The Great Ziegfeld Page #9

- We should see her at once, tonight.

- Shall I take your coat?

- Why not? You bought it for me.

I gave it to you because you've been

behaving yourself this week.

What are you going to give me

next week?

- Watch the show.

- I don't see how you can find...

...great stars in a place like this.

Some of our greatest stars

have come from places like this.

Well, of course, not being a star yet,

I wouldn't know.

You can, if you behave yourself.

- What's on now, Fannie?

- Jim Boss.

- Lf that guy's funny, I'll be a...

- That guy's gonna be a big star someday.

- He can make you laugh and make you cry.

- Yeah, and he can make me sick.

Comics bore me.

You give me a pain in the neck, always

telling me who's gonna be a great star.

Once in burlesque, always in burlesque.

Unless you got looks or a voice

or something.

- Well, that's what I got, kid.

- What?

- Something.

- On the level...

...you don't hope to get out

of burlesque?

You're good here because these people

are from 10th Avenue.

How good do you think you'd be

on Fifth Avenue?

Half as good.

Another silk stocking gone.

I'll never buy anything

from those stage-door peddlers again.

That's what you said before.

What'd you let the fella in for? Here.

He told the stage doorman

his name was Belasco.

And you thought it was the Mr. Belasco,

the producer.

- Calling personally to see you?

- Well, maybe I was a little optimistic.

Miss Brice,

Mr. Ziegfeld is here to see you.

Another peddler.

First it's Belasco, now it's Ziegfeld.

Tell Mr. Ziegfeld I'm not in, and if

I was in, tell him I wouldn't see him.

And if I did see him,

tell him I wouldn't buy a thing.

- Yes, miss.

- Thank you.

Miss Brice?

I hope I'm not intruding.

- I'm Florenz Ziegfeld.

- Is that so?

Sarah, this is Mr. Ziegfeld.

Mr. Ziegfeld, this is Sarah Bernhardt.

Not the Sarah Bernhardt?

Well...

- A pleasure to run into you.

- Lf you run into your friend Belasco...

...tell him about the runs

in his stockings.

- Do you know David Belasco?

- Better than you know Ziegfeld.

Well, come on,

what do you want for it?

I'm not interested.

Miss Brice, I am here to offer you

a great opportunity.

That's what they all say.

What kind of fur is this?

This?

- That's mink.

- That so?

And what's the price?

Well, the original cost was $2700.

Who cares from originals?

Copies is just as good.

Come on, I'll try it on.

Yes, of course.

As a matter of fact,

it ought to fit you very well.

Don't give me the talk,

just tell me the price.

I don't wanna buy it,

but I'll give you $50 for it.

- And not a cent more.

- Miss Brice, the coat is yours.

- Stuck again.

- Fannie! Are you really gonna buy it?

If I can give Belasco 4 dollars

for silk stockings made of cotton...

...I can give Ziegfeld more

for a mink coat made of skunk.

Besides, a bargain's a bargain.

Here.

Here's your $40.

Get out before I change my mind.

Thank you.

Fannie!

- Fannie!

- What?

Fannie, look!

- What? Moths already?

- No, feel! It's real mink.

How do you know?

I've been promised one

often enough to tell.

It's real mink, all right.

It's probably stolen goods.

- You mean it's hot?

- Of course it's warm.

- Then I'll be arrested if I keep it?

- Of course you will.

Call the stage manager!

Call the police! Call my mother!

Come in.

Message for Miss Brice.

You read it. I'm dying.

"Dear Fannie Brice.

I can't accept your $40, but you can

please me by accepting the coat.

I shall expect you at my office

in the New Amsterdam tomorrow...

...as I want to engage you

for the Follies.

Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. "

Fannie, it was him!

It was Ziegfeld!

How do you like that?

I like it.

Fannie! Fannie!

Have you fainted?

Can't you see I have, you chump?

Get me some whiskey!

- Oh, Miss Brice?

- Yes, sir?

- We're ready for you.

- I'm coming right down.

Yes, sir, I'll be right down.

I'm coming as fast as I can.

I thought I had more time.

Don't lose your nerve, kid.

This is your big chance.

Be a trouper!

Look at you. You're working

for Ziegfeld now.

And you look like a million dollars.

For the first time in your life,

you're class, you mug.

Wait a minute! Ho!

What in the...? Fannie!

What in the world are you made up for?

Veronica? Clarence?

Anything I can do, Mr. Ziegfeld?

Yes. Come here, will you?

Yes, Mr. Ziegfeld?

Will you rip off that train?

- But, Mr. Ziegfeld!

- Go ahead.

Take off the hat.

Get rid of this boa constrictor.

Now, will you get me a shawl?

An old shawl.

Yes, sir.

How do you expect Miss Brice

to sing a sad song about her man...

...dressed up like a nightingale?

I find personalities,

you try to destroy them.

I didn't engage Miss Brice

as a showgirl.

- Is that all right, Mr. Ziegfeld?

- Well, that's all right for now.

Tomorrow, buy her another outfit.

Go to a secondhand store

and get her an old dress.

She's supposed to be an apache,

a poor French girl, an urchin.

So to work for Ziegfeld,

I gotta be an urchin.

Even in burlesque,

I was middle class.

Now...

...let me see this, Fannie.

Fannie?

Sing the song. Now!

Vic? All right. Let's go.

If she can turn those tears on in front

of an audience, she'll be a sensation.

Look.

Look at the girls.

Mr. Ziegfeld, shall we get back

to that conference?

The boys are still waiting, you know.

Yeah, yeah. Tell them I'll be right up.

She's all right.

She's gonna be great.

- Who's that?

- Brice. Fannie Brice.

- I've got a great spot for her in this show.

- And I discovered her!

That's right, Sam,

and you deserve a raise.

And I'd give it to him, but I'm afraid

he wouldn't approve of the expense.

- How's it look, Gene?

- It's the best we've ever done.

You're the best author.

Herbert's the best composer.

Julian's the best director. Joe's the best

artist. Sam's the best bookkeeper.

I'm dying to hear it.

Every line he writes is a laugh.

We open on a street in Cairo.

Didn't I tell you every line

was a laugh?

We open on a street in Cairo.

Along comes a man leading an elephant.

Wait just a minute, Gene.

- Can you boys stand a shock?

- Well, what do you mean, Flo?

I hate to tell you this because

I know how hard you've worked...

- But I've decided not to do another Follies.

- What?

I'm going on with this new edition

with Brice...

...but after that I wanna do a story.

Something with a plot.

Something with all the glamour of

the Follies, around a sweet, simple story.

Something that will fit this little girl

Sally Manners.

We might call it Sally.

Oh, Jerry.

Hello, Flo. How are you?

- I was just thinking of you.

- It's nice to be thought of.

- Hello, boys.

- Hello.

Remember that melody you played

at my house a few weeks ago?

- I played several.

- And they were all beautiful.

But this one was... You remember?

You were going to send it to me.

Oh, I know.

"Look for the Silver Lining. "

That's the one. Come on, play it.

Do you mind?

Sure, I will.

I've got the lyrics right here.

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