Rhapsody in Blue Page #3

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Yes, sir.

I'd be glad to.

Winter Garden-

Backstage.

Hello.

Say, wait a minute.

What is this?

Yeah, I know

it's Max Dreyfus,

But who is that guy

plunking the piano?

Gershwin.

Gershwin.

Never heard of him.

Say...

That ain't

a bad ditty.

George.

Who wrote it?

Wait a minute.

Max, it's me-

Joley-talking.

Who wrote it?

I did.

Mr. Jolson!

Thanks.

You don't think it's too far

off the beaten path, do you, al?

Max, look, send that song

over to me,

And I guarantee I'll make them

beat a path to it a mile long.

Thanks, Al.

So long, kid.

Ready, Mr. Jolson.

Why, Mr. Gershwin! Oh, I'm Julie

- Julie Adams.

Remember at Remick's

when you lost your job?

Oh, yes. I see you're

working at last.

In the chorus, but I'm

understudying a part.

You'll get parts if I

have to write them for you.

I knew

it was your song.

Good luck.

Thanks.

Well, George, you'll know in a minute.

I been away from you

a long time

I never thought

I'd miss you so

Somehow I feel

your love is real

Near you

I wanna be

The birds are singing,

it is songtime

The banjo's strumming

soft and low

I know that you yearn

for me, too

Swanee,

you're calling me

Swanee

How I love you,

how I love you

My dear old Swanee

I'd give the world

to be

Among the folks

in D-I-X-I-E

Even now

my mammy's

Waiting for me,

praying for me

Down by the Swanee

The folks up north

won't see me no more

When I get

to that Swanee shore

I love

the old folks at home

Uh-huh, huh

Swanee

How I love you,

how I love you

My dear old Swanee

I'd give the world

to be

Among the folks

in D-I-X-I-E

Even now

my mammy's

Waiting for me,

praying for me

Down by the swanee

The folks up north

won't see me no more

When I get

to that Swanee shore

You should be

happy, Rose.

I am happy.

That was great, Al.

Thanks. Listen, kid,

write more songs like that,

And your name will be up

in electric lights.

Thanks, Al. Now I'll do

some still better than that.

The folks up north

won't see me no more

When I get

to that Swanee shore

And on the other side

There's another

Gershwin tune.

Hits. Hits. All I hear

from you lately is hits.

You are becoming just a

merchant, Mr. Gershwin.

The public

likes my stuff.

Evidently. You have new

clothes, hand-painted cravat.

But is your work the best?

As good as you can do?

Of course not, yet.

Or are you just

making a fortune?

What's wrong with a fortune

if it helps me get on?

Come here, my boy.

Look.

This is Franz Schubert.

He was a songwriter, too.

He died young,

at 32.

For years, he wore the

same old faded necktie.

But in the land

that nurtured him,

He was a voice that

will never be silenced.

Here, Richard Wagner.

At rehearsals

of his great opera Rienzi,

Richard Wagner

hid in the wings

While the singers

ate their luncheon.

He didn't

have a lunch-

Just dreams of the music of the future.

Beethoven.

He never asked himself,

"is this a hit?"

He said, "this is the

way it must be done."

In time, I'll write

the way I feel.

But you see, with the

money I'm making now,

I'll have my chance

to do the things I want-

The things you want.

And you couldn't

go to Europe now?

Right now...

Right now, I've got the

chance to write the music

For an entire

new show,

From beginning

to end.

And then what, George?

Back to your hits?

You can trust me,

professor Franck.

I know

what you mean.

Eh? You see that?

That wasn't a hit

at first.

It is a manuscript

of Johannes Brahms.

You knew him?

Yes. He gave it

to me in Vienna.

Once, I hoped to reach his greatness,

But one pupil like you makes up

for a lifetime of disappointments.

Professor Franck...

You overestimate

my future.

Oh, I have such hopes for you, my boy.

America's

a growing country,

A mixture

of things very old

With more

that is new.

Your nature has the

same contradictions-

The lamb

and the wolf,

Ideals and material

ambition.

If you can make them

both serve,

George, you can give America her voice.

Well, what are we

waiting for?

Who is bidding?

Such a hand. Morris,

what a dealer you are.

I trade you

even.

Don't do me

any favors.

You know, Morris,

it's very high-class.

The furniture?

All Grand Rapids.

Business must be good

at a stationery store.

It couldn't be worse,

Mr. Katzman.

I'm thinking of getting

myself a Turkish bath.

Oh, not for pleasure.

For business.

Now there's

a gold mine for you.

It couldn't be

George's music

That pays for such a high-tone

apartment and all these nice things?

And why not,

Mr. Million?

His songs are selling

like hot corns,

And always new ones

coming. Listen.

You hear that? George is

in the act of composition.

Composition?

Sure.

Counterpoint.

Counterpoint.

Oh.

A song is being born.

Excuse me.

That help you,

Georgie?

Thanks, Pop.

Don't mention it.

It's all in the family.

Boys, that song is for

a new singer he found.

Some tea, somebody?

No, thanks.

Ah, such

a fine girl.

Who is she?

Her name is

Julie Adams.

George is writing

the music for a show?

Yeah. Musical show.

What's it called?

Half Past Eight.

Why Half

Past Eight?

Because the curtain goes up

a quarter to 9:
00.

S'wonderful

S'marvelous

You should care for me

Oh, it's wonderful

It's marvelous

That you should care for me

Only me

Oh, wonderful

You were swell,

Julie. Swell.

If anything could

save us, you could.

Do you really think

I'm improving, George?

You were wonderful.

Music is all right, but the

show will never be a hit.

Through, ain't you?

Through, bud? Ain't no

floor show here, you know.

Not even a mention

of the music.

When they don't like a show, they

don't look for anything good in it.

Why take it to heart?

It's my nature to take things to heart.

Drink your coffee, George,

before it gets cold.

After all, I was in the show,

and I don't take it personally.

You were the only

good thing in the show.

Do you mean that,

George?

Of course I mean it.

I guess I'd come a lot farther

than Hartford to hear you say that.

Who am I?

You taught me how

to put over a song.

You've given me

my first real part.

What if this show is a flop?

We'll do others.

I haven't got time

for flops.

No time for flops.

George, what on earth are

you in such a rush about?

I want to learn everything about music.

I've got to have

time to study,

And look at me.

6 months wasted

on a flop.

You poor kid.

Oh, no, I don't

mean it that way.

Not because you had a little

setback. That isn't important.

But because you

drive yourself so hard.

George, are you going to do

that all the rest of your life?

Until I prove

what I can do.

What's the matter,

Julie?

Nothing.

Oh, yes, there is.

Well, I just get a little

frightened when you talk like that.

I'm afraid you'll

burn yourself out.

Don't worry

about me.

See that? The longest

life line you ever saw.

Mr. Gershwin, have

you got somebody

Who can beat me

with a switch?

I'm sorry. We'll have

more help next week.

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