Shall We Dance

Stop that. Why, the idea.

Voulez-vous me to call the police?

-What does that mean in English?

-The same as it does in French, monsieur,

All right.

Comme ca, a little brook.

Comme ca, a little river.

Comme ca, a little brook.

Comme ca, a little river.

Where is Petrov?

Please, can you not see

l am busy being a wave?

Comme ca, a little river,

comme ca, a little brook.

Where is Petrov?

Look here, l don't want to be bourgeois

and remind anybody...

that l'm the owner of this company...

but if somebody doesn't tell me

where Petrov is...

there'll be trouble for everybody.

He's in his private room,

practicing his grand leap.

Thank you.

-But he does not want to be disturbed.

-Thank you.

-What is this?

-Hi, Jeff.

Stop it. Stop that.

-What on earth are you doing?

-l'm just having fun.

Fun? The great Petrov

doesn't dance for fun.

The great Petrov doesn't, but l do.

-Pete Peters, remember me?

-Oh, that awful name of yours.

l was born with it. lt isn't bad.

Pete Peters, Philadelphia, PA.

How do you make

that exasperating noise?

What have you got on those shoes?

-Taps.

-Taps?

-On your ballet shoes?

-Sure.

Sacrilege. At last l'm beginning

to understand...

why you wanted a private room

to dance in.

All this time l thought you were practicing

your grand leap.

But, Jeff, l haven't neglected anything.

Look, the entre chat trois.

Lovely, beautiful.

But how much more effective

it is this way.

Lovely.... l forbid that.

-That's not art.

-Maybe it isn't.

Perhaps it's just the Philadelphia in me.

Jeff, l wish we could combine

the technique of the ballet...

with the warmth and passion

of this other mood.

Mood, what other mood?

You mean this jazz business?

Jazz went out with the flapper.

That isn't jazz.

After 15 years of the hardest work...

you want to dwindle

into a shimmy dancer.

Well, forget all that nonsense.

Here, look at this, do you realize

we ought to be sailing?

Do you realize the Metropolitan

in New York City is getting nervous?

l'm sorry, but l have to stay in Paris

a while yet.

Stay in Paris? What for? Why?

That's grace, that's rhythm.

What is that? What have you got there?

lsn't she lovely?

lsn't she lovely?

So that's it.

Who is that girl? Who is she?

Where did you meet her?

That's it, l haven't been able

to meet her yet.

But l hope to dance with her someday.

-Dance? With her?

-Sure.

Are you mad?

Are you sure that she hasn't tried

to persuade you to stay on here?

l told you, l haven't even met her,

but l'd kind of like to marry her.

l think l will.

Thanks, Jeff.

You are so beautiful when you are angry.

Pardon, mademoiselle,

l cannot help what l cannot help.

Neither can l.

You cannot let us up like this.

-lt not up she let us, it is down.

-Up or down, she lets us.

-lt is all your fault, you kissed her.

-But it is in the play.

You kissed her out of the play, too.

Go home, all of you.

Go home!

Well, hello, my little darling.

What have you got there?

lt's Mr. Miller, miss.

He just arrived from New York.

-Hello, Arthur.

-Hello, Lynn.

You better go.

lf l ever walk on a stage again....

-How did you get here?

-By rail.

l hung over every inch of it.

A new experience for you,

you usually have your foot on one.

Yes, Lynn.

Of all the humiliating experiences.

Did you ever dance with a man

you didn't care about...

-and who's in love with you?

-No, Lynn.

Why do actors have to take

the author's lines literally?

And why must there always be a kiss

at the second-act curtain?

As long as l live, l hope l never see

another hand-kissing, heel-clicker.

Careful, Lynn.

You know, l come from a long line

of heels myself...

but we've never clicked.

And it's all your fault, too.

l was a happy, peaceful girl

until you discovered me.

Fame, name in lights.

l never should have listened to you.

l'll quit.

-l'll retire from the stage forever.

-Again?

lt does you good to break an engagement.

Engagement?

Engagement. That's what l'll do, Tai.

Send a cable to Jim Montgomery.

Tell him l want to see him desperately...

and l'm coming back

on the Queen Anne tomorrow.

-Yes, miss.

-Now, Lynn, don't lose your head.

-You have to stay in the theatre.

-Never.

l refuse to be a bowl in a gold of fish.

You mean a fish in a bowl of gold.

That's what l said, a bowl in a goldfish.

-Just a moment, please.

-Thank you.

Petrov? What's a Petrov?

Just the Russian ballet's greatest dancer.

Fine, tell him to go back to Moscow.

The gentleman seems very anxious

to see you, miss.

l've got enough troubles

without adding a dizzy Russian to them.

Just another dancer to swoon in my arms.

That's all l need to make things perfect.

A simpering toe dancer.

Get rid of him.

He probably only wants to say

he's seen a picture of me...

and can't live without me.

l am Petrov.

Charmed. l'm Linda....

-Linda....

-Linda Keene.

-Yes.

-How do you do?

So glad you came, Mr. Petrov.

Not mister, Petrov, alone.

-Just Petrov.

-And why not?

Just Caesar, just Napoleon,

and only Garbo...

so Petrov, too, she's enough.

Just about enough.

And you, l understand

you want to dance with me.

Of course, l cannot blame you...

but l will not permit it.

Who told you that?

A little bird she tell me so.

Not in the least.

What, you do not want to dance

with the great Petrov?

Don't be a silly horse.

Maybe you could twist for me once...

like so.

No, l don't....

-Twist.

-Better twist.

Get up, l hate these discords.

She is horrible, nyet?

Well, that kind of settles it.

With me, nothing is settled.

Well, l must go now. l must go to Moscow.

-Funny, nyet?

-Very.

lt kills me.

That lunatic's dangerous,

they ought to lock him up.

Am l glad l'm sailing

on the Queen Anne tomorrow.

No, Denise, no.

l can't take you back as ballerina.

Why, you've done absolutely nothing

for four years.

And everything's been so peaceful

since you left.

lt wasn't my fault.

Peter just refused to fall in love with me.

Peter, darling.

Why, Denise...

-or should l say Lady Tarrington?

-No, it is Denise again.

Denise wants to come back to the ballet.

She does?

Well, that sounds like fun.

l didn't know you felt that way.

Why, of course, Denise, you're engaged.

-You go downstairs and get your contract.

-Thank you, Jeffrey.

Jeffrey, may l speak to you

a moment, please?

-You'll excuse us?

-Of course.

And l'll let you know about the rehearsals

the first thing in the morning.

Of course, we can't give her

anything important to do at first.

-You want me to stay, don't you?

-Why, what a question.

-Well, then get rid of her.

-Get rid of her?

Remember all the trouble

she caused the last time?

-But you just told her, l heard you myself.

-l was only being polite.

Oh dear, and l've given her my word.

Look, Jeff, l'll make a deal with you.

You want me to go to New York,

don't you?

Why, naturally.

l'll sail on the Queen Anne tomorrow

providing you get rid of her.

Tomorrow, oh dear, that's so sudden.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes