The Star

I've got $ 15, folks.

Fifteen dollars has been offered.

Do I hear 20? Do I hear 20?

Fifteen once, 15 twice.

Going, going, gone!

And now this beautiful vase.

What are my offers?

- One dollar.

- One dollar?

You don't seem to realize, mister...

...this stuff didn't just belong to

a nobody. It belonged to Margaret Elliot...

...one of the most glamorous, exciting

actresses that ever hit the silver screen.

She was your favorite movie star.

You stood in line to see her latest picture.

She made you laugh. She made you cry.

You were secretly in love with her.

Show Margaret Elliot

you haven't forgotten her.

And now, ladies and gentlemen,

what are my offers?

- Two dollars.

- Going, going, gone.

Maggie. You shouldn't be here.

What are you doing with that?

Phyllis always thought it was so beautiful,

and someone was gonna buy it.

Do you mind?

Why should I mind?

Buy out the whole place if you want.

- Be a scavenger. Pick my bones.

- Maggie...

Don't touch me

with your 10-percent hands.

Always reaching and grasping,

playing cozy with all the producers.

- You can do anything but get me a picture.

- Maggie.

Harry Stone, the great big star-maker.

The gentleman agent. My friend.

I am your friend.

I know. I know.

Come on, let's get a cup of coffee.

Going, going, gone.

Well, folks, what will it be?

- Maggie?

- Just a coffee.

- Make it two, please.

- Alrighty.

I saw in Louella's column that Joe Morrison

is going to produce The Fatal Winter.

Yes, so did I.

Well?

Oh, sure, you had an option

on that once, didn't you?

I love that book.

It could've been written for me.

The ending is horrible,

but I could give him my ideas.

Harry, go to Joe.

One good picture is all I need.

Maggie, I hate to say this, but

you're going to have to face a few facts.

I've faced the facts for three years,

and they're not pretty.

Telephoning directors

that I put in this business...

...and they're not phoning back.

Walking into restaurants, they say,

"Hi, Maggie," and keep right on talking.

Drink your coffee, Maggie.

They can't put me out to pasture.

Not me.

I was a star, Harry.

That's right,

and you won an Academy Award.

Maggie, I've been your friend

for a long, long time, and I love you.

But there's no denying

that fresh, dewy quality...

Well, something else takes its place.

Perhaps you could suggest how one keeps

that dewy quality in this town.

I know it's tough,

but that's what the public wants.

That new kid of mine's got it.

Barbara Lawrence.

Barbara Lawrence?

Joe Morrison signed her last week...

...and he's certainly got his finger

on the box-office pulse.

Look, Harry.

Would you go to Joe Morrison?

Tell him how much I love

The Fatal Winter.

Perhaps that would impress him.

One good part would put me back

just where I was.

More coffee?

Besides, Harry, I'm desperate for money.

I won't get anything from the auction.

That will all go to the creditors.

- I was won...

- I don't know how to explain...

...to the company

if I advanced you more money.

- You're into us now for thousands.

- Perhaps the company's bookkeeper...

...could refresh your memory as to the total

amount of the 10 percent to the company.

Forty thousand dollars

a year alone.

I've tried to help you,

but it hasn't done any good.

Sooner or later, we're right back

where we started, saying the same things.

Will that be all, folks?

Just the check, please.

Aren't you Margaret Elliot?

Yes, I am.

That's what I told Bill back there.

I said, "Bill, that looks like Margaret

Elliot," and he bet me you wasn't.

Well, you tell him he lost.

You see? The public remembers.

Well, thanks for nothing.

Maggie.

John Morgan must've cost you plenty

when you were married to him.

Now that those Westerns of his

are cleaning up...

You mean ask John for money?

Haven't you heard he's putting his savings

into a trust fund for the wife and kiddies?

Just a suggestion.

Don't you think I have any pride?

- Hello, Anita.

- Miss Elliot.

I know it's late,

but I must see Mr. Morgan.

Mother! Mother!

Gretchen.

Why, Gretchen, you're still awake.

That's all right, Anita,

I'll see that she gets back to bed.

My, you look beautiful.

I have the most beautiful mother

in the whole world.

And I love the way

you're doing your hair.

- I bet you had a fight with your boyfriend.

- l...

I did not. I fell out of a tree.

But, darling,

girls don't climb trees.

Well, I won't anymore.

My six months with Daddy

was up on the 17th.

I was wondering

when you'd come for me.

But you're happy here, aren't you, darling?

I like it, all right. Of course,

Ronnie and Jennifer get in my hair.

They're such babies.

You did come for me, didn't you?

lt'll only take a minute

to get dressed and pack.

Where are we living now?

That's it.

Mother has a tiny apartment.

I don't care.

I just wanna be with you.

But Mother's gone most of the day.

- Well, where are you most of the day?

- At Mother's studio.

Mother,

I've got to ask you something.

Darling, not right now. Wait until

I've had a chance to talk to your father.

But he's on location,

and it's something very important.

Margaret, won't you come down?

- Hello, Peggy.

- lf you go down, can I go down?

Look, monkey, you should be asleep.

But I'm not sleepy,

and I won't go to sleep for hours. Please.

No, no, no, darling.

- You go up. I'll tuck you in later.

- All right.

What brings you here this time, Margaret?

Can I get you anything? A drink?

- Anything?

- No. No, thank you.

If it's about Gretchen...

...she can stay on with us

indefinitely.

She's a delightful child.

Our kids adore her.

Thanks.

John calls me every day from Arizona.

I could tell him anything.

No. No, thank you.

Is it money?

Do you want more from John?

More money?

I never asked Johnny for money.

He's given you $2500

over the past two years.

Well, I gave him $25,000

when I divorced him so he could marry you.

- I dare say you didn't know that.

- He has no secrets from me.

He kept plenty of secrets from me.

That's a crack, I suppose.

You threw yourself at him.

You batted those eyes and told him

what a great big wonderful man he was.

You told him how bad I was for him,

that I was too busy with my career...

...that what he needed was a real wife.

- Pure soap opera. He fell for it.

- Because it happened to be the truth.

His name was Morgan.

He didn't like being Mr. Elliot.

Living in Miss Elliot's house,

entertaining Miss Elliot's guests.

Why, he wasn't even Miss Elliot's husband.

He was her lover by appointment.

When she wasn't too tired

or afraid to muss her hair.

Well, I think we've had our talk.

Forgive me.

You deserved to lose him, Margaret.

I've made him happy

because I've let him be Mr. Morgan.

Thank you very much

for the inside story.

Mother, you promised.

I can only stay a minute, dear.

We'll catch it

if we wake up Ronnie and Jennifer.

All right. Jump in.

You remember.

There's something I have to ask you.

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