Presenting Lily Mars (1943) Movie Script
1
[instrumental music]
[music continues]
[music continues]
[horn squeaks]
[piano music]
Hello, Charlie.
So be it, Ms. Lily Mars.
Have your old career.
Go to New York City!
Go on the stage!
All I got to say
is good luck and goodbye!
[doll squeaks]
Aah!
Ah.
- Good morning, Charlie.
- Good morning.
Oh.
[doll squeaks]
Aah!
[grunts]
[doorbell ringing]
- Hello, Charlie.
- I forgot my hat.
- Got any more bubblegum?
- No.
[piano music]
Oh, Lily! Charlie's back!
- Lily, Charlie's back already!
- Shh..
- Alright..
- Lily! Ms. Lily!
No, no, I don't wanna see her!
I just want my hat!
[indistinct yelling]
- Oh, it's not here.
- 'Ms. Lily..'
Davey, have you seen my hat?
I don't collect hats.
I collect doorknobs.
Ain't she a beauty?
Oh, Lily! Charlie's back!
I am not! I am not!
Oh, there it is.
- Oh, excuse me.
- Hello, Charlie.
- Look, mama.
- Oh, you got it. It's lovely.
Davey, get me the top for this.
- Well, goodbye, Mrs. Mars.
- Goodbye, Charlie.
I'll be sorry not to see you
again, Mrs. Mars.
Oh, now, now, Charlie.
People shouldn't be mad
at people. Goodbye, Charlie.
Charles.
Hey, Charlie, wait for me!
Never again, you, you
actress!
[sighing]
Oh..
[sighs]
Poor Charles.
He's so young.
So very young.
And it hurts me to hurt him
but, ugh, what can I do?
[chuckles]
- Mama?
- Oh, go on, dear.
I'm not laughing at you.
I like to see you act.
[chuckles]
- Mother.
- Oh, now, I'm not mother.
I'm mama, and here's the hat
for Mrs. Thornway.
Davey, where's the top to this?
Here it is, mama.
Lily, can I go to
Mrs. Thornway's house with ya?
No, Davey dear.
Her doorknobs might tempt you.
Oh, they already have.
- Lily, please take me.
- No.
Well, then, could you sort
of maybe get one for me?
Of course not.
Oh, but they're
such super-dupers.
- Alright.
- Here you are, dear.
Mama, I may not be back
for quite some time
but when I do come back, I may
have a big surprise for you.
- Mm.
- That's for luck.
- Good luck, dear.
- Thank you.
- Good luck, Lily.
- Thank you. Bye!
Goodbye.
[sighs]
- Good morning, Ms. Lily.
- Good morning, Andrew.
I've brought
Mrs. Thornway's hat.
- I'll take it, please.
- Oh, well, uh..
I know how-how busy
she must be this morning
but, Andrew,
I, I simply must see her.
- Huh?
- Yeah, yeah, come right in.
- Alright.
- She's in the doctor's office.
Well, thank you.
Well, I'll tell John
just as soon as he gets here.
- Come in, Lily.
- Hi.
(Mrs. Thornway)
'Um, well, he should be here
in a few minutes'
'if his plane's on time.'
'Uh-huh? Yes, Mr. Vail.'
Yes, Mr. Vail, I understand.
You and Ms. Rekay
are motoring here.
You'll arrive
early this afternoon.
And you think
it would be a good idea
to shoot Irene in the first act.
Yes, I'll tell John. Goodbye.
Mrs. Thornway,
I've brought your hat.
It isn't exactly
what you wanted, but--
Just a minute, Lily.
And wants to shoot..
Oh, bother.
He wants to shoot some girl
but what girl and in what act?
- Irene, in the first act.
- Thank you.
Mrs. Thornway, when you ask
your son about a part for me
will you tell him
I'd rather not play Irene?
Oh, you wouldn't?
Not if she gets killed
in the first act.
Let's see the hat.
- Will you tell him about me?
- Yes.
And if he says no, will you try
and make him give me a part?
Even a little one.
Maybe...Irene?
Lily dear,
the last time I was able
to make John Thornway
do anything, he was ten.
He wanted to join a circus.
I persuaded him not to
by locking him in the cellar.
Well, if-if I could
just meet him
and maybe act for him
a little--
Lily dear, he's going to be
frightfully busy.
He always is.
[instrumental music]
Here today
to close an old show
gone tomorrow to open a new one.
That's John.
Never a minute for anything
but show business.
Well, I-I'm show business.
- My dear, but..
- Oh.
My dear child.
Oh, my dear child.
Well, I just know you'll love it
after you get used to it.
The fashion magazine said
it's the latest thing. I know..
Oh, well, I-I wouldn't
cut the feather if I..
- Oh.
- Ah.
[door slams]
That's John, I know his slam.
- 'Mimi!'
- Oh, dear.
- 'Mimi!'
- Oh, dear.
- You better wait in here.
- Alright.
And-and don't come out
till I have John
all nicely buttered up.
Alright.
- John.
- Hello, Mimi!
- Welcome home, dear.
- Oh, you..
- Do you like it?
- Mm, well, i-it..
- Do you?
- Mm, yes.
Well, then that's
good enough for me.
Oh, Mimi,
it's good to see you again.
I hope you had
a nice restful trip, dear.
Oh, I did, I worked on
the script for the new play
all the way
from New York to Indiana.
Any telegrams come for me?
Five so far,
but the day is young yet.
They're on the desk. John?
Oh, John, it's beautiful.
- Oh, but, John--
- Yes, I know, I know, I know.
'I shouldn't have done it.'
I have a message for you
from Owen Vail.
- Oh, he phoned?
- Mm-hmm.
Asked me to tell you that Isobel
is not coming by train
with the company.
She's motoring here from Chicago
with him.
Oh, that's fine.
And Isobel is, well..
Well, Isobel is Isobel.
Now, look, Mimi, I don't care
what Isobel does off the stage.
I love her as an actress,
I adore her as a leading lady.
I'll do anything I can
to keep her happy in the theater
but I definitely, flatly,
am not going to humor Ms. Rekay
by becoming one of her husbands.
(Mrs. Thornway)
John, do you remember
Henry Mars?
He used to come here often
to tune the piano.
Da-da da-da
da da da da da da da
- Aha, that's the man.
- Yeah.
John, he died several years ago.
Oh, he did?
I'm sorry to hear that.
He left a wife
and five children.
Nobody knows how they manage,
but they do.
Everybody in Midhaven
worries about the Marses
except the Marses.
The oldest child's name is Lily.
[clattering]
[dramatic music]
That's Lily.
She's such a remarkable child
and so talented.
- She acts?
- Yes.
- Experience?
- Oh, loads of it.
"Peter Pan," "Macbeth,"
the "Follies."
- Oh, really?
- Well, the..
Midhaven High School Follies.
John. John! John!
Mimi, you ought to know by now
there's only one thing
in the world I will not
do for you and that is it!
- I have seen my last amateur.
- But Lily's unusual!
Unusual. Oh, mother.
There's a Lily Mars in every
town and they're all alike
'so full of hope
and so hopeless.'
'Now, I'll tell you
what you do, mother.'
Let her down easy, but do it
so she'll stay down!
But she won't.
She'll bounce right up again.
You don't know Lily.
I don't know her
and I'm not going to.
Oh, dear, it won't hurt you
just to meet her.
You can't just meet 'em!
She'll start acting on me!
Well, let her play a scene
for you.
Not a scene, not a line
not a word, not a syllable!
Alright, but you'll be sorry.
- Lily dear.
- It's alright.
You don't have
to let me down easy.
- I heard.
- I'm sorry.
- He is pig-headed, isn't he?
- Yes.
Mrs. Thornway,
do you mind if I take the box?
- It's the only one we've got.
- Of course.
Alright.
- Lily, you know..
- Hm?
I'm getting used to the hat.
It does rather grow on one,
doesn't it?
Oh, yes! I think it's beautiful.
I love it.
It looks lovely on you.
- Thank you.
- Oh.
- Well, goodbye.
- 'Goodbye.'
She, uh, sees Stephan,
she screams.
Aah!
That's it, that's it.
Oh..
Mother! Mother!
- 'Yes?'
- Oh, where is that thing?
Where is it? Mother!
Where is it? Where is it?
- Where's what?
- The play, the play!
It's my only copy with
all the notes and it's gone!
- It's gone!
- Now, it can't be gone.
Well, it's gone
and I've got to find it!
I've got to find it!
It won't do you any good
repeating yourself.
Well, I know I didn't leave it
on the plane!
I know I didn't leave it
on the, uh, in the car!
- I'll search the house.
- Oh.
[telephone ringing]
Hello!
Yes, this is John Thornway.
Oh, you found it! Where, where..
In an ashcan?
Want it? Of course, I want it!
Will you bring it right--
Uh, will you..
Oh, you can't, huh?
Well, yes, yes.
Sure, I'll come, but wait.
W-w-what's your address?
[engine revving]
[crashing]
- Hey, are you John Thornway?
- Yeah.
The guy who produces
all those shows?
- That's right.
- Hmph.
[doll squeaks]
- How do you do?
- Uh..
H-how do you do? I'm, uh--
I know who you are.
Do you know who I am?
- No.
- Oh. Come right in, please.
I'm in rather a hurry.
Yes, if you'll just
come and sit down, please.
Oh, don't sit there.
Sit here, please.
Please.
[piano music]
Ladies and gentlemen
You've heard
of Sarah Bernhardt
She really was a dilly
But Sarah Bernhardt
couldn't compare
To the gal
who's known as Lily
You've heard
of Eleonora Doozy
Her drama
knocked them silly
But Doozy was an amateur
Compared to a gal like Lily
On your mark get set
For here comes our Lily
[piano music]
Yet here's a spot?
O-out, damned spot.
Out, I say!
One, two..
Who would have thought
that the old man
had so much blood in him?
Fie, Macbeth! Fie!
A soldier? And afraid?
[sighs]
What, will these hands
never be clean?
But no more of that, my Lord,
no more of that.
Oh, no, no, no, no.
'All the perfumes in Arabia'
will not sweeten
this little hand.
[groaning]
Ha!
Look not so pale, Macbeth!
Come, man. Put on your nightgown
and come to bed.
To bed.
'To bed!'
[tapping]
Hist!
There's a knocking at the gate.
Come. Give me your hand.
What is done cannot be undone.
Come to bed.
To bed! To bed!
[piano music]
[sighs]
How was I, Mr. Thornway?
- Awful.
- Well, what did I do wrong?
Everything.
And now, Ms. Mars, will you
please give me back my play?
But I did it exactly
as I was told.
You mean, somebody told you
to do it that way?
Yes! Professor Eggleston
in school.
Ms. Mars, I'm going to talk
to you for one minute
quietly, but firmly.
I shouldn't, but you're a friend
of my mother's
and you come from my hometown.
And your father
brought me into the world.
That is not one
of the qualifications, Ms. Mars
for success on the stage.
I am going to give you
no encouragement whatsoever.
But what I want is a job.
Ms. Mars,
I give an actress a job
for only one reason
and that is that she is the best
I can get for the part.
Ms. Mars,
I have neither the wish
the time nor the patience
to teach anybody how to act.
Lady Macbeth
is walking in her sleep.
She is talking to herself
not to a boyfriend
in the gallery.
She is a strong woman.
She has murdered a king
so she can become a queen
but her conscience
has crept into her dreams
and is gnawing at her mind
gnawing like a relentless rat.
Gnawing, gnawing.
And you play her as if
she were a high school girl
with a bellyache.
It is not
"Come, man,
put on your nightgown
and come to bed."
[tapping]
It's..
[softly]
"Come, man.
"Put on your nightgown
"and come to bed.
'"Shh. There's a knocking
at the gate.'
'"Come.'
"Give me your hand.
What's done cannot be undone."
Oh, bravo!
[piano music]
Bravo!
- Ms. Mars, where's my play?
- You've been sitting on it.
[instrumental music]
That's yours, too.
[chuckles]
- But, Mr. Thornway--
- No!
It's not about me.
It's about my brother, Davey.
- Does he act, too?
- No, he, he collects doorknobs.
- Doorknobs?
- Yeah.
And that one's a, a super-duper.
Oh. Well, thank you.
[door shuts]
Lily, can I blow out
the candle?
- He'll be sorry.
- You bet he will.
Thanks for the knob.
Lily, don't feel bad.
I don't feel bad.
I just feel mad, hopping mad.
[grunts]
Ooh!
[grunting]
Children, children, children.
What's all the fuss about?
We're being hopping mad,
mama, for Lily.
Oh. Well, go be hopping mad
in the dining room. Go on.
[grunting]
Well?
He didn't like me at all.
Well, perhaps
he doesn't like Shakespeare.
Maybe you should have done
something more lowbrow
like
"Ten Nights In A Barroom"
or
"Why Girls Leave Home."
Or that sad scene
from
"The Sacred Bride."
Yes.
[mumbling]
[knocking on door]
Yeah? Yeah?
Excuse me, Mr. John.
There's a lady here.
- Shoot her.
- I think she's an actress.
Go away, you pest!
(female #1)
'Open up, Johnny, let me in!'
Isobel! Angel.
Angel, pest. Pest, angel.
- Make up your mind, Johnny.
- Well, it's angel.
I thought
you were somebody else.
- A girl?
- No, no, no. A pest.
Well, yes, a girl,
but a pest. I..
[chuckles]
She's been hounding me.
Johnny, what have you done?
Nothing, not a thing.
And you? I mean, recently.
[chuckles]
Nothing but think of you,
Johnny.
All the lonely weeks
on the road in Buffalo
Cleveland, Detroit,
Cincinnati, Chicago..
Pittsburgh?
Yes, Pittsburgh.
Mm. What was that
big pig iron man doing?
- Helping you think of me?
- Oh, well..
- I had to have a little fun.
- Well--
- Innocent?
- It's alright.
You have all the fun you like
just don't miss
any more Saturday matinees!
Hm. In there you have no heart.
You have a box office. Goodbye!
- Now, now, where you going?
- Pittsburgh!
Hmph.
I don't have to work for you.
I can leave the stage
immediately and marry a man
with a million dollars
worth of pig iron.
Well, then, why don't you?
I don't like pig iron, Johnny.
I like you.
Well, not bad, John, not bad
but, uh, can't you put
a little more oomph into it
a little more crunch?
Oh, stop it, Owen.
Owen. Ow-Owe..
Look, you-you can't shoot Irene
in the first act.
- Second act?
- No, no.
Now, you've written a swell play
let it alone.
[applauding]
- When do we go into rehearsal?
- Next week.
Alright, now off with you.
I'll see you back here tonight
after the show.
Mimi's tossing a high-class
brawl for the troupe.
Right now I got things to do.
Oh, Johnny,
I want to see your hometown.
And it wants to see you, darling
tonight, at your best.
So I think it'd be a swell idea
if you went on back to the hotel
and took a nice long nap.
Come on. You, too, Owen.
- Okay.
- Bye-bye.
- 'Goodbye, Johnny.'
- Goodbye.
[door shuts]
Now, let's see..
- Listen to me!
- Irene enters..
- You must, you shall listen!
- Down left, crosses..
If not for my sake,
but for the sake
of this poor, innocent child!
Why should she pay
for our folly? See?
She has your eyes and
your smile, but not your name!
Papa! Papa!
Papa! Papa!
- Could be a racket, you know?
- 'Papa!'
It must be. That girl's lying.
But that baby,
she's the image of John.
- 'Papa!'
- She does holler like him.
Please, I want nothing
for myself, nothing!
Please, I beg you
on bended knees!
'Please! Please!'
- Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!
- Alright, now, that's enough!
This won't do you
one bit of good.
When I say no, I mean no!
- Papa, papa.
- Shut up!
Papa, papa..
Now go on away, please,
and stop hounding me!
Oh, but, Mr. Thornway--
Go on, beat it and take
that grubby child with you!
But if you'd just give me
a fair chance.
Come here, come here.
Here are a couple of passes
for the show tonight.
Go down and see some acting
but for heaven sakes,
don't do any more.
Oh, thank you, Mr. Thornway.
Thank you, Mr. Thornway.
Got any bubblegum?
[chuckles]
She just loves bubblegum.
Do you know what I'm gonna do
if I ever catch you
anywhere near me again?
- No, Mr. Thornway.
- No, Mr. Thornway.
Now, listen carefully,
young lady.
- Yes, Mr. Thornway.
- Yes, Mr. Thornway.
I don't care where it is
or how many other people
are there.
I'm gonna take you
across my knee
and spank the acting out of you!
- Oh?
- Mm?
Now, go on, beat it.
- Yes, Mr. Thornway.
- Yes, Mr. Thornway.
Go on, beat it!
[instrumental music]
[instrumental music]
[operatic trilling]
[instrumental music]
Could it be
that poor poor fiddler's tune
Played so dreamily?
Is it really love
Or the gypsy in me?
Can you tell me why?
Tell me
how can I solve this mystery
Is it really love
Or the gypsy in me?
Not so very long ago
a fortune teller told me
Someday he will come along
And in his arms
He'll hold me
Since we've been apart
I talk to my heart
Both of us agree
This is really love
Not the gypsy
In me
Strike your cymbal
and beat your drum
Hold back the dawn
and may tomorrow never come
[singing continues]
[no audio]
[music continues]
[operatic trilling]
I know how I feel
Underneath the spell
of this melody
This is really love
Not the gypsy
[operatic trilling]
In me
[applauding]
[instrumental music]
Supper is served.
Supper is served.
- Lily, let's go home.
- Uh, not yet.
Then let's go someplace
and have a hamburger.
Boost. Boost.
'Come on, Charlie, boost.'
'Boost!'
[grunts]
You must try coming in
through the door sometime.
It's so much simpler.
Yes, if you're invited.
Oh, you're Mr. Owen Vail
the man who writes such
wonderful plays, aren't you?
- Mm.
- Well, I'm Lily Mars.
And you can do so much for me
if you only will.
It's no good
my talking to Mr. Thornway.
He just won't listen to me,
but he will to you
'and I thought
if you spoke to him about me--'
Wait.
Why, it's..
It's the..
You're the girl that..
- Oh.
- What's the matter?
Tell me this. Has John Thornway
never done anything for you?
No, never.
Well, what reason does he give?
- He doesn't like me.
- He doesn't like..
You wait right here.
Uh, Mr. Vail..
- 'Mr. Vail!'
- Stay there.
You will speak to Mr. Thornway?
Don't you think it's almost time
you called him John?
(Mrs. Thornway)
'Has anyone seen Mr. Vail?'
Oh, there you are, Mr. Vail.
I was looking for you.
Uh, supper's served. Come on.
- Both of you.
- Well, there's only one of us.
- I heard a girl's voice.
- Oh, uh..
- Uh, no, that was me.
- You?
Oh, yes.
I-I often talk to myself.
- Soprano?
- Uh..
[as a woman]
Sometimes.
[chuckles]
I-it's me, Lily, Mrs. Thornway.
Why, Lily Mars. Come in, dear.
Oh, no.
I don't think I'd better.
Nonsense. We'd love to have you.
Oh, uh,
I don't think your son would.
After all, I guess
he must have told you about--
About that?
'Don't let that
worry you anymore.'
Things like that
don't upset John for very long.
Come on. Come in, Mr. Vail.
Don't upset him?
Ooh.
Now, make yourself
perfectly at home, dear.
- Thank you.
- Good evening, Lily.
- 'Good evening, Lily.'
- Excuse me.
Good evening,
Professor Eggleston.
Ah, my dear Lily.
Delighted to see you.
Ah, thank you.
- How are the children?
- Three of them..
Three of them had the mumps,
but they're fine now.
Thank goodness. Excuse me.
- Did he say, "Children?"
- Well, yes.
Wait right here.
[instrumental music]
Ms. Rekay, I saw your show
on your gyp--
Excuse me. Excuse me.
- Where's John?
- Where is John?
- Well, that girl is here.
- Girl?
- What girl?
- "What girl?"
[gasps]
You mean..
- Did she bring..
- No.
And it seems
there's not just one.
- There are..
- Three?
- At least. Maybe..
- Four?
[gasping]
[chuckles]
Uh, can I play, too?
- Well, isn't this a new game?
- No. An old one.
John, you've simply got to do
something about that girl.
- What girl?
- "What girl." Lily Mars!
Oh, has she been
working on you, too?
Well, don't pay
any attention to her.
- You did.
- 'Well, not a great deal.'
'I simply told her
what I tell all the others.'
- Others?
- Yes.
There's at least one
in every town.
But, darling, why are you
interested in this one?
- I've seen this one.
- And the child.
- One of them.
- Th-this afternoon.
(Isobel)
'Outside your window.'
Well, you low-minded snoopers.
Of all..
You ought to be ashamed
of yourselves.
She's just another one
of those stage-struck kids
that thinks all she has to do
to be an actress is make a wish.
I told her if she ever
bothered me again, I-I-I..
[music continues]
Excuse me.
- Well, John.
- Heh..
Oh, John. Just a moment.
Will you autograph
my program, huh?
Yes, I'd be delighted to.
- Such beautiful music.
- Oh, everything is just marve--
- For you.
- Well, thank you.
- Uh, thank you.
- Yes, th-thank you.
Thank you. Whoops!
[instrumental music]
And hip hip hooray
it was growing pop
And it couldn't stop
Now it's number one
Thanks to Tom
the piper's son
Tom Tom the piper's son
He stole a tune
and away he run
And away run he
With that melody
Tom was hot
the tune was sweet
But he revamped it
with the new off beat
And the classic thing
Got a shot of swing
Mr. Brahms cried ach
So did Mozart and Bach
And to hear them rave
Paganini tumbled over
in his grave
And now that tune
that no one played
Has stepped right up
and hit the hit parade
It was growing pop
And it couldn't stop
Now it's number one
Thanks to Tom
the piper's son
Once more, please,
by special request.
It's alright with me, honey.
Just keep singing.
Tom Tom the piper's son
Stole a tune
and away he run
And away run he
With that melody
Tom was hot
the tune was sweet
But he vamped it
with a boogie beat
And the classic thing
got a shot of swing
Beethoven turned gray
So did-did Debussy and Bose
It was such a stew
Tchai-Tchaikovsky said
I'm gonna sue
And now that tune
that no one played
Has stepped right up
and hit the hit parade
It was growing pop
And it couldn't stop
Now it's number one
thanks to Tom
The piper's
So-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-on
[applauding]
I do hope Mr. Thornway
will do something for Lily.
- Oh, I think he will.
- Good, good.
[chuckles]
I guess
you were kinda surprised
to see me pop up here tonight.
- Weren't you?
- I was.
Of course,
I shouldn't have been
knowing what a talent you have
for popping up.
- But I didn't see you come in.
- Well, uh..
I didn't exactly come in.
You see, I..
I came over the wall.
And just where did you, uh..
Right over there.
Well, that's right where
you're going to, um..
But when I was singing,
you looked so interested.
- I am not.
- So human.
I am not.
Now, Ms. Mars
this way out. Please.
Mr. Thornway, please take me
to New York with you tomorrow.
I can do so much
for mom and the kids.
Well, you might start by washing
that grubby little sister
of yours.
Poppy is not grubby.
She was made up for the part.
Ms. Mars.
Very well,
if you really want me to go..
I do, Ms. Mars, I do very much.
Alright, over I go
but you're gonna
have to boost me.
Come on, boost!
You're afraid of me.
- I'm what?
- You are.
Well, that's one thing
I didn't know till now.
There are a lotta things
you don't know about yourself.
One of them is why you're making
me go back over that wall.
Well, that is one thing
I do know, young lady
it's to teach you a lesson.
[chuckles]
Just like a naughty little girl.
I know why you treat me
as a child.
It's because you're afraid
to think of me as a woman.
Alright, boost.
One, two..
Goodbye.
I beg your pardon.
[sniffles]
[instrumental music]
[sobbing]
[sobbing]
[sobbing]
What's the matter, Lily?
[sobbing]
Nothing.
Don't cry, Lily.
I hate him. I just hate him.
I hate him, too.
Who does she hate?
[sobbing]
Children, children.
Now, now, now.
It isn't as bad as all that,
no matter how bad it is.
Why are you crying?
(all)
Because Lily is.
[all sobbing]
Lily, why are you crying?
Mr. Thornway
wouldn't give me a job.
And he sneered at me
and-and he told me to go home
and wash
my grubby little sister.
[sobbing]
Me? Oh!
And he made me climb back
over the wall.
Well, Lily dear, that's nothing
for you to cry about.
Were you mean to him?
Did you sneer at him?
'Did you call him grubby?'
Did you make him climb a wall?
Well, then,
who should be ashamed?
- Him.
- 'Right.'
- 'Who should be crying?'
- Him.
And if you shouldn't be crying,
what should you be doing?
- Laughing.
- 'That's right.'
Now, then, off to bed,
all of you, come on.
Laugh yourselves to sleep.
Scoot!
[laughing]
Mama, when I grow up,
can I be you?
I'll try and arrange it.
Now, scoot.
Lily, you're something
that's very wonderful to be.
[sighs]
What, mama?
Nineteen.
Nineteen and nowhere.
Some very successful people
didn't get their start
until well past 20.
Right now it looks like I'm
gonna be well past everything
before I get my chance to do
what I've always
dreamed of doing.
Being an actress.
And a good one, too.
Then I could give you
and the kids
all the things you want.
I've got what I want.
What you want's in New York,
isn't it?
- Uh-huh.
- And you're in Indiana.
Mm.
Well, if you want to get
what you want
you've got to go where it is,
don't you?
- Mm-hmm.
- Well, then?
Davey. Davey!
(Davey)
'Yes, mama?'
Get George
and bring him here to me.
- 'Okay.'
- Now, mama--
Now, you will, too, let's have
no more fiddle-de-dee
about this.
- Mama, I--
- Uh-uh.
[Davey mumbling]
- Here's George, mama.
- Thank you, Davey.
- Now, run along.
- Goodnight.
Goodnight, dear.
Now, you're gonna take this
and go to New York.
- It's only $28.
- But I just can't--
Ah-ah-ah!
Who's mama around here?
Goodnight, dear.
Davey.
- Davey.
- Mm?
I want you to put this money
in George
but don't let mama
see you do it.
Can't you put the money
in George?
I won't be here.
- Hm..
- Oh, not now, dear.
You can do it tomorrow.
[instrumental music]
Alright, the next place
is for the finale.
[indistinct chatter]
- Excuse me, but--
- Excuse me, but..
Where did you get that hat?
[sighs]
Well, it's a copy.
I made it myself, 98 cents.
[giggles]
Can I go in with you?
- Are you in the show?
- No, not yet, I..
I just got
to New York today, but--
Sorry, honey, but Thorny has
a strict rule against visitors.
(male #1)
'Well, come on. Snap
your shirttails. What is this?'
[indistinct chatter]
- Hi, Mike, what do you know?
- Hiya, Mike, what do you know?
- Everybody but you!
- Oh.
Well, it's perfectly alright.
You see, I, I know Mr..
- I know Thorny.
- Do you now?
Sure, his father brought me
into the world.
- Did he now?
- Mm-hmm.
Well, if you bother the son
during rehearsal
he'll do just the opposite
for you.
Well, thank you, anyway.
Young lady
if you, uh,
wanna see Mr. Thornway
why don't you send your name in
to him?
- Because I wanna see him.
- Oh, but..
Lady, that does not make sense.
It does to me.
You see, we had
kind of a misunderstanding.
- Uh-huh?
- He doesn't know I'm here.
So why don't you let me go
right on in and surprise him?
- Uh-uh. Nope.
- Oops.
I-I'm sorry, lady,
you can surprise Mr. Thornway
only by appointment.
Now, get off with you now.
- Ah-ah-ah.
- Heh.
[chuckles]
Well...here?
'Uh, that's right.'
Darling, I want you to always
wear that hat to rehearsal.
Everything goes well
when you do.
Certainly. It's my lucky hat.
[instrumental music]
[whimpering]
Shh. Shh.
[whimpering]
[dog barking]
[dog barking]
[chuckles]
Excuse me, but could you tell me
where Mr. Thor..
[dog barking]
Oh.
Oh, you wiggled in, did you?
Well, wiggle out now.
Wiggle out now or I'll--
- Mike!
- Ms. Rekay.
I thought you were,
but you weren't, were you?
Excuse me, I apologize.
I beg your pardon.
I'm-I'm sorry.
I..
Ooh.
Well, what's the matter
with Mike?
I'm afraid
he's been drinking.
Tsk, tsk, tsk.
He shouldn't do that.
- That sets a bad example.
- Yeah.
Come on, let's follow it.
[laughs]
[indistinct chatter]
(male #1)
'Alright, girls, come on.
Line up for the last number.'
- Owen, coming with us?
- Nope.
- For a drink?
- Yeah!
Mister..
(male #1)
'Come on, this is
a rush number, girls.'
'Move, move.'
At the Club Tovarich
there is romance in the air
Ay ay ay ay
love is everywhere
When you hear the balalaika
you had best beware
Ay ay ay ay
everyone is there
[instrumental music]
[Lily mumbling]
Say. Say!
'Wake up! Wake up!'
Oh.
Uh..
What happened?
Did you get locked in?
Yes, ma'am,
but...I wanted to be.
Oh.
Sorry, but there's no sleeping
permitted in this theater.
But I haven't got
any place to--
'Out. Out.'
Alright.
I'll find some other way
to see Mr. Thornway.
Well, goodbye.
Say, wait a minute.
Is it about a job?
Where ya from?
Indiana.
- How old?
- Nineteen.
- I'm from Nebraska. I was 16.
- Uh-huh.
There's a boy back home
who wants to marry ya.
Mm-hm.
The one who wanted to marry me
was a fine young fella
the kind who was sure
to get ahead.
Yeah.
- That's Charlie.
- That was Sam.
And he did alright, too.
Now, he's the big man
out that way.
Everybody said
I was an awful fool
not to stay home and marry Sam
but there was something
I wanted more than him
or anybody or anything
and that was to go on the stage.
Huh. Well, where am I?
Gee.
And you've been trying
since you were 16?
Bless your heart, child.
I didn't start with a broom.
First I carried a spear.
Ten-hup!
[laughing]
Then the third year
I got a line to speak.
[French accent]
Madam, dinner is served.
Ooh-la-la!
[laughing]
Oh, then there were a lotta
years and a lotta shows
and a husband or two
and then there was a song
that got to be my song.
That was all before your time.
- What's your name?
- Lily Mars.
Lily, know what you are?
- Foolish?
- You're me.
The same eager, hopeful,
stage-struck little hick I was
half a century ago
with the same question
to answer.
What do you want?
[sighs]
I wanna be an actress.
Know what I'd do if I were you?
Go home?
Lily, I think you are home.
'I know I am.'
And I'd rather be here,
even doin' what I'm doin'
than be anywhere else on Earth
because...this is where
I belong.
Oh.
Every little movement
Has a meaning of its own
Every thought and feeling
By some posture can be shown
And every love thought
That comes a-stealing
Over your being
Must be revealing
All its sweetness
In some appealing
Little gesture
All all its own
Every little movement
Every little movement
Has a meaning
Has a meaning
Of its own
Of its own
Every thought and feeling
Every thought and feeling
By some posture can be shown
By some posture can be shown
And every love thought
And every love thought
That comes a-stealing
That comes a-stealing
Over your being
Over your being
Must be revealing
Must be revealing
All its sweetness
All its sweetness
In some appealing
In some appealing
Little gesture
Little gesture
All all
All all
Its own
Its own
Alright, dear. Come on, run
through it once with me now.
Now watch this, Jean.
Hit it, Connie.
[instrumental music]
What is this throbbing
within me?
What is this rhythm so new?
What is this beating
that keeps on repeating
I love you?
I love
You my dear
Don't you know it's
You?
When I look at you
I hear lovely music
Can it be my heart
that sings?
[operatic trilling]
When I look at you
I look at an angel
Tell me where
you've parked your wings
[operatic trilling]
Dizzy me silly moon
Crazy quilt of a sky
Are you real
Or a dream
That got caught in my eye?
My dear
When I look at you
I'm looking at rainbows
Stars come tumbling down
From above
And I'm in love with you
My
Love
[applauding]
(male #1)
'Places
for the Russian number.'
'Come on, shake your shirttails.
Get going.'
I got lots of your standing feet
around here. Come on, move.
[instrumental music]
[dog barking]
Shh..
Oh, there you are.
At the Club Tovarich
There is romance in the air
Ay ay ay ay
love is everywhere
When you hear the balalaika
You had best beware
Ay ay ay ay
everyone is there
[singing continues]
Yay yay yay
Ay ay yay
Ay ay yay
Hi!
You, come here.
Hello.
Mr. Thornway, I'm sorry, I..
- Keep the change.
- Thank you, Mr. Thornway.
Thank you very much
for the lunch.
It was the best I ever had,
and the biggest.
Well, that long train ride
gave you an appetite.
[chuckles]
Train?
[chuckles]
I don't suppose
spending all night
in the theater
is very nourishing.
I guess not.
[gasps]
Aren't they b--
Uh, Ms. Mars, let's, uh
get something settled
once and for all.
I'm letting you stay in the show
only because you knew my father
you know my mother
you come from my hometown
you're in New York
in need of a job..
Uh, well, I needed a few more
girls in the show, anyway.
Oh, I wish there was some way
I could show my appreciation.
- There is. Just do your job.
- Oh, I will.
Oh, um, ahem, some of the girls
live in a boarding house
that they've affectionately
dubbed the incubator.
It's reasonable,
it's respectable.
[chuckles]
But, uh, where you live or what
you do outside of the theater
is strictly your own affair.
Ms. Mars, you understand,
don't you?
Absolutely.
You want me to live in an
incubator and not to bother you.
Yes. Yeah,
that's the gist of it.
So starting right now
you're strictly on your own.
I wash my hands
of any responsibility for you.
Alright.
- And, Ms. Mars.
- Hm?
Uh, there's one thing
that I must ask you
not to do around the theater.
- What's that?
- Don't wear that hat.
Oh.
Well, Mr. Thornway
it's, it's the only one
I've got.
Uh..
Yes, yes.
(John)
'Well, here we are.
This is it.'
This is the incubator.
A lot of fine young actresses
have come out of here.
Of course,
they have to go in first.
[chuckles]
Well, thanks again for the hat.
You know, it didn't
have to be a boughten.
A boughten? What's a boughten?
Oh, that's what Poppy calls
a store hat.
You know, one you don't make
yourself, it's boughten.
I always make my own.
Yes, I know.
Ah, good afternoon.
Have you any rooms?
- No, sir.
- Not even a small one?
I'm sorry, we do not take,
uh, mixed couples.
We take only ladies.
Well, uh,
will you take this one?
- Yes, certainly.
- That's fine.
Well, Ms. Mars, I have to be
getting on back to the theater.
Alright. Well..
Mr. Thornway,
do you want me to come with you?
No, no. You be at rehearsal
tomorrow morning at nine.
- Nine? Sharp.
- Sharp.
- Goodbye, Ms. Mars.
- Goodbye.
Thank you very much.
Well, uh, Lily, uh,
for your brother.
Oh, thank you, Mr. Thor..
John.
- Hiya, Mike.
- Hello, Mr. Thornway, I--
What are you..
[instrumental music]
- Rosebud.
- Yes, sir?
Uh, is that, uh, Ms. Rekay's?
- Yes, sir, she gave it to me.
- Where is she?
She's in her dressing room, sir,
waiting for you.
I'll tell her you're here.
But, Isobel,
it was written for you.
I tell you,
I will not play it as it is.
But, Isobel..
He's here.
Rosebud, I told you
to throw that hat away.
So, you know more
about writing plays than I do?
- Who doesn't?
- Alright. Alright, then.
- Why don't you write a play?
- Why don't you?
Now, what-what goes on here?
Our star has suddenly decided
she doesn't like the third act.
I hate it. It doesn't
march along. It, it dribbles.
Now, let's, let's sit down
and we'll talk about it.
Quietly, hm?
Are you sure you have the time?
Oh, I'm sorry I'm late, dear,
but I, uh, had to have lunch.
What did you two eat,
an elephant?
Uh, and then after lunch
I had things to do.
- 'Oh.'
- Uh, business.
[telephone ringing]
Hello?
John, for you.
- 'A lady.'
- M-me?
Yes, you.
[clears throat]
Hello.
Oh, hello, dear.
Well, it's nice
to hear your voice.
It's my mother's.
Yes, yes, she's here.
Well, no, I mean, uh, uh,
she's not here.
She's, uh,
here in the incubator.
- Incubator?
- Y-yeah.
It's a sort of a, uh
a club, a young folks' home.
John, will you give her a job?
Uh, well,
I've already given her one.
Uh, hello. Uh, tell her mom
and the children send love.
[chuckles]
I'm mama.
Tell her I know I don't need to
worry, but, of course, I will.
[laughs]
Oh, well, you needn't,
Mrs. Mars.
Uh, I'll, uh, be just
like a father to her.
Oh, yes, yes, yes.
I-it's respectable,
it's painfully respectable.
Hold on.
John,
you will keep an eye on her?
Oh, yes, yes, yes.
Now, look, dear.
I-I have to, uh,
uh, say goodbye now
because, uh,
some people are waiting.
Goodbye, dear.
Mm-hmm?
Well, after all, my father
did bring her into the world.
Hm. Now, about that, uh,
third act.
What seems to be wrong with it?
Everything. Brighter dialogue,
stronger scene.
Such as?
Such as you are going to write.
Goodbye.
[instrumental music]
[monkey chattering]
- Well?
- Well, what?
You got any ideas
about the third act?
No. Have you?
No, I was thinking
about women, too.
Now, what has Ms. Mars
got to do with this?
John, I wish I had as much money
as you don't know about women.
Look, if you were sore at me
you'd, you'd punch me right
in the nose, wouldn't you?
- With pleasure.
- Yeah, alright.
'If Isobel was squawking
about just that one scene.'
I might think she was sincere.
But, no
she doesn't like
the whole third act.
[imitating Isobel]
"It doesn't march along.
It-it dribbles."
Yeah, and if you keep on
being so chummy
with that, that babe
from the woods--
I am not chummy with Ms. Mars.
Isobel's imagining things.
John, about such things, women
do not imagine, they know.
I don't know how they know,
but they know.
[telephone ringing]
Catch that, will ya?
[telephone ringing]
- 'Hello.'
- Ms. Lily Mars is here.
To see Mr. Thornway.
Shall I send her up?
Why, yes.
Yes, certainly. Right away.
It's, uh, it's your laundry.
How could it be?
I didn't send out any laundry.
- Oh, you do your own?
- Oh, come on now, come on.
Let's-let's get to work.
Well, here's how it goes.
"Stephan enters."
I'm Stephan.
"Nadina is singing."
- That's you, you're Nadina.
- Me?
Now, you can't go on
with the gay song, so you break.
Oh I'm a gypsy ah
[doorbell ringing]
Come in, come in.
(Owen in falsetto)
'Who is she? Who is she?'
(John)
'Please believe me, there is
no other woman, darling.'
[Owen sobbing]
Just leave it
in the hall out there.
[sobbing]
You mustn't cry.
(Owen)
'Why are you here?
Oh, leave me alone.'
- No.
- What do you want?
[clears throat]
First I want to tell you
that you're beautiful.
- Oh..
- And then..
I want to take you in my arms.
Oh, Stephan.
Alright, now, stop
your kidding, Owen.
Who's kidding?
- Oh, Stephan.
- Oh.
Excuse me. Here's my laundry.
Good evening, Ms. Mars.
Huh, good evening.
- And goodnight.
- Well, I wanted to--
I'm terribly sorry,
but we're very busy.
And anyway, it's time all young
actresses should be in bed.
Well, I was in bed,
but I couldn't sleep.
I just tossed and tossed.
Whenever I'm worried,
I just toss and toss and toss.
Well, that's,
that's very interesting.
- Well, what's worrying you?
- Our show.
- Now, she doesn't like it.
- I like it, I love it.
I think it's a wonderful play,
really, I do.
But, may I say something?
I know of no way
of stopping you.
Well, I think
we need a new finish.
Isobel doesn't like
the third act
and Ms. Mars
doesn't like the finish.
Tell me, Ms. Mars,
what's wrong with it?
Well, to me,
it just-just fizzles out.
- Fizzles?
- Just fizzles--
Stop fizzling!
Well, now listen,
here's the way it goes.
Stephan says, "And then
I wanna take you in my arms.
"Nadina, I want you to, dearest.
"I've been away from them
for a million years
"and I never wanna
leave them again.
"As Nadina and Stephan
gaze tenderly
into each other's eyes,
curtain."
It's not natural.
Now, if I were in love
with somebody
and all they did was gaze
tenderly into my eyes
I'd have another fight.
Well, Ms. Mars,
what would you do?
Well, look, I'll show you. Hm.
Now, you're Stephan.
Go on, say your line.
Uh, and then I want
to take you in my arms.
And I want you to, dearest.
I've been away from them
for a million years
and I never wanna
leave them again.
Curtain.
Now, here's where I think
we really helped it.
You follow the chambermaid
up the stairs
you say goodnight,
you go into your room
she has her line, curtain.
- I love it.
- Yeah, that's great, John.
That takes care
of all my objections.
Alright, that's fine.
Now let's try it.
- Shall we?
- From where?
From, uh, where the two of you
are looking at each other
and the chambermaid enters.
- Oh, yes.
- Alright, the chambermaid.
[glasses clinking]
[instrumental music]
Your Excellencies,
your rooms are ready now.
May I show you to them?
Will you come on down
and answer the phone?
[indistinct chatter]
You're wanted on the phone.
It's, uh, Thorny. Again tonight?
Oh-ho, dear, dear, dear.
Hello.
I'm just leaving
the apartment now.
I'll be right over
to pick ya up.
Goodbye.
(all)
Goodbye.
[chuckles]
[telephone ringing]
Yeah?
She is?
Well, tell her I've gone.
Tell her I've, uh..
She's already on her way up?
Uh-ooh, that's bad.
Alright. Well, thanks, thanks.
[instrumental music]
[doorbell ringing]
[doorbell ringing]
Hello, darling.
Well, I was just taking
a cold shower to wake me up.
Ah, you-you mustn't, uh,
touch me. You'll get all wet.
[chuckles]
I've got to, uh, work all night.
So, you told me, but, John
take tonight off,
let's go out somewhere.
Oh, now, angel,
you mustn't tempt me.
Work is work.
But you haven't taken me
anywhere in two whole weeks.
Yes, I know, but, uh,
tonight is not the night.
[chuckles]
You know, I simply can't go out
with you tonight.
- That's all, ha-ha.
- Then I'll come in.
Isobel, you must be worn out
from that rehearsal today.
- Aren't you?
- Oh, no.
You're not?
Just-just look at all this work
I've got to do.
Tsk, tsk, tsk. Poor boy.
Oh, don't-don't touch anything
you-you'd have everything
mixed up.
[sighs]
Remember the first time
I sang for you?
Yes, of course I do.
That's one night
I'll always remember.
So shall I, John.
Look, Isobel, darling,
I've just got to work.
Wait, wait, wait.
[piano music]
When I look at you
I hear lovely music
Can..
[off-key]
There's something wrong
with this piano.
I'll fix it. Ha-ha-ha.
[laughing]
Can it be
My heart that sings?
Oh haa
Well, um, goodnight now.
- It's awful, it's--
- What?
Uh, the piano. It
needs-needs tuning.
Now, darling, you run home
and take a nice long rest.
- I certainly wish I could.
- Ah..
If you won't change your mind
so I better go ho..
Home.
[laughing]
Well, I'm sorry, but you know,
with the show opening in a week
and everything,
I'm so busy that I..
Oh, well,
you know how busy I am.
Yes, I know.
You're so busy..
[groans]
...you take your shower
with your tie, shirt, coat
and pants on.
[door shuts]
[instrumental music]
Think about a cowboy
When you think
of yippee-yay
Think of English crumpets
When you think of havin' tea
Think of silver moonlight
and how lovely it can be
But when you think of lovin'
baby
Think of me
Think of
snow-capped mountains
When you think
you'd like to ski
Think of Cuba Libres
When you think
you'd like a spree
Think about the movies
for a set of dishes free
But when you think of lovin'
baby
Think of me
[music continues]
- Good evening, Henry.
- Good evening, Mr. Thornway.
Table 53, please.
- This way, please.
- Thank you.
[applauding]
[instrumental music]
Ladies and gentlemen,
I see a celebrity
among our cash customers.
It's the ace of the racetrack
the year's leading jockey,
Dixie Brill.
[applauding]
And, now, Dixie, what are you
gonna do to entertain the folks?
Ah, nothin'.
All I can do is ride.
Well, next time I think
you'd better bring your horse.
[laughing]
[indistinct chatter]
Here's a man who has presented
many actors.
So, for a change, I'm gonna
present him. John Thornway.
[applauding]
- How are you, Bob?
- Fine, John.
Say, who's the lady
I see you with?
Oh, I'm-I'm Lily Mars.
- Yeah? What do you do?
- I'm a chambermaid.
[whistles]
In what hotel?
Not in any hotel.
In John Thornway's new show,
"Let Me Dream."
Well, what do you do
in the show, Ms. Mars?
Do you make beds
for the audience?
[chuckles]
Oh, I should say not.
They're not gonna fall asleep
during our show.
[laughing]
Well, what are you gonna do
to wake
us
up?
Well, I..
I-I can sing a little.
Well, come on, sister.
You're on.
- Is it alright?
- Go right on.
[applauding]
Excuse me. I telephone John.
Maybe he'll come here
and join us.
But, darling,
he's probably fast asleep.
He'd better be.
[instrumental music]
When I look at you
I hear lovely music
Can it be my heart
that sings?
When I look at you
I look at an angel
Tell me where
you've parked your wings
Dizzy me silly moon
Crazy quilt of a sky
Are you real
Or a dream
That got caught in my eye?
When I look at you
I'm looking at rainbows
Stars come tumbling down
From above
And I'm in love with you
My
Love
[applauding]
- He doesn't answer.
- Oh, well, uh..
Well,
John's a very sound sleeper.
Uh, look, darling,
we're going to another club.
- New place. Just opened.
- Oh, no, I want to stay here.
Oh, but you won't like it here,
you won't like it at all.
You're not gonna be
a chambermaid very long
Ms. Mars. Let's try another one,
and swing it a bit.
- Huh?
- Alright.
And besides that,
we can't get a table.
I can't get a table?
[laughing]
- You hear?
- Yes.
Well, if they want me
to sing for my supper, come on.
[imitating Isobel]
What is this throbbing
within me?
What is this rhythm so new?
What is this beating
that keeps on repeating
And what am I dreaming
That I wake up screaming
I love you?
I love you
I love
You
Je vous aime
Yo te amo
Ich liebe dich
[singing in Russian]
I love
You
[laughing]
[clears throat]
- Yeah.
- Uh, John, I, uh--
Shh, shh..
When I look at you
I hear lovely music
Can it be my heart
that sings?
Nah-dree-ata-di-di-di
When I look at you
I look at an angel
Tell me where
You parked your wings
I mean your wings
I mean your wings
I mean your ever-lovin'
turtle-dovin' wings Jack
Dizzy me
Silly moon
Crazy quilt
Of a well like a daisy crazy
quilt of a sky
Are you real
as you're seemin'
Or a dream
that I'm dreamin'?
Or are you just a sty
that got caught in my eye?
Just a sty in my eye?
When I look at you
I see a rainbow
The sun the moon
the stars in June
Come tumbling down
from above
And I might as well face it
I'm in
Love
[applauding]
[instrumental music]
[chuckles]
Was I alright? Did you..
Oh. Ms. Rekay.
I am sorry, but, but, but--
But-but, what?
I didn't know you were here.
Well, I wasn't,
but as luck would have it
I happened to drop in
just in time to catch your act.
Clever, very clever.
Isn't she, John?
Uh..
Well, there I was
and he said, "Do something."
- I didn't know what to do.
- So, you imitated me?
Well, Ms. Rekay, anytime
you want to, you can imitate me.
Oh, thank you. That's very kind
of you, Ms. Mars.
And I'll never sing your song
again, I promise.
- Honest.
- Neither shall I.
- Honest.
- Isobel, the, um..
[clears throat]
Eh, is.. D-do you care
for a drink or anything?
No, I don't care
for a drink or anything.
I'm sorry to break up
this party..
...but I'm getting tired, John,
very tired.
I think I'd better be taken home
right now.
- Come on, Owen.
- Isobel.
I've-I've called a rehearsal
for nine in the morning.
You-you come in
whenever you like.
I'll do that, John. Goodnight.
Oh, now, look what I've done.
She's mad, John, good and mad.
[chuckles]
Come on, let's dance.
[instrumental music]
[scoffs]
It's exactly 5 o'clock p.m.
Alright. So what, time signal?
All this waiting, waiting,
waiting, waiting. And for what?
For a woman to make up her mind!
From me they get ten minutes.
That's it!
Stop your worryin'.
Rekay'll be back.
You know how she's always
getting hoity-toity
and flouncing out of shows.
Yeah, but this time
she means it.
(male #2)
'So it'll take
a little high-powered'
'coaxing and petting.'
'John knows how to handle her.'
(Owen)
'Let's hope
he hasn't lost his touch.'
Alright, Scotty, you can
tell 'em they can all go home.
Everybody, everybody,
that's all for today.
What time tomorrow?
I'll let you know tomorrow,
that's all.
Is there anything I can do,
John?
Yeah, Scotty, you can go out
and get drunk for me.
- Anything I can do, John?
- Well, you can help Scotty.
- Anything I can do?
- Hey.
Yeah, you help the two of 'em.
That'll be all for today.
[instrumental music]
John?
- Hi there.
- Hello.
I'm going home.
Back home.
- Tonight.
- No.
No, you're not.
But if I go away,
everything'll be alright
with...the show and..
...everything.
I'm calling off the show.
Oh, no, you mustn't.
I'm not gonna do it
unless I can do it right.
John.
I've been thinking
that, maybe, I..
[chuckles]
I know
what you've been thinking.
I believe I could do it.
What do you think?
I think that..
...I'm in love with you.
Oh.
Oh, John, I..
Hey, you run along now
and.. I'll let you know
what I'm gonna do
just as soon as I know myself.
Hm?
Alright.
[chuckles]
Love.
I hate love.
Women? You can have 'em!
Thanks, I got some.
Goodnight, fellow comedians,
I'm going home to my wife
the one in Brooklyn.
I shall walk all the way
and I hope, I
hope
it's raining!
And when I'll get home
if my supper isn't ready,
I shall beat her.
And if my supper is ready
I shall not eat it.
[sobbing]
Farewell.
[laughing]
This is the guy that gets drunk
and has the DTs
all at the same time.
Oh.
Well?
The show opens as planned,
one week from tonight.
- With Rekay?
- Without Rekay.
Right. Now,
here's what I'm gonna do.
Don't do it, John,
she's a clever youngster
but she's not nearly ready
to step into a big part.
It'll take a couple of years
before she's ready
to carry a Broadway show.
Just the same,
I'm gonna take a chance.
Wait a minute, boss. We're the
ones that have been drinkin'.
Think it over, John.
It's an awful big gamble.
- What's show business?
- Oh..
- Come, get the telephone.
- Come on.
- It's Thorny.
- Oh!
Hello?
Yes, John.
Yes, John.
Oh. Yes, John.
- Oh.
- What's happened?
Huh?
[giggles]
- Where are you going?
- Hey, hey, wait a minute.
Wait, what?
Where do you think you're goin'?
- To the theater.
- Like that?
What?
Mama! Mama!
- What happened?
- Hello, operator.
Get me long-distance! Yes!
Oh, Lily, oh!
I'm so tickled
th-that I'm tickled!
Oh, bless your heart, child.
Well, it's only what I expected
sooner or later.
Goodnight, dear. Uh, Lily?
Be sure to eat plenty
of fresh vegetables. Goodbye.
Uh, hello, operator, get me
the "Midhaven Daily Press."
Children, guess what!
Lily is a star!
- Will she twinkle?
- She'll twinkle.
Uh, "Midhaven Daily Press?"
I have a very important piece
of news for you.
[indistinct chatter]
Children, stop it! Be quiet!
Be quiet!
Uh, not you.
My name is Lily Mars' mother!
Guess what?
Hey, a little more wine?
No more champagne, Stephan.
More kisses.
- No.
- No?
No, Lily, no.
Look, darling, try to remember.
You're a mature
Russian princess.
- Yes.
- On your honeymoon.
Yes.
Not a village belle
on a hayride.
- Oh.
- That's alright, darling.
It's alright, now.
Come on now, let's try it again.
- Alright.
- From your entrance.
You're doing fine, honey.
Keep it up, keep it up.
Don't get excited.
Don't get excited.
Alright.
[sighs]
- Alright.
- Alright.
Oh, Stephan,
how could you do this to me?
- And on our honeymoon!
- No, no, no, no, no.
- You're not suffering enough!
- She's wiggling enough.
- Go on, go on, go on, suffer!
- Suffer.
Oh, Stephan,
how could you do this to..
Ouch!
And on our honeymoon!
Now, darling,
you know what I want.
- Now, don't you?
- Yes.
- You're sure?
- Yes.
That's fine.
Okay, Beethoven, hit it!
[piano music]
I heard a tune
in the moonlight
From the distance arising
Troika bells harmonizing
A Russian rhapsody
(John)
'Hold it! Hold it!'
Will you send this
out for me, Mike?
Sure will, Sid.
Sid, how'd it go?
Well, it's a good sign
when the dress rehearsal smells.
How was the Mars kid?
It's a good sign
when a dress rehearsal smells.
- Um..
- Ah, atta baby, baby!
- I was alright, wasn't I?
- Oh, sure! Sure, you were.
And you're gonna be
alrighter, too.
- Now relax, heh?
- Alright.
- Oh!
- Here.
[exhales sharply]
Thank you.
Oh..
'"When John Thornway's new play,
"Let Me Dream"'
opens in New York
Friday night.."
[sighs]
...the star will be
none other than Lily Mars"
daughter of Ms. Flora Mars
of Midhaven."
I can't believe it.
Oh, I'm in heaven!
Ouch! All except my feet.
Frankie, I wonder why
John didn't come back to see me.
Why, uh, well, he never does.
Once a show starts off
in dress rehearsal
he-he just stays out front
and lets it roll.
I made some mistakes,
but not very big ones.
Oh, well, sure!
Everybody makes mistakes.
Now, relax
and save your strength.
You gotta go out there
tomorrow night
and murder a lot of people.
[knocking on door]
Uh, relax.
[knocking on door]
Oh, hello, Mr. T.
- Eh, is she decent?
- Yes, sure, come on in.
Uh, will you go and tell Scotty
not to leave?
Yeah, sure.
- Hello.
- Hi there.
How was I?
First..
[chuckles]
Lily, you've learned more
in a few weeks
than most actresses learn
in a lifetime.
With a little luck
and a lot of hard work
you're gonna be
a great actress.
- Mm..
- Some day.
Now, I've called another
dress rehearsal for tonight.
We'll start just as soon as
the cast has had a little rest
and gets something to eat.
[exhales sharply]
[sighs]
Alright, boss. I'm ready.
No, Lily.
I hate worse than anything
in the world to tell you
but, no, you're not ready.
I should've had more sense
than to let you tackle
such a tough part
but, I wasn't being sensible
and now I've got to be.
And so have you.
Am I hopeless?
No, darling, no.
You're not hopeless.
It's just that
you're-you're green.
You're inexperienced.
Lily, it's a tremendous job
for an actress
to carry a whole show.
She has to have authority
she has to have range and ease
and the thousand and one
tricks of the trade
that you can only learn
through experience.
She has to be a finished actress
a big actress.
[breathing heavily]
And I'm only a little one.
You're,
you're a good little one
but this part
calls for a good big one.
And I've got her.
You made up with Isobel?
It wasn't a question
of making up.
It was business, show business
between
two professional show people
who understand that sometime
their jobs are more important
than their personal feelings.
Darling, even..
[sobbing]
Excuse me, but Ms. Rekay
wants me to put these--
Just a minute, please.
She can move in now!
[sniffles]
'Lily, you take all the time
you want to.'
She shouldn't have
barged in here like that.
Darling, I..
I can't tell ya
how rotten I feel about that.
- But--
- 'Hey, boss!'
I'll be with you
in just a minute, Scotty.
But here's how it's got to be.
Isobel plays the princess
'and you play
the, uh...your old part.'
Look, boss, Rekay just called.
She wants this dressing room
right away
and if you don't give it to her
she's gonna take
another powder on you.
Well, she'll just have to wait.
Lily. Lily!
I don't want you to go,
but you can if you want to.
You can go away,
you can go back home
you can hate me
for the rest of your life.
There's something else
you can do if you want to.
You can come back here
tomorrow night
and try to play that maid
better than any maid has ever
been played in any theater.
When you walk out on that stage
and say your few lines
and give 'em everything
you've got to give
there'll be one less amateur
in the world..
and one more professional.
Now, that's all up to you.
- 'Here she is!'
- 'Shh!'
- 'Surprise!'
- 'Surprise!'
- Surprise!
- Surprise!
Congratulations, Lily!
Congratulations!
We'll all move to New York!
And I'll get
a lotta super-duper doorknobs!
Oh, it's wonderful, Lily,
and you're wonderful!
- We just had to come.
- So, we came.
- In a bus!
- We sold the piano!
Oh. Well,
I'm certainly glad to see you.
Oh, you're tired, dear.
Come and sit over here
right here in this big chair.
- You look just the same!
- There!
Well, where's Poppy?
Poppy? Oh, Poppy!
Children, did we come away
without Poppy?
(together)
No, mama.
Did we leave her on the bus?
(together)
No, mama.
Well, then, she must be here.
(all)
Yes, mama!
- Poppy? Poppy?
- Poppy?
[instrumental music]
Congratulations, Lily dear
upon the start of your career.
We love you best
of all the stars.
We're proud of you,
Ms. Lily Mars.
[sobbing]
That's nice, dear.
She loved it!
Oh..
I'm not a star.
I'm not even an actress.
[sobbing]
I'm nothing at all.
Oh, there, there, dear.
'Now, no matter how bad it is'
it isn't as bad as all that.
[sobbing]
I want to go home.
Oh, now. There, there, darling.
[instrumental music]
Look at him, he's got
the biggest moneymaker
he ever had in his life.
And what is he doin'? Mopin'!
[music continues]
John, how about Lily,
is she here?
- I don't know.
- What about her part?
Well, if she isn't here
to play it, the other girl will.
[music continues]
I heard a tune
in the moonlight
From the distance arising
Troika bells harmonizing
A Russian rhapsody
Where roses bloom
in September
Where autumn leaves
Are swaying
Two balalaikas playing
a Russian..
John, how soon is Lily
supposed to make her entrance?
Right after Isobel's song.
Where?
Through that door over there.
Pick a rose in September
When it's spring
You'll remember
A Russian rhapsody
When it's spring
you'll remember
A Russian
Rhapsody
Stephan!
Waiters!
No more champagne, Stephan.
More kisses.
Your Excellencies,
your room is ready.
May I show you to it now?
[applauding]
Shh! Children, quiet. Quiet.
Goodnight, Your Excellencies.
- Goodnight.
- Goodnight.
And may your dreams
be beautiful.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
[indistinct singing]
[applauding]
I'm so glad, dear.
I knew she'd come back.
I'll see you later.
Isobel, darling, you were swell.
Thanks for coming back.
And I'm very happy
about everything.
You should be, John. I am, too.
Now, run along and see Lily
and tell her for me
she's a real trouper
and you're very lucky.
Swell, kid! You were swell!
You were swell.
Oh, and you were swell!
Swell! Uh..
(John)
Hello!
Yeah! Uh, swell! You were sw..
Oh, Scotty, listen,
thanks a million!
It was swell.
Leo, costumes, swell, swell.
You were swell!
Oh, I beg your pardon.
I thought he was in the, uh..
This show should be good
for two years.
Yeah, swell.
Listen, where is Lily?
- Lily's dress..
- Oh, that's alright.
Never mind. Never mind.
You were swell, Scotty!
[knocking on door]
- She just left.
- Oh, ha-hah. Was that you?
- You were swell, Chrissy!
- Thank you.
[door opens]
(John)
Lily! Lily!
- Hi there.
- Hello.
Lily, thanks for coming back.
I never enjoyed
any actress' performance
so much in my life.
Oh, John, I was only
on the stage for a minute.
Well, it was the happiest,
it was the most thrilling moment
I ever hope to have
in the theater.
It made me sure
that I was right about you.
[laughing]
Oh.
- John, we've got an audience.
- Yeah.
Well, you just wait
till you see the audiences
you're going to have.
You've heard of Sarah Bernhardt.
She really was a dilly
but Sarah Bernhardt
couldn't compare
to the gal that's known as Lily!
[laughing]
[instrumental music]
Where there's music
There'll be singing
Where there's singing
You'll find skies of blue
For when
all the world goes wrong
A simple little song
Will always bring a rainbow
Smiling through
With a rainbow
There'll be laughter
Chasing after
Sunshine from above
Where there's sunshine
There'll be music
And where there's music
There's
Love
Hey, mister, that's my sister.
Shh.
She's marriaged.
Poppy, be quiet.
Yes, Poppy. You'd better
or you'll get put out.
[laughs]
Not with my mother-in-law here!
For songs are souvenirs
That live through the years
The grand old songs
Never die
Where there's music
There'll be dancing
No matter
Where you go
[violin music]
It's 3 o'clock
in the morning
We've danced
the whole night through
That melody so entrancing
Seems to be made for us two
I could just keep right on
dancing forever
Here with you
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Where there's music
There'll be dancing
and prancing..
To the rhythms..
[instrumental music]
Gotta dance
Gotta dance
[music continues]
Broadway rhythm it's got me
Everybody dance
Broadway rhythm it's got me
Broadway rhythm it's got me
Everybody dance
Broadway rhythm it's got me
On the gay white way
In each merry cafe
On dance display
Taking your breath away
With all that Broadway rhythm
it's got me
Everybody sing
And dance
Oh oh
That Broadway rhythm
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Broadway rhythm
That Broadway rhythm
When I hear that happy beat
Feel like dancing
down the street
Oh oh
That Broadway rhythm
That lively speedy rhythm
[music continues]
[music continues]
Broadway rhythm is the beat
Broadway rhythm is the beat
It's the sweetest beat
From the sweetest street
Known as Broadway
Broadway
Broadway rhythm's got me
with its rhythm
There's music
I'm home
[instrumental music]
[instrumental music]
[music continues]
[music continues]
[horn squeaks]
[piano music]
Hello, Charlie.
So be it, Ms. Lily Mars.
Have your old career.
Go to New York City!
Go on the stage!
All I got to say
is good luck and goodbye!
[doll squeaks]
Aah!
Ah.
- Good morning, Charlie.
- Good morning.
Oh.
[doll squeaks]
Aah!
[grunts]
[doorbell ringing]
- Hello, Charlie.
- I forgot my hat.
- Got any more bubblegum?
- No.
[piano music]
Oh, Lily! Charlie's back!
- Lily, Charlie's back already!
- Shh..
- Alright..
- Lily! Ms. Lily!
No, no, I don't wanna see her!
I just want my hat!
[indistinct yelling]
- Oh, it's not here.
- 'Ms. Lily..'
Davey, have you seen my hat?
I don't collect hats.
I collect doorknobs.
Ain't she a beauty?
Oh, Lily! Charlie's back!
I am not! I am not!
Oh, there it is.
- Oh, excuse me.
- Hello, Charlie.
- Look, mama.
- Oh, you got it. It's lovely.
Davey, get me the top for this.
- Well, goodbye, Mrs. Mars.
- Goodbye, Charlie.
I'll be sorry not to see you
again, Mrs. Mars.
Oh, now, now, Charlie.
People shouldn't be mad
at people. Goodbye, Charlie.
Charles.
Hey, Charlie, wait for me!
Never again, you, you
actress!
[sighing]
Oh..
[sighs]
Poor Charles.
He's so young.
So very young.
And it hurts me to hurt him
but, ugh, what can I do?
[chuckles]
- Mama?
- Oh, go on, dear.
I'm not laughing at you.
I like to see you act.
[chuckles]
- Mother.
- Oh, now, I'm not mother.
I'm mama, and here's the hat
for Mrs. Thornway.
Davey, where's the top to this?
Here it is, mama.
Lily, can I go to
Mrs. Thornway's house with ya?
No, Davey dear.
Her doorknobs might tempt you.
Oh, they already have.
- Lily, please take me.
- No.
Well, then, could you sort
of maybe get one for me?
Of course not.
Oh, but they're
such super-dupers.
- Alright.
- Here you are, dear.
Mama, I may not be back
for quite some time
but when I do come back, I may
have a big surprise for you.
- Mm.
- That's for luck.
- Good luck, dear.
- Thank you.
- Good luck, Lily.
- Thank you. Bye!
Goodbye.
[sighs]
- Good morning, Ms. Lily.
- Good morning, Andrew.
I've brought
Mrs. Thornway's hat.
- I'll take it, please.
- Oh, well, uh..
I know how-how busy
she must be this morning
but, Andrew,
I, I simply must see her.
- Huh?
- Yeah, yeah, come right in.
- Alright.
- She's in the doctor's office.
Well, thank you.
Well, I'll tell John
just as soon as he gets here.
- Come in, Lily.
- Hi.
(Mrs. Thornway)
'Um, well, he should be here
in a few minutes'
'if his plane's on time.'
'Uh-huh? Yes, Mr. Vail.'
Yes, Mr. Vail, I understand.
You and Ms. Rekay
are motoring here.
You'll arrive
early this afternoon.
And you think
it would be a good idea
to shoot Irene in the first act.
Yes, I'll tell John. Goodbye.
Mrs. Thornway,
I've brought your hat.
It isn't exactly
what you wanted, but--
Just a minute, Lily.
And wants to shoot..
Oh, bother.
He wants to shoot some girl
but what girl and in what act?
- Irene, in the first act.
- Thank you.
Mrs. Thornway, when you ask
your son about a part for me
will you tell him
I'd rather not play Irene?
Oh, you wouldn't?
Not if she gets killed
in the first act.
Let's see the hat.
- Will you tell him about me?
- Yes.
And if he says no, will you try
and make him give me a part?
Even a little one.
Maybe...Irene?
Lily dear,
the last time I was able
to make John Thornway
do anything, he was ten.
He wanted to join a circus.
I persuaded him not to
by locking him in the cellar.
Well, if-if I could
just meet him
and maybe act for him
a little--
Lily dear, he's going to be
frightfully busy.
He always is.
[instrumental music]
Here today
to close an old show
gone tomorrow to open a new one.
That's John.
Never a minute for anything
but show business.
Well, I-I'm show business.
- My dear, but..
- Oh.
My dear child.
Oh, my dear child.
Well, I just know you'll love it
after you get used to it.
The fashion magazine said
it's the latest thing. I know..
Oh, well, I-I wouldn't
cut the feather if I..
- Oh.
- Ah.
[door slams]
That's John, I know his slam.
- 'Mimi!'
- Oh, dear.
- 'Mimi!'
- Oh, dear.
- You better wait in here.
- Alright.
And-and don't come out
till I have John
all nicely buttered up.
Alright.
- John.
- Hello, Mimi!
- Welcome home, dear.
- Oh, you..
- Do you like it?
- Mm, well, i-it..
- Do you?
- Mm, yes.
Well, then that's
good enough for me.
Oh, Mimi,
it's good to see you again.
I hope you had
a nice restful trip, dear.
Oh, I did, I worked on
the script for the new play
all the way
from New York to Indiana.
Any telegrams come for me?
Five so far,
but the day is young yet.
They're on the desk. John?
Oh, John, it's beautiful.
- Oh, but, John--
- Yes, I know, I know, I know.
'I shouldn't have done it.'
I have a message for you
from Owen Vail.
- Oh, he phoned?
- Mm-hmm.
Asked me to tell you that Isobel
is not coming by train
with the company.
She's motoring here from Chicago
with him.
Oh, that's fine.
And Isobel is, well..
Well, Isobel is Isobel.
Now, look, Mimi, I don't care
what Isobel does off the stage.
I love her as an actress,
I adore her as a leading lady.
I'll do anything I can
to keep her happy in the theater
but I definitely, flatly,
am not going to humor Ms. Rekay
by becoming one of her husbands.
(Mrs. Thornway)
John, do you remember
Henry Mars?
He used to come here often
to tune the piano.
Da-da da-da
da da da da da da da
- Aha, that's the man.
- Yeah.
John, he died several years ago.
Oh, he did?
I'm sorry to hear that.
He left a wife
and five children.
Nobody knows how they manage,
but they do.
Everybody in Midhaven
worries about the Marses
except the Marses.
The oldest child's name is Lily.
[clattering]
[dramatic music]
That's Lily.
She's such a remarkable child
and so talented.
- She acts?
- Yes.
- Experience?
- Oh, loads of it.
"Peter Pan," "Macbeth,"
the "Follies."
- Oh, really?
- Well, the..
Midhaven High School Follies.
John. John! John!
Mimi, you ought to know by now
there's only one thing
in the world I will not
do for you and that is it!
- I have seen my last amateur.
- But Lily's unusual!
Unusual. Oh, mother.
There's a Lily Mars in every
town and they're all alike
'so full of hope
and so hopeless.'
'Now, I'll tell you
what you do, mother.'
Let her down easy, but do it
so she'll stay down!
But she won't.
She'll bounce right up again.
You don't know Lily.
I don't know her
and I'm not going to.
Oh, dear, it won't hurt you
just to meet her.
You can't just meet 'em!
She'll start acting on me!
Well, let her play a scene
for you.
Not a scene, not a line
not a word, not a syllable!
Alright, but you'll be sorry.
- Lily dear.
- It's alright.
You don't have
to let me down easy.
- I heard.
- I'm sorry.
- He is pig-headed, isn't he?
- Yes.
Mrs. Thornway,
do you mind if I take the box?
- It's the only one we've got.
- Of course.
Alright.
- Lily, you know..
- Hm?
I'm getting used to the hat.
It does rather grow on one,
doesn't it?
Oh, yes! I think it's beautiful.
I love it.
It looks lovely on you.
- Thank you.
- Oh.
- Well, goodbye.
- 'Goodbye.'
She, uh, sees Stephan,
she screams.
Aah!
That's it, that's it.
Oh..
Mother! Mother!
- 'Yes?'
- Oh, where is that thing?
Where is it? Mother!
Where is it? Where is it?
- Where's what?
- The play, the play!
It's my only copy with
all the notes and it's gone!
- It's gone!
- Now, it can't be gone.
Well, it's gone
and I've got to find it!
I've got to find it!
It won't do you any good
repeating yourself.
Well, I know I didn't leave it
on the plane!
I know I didn't leave it
on the, uh, in the car!
- I'll search the house.
- Oh.
[telephone ringing]
Hello!
Yes, this is John Thornway.
Oh, you found it! Where, where..
In an ashcan?
Want it? Of course, I want it!
Will you bring it right--
Uh, will you..
Oh, you can't, huh?
Well, yes, yes.
Sure, I'll come, but wait.
W-w-what's your address?
[engine revving]
[crashing]
- Hey, are you John Thornway?
- Yeah.
The guy who produces
all those shows?
- That's right.
- Hmph.
[doll squeaks]
- How do you do?
- Uh..
H-how do you do? I'm, uh--
I know who you are.
Do you know who I am?
- No.
- Oh. Come right in, please.
I'm in rather a hurry.
Yes, if you'll just
come and sit down, please.
Oh, don't sit there.
Sit here, please.
Please.
[piano music]
Ladies and gentlemen
You've heard
of Sarah Bernhardt
She really was a dilly
But Sarah Bernhardt
couldn't compare
To the gal
who's known as Lily
You've heard
of Eleonora Doozy
Her drama
knocked them silly
But Doozy was an amateur
Compared to a gal like Lily
On your mark get set
For here comes our Lily
[piano music]
Yet here's a spot?
O-out, damned spot.
Out, I say!
One, two..
Who would have thought
that the old man
had so much blood in him?
Fie, Macbeth! Fie!
A soldier? And afraid?
[sighs]
What, will these hands
never be clean?
But no more of that, my Lord,
no more of that.
Oh, no, no, no, no.
'All the perfumes in Arabia'
will not sweeten
this little hand.
[groaning]
Ha!
Look not so pale, Macbeth!
Come, man. Put on your nightgown
and come to bed.
To bed.
'To bed!'
[tapping]
Hist!
There's a knocking at the gate.
Come. Give me your hand.
What is done cannot be undone.
Come to bed.
To bed! To bed!
[piano music]
[sighs]
How was I, Mr. Thornway?
- Awful.
- Well, what did I do wrong?
Everything.
And now, Ms. Mars, will you
please give me back my play?
But I did it exactly
as I was told.
You mean, somebody told you
to do it that way?
Yes! Professor Eggleston
in school.
Ms. Mars, I'm going to talk
to you for one minute
quietly, but firmly.
I shouldn't, but you're a friend
of my mother's
and you come from my hometown.
And your father
brought me into the world.
That is not one
of the qualifications, Ms. Mars
for success on the stage.
I am going to give you
no encouragement whatsoever.
But what I want is a job.
Ms. Mars,
I give an actress a job
for only one reason
and that is that she is the best
I can get for the part.
Ms. Mars,
I have neither the wish
the time nor the patience
to teach anybody how to act.
Lady Macbeth
is walking in her sleep.
She is talking to herself
not to a boyfriend
in the gallery.
She is a strong woman.
She has murdered a king
so she can become a queen
but her conscience
has crept into her dreams
and is gnawing at her mind
gnawing like a relentless rat.
Gnawing, gnawing.
And you play her as if
she were a high school girl
with a bellyache.
It is not
"Come, man,
put on your nightgown
and come to bed."
[tapping]
It's..
[softly]
"Come, man.
"Put on your nightgown
"and come to bed.
'"Shh. There's a knocking
at the gate.'
'"Come.'
"Give me your hand.
What's done cannot be undone."
Oh, bravo!
[piano music]
Bravo!
- Ms. Mars, where's my play?
- You've been sitting on it.
[instrumental music]
That's yours, too.
[chuckles]
- But, Mr. Thornway--
- No!
It's not about me.
It's about my brother, Davey.
- Does he act, too?
- No, he, he collects doorknobs.
- Doorknobs?
- Yeah.
And that one's a, a super-duper.
Oh. Well, thank you.
[door shuts]
Lily, can I blow out
the candle?
- He'll be sorry.
- You bet he will.
Thanks for the knob.
Lily, don't feel bad.
I don't feel bad.
I just feel mad, hopping mad.
[grunts]
Ooh!
[grunting]
Children, children, children.
What's all the fuss about?
We're being hopping mad,
mama, for Lily.
Oh. Well, go be hopping mad
in the dining room. Go on.
[grunting]
Well?
He didn't like me at all.
Well, perhaps
he doesn't like Shakespeare.
Maybe you should have done
something more lowbrow
like
"Ten Nights In A Barroom"
or
"Why Girls Leave Home."
Or that sad scene
from
"The Sacred Bride."
Yes.
[mumbling]
[knocking on door]
Yeah? Yeah?
Excuse me, Mr. John.
There's a lady here.
- Shoot her.
- I think she's an actress.
Go away, you pest!
(female #1)
'Open up, Johnny, let me in!'
Isobel! Angel.
Angel, pest. Pest, angel.
- Make up your mind, Johnny.
- Well, it's angel.
I thought
you were somebody else.
- A girl?
- No, no, no. A pest.
Well, yes, a girl,
but a pest. I..
[chuckles]
She's been hounding me.
Johnny, what have you done?
Nothing, not a thing.
And you? I mean, recently.
[chuckles]
Nothing but think of you,
Johnny.
All the lonely weeks
on the road in Buffalo
Cleveland, Detroit,
Cincinnati, Chicago..
Pittsburgh?
Yes, Pittsburgh.
Mm. What was that
big pig iron man doing?
- Helping you think of me?
- Oh, well..
- I had to have a little fun.
- Well--
- Innocent?
- It's alright.
You have all the fun you like
just don't miss
any more Saturday matinees!
Hm. In there you have no heart.
You have a box office. Goodbye!
- Now, now, where you going?
- Pittsburgh!
Hmph.
I don't have to work for you.
I can leave the stage
immediately and marry a man
with a million dollars
worth of pig iron.
Well, then, why don't you?
I don't like pig iron, Johnny.
I like you.
Well, not bad, John, not bad
but, uh, can't you put
a little more oomph into it
a little more crunch?
Oh, stop it, Owen.
Owen. Ow-Owe..
Look, you-you can't shoot Irene
in the first act.
- Second act?
- No, no.
Now, you've written a swell play
let it alone.
[applauding]
- When do we go into rehearsal?
- Next week.
Alright, now off with you.
I'll see you back here tonight
after the show.
Mimi's tossing a high-class
brawl for the troupe.
Right now I got things to do.
Oh, Johnny,
I want to see your hometown.
And it wants to see you, darling
tonight, at your best.
So I think it'd be a swell idea
if you went on back to the hotel
and took a nice long nap.
Come on. You, too, Owen.
- Okay.
- Bye-bye.
- 'Goodbye, Johnny.'
- Goodbye.
[door shuts]
Now, let's see..
- Listen to me!
- Irene enters..
- You must, you shall listen!
- Down left, crosses..
If not for my sake,
but for the sake
of this poor, innocent child!
Why should she pay
for our folly? See?
She has your eyes and
your smile, but not your name!
Papa! Papa!
Papa! Papa!
- Could be a racket, you know?
- 'Papa!'
It must be. That girl's lying.
But that baby,
she's the image of John.
- 'Papa!'
- She does holler like him.
Please, I want nothing
for myself, nothing!
Please, I beg you
on bended knees!
'Please! Please!'
- Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!
- Alright, now, that's enough!
This won't do you
one bit of good.
When I say no, I mean no!
- Papa, papa.
- Shut up!
Papa, papa..
Now go on away, please,
and stop hounding me!
Oh, but, Mr. Thornway--
Go on, beat it and take
that grubby child with you!
But if you'd just give me
a fair chance.
Come here, come here.
Here are a couple of passes
for the show tonight.
Go down and see some acting
but for heaven sakes,
don't do any more.
Oh, thank you, Mr. Thornway.
Thank you, Mr. Thornway.
Got any bubblegum?
[chuckles]
She just loves bubblegum.
Do you know what I'm gonna do
if I ever catch you
anywhere near me again?
- No, Mr. Thornway.
- No, Mr. Thornway.
Now, listen carefully,
young lady.
- Yes, Mr. Thornway.
- Yes, Mr. Thornway.
I don't care where it is
or how many other people
are there.
I'm gonna take you
across my knee
and spank the acting out of you!
- Oh?
- Mm?
Now, go on, beat it.
- Yes, Mr. Thornway.
- Yes, Mr. Thornway.
Go on, beat it!
[instrumental music]
[instrumental music]
[operatic trilling]
[instrumental music]
Could it be
that poor poor fiddler's tune
Played so dreamily?
Is it really love
Or the gypsy in me?
Can you tell me why?
Tell me
how can I solve this mystery
Is it really love
Or the gypsy in me?
Not so very long ago
a fortune teller told me
Someday he will come along
And in his arms
He'll hold me
Since we've been apart
I talk to my heart
Both of us agree
This is really love
Not the gypsy
In me
Strike your cymbal
and beat your drum
Hold back the dawn
and may tomorrow never come
[singing continues]
[no audio]
[music continues]
[operatic trilling]
I know how I feel
Underneath the spell
of this melody
This is really love
Not the gypsy
[operatic trilling]
In me
[applauding]
[instrumental music]
Supper is served.
Supper is served.
- Lily, let's go home.
- Uh, not yet.
Then let's go someplace
and have a hamburger.
Boost. Boost.
'Come on, Charlie, boost.'
'Boost!'
[grunts]
You must try coming in
through the door sometime.
It's so much simpler.
Yes, if you're invited.
Oh, you're Mr. Owen Vail
the man who writes such
wonderful plays, aren't you?
- Mm.
- Well, I'm Lily Mars.
And you can do so much for me
if you only will.
It's no good
my talking to Mr. Thornway.
He just won't listen to me,
but he will to you
'and I thought
if you spoke to him about me--'
Wait.
Why, it's..
It's the..
You're the girl that..
- Oh.
- What's the matter?
Tell me this. Has John Thornway
never done anything for you?
No, never.
Well, what reason does he give?
- He doesn't like me.
- He doesn't like..
You wait right here.
Uh, Mr. Vail..
- 'Mr. Vail!'
- Stay there.
You will speak to Mr. Thornway?
Don't you think it's almost time
you called him John?
(Mrs. Thornway)
'Has anyone seen Mr. Vail?'
Oh, there you are, Mr. Vail.
I was looking for you.
Uh, supper's served. Come on.
- Both of you.
- Well, there's only one of us.
- I heard a girl's voice.
- Oh, uh..
- Uh, no, that was me.
- You?
Oh, yes.
I-I often talk to myself.
- Soprano?
- Uh..
[as a woman]
Sometimes.
[chuckles]
I-it's me, Lily, Mrs. Thornway.
Why, Lily Mars. Come in, dear.
Oh, no.
I don't think I'd better.
Nonsense. We'd love to have you.
Oh, uh,
I don't think your son would.
After all, I guess
he must have told you about--
About that?
'Don't let that
worry you anymore.'
Things like that
don't upset John for very long.
Come on. Come in, Mr. Vail.
Don't upset him?
Ooh.
Now, make yourself
perfectly at home, dear.
- Thank you.
- Good evening, Lily.
- 'Good evening, Lily.'
- Excuse me.
Good evening,
Professor Eggleston.
Ah, my dear Lily.
Delighted to see you.
Ah, thank you.
- How are the children?
- Three of them..
Three of them had the mumps,
but they're fine now.
Thank goodness. Excuse me.
- Did he say, "Children?"
- Well, yes.
Wait right here.
[instrumental music]
Ms. Rekay, I saw your show
on your gyp--
Excuse me. Excuse me.
- Where's John?
- Where is John?
- Well, that girl is here.
- Girl?
- What girl?
- "What girl?"
[gasps]
You mean..
- Did she bring..
- No.
And it seems
there's not just one.
- There are..
- Three?
- At least. Maybe..
- Four?
[gasping]
[chuckles]
Uh, can I play, too?
- Well, isn't this a new game?
- No. An old one.
John, you've simply got to do
something about that girl.
- What girl?
- "What girl." Lily Mars!
Oh, has she been
working on you, too?
Well, don't pay
any attention to her.
- You did.
- 'Well, not a great deal.'
'I simply told her
what I tell all the others.'
- Others?
- Yes.
There's at least one
in every town.
But, darling, why are you
interested in this one?
- I've seen this one.
- And the child.
- One of them.
- Th-this afternoon.
(Isobel)
'Outside your window.'
Well, you low-minded snoopers.
Of all..
You ought to be ashamed
of yourselves.
She's just another one
of those stage-struck kids
that thinks all she has to do
to be an actress is make a wish.
I told her if she ever
bothered me again, I-I-I..
[music continues]
Excuse me.
- Well, John.
- Heh..
Oh, John. Just a moment.
Will you autograph
my program, huh?
Yes, I'd be delighted to.
- Such beautiful music.
- Oh, everything is just marve--
- For you.
- Well, thank you.
- Uh, thank you.
- Yes, th-thank you.
Thank you. Whoops!
[instrumental music]
And hip hip hooray
it was growing pop
And it couldn't stop
Now it's number one
Thanks to Tom
the piper's son
Tom Tom the piper's son
He stole a tune
and away he run
And away run he
With that melody
Tom was hot
the tune was sweet
But he revamped it
with the new off beat
And the classic thing
Got a shot of swing
Mr. Brahms cried ach
So did Mozart and Bach
And to hear them rave
Paganini tumbled over
in his grave
And now that tune
that no one played
Has stepped right up
and hit the hit parade
It was growing pop
And it couldn't stop
Now it's number one
Thanks to Tom
the piper's son
Once more, please,
by special request.
It's alright with me, honey.
Just keep singing.
Tom Tom the piper's son
Stole a tune
and away he run
And away run he
With that melody
Tom was hot
the tune was sweet
But he vamped it
with a boogie beat
And the classic thing
got a shot of swing
Beethoven turned gray
So did-did Debussy and Bose
It was such a stew
Tchai-Tchaikovsky said
I'm gonna sue
And now that tune
that no one played
Has stepped right up
and hit the hit parade
It was growing pop
And it couldn't stop
Now it's number one
thanks to Tom
The piper's
So-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-on
[applauding]
I do hope Mr. Thornway
will do something for Lily.
- Oh, I think he will.
- Good, good.
[chuckles]
I guess
you were kinda surprised
to see me pop up here tonight.
- Weren't you?
- I was.
Of course,
I shouldn't have been
knowing what a talent you have
for popping up.
- But I didn't see you come in.
- Well, uh..
I didn't exactly come in.
You see, I..
I came over the wall.
And just where did you, uh..
Right over there.
Well, that's right where
you're going to, um..
But when I was singing,
you looked so interested.
- I am not.
- So human.
I am not.
Now, Ms. Mars
this way out. Please.
Mr. Thornway, please take me
to New York with you tomorrow.
I can do so much
for mom and the kids.
Well, you might start by washing
that grubby little sister
of yours.
Poppy is not grubby.
She was made up for the part.
Ms. Mars.
Very well,
if you really want me to go..
I do, Ms. Mars, I do very much.
Alright, over I go
but you're gonna
have to boost me.
Come on, boost!
You're afraid of me.
- I'm what?
- You are.
Well, that's one thing
I didn't know till now.
There are a lotta things
you don't know about yourself.
One of them is why you're making
me go back over that wall.
Well, that is one thing
I do know, young lady
it's to teach you a lesson.
[chuckles]
Just like a naughty little girl.
I know why you treat me
as a child.
It's because you're afraid
to think of me as a woman.
Alright, boost.
One, two..
Goodbye.
I beg your pardon.
[sniffles]
[instrumental music]
[sobbing]
[sobbing]
[sobbing]
What's the matter, Lily?
[sobbing]
Nothing.
Don't cry, Lily.
I hate him. I just hate him.
I hate him, too.
Who does she hate?
[sobbing]
Children, children.
Now, now, now.
It isn't as bad as all that,
no matter how bad it is.
Why are you crying?
(all)
Because Lily is.
[all sobbing]
Lily, why are you crying?
Mr. Thornway
wouldn't give me a job.
And he sneered at me
and-and he told me to go home
and wash
my grubby little sister.
[sobbing]
Me? Oh!
And he made me climb back
over the wall.
Well, Lily dear, that's nothing
for you to cry about.
Were you mean to him?
Did you sneer at him?
'Did you call him grubby?'
Did you make him climb a wall?
Well, then,
who should be ashamed?
- Him.
- 'Right.'
- 'Who should be crying?'
- Him.
And if you shouldn't be crying,
what should you be doing?
- Laughing.
- 'That's right.'
Now, then, off to bed,
all of you, come on.
Laugh yourselves to sleep.
Scoot!
[laughing]
Mama, when I grow up,
can I be you?
I'll try and arrange it.
Now, scoot.
Lily, you're something
that's very wonderful to be.
[sighs]
What, mama?
Nineteen.
Nineteen and nowhere.
Some very successful people
didn't get their start
until well past 20.
Right now it looks like I'm
gonna be well past everything
before I get my chance to do
what I've always
dreamed of doing.
Being an actress.
And a good one, too.
Then I could give you
and the kids
all the things you want.
I've got what I want.
What you want's in New York,
isn't it?
- Uh-huh.
- And you're in Indiana.
Mm.
Well, if you want to get
what you want
you've got to go where it is,
don't you?
- Mm-hmm.
- Well, then?
Davey. Davey!
(Davey)
'Yes, mama?'
Get George
and bring him here to me.
- 'Okay.'
- Now, mama--
Now, you will, too, let's have
no more fiddle-de-dee
about this.
- Mama, I--
- Uh-uh.
[Davey mumbling]
- Here's George, mama.
- Thank you, Davey.
- Now, run along.
- Goodnight.
Goodnight, dear.
Now, you're gonna take this
and go to New York.
- It's only $28.
- But I just can't--
Ah-ah-ah!
Who's mama around here?
Goodnight, dear.
Davey.
- Davey.
- Mm?
I want you to put this money
in George
but don't let mama
see you do it.
Can't you put the money
in George?
I won't be here.
- Hm..
- Oh, not now, dear.
You can do it tomorrow.
[instrumental music]
Alright, the next place
is for the finale.
[indistinct chatter]
- Excuse me, but--
- Excuse me, but..
Where did you get that hat?
[sighs]
Well, it's a copy.
I made it myself, 98 cents.
[giggles]
Can I go in with you?
- Are you in the show?
- No, not yet, I..
I just got
to New York today, but--
Sorry, honey, but Thorny has
a strict rule against visitors.
(male #1)
'Well, come on. Snap
your shirttails. What is this?'
[indistinct chatter]
- Hi, Mike, what do you know?
- Hiya, Mike, what do you know?
- Everybody but you!
- Oh.
Well, it's perfectly alright.
You see, I, I know Mr..
- I know Thorny.
- Do you now?
Sure, his father brought me
into the world.
- Did he now?
- Mm-hmm.
Well, if you bother the son
during rehearsal
he'll do just the opposite
for you.
Well, thank you, anyway.
Young lady
if you, uh,
wanna see Mr. Thornway
why don't you send your name in
to him?
- Because I wanna see him.
- Oh, but..
Lady, that does not make sense.
It does to me.
You see, we had
kind of a misunderstanding.
- Uh-huh?
- He doesn't know I'm here.
So why don't you let me go
right on in and surprise him?
- Uh-uh. Nope.
- Oops.
I-I'm sorry, lady,
you can surprise Mr. Thornway
only by appointment.
Now, get off with you now.
- Ah-ah-ah.
- Heh.
[chuckles]
Well...here?
'Uh, that's right.'
Darling, I want you to always
wear that hat to rehearsal.
Everything goes well
when you do.
Certainly. It's my lucky hat.
[instrumental music]
[whimpering]
Shh. Shh.
[whimpering]
[dog barking]
[dog barking]
[chuckles]
Excuse me, but could you tell me
where Mr. Thor..
[dog barking]
Oh.
Oh, you wiggled in, did you?
Well, wiggle out now.
Wiggle out now or I'll--
- Mike!
- Ms. Rekay.
I thought you were,
but you weren't, were you?
Excuse me, I apologize.
I beg your pardon.
I'm-I'm sorry.
I..
Ooh.
Well, what's the matter
with Mike?
I'm afraid
he's been drinking.
Tsk, tsk, tsk.
He shouldn't do that.
- That sets a bad example.
- Yeah.
Come on, let's follow it.
[laughs]
[indistinct chatter]
(male #1)
'Alright, girls, come on.
Line up for the last number.'
- Owen, coming with us?
- Nope.
- For a drink?
- Yeah!
Mister..
(male #1)
'Come on, this is
a rush number, girls.'
'Move, move.'
At the Club Tovarich
there is romance in the air
Ay ay ay ay
love is everywhere
When you hear the balalaika
you had best beware
Ay ay ay ay
everyone is there
[instrumental music]
[Lily mumbling]
Say. Say!
'Wake up! Wake up!'
Oh.
Uh..
What happened?
Did you get locked in?
Yes, ma'am,
but...I wanted to be.
Oh.
Sorry, but there's no sleeping
permitted in this theater.
But I haven't got
any place to--
'Out. Out.'
Alright.
I'll find some other way
to see Mr. Thornway.
Well, goodbye.
Say, wait a minute.
Is it about a job?
Where ya from?
Indiana.
- How old?
- Nineteen.
- I'm from Nebraska. I was 16.
- Uh-huh.
There's a boy back home
who wants to marry ya.
Mm-hm.
The one who wanted to marry me
was a fine young fella
the kind who was sure
to get ahead.
Yeah.
- That's Charlie.
- That was Sam.
And he did alright, too.
Now, he's the big man
out that way.
Everybody said
I was an awful fool
not to stay home and marry Sam
but there was something
I wanted more than him
or anybody or anything
and that was to go on the stage.
Huh. Well, where am I?
Gee.
And you've been trying
since you were 16?
Bless your heart, child.
I didn't start with a broom.
First I carried a spear.
Ten-hup!
[laughing]
Then the third year
I got a line to speak.
[French accent]
Madam, dinner is served.
Ooh-la-la!
[laughing]
Oh, then there were a lotta
years and a lotta shows
and a husband or two
and then there was a song
that got to be my song.
That was all before your time.
- What's your name?
- Lily Mars.
Lily, know what you are?
- Foolish?
- You're me.
The same eager, hopeful,
stage-struck little hick I was
half a century ago
with the same question
to answer.
What do you want?
[sighs]
I wanna be an actress.
Know what I'd do if I were you?
Go home?
Lily, I think you are home.
'I know I am.'
And I'd rather be here,
even doin' what I'm doin'
than be anywhere else on Earth
because...this is where
I belong.
Oh.
Every little movement
Has a meaning of its own
Every thought and feeling
By some posture can be shown
And every love thought
That comes a-stealing
Over your being
Must be revealing
All its sweetness
In some appealing
Little gesture
All all its own
Every little movement
Every little movement
Has a meaning
Has a meaning
Of its own
Of its own
Every thought and feeling
Every thought and feeling
By some posture can be shown
By some posture can be shown
And every love thought
And every love thought
That comes a-stealing
That comes a-stealing
Over your being
Over your being
Must be revealing
Must be revealing
All its sweetness
All its sweetness
In some appealing
In some appealing
Little gesture
Little gesture
All all
All all
Its own
Its own
Alright, dear. Come on, run
through it once with me now.
Now watch this, Jean.
Hit it, Connie.
[instrumental music]
What is this throbbing
within me?
What is this rhythm so new?
What is this beating
that keeps on repeating
I love you?
I love
You my dear
Don't you know it's
You?
When I look at you
I hear lovely music
Can it be my heart
that sings?
[operatic trilling]
When I look at you
I look at an angel
Tell me where
you've parked your wings
[operatic trilling]
Dizzy me silly moon
Crazy quilt of a sky
Are you real
Or a dream
That got caught in my eye?
My dear
When I look at you
I'm looking at rainbows
Stars come tumbling down
From above
And I'm in love with you
My
Love
[applauding]
(male #1)
'Places
for the Russian number.'
'Come on, shake your shirttails.
Get going.'
I got lots of your standing feet
around here. Come on, move.
[instrumental music]
[dog barking]
Shh..
Oh, there you are.
At the Club Tovarich
There is romance in the air
Ay ay ay ay
love is everywhere
When you hear the balalaika
You had best beware
Ay ay ay ay
everyone is there
[singing continues]
Yay yay yay
Ay ay yay
Ay ay yay
Hi!
You, come here.
Hello.
Mr. Thornway, I'm sorry, I..
- Keep the change.
- Thank you, Mr. Thornway.
Thank you very much
for the lunch.
It was the best I ever had,
and the biggest.
Well, that long train ride
gave you an appetite.
[chuckles]
Train?
[chuckles]
I don't suppose
spending all night
in the theater
is very nourishing.
I guess not.
[gasps]
Aren't they b--
Uh, Ms. Mars, let's, uh
get something settled
once and for all.
I'm letting you stay in the show
only because you knew my father
you know my mother
you come from my hometown
you're in New York
in need of a job..
Uh, well, I needed a few more
girls in the show, anyway.
Oh, I wish there was some way
I could show my appreciation.
- There is. Just do your job.
- Oh, I will.
Oh, um, ahem, some of the girls
live in a boarding house
that they've affectionately
dubbed the incubator.
It's reasonable,
it's respectable.
[chuckles]
But, uh, where you live or what
you do outside of the theater
is strictly your own affair.
Ms. Mars, you understand,
don't you?
Absolutely.
You want me to live in an
incubator and not to bother you.
Yes. Yeah,
that's the gist of it.
So starting right now
you're strictly on your own.
I wash my hands
of any responsibility for you.
Alright.
- And, Ms. Mars.
- Hm?
Uh, there's one thing
that I must ask you
not to do around the theater.
- What's that?
- Don't wear that hat.
Oh.
Well, Mr. Thornway
it's, it's the only one
I've got.
Uh..
Yes, yes.
(John)
'Well, here we are.
This is it.'
This is the incubator.
A lot of fine young actresses
have come out of here.
Of course,
they have to go in first.
[chuckles]
Well, thanks again for the hat.
You know, it didn't
have to be a boughten.
A boughten? What's a boughten?
Oh, that's what Poppy calls
a store hat.
You know, one you don't make
yourself, it's boughten.
I always make my own.
Yes, I know.
Ah, good afternoon.
Have you any rooms?
- No, sir.
- Not even a small one?
I'm sorry, we do not take,
uh, mixed couples.
We take only ladies.
Well, uh,
will you take this one?
- Yes, certainly.
- That's fine.
Well, Ms. Mars, I have to be
getting on back to the theater.
Alright. Well..
Mr. Thornway,
do you want me to come with you?
No, no. You be at rehearsal
tomorrow morning at nine.
- Nine? Sharp.
- Sharp.
- Goodbye, Ms. Mars.
- Goodbye.
Thank you very much.
Well, uh, Lily, uh,
for your brother.
Oh, thank you, Mr. Thor..
John.
- Hiya, Mike.
- Hello, Mr. Thornway, I--
What are you..
[instrumental music]
- Rosebud.
- Yes, sir?
Uh, is that, uh, Ms. Rekay's?
- Yes, sir, she gave it to me.
- Where is she?
She's in her dressing room, sir,
waiting for you.
I'll tell her you're here.
But, Isobel,
it was written for you.
I tell you,
I will not play it as it is.
But, Isobel..
He's here.
Rosebud, I told you
to throw that hat away.
So, you know more
about writing plays than I do?
- Who doesn't?
- Alright. Alright, then.
- Why don't you write a play?
- Why don't you?
Now, what-what goes on here?
Our star has suddenly decided
she doesn't like the third act.
I hate it. It doesn't
march along. It, it dribbles.
Now, let's, let's sit down
and we'll talk about it.
Quietly, hm?
Are you sure you have the time?
Oh, I'm sorry I'm late, dear,
but I, uh, had to have lunch.
What did you two eat,
an elephant?
Uh, and then after lunch
I had things to do.
- 'Oh.'
- Uh, business.
[telephone ringing]
Hello?
John, for you.
- 'A lady.'
- M-me?
Yes, you.
[clears throat]
Hello.
Oh, hello, dear.
Well, it's nice
to hear your voice.
It's my mother's.
Yes, yes, she's here.
Well, no, I mean, uh, uh,
she's not here.
She's, uh,
here in the incubator.
- Incubator?
- Y-yeah.
It's a sort of a, uh
a club, a young folks' home.
John, will you give her a job?
Uh, well,
I've already given her one.
Uh, hello. Uh, tell her mom
and the children send love.
[chuckles]
I'm mama.
Tell her I know I don't need to
worry, but, of course, I will.
[laughs]
Oh, well, you needn't,
Mrs. Mars.
Uh, I'll, uh, be just
like a father to her.
Oh, yes, yes, yes.
I-it's respectable,
it's painfully respectable.
Hold on.
John,
you will keep an eye on her?
Oh, yes, yes, yes.
Now, look, dear.
I-I have to, uh,
uh, say goodbye now
because, uh,
some people are waiting.
Goodbye, dear.
Mm-hmm?
Well, after all, my father
did bring her into the world.
Hm. Now, about that, uh,
third act.
What seems to be wrong with it?
Everything. Brighter dialogue,
stronger scene.
Such as?
Such as you are going to write.
Goodbye.
[instrumental music]
[monkey chattering]
- Well?
- Well, what?
You got any ideas
about the third act?
No. Have you?
No, I was thinking
about women, too.
Now, what has Ms. Mars
got to do with this?
John, I wish I had as much money
as you don't know about women.
Look, if you were sore at me
you'd, you'd punch me right
in the nose, wouldn't you?
- With pleasure.
- Yeah, alright.
'If Isobel was squawking
about just that one scene.'
I might think she was sincere.
But, no
she doesn't like
the whole third act.
[imitating Isobel]
"It doesn't march along.
It-it dribbles."
Yeah, and if you keep on
being so chummy
with that, that babe
from the woods--
I am not chummy with Ms. Mars.
Isobel's imagining things.
John, about such things, women
do not imagine, they know.
I don't know how they know,
but they know.
[telephone ringing]
Catch that, will ya?
[telephone ringing]
- 'Hello.'
- Ms. Lily Mars is here.
To see Mr. Thornway.
Shall I send her up?
Why, yes.
Yes, certainly. Right away.
It's, uh, it's your laundry.
How could it be?
I didn't send out any laundry.
- Oh, you do your own?
- Oh, come on now, come on.
Let's-let's get to work.
Well, here's how it goes.
"Stephan enters."
I'm Stephan.
"Nadina is singing."
- That's you, you're Nadina.
- Me?
Now, you can't go on
with the gay song, so you break.
Oh I'm a gypsy ah
[doorbell ringing]
Come in, come in.
(Owen in falsetto)
'Who is she? Who is she?'
(John)
'Please believe me, there is
no other woman, darling.'
[Owen sobbing]
Just leave it
in the hall out there.
[sobbing]
You mustn't cry.
(Owen)
'Why are you here?
Oh, leave me alone.'
- No.
- What do you want?
[clears throat]
First I want to tell you
that you're beautiful.
- Oh..
- And then..
I want to take you in my arms.
Oh, Stephan.
Alright, now, stop
your kidding, Owen.
Who's kidding?
- Oh, Stephan.
- Oh.
Excuse me. Here's my laundry.
Good evening, Ms. Mars.
Huh, good evening.
- And goodnight.
- Well, I wanted to--
I'm terribly sorry,
but we're very busy.
And anyway, it's time all young
actresses should be in bed.
Well, I was in bed,
but I couldn't sleep.
I just tossed and tossed.
Whenever I'm worried,
I just toss and toss and toss.
Well, that's,
that's very interesting.
- Well, what's worrying you?
- Our show.
- Now, she doesn't like it.
- I like it, I love it.
I think it's a wonderful play,
really, I do.
But, may I say something?
I know of no way
of stopping you.
Well, I think
we need a new finish.
Isobel doesn't like
the third act
and Ms. Mars
doesn't like the finish.
Tell me, Ms. Mars,
what's wrong with it?
Well, to me,
it just-just fizzles out.
- Fizzles?
- Just fizzles--
Stop fizzling!
Well, now listen,
here's the way it goes.
Stephan says, "And then
I wanna take you in my arms.
"Nadina, I want you to, dearest.
"I've been away from them
for a million years
"and I never wanna
leave them again.
"As Nadina and Stephan
gaze tenderly
into each other's eyes,
curtain."
It's not natural.
Now, if I were in love
with somebody
and all they did was gaze
tenderly into my eyes
I'd have another fight.
Well, Ms. Mars,
what would you do?
Well, look, I'll show you. Hm.
Now, you're Stephan.
Go on, say your line.
Uh, and then I want
to take you in my arms.
And I want you to, dearest.
I've been away from them
for a million years
and I never wanna
leave them again.
Curtain.
Now, here's where I think
we really helped it.
You follow the chambermaid
up the stairs
you say goodnight,
you go into your room
she has her line, curtain.
- I love it.
- Yeah, that's great, John.
That takes care
of all my objections.
Alright, that's fine.
Now let's try it.
- Shall we?
- From where?
From, uh, where the two of you
are looking at each other
and the chambermaid enters.
- Oh, yes.
- Alright, the chambermaid.
[glasses clinking]
[instrumental music]
Your Excellencies,
your rooms are ready now.
May I show you to them?
Will you come on down
and answer the phone?
[indistinct chatter]
You're wanted on the phone.
It's, uh, Thorny. Again tonight?
Oh-ho, dear, dear, dear.
Hello.
I'm just leaving
the apartment now.
I'll be right over
to pick ya up.
Goodbye.
(all)
Goodbye.
[chuckles]
[telephone ringing]
Yeah?
She is?
Well, tell her I've gone.
Tell her I've, uh..
She's already on her way up?
Uh-ooh, that's bad.
Alright. Well, thanks, thanks.
[instrumental music]
[doorbell ringing]
[doorbell ringing]
Hello, darling.
Well, I was just taking
a cold shower to wake me up.
Ah, you-you mustn't, uh,
touch me. You'll get all wet.
[chuckles]
I've got to, uh, work all night.
So, you told me, but, John
take tonight off,
let's go out somewhere.
Oh, now, angel,
you mustn't tempt me.
Work is work.
But you haven't taken me
anywhere in two whole weeks.
Yes, I know, but, uh,
tonight is not the night.
[chuckles]
You know, I simply can't go out
with you tonight.
- That's all, ha-ha.
- Then I'll come in.
Isobel, you must be worn out
from that rehearsal today.
- Aren't you?
- Oh, no.
You're not?
Just-just look at all this work
I've got to do.
Tsk, tsk, tsk. Poor boy.
Oh, don't-don't touch anything
you-you'd have everything
mixed up.
[sighs]
Remember the first time
I sang for you?
Yes, of course I do.
That's one night
I'll always remember.
So shall I, John.
Look, Isobel, darling,
I've just got to work.
Wait, wait, wait.
[piano music]
When I look at you
I hear lovely music
Can..
[off-key]
There's something wrong
with this piano.
I'll fix it. Ha-ha-ha.
[laughing]
Can it be
My heart that sings?
Oh haa
Well, um, goodnight now.
- It's awful, it's--
- What?
Uh, the piano. It
needs-needs tuning.
Now, darling, you run home
and take a nice long rest.
- I certainly wish I could.
- Ah..
If you won't change your mind
so I better go ho..
Home.
[laughing]
Well, I'm sorry, but you know,
with the show opening in a week
and everything,
I'm so busy that I..
Oh, well,
you know how busy I am.
Yes, I know.
You're so busy..
[groans]
...you take your shower
with your tie, shirt, coat
and pants on.
[door shuts]
[instrumental music]
Think about a cowboy
When you think
of yippee-yay
Think of English crumpets
When you think of havin' tea
Think of silver moonlight
and how lovely it can be
But when you think of lovin'
baby
Think of me
Think of
snow-capped mountains
When you think
you'd like to ski
Think of Cuba Libres
When you think
you'd like a spree
Think about the movies
for a set of dishes free
But when you think of lovin'
baby
Think of me
[music continues]
- Good evening, Henry.
- Good evening, Mr. Thornway.
Table 53, please.
- This way, please.
- Thank you.
[applauding]
[instrumental music]
Ladies and gentlemen,
I see a celebrity
among our cash customers.
It's the ace of the racetrack
the year's leading jockey,
Dixie Brill.
[applauding]
And, now, Dixie, what are you
gonna do to entertain the folks?
Ah, nothin'.
All I can do is ride.
Well, next time I think
you'd better bring your horse.
[laughing]
[indistinct chatter]
Here's a man who has presented
many actors.
So, for a change, I'm gonna
present him. John Thornway.
[applauding]
- How are you, Bob?
- Fine, John.
Say, who's the lady
I see you with?
Oh, I'm-I'm Lily Mars.
- Yeah? What do you do?
- I'm a chambermaid.
[whistles]
In what hotel?
Not in any hotel.
In John Thornway's new show,
"Let Me Dream."
Well, what do you do
in the show, Ms. Mars?
Do you make beds
for the audience?
[chuckles]
Oh, I should say not.
They're not gonna fall asleep
during our show.
[laughing]
Well, what are you gonna do
to wake
us
up?
Well, I..
I-I can sing a little.
Well, come on, sister.
You're on.
- Is it alright?
- Go right on.
[applauding]
Excuse me. I telephone John.
Maybe he'll come here
and join us.
But, darling,
he's probably fast asleep.
He'd better be.
[instrumental music]
When I look at you
I hear lovely music
Can it be my heart
that sings?
When I look at you
I look at an angel
Tell me where
you've parked your wings
Dizzy me silly moon
Crazy quilt of a sky
Are you real
Or a dream
That got caught in my eye?
When I look at you
I'm looking at rainbows
Stars come tumbling down
From above
And I'm in love with you
My
Love
[applauding]
- He doesn't answer.
- Oh, well, uh..
Well,
John's a very sound sleeper.
Uh, look, darling,
we're going to another club.
- New place. Just opened.
- Oh, no, I want to stay here.
Oh, but you won't like it here,
you won't like it at all.
You're not gonna be
a chambermaid very long
Ms. Mars. Let's try another one,
and swing it a bit.
- Huh?
- Alright.
And besides that,
we can't get a table.
I can't get a table?
[laughing]
- You hear?
- Yes.
Well, if they want me
to sing for my supper, come on.
[imitating Isobel]
What is this throbbing
within me?
What is this rhythm so new?
What is this beating
that keeps on repeating
And what am I dreaming
That I wake up screaming
I love you?
I love you
I love
You
Je vous aime
Yo te amo
Ich liebe dich
[singing in Russian]
I love
You
[laughing]
[clears throat]
- Yeah.
- Uh, John, I, uh--
Shh, shh..
When I look at you
I hear lovely music
Can it be my heart
that sings?
