The Great Ziegfeld Page #4

Has madame forgotten his cables?

Oh, yes, that's all right,

but these flowers are very beautiful.

Well, Jack, she's all right.

Yeah, I know she is

without you telling me.

- I wish you wouldn't keep following me.

- All right.

- Well, good night.

- Good night.

I wish you wouldn't annoy me.

Miss Held is expecting me.

- I'm going to sign the contract tonight.

- That's great.

- You bet it is.

- I said it was.

- Yes, well, good night.

- Good night.

Will you stop shadowing me?

I'm not following you.

I just happen to be going your way.

You've got a date with a chorus girl,

I suppose.

You're going to spend that $500.

I can't spend it. I've spent it.

- Oh, you've spent... Well, good night.

- Good night.

I beg your pardon, sir, but...

I have an appointment with Miss Held.

- Is Mr. Ziegfeld out here?

- Oh, no...

Yes, my dear. I'm Mr. Ziegfeld.

Mr. Ziegfeld, Miss Held

would like you to come in, please.

Would you mind that for me?

Well, good night, Jack.

Oh, Mr. Ziegfeld, your orchids. They are

the most beautiful orchids I've ever seen.

Won't you come in, Monsieur Ziegfeld?

Your flowers are so beautiful. I could

not resist the temptation to thank you.

Miss Held. Do you mind my telling you...

...that you should never wear

so many jewels on your hands?

- You think so?

- Some women, yes.

But your hands, no.

Oh, that's a very nice compliment.

Did you hear that, Marie?

- Won't you sit down?

- Thank you.

I did not know Americans

could be so gallant.

Tell me, Monsieur Ziegfeld,

are you in the theater?

Yes, I'm a producer.

Did you hear that, Marie?

Monsieur Ziegfeld is an American producer.

Do you know Monsieur Billings?

Billings?

- Billings.

- He's American producer too.

Oh, is that so?

- No, I've never heard of him.

- No?

Of course, not in New York, that is.

America's a big country.

We still have producers in the West

putting on shows for the Indians.

- Indians? Do you mean the savages?

- Yes.

Did you hear that, Marie?

- I do not think I will like America.

- Oh, you'll love New York.

- Would New York love me?

- I think so.

You only think so?

Did you not like my performance?

Yes and no.

- Yes and no. Does it mean yes or no?

- Well, both.

- Did you not care for my singing, no?

- Yes.

A trifle nasal, I thought, but yes.

And you did not like my costumes either?

I thought one dress was

very effective, but the rest, no.

Monsieur Ziegfeld,

I think you are very rude.

Please go.

Marie, open the door.

Monsieur Ziegfeld.

Yes?

Come back, please.

Sit down.

You know, you are very honest.

I like you very much.

Your note says it is important

to my future to see you. Why is that?

- Lf you want to play in New York, it is.

- I have many offers for New York now.

I've no doubt, but so have many others.

There's foreign talent going

into New York every day.

- What happens to them?

- What?

Well, they open at Tony Pastor's theater,

and they get the hook.

The hook, what is that?

Hook, a little thing you catch fish with.

You know, a hook.

Now, if I take you over,

I'll present you on Broadway.

In a great show, in the best theater,

to the best people.

I'll exploit you from coast to coast.

Exploit? What is that?

I'll put you over, I'll sell you.

- Sell me?

- To the public.

And I'll make them pay for you.

And how much will you pay me?

I'll advertise your name

from every corner.

Women will be wearing Anna Held hats,

shoes, corsets.

Even the children will know you.

But how much will you pay me?

More publicity than

you've ever dreamed of.

Yes, that's all right.

But how much money will you give me?

I'll give you the greatest opening night

that New York has ever had.

You'll see the Goulds, the Astors,

the Vanderbilts.

"Diamond Jim" Brady, Lillian Russell.

- Lillian Russell?

- Yes.

- Oh, I would so much like to see her.

- Well.

No. First you must speak about the money

because I have so many offers now.

I'll meet your biggest offer.

Really?

Well, that is very nice of you.

But maybe when you hear how much it is,

you don't think I'm worth so much.

How much is it?

They are all very good, but the highest one

is that of Mr. Billings.

He says he will give me 50,000 francs

besides my salary, which is very big...

...just to sign the contract. That is

how much in American money?

- $ 10,000, madame.

- $ 10,000, monsieur.

- Ten thousand dollars.

- Oui, that's a very big amount.

And even if you would give me

the $ 10,000 and I sign with you...

...you still would have to wait

till I finished my London engagement.

I couldn't do that.

You couldn't even wait for me?

I couldn't even give you the $ 10,000.

- You think it's too much, huh?

- I think it isn't enough.

But I haven't it.

What, you expect I should

sign a contract for America with you...

...and you don't even have $ 10,000?

- I haven't even 1000.

I did have before I stopped at Monte Carlo,

but right now, I haven't even 100.

- But I'll spread your name all over...

- It is enough!

You're just trying

to make the fool of me.

You are the impostor.

You are no gentleman.

Please go.

Marie, open the door.

Monsieur Ziegfeld.

Come back, please.

Sit down.

You know, you're very honest.

I like you very much.

Mr. Vanderbilt's carriage.

Mr. Van Rensselaer's carriage.

- She has big eyes.

- I couldn't understand a word she said.

- I'll take Lillian Russell.

- Mr. Astor's carriage.

- Did you like her?

- Cute. Did you notice the empty seats?

Miss Russell's carriage.

- I think she's charming.

- Why, there's Lillian Russell.

Mr. Thaw's carriage.

Never mind, I don't want a carriage.

The show's all right

if they had an American star.

Mrs. Harriman's carriage.

Mr. Stuyvesant's carriage.

You made a bad bet, Jim.

- May I have your carriage called?

- Yes.

Oh, Ziggy.

Stanford and I just made a little wager.

He bet me 5000 that I wouldn't get back

the 10,000 you borrowed...

...to bring Anna over here.

- Mr. Brady's carriage.

I'll split your end 50-50

with you, Mr. White.

I told you so. I told you so.

Well, what's a few thousand

dollars anyway?

Mr. Chandler's carriage.

Mr. Saks' carriage.

Balcony 22.

Well, Sampston,

what's the loss this week?

The show earned a profit of $ 1340.32.

You drew $2550...

...which gives us a loss of $ 1209.68.

That's terrible. We can't keep

the show running with losses.

- Say, where's Sage?

- Upstairs.

What a press agent, never around.

Take a wire to him.

- But he's just upstairs in his office.

- I know it. Take a wire anyway.

How can you do business

without publicity? Stop.

Anna Held was the sensation

of Europe. Stop.

Appeared before kings

and queens. Stop.

Yet you get nothing

in the papers. Stop.

You're ruining me. Stop.

If you're a press agent,

I'm President Cleveland.

Stop.

Beg your pardon.

Pardon, madame.

It is not jolie. It is jolly.

Jolie, that's what I said, jolie.

Pardon, it's my mistake. I mean jolly.

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