Dallas s03e21 Episode Script

188155 - Divorce - Ewing Style

- Happy anniversary! - Surprise! - Happy anniversary, darling.
- Well, thank you.
Thank you.
- Why? - You can't figure it out? You're gonna try to use this to take my son away? Our son, J.
R.
It's the one thing we managed to achieve together.
- I'd kill you.
- You don't have the guts.
I've gotta get Sue Ellen back in the sanitarium.
- I might need your help for that, honey.
- But this time, I want more.
- I want to be Mrs.
J.
R.
Ewing.
- Guaranteed.
Happy anniversary! - Happy anniversary, darling.
- Well, thank you.
Thank you.
- Hope you don't mind me surprising you.
- No, no, I like it.
She's been planning it for weeks.
You're a lucky guy.
Yes, sir.
I surely am.
I hope you remembered to buy her something, J.
R.
- Yeah, Mama, I surely did.
- Well, you can give it to me later, darling.
I have something special for you too.
- Happy anniversary.
Come on.
- Well, all right.
This sure was a surprise, I'll tell you.
Whoever thought it would last.
J.
R.
and Sue Ellen, it does my heart good to know that after all these years they're in love more than ever.
- I'll drink to that, Dad.
To you, darling.
Hi.
Hey, George, how you doing? Billy, good to see you, bud.
No, not that old.
Well Getting kind of obvious, aren't you, honey? I mean, why don't you pretend to be having a good time, like me? After all, Sue Ellen is your sister, isn't she? I don't know why she bothered to invite me in the first place.
I think we're gonna find out.
I would like to make another toast.
To my darling little sister, Kristin.
Who will be leaving us soon for California.
May she find a man of her own.
A man who will make her as happy as J.
R.
has made me.
- Isn't that right, darling? - Well, I try my best.
- Good night, everybody.
- See you tomorrow.
- Well, I'll tell you, that was some party.
- Wasn't it, though? Whatever made you think of giving that, honey? Oh, I thought I'd take the opportunity to show our family and friends what a loving, happy couple we are and how devoted I am to you.
Well, now, when you gonna show me what a devoted wife you are? Right now.
Yeah.
Stop that.
What the hell's that all about? Just cooling you off, J.
R.
I didn't want you to confuse the way I act in public with what happens right here.
We are not gonna make love, J.
R not tonight, not tomorrow.
Not until the day I take my son and walk out of your life.
Maybe then, J.
R.
, if you still want to.
Who do you think you're gonna fool with this devoted-wife act? I fooled you, J.
R.
After that, everyone else should be easy.
Never gonna get my son, honey.
Take my son away from me.
Morning, J.
R.
- Morning, J.
R.
- Morning.
Kristin Shepard called twice this morning.
She said it was very important.
Well, if she calls again, tell her I'm in a meeting.
Also, Bobby's in his office.
He'd like to see you.
All right.
Bob.
Good morning, J.
R.
That was some party last night, wasn't it? Yeah.
You know, I'm real glad to see you and Sue Ellen getting along well.
- I think the family's happy about it.
- What do you wanna talk about? I got a hell of a lot of work to do, and I don't feel too good.
- Recognize that? - What is it? It's an old Ewing field in East Texas, shut down about 30 years ago.
Yeah? Well, according to the geological report, there's still a lot of oil down there.
Prices so low back then, it wasn't worth bringing it up.
Would you get to the point? I figure if we open that field up again we could bring up a few thousand barrels a month.
Prices being what they are now, we'd show a profit.
Opening a field like that would cost a fortune.
I don't know if it's worth it.
Of course it's worth it.
All right, if you wanna play around with a little, bitty field like that down there, go ahead.
I'm sure Dad will be proud of you for bringing in all that money.
You don't have to be smart about it, J.
R.
I wanted to show you what I was doing before I did it.
If you're going ahead with it anyhow, what did you wanna talk to me about? - Because you're president of Ewing Oil.
- Oh, well, I'm glad you remembered that.
Ewing Oil.
Good morning.
Oh, hello, Kristin.
No.
I'm sorry, he's at a meeting right now.
- But I'll be sure and give him the message.
- Did you tell him I called before? I see.
You have to leave so soon? Well, I don't wanna overstay my welcome.
You know, you're different from most of my friends.
Oh, how's that? You're the only one that hasn't offered to take me away from all this.
Set me up in a place of our own.
Take you away from all this? Honey, you got a good deal here.
Tax-free too.
If you did set me up, it'd probably save you money in the long run.
Now, don't push it, or there may not be a long run.
I like everything just the way it is.
Cash and carry.
You certainly know how to say all the right things.
Well, like you said, I'm different.
- Yes? - J.
R.
, a Mr.
Alan Beam is here.
He wants to see you.
Send him in.
Mr.
Beam, what can I do for you? I need your help, J.
R.
- Do you now? - Harve Smithfield called me this morning.
He informed me the firm of Smithfield & Bennett no longer requires my services.
What's that got to do with me? He'd never have fired me without your approval, J.
R.
Where'd you get that idea? Name of that firm is not Smithfield & Bennett & Ewing.
- I don't have anything to do with them.
- J.
R.
, please.
I know it was wrong of me to go back on my promise to you.
I was greedy.
I wanted it all.
Well, looks to me like you got it all.
Just not where you expected to get it.
Look what I did for you.
I got Cliff Barnes to run for Congress.
I buried all that money you gave me to run his campaign.
Money I gave you for Cliff Barnes? Well, why would I do that? I hate the man.
J.
R.
, I'm not taping this.
- Did you think I bugged your office? - I wouldn't put it past you.
You're a sneak, Alan, which I've told everybody who listens.
- I did all those things for you, J.
R.
- I don't know what you're talking about.
But I warned you about the consequences of working for Cliff Barnes and of trying to marry my little niece, Lucy.
- You're gonna have to pay the piper, boy.
- Oh, don't do this, J.
R.
I know enough about you to cause a lot of grief.
Well, you're welcome to try it.
But before you do, I wanna give you one little piece of advice.
Get out of Dallas.
Go back up north where you belong while the getting is good.
That clear? - Oh, that's very clear.
Well, what are you standing there for? I got a lot more important things to do than sit around here and talk to you.
- Louella.
- Yes, sir? I'd like you to send a case of my favorite bonded bourbon to Mr.
Harve Smithfield with a nice little thank-you note on it.
- Yes, sir, I will.
- Hi.
- Well, I thought maybe you'd died.
No.
Well, no such luck, huh? Did your new secretary tell you I called, all day? She did.
You know, that could be an annoying habit to get into.
Well, why didn't you call me back? Kristin, I just came by for a quiet drink and to see you, honey.
If I want screaming and yelling, I can go home for that.
Well, from what I saw at your party what you get at home now is Sue Ellen hanging all over you.
- It was disgusting.
- It was in front of friends and family.
What did you expect, anyhow? What did she mean by saying that I was leaving for California? You know I'm not leaving.
I thought you wanted to complete your studies.
I was doing all the studying I wanted when I was working for you.
You're not at the office now.
You're right here.
You're waiting for me, should I come and visit.
That's the way it will be.
If you don't like it I can always get you a plane ticket to California anytime.
I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to complain.
It's just that I miss seeing you during the day.
I know it, I know it.
Here, darling, go out and get yourself something pretty, huh? Keep your mind off of me.
I gotta go.
I gotta go.
- But you're not leaving already? - Yeah, yeah.
You know how Daddy hates me to be late for any of the meals.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Well.
Looks like somebody's interested in how I spend my time.
Sergeant McSween.
J.
R.
Ewing here.
Morning, J.
R.
What can I do for you? Harry, I've got a problem.
I've always been able to count on you in the past.
- I need your help again.
- Always glad to be of service, J.
R.
Can you meet me in my office in an hour? - Sure thing.
See you there.
- All right, bud, thanks.
Aren't there enough houses and high-rises in Dallas now? - People have to have somewhere to live.
- Yes, but why here? There's miles of open prairie not far from here.
I can remember when this was all open prairie.
It was beautiful.
It's easy for you.
You have Southfork, a way of life most people can't approach.
We're trying to give them a substitute that they can afford.
By destroying all the greenery in Dallas? We're not building slums, Ellie.
We're building decent housing.
And what will all these people do in all this housing? Look down at the glare of cement? Pretty soon, there won't be any parks like this left.
People have to have somewhere to go, somewhere to relax and play or just lie back and look up at the sky.
Ellie, you haven't changed since you were a girl.
You were always fighting other people's battles.
I never thought you'd be fighting them with me.
I never thought you'd be destroying a way of life.
What about Jock and his oil wells? - What do they do for the countryside? - They ruined it.
That's why my father's always hated oilmen.
But I don't think he'd like what you're doing any better.
Now you're invoking the ghost of Southfork past to change my mind.
Well, I warned you I'd stop at nothing to keep you from building here.
Shall we call today a draw? Frankly, I'm ready for lunch.
And I'd love some company.
- It's only 11:00.
- I take long lunches.
Join me.
Please.
- I don't think I should.
- Afraid to be seen with the enemy? Of course not.
Then there's no other reason.
You're sure the car was following you? Well, of course I'm sure.
Followed me all the way to the Braddock road.
You said "he.
" Is it a man? Well, I don't know.
I never thought of that.
- I couldn't be sure.
- How long has this person followed you? Well, I spotted him first time last night, but it could've been any length of time.
This morning? Well, I can't be sure.
So much congestion and traffic, I didn't spot anybody.
Tell you what, J.
R.
You let me know where you're gonna be tonight.
We'll get there before you, and if someone does follow you, we'll be ready.
All right, Harry.
Appreciate this, I really do.
I'll call you later, let you know where I'm going.
- All right.
- Harry, I wanna keep this pretty quiet.
Always have, J.
R.
By the way, did you hear that Cliff Barnes has joined the district attorney's office? No, I hadn't heard that.
Thought you'd wanna know.
Talk to you later.
Well, J.
R.
, why don't you use your? Kristin.
- J.
R.
didn't tell me you were coming.
- I'll bet he didn't.
Matter of fact, I'll bet he doesn't tell you much of anything lately.
What do you want? Well I think you and I should talk.
There's nothing you could say that would be of any interest to me.
Considering we've both been fired, maybe there is.
I wasn't fired.
I was only working for J.
R.
temporarily.
The way it looks, you may only be here temporarily.
Look I know J.
R.
now, maybe better than you do.
As soon as he doesn't need you, or gets tired of you you're gonna be out.
And I mean out.
Even if you know what you're talking about what can I do? By yourself, nothing.
But maybe together we could get to him.
What good would that do me? - Doesn't revenge mean anything to you? - Not if there's no profit in it.
Well, I'm beginning to see what J.
R.
liked about you.
Just don't get any ideas.
If I decide to get together with you, it'll be business.
And I mean strictly business.
Sure.
You wanna save it for the man you marry.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I shouldn't have said that.
I want us to work together, any way you want it.
I'll tell you what I kept records J.
R.
doesn't know anything about.
Things that could be trouble for him.
I know you did too.
Look them over.
Think about it, Kristin.
I'll get back to you.
You know, it'd be a shame to have to give all this up.
If all you wanted to do was talk, we could've done that on the phone.
I told you, I got other things on my mind.
It's your 200, J.
R.
Cash and carry, remember? There's no discount for conversation only.
Fine.
I can't remember when I've had a nicer time.
I'm beginning to think the pleasure I get is not worth the talking I get.
Out.
- Spread them.
- Hey, what are you doing? - Shut up.
- Why are you following me? I'm not following you, I was just visiting a friend.
What's your friend's name and address? Come on.
Look, buddy, you're in trouble.
If you want out, you'd better start talking.
All right.
All right, my name's Fuller.
I'm a private investigator.
Credentials are in my pocket.
"Tom Fuller, Bradford Building, suite 1103, number's 43411.
" - That's me, just like I told you.
- Who you working for? - That's privileged.
I can't say.
- Sure, you can.
- Now, look - What's the name? All right.
All right.
How dare you have a private detective follow me.
Why, J.
R.
, you're getting positively paranoid.
Nobody does that to me, not you or anybody else.
I don't know what you're getting at, J.
R.
Why would I have you followed anyway? That's what I want you to tell me.
Perhaps I wanted to pay you back for all the times you sicced your people on me.
Let you see how it feels to have someone know exactly what you do.
Come on, Sue Ellen.
- Why? - You can't figure it out? Lord knows you have enough dirt on me.
You're gonna try to use this to take my son away? Our son, J.
R.
It's the one thing we managed to achieve together.
Barely achieved, I might add.
You'll never get John away from Southfork and me.
At least, if we go to court, and you go parading my past in front of that jury I'll have a little bit of information to fight with.
Just see how proud that's gonna make your daddy.
- I'd kill you first.
- No, you wouldn't, J.
R.
You don't have the guts.
Well, we'll just have to do something about this, won't we? I've been understanding.
I've put up with Sue Ellen's fooling around.
I've tried to be a good husband and father.
Look how she pays me back.
Well, why don't you just divorce her and be done with it? Because she's not gonna settle just for a simple divorce.
She wants to take my son away from me.
With what she has on me now, a divorce could be a little bit messy.
My daddy and mama don't need to read more headlines, that's for sure.
Well, I don't see what choices you have.
Well, Kristin, I was thinking about that on the way over here.
I've got to get Sue Ellen back in that sanitarium.
- Gotta get her locked up for good.
- But how? She doesn't drink anymore.
Well, maybe we could just get her started up again.
Or at least convince everybody she started again.
- I might need your help for that, honey.
- You know I'd do anything for you, J.
R.
I always have, haven't I? I've always showed you my appreciation, haven't I? But this time, I want more.
If this works, I want you to divorce Sue Ellen.
I want to be Mrs.
J.
R.
Ewing.
Well, Kristin, we don't have to rush into that I want your promise.
All right, you got it.
Guaranteed.
Now, tomorrow, I want you to call Sue Ellen and ask her to come out and have lunch with you.
Thank you.
A cocktail, Mrs.
Ewing? - Club soda, please.
- Certainly.
- Thank you for coming, Sue Ellen.
- I came because I was curious.
I can't imagine what you think we have to talk about.
I don't blame you for feeling the way you do.
- Really? - I've been terrible.
I've done everything I could to break you and J.
R.
up.
I even let him We became lovers.
I've done nothing but cause you trouble.
And I'm truly ashamed.
Why this sudden confession? Because I couldn't stand it anymore when I saw you and J.
R.
together at your anniversary party.
It made me realize just how dreadful I've been.
- Now that we both know that, so what? - So I'm leaving Dallas, Sue Ellen.
I'm going to school in California.
But before I left, I had to see you, to try and make it up to you somehow.
Doesn't matter anymore, Kristin.
I no longer care what J.
R.
does.
I tried to figure out why I did it.
It just comes down to one thing.
It's what Mama taught me to do.
I was only doing what I've been brought up to do.
You are so smart, Kristin.
I was much older than you before I figured out I was just living Mama's dreams.
I'm trying to change, Sue Ellen.
And I hope that we can at least be friends.
Why not.
To friendship? Oh, Sue Ellen.
Oh, God.
I'm so sorry.
Your beautiful dress.
Kristin, it's all right.
It's all right, really.
I'll just go try to dry off.
- God.
- It's all right.
Now, the way I see it, you don't have any choice.
Not if you want to stay in Dallas.
Mr.
Ewing, what you're asking is totally unethical.
Oh, I realize that.
But it's not illegal.
And it's the easiest $ 10,000 you'll ever make.
- I don't know.
- Well, ask around, Tom.
I think you'll find it to your advantage to have me as a friend and an employer rather than an enemy.
That I already know.
Now, all you have to do is rewrite those reports you gave my wife showing that I did nothing but spend my nights with business acquaintances.
Give those reports to me, along with the originals, of course.
But Mrs.
Ewing has copies of the real reports.
Well, why don't you let me take care of that little detail.
It's always fun doing business with a sensible man.
Like I was saying, we don't have anything new on the body we found so I guess you might as well have Ray go ahead with his house.
Does that mean you're closing the investigation? No.
The investigation's not closed, Miss Ellie but we're not doing anything about it.
Well, thanks for stopping by, Fenton.
Give my best to your daddy.
Yes, sir, I sure will.
Ma'am.
- Mrs.
Ewing.
- Sheriff.
Sue Ellen, how was your lunch? Just fine, Miss Ellie.
What happened to your dress? Oh, Kristin spilled her drink and it went all over me.
Smells like she's been drinking I know.
I almost got a little woozy just smelling it in the car.
Well, I better change.
Excuse me.
You know, I don't remember Kristin drinking anything but white wine.
Well, maybe that's all she does around you.
Evening, J.
R.
- J.
R? - Mama.
Daddy.
- Is anything wrong? - I hope not, but I'm not sure.
Well, come on.
Come on, what is it? I don't know if I ought to worry you with this, Dad.
For heaven sakes, what is it? I found this in our bedroom this evening.
I'm afraid Sue Ellen started to drink again.
Oh, no, J.
R.
- Well, what did she have to say about it? - Well, she denied everything.
She said she didn't know where the bottle came from.
I'm really worried.
Well, that's how it was last time.
She never admitted that she drank.
Mama, maybe if you could keep an eye on her during the day? Make sure she doesn't drink.
I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention I said anything about this.
- It'd just make things worse.
- Of course.
We'll do anything we can.
Things were getting so good between us.
I guess you'd noticed how close we'd become.
I just don't know what has made her start again.
I guess I better go and see how she is, huh? I thought Sue Ellen acted kind of funny when she came home this afternoon.
Shouldn't take you long to go over those papers, Dad.
Well, glad I could help, J.
R.
Oh, how's Sue Ellen? She's all right, sir.
She's all right.
I didn't get a chance to talk to her.
Oh, say, I left my attaché case in the house.
- I'll pick it up and meet you at the office.
- Okay.
Hello? He's on his way in now.
Get there before he does.
I'm on my way.
Don't worry, I know what to do.
Howdy.
- Good morning, Kristin.
How are you? - Good morning, Uncle Jock.
I'm fine.
I'm waiting for J.
R.
He was gonna tell me about some places to live in California.
You'd do better talking to Bobby.
He owns some houses out there.
- J.
R.
leave some papers for me? - Sure did.
Why don't you wait with me? - J.
R.
will be here soon.
- Thank you, Uncle Jock.
I'll believe she's going to California when the plane takes off.
- Uncle Jock? - Yes? I was wondering, did Sue Ellen get home all right yesterday? Of course.
Why? Well, I was very worried about her.
I didn't know that she'd started to drink again.
Was she drinking with you yesterday? At lunch.
She must have had three No, four drinks.
Not counting the one that she spilled all over herself.
Shouldn't Sue Ellen be home by now? Well, sometimes those DOA meetings run late.
You sure it's the right thing to let her go, J.
R.
? Told you what Kristin said.
Well, Dad, I don't know quite how to stop her.
I'll get it.
I can't believe that Sue Ellen has started drinking again.
She's been so happy lately.
We can't be sure she has.
Well, if it's true, we just can't ignore it, J.
R.
I hope you all don't say anything to her.
I'd like to try to handle this myself.
That was the police.
They pulled in Sue Ellen on suspicion of drunk driving.
There's no arrest, but they want us to pick her up.
This is all a terrible mistake.
I was not drinking.
And I haven't had a drink since the baby was born.
Please, you've got to believe me.
Bobby, where's J.
R.
? He stayed behind to try and smooth things over with the police.
- Are there gonna be any formal charges? - No, Mama, I don't think so.
The officer said that he pulled her over because she was driving erratically.
He said he didn't give her a sobriety test because she was a Ewing.
But he did say we have to keep an eye on her.
He won't let her get by with it a second time.
- I tell you, I even got Bobby believing it.
- Oh, J.
R.
, you're so clever.
And with me helping you, there's nothing you can't do.
Well, now, let's not rush things.
Well, why? From what you say, Sue Ellen's almost on the brink.
Yeah, I know.
That's exactly why I don't wanna hurry things too much or make mistakes.
We keep this up, she might start drinking herself.
Oh, I can't wait.
I'm gonna love living at Southfork.
Now, I keep telling you, let's not put the cart before the horse.
J.
R.
, we made a deal.
I know that.
I'd never go back on my word.
I'll even drink to it.
I just don't know how to fight back.
Why are you so sure that J.
R.
's behind all this? You don't think it's true that I've started drinking again? - I hope not.
- Really? And do you hope not because you see our wonderful work we've done together going right down the drain? Along with your wonderful fee? No.
I'd hate to see you throwing your life away.
You have too much reason not to.
I'm sorry.
It's just the frustration of not having anyone believe me.
It still doesn't explain why J.
R.
would be behind it.
I made a mistake.
I let him know that I was planning to leave.
And he found out that I hired a detective.
I'm afraid he's trying to get rid of me before I can get my baby.
Then why don't you get away from him for a while? Travel.
Go where he can't manipulate you.
I'm afraid to.
- He'd never let me take little John.
- Then go by yourself.
Well, I can't.
I know J.
R.
Once I left he'd make sure that I was kept off the ranch for good.
Then I'd never see my little baby again.
You don't believe most of this, do you, Dr.
Elby? That my husband is planning to commit me.
That my little sister may be helping him.
That I'm afraid to stay with J.
R.
I'm even more afraid to leave him.
I believe that your husband is capable of many things that most people aren't.
Do you know that I even took a cab here today because I was afraid to drive.
I just didn't wanna be accused of drunk driving again.
How long can you go on like this? Isn't that something you should tell me? It's not that simple.
That's exactly what it is, Dr.
Elby.
Simple.
J.
R.
is trying to put me away again.
But I won't let him.
Not this time.
Why don't we go into town and catch a movie? That would be nice.
But let's make it an early movie.
Why, do you have meetings? - Right, darling.
- Wonderful.
Let's make it early.
Good evening.
- Sue Ellen.
- Good evening.
- May I have a club soda, please? - Sure.
- How's everything at The Store, Pam? - Oh, fine.
Why don't you come in sometime and have lunch with me? Thank you.
Maybe, Miss Ellie, you could come in with me.
I'd love to.
If I ever get rid of this Mimosa Park problem.
- Evening, everybody.
- J.
R.
- Sue Ellen.
How you feeling, darling? - Couldn't be better.
Why did you ask? Oh, that's the thing to do, I guess.
- Your session with Dr.
Elby, that go well? - Very well.
We just discussed what's been going on with me lately.
- Isn't that what you usually do? - Mostly.
You know, I had hoped that that man had been able to help you more.
But he has helped me, darling.
He's helped me realize how important my son is to me and what a truly wonderful person you are.
Well, that's not exactly what I was talking about.
Are you talking about my drinking problem? Well, frankly, yes, I was.
- I think you ought to drop this here, J.
R.
- No, it's all right, really.
You'll be delighted to know, darling that Dr.
Elby doesn't believe that I've been drinking again.
Sue Ellen, none of us wanna believe it.
But you're getting too much proof to the contrary.
And do you wanna know why? Because my husband wants you to think that I'm drinking.
Why on earth would I wanna do that? So you can put me back in the sanitarium.
So I can't take your son from you.
Sue Ellen, I think it would be best if you go upstairs and get some rest.
No.
I have done something that none of you are aware of.
I have hired a private detective, and he's been following J.
R.
I have reports to show exactly what he is.
Well, now, just why in the hell did you do that? So that if we get a divorce, I can keep my son.
And I could show them that J.
R.
is an unfit husband and father.
But, Sue Ellen, you and J.
R.
have been so close.
You even had that party for him.
Why would you think of divorce? I'll show you.
I'll show you the reports.
That way, you'll be able to see why he's doing this to me.
J.
R.
, go after her.
No, Mama.
This gotta come out in the open.
She said some terrible things about me.
And I think the truth should come out.
I'm not afraid of her reports.
Don't let her do this, J.
R.
She's your wife, for God's sakes.
It's gotta be done.
I'm doing this to help her.
This isn't gonna help anybody.
It'll make things worse.
Here are the reports.
See what kind of son you have.
Well? It's only business meetings, dinners with friends of ours.
Why did you do this, Sue Ellen? You switched them.
You got to him.
You changed those reports, J.
R! - Sue Ellen, stop it! Control yourself.
- I hate you! You changed it! - Not again.
I hate you, J.
R.
! - Sue Ellen.
Sue Ellen, come on.
Come on, come on.
Come on.
- Come on.
- Bobby.
- Bobby, you believe me, don't you? - Let's go upstairs.
You believe me, don't you? Mama, Daddy sorry you had to witness this.
Dr.
Danvers, please.
This is J.
R.
Ewing.
Well, if the doctor could visit Southfork and take a look at my wife, I'd be very grateful.

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