Nah-dree-ata-di-di-di
When I look at you
I look at an angel
Tell me where
You parked your wings
I mean your wings
I mean your wings
I mean your ever-lovin'
turtle-dovin' wings Jack
Dizzy me
Silly moon
Crazy quilt
Of a well like a daisy crazy
quilt of a sky
Are you real
as you're seemin'
Or a dream
that I'm dreamin'?
Or are you just a sty
that got caught in my eye?
Just a sty in my eye?
When I look at you
I see a rainbow
The sun the moon
the stars in June
Come tumbling down
from above
And I might as well face it
I'm in
Love
[applauding]
[instrumental music]
[chuckles]
Was I alright? Did you..
Oh. Ms. Rekay.
I am sorry, but, but, but--
But-but, what?
I didn't know you were here.
Well, I wasn't,
but as luck would have it
I happened to drop in
just in time to catch your act.
Clever, very clever.
Isn't she, John?
Uh..
Well, there I was
and he said, "Do something."
- I didn't know what to do.
- So, you imitated me?
Well, Ms. Rekay, anytime
you want to, you can imitate me.
Oh, thank you. That's very kind
of you, Ms. Mars.
And I'll never sing your song
again, I promise.
- Honest.
- Neither shall I.
- Honest.
- Isobel, the, um..
[clears throat]
Eh, is.. D-do you care
for a drink or anything?
No, I don't care
for a drink or anything.
I'm sorry to break up
this party..
...but I'm getting tired, John,
very tired.
I think I'd better be taken home
right now.
- Come on, Owen.
- Isobel.
I've-I've called a rehearsal
for nine in the morning.
You-you come in
whenever you like.
I'll do that, John. Goodnight.
Oh, now, look what I've done.
She's mad, John, good and mad.
[chuckles]
Come on, let's dance.
[instrumental music]
[scoffs]
It's exactly 5 o'clock p.m.
Alright. So what, time signal?
All this waiting, waiting,
waiting, waiting. And for what?
For a woman to make up her mind!
From me they get ten minutes.
That's it!
Stop your worryin'.
Rekay'll be back.
You know how she's always
getting hoity-toity
and flouncing out of shows.
Yeah, but this time
she means it.
(male #2)
'So it'll take
a little high-powered'
'coaxing and petting.'
'John knows how to handle her.'
(Owen)
'Let's hope
he hasn't lost his touch.'
Alright, Scotty, you can
tell 'em they can all go home.
Everybody, everybody,
that's all for today.
What time tomorrow?
I'll let you know tomorrow,
that's all.
Is there anything I can do,
John?
Yeah, Scotty, you can go out
and get drunk for me.
- Anything I can do, John?
- Well, you can help Scotty.
- Anything I can do?
- Hey.
Yeah, you help the two of 'em.
That'll be all for today.
[instrumental music]
John?
- Hi there.
- Hello.
I'm going home.
Back home.
- Tonight.
- No.
No, you're not.
But if I go away,
everything'll be alright
with...the show and..
...everything.
I'm calling off the show.
Oh, no, you mustn't.
I'm not gonna do it
unless I can do it right.
John.
I've been thinking
that, maybe, I..
[chuckles]
I know
what you've been thinking.
I believe I could do it.
What do you think?
I think that..
...I'm in love with you.
Oh.
Oh, John, I..
Hey, you run along now
and.. I'll let you know
what I'm gonna do
just as soon as I know myself.
Hm?
Alright.
[chuckles]
Love.
I hate love.
Women? You can have 'em!
Thanks, I got some.
Goodnight, fellow comedians,
I'm going home to my wife
the one in Brooklyn.
I shall walk all the way
and I hope, I
hope
it's raining!
And when I'll get home
if my supper isn't ready,
I shall beat her.
And if my supper is ready
I shall not eat it.
[sobbing]
Farewell.
[laughing]
This is the guy that gets drunk
and has the DTs
all at the same time.
Oh.
Well?
The show opens as planned,
one week from tonight.
- With Rekay?
- Without Rekay.
Right. Now,
here's what I'm gonna do.
Don't do it, John,
she's a clever youngster
but she's not nearly ready
to step into a big part.
It'll take a couple of years
before she's ready
to carry a Broadway show.
Just the same,
I'm gonna take a chance.
Wait a minute, boss. We're the
ones that have been drinkin'.
Think it over, John.
It's an awful big gamble.
- What's show business?
- Oh..
- Come, get the telephone.
- Come on.
- It's Thorny.
- Oh!
Hello?
Yes, John.
Yes, John.
Oh. Yes, John.
- Oh.
- What's happened?
Huh?
[giggles]
- Where are you going?
- Hey, hey, wait a minute.
Wait, what?
Where do you think you're goin'?
- To the theater.
- Like that?
What?
Mama! Mama!
- What happened?
- Hello, operator.
Get me long-distance! Yes!
Oh, Lily, oh!
I'm so tickled
th-that I'm tickled!
Oh, bless your heart, child.
Well, it's only what I expected
sooner or later.
Goodnight, dear. Uh, Lily?
Be sure to eat plenty
of fresh vegetables. Goodbye.
Uh, hello, operator, get me
the "Midhaven Daily Press."
Children, guess what!
Lily is a star!
- Will she twinkle?
- She'll twinkle.
Uh, "Midhaven Daily Press?"
I have a very important piece
of news for you.
[indistinct chatter]
Children, stop it! Be quiet!
Be quiet!
Uh, not you.
My name is Lily Mars' mother!
Guess what?
Hey, a little more wine?
No more champagne, Stephan.
More kisses.
- No.
- No?
No, Lily, no.
Look, darling, try to remember.
You're a mature
Russian princess.
- Yes.
- On your honeymoon.
Yes.
Not a village belle
on a hayride.
- Oh.
- That's alright, darling.
It's alright, now.
Come on now, let's try it again.
- Alright.
- From your entrance.
You're doing fine, honey.
Keep it up, keep it up.
Don't get excited.
Don't get excited.
Alright.
[sighs]
- Alright.
- Alright.
Oh, Stephan,
how could you do this to me?
- And on our honeymoon!
- No, no, no, no, no.
- You're not suffering enough!
- She's wiggling enough.
- Go on, go on, go on, suffer!
- Suffer.
Oh, Stephan,
how could you do this to..
Ouch!
And on our honeymoon!
Now, darling,
you know what I want.
- Now, don't you?
- Yes.
- You're sure?
- Yes.
That's fine.
Okay, Beethoven, hit it!
[piano music]
I heard a tune
in the moonlight
From the distance arising
Troika bells harmonizing
A Russian rhapsody
(John)
'Hold it! Hold it!'
Will you send this
out for me, Mike?
Sure will, Sid.
Sid, how'd it go?
Well, it's a good sign
when the dress rehearsal smells.
How was the Mars kid?
It's a good sign
when a dress rehearsal smells.
- Um..
- Ah, atta baby, baby!
- I was alright, wasn't I?
- Oh, sure! Sure, you were.
And you're gonna be
alrighter, too.
- Now relax, heh?
- Alright.
- Oh!
- Here.
[exhales sharply]
Thank you.
Oh..
'"When John Thornway's new play,
"Let Me Dream"'
opens in New York
Friday night.."
[sighs]
...the star will be
none other than Lily Mars"
daughter of Ms. Flora Mars
of Midhaven."
I can't believe it.
Oh, I'm in heaven!
Ouch! All except my feet.
Frankie, I wonder why
John didn't come back to see me.
Why, uh, well, he never does.
Once a show starts off
in dress rehearsal
he-he just stays out front
and lets it roll.
I made some mistakes,
but not very big ones.
Oh, well, sure!
Everybody makes mistakes.
Now, relax
and save your strength.
You gotta go out there
tomorrow night
and murder a lot of people.
[knocking on door]
Uh, relax.
[knocking on door]
Oh, hello, Mr. T.
- Eh, is she decent?
- Yes, sure, come on in.
Uh, will you go and tell Scotty
not to leave?
Yeah, sure.
- Hello.
- Hi there.
How was I?
First..
[chuckles]
Lily, you've learned more
in a few weeks
than most actresses learn
in a lifetime.
With a little luck
and a lot of hard work
you're gonna be
a great actress.
- Mm..
- Some day.
Now, I've called another
dress rehearsal for tonight.
We'll start just as soon as
the cast has had a little rest
and gets something to eat.
[exhales sharply]
[sighs]
Alright, boss. I'm ready.
No, Lily.
I hate worse than anything
in the world to tell you
but, no, you're not ready.
I should've had more sense
than to let you tackle
such a tough part
but, I wasn't being sensible
and now I've got to be.
And so have you.
Am I hopeless?
No, darling, no.
You're not hopeless.
It's just that
you're-you're green.
You're inexperienced.
Lily, it's a tremendous job
for an actress
to carry a whole show.
She has to have authority
she has to have range and ease
and the thousand and one
tricks of the trade
that you can only learn
through experience.
She has to be a finished actress
a big actress.
[breathing heavily]
And I'm only a little one.
You're,
you're a good little one
but this part
calls for a good big one.
And I've got her.
You made up with Isobel?
It wasn't a question
of making up.
It was business, show business
between
two professional show people
who understand that sometime
their jobs are more important
than their personal feelings.
Darling, even..
[sobbing]
Excuse me, but Ms. Rekay
wants me to put these--
Just a minute, please.
She can move in now!
[sniffles]
'Lily, you take all the time
you want to.'
She shouldn't have
barged in here like that.
Darling, I..
I can't tell ya
how rotten I feel about that.
- But--
- 'Hey, boss!'
I'll be with you
in just a minute, Scotty.
But here's how it's got to be.
Isobel plays the princess
'and you play
the, uh...your old part.'
Look, boss, Rekay just called.
She wants this dressing room
right away
and if you don't give it to her
she's gonna take
another powder on you.
Well, she'll just have to wait.
Lily. Lily!
I don't want you to go,
but you can if you want to.
You can go away,
you can go back home
you can hate me
for the rest of your life.
There's something else
you can do if you want to.
You can come back here
tomorrow night
and try to play that maid
better than any maid has ever
been played in any theater.
When you walk out on that stage
and say your few lines
and give 'em everything
you've got to give
there'll be one less amateur
in the world..
and one more professional.
Now, that's all up to you.
- 'Here she is!'
- 'Shh!'
- 'Surprise!'
- 'Surprise!'
- Surprise!
- Surprise!
Congratulations, Lily!
Congratulations!
We'll all move to New York!
And I'll get
a lotta super-duper doorknobs!
Oh, it's wonderful, Lily,
and you're wonderful!
- We just had to come.
- So, we came.
- In a bus!
- We sold the piano!
Oh. Well,
I'm certainly glad to see you.
Oh, you're tired, dear.
Come and sit over here
right here in this big chair.
- You look just the same!
- There!
Well, where's Poppy?
Poppy? Oh, Poppy!
Children, did we come away
without Poppy?
(together)
No, mama.
Did we leave her on the bus?
(together)
No, mama.
Well, then, she must be here.
(all)
Yes, mama!
- Poppy? Poppy?
- Poppy?
[instrumental music]
Congratulations, Lily dear
upon the start of your career.
We love you best
of all the stars.
We're proud of you,
Ms. Lily Mars.
[sobbing]
That's nice, dear.
She loved it!
Oh..
I'm not a star.
I'm not even an actress.
[sobbing]
I'm nothing at all.
Oh, there, there, dear.
'Now, no matter how bad it is'
it isn't as bad as all that.
[sobbing]
I want to go home.
Oh, now. There, there, darling.
[instrumental music]
Look at him, he's got
the biggest moneymaker
he ever had in his life.
And what is he doin'? Mopin'!
[music continues]
John, how about Lily,
is she here?
- I don't know.
- What about her part?
Well, if she isn't here
to play it, the other girl will.
[music continues]
I heard a tune
in the moonlight
From the distance arising
Troika bells harmonizing
A Russian rhapsody
Where roses bloom
in September
Where autumn leaves
Are swaying
Two balalaikas playing
a Russian..
John, how soon is Lily
supposed to make her entrance?
Right after Isobel's song.
Where?
Through that door over there.
Pick a rose in September
When it's spring
You'll remember
A Russian rhapsody
When it's spring
you'll remember
A Russian
Rhapsody
Stephan!
Waiters!
No more champagne, Stephan.
More kisses.
Your Excellencies,
your room is ready.
May I show you to it now?
[applauding]
Shh! Children, quiet. Quiet.
Goodnight, Your Excellencies.
- Goodnight.
- Goodnight.
And may your dreams
be beautiful.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
[indistinct singing]
[applauding]
I'm so glad, dear.
I knew she'd come back.
I'll see you later.
Isobel, darling, you were swell.
Thanks for coming back.
And I'm very happy
about everything.
You should be, John. I am, too.
Now, run along and see Lily
and tell her for me
she's a real trouper
and you're very lucky.
Swell, kid! You were swell!
You were swell.
Oh, and you were swell!
Swell! Uh..
(John)
Hello!
Yeah! Uh, swell! You were sw..
Oh, Scotty, listen,
thanks a million!
It was swell.
Leo, costumes, swell, swell.
You were swell!
Oh, I beg your pardon.
I thought he was in the, uh..
This show should be good
for two years.
Yeah, swell.
Listen, where is Lily?
- Lily's dress..
- Oh, that's alright.
Never mind. Never mind.
You were swell, Scotty!
[knocking on door]
- She just left.
- Oh, ha-hah. Was that you?
- You were swell, Chrissy!
- Thank you.
[door opens]
(John)
Lily! Lily!
- Hi there.
- Hello.
Lily, thanks for coming back.
I never enjoyed
any actress' performance
so much in my life.
Oh, John, I was only
on the stage for a minute.
Well, it was the happiest,
it was the most thrilling moment
I ever hope to have
in the theater.
It made me sure
that I was right about you.
[laughing]
Oh.
- John, we've got an audience.
- Yeah.
Well, you just wait
till you see the audiences
you're going to have.
You've heard of Sarah Bernhardt.
She really was a dilly
but Sarah Bernhardt
couldn't compare
to the gal that's known as Lily!
[laughing]
[instrumental music]
Where there's music
There'll be singing
Where there's singing
You'll find skies of blue
For when
all the world goes wrong
A simple little song
Will always bring a rainbow
Smiling through
With a rainbow
There'll be laughter
Chasing after
Sunshine from above
Where there's sunshine
There'll be music
And where there's music
There's
Love
Hey, mister, that's my sister.
Shh.
She's marriaged.
Poppy, be quiet.
Yes, Poppy. You'd better
or you'll get put out.
[laughs]
Not with my mother-in-law here!
For songs are souvenirs
That live through the years
The grand old songs
Never die
Where there's music
There'll be dancing
No matter
Where you go
[violin music]
It's 3 o'clock
in the morning
We've danced
the whole night through
That melody so entrancing
Seems to be made for us two
I could just keep right on
dancing forever
Here with you
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Where there's music
There'll be dancing
and prancing..
To the rhythms..
[instrumental music]
Gotta dance
Gotta dance
[music continues]
Broadway rhythm it's got me
Everybody dance
Broadway rhythm it's got me
Broadway rhythm it's got me
Everybody dance
Broadway rhythm it's got me
On the gay white way
In each merry cafe
On dance display
Taking your breath away
With all that Broadway rhythm
it's got me
Everybody sing
And dance
Oh oh
That Broadway rhythm
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Broadway rhythm
That Broadway rhythm
When I hear that happy beat
Feel like dancing
down the street
Oh oh
That Broadway rhythm
That lively speedy rhythm
[music continues]
[music continues]
Broadway rhythm is the beat
Broadway rhythm is the beat
It's the sweetest beat
From the sweetest street
Known as Broadway
Broadway
Broadway rhythm's got me
with its rhythm
There's music
I'm home
[instrumental music]