The Star Page #3

Faithless wasn't so bad.

No, it wasn't so bad. It's only

the worst picture ever made, that's all.

It even bored those poor guys who hadn't

had any entertainment in six months.

When it was over, the gunnery officer came

up to me, and he said, real suspicious-like:

"Hey, chief. You any relation to that jerk?

You kind of look like him."

I'm sure glad I was wearing a beard

in those days. Why, if they'd ever found...

Go ahead, eat.

- I don't want anything.

- So you spent a night in the clink.

Eat your breakfast. It's paid for.

Here, give it to me.

There was nothing I could do. After they

read the papers, they changed the lock.

Don't tell anyone, but I managed to get out

some of your clothes.

Thank you. You're very kind.

I'm not kind, but I like to think

I'm a human being.

Thank you.

Where to?

Isn't this the end of the line?

- You must have plenty of friends.

- Sure. I'm the perfect guest.

Who wouldn't be happy to have me?

Get in.

This is it.

Right after the war,

I got title to this place...

...with the help of a GI loan.

Always wanted my own business.

Better than getting up in the morning...

...and having some character

slap makeup on your puss.

This was a sail loft before I fixed it up.

One thing about having a shipyard,

you can do these things for free.

I picked up a lot of these things

while I was going to sea.

What am I going to do?

Get any sleep last night?

With all that howling?

One of them was full of hop...

...and two of them got into a brawl.

Get yourself some sleep.

I'll have my lawyer square things at court.

I've got a lot of things to do.

I can't think.

I can't think.

Of course you can't.

I shouldn't be here.

There's something I've got to do.

I can't remember.

I'll be out in the yard if you need anything.

Hello, Peggy.

Peggy, did Gretchen read the paper?

Well, thanks.

Thanks. That was very nice of you.

What?

Oh, those nasty kids.

But you told her, didn't you?

You told her it wasn't true?

Well... Well, thanks.

Thanks for trying.

I'm all right.

I'd like to speak to her, Peggy.

I promise I won't upset her.

I want to talk to her, Peggy,

you've got to let me talk to her.

All right.

Hello, darling.

This is Mother.

How are you?

Sweetie. Sweetie, you didn't fall for

what those kids said, did you?

No, it was just a publicity stunt. Mother...

Mother was at the jail getting atmosphere

for her new picture.

Yes, I know what the papers said, but...

The reporters were all wrong.

You know how reporters are.

Of course it isn't true, Gretchen.

You know how policemen love me.

Remember that nice patrolman

at Bel Air...

...who used to come and see me

every Christmas Eve?

And I let you give him a present?

Well, why don't you play hooky

from camp for a few days...

...and let them gossip all they want to.

You know gossip doesn't hurt us.

Goodbye, darling.

All right. See you soon.

- You shouldn't talk to anybody till you rest.

- Are you a doctor or something?

Something.

You're gonna stay here a few days

until this blows over.

Then we'll decide where you're going.

Going, going, gone.

Come on, Margaret. Snap out of it.

Why don't you grab yourself a shower

and get cleaned up.

Then come on down and get some fresh air.

I don't see why you're so kind to me.

I'll tell you one day.

You know, this is a sweet little motor.

But it's in here for repairs

at least once a week.

Owner can't just let it purr

like it's made to.

He's gotta keep her going

wide open all the time.

Would you hand me that wrench?

Right there beside you. The wrench.

Thanks.

Remember that scene in

Vacation for a Lady...

...where I was snowed-in

in the forest ranger's cabin?

So?

Well, so this reminds me of it.

I was running from the ski resort because

I didn't wanna marry Ralph Bellows.

Ralph always played the rich,

stuffy second lead.

I was lost in the blizzard

and stumbled into a cabin, half dead.

It was a terrible-looking place.

Untidy, the dishes unwashed.

Thanks.

I didn't mean that. I meant the mood.

The lady. That was me.

- And the poor young man.

- Was me.

No, no. Clark Spencer.

Are you sure you never saw it?

I've seen it a thousand times.

It made 4 and a half million.

- You know all I ever got out of it?

- What?

Hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

I feel very, very sorry for you.

Would you hold this for me?

- What for?

- I've only got two hands.

Just lift up on it.

Do you mind?

Why should I mind?

You know something

I always remembered about you?

What?

Your perfume.

- What was it?

- Desire Me.

The most expensive perfume in the world.

The names they think up.

- Maybe that's where some of it went.

- What?

Your dough.

I'll tell you exactly where it went.

I was on top.

Put my name on the marquee of any

theater, there'd be a line around the block.

But I was sick of the tripe

they forced me to play.

I read how you hollered about that.

So I put my own money

into three wonderful pictures.

The big companies wouldn't give me

a decent release...

...so I lost everything.

They said I was box-office poison.

You wouldn't be bitter or anything?

Wouldn't you?

Maybe. Maybe not.

Margaret.

Did you ever figure it might be you

who gave yourself a dirty deal?

- What kind of double talk is that?

- Well, it just doesn't add up.

If your name on a marquee

makes people shovel in their quarters...

...then why isn't it there now?

They juggled the books.

They said all my independent pictures

were flops.

Of course, they lied.

I got tremendous fan mail,

and believe me...

...you don't win an Academy Award

for nothing.

All right. Skip it.

I don't understand the picture business.

They won't give me a chance anymore.

You're confusing what was

with what is.

That's why you got drunk last night

and tried to kill yourself.

Me, kill myself?

If I were gonna kill myself,

I'd rip the lid off this town first.

Look at it this way, Margaret.

You've had a sleigh ride.

It was swell while it lasted.

Now it's over.

It's not over. It'll never be over.

And now for a five-minute summary

of the latest headline.

Beverly Hills, California.

Margaret Elliot, famed Hollywood star who

was arrested last night for drunk driving...

... gave the arresting officer...

Since she was released on bail,

efforts to locate her...

... have been without avail.

Where she is, nobody knows.

Reporters are at present checking

a report that she is visiting a...

I think I'll tell that announcer

the real story.

Margaret Elliot is the guest

of Jim Johannsen...

...wet nurse to sick boats.

Spending a glamorous holiday...

...with a mechanic

who bought her for 250 dollars' bail.

What did you say?

You know, I just figured it out.

- What?

- Why you bailed me out.

If that's what you've figured, you're wrong.

Well, that's why the heavy bailed me out in

a very successful film called Night Court.

Can't you ever think

beyond a script?

- The truth makes the man mad.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes