The Barkleys of Broadway Page #7

---

Hiya.

Hey, you're late. This is Genevieve.

- How do you do?

- Hello.

Well, I just looked in

on the noble experiment.

How's it coming?

Not so good. Looks as if she's going

to make a complete fool of herself.

Well, that's what you wanted, isn't it?

Sure. She deserves it.

She certainly does.

She's no dramatic actress.

No? Listen, she can do anything, that girl.

- Yeah?

- She could be great in that part.

Really?

Barredout doesn't know how to direct her.

- He's sitting in the bar.

- What do I care?

Listen, Ezra,

he doesn't understand her at all.

He keeps tearing her down, confusing her.

When she thinks she's not

getting something right, she's no good.

You've got to approach her

in a different way and...

Well, I know how to help her.

- But you want her to flop.

- Sure.

Besides, she wouldn't take

any suggestions from me.

- Good evening, Mr. Barkley.

- Hello, Helen.

Funny, I thought

Barredout was supposed to be good.

Good? Did you ever see him work?

"Dinah...

"this is much different

from musical comedy.

"It is a play, mais oui. A legitimate play. "

Say, that's a great imitation you do of him.

- It is?

- Pretty good.

It is?

- Is that yours or mine?

- Mine.

Want to split it?

Excuse me a minute, will you?

Hello.

Hello, Dinah? This is Jacques.

Hello, Jacques. I'm so glad it's you.

I was very anxious to know

how you feel after today's rehearsals.

Well,

it's not going along much better, is it?

I don't know, I get out there

and I feel absolutely lost.

That is all my fault.

Don't be silly.

Yes, it is.

My direction is completely to blame.

Jacques, your voice sounds so odd.

Have you been drinking?

No, it must be a bad connection.

Now listen, Dinah,

I want you to know that...

I was wrong in telling you

how different this is from musical comedy.

It is not different.

It's wonderful to hear you say that.

You're still a great performer

and a wonderful actress.

In that scene with your family...

where you make your entrance,

you must walk in slowly.

You see, you must remember

that the keynote to your attitude is...

defiance toward your mother.

Walking slowly. Defiant.

I resent her.

Why, of course, Jacques. That feels right.

And when the Duke comes toward you...

and offers you his hand...

you must pull away quickly.

You're very frightened.

Yes, Jacques, I see. I'm afraid of him.

Yes, I understand.

It's a matter of relationships.

It's not just a mechanical movement.

Jacques, let's start from the beginning

and go through the whole scene.

Now, when your mother says, "Sarah... "

The Duke de Morny has

secured an audition for you.

I don't want to be an actress.

You're to read for them next week.

- Well, Sarah...

- Why don't you leave the poor girl alone?

I'll wager Sarah has

never even seen an actress.

Oh, yes, I have.

It was at the convent last year.

A sick lady came there and the sisters said

she used to be beautiful...

but that she was going to die alone

and unloved because she'd led a bad life.

She was pale and coughing, and her

eyes were big dark holes in her face.

And you know who she was?

She was the star

of the Comdie Franaise.

I won't be like that

and you can't make me!

Dinah, that's wonderful! Wonderful!

It was? Darling, I'm so glad.

- Thank you.

- Yes.

Your timing, your inflections were

just what I wanted.

- I believed every word.

- Perfect.

The scene has come to life for the first

time.

- You seen any of the rehearsals lately?

- Dinah's? No.

- I wonder how it's coming along.

- I don't know.

It couldn't be much worse

than it was when I saw it.

I forgot. I've got to make a telephone call.

- Want another drink?

- No, thanks.

I'll have one. Would you like a drink?

Hello.

Hello, Dinah, I just called you to tell you

again how wonderful you were today.

I can't believe it. It's a miracle.

Yes? In Scene Two?

But I can't sit there

through the whole speech.

Yes, Jacques. Well, you're a genius.

Thank you, my dear.

Well, that is about all for now.

Incidentally...

while we are in rehearsal,

I wish you wouldn't be so demonstrative.

So what?

- Demonstrative.

- What do you mean?

Well, throwing your arms about my neck

and kissing me in front of the company...

is most embarrassing.

- We'll have none of that.

- Why, Jacques...

Discipline, you know.

Well, I'm sorry.

I hope it won't be too compromising if you

take me to the benefit on Sunday night.

Benefit? What benefit?

The hospital... I told you.

Yes, I'll take you.

Goodbye.

Hey, what's the idea of telling me

Dinah's not coming to the benefit?

- Is she?

- You know darned well she is. But I'm not.

You cooked up this little plot, now eat it.

Well, what happened, Ezra?

Are they both going to be here?

Dinah's here. I saw her. But that

pigheaded mule, I don't know if he'll come.

Now presenting Ezra Millar playing...

Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto Number One

in B Flat Minor.

Goodbye.

What are you doing here?

What are you doing here? Ezra.

Why, the double-crosser.

Don't you think the gallant thing

would be for you to leave?

I'm not going to leave.

This is a benefit.

They're expecting

a number from me out there.

Why don't you leave?

This is beneath you now, anyway.

I have never walked out

on a benefit in my life.

And I'll not walk out

on all these hospital people.

It's for them. It makes no difference

to me whether you're here or not.

I'll perform anyway.

Thank you. I'm touched.

The piano's touched

and Tchaikovsky's touched.

And now I have a surprise

which I'm sure will touch you.

In this corner,

one of the great stars of show business.

And in the same corner,

another great star of show business.

Who will brilliantly oppose each other

in one of their greatest numbers.

Josh and Dinah Barkley.

The way you wear your hat

The way you sip your tea

The memory of all that

No, no, they can't take that away from me

The way your smile just beams

The way you sing off-key

The way you haunt my dreams

No, no

They can't take that away from me

We may never, never meet again

On the bumpy road to love

Still I'll always, always keep

The memory of

The way you hold your knife

The way we danced till three

The way you changed my life

No, no

They can't take that away from me

No, they can't take that away

From me

Bravo!

- Thank you very much, Josh and Dinah.

- Thank you.

- It was so nice seeing you together again.

- Thank you very much.

Thank you.

- Dinah, that was wonderful.

- It was fun, wasn't it?

Look...

can't we be civilized about this...

and maybe go someplace

and talk things over?

There's nothing to talk over, Josh.

You're doing very well without me...

and I'm doing what I guess

I've always wanted to do.

In the long run,

we'll be much happier apart.

Don't you think so?

Do you?

Of course I do.

I can't believe you really mean that.

Look, Josh.

That wasn't just another squabble we had.

Our break-up wasn't

just a whim of the moment.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes