Morning Glory Page #6

Romeo and Juliet.

She's playing Juliet.

And, my dear, she's playing it.

Beautiful.

Childishly beautiful.

Impossibly beautiful.

Well...

...did you like it?

It was charming.

Charming, really charming.

Oh, Louis, it's getting awfully dull here.

Let's go places and do things...

...don't you think so?

- Yes, that's a very, very good idea.

Oh, I see your little girlfriend

has passed out.

She's sleeping.

Robert. Robert.

Please, quiet everybody. Please.

Will you please take the little lady

in the bedroom? She needs some sleep.

Look, governor, honestly, listen,

don't you think that girl's got something?

Oh, I don't know. You know these

youngsters when they get a little drink...

...they show a certain talent, but you

can't do anything with it in the theater.

I've seen it before. I've seen it for years.

- Good morning, Mr. Easton.

- Good morning, Robert.

I'm expecting Mr. Sheridan. Will you

have him come in the moment he rings?

Very good, sir.

- Good morning.

- Good morning.

- Thank you. Hello there.

- Oh, hello, Joseph. How are you?

- Fine. Say, did you see those notices?

- Only the very early editions.

- Very nice for you.

- And you, and Rita.

- I'm afraid we have a success, Joseph.

- I'm afraid so.

Here, read them.

Sorry I had to telephone you so early...

...but I wanted to see you.

- It's all right.

- Have some coffee?

- No, thanks, just finished.

- Did you bring those contracts for me?

- Oh, yes.

Got them right here.

You went home rather early last night.

Some of the other ones

wouldn't take the hint.

They wanted to go places

and keep on going on and on.

I know. Well, I did the best I could.

- I became involved.

- You did?

- Yes. It isn't a very pretty story.

- What happened?

I don't know what happened,

but it did, and now she's...

I don't know how to handle

this particular situation.

- You can get yourself into more jams.

- Yes, I know.

Joseph.

- I wondered if you'd do something for me.

- Sure.

I wonder if you'd see her and...

- Oh, this is very embarrassing.

- Why don't you get Rita to help you out?

Oh, now, don't be silly.

I'm really upset about this.

- Well, what do you want me to say?

- Look...

...l've been trying to figure it out

all morning...

...and I wonder

if you'd give her this for me.

She's such a child.

Is this to make your conscience easy?

Easier, Joseph.

I'm not exactly used to doing

this sort of thing.

- She's an awful fool.

- She's undoubtedly that.

Now, now.

You don't mind, do you?

She's so terribly romantic.

I know what I'm asking isn't part

of your contract...

...but all you've got to do

is to tell her I'm out of town...

...got a long-distance call from Chicago.

That show of mine out there

is starving to death.

Come on, how about it?

You know, she's...

Eva's not the usual run of them.

Eva?

Eva Lovelace?

Why, yes. Who did you think

I was talking about?

I didn't know.

After all, what can I say?

- I can offer her a part, I suppose.

- No.

That's all she wants from anyone,

I'm afraid, a chance to do what she can do.

My plays aren't cast that way,

you know that.

- I don't want to see her again.

- Why do you bother about her at all?

Because she's young.

She's half-starved,

and she's on my mind.

Well, if there's anything

I could say, I'd say it...

...but with her it's...

It is a hard job. I understand, Joseph.

I don't think you do.

Are you...?

Oh, Joseph, I'm...

I'm sorry.

I didn't know.

It's all right.

You know the things

she's gone through, don't you?

But do you know

what she's got to go through...

...before she begins to do

the things she's got her heart set on?

I know.

I know, because I've gone

through it all myself.

You too, I suppose.

Oh, never mind, l...

I'll take this to her.

I suppose the sooner she begins

to look at things sensibly and reasonably...

...the better it'll be for her.

Poor innocent kid.

I'll take it to her

and explain your attitude.

I'll make her understand that it's...

It's tough.

I'll see you at the office

later this afternoon.

Right.

Hello. You're...

You're just the person I want to see.

- Yes. I'm in a hurry.

- Well, you can wait a minute, can't you?

I want to go before I see him.

Of course, it's only for a little while.

I've left word that I'll send him a message

so he won't think I didn't want to see him.

It's just that there's so much

in my heart.

- I want to be alone, do you understand?

- Yes.

I think I'll walk through the park.

I want to be alone, where I can plan a little.

We'll do wonderful things together,

he and I...

...and you'll help us, won't you?

It's like two rivers flowing

through the same valley...

...to the same sea, his life and mine.

Now they're to flow together.

I shall make him very proud of me,

Joseph.

You don't mind

if I call you Joseph too, do you?

Of course not.

It's strange how it all happened.

Yesterday, I was alone and frightened.

Really a little frightened.

Life's suddenly become

very different for me, Joseph.

- I wonder if you understand.

- I understand.

It isn't because he's in the theater or

because he's important and can help me...

...just as I can help him

to do my best and his best.

That's ideal.

But even if he'd never seen a theater,

and never wanted to see one...

...I think I'd still feel

very much the same.

At least just now.

I liked him the moment I met him.

Do you remember that day in his office?

It seems years and years ago.

His charm got me at once.

You've always been terribly kind to me,

you know.

Thanks.

I know you'll agree with me in this.

If this piece builds to a strong second act

climax and then peters out, we're lost.

A play stands or falls on its last act.

After all, you've taken my advice before

and you've been successful.

Well, there's no doubt about that.

How would it be if I built up

that third act so that...

...when she finds out what this man

has done, she denounces him...

...with a dramatic wallop

before the curtain goes down?

Come in.

- There's every chance to do that...

- This was left for you, Mr. Easton.

Oh, take care of it, will you,

I want to make some notes.

Take this, Miss Murray.

In the first act, you must approach

the scene with Madeline differently.

The original version

will not do for this country.

Leading man scene with the father

is too talky.

From here on, build Madeline's scene

to a strong climax.

In fact...

Read that back to me, please,

Miss Murray.

"In the first act, you must approach

the scene with Madeline differently."

So two weeks is all we get?

Well, it looks as if things have got to get

worse before they get better, don't they?

Yeah, I guess that's right.

Hello, baby.

That sure is a pretty dresser set

Mr. Easton gave you.

Yes, he showed quite excellent taste

for once in his life.

It wouldn't seem like opening night

without a present from Mr. Easton.

Well, I think that's the least

he might do for me.

Wait a minute.

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