Mr. Skeffington Page #4

In that case, would you like

to have lunch with me?

Oh, I'd be delighted.

Then could I come back here

and see all this?

If you wish. Shall we go to the Waldorf?

Not the Waldorf.

That's where I'm not having lunch

with Janie Clarkson.

Yes?

What?

When?

What is happening, Mr. Skeffington?

- Terrible.

- What's terrible?

They've declared war.

War?

Get all our branch offices on the phone.

Keep a wire open to Washington.

Hello, Casey,

keep me informed on wheat.

- See the tape?

- Yes, I know.

- Steel is up to 28. Buy?

- Sell.

- Wheat's up 20. What do we do?

- Get word from Washington yet?

Mr. Skeffington, I've changed my mind.

I'm having lunch

with Janie Clarkson after all.

It's impossible, I tell you.

Miss Trellis, l...

It's really very flattering, Mr. Vanyi.

Isn't it, Georgie?

Won't you tell me

who commissioned you to paint it?

- I'm sorry, Miss Trellis.

- You're very stubborn.

Yes. Now look here, Mr. Vanyi,

I'll pay you double. I want that portrait.

Sorry, but my client is paying me

four times my usual fee.

- Confound it, who is this client?

- The extra money is to keep me quiet.

You see, Jim, it's no use.

- But look here, l...

- Excuse me. That must be the transfer man.

He can't do this to me.

One moment, Mr. Vanyi.

We'll settle this here and now.

Fanny, it's not like you.

All these hours sitting for a portrait

you won't own...

...for a man you don't even know.

Why did you do it?

I think it's very romantic, Georgie.

An unknown admirer...

...commissions the foremost

portrait painter of the day to paint me.

And besides, as Mr. Vanyi said...

...he offered to donate $ 1000

to my favorite charity.

Oh, I see.

Georgie, I was wondering...

...would it be considered charity

if we use the money for Trippy?

Well, a thousand dollars wouldn't help

much, so we might just as well be honest.

By the way, have you heard

from Mr. Skeffington?

I almost had lunch with him

several weeks ago.

But it was the very day that war was

declared, and it spoiled everything.

I must say, he's been decent.

He hasn't called me in all this time.

- Sooner or later we've got to tell him.

- I suppose we have, Georgie.

I've only been able to raise four,

$5000 and that's the limit.

Goodness, I almost forgot.

I have a date with Janie Clarkson.

Oh, how is Janie?

I don't know.

Haven't seen her for months.

I'll remember this, Mr. Vanyi.

Fanny, this man's impossible. He won't

give me the slightest hint who it is.

- Jim, I really don't care.

- Don't care?

What if we walk into a saloon some day

and see you over the bar?

- I doubt very much I'll ever get that drunk.

- Now, Fanny...

I really have to be going now.

Goodbye, Mr. Vanyi.

I'm afraid it was

a frightful ordeal.

- No, you were a charming subject.

- Thank you.

Goodbye, Jim. Come, Manby.

Can I drop you somewhere?

No, thank you very much.

Why don't you drop George.

Oh, Georgie?

Would you phone Janie,

and tell her I can't see her?

Thank you. Goodbye.

Goodbye, Fanny.

Will thou pledge thy troth to him?

In love and honor?

In faith and tenderness?

To live with him and cherish him?

- I will.

- Have you the ring, sir?

- Yes.

- Good. You will repeat after me.

- In token and pledge...

- In token and pledge...

...of our faith...

...of our faith...

...and abiding love.

...and abiding love.

By authority committed unto me

as justice of the peace...

...I declare Job Skeffington and Frances

Trellis are now husband and wife...

...according to the laws and statutes

of the state of New Jersey.

- Congratulations.

- Thank you.

It's a privilege of the justice

of the peace to kiss the bride.

May I please use your phone?

Job, I was born right across

the river there, near Grant's Tomb.

Of course, the tomb

hadn't quite been built.

My governess used to

take me there every day.

That's where she met her policeman.

Job, where were you born?

Right here in New York.

The corner of Market and Cherry Street.

Market and Cherry? Where's that?

Foot of the East River. It's about 10 miles,

I should say, from the nearest governess.

Job, do you realize I've known you

only two months?

And that I practically know

nothing about you at all.

Were you poor?

You have no idea how poor.

You weren't actually hungry?

My father sold chocolate bars

with almond nuts on a pushcart.

When he had a good day, we ate meat.

When he had a bad day,

we ate chocolate bars with almond nuts.

The bad days had a slight edge.

You remember a lot about

when you were a little boy, don't you?

Especially the lack of plumbing.

Skeffington, that's a strange name

for Market and Cherry.

You mean, is that my real name?

No. The immigration official on

Ellis Island wasn't a good speller...

...and "Skeffington" was the closest

he could get to "Skevinzskaza."

Well, then, how did you

become so successful?

I don't wanna go on

with the story of my life.

It's routine, rags to riches.

Of course, I sold newspapers.

I was a messenger during the day

and went to school at night.

You can fill in the rest.

There's one difference.

You didn't marry the boss's daughter.

No.

But I married the woman

everybody else wanted to.

That makes up for it.

Job, find out what's happening.

Attendant?

- Yes?

- What's going on?

That's Tony, Joe and Luigi,

serenading a couple that got married.

They go looking for them.

- How do they tell?

- I don't know, but they do.

You know, they ain't messed up

on a couple in over 10 years.

Can you beat that?

Job, could you tell

they've just been married?

He's a very lucky boy.

I think I could.

They way she's looking at him,

you couldn't miss it.

I see what you mean.

The way I'm looking at you.

No. Your look is cordial,

not connubial.

I've married you,

but I haven't won you.

Job.

No.

So far, I've merely taken you

away from the others.

Do you think that night

I broke into your party...

...do you think that was

the first time I'd seen you?

No. I'd seen you many times before that.

Dining at Sherry's.

Dancing at the Waldorf.

You never noticed me.

When I saw you the night

I came to see Trippy...

...you looked very beautiful.

Very unattainable.

That's why I commissioned Vanyi

to paint your portrait.

At least, I'd have that.

Well, now you have both.

The portrait and me.

What you mean is I own both.

It isn't quite the same thing.

Do you know why I came to your office

that day to sell you bazaar tickets?

Because I'd made up my mind even then

that I was going to marry you.

- Why?

- Because you're good and kind...

...and your eyes are special

in a St. Bernard sort of way.

And although I've never

really seen you smile...

...I always have the feeling

you're laughing at me.

And I find that attractive.

Besides the fact you're very rich.

Would you like to kiss me?

We're about to be serenaded.

Skeffington.

Does he hunt? Does he sail?

Does he do anything worthwhile?

I'm not gonna be a hypocrite,

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