All language subtitles for Oscar Wilde About America

Oh, there she is,
the toast of the West End.

Harriet, darling,
don't mention toast.

You know I'm off carbs.

I have already called the half,
which is utterly redundant

as the only person
in the production

is gallivanting around
the streets of London

-in his fucking costume.
-I needed fags.

Story of my life.

Do not smoke in your costume.
I have to take it back to the--

-The higher company--
-On Monday.

And there are
a bunch of fucking twats.

They're breaking me
out in hives.

Oh, they suit you, darling.

That you think almost
as highly of this play

as I do myself.

Hello? Hi. Sorry, who's this?

It's Oscar.
Oscar Conlon-Morrey.

Oh, right, sorry, I thought
you were the Ethiopian boy

I met at Jersey Boys.

Okay, so Oscar Wilde
wrote, right?

Yeah, he was a playwright.

-Yes.
-Right. So I mean,

I didn't get that until like,
15 minutes into the thing.

I mean, that wasn't clear to me,
and I work in the business, so.

I-- I think most people know
who Oscar Wilde is.

Most gay people do, at least.

Well, I'm gay,
and I didn't get that.

- So
- Did, uh...

Did you manage to speak
to any of the investors

that Carol invited yet?

Look, your show's
a tough sell.

Investors know that.
We all get that.

-We all agree. Right?
-That was the whole point

of doing
the showcase last night.

It was why I blew
3/4 of my life savings

on hiring the Haymarket Theatre,
Oscar's Theatre,

in order to raise funds
for my showcase.

It's why Carol currently

on Ryan Murphy's plane
to Thessaloniki.

The private jet.
His private jet.

It even has a name.

Look, let me find out

and I'll get back to you, okay?

Look, we're here for you
if you need anything.

Are you good?

- Um, I actually wouldn't--
- You're good. Okay.

Look, we'll talk soon.
Okay? Bye.

Sorry, Tim,
I was actually wondering...

Hello?

Shitty, darling. Very shitty.

Just been on with my agent.

Oh, Oscar, do you remember
what you told me
the day we met?

Never wear Bermuda
shorts in central London.

-No.
-Green is a difficult color?

- No.
- Chunky jewelry--

Oscar, no. Be yourself.

Everyone else is already taken.

I never said that.

Oscar said it.

All right, well, I knew
one of the two of you said it.

I'm always confusing
you two, anyway.

Tell me about it.

Ooh. Are you naked?

As the day
I was born, darling.

-Gotta go.
-Love-- love you, mate.

Love you more.

Bye.

The basis of character
is willpower.

Coffee in your costume again?

Relax, darling. It's decaf.

-A fan.
-Thank you.

More pube brownies.

Be sure to save me one.

Is there anything
I have to do whilst I'm here?

Yes, it's beautiful sceneries.

-Yes.
-You can have the pizza.

-The pizza?
-Yeah.

They're the best pizza
in New York City.

-Oh, and local delicacies.
-Of course. Yes.

I have nothing
to declare but my genius.

Where can I find that pizza?

I came to America
the first time in 1882,

to promote
Gilbert and Sullivan's

comic opera Patience.

I lectured
for one year in 30 states

from New York to California.

By the time
I returned to England,

I was a celebrity.

The world's second
most famous queen.

And I haven't written anything.
Well, nothing you'd know.

Anyway, I was famous
just for being famous.

May I continue
with the tour now, Mr. Wilde?

Oh, my dear fellow.
Well, yes, of course.

The suspense is terrible.
I do hope it lasts.

Madison Square park.

An epicenter
of Wilde's time in New York.

The Fifth Avenue Hotel,
where he would meet

actresses for his plays.

And Delmonico's,
his favorite restaurant.

And on this side
of the square, Mansions,

where Oscar was fated
by society.

Oh, and Oscar's bank,
where he had to go one day,

embarrassed to stop some checks

because he had been conned
in a card game.

Well, anybody
who lives within their means

suffers from
a lack of imagination.

Oh, so wonderful.

-What's your name?
-Carlos.

-Carlos.
-And this is Luca.

-Hello. Luca.
-Luca, say hi.

-Hey, baby.
-Say hello to Oscar Wilde.

He's a famous person.

It's wonderful
to meet you, Carlos.

-Have a wonderful day.
-You look amazing.

-It's a pleasure. Ciao.
-What a pleasure.

Love Carlos.

I am pleased to see
this building

of neoclassical structure
has survived.

Well, I'm afraid
to have to tell you this,

Mr. Wilde, but Stern Brothers
is now a Home Depot.

A Home De--

What in Christendom
is a Home Depot?

Well, a DIY.

DIY?

Do it yourself.

Do what myself?

Hm, your bedroom, your bathroom.

Or-- or perhaps your kitchen.

Oh, well, let us see

if they have anything that can
live up to my blue China. Hm?

Here we are
on Irving Place,

on two houses, Oscar,
that you may recognize.

Number 47 and number 49.

At number 47 was a house
that Oscar Wilde

actually stayed at
when he started taking rooms

in rented accommodation

after staying in hotels
most of the year.

Your friend, Bessie Marbury,
also lived here.

She became
your literary agent in America.

And she lived here
with Elsie de Wolfe.

Um, for a period of 30 years

in what was known
then as a "Boston marriage."

But we know now
they had a relationship,

and they were one of America's
leading gay icons

of the late 19th century.

Bessie Marbury
was Wilde's literary agent,

probably one of the first female
literary agents of her day.

And her partner, Elsie de Wolfe,
almost certainly

the first female
interior designer in America.

And now, my dear Mr. Cooper,

I must take my leave of you,

for this promenade
through my past

has bored me so wretchedly

that I've nearly lost
all interest in life.

Good day. Taxi.

- Thank you, driver.
- How are you?

- Thank you.
- All right.

All right. Thank you very much.
All right, then.

Oscar.

You're back.

This is Wonderful.

Oscar.

Good afternoon, dear Oscar.

I hope
you are behaving very well.

I'm feeling very well,
thank you.

Well, that is not
quite the same thing.

In fact, the two things rarely
go together.

Oscar, I feel bound
to tell you

that you are not on my list
of eligible young men.

-Do you smoke?
-It's--

-Yes, I must admit I do smoke.
-No, I'm glad to hear it.

A man should always have
some occupation of some kind.

There are far too many
idle men in New York as it is.

How old are you?

I'm 29.

A good age to get married at.

Tell the boys that.

Boys?

Oh, well, yes, Lady Bracknell.

Uh, do you mean
you couldn't tell?

The love that dare
not speak its name

has always been a deep
spiritual affection

is as pure as it is perfect.

I've always been
of the opinion that a man

who decides to get married,

Should always know
either everything or nothing.

Which do you know?

I am too old to know everything.

-I know nothing, Lady Bracknell.
-Well, I'm glad to hear it.

I do not approve of anything

that tampers
with natural ignorance.

Indeed, ignorance
is like a delicate exotic fruit.

Touch it and the bloom is gone.

Hmm.

Dishes will not be
necessary, Luis.

We will not be eating
this cucumber sandwiches,

just admiring them.

And now to minor matters,
Mr. Worthing.

Are your parents living?

Mr. Worth--

I have lost both my parents.

To lose one parent,
Mr. Worthing,

may be regarded as a misfortune.

But to lose both
looks like carelessness.

Who was your father?

Uh, my fath--

I'm afraid I really don't know.

The fact is, Lady Bracknell,
I said I had lost my parents.

It would be nearer
the truth to say

my parents seem to have lost me.

I don't actually know
who I am by birth.

I was...

Well, I was found.

Found?

The late Mr. Thomas Cardew,
an old gentleman

of a very charitable
and kindly disposition

found me and gave me
the name of Worthing.

Because he happened to have
a first class ticket

for Worthing
in his pocket at the time.

Worthing is a place in Sussex.
It is a seaside resort.

Wh-- whe- where-- where did
this charitable gentleman,

who had a first class ticket

to this seaside resort,
find you?

In a handbag.

A handbag?

Yes. Yes, I was in a handbag.

A somewhat large handbag
with handles to it.

An ordinary handbag, in fact.

Oh, and-- and-- and
in what locality

did this Mr. James
or Thomas Cardew

come across
this ordinary handbag?

In the cloakroom
at Victoria Station.

It was given to him
in mistake for his own.

The cloakroom
at Victoria Station?

Yes, the Brighton line.

The line is immaterial.

I strongly advise you,
Mr. Worthing,

to try and acquire some relation
as soon as possible.

Well, I don't see how I could
possibly manage to do that.

I can produce the handbag
at any moment.

It is
in my dressing room at home.

I really think that should
satisfy you, Lady Bracknell.

Me, sir?

Thank you, Lady Bracknell.

Good day, Oscar.

That was fun.

Laughing to myself.

Oh, my God.
Is that who I think it is?

Gay Benjamin Franklin
with a Lestat blowout.

Somebody call Anne Rice.

Ladies and gentlemen,
my friend Oscar.

Now, I'm sure
you've heard it said

that truth is beauty,
beauty, truth.

It wasn't me, dear.
It was Keats.

I wouldn't dream
of taking the credit.

Even so, perhaps
you've also heard it said

that I am a lover of youth.

I did say that and it caused

quite a bit of trouble
with the law.

Don't you know?

That one's mine.

Also me.

I paraphrase.

And look, I know
all this sounds fabulous

and desperately clever

and the history books
all say that was my charm

but when first I ventured
forth on my aesthetical endeavor

I was treated
not with kindness but alarm.

Now, before I go there's one
thing I ought probably address

an elephantine presence
you could say,

for if anybody didn't understand
the way I dressed

they really didn't like
that I was, well, quite.

Facts are usurping
the domain of fancy.

And have invaded
the kingdom of romance.

The crude
commercialization of America,

its materializing spiritual,

its indifference
to the poetical side of things.

And its lack of imagination

and of high,
unattainable ideals.

Are entirely due
to that country

having adopted
for its national hero

a man who, according
to his own confession,

was incapable of telling a lie.

And it's not too much to say

that the story
of George Washington

and the cherry tree
has done more harm

and in a shorter space of time

than any other moral tale
in the whole of literature.

Oscar. Welcome.

Ms. North.

What a pleasure
to meet you in the flesh.

Oh, thank you
so much for coming.

Thank you for my invitation.
It's an honor.

-Of course.
-What a beautiful home.

-Thank you.
-This is stunning.

-We're glad to have you.
-Bless you.

-Come inside.
-Oh, thank you so much.

I can't wait to see
your interior design.

How was your trip?

Oh, hot.

I am very glad
to have been invited

and to address an audience in...

Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

And I am impelled
for the first time in my life

to breathe a fervent prayer.

God, save me
from my disciples.

Your people love art.

- Yes?
- Yes. Yeah.

But you do not sufficiently
honor the handicraftsman.

I did not imagine until I went

into some of your simpler cities

that there was so much
bad work done.

I found where I went
bad wallpapers,

horribly designed
and colored carpets.

Oh, and that old offender,
the horse hair sofa.

-Oh, my God.
-My husband's grandmother

had one
right in the living room.

-What is that?
-Stank like the devil.

And so did she.

Ladies, ladies.

Excuse me. Thank you.

Have no great flaming chandelier
in the center of the room.

Also, you should not have
cast iron railings

fixed outside the house.

Oh, I think
Amy has some of those.

She does.

There is nothing,
to my mind,

more coarse in conception
and more vulgar

in execution
than modern jewelry.

-Yes, and thank you.
-No, and thank you.

We spend our days looking
for the secret of life.

Well.

The secret of life...

is in art.

Bravo. Bravo.

"Illusion is the first

of all pleasures."

"The world's a stage
and the play is badly cast."

Escape it all
by cherishing your treasures

and soon you'll find
the fear of light has passed.

Right and left, left and right.

Right and left, left and right.
Right and left, left and right.

-The secret of life...

-is in art.

And no iron railings!

Yes. And thank you.

Cheers, darling.

Oscar.

-Oscar.
-Alyson

Oscar, baby, you made it.

Oh, my darling.

I'm so glad
you were able to come

-and look at you.
-Thank you for having me.

And a costume change
for you as well.

-Well, absolutely.
-You look delectable, darling.

Listen, I want you to meet
a dear friend of mine.

His name is Randy Jones
and he's just going to love you.

Now listen,
come on here with me.

I'm sure he's in here somewhere.

We're picking people
from our party to, uh,

Be with us later
for a little, uh,

how can I say,
burlesque type show.

-Oh, burlesque.
-Strippers, basically.

-Strippers?
-But we're gonna pick them

from the audience.

-You wanna help?
-That sounds like vaudeville.

I'm very much--
Oh, can I grab a little slider?

We don't have time
to eat, honey.

You'll have time to eat,
plenty of time later.

Now listen, keep an eye and see.
What do you think?

Well, I think
he's was absolutely gorgeous.

Oh, Oscar. Oscar.
We love you, Oscar.

-So wonderful to meet you.
-You're a hit already.

I told you, they're just gonna
eat you up, love muffin.

What we're gonna
do now is move on

to our next entertainer.

One, two, three.
Oscar, won't you come forward.

You know him and I want
you to come and meet everyone.

Give him.

Oscar Wilde.

Give it up for my friend Oscar.

Please, meet Randy Jones.

How often do you get
two icons in the same group?

Now, I would be remiss
if I did not take time

with my friend Oscar.

I have a question for you.

Hey, everybody.
Come on, he's come a long way.

Oscar, will you tell us

what is your strongest
impression of the South?

- Holy shit.
- Of the South?

Well, hello everyone.

I was forewarned
that the south would be hot.

But it wasn't until
I came to this party

and saw the specimens
in the room

that I truly understood
the meaning of that word.

Guys, you'd like very much
to thank you for having me,

to thank you
for your hospitality,

for your kindness,
your rock hard abs.

But mainly I'd like
to thank you for your teachings.

So, you see,
I cannot wait to take that

to London with me to sing

"The Higher the Hair,
the Closer to God."

Thank you.

Hello! Now...

Hey!

Now what we have to do,
what we have to do

to and
Winston-Salem is to decide...

Good evening.
Welcome to Thompson Talks.

I'm Ron Stacker Thompson.

And I have here with me
tonight a very special guest.

The cowboy from Village People,

Randy Jones.

Hey there. How are you?

And you brought
a very special guest too.

You know what? I absolutely did.

And what the surprise
of my life.

Are you aware at all Mr. Wilde
of Village People?

Uh, we-- Well, I'm afraid

I'm terribly sorry
to say this, Randy,

but my first exposure
to this delightful premise

was last night at the party
where I had the great privilege

-of sharing a stage...
-Right?

...with the Village People.

So you got to see it
from my perspective.

-I did. I did.
-Is that not amazing?

It's remarkable.

I assume there were
many people there last night.

- There were.
- How did they respond to...

The Village People?

All...

The-- the barriers
were dropped...

-Yes.
-...for those three minutes

-when you started singing.
-Yeah.

Everyone came together

-and it was unifying.
-Yes.

And I realized in that moment,
whilst it might...

To raise a child,
it takes a village.

- Yes.
- To raise a queer child,

it takes the Village People.

- And to have--
- Oh, nicely put.

Yes, and to have
a united country,

it takes a village.

And it takes--
We are a huge village,

this country,
because we are built

of some of the most diverse
people on the face of the earth.

You mentioned beauty
and I love the term that you,

I think, coined yourself

the architect of beauty or the,

uh, the, exhilarator of beauty?

Uh, do you still feel that way?

To live out a tawdry...

existence.

Rather than to live one's
true self completely

and totally,
was never an option.

So at some time in my life,

I should like to think
I can find the beauty in myself.

I understand
what you've just said.

But simply put...

when you look in the mirror,

do you see something beautiful?

- No.
- No?

Never have?

No.

- The lovers number six.
- Hmm.

This card is not about a lover.

An illicit lover, a love affair.

This card is about a major...

life altering choice
in your life.

A choice.

Seven. You're defending
yourself against something.

Oh, the Two of Cups.
This is true love.

We have another
strong masculine figure.

You have interacted
with this person in other forms,

other lives, other--

And it's, uh...

karmic, it's just coming
back from another life.

Y'all may have not been, uh,

lovers in the past life,

but you definitely are attracted
to each other in this life.

You're quite right in...

That there are...

two Oscars...

battling...

to get out.

And it's which...

that I'm prepared...

to let free.

Yes, because one is imprisoned

by what other people think.

Oscar!

Hi!

Kimberly.

Oh, my God.
I can't believe it's you.

Oh, it's so good to see you.

I couldn't come to Alabama
without swinging by.

-I'm so glad you're here.
-Oh, darling.

-How are you?
-I'm-- I'm well.

-Yes?
-I'm well. How about you?

-Come on.
-Fabulous.

The beautiful South.

- I know. , right?
- This is your childhood home.

-This is it.
-My gosh.

Now all the stories make sense.

-I know, right?
-Wow.

It's beautiful.

Oscar, what are you wearing?

I think I explained
it all in the email.

Uh, well,
I didn't expect, like...

full Victorian.

Come on.

Uh, sorry,
I'm still packing stuff up.

Of course.

Welcome to my home.

This is quite lovely.

Remember the stories that
I told you about Sunday dinner?

-Yes.
-This is where we always,

every Sunday, right here,

we always had dinner
at this table.

Are you thirsty?

Darling, I am so thirsty.

Good, I just finished
making some ice tea.

-You want some?
-Oh, my God.

I don't even know what that is,
but the answer is yes.

Okay, great. I'll go get it.

Thank you, darling.

When was the last time
I saw you?

- Must have been--
- Last August.

Last August?

Was that when you were last in
London?

Yes, at that awful
party, remember?

Oh, gosh. Yeah.

I didn't know someone could get
that drunk off white wine,

-but here we are.
-That's my mother.

Have a seat in a recliner.

Uh, get comfortable.

-Okay.
-And, uh, you can lean back

if you grab
that little lever on the side,

you can pull yourself
back and...

Get relaxed.

It's like
a rocking chair on a porch.

Exactly, exactly.

-It's nice and comfortable.
-Little leaver on the side.

Right there.

Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Give it a yank.
Kick your legs up.

Kick it up.

Yeah.

Well, yes,
this is terribly relaxing.

It should be.
Welcome to the South.

A little sweet tea
and a nice recliner,

-and all set.
-Oh. Thank you, darling.

-There you go.
-Oh, this looks delicious.

So that's my
Aunt Wanda's recipe.

She used to make it
all the time.

We say, "a spoon
could stand up in it."

Mmm.

-That's delicious.
-Yes.

-Yeah, it's something.
-Cheers, darling.

How have you been?

Good. We've been, uh,
working all day here.

My brothers were here, and, uh,

were helping me pack up stuff,

and so we're getting
the house ready.

Oh, my gosh, that reminds me.

I told my brother
that you were coming,

and he's going fishing tomorrow,

and he asked
if he wanted to come.

Well, first he asked,
have you ever fished?

Yes, when I was a child.

Oh, good.
Would you like to go?

-Fishing with your brother?
-Yeah.

Gosh, I haven't been fishing
since I was a child.

Well, he's going tomorrow,

and I got something to do
in the morning.

And he said, would you like
to go with him and go fishing?

Do you think
he might be my type?

Mm, maybe not.

-How old is he?
-In his 60s.

The only thing is, he was
gonna go early in the morning.

-Is that okay?
-Absolutely. How early?

-Like three o'clock.
-Thre-- That's not the morning.

-Well, it is around here.
-Oh, my goodness. Okay.

Well, he likes to see sunrise.

Must be beauty in the sunrise.

Exactly. Okay, good. Perfect.

We have our whole day set.

Um...

I-- Listen, Oscar, what's go--
What's happening?

I did explain it to you.

-Uh...
-I'm trying to find Oscar.

Oh, okay.

Uh, and how's that going?

It's going.

Well, you had the show
in London, right?

That went well, right?

-Yes.
-Good.

Do you know what? I'm--

Do you mind
if we change the subject?

Absolutely.

Let's not talk about that.

Okay.

-Your brother.
-Okay.

Yeah. So there was this, uh...

comic opera...

called...

Patience.

I don't know
if you're aware of comic opera?

No.

But as soon as...

as soon as Patience
was launched,

they realized that there
was no way that the aesthete

could actually be
portrayed in parody.

And so Gilbert and Sullivan,

they're the people who created
the operas in the first place.

They employed
Richard D'Oyly Carte,

who was the most
remarkable man,

a manager of opera and...

I have always loved nature.

It's wild, magnificent beauty.

I have been a London man

and have been surrounded
by naught but smoke and fog.

It is in the midst
of the city life

that I saw all
the follies of present society.

And the grotesqueness
of modern customs.

I love flowers.

As every human should love them.

I enjoy their perfume

and admire their beauty.

The surroundings of art

enhance one's existence

and make life...

worth living.

Don't you agree, Jeff?

-Hmm.
-Hmm.

-Yeah.
-Yeah.

Oh, this is
terribly exhilarating, Jeff.

I met someone recently, Jeff.

A mystic of sorts.

Do you believe in any of that?

He told me

that I may well meet someone...

on the water.

And here we are.

I think his crystal ball
might require some cleaning.

Can I offer you
a cigarette, Jeff?

No, thanks.
I'm going to chew and spit.

-Chew and spit?
-Yeah.

-Chew and sp--
-You want some?

-Can I try it?
-Yeah.

-What do you-- what does one do?
-Oh, it's good.

Just-- just poke it
between your lip and gum.

Between your lip and gum.

Oh.

Oh, it's spicy.

Mm.

And then you chew it.

Yeah, and then spit.

Don't swallow it.
You'll have a heartburn.

Oh. Oh, goodness me.

I'm not sure about that at all.

Oh.

Oh, no,
that's not a Southern custom

I'm quite ready for,
I don't think.

No, I shall stick
to my cigarette.

Cigarettes are the perfect type
of a perfect pleasure.

They are exquisite
and leave one unsatisfied.

-What more could one want?
-Mm-hmm.

Oh, for goodness sake.

I highly respect
your silence, Jeff.

I am so clever that sometimes
even I don't understand

a single word
of what I'm saying.

With freedom, books,
flowers, and the moon,

who could not be happy?

You're a bit of a dreamer,
aren't you?

A dreamer?

Yes, I suppose I am.

For a dreamer

is one who can only find
his way by moonlight.

And his punishment

is that he sees the dawn
before the rest of the world."

Do you know, Jeff...

I think
that makes you a dreamer.

Whoo.

I'm quite conscious

that much of what I say
may be annoying.

But after all,
I came to America to say it.

And so long
as an audience allows me

to strut and fret
my brief hour upon the stage,

then I should be
singularly stupid

not to take advantage of
the opportunities given to me.

How wonderful.

Is that okay?

Lovely.

Thank you, Jeff.

No. No, Jeff. Jeff.

Jeff, Jeff.

Well, I've learned
an awful lot about fishing today

from your brother Jeff.

Oh, did you have a good time?
He was so excited to take you.

-It was wonderful.
-Oh, good.

-Oh, a red cardinal.
-Oh, hello, red cardinal.

- God.
- Beautiful.

Yes, he's quite
the conversationalist.

-Is he really?
-Yes.

We spoke about many things.

-My brother Jeff?
-Mm-hmm.

I think
maybe I took the lion's share

of the talking, but--

Oh, okay.

We've covered
some interesting themes.

I-- uh,
I can't believe it

because-- mm.

Not talkative with you?

Just not in generally
a talkative person,

and especially fishing,
'cause, you know,

you have to be super quiet
when you go fishing.

Oh, that. That.

I now understand the looks.

Oh.

So you were, um,
talking the whole time?

I probably was, yes.

Oh, I'm not going to be on
his Christmas card list, am I?

Uh, I--
maybe the Christmas card,

but probably
not the fishing invitation.

Mm.

-No, totally understandable.
-Yeah.

Well, you got to do it once.

That's true.

I shall ch-- cherish it.

There's my mom
and dad's tombstone.

Uh, I just, uh...

you know,
we just had her funeral...

and my aunt and uncle
are buried right beside them.

Um, and I love

that couple in the front,
the Storys.

Miss Mae,
she was such a sweet old lady.

She was an-- an older,

older lady when I was a kid.

Your parents
are next to each other.

Mm-hmm.

It's amazing that...

a whole part of your life

can be buried
in one small space.

Should we go to the church?

This is my first Baptist church.

Ah. Wow.

Congratulations.
You're gonna love it.

I'm worried
I might burst into flames.

Oh, no, you're gonna--

it's gonna be great.

Come on,
I want to show you around.

Oh, look, they got a new plaque.

"God's House."

- Mm-hmm.
- Should we knock?

You never have to knock.
The door's always open.

-Oh.
-After you, sir.

Well, thank you.

Oh, this is beautiful.

Yeah, they really did
a beautiful job here.

All the-- um, actually,
mom and her friend Charlotte

did a lot of the decorating.

They were always running off

to look at something
or buy something

or purchase something
for the church.

Actually, I think
they bought this table.

-I was just admiring the table.
-Mm-hmm.

This is so gorgeous.

Oh, you should see it
at Christmas.

Big Christmas tree
in the corner...

candles in the windows.

-Oh, beautiful.
-Santa Claus.

That well-known biblical figure.

Absolutely.

- Yeah, so--
- And what's this flag?

This is the American flag
and the--

Christian flag.

- Oh, the Christian flag.
- Yeah.

She says,
as if you're supposed to know.

So this must...

for you feel
very much like coming home

-and feel at peace here.
-Oh, always. Always.

I look so forward to meeting--

like, coming back
and seeing everyone that's here.

I mean, these people raised me.

They were in the most important,
informative years of my life.

They taught me about kindness.

They taught me
about unconditional love.

It's really a...

a wonderful place to be

and to know
you can come home to.

-You know?
-Yes.

I-- I never--
I had a very awkward,

like, middle childhood,
you know that--

you know that phase

when you're not
a cute little girl

and you're not a teenager

who's trying to, like, be--

-Be a woman.
-A woman.

Yes. I remember it well.

At one point, I did sport
a mullet of some sort.

Like, you know,

short in the front,
party in the back.

It was-- it was
kind of the style at that point,

but it was awkward.

And, uh, I remember singing,

like, my first solo
with a horrible mullet

and the rolled up jeans

and the, you know,
chambray shirt.

Like, sitting in front
of the whole church and singing.

Singing, and everyone knowing...

that it was, like, me.

And listening to me

and being excited
to hear me sing.

You felt powerful.

I think so.

In a time of complete
and utter powerlessness

in my life.

Yeah, definitely.

And singing ultimately became

what you would do
for your career?

Absolutely.

And it's still the thing that,
you know,

it's still at times
when I feel most powerful.

I think that,
you know, it's very funny.

Uh...

it used to--

I guess I should say it--
I used to be scared a lot more.

I went through a phase
of being very scared of singing.

Um...

and then like...

having some, um, huge losses

in my life...

really did make me
not so scared.

A crack is not that important.

So, yeah.

I would like to be fearless
all the time, but...

yeah.

Oh, hi. Can I help you?

Hello. Yes, sorry, I was
just admiring your automobile.

-Is it yours?
-Yeah, it's a beaut, huh?

A beaut indeed.

Oh, my God, you look amazing.
You look fabulous.

Oh, thank you so much.
As do you.

-Oh, thank you.
-All dressed up to the nines.

-Yeah!
-Somewhere to go?

Well, I'm DJing at a pool party.

-A pool party?
-Yeah. Do you like parties?

-I love parties.
-Like pools?

-I believe I do love pools, yes.
-You like bears?

-Bears?
-Yeah.

I wasn't aware there
were bears in this part--

Oh, honey, it's Palm Springs.
There's a ton of bears.

Grab this. Get in.

-We're gonna have fun.
-Okay.

The bears you mentioned,
are they terribly dangerous?

Uh, some of 'em. But I'll steer
you in the right direction.

Don't know if I'm quite
correctly attired.

Oh, you look amazing.
Where'd you get that, Revivals?

I'm afraid I don't know
what that is.

Oh, I'm DJ ModGirl.

-DJ ModGirl?
-Uh-huh.

Enchanté.
I'm Oscar, Oscar Wilde.

-So great to meet you.
-Lovely to meet you.

Do you know, DJ ModGirl,

I fancy I should be
greatly pleased with California.

I agree.

All right, we're here.

Oh, wonderful.

-I'm late.
-Right.

Give me that.

-This?
-Yeah.

-Right.
-Okay, you coming in?

Absolutely.
I should be there momentarily.

Okay. I-- I got to go.
They're-- already starting.

All right.

I might just have
a quick cigarette.

Calm my nerves.

Hey!

Whoo!

Be yourself.
Everyone else is already taken.

Hey, girl. Nice outfit.

Oh, thank you.

Uh, we're going to a party.
Wanna come?

Hello?

Mr. Sarony?

Hello?

Yeah, bring your leg up.
More eyes. More eyes.

More Isadora Duncan.
Yes. You dance with her!

Oh, this is where I belong!

This is my atmosphere.

The legend in his own time.

I didn't know
such a place existed

in the whole United States.

creating a mise en scène.

How are you? You look wonderful.

-As do you, my darling man.
-Yes, in daylight. Here you are.

You met Chad. He's also
the of New York.

- Chad.
- Yes.

I hope I do not offend you when
I say that you seem to me to be

the visible personification
of absolute perfection.

Thank you.

Well, he wrote the chapter
on aesthetics and beauty.

-Well, naturally.
-Just for your book.

Bless you. Now it's my turn,
darling. Bugger off.

Okay. Shoo, shoo.

Yes, good. Turn here.

-That's it, that's it.
-How's the hair, darling?

Yes. A little higher
with the handkerchief.

Yes. That's it!

- Another.
- That's good. Oh, yes.

Yes. Good, good, good.

I've had everybody here.

Mark Twain was very,
very witty.

- And I adore Sarah Bernhardt.
- She's such a.

Ellen Terry, Mark ,
the great Edith Evans,

John Gilroy, Ralph Richardson.

But I look for sense
of magic and allure,

and a unique spark
in a personality.

You can always tell.
You can always--

When they walk in a room,
you can tell.

It's the magic that
comes through this.

This, this camera.

You see it, and it just
becomes a light.

on fire.

But it helps if they have
a sense of themselves.

You know,
they know who they are.

This was my best friend.

This is my best boyfriend,
the camera.

I like your hair.

Oh. Well, thank you so much.

I like your hair, too.
Perhaps we share a barber.

-Oh, perhaps.
-Perhaps.

-I'm Oscar, Oscar Wilde.
-Oh, I'm Felix.

-Felix.
-Yes.

-How wonderful to meet you.
-Nice to meet you.

Perhaps you could help me,
Felix.

-Yeah.
-What is this?

- Who are these people?
- Uh, stars. Celebrities.

Oh, celebrities?

Because I have quite
a vested interest in celebrity.

And where are you going
all floral?

Oh, I'm going to the parade.

-A parade?
-Yes.

Oh, what manner of parade?

-A gay parade.
-A gay parade?

Well, I guessed
from your ensign.

-How exciting.
-Yes. You wanna come along?

-Would that be possible?
-Absolutely.

You're gonna love it.

-Well, then, yes, absolutely
-It's gonna be fun.

-Lead on.
-Yes, come on.

Oscar and Felix, an odd couple.

That sound just great.

- Is it this way?
- Yes, this way.

Well, it says
it's under Capitol Records.

Gotta be somewhere over here.

Sarah Bernhardt.

Okay.

Billy Wilder.
Maybe a distant cousin.

Hmm. Okay. Elliott Dexter.

Virginia Mayo.
Just making me hungry now.

Barbara Stanwyck. No.

Oh, Ethel Merman.
I know all about her.

Sarah Bernhardt. We found her.

And there she is.

Is it a friend of yours?

A dear friend.

And the most famous actress
the world has ever known.

And now, this is her legacy.

To be trampled over daily
by thousands of people.

Maybe celebrity
isn't quite as immortal

as we would like to believe.

Well, at least her name
is being repeated.

That's very true.
That's very true.

-Interesting.
-What are all those...

beautiful colors,
noble costumes,

and sculpturesque groupings?

It's the parade.
The gay parade, where I'm going.

This is the gay pride parade?

Absolutely, yes.
You wanna check it out?

-That's where I'm going.
-I think I'd love to.

-May I accompany you?
-Absolutely.

- Come on.
- Thank you very much.

You want one?

- Oh, really?
- It's fun.

- And you wave it?
- Absolutely.

Yes.

All trials are trials
for one's life,

just as all sentences
are sentences of death.

And three times
have I been tried.

The first time
I left the box to be arrested,

the second time to be led back
to the house of detention,

the third time to pass
into a prison for two years.

Society,
as we have constituted it,

will have no place for me,

has none to offer.

But, nature,

whose sweet rains fall on
unjust and just alike,

will have clefts in the rocks
where I may hide,

and secret valleys in whose
silence I may weep undisturbed.

She will hang the night
with stars

so that I may walk abroad in
the darkness without stumbling,

and send the wind over
for my footprints

so that none may
track me to my hurt.

She will cleanse me
in great waters,

and with bitter herbs

make me whole.

Oscar.

Sarah.

Oscar.

You altered the minds of men

and the colors of things.

You awoke the century
with your imagination.

You created myth
and legend around you.

Accept everything.

I work here. What?
Hi, darling. How are you?

- How are you?
- Well.

It's nice to see you, love.

And who's this
handsome gentleman?

Finally, someone dressed
in proper attire. Hi.

What a magnificent
creature to behold.

Correct.
You're not wrong. Welcome.

So wonderful to meet you.

How do you know this sea urchin?

Well, actually,
we just met at the pride parade.

Oh, yes, it's Pride.
How marvelous. Pride.

-Anyway.
-Are you a celebrant?

No, thank you, I'm full.

Why don't you kids
come to my show?

We have our male revue show.
Is that too much for you?

I think I can enjoy
a male revue,

Yes, I mean,
we already have one here.

Listen, I have to go.
I work in this town.

I'll see you kids in a bit.

Among the most prominent
playwrights were Henrik Ibsen,

George Bernard Shaw and me...

Oscar Wilde.

Wow.

Hello, gorgeous.

Hello, gorgeous.

Oh, my God.

Ploughman's lunch.

Oh, yes, I love
a ploughman's lunch.

What's your favorite dessert?
Spotted dick.

Oh, gosh. Yeah.

So, Liza Minnelli.
Great big Broadway star.

I mean, she loved the theater.

She was in so many musicals,
you know, just loved it.

She was in
John Kent or Fred Ebb.

And she sang
"New York, New York".

And everyone loves her because,

well, you know,
she's from royalty.

Her father was Vincente Minnelli
and her mother was Judy Garland.

You know, Dorothy,
from The Wizard of Oz.

I do know the friends
of Dorothy terribly well.

Everyone's a friend to Dorothy.

Who wouldn't want
to be her friend?

She was so nice.

Hello, Oscar.

Hello?

I remember when
this musical opened

and everybody was so
excited about Jerry Herman

having a new show
on Broadway, and...

Everyone was a little shocked,

more than a little shocked,
because it was about,

well, men in dresses.

It was about men in love.

That's really the big shocker.

And I don't think people...

were ready
or could fathom how...

loved this musical
was going to be.

Two men who loved each other

and they had
a child that they loved.

It was the first time
we saw this, so it was all new.

And it was a little scary,

I'm sure,
for the people who did it.

Right? Because...

How are they going
to be received,

But in the fullness of time...

do you know what this is
a musical about now,

after decades and decades?

It's a musical about family.

None of the rest of
it need matter.

It's about family.
It's still entertaining.

The men in dresses
are still fantastic.

The characters
are still dynamic and wonderful.

But that's all it's about.

It's about family.
And I don't think that...

I really--
if I had to think back,

how could they have
had the guts to do this?

If you didn't have the guts
to do what you did?

I don't think they could have.
I really don't.

I think that in your way,
you started something.

That allowed someone else

to start something
and allowed someone else.

And it led up to what was
a groundbreaking moment.

Thank you,.

"Who being loved is poor."