Rope Page #5

which superior beings should practice -

(Rupert) in season!

- Now I know you're not serious.

(Rupert) - l'm a very serious fellow.

Then may I ask who is to decide

if a human being is inferior,

and is therefore

a suitable victim for murder?

- The privileged few who commit it.

- And just who might they be?

Oh, myself, Phillip...

possibly Rupert.

(Rupert) l'm sorry, Kenneth, you're out.

- Gentlemen, I'm serious.

- And so are we, Mr Kentley.

The few are those men of such

intellectual and cultural superiority

that they're above

the traditional moral concepts.

Good and evil, right and wrong were

invented for the ordinary average man,

the inferior man, because he needs them.

So you agree with Nietzsche

and his theory of the superman.

- Yes, I do.

- So did Hitler.

Hitler was a paranoid savage.

His supermen, all fascist supermen

were brainless murderers.

I'd hang any who were left.

But then, you see,

I'd hang them first for being stupid.

I'd hang all incompetents and fools.

There are far too many in the world.

Then hang me. I must be stupid, because

I don't know if you're serious or not.

In any case,

I'd rather not hear any more of your,

forgive me, contempt, for humanity,

and for the standards of a world

that I believe is civilised.

- Civilised?

- Yes.

Perhaps what is called

"Civilisation" is hypocrisy.

Well, l'm sure Rupert, fortunately,

has the intelligence and imagination -

(Kentley) Please, Brandon,

we've had had just about enough.

Phillip, where did you put those books

you set out for Mr Kentley?

- I'd like to see them myself, if I may.

(Phillip) - They're in the dining room.

Mr Kentley, wouldn't you

like to see the books now?

I apologise, sir.

Again, I'm afraid

I let myself get carried away.

Oh, that's quite alright, my boy.

I think it's a good collection,

the first editions, I mean.

Yes, I'd like to see them.

May I use the telephone first?

I'd like to talk to my wife.

She may have some word of David.

(Phillip) - Of course, it's this way.

(Atwater) - Oh, dear, oh, dear -

- Uh, Brandon?

- Yes.

You were pushing your point rather hard.

You aren't planning to do away with

a few inferiors, by any chance?

- I'm a creature of whim. Who knows?

- I see.

(Janet)

l think he's definitely Scorpio.

Uh, Mrs Atwater,

wouldn't you like to see the books?

Oh, I'd love it.

Do you know, when I was a girl,

I used to read quite a bit.

Oh, we all do strange things

in our childhood.

Kenneth, why don't you switch on

the radio or play some records.

Atmospheric music goes a long way.

He is such a sly, little devil, isn't he?

(Record) Bringing us back together

with sweet music.

Don't let it get you.

He's always doing something like this.

- I'm going in the other room.

- To see the books?

No, to let Brandon see me.

- Do you care what he thinks?

- I know what he thinks.

He thinks I threw you over because

David has a bigger bank account.

Then, why do you go?

Because...

Because I'm embarrassed

at being here with you.

Oh, Janet!

Never thought I could be, did you?

Honestly?

No.

Well, I am and I don't like it one bit.

I should think you'd have the decency

to be embarrassed yourself.

- Why?

- Well...

You threw me over, chum, remember?

My, wouldn't friend Brandon

love to know that?

- What's the matter?

- Nothing. I'm just thinking.

- What about?

- Demale vanity.

Well, I'm also embarrassed because...

Go on.

Well, you and David

used to be such good friends.

You're not now and it's my fault.

- I'm such an idiot girl.

- No, you're not.

Then I'm certainly giving

a good imitation of one.

Why must I try and be so smart

with everyone but David?

Don't you kid with David too?

I relax with David, thanks to you.

- To me?

- Yes.

That... That grim Sunday at Harvard,

when you called it quits,

David took me for a walk.

My chin was about an inch

from the ground.

I just couldn't be the gay girl.

I just relaxed and let everything pour out.

The real, real me stuff.

Did you hear that phrase?

I hear myself saying things like that...

Oh, where's David?

You know, I'm not very smart.

Why?

I never realised you were...

(Sighs)

Brandon and his atmospheric music.

You are in love with David, aren't you?

Yes.

- I don't get it.

- Get what?

Brandon made a crack when I got here.

He implied I'd have a chance with you

again because David's out of the running.

Wait. You mean, before I got here

Brandon knew we had broken up?

- He even knew about you and David.

- What?

Kenneth, he pretended to be completely

ignorant when I told him. He said -

What's going on here?

I don't know,

but I'm going to find out once and for all!

- Brandon?

- Yes?

- May I see you for a moment?

- Certainly.

Why can't he keep his hands off people?

Well?

Just exactly what are you up to?

- Up to getting you a coffee, if you like.

- Let's dispense with the charm!

I'd like to know why you had gall

to tell Kenneth he wouldn't have to

worry much longer about David and me.

I don't think that's precisely what I said.

It's what you implied

and I want to know why.

Some women are quite charming

when they're angry, Janet.

Unfortunately, you're not.

- Cut that out, Brandon.

- Well, chivalry rears its ugly head!

- I don't believe David's coming.

- Wait and see.

I don't have to. He's never this late.

He's never late at all.

If something had come up,

he'd have phoned.

I think you deliberately arranged it

so that he wouldn't come.

How clever of me.

I might have known you couldn't

just give a party for Mr Kentley.

You'd have to add something

that appealed

to your warped sense of humour.

I hope you've enjoyed

yourself, Brandon. I haven't.

(Janet) He's really impossible.

(Kenneth)

You shouldn't let him upset you.

Something gone wrong, Brandon?

No, Janet has a talent

for being bothersome at times.

However, I suppose I'd better...

Uh, what did you mean,

'something gone wrong'?

You always plan your parties so well,

it's odd to have anything go wrong.

She seems to be missing David.

(Rupert) As a matter of fact,

l'm beginning to miss him myself.

Aren't we all?

- Two desserts, Mr Cadell?

- One for you and one for me, my love.

The others don't seem to be

in the mood for ice cream.

No, well, they could

all do with a little cooling off.

My, it's a peculiar party,

not that that surprises me.

- Why not?

- I could have predicted it this morning.

Both of them must have got up

out of the wrong side of the bed.

They've been in a state all day!

Mr Brandon says he's always

in a state when he gives a party.

Dirst time I've seen it.

Usually, he lets me prepare

everything my own way.

But, look at this,

the chicken's hardly been touched.

- What was so different today?

- What wasn't?

Mr Brandon was in the maddest rush

for me to clean up and get the table set.

And, oh, it looked so lovely!

(Mrs Wilson) But when

l was whisking out to do shopping,

he suddenly told me to take

Rate this script:3.0 / 1 vote