Mona Lisa Smile Page #2

In fact, I wouldn't even call it art.

It's grotesque.

Is there a rule against

grotesque art?

I think there's something

aggressive about it...

- ... and erotic.

- To you, everything is erotic.

- Everything is erotic.

- Girls.

- Aren't there standards?

- Of course.

Otherwise a tacky velvet painting

could be equated to a Rembrandt.

My Uncle Ferdie has two tacky velvet

paintings. He loves those clowns.

There are standards, technique,

composition, colour, even subject.

So if you're suggesting

that rotted side of meat is art...

...much less good art,

then what are we going to learn?

Just that.

You have outlined our new syllabus,

Betty. Thank you.

What is art?

What makes it good or bad?

And who decides?

Next slide, please.

Twenty-five years ago someone

thought this was brilliant.

- I can see that.

- Who?

My mother. I painted it

for her birthday.

Next slide. This is my mom.

- Is it art?

- It's a snapshot.

If I told you Ansel Adams had taken it,

would that make a difference?

- Art isn't art until someone says it is.

- It's art!

- The right people.

- Who are they?

Betty Warren!

- We're lucky we have one right here.

- Screw you.

Could you go back

to the Soutine, please?

Just look at it again.

Look beyond the paint.

Let us try to open our minds

to a new idea.

All right, back to chapter three.

Has anyone read it?

Okay.

"When your courses are set,

and a dream boat you've met...

...have a real cigarette.

Have a Camel. "

I've got my courses, I've got my Camel

cigarette. Where is my dream boat?

- Giselle, where is my dream boat?

- Betty's cousin isn't good enough?

- I haven't met him.

- Don't encourage her.

He's only escorting

Connie as a favour.

Why are you like this?

I didn't mean that.

I'm just under so much pressure

with the wedding.

Do you realize November 2

is three weeks from now?

- Oh, honey.

- Don't have it.

- Don't come.

- Here. Here.

I'm working on table seating now,

so I can just erase your name.

- Can I see it?

- No.

Let me look.

I can't look for a second?

- You want to see where Bill is sitting.

- No. That is over. Right?

Right? Giselle, right?

Damn it.

- Do I look a little bit like her?

- Like who?

- Katherine Watson.

- You mean, "crap is art"?

- I think she's fabulous.

- Well, no man wanted her.

- She isn't dead.

- She's at least 30.

- Oh, no. No.

- I guess she never wanted children.

For your information...

...Katherine Watson had to take

this job to escape from California.

Please.

She had a torrid affair

with a Hollywood movie star.

- She came here to get away.

- That's ridiculous.

- Who was it?

- I don't know.

Who was it, Giselle?

Don't be a pimple! Tell me!

- It's ridiculous.

- Tell me. No, it's not. You know.

- You know something. Tell me.

- It's William Holden.

- Fantastic!

- I know.

Who is it?

William Holden.

I know. I know. I'm late. I'm- Abject

pleading, apologies, forgiveness.

Is she giving you any trouble?

If these girls can't get back on time,

know what I say? Lock them out.

Come on. Out! I'm going

to lock the door. Out!

Bedtime, ladies. Bedtime.

Let's go. Bedtime.

- Hey, Betty.

- Quiet time, ladies.

Women like Katherine Watson

don't get married...

- ... because they choose not to.

- No woman chooses to live...

...without a home, unless she's

sleeping with her Italian professor.

- You are so critical.

- I am not.

Of course you are.

You're your mother's daughter.

It's a classic Electra complex.

I don't blame you. I mean...

...who wouldn't want

to murder your mother?

- Hey. How's the Harvard sweetheart?

- Divine.

Got an extra ciggie?

- Did you do his homework?

- Of course.

- Want to do mine?

- No.

This isn't what I think it is. Is it?

Where'd you get it?

From the school nurse.

- It's against the law.

- Oh, honey. It's a girl's best friend.

- A certain kind of girl.

- Meet the last virgin bride.

- Spencer is a gentleman.

- And even gentlemen have d*cks.

- Maybe I'll get one.

- What? A dick?

Don't be stupid, Connie.

Someone, somewhere,

someday might be interested.

Just in case.

Just in case, I'll be prepared.

Was that necessary?

I was taught it's best

to speak honestly.

Okay. You're a b*tch.

We recently learned

that Amanda Armstrong...

...our nurse, has been distributing

contraception to Wellesley girls.

This revelation is disturbing

to an institution...

...that prides itself on propriety.

Go, go, go! Go, go!

It's been going on since the late '80s.

- Whoever wins is first to marry!

- Do the girls take it literally?

Only the girl with the winning hoop.

Oh, look, it's Phyllis Nayor!

Good for her. It gets me every time.

- Why the buggies?

- They've got their man.

They're wishing for their babies.

Have you seen this?

What is it?

It's a front-page attack on Amanda

Armstrong. Betty Warren wrote it.

" By providing contraception

on demand, our school nurse...

...is little more than a cheerleader

for promiscuity. " Wow.

Oh, they're not going to dump her

in a lake!

- I'm coming, Phyllis!

- Have you seen this?

I wouldn't worry. Betty's just

a young girl flexing her muscles.

So was Lizzie Borden,

and her mother wasn't president...

- ... of the alumnae association.

- Would somebody get that girl a towel!

- That's her mother?

- Apple, tree.

Is Amanda going to get into trouble?

Amanda needs to start

minding her p's and q's.

The trick to surviving Wellesley

is never getting noticed.

Ciao, Mona Lisa.

The big war hero.

He thinks he's something special.

He sleeps with his students.

The gold is fine.

The napkin rings are vulgar.

The glassware should be trimmed

with gold.

The little sugar boxes, gold and white,

filled with chocolate. No candlesticks.

- Freesia instead of daisies.

- Wise choice, madam.

No baby's breath.

- You already had your fitting?

- We're on our way.

Here's the seating chart

and Spencer's list of groomsmen.

Oh, I almost forgot.

I spoke to him about reading the

poem. He'd rather not. I said all right.

Excuse us for a second, Joan.

A good wife lets her husband

think that everything's his idea...

- ... even when it's not.

- I don't care if he reads it.

You will in retrospect.

Now, why don't you see if you

can't nudge the idea into his head.

I've been here now

for 21 years, Jocelyn.

- I remember you as a student.

- Twenty-four, if you count that.

So why the theatrics?

We cannot appear

to promote sexual promiscuity.

Okay. It's about appearances, then?

No.

All right, all right.

All right. Well, I promise not to appear

to be sympathetic, progressive...

...or what did Mrs. Warren

call it? " Liberal. "

Scout's honour.

I spent the better part of Friday

afternoon convincing the alumnae...

...that your record was impeccable...

...that you would no longer

provide contraceptive devices...

...and you'd make

a public statement to that effect.

I'm not willing to make

a public statement.

It doesn't matter, Amanda.

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