Rhapsody in Blue Page #8

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Here are the laboratory reports, Doctor.

Thanks.

Well, Doctor?

It's leukemia.

Leukemia?

Say, what is this

fancy-sounding disease?

The white blood cells keep

eating up the red ones.

And is that bad?

Very bad.

How bad

is it?

Shall I be

honest?

Always the best policy.

Half a year. Month or two either way.

Piece of peppermint,

doctor?

Thanks.

No mistake?

No mistake.

Ok.

Ira...

When does George

come home from Cuba?

He's planning a concert tour, Poppa.

You know, sometimes I

think George is unhappy.

Success isn't enough.

I want you

to take care of him, Ira.

Watch over him always.

Don't worry,

Poppa.

You'll do me

a big favor, Ira.

Ira.

Why should George know,

or Momma?

Why should we worry them?

We'll keep it a secret

between you and me.

Accidentally on purpose

We'll forget

to tell them, hmm?

A trick

before high heaven.

Yes, makes

the angels weep.

What's that?

Why, the rest of your

quotation, Mr. Gershwin,

From Shakespeare.

I spoke a quotation?

Yes.

How do you like that,

Ira? I spoke a quotation...

From Shakespeare.

Good-bye,

Doctor.

George!

Momma.

How's my Poppa?

Georgie.

I think I'll

have to take you

To the mountains

for a few weeks.

Take Momma.

Are you happy, Georgie?

You're beginning to lose

your hair, my boy.

I still have

more than you.

You're crowding

too many things.

You should take more time

to be happy, Georgie.

With all due respect...

It should have been Julie.

Poppa.

Poppa!

Hmm?

People like

the Cuban Overture?

It gets a very

good hand, Poppa.

You'll hear it soon.

How long

does it run, Georgie?

Exactly how long?

10 minutes, Poppa.

10 minutes exactly.

10 minutes.

Good.

An important...

Piece.

Poppa.

Poppa!

Wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

Mine...

The point they're making in the song

Love is mine...

Is that they more than get along

Whether it's rain or storm...

And he is not ashamed to say

Or shine...

She made him what he is today

Mine...

It does a person good to see

You are mine...

Such happy domesticity

Never another...

The way they're making love, you'd swear

Valentine...

They're not a married pair

And I am yours...

He says no matter what occurs

Tell me that I'm yours...

Whatever he may have is hers

Show me that smile...

The point that she is making is

My heart adores...

Whatever she may have is his

Mine

More than divine

To know that love

like yours

Is mine!

If the rest

of the show

Is as good

as that song,

You'll have

another hit.

With a little more suffering,

I could become a great singer.

We've been doing the suffering, my boy.

Now let's go

home and to bed.

It's time

for breakfast.

What does your father say

when you come home so late?

What's the matter? You

fellas quitting already?

I got a date

with my insomnia.

We haven't even

started yet.

What's the rush,

George?

You can do all this during rehearsals.

I want to get this done

and start on something new.

How do you

like the fella?

Of Thee I Sing just

won the Pulitzer Prize,

He's got another show in rehearsal,

and now he's talking about-

I'm not talking about another

show. I want to do something else.

What is it,

Georgie?

What do you

want to do?

I've been thinking

about an opera.

It's 4:
00 in the morning, and

he's thinking about an opera.

Don't you think

I can do it?

Of course

you can, George,

But what kind

of opera?

I don't know exactly.

I'd like to use

a folk theme,

Something American

if I can find it.

If anybody wants to find

this penthouse beachcomber,

You'll find him over at

Ira's kitchen. Come on, Ira.

Let's close up shop.

We've been working all night.

Nonsense. We've got

too much to do.

You can go on if you

want to. I'm going home.

But we should try to

- Let me go home, will you?

I want to see if Lee

still remembers me.

You remember Lee-my wife.

Ok, Ira. Good night. Tell her

I said your lyrics are swell.

Thanks, Mr. Music.

Good night,

Mr. Words.

Well, George, what is it

you're trying to forget?

Forget?

Don't tell me you've turned

yourself into a dynamo

Just for the fun of grinding

out one hit after another.

Success is coming

out of your ears.

Why don't you relax and

just be a human being again?

I don't know what

you're talking about.

I'm talking

about you.

I can see a boy way down in

those streets who dreamed himself

A long way from

the ground he started on.

Came up like an elevator.

Now he's looking

for new buttons to push.

Seems to have an idea

that happiness is vertical

And the last stop is heaven.

Quit it,

will you, Max?

I thought you'd finished

your portrait.

I don't know if I'll

ever get it done.

It's beginning

to get on my nerves.

Every time I look at myself,

I see something different.

I can't get George Gershwin

to stay on the canvas.

He keeps running

away from me.

I can see 4 Georges, and heaven

knows how many more there are-

The man who writes hits,

the man who dreams,

The man who climbs

the golden stairs,

And maybe there's one

left over for Julie.

Shut up, Max! If you're

going to talk like that,

Get out of my house.

Max, Max.

I didn't mean that.

I don't want to hurt you. You know that.

I don't want

to hurt anyone.

These headaches...

I guess

you're right, Max.

Part of me

is lonely.

Part of me got

lost somewhere.

Maybe way down deep,

I'm just a family man...

Without a family.

I'm proud of you,

George.

To me, you're the voice

of your generation.

I just want

to see you happy.

That's why

I mentioned Julie.

Good night.

You're so delici-ous

And so caprici-ous

I grow ambiti-ous

To have you care

for me

In that connect-ion

You're my select-ion

For true affect-ion

For all the time

to be

Now, I've had 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,

6, 7, 8, 9, 10 beaus before

But you're the one,

the only one

The one beau I adore

Yes, on reflect-ion

In that connect-ion

If you've

no object-ion

To me, you're just

perfect-ion

If you're suspici-ous

Why, I'm repetiti-ous

It's 'cause you're so

Delici-ous

What on earth are you

doing in Florida, George?

I was just about to

ask you the same thing.

That's easy.

I'm earning a living.

Why did you turn down

my shows? Why, Julie?

We've been all over

that once, George.

I want you

to come back.

Why did you come?

To see you.

Well, that-that's

very friendly, but-

Julie, don't talk like that,

as if we were strangers.

I need you, Julie.

I've always needed you.

That's a romantic notion,

George.

You don't need anyone.

How does it feel to be

sitting on top of the world?

Remember the time

you had your first flop?

You were a child, but you said

you didn't have time for flops.

You had too much to do.

Well, now you've done more than

even you could have dreamed of then.

I'm not so sure

of that.

You'd always feel

that way.

That's part

of your restlessness.

Maybe it's even

part of your music.

I've found you can live

in a penthouse,

Surrounded by people,

And still be alone.

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