

I'm talking to him.

- No, you're not.

- Just a minute.

- Take your hands off me.

- Fred, let me.

Are you out of your mind?

You can't act like a hoodlum in here.

You think like Ruthie,

it's some kind of church?

Mention the name Ziegfeld

and everybody must kneel?

I'm thinking of her,

what you're doing and been doing to her.

I gotta look out for her interests.

They're doing that.

They're the best in the business.

They'll make a big star out of her

if you'll just give them a chance.

But you can't shove them around.

You don't have to worry about me.

I don't wanna do nothing to hurt Ruthie.

I'm just used to taking care.

- I just can't sit and do nothing for her.

- I know, Marty. I understand.

You wanna have a cup of coffee

with me, Barney?

Sure, I'd like it. As a matter of fact,

I'll buy your lunch.

You'll buy? I'll buy. Come on.

I think I'll go backstage and see her.

No, wait, Marty. Wait till after the show.

Very good, Ruth, take another bow.

- You've got them.

- She's gotta make a change.

Keep with it, Ruth, keep belting.

- Miss Etting, you were wonderful.

- Thank you. We have to hurry.

I'm sorry, Mr. Snyder.

- I just wanna see Miss Etting.

- Sorry, I got my orders.

You won't get in any trouble.

I give you my guarantee.

Wait a minute. Taylor, come here.

I wanna see Ruth a minute.

Tell him it's okay.

Please, she only has a couple of minutes

between numbers.

- Out of my way, punk.

- Marty, what is it? What's the matter?

I wanna see you and

this big shot thinks he can stop me.

If they don't want people backstage...

What're you trying to give me?

I've seen people come in.

You make exceptions

to everybody but me?

You asked for it, you got it. Satisfied?

You been riding me from the beginning.

One more crack out of you

and I'll take you apart.

Why don't you go play cops and robbers

where they're scared of you?

This isn't Chicago.

Marty, stop it!

- Take it easy.

- Throw him out.

- Ruth, come on. It's your cue.

- Call a doctor.

Outside, buster, come on.

Go on.

I don't care how you do it, Georgie.

Find a buyer and get rid of it.

Get all you can. I'm depending on you.

I'm pulling Ruth out of the show.

She's leaving Ziegfeld.

- I am what?

- I'm fed up!

I've had enough. It's up to here with me.

From now on, I'm number one.

You won't be the loser.

I've been on the phone, I got bookings.

You'll rise on top.

Barney, we gotta get out of that contract.

I'll pay off. I'll have the dough,

I'm selling the laundry.

But there might just be an angle.

Marty, we signed that contract

in good faith...

- and there's only one thing...

- There is a good angle.

You made us a nice little scandal tonight.

Fred Taylor's in the hospital

with a broken jaw.

He's lucky he's alive. So what?

So Ziegfeld doesn't want me

in the show with you around.

That don't hurt my feelings.

He's a jerk if he lets you go for free.

Only I'm not going.

I was a big hit tonight.

It's a chance to be somebody,

it's the Follies, it's Broadway.

It's a chance to meet decent people

and to make friends.

It's what I've wanted and worked for.

Why should I leave it?

- What sense does it make?

- It's what I want, the way it's gonna be!

- You can't tell me what to do!

- In a pig's eye, I can!

- Do you think you own me?

- I do own you. That's exactly right!

Barney.

Good night, Marty.

I'm sorry I got angry.

We have a lot to talk about...

but let's not do it this way,

shout at each other.

Don't use your ritzy Ziegfeld voice on me.

Make like you're back

in the 10 cents-a-dance joint!

But I'm not, Marty. That's the whole point.

- I'm right where I wanna be.

- And I ain't good enough.

- I didn't say that!

- Then say it!

Have some guts, say it!

All right! You don't belong here!

I can't help it, it's your fault.

It's the way you act.

It's the way I've always acted!

I never heard you holler!

It's rotten, dirty, and I hate it!

You hate it?

You're talking to me, baby.

Me, not Ziegfeld. I know you!

You were right there with me.

Working me, begging for more,

never mind how rotten and dirty.

Maybe I did,

but I don't want to go on that way.

- I knew tonight when...

- Tonight?

The minute we got here, this started.

The minute we got in

that stinking theater.

You saw the way they treated me...

those fancy New York jokers,

like I was nothing.

Small potatoes, like I had no right.

I didn't say nothing. I waited.

I waited to see you butt in and tell them:

"He's with me. We're together. "

- I couldn't have.

- You could!

I'd have done it for you.

But you never opened your trap.

Like you never owed me nothing.

You walked away!

Since the first day that I seen you...

I knocked my brains out for you.

But that's all right.

I'm a poor slob, I can pack a bag,

go back to the laundry...

lay down and die. You don't care.

No skin off your back.

You got what you wanted.

I brought you this far. Nobody else. I did.

But that don't count,

not with a high-class dame like you.

Marty, I know what I owe you. I know it.

But there's no way to pay it.

Don't you see? There's no way to pay it.

Ain't there?

You can go.

Let me do the lugging. You got me around,

at least take advantage.

It's all right.

Why don't you sit down and relax?

Want me to get you a cup of coffee?

That's what you need.

No, I don't want any. I'm fine.

I bet you can't guess

where we're going this afternoon.

You know that jewelry store

on Fifth Avenue?

The one with nothing in the window

except the pearls?

To show they ain't boasting?

We're going there

to pick up a little something for you.

Retail. How do you like that?

You don't have to buy me anything.

Who says I have to? I want to.

A little token of how I feel.

Don't worry about it so much.

Who's worrying?

Everything's gonna be great.

The minute we get on that train,

and out of this phony town...

everything will be great. You'll see.

I'll do more for you than a dozen Ziegfelds.

The tours I got worked out for you,

coast to coast.

Hotspots everyplace.

What's so terrible about it?

The day will come when you'll thank me.

You'll laugh when you remember.

Are you listening to me?

I'm not complaining.

I'm just trying to tell you that

you don't have to work so hard.

You don't have to sell me.

I'm sold.

Just listen to this!

How was that?

You can't top it anywhere.

- Thanks.

- How did it go?

Same as always.

Did Marty tell you where we're going

after we close here?

Since when is it any of my business

where I work?

- He just wants to surprise you is all.

- He couldn't.

- Ruthie, are you there?

- No, I'm playing a benefit in Duluth.

Leave it!

Everybody's so nervous around here

all the time.

I come in. I got great news, a surprise.

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