The Black Orchid Page #5

Okay, come on.

Tell me.

Come on, tell me.

Last night after your shower,

Joe came over,

and I put it to him plain.

I said, "Joe, listen.

You're working, I'm working.

"Either we set it

definitely now,

or it's ended

altogether."

He said, "Now."

And then he

started to cry.

Honest,

he started to cry.

And then he said...

He said, "Alm, baby,

I'm scared."

Well...

Then I started to cry

along with him.

Well, then we both sat down,

and we talked it out.

And then he smiled.

Oh, Mary, I could work

100 years on that one smile.

Well, look, I gotta run.

The families are getting

together for dinner tonight,

and Mom started...

She started cooking and crying

at 5:
00 this morning.

Where you going?

Atlantic City.

You made up with Noble?

Well, he called.

He found a house, and he wants

me to come and see it.

Oh, kid,

that's wonderful.

Well, look, call me

when you get back, huh?

Okay.

I hope the house is a dream.

Bye-bye, Alm.

( chattering in Italian )

Shut up!

( speaks Italian )

( responds in Italian )

( arguing in Italian )

I played

the right ball.

MAN 1:
You don't know

how to play.

MAN 2:
Oh, shut up.

Oh. Frank.

Oh, fa troppo caldo.

Come on, one game.

Just one game with me.

No, I don't wanna play.

It's too hot.

It's not that hot.

Come on.

Anyway, I wanna ask you

something very important.

Look, Henry.

Um, I like Rose.

( grunts )

Yeah, but, you see,

Mary doesn't understand.

And, uh, well, what I wanted

to ask you, Henry, is...

When you want

something so bad

that you don't care

what happens,

I mean, that's because God wants

you to have it, am I right?

It's hard to tell.

The devil works the same way.

Oh, Henry.

( speaks Italian )

I know, but I'm asking

you something very important,

and you're giving me jokes.

I don't give you jokes.

I don't want a philosophy.

I want some advice

from you as a friend.

( speaks Italian )

VOICE OVER P.A.:

Ralph Bianco. Ralph Bianco.

Your mother's here to see you.

You know what?

I'm... I'm scared.

I'm... I'm nervous.

Gee, you act like a boy.

Well, I've never been

interviewed by a boy before.

Oh, come on.

Hey, Ralphie. How are you,

darling? How are you?

You know, we talked

to Mr. Harmon.

What about?

Frank wants to tell you.

This is Frank.

Yeah, I'm Frank.

I guess you're Ralph, huh?

Hey, Ralph, suppose

you and me walk outside, huh?

I don't want any women around

while I'm answering questions,

you know.

Who's going to ask them?

Well, her father's in a cemetery

somewhere in Italy.

He can't do it.

How about it, huh?

( mouths ):

Go on.

You know, Ralphie,

when I was a kid,

I used to work summers

picking on a farm.

Your mother tells me

you like farming, huh?

She must've broken your eardrums

talking about me.

No, she breaks them

with yelling.

Me, I yell right back.

That way, nobody gets heartburn,

you know?

You know, the radio said rain today.

I'm glad they made a mistake, huh?

We could use some rain.

You can't make things grow

by spitting on them.

Yeah, that's good, huh?

Spitting on them. Pretty good.

( light, upbeat theme playing )

Hey, Ralphie, you know, about

this house in Summerville--

What house?

Oh, that's right.

I didn't tell you yet.

Well, anyway...

See, there's this house

in Summerville.

Boy, it's got a lot of acres

in the back.

It could be a farm

if you want.

And, uh, well,

I'm going to buy it.

Ralphie, um...

I'd like to marry your mother.

I mean, if you don't mind.

You know, gee,

between that house

and all the acres in back,

boy, it could be like paradise

for the three of us.

The three of us?

You're talking to me like

I'm sitting in someone's parlor.

Do you think I can just

pack my bags and leave?

What's the matter with you?

Don't you listen to your mother?

She told you we talked

to Mr. Harmon.

He said as soon as we show

him the marriage license,

he'll let you come with us.

What?

Well...

It'll take, oh, about

a week at the most.

I, uh...

I guess it all depends on...

Well, uh, if you...

If you like me.

If I like you?

What's the matter?

Look, if you wanna marry

my mother, that's okay.

But you don't have

to get me in the bargain.

Come on, Ralphie.

Gee, how do you think

I'd feel, huh?

Seeing she has a son,

and he ain't half mine.

Come on, now. Come on, eh?

You going to say yes or no?

You know, I...

Boy, I got a lot of signing to do.

You know, I gotta sign for the house.

I gotta sign for the license.

You know, you're holding up

all that signing.

Come on.

Is it a deal?

Like two men, huh?

I'm getting out?

Sure.

It's not all the way

in my head yet.

I'm getting out!

Ma! Ma,

I'm getting out!

I'm getting out of here,

Ma.

(upbeat theme swells)

NOBLE:
Mary, come and see

the master bedroom.

Huh?

Well, what do you

think of this?

Did you ever see

such a big bedroom, huh?

I could have

a harem in here.

And the view

is beautiful too.

Oh, Noble, I knew you'd pick

a house like this.

You like it, huh?

I love it.

Oh, Noble, I'm sorry

about that fight we had.

We wasted so much time

just because I was so silly.

Come on, now, sad eyes.

Let's forget it.

But I'm always making

you mad and miserable.

I don't know how

you still wanna marry me.

Now, what kind of talk is that?

We had a fight.

So what?

You cried. I cried.

Tears don't call off

a wedding.

Mary, what's the matter

with you?

Papa's going to get married.

No kidding.

Mary, that's wonderful.

To that Rose Bianco,

and you say "wonderful"?

Noble, until I told him I had to

move to this godforsaken place,

he never even looked

at another woman.

Mary, my business is here.

So keep it here

and come home on weekends.

That's how a married man

should live, huh?

All week long

in a furnished room

while his wife is playing house

with her father.

Playing house?

Yeah, that's right, playing house!

Oh, Noble, you make me mad.

All right, Mary,

I'm sorry.

But your father wants

his own home, huh?

Don't I have a right to want mine?

Well, I think you'd better find

yourself another girl, Noble.

And give her this house.

You're my girl.

And you're going to be my wife.

You think I could live

without you now?

Then live with me

in my father's house.

Go home, Mary.

(door slams)

There, you see how special you are?

I serve you coffee in the parlor.

Oh, excuse me.

Hey, Rose. You know,

when I used to see you--

I mean, when I used to go

to the Gallos',

and I used to see you,

you know what I used to call you?

Yes.

How do you know?

Giulia.

No.

You know, still you shouldn't

dress in mourning all the time.

You know, you could be a yellow

orchid, maybe a pink. Hey.

A red one.

But I got a lot of pretty colors.

Oh, yes. Every week, I used

to buy a new dress to go dancing

and, oh, you know.

Hey, you like to dance?

Oh, yes, I do.

Yeah? I used to be one

of the best dancers

in the neighborhood.

Oh, you're joking.

No, honest. Honest.

I'll show you.

Here, you think

Rate this script:4.0 / 1 vote