Torch Song Page #3

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There's no reason why it shouldn't, Jenny,

if you'll just let it.

Don't you think you better run

the whole number?

No. No more dancing before lunch.

Well, we've still got half an hour.

How about "Two-Faced Woman"?

Okay.

You think you know "Two-Faced Woman"

well enough to run through it?

I know every note.

Wait a minute. I thought you said you

went over these arrangements with Charlie.

- I did.

- Then what happened to the tempo?

I made a slight retard.

- You were singing beautifully, but I...

- Look, Mr. Graham.

You've been hired

to help me rehearse only.

The arrangements have been set.

When this show opens, there will be

26 competent musicians in that pit.

So stop auditioning on my time.

It seemed a bit fast to me

so my right hand slowed down.

- It has a mind of its own.

- Then sit on it.

Shall we try it again? The right way?

I was trying to,

but I can do it your way...

Just a minute!

- Now I have to argue with a dog.

- Easy, Duchess.

She's not used to loud voices.

If she expects to stay around here,

she'd better get used to them.

Jenny.

Come here a minute.

Jenny, I've never lied to you

and I won't now.

Honey, you're making a mistake.

You don't expect me

to take any more of this.

Why don't you listen to him?

His idea of that song was better than yours.

Well, I don't happen to like it.

I don't like it a bit.

As a matter of fact,

I don't happen to like him.

He's showing off and I hate show-offs.

Time to get his own spotlight.

He's not gonna have mine.

I can't work with him, Joe.

Get it over with.

Okay.

Okay, I'll fire him.

All right, everybody, lunch.

Hurry it up.

And don't be too late coming back.

Porterhouse okay?

Yeah.

We could use that energy

when you're working.

- Bye.

- I'll see you at lunchtime.

Okay, say it.

Say it was a lousy thing to do.

I don't care.

You ought to get over that habit

of throwing things.

- Someday you'll throw a boomerang.

- Well, how can you work with a man of...?

Who can't even see what you're doing?

He doesn't even know what I look like.

He has no business in this business.

Maybe he had no business

being in the war.

Joe, I have very broad shoulders.

But not broad enough

for the whole world to cry on.

All right, Jenny.

Someday you may need a shoulder

to cry on yourself.

Only it won't be there.

- What will it take to get Charlie back?

- I can't get him back.

Give him whatever he wants.

I can't. He wants something

I don't have the power to offer him.

- What's that?

- A new leading lady.

Then let him starve.

Hi, Jenny.

- So long, Tye. Let me hear from you.

- Yes, I will.

I'll be right back.

Well, I did it. I didn't like it, but I did it.

I'll call Charlie and ask him to come back

for the good old "good of the show. "

He's sentimental. Maybe it'll work.

Offer him 600 and free treatments

with his psychiatrist.

Miss Stewart.

- Yes?

Won't you sit down?

I get you fired and you invite me

to sit down with you?

Don't worry, I won't have to sell pencils.

Sit down, please, won't you?

All right, I will.

Now what?

- Ahem. I'm a little puzzled by you.

- There's no mystery about me.

It's been rumored

that I'm rather brutally frank.

It's also been rumored

that you're pretty and talented.

You can get people to do what you want

without hitting first and asking afterwards.

This business has its own rules.

You either hit first or get hit.

If anybody's to be kicked,

it's not going to be you, is that it?

That's the world's oldest

and smartest philosophy.

And the reason we had to make laws

and establish religions.

The subject's too serious for me

to take on an empty stomach.

- Wai...

- Waiter. Menu, please.

Did, uh? Ahem.

Did you ever hear of defense mechanism?

You mean like a girdle?

All right, we'll drop the serious talk.

No, when the talk's about me

I'll buy a ticket.

Yes, ma'am.

- Lobster Newberg and coffee.

- On my check, please.

Yes, sir.

- Go on.

Well, ahem...

...you're scared.

Me?

- Of what?

- Well, it's...

...of being weak and vulnerable

to criticism. Like anybody else.

You're like the kid who went fishing

for perch and caught a whale.

He knew if he hung on to the rod,

he'd drown.

But if he let go, all the other kids

would say that he was yellow.

So there he was with a whale

on the end of his line.

Big second-act curtain.

What did he do for the third act?

Well, someone with common sense...

...and compassion for human weakness

came along and cut the line for him.

You're not scared of anything, huh?

Oh, no, no, no.

I don't conform to pattern.

I live in an ivory tower.

- Ivory towers can be lonely.

- Oh, I'm not alone.

No, but you will be

if you keep that dog around.

Look at her. She's still itching

to take a bite out of me.

Why don't you get yourself

a nice seeing-eye girl?

Sorry.

I warned you I hit first,

but not usually quite that low.

- It's all right, forget it.

Pardon me.

- Ahem. May I have my check, please?

- Yes, sir.

I don't think that seeing-eye girl idea

would quite work out.

No? Why not?

Well, women have to be told

how much you love the color of their hair...

...and how much you love

the color of their eyes.

Women need admiration.

More than food and drink,

women need admiration.

With you,

I bet they'd sure have to sweat for it.

No.

But admiration given away free

is valueless.

But admiration earned

has a lasting quality about it.

- Your check, sir.

- Thank you very much.

- Goodbye, Miss Stewart.

- What else did Charlie tell you about me?

Well...

...he said that you had

a sensational figure...

...but that you throw it about

like a burlesque queen.

He said you had beautiful legs...

...but they always walked

in the wrong direction.

And?

He said that your mouth belonged

to an angel...

...but the words that came out of it

were pure tramp.

The next time you see Charlie Maylor...

...tell him to take those 88 keys,

black and white, one by one...

Stop it, Jenny.

Do you think if I believed one word

that he said...

...I'd have told you?

I'll be seeing you.

Sorry, Mr. Graham.

I didn't expect you home.

And you caught me sleeping.

Next time,

I'll try not to let you catch me. Sorry.

Didn't I tell you never to say sorry?

Yes, Mr. Graham, I'm so...

I almost said sorry. How about a drink?

Yes, make it a double, please.

- You had a short rehearsal.

- Uh-huh.

- I got fired.

- Fired?

Yes, I'm afraid I made a bad investment.

Two weeks salary, a thousand dollars.

Roundtrip ticket to Cuba, $200.

Well, someone will have a good time

on the money at least.

Yes, Charlie Maylor.

May I be so bold as to ask,

was it worth it?

- I don't know.

- Too bad.

There are no wise and comforting words

of Confucius to cover this situation.

- Aren't there other Chinese philosophers?

- Only my grandfather.

He always say,

"The easy ones are no fun. "

- Angry?

- No.

I was rude, wasn't I?

A little.

It was a dull party.

People like that can waste your life away.

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