The Band Wagon Page #3

of children's books...

but to get in the real dough...

on the side,

he writes lurid murder mysteries...

full of violence and buckets of blood.

The success of these

makes him feel he's sort of...

sold his soul to the Devil,

but he keeps on doing it.

There's lots of comedy implications

with his friends, played by us.

- And with his girl.

- I love this. Terrific possibilities.

And some of the best numbers

we've ever written!

Children's playground, a reform school,

12 showgirls playing softball!

- And a number about a murder mystery!

- You two are the end.

- Tony, I'm so glad!

- Some of the best lines we've written.

What do you think, Jeff?

Kids, you're geniuses.

The whole thing

is a brilliantly imaginative idea.

Why, Jeff!

You've hit on something

that's not only great as a musical...

but valid in terms of today, of modern life.

Jeff, I'm so glad!

Of course, these modern thrillers,

he's got to keep turning them out.

They make him fame, money. He's caught.

It's a funny situation.

Of course! It's brilliant,

contemporary, perceptive.

This story's a modern version of Faust.

- Faust?

- You're kidding, Jeff.

I guess I didn't tell it right.

I didn't bring out the point.

But you did bring out the point admirably.

You used the phrase:

"He sells his soul to the Devil."

Now, that's the line you have to follow

straight through.

Just like Faust,

this man is tempted by the Devil...

and his compromise, his sell-out,

must end in eternal damnation.

That'll leave them laughing.

Kids, you've got a choice here

between a nice little musical comedy...

and a modern musical morality play...

with meaning and stature!

- But we don't want to write Faust.

- You're taking me too literally.

I want to do your story. I love it!

But I want to angle it

to bring out the analogy...

between the Faust legend

and this man's story.

Won't this make it heavy?

Is this a box-office idea?

Is Faust box-office?

Listen, Faust by Christopher Marlowe,

Faust by Goethe, Faust by Gounod...

Faust by Hector Berlioz.

I tell you, anyone who's touched this

legend has turned it into a gold mine.

It's got to be a smash.

It could still have all the fun in it,

couldn't it?

- Yeah, and some stature thrown in.

- Now, kids, I'm happy about this.

- Really happy.

- So are we, Jeff.

This publisher you mentioned...

obviously, he could be

the counterpart of the Devil.

Evil personified!

Leading all mankind

into the paths of temptation!

- But nobody could play it like you.

- Nobody's going to.

You mean you're going to play it?

The part of the girl... Somebody fresh.

Somebody with fire, charm, grace, beauty.

Gabrielle Gerard.

- Gerard? She's a ballet dancer.

- She doesn't want to do a show.

- She turns them all down.

- Nobody ever turns me down.

Do you really think you could get her?

What a cast!

Tony Hunter, Jeff Cordova,

Gabrielle Gerard! Tony! Isn't this exciting?

Yeah.

Now, look, this is going to be

a sort of modern Faust story.

I play the Faust character. You play

the Devil. It'll have stature, importance.

- I have to dance with this ballet dancer?

- She's wonderful.

It'll be great.

It'll be great for somebody.

I'll pick up my marbles and go home.

Fellas, bless you and good luck,

but this just ain't for me.

I know what I can do,

and I'm sticking to it.

That's the trouble. You've stuck to it,

and you're stuck with it.

- What?

- Tony, nobody admires you more than I.

I've seen every show

and every movie you've ever done...

but let's face some brutal facts.

Times have changed, Tony.

You haven't changed with them.

- You've gone stale.

- Then you certainly don't need me.

Yes, we do!

Because you can be greater

than you ever were!

We are going to make you explode

on the theatre scene like a skyrocket!

Not just the old trademark,

with the top hat, tie, and tails...

but a great artist

at the peak of his powers.

The new Tony Hunter. Tony Hunter, 1953!

- But can I do it?

- It's a challenge to all of us...

but that's what the theatres about:

a challenge.

Whatever I am,

whether it's a new me or an old me...

remember, I'm still just an entertainer.

What do you think I am?

What do you think they are?

What do you think the theatre is?

It's all entertainment!

Believe me, there is no difference

between the magic rhythms...

- of Bill Robinson's immortal feet...

- You said that before.

All right, what did Bill Robinson do?

He danced on the stairs, didn't he?

Now I happen to play Oedipus the king

on the same stairs.

What's the difference? We're all theatre.

Show me the greatest tragic actor...

or the lowest red-nosed comic

in burlesque...

and I'll show you an entertainer. We're all...

Jeff, are you all right?

Everything that happens in life

can happen in a show

You can make 'em laugh

You can make 'em cry

Anything, anything can go

The clown with his pants falling down

Or the dance that's a dream of romance

Or the scene where the villain is mean

That's Entertainment!

The lights on the lady in tights

Or the bride with the guy on the side

Or the ball where she gives him her all

That's Entertainment!

The plot can be hot

simply teeming with sex

A gay divorce who is after her ex

It could be Oedipus Rex

Where a chap kills his father

and causes a lot of bother

The clerk who is thrown out of work

By the boss who was thrown for a loss

By the skirt who is doing him dirt

The world is a stage

the stage is a world of entertainment

That's Entertainment!

All right!

That's Entertainment!

Look what I can do.

It's still me!

The doubt while the jury is out

or the thrill when they're reading the will

or the chase for the man with the face

That's Entertainment!

The dame who is known as the flame

Of the king of an underworld ring

He's an ape who won't let her escape

That's Entertainment!

It might be a fight

like you see on the screen

a swain getting slain

for the love of a queen

some great Shakespearean scene

where a ghost and a prince meet

and everyone ends in mincemeat

the gag may be waving that flag

that began with a Mr. Cohan

Hip hooray, the American way

The world is a stage

the stage is a world of entertainment

- You gone yet, Hal?

- I'm in here, Jeff, on the phone.

Drama desk? Hello, Mike. It's Hal.

You know that item Mr. Cordova sent you

about signing Gabrielle Gerard...

for the Marton show?

There's been a mistake.

I wonder if there's still time to kill it.

- Yeah. I'd appreciate it. Thanks, kid.

- Why did you do that?

To save you from making an idiot

of yourself in print.

- You know you can't get Gerard.

- Why?

Because Paul Byrd won't let her

do a show. He's a tough customer.

He's not only her choreographer,

he's also her boyfriend.

She doesn't make a move without him.

That will be Paul Byrd now.

- It's 3:
00 in the morning.

- Let him in, Hal, will you?

- Hello, Paul.

- Where are they?

He's in there.

Hello, Paul.

- Where is he?

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