The Star Page #4

- Margaret, don't go on.

Or perhaps you were always

in love with me? Is that it?

Lots of men have been, and you're a man.

And I once thought you were a woman.

But I was wrong.

You're nothing but a career.

And when you've said that,

you've said it all.

Then you were in love with me.

I suppose I was.

I thought you were the greatest.

And now?

You wouldn't want to hear that.

Just listen to your ego.

It's all you have left.

- Good evening.

- Good evening.

- Could I have some sleeping pills?

- Your prescription, please?

I'm afraid I haven't any prescription.

I can't sell you sleeping pills

without a doctor's prescription, lady.

What a bore...

...when all I need is a good night's sleep.

Couldn't you...?

Excuse me.

Jim, I stole this.

I never stole anything before in my life.

Jim, what's gotten into me?

You're all mixed-up.

But I don't need perfume.

Nobody needs perfume!

- I'll pay for it tomorrow.

- What's the matter with me?

That's a mighty good question.

Going, going, gone.

No. No, you're not.

You know something is the matter,

and that's the first step.

What am I going to do, Jim?

Tell me what to do.

Well, I think we'll go sailing tomorrow.

You've got time to go sailing

and take your kid.

What's she like now? Your kid, I mean.

How can you tell what a kid's like?

Here.

Blow.

I'm sorry about the things I said.

Forget it.

I'm sorry about a lot of things.

Who isn't?

You thought I was doing you a favor...

...when I forced them to give you the lead

in Faithless, didn't you?

You were.

I'm going to be perfectly honest with you.

I wanted to show Charles Humphrey.

- Humphrey? What's he got to do with it?

- I wanted him for the picture...

...and he balked.

I heard that he said

he wouldn't play horse to my Godiva.

And it made me mad.

And I swore I'd pick out

the very first man I saw...

...and make him a bigger star

than Charlie ever was.

And I was the first man.

Next day, I was down by the pool,

and I heard someone yell.

I looked up on the roof, and there you were

with a hammer, cursing your head off.

I'd just banged my finger.

And I called, "Hey, mister,

come down here a minute."

- Remember?

- Yeah.

You were really something

in that blue outfit.

Really?

I'd never seen anybody like you in my life.

So you see, you don't owe me a thing.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

Bail for a favor.

Margaret,

that's not the way real people live.

It isn't.

Here.

Might as well use it.

Jim, couldn't you take it back to the man?

Tell him that I picked it up by mistake.

And tell him that...

That's funny.

It hasn't any odor.

Where did this come from?

From a little drugstore near the theater,

on top of the counter.

It must have been a display bottle.

It's nothing but colored water.

Colored water?

Well, when you grabbed it,

you thought it was real.

It's the story of your life, isn't it?

Jim, look at the big fish.

It's jumping out of the water!

That's an old friend of mine.

I call him Rover.

Rover? What a name for a fish.

Be careful, Gretchen. If you fell over...

She won't. She's a good sailor.

Am I?

Mother, did you hear what Jim said?

- Jim said I was a good sailor.

- I heard.

If I am a good sailor, can I steer?

Why, sure. Man the tiller.

We're gonna change course now.

When we do, the first

thing we yell is, "Coming about!"

Jam the tiller way over there. That's it.

Watch your head, Margaret.

Gee, that was fun. Can we do it again?

And can I say it?

- Why not?

- Now?

All right. Now.

- That's it. Way over.

- Coming about!

We forgot to say "duck."

- You know what?

- What?

I haven't heard the word "Hollywood"

all day.

You see that horizon?

Beyond it,

there's 6000 miles of open ocean.

It's got a life all its own.

Back here in the city,

a million men...

...fight to make a buck so they can eat

and fight some more.

Aren't you fighting like the rest of them?

To make a buck?

We've all gotta eat.

You know, it's funny. I was just thinking.

Sailors are a lot like actors.

With them, it's always the next ship,

the next voyage.

With actors, it's the next part,

the next picture.

Always chasing rainbows.

Aren't you chasing rainbows?

I used to chase them. All around the world.

You're still chasing them

all over Hollywood.

Margaret, if you can forget that rat race

for one day...

You mean, give up my career?

It's no disgrace to be through in pictures.

You've got a lifetime ahead of you.

What will you do with it?

But what else is there for me?

You could go into real estate...

...or start a restaurant

or even be a saleslady.

But, Jim, I've never done anything but act.

All right, act. Play it like another part

at first. Give a performance.

I wouldn't know where to begin.

What are the names of some of those

fancy stores up at Beverly Hills?

Not Magnin's, not Saks.

Have everybody gloat over me?

Have everybody say

"There is Margaret Elliot."

No, thanks.

Well, then, get out of Beverly Hills.

That's not the world.

Long Beach has stores. Glendale. Pasadena.

And, it may surprise you, people too.

It's wonderful to hear you laugh again.

It's chilly.

I'll wake Gretchen up.

Wake up, darling.

We're in.

All right, let's try it again.

What's your name?

Margaret Morgan.

I suppose that's my real name too.

Miss or missus?

Well, which do you think is best?

I think missus. Husband deceased.

Experience?

Four and a half years at

Marshall Field's... in Lingerie.

Margaret.

You're okay.

And if you get the job, we'll celebrate.

I'll bet I know a place you've never been.

Fine. Won't you come in, please?

Name, please.

Margaret Morgan.

That's funny.

Your voice... You look like her too.

She's a movie star.

Margaret Elliot.

I get that all the time.

People have even come up

and asked me for her autograph.

Married or single?

Widowed.

My husband was killed in the war at Anzio.

- I'm sorry.

- Thank you.

Experience?

Well, I've had four and a half years

at Marshall Field's.

In Lingerie.

I think I'd like to have you

talk to our Mr. Cartwright, in Lingerie.

Marshall Field's.

That's good background.

Yes, I thought you would think so.

The young lady will show you

to Mr. Cartwright's office.

Thank you.

Here you are.

Jim, look. See that little sad-faced one?

That's our Mr. Cartwright.

I did have one bad moment when he said

he had once worked at Marshall Field's.

- You ever been in Marshall Field's?

- What else is there to do in Chicago...

...except take a bath at the Blackstone

or go to Marshall Field's?

He didn't ask to see references.

I had the most wonderful references.

After my husband was killed,

I had to sell the car.

They were left in

the glove compartment.

And the people who bought it

just disappeared from the face of the earth.

I gave one of my best performances

for that little baboon.

Listen to that sea lion.

Sounds like my brother-in-law.

What do you suppose they think about?

I wonder where people live

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