The Saxon Charm Page #4

is headed for mass suicide.

And nothing is of importance

any more, except to himself.

His arrogance has become unbearable.

He cares nothing for

happiness or success.

He'd jump off a cliff if he

didn't have to climb it first.

What to do when a man deliberately works

against himself and knows he's doing it?

He knows it at the moment of the act.

It's an instant of

premeditated disaster.

He deliberately foments

ill-will amongst his fellows.

And gets kind of a

drunken elation out of it.

What do you make of that?

I understand you.

Joe Sveck .. in a way ..

He's never mastered

control over himself.

So he pretends to delight in

thwarting his fellow man.

I might have become Joe Sveck myself.

You?

I don't believe you.

My character transformation

came about when I was just a kid.

Eleven, as a matter of fact.

Until that age I was addicted to

violent rages. Even as your Joe Sveck.

I had an older brother who always seemed

to take unfair advantage of me in games.

One time, I decided I'd had

enough of his bullying.

So I jumped him and we tussled.

Until suddenly I went berserk.

There was a boy-scout hatchet nearby

and I picked it up and threw it at him.

But he ducked and it missed

his head by less than an inch.

It was razor-sharp

and going blade first.

There was a tree 2 feet behind his head.

It hit that tree and stuck for a moment.

When it fell out .. sap started

bleeding from the bark.

I'm not responsible for the

transformation in me, but ..

I've not been capable of

deep, unreasoning anger ..

Since that day.

You .. you should have grabbed

the hatchet and tried again.

That's what I would have done.

It's pretty late.

You'd better come to bed.

Well dear, I thought you were asleep.

I'll be with you in a minute.

I eavesdropped on some

of your conversation.

I discovered something about you.

Now I know why you control

your temper so well.

Oh, that.

It slipped my mind until tonight.

Is that the letter you

were writing to Saxon?

Janet.

Listen.

You don't have to explain to me.

If this is what you want to do,

go ahead and do it.

After all, I'm not the one

who has to work with you.

Hey.

You know, now and then I'm reminded

of why I married you in the first place.

Come on.

Good afternoon.

I have an appointment

with Mr Saxon at five-thirty.

I left Matt at rehearsal

a half hour ago.

He said to tell you to meet him

at the Fuss 'n' Feathers.

More changes he made

in The Barefoot Man.

How can you ever open a play with

half of it always in the typewriter?

I beg your pardon. Did you

say "Fuss 'n' Feathers"?

Yeah. That nightclub on 52nd Street.

He's meeting you there after rehearsal.

But we were going to discuss

changes on my play The Comic Spirit.

You can't do that in a nightclub.

Mr Busch .. if I was you

I'd settle for the nightclub.

Otherwise you might wind

up in a steam-room.

Hi.

Hi.

Of course you're looking for Matt,

of course he's at rehearsal.

You know, if he's working,

there's no such thing as time.

I hope he gets a hit.

I hope he gets two hits.

Oh, you're very generous

in a selfish sort of way.

Are you meeting Matt here?

Oh this is the big moment of my life.

I'm auditioning here tonight.

You didn't say anything

about it last night.

Well, I didn't know it then.

Saxon arranged it after

last night's little outburst.

The Saxon charm is always

turned on full the next day.

It's after six and Janet is

expecting me for dinner at seven.

So excuse me, I'd better call.

Well, right on time.

Nice of you to meet me here.

Where's Chris? The bartender

said he'll be along any minute.

Chris is the great God proprietor.

He's going to sit and judge Alma's act.

Well, sit down. Sit down. You're not

going to spend all evening on your feet.

I was going to call Janet.

She's expecting me for dinner.

Ask her to join us here.

She and Alma got along beautifully.

Besides, you probably owe her

an evening in a nightclub.

But if we're going to talk of the play.

Plenty of time for that, later.

Oh, please ask her. Tell her I

can use all the support I can get.

If you like, I'll phone her.

No, no. I'll call her.

Oh Matt, I'm scared stiff.

I appreciate this opportunity, but I've

never worked in a nightclub before.

Don't worry.

I'm here to see that you display your

routines to the best advantage.

Perhaps that rusty talent of

yours could stand some oil.

No dear .. he hasn't read it yet.

What I'm calling about is that

we're at the Fuss 'n' Feathers.

"Fuss 'n' Feathers". It's a nightclub.

Alma is going to have a trial here, then

we have dinner and discuss the play.

Oh, no thanks.

It's a business meeting, really.

I think I'd enjoy my dinner more, here.

Alma is very anxious to have you.

And I think Saxon wants to

make amends for last night.

Give him another chance, honey. For me.

Alright .. just this once.

As long as Alma is there.

Yes.

"Fuss 'n' Feathers."

That's alright. The cab driver

will know. See you soon, dear.

Mrs Busch. I'm amazed by your ability to

do a stunning entrance at short notice.

It was nothing. I shoved the dinner to

the back of the stove and took a bath.

You're just in time.

Hi, chum. He means

just in time for nothing.

Oh yes, and this is Chris.

Last name mercifully forgotten.

He owns everything as far

as the eye can see here.

Mrs Busch.

Chris, is it okay to start?

Sure, anytime.

Remember, I'm better

in front of an audience.

Oh yeah, I understand.

Ah, a two-bar introduction.

"I'm in the mood for love."

Wait a minute, wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

What's the matter, Matt?

Do something with that, will you?

Don't just sing a number.

Make a scene of it.

Take advantage of the fact

that you're in a nightclub.

Use it as you would a set.

Critics will say you've a masterpiece of

realism here if you put it on a stage.

You've got dozens of props around you.

Bus-boys, waiters, drunks, customers.

Put them in the act. They'll love it.

Your number starts up there.

The whole place is dark.

You pick her up with an overhead spot.

But Mr Saxon, we haven't

got a spot up there. We can't.

Well rig one, so that you can.

Forget the beat and follow her.

No, no, no. Don't stand there

like a sculptor's nightmare.

Here. Your number

starts here at the bar.

Has this thing got a verse?

Oh Matt, no-one sings verses anymore.

That's old-fashioned.

Nothing that is good and has

a purpose is old-fashioned.

I'll settle for 50 percent of the verse.

First eight bars.

"Lovely interlude, most romantic mood."

Sing it to the man next to you.

"And your attitude is right, dear."

Now the other side.

"While you have me under your spell."

"I'm in the mood for love."

Now to both of them.

"Simply because you're near me."

"Funny, but when you're near me."

"I'm in the mood for .."

You. Come here.

"For Love."

"Heaven is in your eyes."

Have him here every night.

"Bright as the stars we're under."

"Or is it any wonder."

"I'm in the mood for love."

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