The Marrying Man Page #9

where, you would imagine,

they lived happily-ever-after.

Truth? They drove straight to a walnut

grove in Culver City, California.

See, for the first time in his life,

Charley had plans.

This is it.

This is what?

This is ours.

I bought it. It'll be

finished in nine months.

- Charley, not another big house.

- Not a house.

A movie studio.

Pearl Productions.

I'm gonna make movies

just for you, baby!

Oh, Charley...

- what do you know about making movies?

- What's to know?

You buy a movie camera.

I point the camera at you...

and America falls

in love with you...

just the way I did.

Pearl Studios cost 15 million bucks.

Lucky coincidence.

That's all the money Charley had left.

Nine months later,

a star was about to be born.

Except...

it came out a baby.

Unbelievable.

But it didn't stop production,

no siree.

Because with hard work

and perseverance...

they had another baby.

Finally, Charley found

the right property for Vicki:

A big-budget

musical extravaganza.

When Vicki heard the news,

she was so excited...

she had twins.

Charley was never happier

in his life.

He had Vicki, a family, a home.

Only he didn't have the studio,

which went bankrupt.

There's an old saying

in Hollywood...

"You can't make hits

unless you make pictures."

Vicki got back

to her singing...

this time to support

the family.

Charley was finding out there were

not a lot ofjob opportunities...

for ex-millionaire,

playboy, toothpaste kings.

All the influential people

he had known...

guys he had picked up

countless tabs for...

now wouldn't give Charley

the time of day.

DAfter all the things you told me

dAnd the promises that you gave

As Vicki's star climbed

higher and higher...

Charley's crashed and burned.

riding the tail of a comet.

Tony and me were starring

with "La Hayworth."

Sammy had a hit musical

on Broadway.

And George had Cincinnati

in second place.

About a year passed,

and another of our brave comrades fell.

Tony Madden,

now MGM's biggest star...

was finally caught in that evil spider's

web that traps us all...marriage.

He not only got the girl,

he bought Lew Horner's house.

I'm telling ya, irony,

irony everywhere.

I wonder if she knows

it's a toupee.

- That's not his real hair?

- It is, but when it fell out...

he had it made into a toupee.

- Look at these fool guys.

- That's us seven years ago.

Do you think they'll

make it as big as we did?

Nah, we're the last

of our breed.

Isn't one of your friends

missing, darling?

Charley Pearl and Vicki.

- They'll be here. Don't worry.

- I hope nothing's wrong.

Nah! Probably just stopped

off to have another kid.

Sorry I couldn't buy you

a new dress for the party.

Charley, I've only had this

a year and I've worn it twice.

I never thought a wife of mine

would wear costume jewelery.

It's not even good

costume jewelery.

You don't like this bracelet?

I love it!

Who cares? It looks better

than the real stuff anyway.

Let's not go.

It's gonna be boring,

the same jokes, songs...

the same faces.

I'm sick of these people.

These guys were more laughs

when they were bums.

We've missed the

last three parties.

You've gotta stop hiding

from your friends, Charley.

- They're your friends.

- I'm not hiding from my friends.

Okay. Never mind.

Let's go.

Wait, what did you mean,

"hiding from my friends"?

- Never mind!

- Hey, I want an answer to my question.

- Just let go of it.

- What did you mean?

- What did you mean by that?

- It doesn't matter, Charley!

You just...

you just had a little

run of bad luck.

"A run of bad luck"?

I've had a f***ing marathon!

- Why don't you go to

the party by yourself?

- No.

There'll be a lot

of successful people like you.

You can compare your reviews

in "Variety,"

how many times your names

have been in the columns.

Okay?

I didn't ask you to build

the studio, Charley.

I didn't say

"Make me a movie star."

I just wanted to sing,

that's all!

- Why didn't you stop me

from making an ass of myself?

- What?

What the hell did I know

about making movies?

- Huh?

- I don't believe this.

- A husband and wife are supposed

to look out for each other, right?

- Yes.

Why didn't you stop me

from writing all those checks...

to every creep looking

for a lovesick sucker...

- which is what I am. Am I right?

- You're not.

I pulled you out of that place

in Vegas, didn't I?

You're never gonna let me

forget, are you?

How you pulled me out of Vegas

and made me respectable.

Then I work my ass off,

gain a little self-respect

while bringing up your kids.

But you can't take that,

can you, Charley?

What do you want?

Me to stay at home?

I can be a wife!

I can be a bimbo!

It's your choice.

What do you want?

No, no, no.

I'm the bimbo here.

I mean, I'm a kept man.

- No, Charley.

- Do you know where this party is?

This is in the house

that Adele Horner lived in...

- a place where I was treated

like a king once.

- It doesn't matter.

There are waiters making

more money at this party...

than I made all of last year.

I had my life going exactly

the way I wanted.

- Shh.

- That's what I gave up for you.

What did you say, Charley?

What you gave up for me?

Yeah, that's right.

Hey, where you going?

What you gave up for me,

Charley?

I don't need you.

And I never want

to see you again.

Ever!

You come back here.

Where do you think

you're going?

Come back and get in this car.

Do you hear me?

Come back, goddamn it.

You owe me the rest of your life!

What about my kids?

I'm not giving up my kids!

I don't want my kids to have

a revolving door as a father.

We have more anniversaries

than we do birthdays!

I'm a great father.

I love being a father.

Too bad you don't love

being a husband!

Look at me, Charley.

Look at me!

'Cause it's the last chance

you're ever gonna get.

Goddamn you, Bugsy Siegel.

I hope you burn in hell.

And they got divorced a third time.

And Bugsy Siegel burnt in hell.

Charley knew he'd blown it.

He never made it to the party.

In fact, as 1955 became 1956...

none of us heard from or even about...

Charley Pearl.

Vicki packed the kids in her van

and moved up to San Francisco.

I never told you?

That's where me and the guys found her.

What good is money if

your heart isn't light

She's singing with more...

heart.

Know what I mean?

Yeah. It's called loneliness.

When youth has its fling

- Jesus, I don't believe it.

- What?

- Charley. It's Charley.

- Holy Moses!

- You know what the odds

are on this happening?

- Even money.

We have the right

to laugh at them all

Come on.

Let's go.

Love is still king

Love is the thing

Charley.

- Charley, it's us.

- It's Tony.

Hey, fellas.

It's nice to see you.

Where you been, Charley?

I've been around.

- Around where?

- What've you been doing?

I got into this new business

they got up here.

What business?

- They're called computers.

- Schmuck.

Shh.

Hey, does Vicki

know you're here?

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