The Passionate Friends (1949) Movie Script

1
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A holiday. A holiday in Switzerland.
I remember thinking that it was the first
real holiday Howard and I had had for years.
He was going to join me there
as soon as he could get away.
I was looking forward to it all as though I'd
never been out of England in my life before.
White bread.
Lots of butter.
Wonderful coffee.
And cream!
Sunshine.
And below us somewhere
was the French coast.
I began to wonder about the hotel we were
going to and the people we would meet there.
I wondered.
Supposing the room wasn't comfortable.
No, thank you.
It was comfortable, of course. Very.
Howard's secretary had travelled with me,
and even she was impressed.
- It's lovely.
- Thank you, madame.
- It is lovely, isn't it, Joan?
- Yes, it is.
- Has mademoiselle's room the same view?
- Yes, madame. Along the corridor.
I'll go and see it.
I'll meet you downstairs in half an hour.
I suppose I was aware
there was an adjoining room -
there often are in hotels -
but I didn't give a thought to who might be in
it, or was going to be in it. Why should I?
(Bell rings)
(Bell rings again)
Voil, voil! Attends une minute!
(Mutters)
Qu'est-ce que c'est? Bon soir.
a y est. Merci bien.
Il y a une chambre reserve
au nom de Stratton.
Oh, yes, sir. Come in, please.
- Sorry, sir, we expected you earlier.
- I'm very late.
- I missed the connection at Basle.
- It does happen.
The room is ready. It's number 6.
- Is it all the baggage?
- Yes, that's all.
This way, sir, please.
The kitchen is closed, but if you were
hungry I could find you something.
- I had dinner on the train.
- Oh, good.
MARY: I remember hearing
a faint murmur of voices.
That's all.
I'd been reading in bed.
I must have been half asleep.
The curious thing was that although
I hadn't seen him for nine years,
I was thinking about him
at that very moment.
I wonder what I'd have done
if I'd known he was only a few feet away.
Panicked?
Run away?
No. I'd have wanted to see his face
and hear his voice.
Instead, I lay there in the dark, thinking.
Thinking of a New Year's
Eve nine years ago.
(Clock chimes)
(Cheering)
(Bursting balloons)
Are you happy?
- What?
- I said, are you happy?
- Don't I look it?
- You look wonderful.
- You haven't told me what you're doing now.
- Lecturing at the university.
- Have you conquered the world yet?
- What?
It doesn't matter. It's good to see you.
- Where are you? In a box?
- Up there. I must go.
Steven, it's been wonderful
seeing you again.
- Goodbye, Mary.
- Goodbye.
- Happy New Year.
- Happy New Year.
- How can I reach you?
- I'll phone you.
What?
(Bagpipes)
- Happy New Year.
ALL: Happy New Year.
I thought I'd lost you.
Happy New Year, my dear.
Happy New Year, Howard.
- Pat!
- Steven, I've been looking for you everywhere.
I'm so sorry. I got lost in the Paul Jones.
- Happy New Year, Pat, dear.
- Happy New Year.
A very happy New Year.
Should old acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
For the sake of auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet
For the sake of auld lang syne
(Cheering)
Do you know
the most extraordinary thing happened?
- What?
- I met Mary.
(Band strikes up)
She's here somewhere.
It's funny, isn't it,
after all these years?
Let's dance.
It's a curious sight, isn't it?
I wonder how many there are?
Thousands.
- It's a curious noise, too.
- Very.
HOWARD: They all look as if they're
suspended by invisible wires from the roof.
That makes four.
- Four what?
- Men dressed as skeletons.
One of them's dancing with a
Gainsborough lady who keeps losing her hat.
Over by the centrepiece there.
It's difficult to pick out
anybody in particular.
How was she?
Mary? She's fine.
They're in a box somewhere.
- Would you like to meet her?
- Yes, I would.
What's happened to the others?
Are they dancing?
They're trying to, I think.
Do you think we ought to go and dance
ourselves, or would you sooner watch?
- Enjoying yourself?
- Very much.
Here she is.
Steven, it's silly, but
do I have to meet her?
No, of course not.
(Horns beep)
(Horns beep)
- Hello, Mary.
- Howard, you remember Steven Stratton.
- Of course, how are you?
- How do you do?
- You don't know Miss Moore, do you?
- How do you do, Miss Moore?
- We met in New York, didn't we?
- No, Burnmoor. Five years ago.
Oh, yes, of course. Nice to see you again.
Will you excuse me?
These things get more crowded every year,
don't they?
Mary? Mary!
Can we drop you anywhere?
No, thanks, we're walking. Good night.
- Good night.
