The Black Orchid Page #6

I'm kidding, huh?

(swinging jazz music plays)

Ah, it feels good, huh?

Yeah.

( laughs loudly )

What's the matter?

This is the first thing I see

about you that's old-fashioned.

What do you mean,

"old-fashioned"?

You want me to get fancy?

But you don't know how

to move. Oh, really.

What's the matter with that?

Ay, ay, ay. No, no.

I'll show you how to dance right.

Oh, you're going to show me?

Yes.

All right.

Whoa, wait. I lead.

No, no, no.

Just till you learn.

All right, all right.

( Frank speaks indistinctly )

Go on, turn around!

Now grab my hand!

What are you doing?

Now spin me!

Now, turn around.

Turn around.

You're getting kind of fancy.

I'm getting dizzy.

Me too.

Whoa, what's that?

Hey. Oh, Mary.

Hey, Mary. Mary.

Hey, I didn't hear you come in.

Oh, Mary, this is Rose.

Frank, turn that noise off.

Oh, sure, yeah.

Oh, I met her son today.

Hey, you should see that boy.

Oh, Mary, how about fixing

us something to eat, huh?

I'm tired.

Hey, since when are you too tired

to fix me something to eat, huh?

Are you hungry?

Show her where the icebox is.

Mary. Mary.

Don't you realize

you're insulting Rose?

Gee, honey,

you come in here,

you don't smile,

you don't say anything.

Now you use that rotten tone

in your voice.

Frank. Frank, I'll go home.

No, no, wait. Wait.

Mary's going to apologize.

Mary, take Rose's hand

and apologize.

Papa.

Now, come on. Put your hand out

where she can reach it.

Mary, come on, now--

Papa, I can't.

I don't know why--

Frank, don't--

Will you shut up, both of you?

Just put your hand where--

Come on.

Give her your hand.

Come on, Mary.

Just take her hand and say--

Don't you touch me!

You're bad!

He thinks you're good!

He thought my mother

was good too,

but she was a crazy lady!

Mary!

( discordant music swells

dramatically )

Go to her, Frank...

before you have to hate this

night the rest of your life.

Rose!

Rose, don't go!

(bell rings)

(chattering)

Hey, Rose, I--

I came to take you to lunch.

Rose...

Look, I don't blame you.

You're upset about last night,

but you know...

Listen, last night,

I walked out of your house.

Let's say

I walked out of your life.

Out of my life?

Rose, what are you saying?

I should have kept

my heart in mourning.

Rose, don't even say that.

What do you come here for?

Why do you have to make me see

what can't be?

Rose...

What's between us,

you think all of a sudden

you can just act like it's not there?

Frank, please don't say that.

Can you?

Huh?

See, that's what I came for.

That smile.

Come on.

Come on.

Rose.

ALMA:
Frank, wait up!

Hey, Alma.

Where's Mary been all day?

Well, she's inside, I guess.

Well, I kept calling.

In five days, she has to be

my maid of honor,

and we haven't even

discussed the gowns yet.

Come on in.

Mary!

Mary!

(suspenseful theme plays)

Dinner's on the stove.

Where can she be?

Where could

she be?

Alma...

Mary!

Mary.

Mary.

Mary.

( tries to turn knob )

Mary.

Mary, don't lock the door!

MARY:
Don't try to come in.

Just leave me alone.

( softly ):

Oh, dear God, please.

Please, please, God, not again.

Hey, Joe!

Frank!

Hiya, Joe.

Frank.

You're just in time. I was going

out to get some sandwiches.

The poker game just started.

Who's up there?

Who do you think?

Same bunch, huh?

The same old bunch.

Frank, how's everything?

Oh, fine, fine, fine.

No, I don't think

I'll come up tonight, Joe.

I'm going next door.

Listen, I'll see you tomorrow

night at the wedding, right?

Yeah, yeah. Sure, sure.

You, uh-- You nervous?

Man, you know it.

Don't be. See you, Joe.

Yeah.

Rose.

Frank.

Come and sit down.

Is Mary still locked in her room?

Well...

when I'm at work, she, um...

She cooks and irons and cleans.

When I'm there she--

She stays in her room.

Like your wife.

God, Rose,

it can't happen again.

Frank, tell Mary it's all off between us.

Rose, don't.

Go out of this house

and make a finish of it.

Don't ask me to do that, Rose.

Frank, tell me this.

Can you get married

and go to Summerville

and leave your daughter

locked in that room?

Rose, Rose...

Can you do that for anybody?

Tell me.

Can you?

(melancholy theme plays)

Yes, sir.

Ralph Bianco!

Your mother's waiting

in the visiting room.

What happened, Ma?

Things went wrong.

It's all off?

What'd you do to ruin it?

Me?

Well, who should I blame? Pop?

What'd you do?

Tell Frank the house

wasn't big enough?

Or wouldn't he rob

a bank for you?

Ralphie...

you hate me?

Ralphie.

Ralphie.

( upbeat accordion theme plays )

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Say, doesn't she look pretty?

I have to change, Mom.

It's time to go.

Oh, Joe, God bless you.

Sweetheart, lots of luck.

What's the matter?

What are you crying for?

She's my daughter, no?

No, you gained a son.

But, Papa,

I'm so happy!

She'll be back.

It's all right, Pop.

I'll take care of her.

You better...

Alma, throw your bouquet!

All single girls over

to the foot of the stairs.

All single girls. No, not you.

You've got one already.

(chattering)

(cheers)

(police siren blares)

(tires screech)

(buzzer rings)

(ringing continues)

Is your boy home, Mrs. Bianco?

What's the matter?

Well, he ran away again.

He isn't here.

(sobs):

He won't come to me no more.

Well, I have to take a look anyway.

(sighs)

You satisfied?

Now get out.

(bells toll in distance)

Pop.

Pop?

Oh, Noble.

Oh, it's morning, huh?

Yeah.

(grunts)

You heard?

Yeah, I heard.

Joe and Alma came to the shore

last night for their honeymoon.

They came over,

and they told me.

The whole thing.

Pa,

why didn't you call me?

What could you do?

We had a fight last Sunday.

Yeah?

I chased her out of the house.

I didn't call her

once all week.

Oh, don't worry about her.

It wasn't your fault.

Pa, what are we going to do?

Nothing.

What do you mean, nothing?

Just that, Noble, nothing.

If she's going to come out,

she's gotta turn the key herself.

Pa, we just can't stand around.

Well, we can pray.

God will do the rest.

Yeah.

But can't we help a little bit?

You think God's in business?

He puts "help wanted" ads

in the paper?

Hey.

You know I didn't mean it that way.

Pa?

Hm?

Now, listen.

Can't I at least go upstairs...

and try?

Go ahead.

Mary.

Mary, please come out.

Mary, not--

Not for me.

For Pa's sake.

Mary, baby.

Please?

Come on, Pa,

let's go to church.

We'll pray.

(tires screech)

I'll wait for you in church, Frank.

(knocks on glass)

Yeah?

Rose, I... I was on my way

to church, and I...

I wondered if--

Any news about Ralphie?

The other times when he

ran away, he called me.

This time...

Rose, after Mass,

I'm going to go to the farm.

I'm going to explain

to Mr. Harmon

how it was my fault

that Ralphie ran away.

How I made the kid go crazy

from disappointment.

Rose, I won't let them punish him

for something that's my fault.

And you think they'll listen?

Well, I hope.

The sky falls down on your head,

and you just keep right on hoping.

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