Stella Dallas Page #8

if you and Stephen

did get married...

well, what about Laurel?

- Would ya take her too?

- Oh, no, Mrs. Dallas.

I'm a mother.

Do you think I could ever deprive

another mother of her own little girl?

Yeah, but if the mother

didn't want her...

I mean, if she

couldn't very well have her.

- If it was inconvenient.

- Inconvenient?

Yeah. You see...

Lollie's growing up now,

and she...

well, she's quite

a responsibility.

Oh, I don't understand.

Well, you see, it's this way.

From now on, there's lots of things

Lollie ought to begin having.

I don't mean money, but...

dances and parties, you know.

Good times, and really I've never been

much at that sort of thing.

So I feel that I've done

about all I can for her.

I thought that you being

so crazy about her father...

and she takin' after him so much

that...

well, if you and Stephen

got married...

why, Lollie could come

and live with you.

And your name bein'

Mrs. Dallas, you see...

everybody would naturally

think she was...

your little girl.

Then when ya went places,

you see...

well...

You see, you're

the kind of a mother...

that any girl would be proud of.

I didn't know anyone

could be so unselfish.

And I'll say one thing. You'd never

be ashamed of Lollie either.

Everybody's just crazy about her.

Oh, she makes a wonderful impression.

She's so refined

and elegant in her ways, but...

Oh, you already know that.

Anyway, she'd...

Well, anyway, she's...

Well, she's crazy

about you already.

She don't talk as much

as she used to, but...

that's because she thinks

I'm jealous or something, and l...

Oh, I guess I was a little,

but I'm not anymore.

And you'll see.

In a little while, she'll...

Well...

in a little while,

she'll forget all about me.

And it won't be any time

before she'll...

She'll love you just...

just like you were

her real mother.

And Mrs. Morrison,

she's so wonderful. You don't know.

I do know.

And I know it hasn't come

only from her father.

I have to go.

Lollie doesn't know

I've come here, and l...

I don't want her to yet.

She's awful funny underneath.

And I thought it all out.

It'll be better...

to just let her come

for the visit like always...

and by that time,

it'll all be over.

The divorce, I mean.

And then...

Then you can

break it to her.

It'll be easier that way.

- Board!

- Good-bye, darling.

- Good-bye.

- Go on. Get inside.

- Good-bye, Mother.

- Good-bye, dear.

- You'll write to me, won't you?

- Oh, yes, I will.

Now have a nice time,

and don't think about me.

Wear your new blue dress tonight.

I wanna see ya in my mind's eye.

All right. Bye!

I love you!

Good-bye!

Good-bye, Mother!

- It's a lot of fun, isn't it?

- Yes.

- Haven't you ever played it before?

- No, I haven't.

John wouldn't go to bed

until I promised to bring these in...

so you'd still have some family

to keep you company tonight.

- How sweet.

- Oh, that John.

- And here's their breakfast.

- Gosh! You sure stand high with John.

He won't let Lee and me

see 'em, let alone feed 'em.

I suppose it's time young men removed

themselves from ladies' boudoirs.

- Okay, Dad.

- Good night, sweetheart.

- Good night, darling, and sleep well.

- I will, thank you.

Good night, Laurel.

I'll see you in the morning.

- Good night, Mother.

- I'll put these in a safe place.

Oh, I never saw Father

so happy before.

And you, dear,

are you happy?

So very, for you both.

But...

I've been worrying

and worrying about something.

Why, what could possibly

be worrying you?

Well, I don't know

what to call you.

Oh, if that's all.

I'm so glad, because I

have something to tell you...

which I hope will make you

just as happy as it has me.

From now on, you're going

to be one of us really, dear.

You're going to be a member of this

family like Con and Lee and John.

They're your brothers,

and this is going to be your home...

as much as it is theirs.

- This my home?

- Yes, dear.

You're going to live with us.

- Live here?

- Here, the town house, wherever we are.

Does it make you happy, Laurel?

Oh, yes, it makes me very happy...

to know that you want me,

and I do love you all so very much.

But I couldn't leave my mother.

Oh, you won't be leaving her.

Your mother will always

be your mother.

I could never expect or even want

to take her place in your heart.

- You'll visit her whenever you like.

- No, I couldn't.

Oh, thank you ever and ever

so much, Mrs... I mean...

Laurel, your mother, your father,

all of us who love you...

feel that now that

you're getting older...

there are many advantages

that we can give you.

I know.

And I do thank you.

But I'm sorry.

- Good night, Con.

- Good night, Dad.

Yes, dear?

What is it, dear?

You don't mean you thought

that I could live...

anywhere ever without Mother.

Well, you've lived without me.

Your mother and I are just

changing places for a while, that's all.

Isn't it fair for me to have a little

of what she's had all these years?

But that's different, Father.

You know it is.

I've been with Mother all these years

because I needed her.

Now she needs me,

and you need me less than ever.

Oh, Laurel, don't say that.

I'm sorry if you don't see that

what we've planned is for your good.

We thought it would make you happy.

Your mother and I have decided upon

what we think is best for you.

- My mother? Does she know?

- Certainly.

We have your interests

equally at heart, haven't we?

We both feel that this should be

your home for at least a few years.

I'm sorry, Father,

but please understand.

My home will be with my mother

as long as I live.

Oh, Stephen.

Laurel, you don't understand, dear.

This was all your mother's idea.

Her wish for you.

She planned it all herself.

Your father had

nothing to do with it.

She came to see me,

and we talked it all over.

- She came to you? When?

- Yes, dear.

Was it just after we got back

from the Mirador?

Why, I believe it was, but...

Oh, my poor mother.

My wonderful mother.

Oh, she wasn't asleep.

She heard what they said.

Oh, I must go to her.

I must go to her at once!

- Darling, tell us about it.

- Oh, please, Daddy.

Help me. I can't make my visit here.

I must go to my mother!

Sure you can see him.

That ain't meanin' that he can see you.

Hey, Munn.

Somebody to see ya.

Ed.

Ed, wake up.

It's Stella.

Ed, it's me,

Stella Dallas.

Hello, Stell.

Look, I still live

in the same old flat.

I want you to take this, get a Turkish

bath and shave and come right over.

Ed, do ya understand?

Sure. I got it.

Mommy!

Lollie! When did you...

Well, whatever brought you back?

Mother, how could you think...

As if I could ever live

anywhere else but with you.

Well, I thought you'd like it

for a while. No, really, you...

You always seem to have

such a good time with your father.

Yes, but good times aren't...

Oh, they aren't

what make you belong.

It's other kind of times.

It's when you've

cried together...

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