The Largest Theatre in the World: Heart to Heart Page #10

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you for John Wilkinson?

Do you know something, Peggy?

It's taken me eight years to find

the courage to say this,

but I can say it now.

I despise you.

But I despise myself, darling,

you know that.

I love money and flats in Eaton Square

and convertible Bentleys

with chauffeurs.

I like fur coats

and Balmain dresses, too.

-Did he give you a fur coat?

-No, how could he?

But that, that black dress,

that one with the long sleeves...

Yes, that's Balmain.

Harrods sale, I think you said it was.

When did he give it to you?

That, that time in Paris?

Yes.

So go on despising me, that's all right.

Nice girls don't behave the way I do.

Or admit they want the things I want.

But not many nice girls faced starvation

when they were five.

Or had to dress themselves in other

professor's daughter's

thrown-out clothes when they where 18.

Nice girls love their husbands,

and respect their husband's principles.

They didn't have to go through what

my father made me go through

for his principles.

If we'd stayed on in Riga

after the Russians came,

do you know as a professor of physics

he'd be earning, three times,

three times as much money

as he's earning now at New College?

I'm not surprised.

They might even have

named a new Sputnik after him.

-Is that so bad?

-No, it's good, it's very good.

Only, if he's stay in Riga,

we'd never have met.

No, and you would've been free to marry

Jessie Weston.

Yes.

And lived happily ever after.

Not necessarily.

But lived, anyway.

With Jessie,

would it have been living?

As they say in the quiz shows,

it all depends what you mean by living.

I know what you mean by living, darling.

Who better?

It's what I mean, too, you know.

Of course you know.

Who better?

It's so corny, Peggy. The whole

thing is so very corny.

Vamping scenes went out with

silent pictures.

Anyway, you need a tiger skin rug

and the right lighting.

I need a drink.

Of course you must have

a drink, darling. I'll get it for you.

You call that a drink?

Yes, darling,

I call that a drink.

Now, darling, let's talk about plans.

After all, if we are

going to part forever,

we have a lot of plans to talk about.

My God, you're corny, Peggy,

you're so corny.

Your eyes are red, have you been crying?

-Yes.

-When?

About half an hour ago, at the studio,

in the gents.

It's all right,

it won't show under the lights.

Why were you crying, darling?

(SOBBING)

I hate you.

Of course you do.

I hate myself.

But not for the same reasons.

What are they?

(VOICE BREAKING)

What is it, darling?

What is it?

Now, darling,

let's be sensible.

After all, we do have

an awful lot to talk about.

MAN:
That's why he always gives her

Supreme Chocolates,

so rich,

so creamy,

so, mmm, chocolatey.

Try some.

MALE ANNOUNCER:
8.:45, Channel 5.

At 9.:
15 tonight,

the 60th edition of Heart to Heart,

will bring to you our grand inquisitor,

David Mann

versus the new Minister of Labour,

Sir Stanley Johnson,

in a 15 minute, all-out fight.

Don't fail to keep tuned.

I should think that will be

all right now, Jack.

-That's fine, let's join the party.

-Okay, let's go.

All right, you've got that clear,

have you?

Yes, quite clear.

At any reference to the Appleton

Report or any reference to Lopez,

or any reference to anything that seems

to you dangerous

you are to cut sound instantaneously.

Mrs, um, you've got that clear, too,

haven't you?

Now it maybe a question

of split seconds.

I thought he'd given his word.

Well, strictly speaking,

he's given nothing.

It was his wife who called to say

that the interview was on.

Under your conditions?

Well, obviously that

was the understanding.

Both she and he knew

what my conditions were.

And agreeing to do the interview at all,

he, presumably, has accepted them.

But with this man, we also

have a drink problem to face.

Oh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have

said that in front of Mrs...

No, you shouldn't.

Please forget I said that, Mrs Weston.

It's not a problem

that need concern you.

No.

I shall have an open line anyway to

the technical operations manager

here in the control room, so that if

either of you should slip up,

I'm quite sure you won't,

but if you should,

I can have the sound cut like that.

Vision can remain on till "the normal

transmissions will be resumed

"as soon as possible" notice.

Then I suggest an apology for

the technical failure.

And, um, oh, hello, David.

And a vague promise about the interview

being done at a later date.

Oh, don't let this worry you,

it's just in case of a technical hitch.

There won't be one, I know.

-Hello, Frank.

-Hello, David.

-Jessie.

-Hello, David.

Well, is there anything you

wanted to say to me?

I don't think so, Mr Stockton.

Well then, let's get down to the party.

He seems to be enjoying himself,

Simpson's looking after him.

I would like a word or two

with Mrs Weston, if you don't mind.

A technical matter.

Yes, of course. Frank, come on.

What am I going to do, Jessie?

Haven't you already done it?

-I promised nothing.

-Your wife has.

Oh, does that bind me?

Well, if you heard her telephoning and

you didn't stop her or contradict her,

I'd say it did.

And here you are,

and sober, too, it seems.

I don't think we have anything more of

this technical matter to discuss,

do you, Mr Mann?

Oh, don't give me

the hard, bright stuff.

Not now, Jessie, please.

-Oh, what do you want me to give you?

-Nothing,

-except...

-Except what?

Except I need you.

And, Jessie...

I love you.

My God, how unfair can you get?

If I'm going through with this tonight,

I must know that you at least

are behind me.

At least?

Oh, damn you, David, why don't you

leave me out of this?

Can't you help me?

Well, how?

My orders are clear, anyway.

If you mention the Appleton Report,

I'm to cut off sound.

-So what are you going to do?

-I'm going to go for it.

-Get sound cut off.

-Oh!

What the hell good

do you think that will do?

I want you tell me.

All right, I will.

No one watching tonight

will be one whit the wiser

about our new Minister of Labour.

Honest Stan will continue to flourish

and honest David will be out on his ear

in television for life.

Yes, but what you don't know is that,

if I do what I'm planning to do tonight,

I shall be without a wife.

Oh.

And that would be pretty

tough for you, I'd imagine.

Yes, very.

But I think I could survive, just, if...

-We'd better get down.

-If what?

If, like a left my husband,

for instance?

You told me you don't even like him.

Ah, but I'm an eccentric, see, David.

I happen to believe,

that when you marry a man,

you marry him.

So that's cleared up,

for good.

David?

You give it to him tonight.

You give it to him good.

Come on, let's go.

Which won't be heard by anyone.

Yes, it'll be heard by Stockton,

by Sir Stanley, too.

-By me, if it comes to that.

-But it won't do any good.

-And that matters?

-Yes, it does matter.

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