- Happy New Year.
MARY: You must dine with us sometime.
STEVEN: We'd love to.
Good night.
It's awful. I couldn't remember his name.
It's Justin. He's a banker.
High finance, that sort of thing.
He's terribly rich too.
He seemed very nice, I thought.
I hardly knew him.
Are they happy?
I think so.
It's the sort of life Mary wanted,
so they ought to be.
Was she very much in love with you, Steven?
I used to think so.
Anyway, she married him.
He's the biologist, isn't he?
I thought you didn't remember him.
Oh, yes, I remembered.
You didn't give that impression.
One should never let the enemy know
when he's being observed.
The enemy?
All right, then, dear. Friend.
- Enjoy yourself?
- Mm-hm. I think so.
I'd like these affairs better
if I didn't have to dress up for them.
Or work the following day.
- Are you warm enough, my darling?
- Yes, thank you, Howard.
Will you always love me, Mary?
Always.
(Brakes screech)
STEVEN: Upon the forehead of humanity.
All its more ponderous and bulky worth.
Is friendship...
But at the tip top, there hangs by
unseen film an orbed drop of light.
And that is love.
Wake up, darling. We're here.
I wasn't really asleep.
- Happy New Year, Bates.
- Thank you, ma'am.
- Good night, Bates. Happy New Year.
- Same to you, sir.
(Yawns)
Good night, my dear.
Good night, Howard.
Oh, Happy New Year.
Happy New Year.
(Ticking clock)
Slow waltz
I shall never love anyone
as much as I love you.
Then why won't you marry me?
Oh, Steven.
I don't quite know.
Even if I did, I don't think
you could possibly understand.
If two people really love each other,
and want to be together,
they want to belong to each other.
Steven, I want to belong to myself.
Then your life will be a failure.
Dearest Steven, don't be angry with me.
(Thunder rumbles)
I can't help myself.
(Sobs)
Why can't there be love
without this clutching and this gripping?
This...
(Clock ticks)
(Recalls) Then your life will be a failure.
(Church clock chimes)
Attention, please.
Will passengers for Berlin please report to
Customs and lmmigration immediately.
- I'll be back Thursday. I'll cable you.
- Yes, do.
Your luggage has gone through, Mr Justin.
- I've brought this scarf in case it was cold.
- Thank you, Miss Layton.
Will you go to the country or stay in town?
Stay in town, I think. I'm not sure.
Goodbye.
- Enjoy yourself.
- Goodbye, Howard. Have a good trip.
Thank you. Goodbye, Miss Layton.
The stain is decolourised
with five per cent sulphuric acid
and washed with potash, alum
and methylin blue.
You can see the bacilli and terminal spores
quite clearly. Have a look.
I think I might get away to the country,
Joe, for a few days, after all.
I don't know.
(Laughter) Goodnight, Mary.
Thank you so much.
Goodnight, Bill.
(Rings)
(Rings)
Hello?
Yes.
Who is it, please?
Just a moment.
- Mrs Justin?
- Yes.
- You're wanted on the telephone.
- Who is it?
A Mr Stratton.
Thank you, Joan.
Hello, Steven.
What a surprise.
How are you?
Yes, I'm fine.
It was such a funny thing. I just happened
to see your number in the phone book.
Yes. Yes, wasn't it?
I expect you're terribly
busy, but I wondered if...
When?
Well, yes, I think I am. I'm not sure.
I'm just going to look in my diary.
Yes, that will be fine.
Oh... just a moment.
Saturday...
Yes, that will be wonderful.
(Doorbell rings)
Hello, Mary. Come in.
- Am I late?
- Not a bit.
- The taxi man had trouble finding it.
- It's a bit out of the way.
In there.
- They've changed the name of the street.
- We had to ask a policeman.
What an attractive room!
- Do you like it?
- Mmm.
That's the comfortable chair.
What would you like to drink?
- Whatever you're having.
- Sherry?
Fine.
I didn't think you'd be able to come.
Thought you might be away.
I nearly didn't phone.
I'm glad you did.
Lunch is rather difficult for me
during the week. During term, anyway.
Thank you, Steven.
- Well...
- Lunch is nearly ready. I'll just have a look at it.
- You're cooking the lunch?
- Certainly. I'm a wonderful cook.
- Can't I help?
- Drink your sherry and get comfortable.
You're still a very
unexpected person, Steven.
How do you mean?
Do all university lecturers cook?
Only the biologists.
(Laughs)
Are these all your things?
Yes.
They're well arranged. Did you do it?
Yes.
I never knew you had this photograph of me.
- Oh, that!
- What was so funny, I wonder?
Me, I expect.
- Let me at least carry something.
- No, no. You sit down.
Oh, Steven, it looks wonderful.
Yes, I must say it does look rather good,
doesn't it?
Oh, I've so enjoyed this.
I hope this coffee's going to be all right.
I don't use this thing much.
It looks all right.
Anyway, it smells like coffee.
You still have all your books mixed up, Steven.
Sherlock Holmes got in amongst the Aristotle.
Fancy. There are some books of yours here.
So I've noticed.
- I remember this one.
- Which?
What you're doing with it, I don't know.
You gave it to me for Christmas once.
Black?
Please.
"In the beginning,
God gave to every people a cup of clay..."
"...and from this cup
they drank their life."
Some things take years to understand,
don't they?
It's two sugars, isn't it?
Yes, please.
(Toys with piano)
Do you ever play now, Steven?
Very quietly, and for my
own private satisfaction.
"From the music they love,
you shall know the texture of men's souls."
- Remember that, too?
- Of course.
You wrote that to me in a letter once.
I copied it out of a book of Galsworthy's
to impress you.
I knew that.
Did you?
I liked it all the same.
(Starts playing melody)
(Stops playing)
It's silly, the things
we do when we're young.
Yes.
How we talked about all the things
I was going to do in life.
I was to conquer the world.
Do you remember?
A knight in shining armour.
I really believed I could be.
What were the things I was never to be?
Grey and grubby...
fat... dull...
...and there was something else.
Respectable.
Yes, that was it.
It's getting dark very early, isn't it?
We've had a very long lunch.
You'll see the streetlights coming on
across the park soon.
I ought to be going.
When I came in the other night,
it looked wonderful from here.
There was some coloured floodlighting on the
building - made quite a glow in the sky.
I stood and watched it for a time and began to
think of all sorts of things I've forgotten.
What things?
Things about you.
Until the other night,
I thought I'd forgotten everything.
Now I remember everything.
So do I.
Mary.
MARY: You see what it was.
We knew each other so well
that suddenly it seemed as if
the intervening years hadn't existed.
When he could get away,
we met for lunch in the week.
But Saturday and Sunday were all ours.
Those were wonderful days.
We'd done this before, years ago,
but as the days went by,
new things began to happen.
Little things.
I'd never really known the pleasure of
walking arm-in-arm with a man before.
Everybody does it.
To me, it was new.
It all seemed so perfectly natural
that I suppose it was easy
not to think of the consequences.
We were happy and...
that seemed to make it all right.
At least, for a time.
I've been thinking.
Yes, I know.
We have to, don't we?
Not just yet.
(Aeroplane engines drone)
The Bank of Rome.
Reichsbank.
Notes on my discussions with Pirana.
Very important, that.
Here are my comments on his real status.
Here's some stuff about our own
Berlin office. I haven't read that.
All right, Miss Layton, that's the lot.
Get it straightened out, please.
- My report is due at the Treasury tomorrow.
- Yes, Mr Justin.
Well, darling, what have you been doing?
Did you go to the country?
No, I thought I'd go down this week
if you still weren't back.
It didn't look as if I
would get away yesterday.
Made any definite plans?
Only for tonight. I'm going to the
theatre with Steven Stratton.
Oh... Have you been seeing anything of him?
No.
More tea?
I haven't finished this yet.
What's the show?
Well, that musical comedy at the Royalty.
First Love, I think it's called.
I would like some more now.
You don't mind me going, do you, Howard?
Of course not.
I have to do that report, anyway.
What a bore for you.
Yes.
- Who else have you been seeing?
- Oh, just the usual people.
Sounds like a bore for you.
Oh, no.
(Jaunty dance music)
After all, it is my responsibility, too.
No. No, Steven, it's...
...it's wrong somehow.
I've got to do this myself.
MAN: Shall we dance?
- It doesn't seem fair.
WOMAN: Yes.
- It's fairer to him.
MAN: Excuse me. I'm so sorry.
It would be terribly humiliating for him
if you were there.
Yes. Yes, I see that.
I'll be all right. Really, I will.
- When will you...
- Another liqueur, sir?
- No, thank you.
- No, thank you. Bring the bill, please.
When will you tell him? Tonight?
I'm not sure. I shall know the
right moment when it comes.
You mustn't worry.
I shall worry all the same.
I know exactly what he'll say.
It's what he said before.
That our love - yours and mine -
wasn't what I wanted, not in my heart.
And that I can never stand, really,
belonging to someone.
I shall belong to you.
Yes. Justin.
Yes. Justin.
But she's left them behind.
Yes.
They're stalls. Row D. Numbers 24 and 25.
Yes.
And you'll let her have them if she asks?
- Thank you so much. Goodbye.
- All right. Let's get on, shall we?
Where was I?
"The President said..."
Yes.
"The President said that while the establishment
of very low rates of interest by the Reichsbank"
would not necessarily keep the rate of
investment up to the rate of saving...
...in a free market...
...the restrictions
imposed by the regime...
...has ensured a margin of safety...
in this respect.
He explained that since other means had been
found of stabilising internal price levels...
...the effect of the natural market
had been largely... neutralised.
Throughout this conversation with him,
"I had the impression that his earlier
protestations had been quite insincere."
I think I'll go on with this
in the morning, Miss Layton.
Very well, Mr Justin.
- Shall I do what you've given me so far?
- No. Leave it till tomorrow.
- Anything else?
- Nothing, thank you. Good night.
Good night, Mr Justin.
(Orchestral flourish)
ROMANTIC LEADS: First love and last love,
my heart always knew
I knew from the first it was you
East love and West love
in Spring time or Fall
My first love's the best love of all
Since there was salt here in the sea
It was intended - you're meant for me
First love and last love,
it's always been true
I knew from the first it was you
Oh, yes, I knew from the first
(Characters laughing)
(Music finishes)
We're nearly home.
Yes.
Will you telephone me tomorrow?
- About midday?
- Mm-hm.
Good night, my darling.
(Car pulls up outside)
Is that you, Mary?
Yes.
Thank you, Steven. I enjoyed it immensely.
- Good night, Mary.
- Good night.
We can't let you go like that, Stratton.
Won't you come in?
I don't think I will, thank you.
My taxi's waiting.
Pay it off. You'll get
another at the corner.
- Come in and have a drink.
- Yes, do, Steven.
All right. I won't be a minute.
- How much do I owe you?
- Three bob on the clock.
- Thank you.
- Thank you, sir.
- Let me take your coat.
- Thank you.
Mary will join us in a minute.
I expect she's told you
I've been away in Germany and Italy.
- Yes, she did. Did you have a good trip?
- I wouldn't call it good.
I spent most of the time
with members of their governments.
- Interesting, of course.
- Must have been.
I think a taste for intrigue is
an acquired thing, don't you?
Do sit down.
- What will you have? Whisky and soda?
- Thank you very much.
Have a good evening?
Yes, fine.
Shall we have some music?
- Help yourself to a cigarette, Stratton.
- Oh, thank you.
(Mellow music on record player)
Where did you dine?
Oh, that French place with the mad waiter.
I do wish they wouldn't
keep sending us irises.
I've told them about it before.
They're so spiky and unfriendly.
- How was the show?
- Fair.
Good seats?
Very.
Sit down, darling. I'll get you a drink.
A small one.
As I was about to say when Mary came in,
the most striking thing about the German
people is their pathetic faith in themselves.
Why do you call it pathetic?
The belief of the muscular in their own
strength is always pathetic, don't you think?
Ice?
Don't get up.
Here.
Personally, Stratton, I think there's
a fault in the Teutonic mind
which shows up
whenever they have access to great power.
A sort of romantic hysteria.
Well, perhaps not romantic,
but a hysteria anyway,
which seems to convert them
from a collection of sober,
intelligent, rather
sentimental individuals...
into a dangerous mob.
A mob which can believe that a big
enough lie is not a lie at all...
...but truth.
- Steven, it's late.
- Let him finish his drink.
- Steven, please go.
- Aren't you losing your head?
- What is it?
- Howard knows we weren't at the theatre.
I see.
I'm sorry you had to find out in this way,
but I think you'd better know the truth.
Thank you.
Mary and I have always loved each other.
And we still do.
A mistake was made years ago.
And now you want to put it right?
(Music off)
You know, Stratton, it's quite a shock to find
that your wife's in love with another man.
And when you've long believed that
your marriage was happy and worthwhile,
the shock is even greater.
Steven, will you go now?
All sorts of strange ideas
come into your head.
- You even think of killing.
- Steven, please will you go now?
I... I want to talk to Howard alone.
I think Mary's right. You had better go.
- And leave you here?
- You'd better go, Steven.
I shall be all right.
Very well.
When shall I see you?
- I don't know.
- Get out!
I can't... think for the moment.
Good night, Steven.
Good night.
Well?
Taxi!
- Good morning, sir.
- Good morning.
- I'd like to see Mrs Justin.
- Will you come in, sir?
Would you mind waiting a moment, sir?
I must apologise for the state of the room.
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
I'm so sorry, Mrs Justin isn't at home.
Is there anything I can do?
- Is Mr Justin in?
- I'm afraid he's very busy.
Can I do anything?
It's a private matter and rather important.
I'm sorry, Mr Stratton.
It's quite impossible just now.
I see.
Is there any message I should give?
No. Thank you.
- Good morning, Mr Stratton.
- Good morning.
All right, let's get on.
All right, Miss Layton,
I shan't want you for a moment.
Why have you come here?
Haven't you received my wife's letter?
Yes, I have.
Did you really imagine I
wouldn't see through it?
What do you mean, exactly?
She didn't write that letter herself.
You dictated it.
Oh...
Well, didn't you?
As a matter of fact, I didn't.
Now, listen to me, Stratton.
I didn't invite you here and I didn't want
to discuss the matter with you.
But since you are here,
you're going to know my point of view.
Sit down. (Phone rings)
Hello?
No. Tell him I'll see him in New York.
And please don't put any
more calls through.
You see, if I thought you and Mary
could make any sort of a life together,
I might feel very differently about this.
But I don't think you could.
How can you possibly judge?
You say you love Mary.
Yes. I always have.
Well, you may love her,
but you don't know her. I do.
Our marriage has been very successful
until now.
It's based on freedom and understanding.
And a very deep affection.
It's the marriage Mary and I both wanted.
Your love is the romantic kind.
The kind that makes big demands.
Nearness, belonging, fulfilment.
And priority over everything else.
That isn't the kind Mary really wants.
Although you almost
persuaded her that it was.
Don't you see that you two together
are dangerous?
I'm not blaming either of you.
You can't help it
and you couldn't have changed it.
You just have to keep
away from one another.
And in future I'm going
to see to it that you do.
I see your point of view.
But it's a cold, bloodless, banker's point
of view and I don't believe a word of it.
We're human beings, not joint stock companies,
and you can't move us around as if we were.
Mary's going with me to Washington.
We're leaving tonight.
I believe you're afraid.
I am.
I want to see her.
All right.
(Ticker tape machine clicks continuously)
(Wind howls, rain falls)
(Door opens)
Mary.
Are you all right?
Yes.
I tried to speak to you on the telephone,
but he wouldn't let me.
And when I came round to see you,
they said you were out.
Yes, I know.
I was expecting you to telephone me.
- And when I got that letter...
- I shouldn't have written it.
I shouldn't have left you with him.
It was best.
He seems to think you're staying with him.
I am staying, Steven.
I shouldn't have written the letter.
It was a cowardly thing to do.
I should have told you.
Told me what?
That I couldn't come with you.
Less than 24 hours ago,
you told me that you loved me.
You meant it, too.
Yes, Steven, I did.
Do you remember once, I asked you how you
could love me and yet marry someone else?
Yes, I remember.
Your marriage was bound to be a failure.
It hasn't been, Steven. It really hasn't.
But it is now. And you know it.
No.
I'm not a very good person, Steven.
I wanted your love, and I wanted Howard's
affection and the security he could give me.
I can give you security too.
And more than affection.
You don't really know me at all.
My love isn't worth very much.
It's all I want.
It's all I'll ever want.
No, Steven, don't.
Don't, please.
I can't come with you.
I can't.
Will you always want to belong to yourself?
(Sobs)
(Continues sobbing)
MARY: That was nine years ago.
Yet even after nine years...
I could still go to sleep thinking of him.
Yes, I wonder what I'd have done
if I'd known he was only a few feet away.
I suppose that if fate had been kind and
gentle we would never have met again.
But fate is not kind and gentle.
It sent us together to a sunlit lake
and snow-capped mountains.
And a holiday in Switzerland.
- Bonjour, madame.
- Bonjour.
- Your miss is there.
- Merci, bien.
- Morning, Joan.
- Good morning, Mrs Justin.
There's a cable for you from Mr Justin.
- He hopes to leave London today.
- Oh, good. Did you sleep well?
Oh, yes. Quite.
- I think it's going to be warm.
- I felt it was going to be a beautiful day and it is.
- Bonjour.
- Bonjour.
It's his first real holiday for years and he
has to spend the first two days of it working.
It's that Royal Commission again.
Is the coffee good?
- I don't know. I had tea.
- Oh.
It's... It's Mr...
- Steven!
- It's you!
- Dropped out of the sky.
- What on earth are you doing here?
- And you? When did you arrive?
- Last night.
Very late. Just a gleam of light
and a sleepy porter to greet me.
And now I meet you.
I'm so sorry. This is Miss Layton,
my husband's secretary.
- How do you do?
- Professor Stratton.
- It is Professor now?
- Yes.
- How do you do? We haven't been introduced.
- Have your coffee with us.
Voil, monsieur.
I'm glad you asked me first.
(Mary giggles)
Merci.
Steven... we arrived yesterday too.
Have you been here before,
Professor Stratton?
Once or twice.
I used to go climbing before the war.
- And what are you doing here now, Steven?
- Well, I'm playing truant.
There are places in Switzerland I ought
to be but this isn't one of them.
- The university towns, Professor?
- Mostly.
I always think they have a special charm,
don't you?
- Yes.
- Still, I expect you get tired of universities.
Oh, not at all.
If you'll excuse me,
I think I'll go and answer these cables.
All right, Joan.
I suppose something like this
was bound to happen.
It's been a long time.
Nine years.
I'm glad it's happened
at such a lovely place.
It might have happened in London.
A station or street.
Do you know
what's the most extraordinary thing?
I was thinking about you last night.
But, Steven, I too.
I wonder if we both...
I'm being silly.
You haven't changed, Steven.
But you look tired. Your eyes are tired.
Have you been working too hard?
Not really.
But I couldn't resist a
day off in the mountains.
Couldn't I come with you?
- That would be breaking the rules, wouldn't it?
- But why? This is none of our planning.
No, no, I suppose it isn't.
I've wanted to meet you like this
and talk about things, oh, 10,000 times.
This is the only chance we're ever likely
to have for the rest of our lives.
The sun is shining and the
day is just beginning.
You can't just go off by yourself.
I won't let you!
(Roar of motor)
- Where are we going?
- Up a mountain.
- What?
- Up a mountain!
You said you won't climb the mountains.
- What?
- I said...
(Bell rings out)
(Man calls out)
(Man calls out)
When did you get married?
- During the war.
- Who is she?
You met her once, at New Year's Eve.
Yes, I remember.
Do you realise, Steven,
that we're practically strangers?
I suppose we are.
How did you know I was married?
Oh, I managed to hear about you
from all sorts of people.
When the new telephone directory came out
after the war, I even looked you up in it.
We're going up into the cloud.
I've been curious about you too.
I've seen pictures of you in magazines
with your husband.
You'd better put your jersey on.
- Thank you.
- How is he?
Howard? Oh, well and successful.
It's curious, isn't it?
You look like a ghost.
- It'll clear in a minute.
- I heard he was going into politics.
He may do.
We've talked about it quite a lot.
You know, Steven, these days... we're closer
together and much happier than we used to be.
I'm very glad.
- You have a family, haven't you?
- A boy and girl.
- How old are they?
- He's six, she's three.
- Are they like you?
- The boy is a bit, I think.
- What's his name?
- Peter.
They're all on holiday at
the sea, at the moment.
He's quite a good swimmer for his age. Pat
taught him last summer when I was in America.
They made it a surprise
for me when I got back.
You're very happy, aren't you, Steven?
I think I must be. It's clearing.
Look... that's where we
make for - up there!
Hungry?
- Do you need any help?
- Is that a serious offer?
No!
(Recalls) Will you always love me, Mary?
Always.
For better, for worse?
For better, for worse.
For richer, for poorer?
For richer, for poorer.
- Till death us do part?
- Always.
STEVEN: Water, as well as wine.
They're nice people, the Swiss.
Dressing, too. Shall I do the salad?
Yes.
(Thinks) When did you get married?
Married? I'm not married.
I could never marry anyone but you.
Steven...
What are you thinking about?
I'm dreaming.
I'm dreaming nonsense.
Well, come and have lunch. It's all ready.
I always knew we'd meet again one day, but I
never imagined it would be quite like this.
Why not?
Well, it wasn't in a station or a street, but
it was still somewhere crowded and bustling.
Why crowded?
I don't know, I suppose after last time
I thought it would be easier that way.
Was it difficult this morning?
Of course not, it was wonderful!
Is this difficult?
No.
It's probably very indiscreet,
but it's certainly not difficult.
- We are very pleased to see you again.
- Thank you.
- Have you had your luncheon?
- Yes, thank you.
Your key, sir. No.7.
- I'll have your luggage sent up.
- Good.
- Hello, Miss Layton.
- Good afternoon, Mr Justin.
- We didn't expect you until much later.
- I was lucky with the plane.
- Where's my wife?
- She's out having lunch, I think.
Where?
She said something
about a day in the mountains.
- Did she say when she'd be back?
- No, but she'll be in for dinner.
Splendid.
(Engine starts)
- Are you going to be in time?
- Yes, I think so. Just.
- Back to the hotel, as quick as you can.
- Oui, monsieur.
Will advise you of new position
as soon as I'm able.
Yes, that will do.
Sincerely yours.
I suppose I'd better deal
with that Arnold business.
Tiresome man.
Yes, Mr Justin.
"My dear Arnold..."
They're quite extraordinary
these new binoculars.
Coated lenses, you know.
Marvellous.
"...whatever... sentimental value
you may place upon the shares"
their real value is purely nominal.
"You speak of goodwill..." No.
Don't say that.
But just a moment.
This is fascinating.
(Distant roar of motor)
Let's see...
Ah.
"I don't think I have to remind you
what a doubtful quantity goodwill can be
in a business of this sort."
(Boat motor starts up)
"I think you know me well enough
to understand..."
that I would never allow myself to be
influenced in this or any other matter
by purely...
"financial considerations."
Now, where was I?
(Reads) "...in this or in any other matter
by purely irrational considerations."
Financial considerations.
- I'm so sorry.
- That's all right.
Er... paragraph.
"I'm sure you will have already refreshed
your memory"
from our earlier correspondence
on the subject.
In any case, I do not propose
to refer to it again.
The whole matter must now be handed over
to our legal advisors and...
accountants -
they're interested only in facts.
"Very sincerely yours."
Charming.
(Boat engine idles)
- Is that my wife?
- I think it is.
Good.
Yes, it is.
Will you excuse me for a moment?
- Room No.6, as quick as you can.
- Oui, monsieur. Tout de suite.
- Will you be in time?
- Yes, the station's ten minutes across the lake.
- Could I have my key, please?
- Yes, sir.
Oh, thank you.
Excusez-moi, monsieur.
Don't wait.
I wonder how long it will be
before we meet again.
I was wondering that too.
Will it be another nine years?
I hope not.
I've loved seeing you
and hearing your voice.
- Voil, monsieur.
- Thank you.
What were you going to say?
I was going to say...
I'm glad you're happy.
Goodbye, Mary.
(Motorboat passes below)
(Softly) Howard...
(Babble of voices in different languages)
MARY: Hello? Ah, hello?
Hello? Hello?
- Allo? Allo?
- Schweizerhof Hotel, Zurich?
- Oui, madame.
- I'm speaking from London.
Is Professor Stratton staying there?
No, madame, we have nobody of that name.
Sorry.
Hotel Metz-Ropa.
I want to speak to Professor Stratton.
This is Mrs Howard Justin.
Oh, I am sorry, madame.
He left this morning.
Do you happen to know where he went?
It's very important.
I'll make enquiries, madame.
MAN: Yes, madame,
you say the professor is a biologist.
But that's a very vague description.
Very vague.
- Hello? Yes?
- Madame Justin?
The concierge says Professor Stratton
is staying in Geneva.
Oh, thank you. Thank you very much.
(Voices overlap)
- Hello, this is Wilson, Maxwell
and Wilson. WOMAN: Yes?
I understand that you may know the
movements of Mr Steven Stratton.
Ah, Professor Stratton, oui.
He is travelling to Paris tonight.
He will arrive in London tomorrow evening.
- Nine o'clock at Victoria Station.
- Nine o'clock. Victoria.
(Train whistle)
STEVEN: Darling.
(Tannoy announcement)
- How are the children?
- Wonderful. Longing to see you.
- Professor Stratton?
- Yes.
That's a petition for divorce.
(Train drowns out Steven's speech)
(Train drowns out speech)
MARY: I don't quite remember what I did
or which way I went.
There are some nightmares
that you don't wake from, that are reality.
- I think I went into some sort of restaurant.
- Thrupence, please.
There was a man who kept asking me
for money.
- Thrupence!
- I don't... really remember.
All I could think of was
that I'd done this thing to Steven.
I had to do something.
I went home, and then remembered
it wasn't a home, but only a hotel bedroom.
And I couldn't sleep.
After that I started to
walk, faster and faster.
Racking my brains for things to say to the
lawyer that hadn't been said already.
He had to do something to stop it.
Something. Anything!
It didn't matter what. He had to, had to...
Aren't you losing your head, Mrs Justin?
No, I'm trying to keep it.
This thing has got to be stopped.
I'm sorry, Mrs Justin,
but I think you'd better face the facts.
You see, your husband isn't suing for divorce
and claiming these damages as an idle gesture,
he's fighting to win.
And he's got a strong case.
But it's absurd!
The earlier associations
and the adjoining rooms...
- We didn't know about the adjoining rooms.
- Yes. But nobody's going to believe you didn't.
- No, I can see that.
- (Clears throat)
I'm sorry.
That was unfair.
Well, er...
What am I to do?
What can I... say to Professor Stratton?
- I hope you're not thinking of meeting him.
- Certainly I am.
- I telephoned him at the university this morning.
- That's most unwise of you.
I... have to see him.
I have to.
Don't you see, this...
this can mean everything to him.
It's his home, his job, his
happiness - everything.
I... can't just not see him.
Mrs Justin...
I suggest you don't keep the appointment.
(Rumble of train approaching)
(Screech of brakes)
Mind the doors!
Mind the doors. Mind the doors.
- Steven.
- I was afraid you weren't coming.
- You're crying.
- Yes.
It's all right, Steven. It's all right.
There'll be no divorce.
I've... I've just seen the lawyer.
Howard has stopped the case.
Mary...
Let's... Let's go into the park.
Well-brought-up women aren't really
supposed to smoke in the street.
It's all right. This isn't the street.
- Did he give the lawyer any explanation?
- No, I...
I suppose he must have decided
to believe me, after all.
That's really all I know about it.
You've had a rotten time, haven't you?
Don't be too nice to me, Steven,
I... don't deserve it.
- It wasn't your fault.
- Yes, it was. In a way.
All my life, Steven, I've...
I've been hard.
I've been a little hard.
No. You haven't.
You...
You are happy, aren't you?
Yes, I am.
- What about you?
- I just wanted to make sure.
You haven't answered my question.
What about you?
- Are you going back to him?
- I...
I don't quite know. I...
I don't know... what I'm going to do yet.
He...
He's been away. I...
I think he's coming back today.
I remember in Switzerland...
you told me you two were closer together
than you'd ever been.
I wonder what... what made
him start this action.
And then give it up so suddenly.
It doesn't sound like him.
Not the way I remember him, anyway.
Are you quite sure?
Oughtn't you to telephone your wife
and tell her it's all right?
There's a call box over there.
Yes.
I won't be a minute.
Steven...
- I have to go.
- Oh.
We'd... better say goodbye.
Goodbye, Mary.
- Think of me sometimes.
- Yes.
I will.
I will.
(Door opens)
What is it, Smith?
I had to see you.
Well... come in.
I only got back today.
I was held up in Madrid.
Yes, Joan told me. Did
you have a good trip?
Yes. Yes, I think so.
Several people asked after you.
Oh...
- Will you have a coffee or anything?
- No, thank you.
I saw the lawyer.
I know I shouldn't have come here, really.
Oh, that's all right.
- Aren't you going to sit down?
- No, I...
Howard...
I've come to ask you something.
Anything you need?
I told Maxwell to see if there was.
No, it's... it's not that.
I've really come to appeal to you.
- Oh...
- It's about Steven.
Yes?
You know, Howard, in Switzerland,
whatever you may think,
however bad it may have looked to you,
there was nothing wrong.
- I think you'd better go.
- Please listen.
I'll go away, I'll never bother you again.
I'll do anything.
Listen.
I knew you didn't marry me
because you loved me.
But because you liked me.
And the money and the position
that went with me - I didn't mind that.
Because I liked those things too
and I thought we'd enjoy them together.
I didn't expect love from you.
Or even great affection.
I'd have been well satisfied
with kindness and loyalty.
You gave me love and kindness and loyalty.
But it was the love you'd give a dog.
And the kindness you'd give a beggar.
And the loyalty of a bad servant.
Perhaps it's my fault.
It probably is.
I wanted this marriage, but now I don't.
So I'm getting rid of it -
with the rest of the things I don't want.
You were my wife.
And you made me hate and despise myself
and I don't want you any more.
Do you understand?
I don't want anything from you.
I don't even want your gratitude.
I just want to be left in peace.
Now get out!
(Vase shatters)
I'm sorry. I'm... sorry.
I didn't mean all that. I lost my head.
It's unfair.
You see...
...there was one thing I didn't bargain for
in our relationship.
And I didn't know it until a few weeks ago.
It's a... curious sort of apology to make
for behaving so badly now.
But I...
I fell in love with you.
Mary?
(Car horn toots)
(Rumble of train)
Miss?
Hey, miss! Ticket.
Ticket!
(Low chatter)
(Man whistling)
(Rumble of distant train)
(Train approaching)
(Roar of train)
(Screech of brakes)
It's all right. It's all right.
Hold up.
Is anything the matter? Can I help?
No, thank you. It's nothing.
(Conductor shouts out)
You'd better sit down.
(Train moves off)
(Struggles for breath)
You're all right now.
It's all right.
There's no hurry.
(Sobs)
Here, Mary.
- Mary.
- (Continues sobbing)
Mary.
Shall we go home now?
Home?
If you want to, that is.
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