Mildred Pierce Page #8

California, '42.

Well, here's to....

Here's to true love.

To true love.

The receipts at Arcadia have dropped

roughly 7o% during the last month.

-Say, Mildred.

-Nearly 8o%.

There's a Mrs. Forrester

waiting to see you.

-What about?

-Veda.

Excuse me, Mr. Jones.

-Do you always interrupt?

-Only because l want to be alone with you.

Come here and let me bite you,

you darling boy.

-Mrs. Pierce?

-Yes.

-l'm Mrs. Forrester. Ted's mother.

-How do you do?

Sit down, it would be

more comfortable.

l've been looking forward

to meeting you, Mrs. Pierce.

l'm sure we're going

to work out our problem splendidly.

-Problem?

-Veda hasn't told you?

Told me what?

Your daughter has somehow

got the idea that--

l understand it.

Any girl wants to get married.

Ted had no such thing in mind.

l want that made clear.

-Do you mean they're engaged, Veda and Ted?

-Yes.

l'm quite sure you'll agree with me...

...that any discussion of marriage

between them would be most undesirable.

Why should Veda want to marry

your son if he doesn't want to marry her?

l'm not a mind reader,

but let me tell you...

...if this girl employs any more tricks

trying to blackmail my son--

-Trying to what?

-Understand me, Mrs. Pierce.

l shall prevent this marriage

in any way that l can.

l don't think you need worry.

Having you in my family is a pretty

dismal prospect. Good afternoon.

Veda, l want to talk to you.

Hello, Wally.

-What about?

-Mrs. Forrester came to see me today.

-Wally, this is private.

-That's all right. Wally knows about it.

He knows you and Ted

want to get married?

Want to get married?

We are married.

We were married on my birthday.

-l'm sorry, but it's done.

-Veda was trying to spare you.

She wanted to make things easier

for you so she asked me to help.

-Why didn't you tell me?

-l wanted to so many times.

But you seemed so far away.

l couldn't somehow. l was afraid.

-Afraid of your own mother?

-Mother, l've been so miserable.

l made a mistake,

and l didn't know how to tell you.

Darling, don't you love Ted?

No, Mother.

l'm sorry about that, Veda.

But maybe we don't belong

in a family like that.

That's right. Veda doesn't love this boy.

All right, so she made a mistake.

The thing to do is to settle the case out

of court. That's the clean way to handle it.

All right.

''l, hereby, of my own free will,

renounce all right and title...

...that l, or my heirs and assignees,

may have to any moneys or estate...

...real or otherwise, which will accrue

or evolve to Theodore Forrester...

...in exchange for considerations

of value received.''

-Are you agreeable to this?

-Why can't we stay married?

-You will be good enough to keep quiet.

-Yes, Mother.

We can assume the waiver

is acceptable.

-Will you sign this, please?

-Yeah, sure. Glad to.

My client feels, and l am in complete

accord with her, that she has been irrep....

lrreparably?

Unduly damaged.

Therefore, there's one more formality

we should discuss.

-What's that?

-The financial settlement.

You see, my client would like $ 1 0,000.

l think l'm safe in observing that

almost anyone would like $ 1 0,000, but....

But...?

We see no necessity

for a financial settlement of any kind.

-You don't, huh?

-No.

-You will.

-l doubt it.

l don't understand all this.

There's no need for a financial settlement.

-The only thing we're interested in--

-Please, Mother.

l need the money.

l have to think of the future.

-That's right.

-l'm going to have a baby.

-What?

-What?

Veda.

You see, $ 1 0,000

is not entirely unreasonable.

-This is moral blackmail, sir.

-That's no way to talk about a baby.

-l won't pay it.

-Yes, you will. Ask your lawyer.

Yes?

Yes.

l guess that's about all. You can make

out the check to Mrs. Forr-- To....

Miss Veda Pierce.

Well, that's that.

l'm sorry this had to happen.

Sorry for the boy. He seemed very nice.

Ted's all right, really.

Did you see the look on his face when

we told him he was going to be a father?

-l wish you wouldn't joke about it.

-You're a scream.

-Next you'll be knitting little garments.

-l don't see anything ridiculous about that.

lf l were you, l'd save

myself the trouble.

-You're not going to have a baby?

-At this stage, it's a matter of opinion.

ln my opinion, l'm going to have

a baby. l can always be mistaken.

-How could you do such a thing?

-l got the money, didn't l?

l see.

l'll have to give Wally part of it

to keep him quiet, but there's enough.

Money. That's what

you live for, isn't it?

You'd do anything for money.

Even blackmail.

-Grow up.

-l've never denied you anything.

Anything money could buy, l've given you.

But that wasn't enough, was it?

Things are going to be different.

l'll say they are.

Why do you think l went to all this trouble?

-Why do you think l want money so badly?

-All right, why?

-Are you sure you want to know?

-Yes.

Then l'll tell you. With this money,

l can get away from you.

Veda.

From you and your chickens, pies and

kitchens. Everything that smells of grease.

l can get away from this shack

and its cheap furniture. And this town....

lts women that wear uniforms.

lts men that wear overalls.

l'm seeing you for the first time

in my life. You're cheap and horrible.

You think just because you made money,

you can turn yourself into a lady.

But you can't. You'll never be

anything but a common frump...

...whose father lived over a store

and whose mother took in washing.

With this money l can get away

from every rotten thing...

...that makes me think

of this place or you!

Veda!

-Give me that check! l said give it to me!

-Not on your life!

Get out, Veda.

Get your things out of this house

before l throw them into the street.

Get out before l kill you.

I went away for a while.

I traveled, but not far enough.

Something kept pulling me back.

Finally, I gave in. I went home.

Why, Miss Pierce, this is a day

for rejoicing. lt certainly is.

-How are you?

-You look wonderful.

Thank you.

You been away so long.

-l've been to Mexico.

-ls that a fact?

l don't know what we would have

done if you'd stayed away longer.

-Thank you. lt's nice to see you too.

-Likewise, l'm sure.

-Welcome home.

-Thank you. Hi, lda.

-Well, long time no see.

-How are you?

-How was Mexico?

-Crowded.

-How's business?

-Crowded.

-You want your desk back?

-No, thanks. On you, it looks good.

You know, l like Mexico.

lt's so Mexican. Thanks.

Here.

You're in great shape.

There's nothing

like a nice, long rest, is there?

-Got a drink handy?

-Yeah. l guess so.

Gene, crack open the safe

and get out some of that good bourbon.

-You never used to drink during the day.

-l never used to drink at all.

-lt's a habit l picked up from men.

-Men.

l never yet met one who didn't

have the instincts of a heel.

Sometimes l wish l could

get along without them.

-You've never been married, have you?

-Men around me get allergic to wedding rings.

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