Torch Song Trilogy Page #3

Synopsis: Tony Award-winning actor and playwright Harvey Fierstein re-creates his role as the unsinkable Arnold Beckoff in this film adaptation of the smash Broadway play TORCH SONG TRILOGY. A very personal story that is both funny and poignant, TORCH SONG TRILOGY chronicles a New Yorker's search for love, respect and tradition in a world that seems not especially made for him. From Arnold's hilarious steps toward domestic bliss with a reluctant school teacher, to his first truly promising love affair with a young fashion model, Arnold's greatest challenge remains his complicated relationship with his mother. But armed with a keenly developed sense of humor and oftentimes piercing wit, Arnold continues to test the commonly accepted terms of endearment--and endurance--in a universally affecting story that confirms that happiness is well worth carrying a torch for.
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Director(s): Paul Bogart
Production: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
  1 win & 3 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.7
Rotten Tomatoes:
72%
R
Year:
1988
120 min
2,395 Views


I'm glad to meet you.

He's told me | all about you.

I've got to run now.

Allergies, i should | have my head examined.

Um, just...

Arnold, arnold.

Don't pretend | i never told you

About my relationships | with women.

I thought you meant | like sisters and aunts.

That's not funny.

You are really | dragging me | over the coals!

Why should i | be the only one here

With a barbecued ass?

Look, arnold! | I am not like you!

Being gay | is what you are.

I'm not happy | living in a ghetto | of gay bars.

We've never done that.

I need to be proud.

How can sleeping | with a woman | make you proud

If you know | you'd rather | be with a man?

There's no you | to respect!

I don't see | your self-Respect.

Want to see | my self-Respect?

Here! Here's | my self-Respect!

But not for me?

The lucky stars above?

But not for me?

With love | to lead the way?

Hi. Can i buy | you a drink?

Oh, f*** off!

I was a fool to fall?

And get that way?

Oh, i'm sorry.

Excuse me. | Pardon me.

Sorry.

Hi. My name's arnold.

It's my fault, | i'm sure.

Oh, my god!

[Unzips zipper]

What am i gonna do... | with the beer can?

Well, at least i don't

Have to cook | him breakfast.

And with | all the promotions,

Mine can't be | far off.

How about | a nice girl?

He'll find one | when he's ready.

They don't come | along every day.

You tell 'em.

I picked a beautiful | girl to be your mother.

You tell 'em.

You want | some rice pudding?

No, ma.

Nothing | for me, ma.

Piece of cake?

I'm full.

So what's with | you, arnold?

I'm not seeing ed | anymore.

I meant work.

You call that work?

Betty, the boy | has to find | himself.

So let him | find himself.

I'd love a piece | of cheesecake.

Go to junior's.

Can you use | some money?

I'm fine, dad.

Just till you're | on your feet.

I'm on my feet, daddy.

Yeah, in 6-Inch heels. | Some big shot!

Excuse me.

They don't mean | anything, you know?

Then why | embarrass me | like that?

I make more | than daddy does.

They have trouble | understanding, | that's all.

There isn't anything | they wouldn't do for you.

Don't be mad at them.

I'm not mad. | I'm jealous.

You realize, | in all the years

That they've | been married,

The only time they | were ever separated

Was when ma went | into the hospital

For that operation?

And what | did daddy do?

He slept on a chair | in the living room.

He wouldn't even | get into bed | without her.

And the way | they always | made us feel,

Like we were the two | most important,

Smartest, | most talented,

Handsomest...

And it kills me | to think

That they look at me

And wonder | what they did wrong.

In all my born days,

And there have been plenty,

I never met | a real bisexual.

Please, not in front | of you-Know-Who.

I'm not listening.

I'd like to see | a bisexual

Who lived with | his boyfriend

And then saw his | girlfriend on the sly.

[Knock on door]

Is arnold beckoff--

You dant to | give them room?

[Speaking spanish]

Right. Come on.

Bet you | never thought

You'd see me | again, huh?

Hi.

You look terrific.

Really.

You've lost | a little weight, i see.

I'm sorry.

I guess, you're still | pretty angry, huh?

No, i'm not | still angry.

This here's | brand-New.

What are you | doin' here?

I just wanted | to talk.

Five months ago, | you checked out,

But at least | when you left, you left.

I told you that | i wanted us to be friends.

You mean a lot to me.

Don't get cute | with me, huh?

Maybe i shouldn't | have come,

But as long as | the harm's done,

Can't i just talk to you | until you're finished?

It's important | to me.

Just sit down.

So how's | your sex life?

It's great.

As good as with me?

Arnold, | i'm not so sure

That the sex we had | was always as good for me

As it was for you.

Sometimes it got | a little too | out of control.

And that's bad?

It's not | what i want.

It's funny...

That's what | i pray for.

I thought about | you a lot this summer.

A couple times, | i almost called you.

I even picked up | the phone once.

Yeah, so | what happened?

Well, uh, | i couldn't.

I love her, arnold.

Oh, um, i had | a dream last night

That i want | to tell you about.

I mean, you like | that sort of stuff.

Anyway, um, i was--

I dreamt i was | at my parent's house,

And i got a rag,

And i soaked it | in turpentine,

Put it inside | a plastic bag,

And put the bag | over my head.

Um...

Anyway, the phone | woke me in the morning.

It was laurel.

Half of me's | listening to her.

The other half's | trying to figure out | this dream.

I felt dizzy, | so i went back to bed,

And there | on the pillow is...

You know, | the plastic bag...

With the | turpentine-Soaked rag.

Um...

I couldn't | tell anyone--

You know--

Anybody about it.

I'm...

A little scared.

So what--Do you got | your car with you?

Yeah, um...

Do you want me | to drive you home?

Um, why don't you | get the car,

And i'll meet you | out front?

Oh.

So what now, huh?

Look. If i take him back now, | knowing all i do,

Maybe i can | make it work...

With a little | understanding.

Maybe a shrink.

I could just let him | drive me home,

And then i could say, | "the next time

"You feel you have to | say i love you to someone,

Say it to yourself | and see if you believe it."

That would go over his head.

I think it | went over mine.

I could | sneak out the back

And leave him | waitin' out in the cold.

If i start in again,

Who's to say he's not gonna | keep this sh*t up, right?

I don't know.

Maybe it's what i want.

Maybe he's treating me | just the way i want him to.

What if it's me using him

To give me that | tragic torch singer status

I admire so in others?

Wouldn't that be a kick | in the rubber parts?

I love him.

What are you gonna do?

But do i love him enough?

What i?

This is enough.

Enough.

D? | ? A?

M? | ? E?

Dame?

Woo! | Woo!

I love | a line of beautiful?

Dames?

[Pop pop pop]

Yay! | Yay!

Oh, weren't they | wonderful, boys and girls?

Yeah!

Yay!

Especially the boys!

[As mae west] | oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!

The last time i saw | a basket like that,

It was around | red riding hood's arm!

Oh!

One more time.

Oh!

I'll see you around,

And i'll | see you around.

Hey, where's bette?

Bette?

Darling, i don't do bette | without a cigarette.

Over here!

Oh, you mean bette | as baby jane hudson?

Yay! | Yay!

Yay! | Yay!

[As bette davis] | blanche!

You didn't eat | your din-Din,

So someone else is gonna | eat your christmas puddin'.

Who's gonna eat | my christmas balls?

How rude!

You have a high voice | for a lesbian.

And now, | ladies and gentlemen,

It gives me | great pleasure

To bring you | the supreme artiste--

F*** the artiste! | Bring on the freaks!

Did your mother | have any children that lived?

Thank you, darling,

And now, | ladies and gentlemen,

And nasty little boys,

I want to present | the queen of the torch song,

Our very own | virginia hamm!

Yay! | Yay!

When the only sound | on the empty street?

Is the heavy tread?

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Harvey Fierstein

Harvey Forbes Fierstein (born June 6, 1954) is an American actor, playwright, and voice actor. Fierstein has won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his own play Torch Song Trilogy (about a gay drag-performer and his quest for true love and family) and the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for playing Edna Turnblad in Hairspray. He also wrote the book for the musical La Cage aux Folles, for which he won the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical, and wrote the book for the Tony Award-winning Kinky Boots. He was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2007. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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