The Passionate Friends Page #3

---

But she's left them behind.

Yes.

They're stalls. Row D. Numbers 24 and 25.

Yes.

And you'll let her have them if she asks?

- Thank you so much. Goodbye.

- All right. Let's get on, shall we?

Where was I?

"The President said..."

Yes.

"The President said that while the establishment

of very low rates of interest by the Reichsbank"

would not necessarily keep the rate of

investment up to the rate of saving...

...in a free market...

...the restrictions

imposed by the regime...

...has ensured a margin of safety...

in this respect.

He explained that since other means had been

found of stabilising internal price levels...

...the effect of the natural market

had been largely... neutralised.

Throughout this conversation with him,

"I had the impression that his earlier

protestations had been quite insincere."

I think I'll go on with this

in the morning, Miss Layton.

Very well, Mr Justin.

- Shall I do what you've given me so far?

- No. Leave it till tomorrow.

- Anything else?

- Nothing, thank you. Good night.

Good night, Mr Justin.

(Orchestral flourish)

ROMANTIC LEADS:
First love and last love,

my heart always knew

I knew from the first it was you

East love and West love

in Spring time or Fall

My first love's the best love of all

Since there was salt here in the sea

It was intended - you're meant for me

First love and last love,

it's always been true

I knew from the first it was you

Oh, yes, I knew from the first

(Characters laughing)

(Music finishes)

We're nearly home.

Yes.

Will you telephone me tomorrow?

- About midday?

- Mm-hm.

Good night, my darling.

(Car pulls up outside)

Is that you, Mary?

Yes.

Thank you, Steven. I enjoyed it immensely.

- Good night, Mary.

- Good night.

We can't let you go like that, Stratton.

Won't you come in?

I don't think I will, thank you.

My taxi's waiting.

Pay it off. You'll get

another at the corner.

- Come in and have a drink.

- Yes, do, Steven.

All right. I won't be a minute.

- How much do I owe you?

- Three bob on the clock.

- Thank you.

- Thank you, sir.

- Let me take your coat.

- Thank you.

Mary will join us in a minute.

I expect she's told you

I've been away in Germany and Italy.

- Yes, she did. Did you have a good trip?

- I wouldn't call it good.

I spent most of the time

with members of their governments.

- Interesting, of course.

- Must have been.

I think a taste for intrigue is

an acquired thing, don't you?

Do sit down.

- What will you have? Whisky and soda?

- Thank you very much.

Have a good evening?

Yes, fine.

Shall we have some music?

- Help yourself to a cigarette, Stratton.

- Oh, thank you.

(Mellow music on record player)

Where did you dine?

Oh, that French place with the mad waiter.

I do wish they wouldn't

keep sending us irises.

I've told them about it before.

They're so spiky and unfriendly.

- How was the show?

- Fair.

Good seats?

Very.

Sit down, darling. I'll get you a drink.

A small one.

As I was about to say when Mary came in,

the most striking thing about the German

people is their pathetic faith in themselves.

Why do you call it pathetic?

The belief of the muscular in their own

strength is always pathetic, don't you think?

Ice?

Don't get up.

Here.

Personally, Stratton, I think there's

a fault in the Teutonic mind

which shows up

whenever they have access to great power.

A sort of romantic hysteria.

Well, perhaps not romantic,

but a hysteria anyway,

which seems to convert them

from a collection of sober,

intelligent, rather

sentimental individuals...

into a dangerous mob.

A mob which can believe that a big

enough lie is not a lie at all...

...but truth.

- Steven, it's late.

- Let him finish his drink.

- Steven, please go.

- Aren't you losing your head?

- What is it?

- Howard knows we weren't at the theatre.

I see.

I'm sorry you had to find out in this way,

but I think you'd better know the truth.

Thank you.

Mary and I have always loved each other.

And we still do.

A mistake was made years ago.

And now you want to put it right?

(Music off)

You know, Stratton, it's quite a shock to find

that your wife's in love with another man.

And when you've long believed that

your marriage was happy and worthwhile,

the shock is even greater.

Steven, will you go now?

All sorts of strange ideas

come into your head.

- You even think of killing.

- Steven, please will you go now?

I... I want to talk to Howard alone.

I think Mary's right. You had better go.

- And leave you here?

- You'd better go, Steven.

I shall be all right.

Very well.

When shall I see you?

- I don't know.

- Get out!

I can't... think for the moment.

Good night, Steven.

Good night.

Well?

Taxi!

- Good morning, sir.

- Good morning.

- I'd like to see Mrs Justin.

- Will you come in, sir?

Would you mind waiting a moment, sir?

I must apologise for the state of the room.

- Good morning.

- Good morning.

I'm so sorry, Mrs Justin isn't at home.

Is there anything I can do?

- Is Mr Justin in?

- I'm afraid he's very busy.

Can I do anything?

It's a private matter and rather important.

I'm sorry, Mr Stratton.

It's quite impossible just now.

I see.

Is there any message I should give?

No. Thank you.

- Good morning, Mr Stratton.

- Good morning.

All right, let's get on.

All right, Miss Layton,

I shan't want you for a moment.

Why have you come here?

Haven't you received my wife's letter?

Yes, I have.

Did you really imagine I

wouldn't see through it?

What do you mean, exactly?

She didn't write that letter herself.

You dictated it.

Oh...

Well, didn't you?

As a matter of fact, I didn't.

Now, listen to me, Stratton.

I didn't invite you here and I didn't want

to discuss the matter with you.

But since you are here,

you're going to know my point of view.

Sit down. (Phone rings)

Hello?

No. Tell him I'll see him in New York.

And please don't put any

more calls through.

You see, if I thought you and Mary

could make any sort of a life together,

I might feel very differently about this.

But I don't think you could.

How can you possibly judge?

You say you love Mary.

Yes. I always have.

Well, you may love her,

but you don't know her. I do.

Our marriage has been very successful

until now.

It's based on freedom and understanding.

And a very deep affection.

It's the marriage Mary and I both wanted.

Your love is the romantic kind.

The kind that makes big demands.

Nearness, belonging, fulfilment.

And priority over everything else.

That isn't the kind Mary really wants.

Although you almost

persuaded her that it was.

Don't you see that you two together

are dangerous?

I'm not blaming either of you.

You can't help it

and you couldn't have changed it.

You just have to keep

away from one another.

And in future I'm going

to see to it that you do.

I see your point of view.

But it's a cold, bloodless, banker's point

of view and I don't believe a word of it.

We're human beings, not joint stock companies,

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes