Original subtitles

Lady Godiva was a freedom rider.

She didn't care if the whole world looked.

Joan of Arc with the Lord to guide her. She was a sister who really could.

Isadora was the first bra burner. Angel Black, she showed up.

Oh, yeah.

The country was falling apart.

Betsy Ross got it all sewed up.

And the dance floor, night on.

Wow.

Our old room.

We're the girls of Gamakai. We're demure and we are shy.

We wear gloves and dainty hose.

If you don't like it, off your nose.

Vivian, is that cute? Look, class of 78 welcomes the class of 48.

Oh, Maude, I'm so glad we came to our reunion.

Here's to our college days.

Vivian, here we are back in the old sorority house, back in our very own

and nothing's changed.

Nope. It's been 30 years, and your bed still isn't made.

You know, I think you had just a little too much to drink at that champagne

reception. You're right.

Isn't it wonderful?

Well, I guess I better call Arthur and check in.

That ought to sober me up.

And why do you have to keep checking in with Arthur if you'll notice I haven't

called Walter and he's fun to talk to?

Hi, Mrs. Finley, Mrs. Harmon.

I'm Sally Houser.

Sally Houser.

Sally, I really think it's just so nice of you to give up your room like this.

Oh, no problem. I'm going out of town on a job interview anyhow.

You don't even graduate until May and you're already going out of town by

yourself on a job interview?

Ooh, that's so modern and exciting.

Yeah. I'll be finished packing in just a few minutes.

Oh, Viv, doesn't she remind you of us?

You know, Sally, Viv and I were just saying that even though it's been 30

nothing has changed here at the sorority house. Everything is exactly as it was

when Viv and I lived here.

Hey, Sal.

I think you got my deodorant by mistake.

Oh, hey, you're right, Teddy. Sorry.

That's okay.

Hi, ladies. Welcome back to the campus.

If you need some deodorant while you're here, feel free.

There are clean sheets on the bed and there are extra blankets in the closet.

And feel free to use the television.

Any questions?

I have one.

Who is that tall sorority sister with the towel around his waist?

Well, we've shared the house with the guys from the Phi Alpha for the past

years. It cuts down on expenses. We share everything. It's very convenient.

I bet it is.

Well, I'm going to go borrow some shampoo from Teddy, and then I'll be out

your way.

What?

Ma, those co -eds today have so much freedom.

Oh, I just feel so jealous of that Sally Houser. She can just do anything she

wants. Be anything she wants.

shower with anything she wants?

Things have really changed. I remember when we used to take a shower to cool

off.

What a hunk that boy was, huh?

I'll say.

I know for some reason, I'm always turned on by Terry Claus.

You know, my first husband,

Chuck. Chuck, yeah.

He had a build like that when we were in college together. I remember that.

Yeah.

And you know what?

When we were in school together, we never went out on job interviews.

I mean, we didn't really think about our careers very much, you know?

I married Chuck right after graduation.

And I married Barney.

But we had our dreams, Viv.

Golly, I remember and...

My senior year, I used to fantasize about going on to law school, maybe even

getting into politics.

Yeah. I always wanted to do something kind of wild and crazy.

I remember... I remember thinking about what it would be

like to be a subway operator.

Now, here I am married to Arthur, and he won't even let me ride in the subway.

Do we really have to talk about Arthur?

He's two hours away, but I can smell his wet blanket all the way up here.

Well,

I really should call him, Maude. I have to see if it's all right for me to cash

a check to pay for my ticket to the banquet tonight.

Vivian, do you mean that Arthur is so tight -fisted that you have to ask

permission to cash a check?

No, he's not. He's not really that tight -fisted. He gives me a very generous

household allowance.

And on top of that, he gives me $7 a week just for mad money.

Mad money?

$7 couldn't bring a decent froth to your lips.

Well, it's not really as bad as it sounds.

You see, I secretly pocket another dollar and a quarter.

The money Arthur thinks I spend on cat food.

Why would Arthur think you buy cat food? Your cat died two years ago.

But I never told Arthur she died.

Whenever he comes home and asks me where the cat is, I just tell him she's up in

a tree.

Vivian, I don't know how you can put up with Arthur. I really don't. I mean, how

can I put it politely? I can't. He's a jerk.

Viv, listen.

Listen, Sylvia Kirshner's in the next room. Listen to her. She's playing that

old Duke Ellington record, Take the A -Train.

Viv, what does that remind you of?

That Arthur won't let me ride in the subway.

Shut up, you fool, and dance with me.

It's so good to know that my feet have not lost their magic.

Well, I'm all set. I borrowed some shampoo from Cindy and I got my soap on

rope back from Hal.

She has been trying to get him in there all month.

How's her cocker spaniel? He's filthy.

Oh, I am so excited about this job interview. I've never done anything like

before. Oh, girls don't just get married right after college anymore, do they,

Sally? Not too much. My older sister had four different jobs before she got

married. Gee, that's funny. I had four different husbands before I got a job.

What's this job you're going to be about?

It's a small art museum in Cliffside, New Jersey. I'd be the fundraiser.

That's exactly what I do.

Really? Yes, I raise the money for the Tuckahoe Art Museum.

Last year, Viv raised over $50 ,000.

Yeah, the art museum bought some very lovely pieces with the money.

That is exactly the kind of job I'm interviewing for.

Let me ask you something, Mrs. Harmon.

Now, they have offered me $9 ,500 a year to start.

Now, I know you must make a lot more than that, and I don't want to get too

personal, but do you feel that that is a fair starting salary?

They're going to pay you money?

Of course.

It's a job, my career.

you, Mrs. Harmon?

No, I'm a volunteer.

Sally, I'm in the business world, and I think that $9 ,500 is an excellent

starting salary.

Oh, great.

I'm so excited.

Good luck, Sally.

Thank you.

Enjoy your weekend.

Thank you.

Oh, isn't that wonderful? A young girl like that just grabbing life by the

horns. Doesn't she excite you? Doesn't she give you a thrill?

I'd like to push her teeth down her throat.

Well,

it just makes me mad.

That little punky Sally Houser is going to get almost $10 ,000. I do the very

same thing.

What do I get? Zilch.

You know, Vivian, you seem awfully moody today.

Well, don't get it, Lott. It just makes me mad.

I don't know. It seems like...

someplace along the line, somebody changed the rules on me.

Changed what rules?

I don't know.

I don't know. I don't... I... I just know that I didn't really want to get

married to Chuck right after college, you know?

I kind of wanted to go to New York and get a nice job and have a great little

apartment, you know, and some interesting friends and...

some wild, crazy things.

But everybody told me if I wanted true fulfillment, I should get married and be

a good wife.

So I did.

Only now everybody tells me if I want true fulfillment, I should be going out

and doing all those things I want to do in the first place.

Only now it's too late.

And I have to call Arthur in Tuckahoe.

And check in.

And beg him to let me write a check.

Oh, boy, this reunion just isn't much fun at all anymore.

Listen, Vivian, if this is the way you feel, I'm going to try to salvage the

weekend.

I think that you should get on that phone and call Arthur and tell him there

going to be some changes made.

You tell him you're going to be an independent woman.

You tell him that your happiness is going to take top priority from now on.

maybe we can get back and have some fun.

Maybe I'll just wait till I get home. No, no, no. You are going to do it right

now. Now, Vivian, you are a very unhappy woman. All of this can be changed with

one phone call.

You know, you're right.

I'll do it.

Go there, go.

Um, hello, Arthur.

This is Vivian.

Listen, I've just been to... What?

Oh, well, if she's not around the house, she must be up in a tree.

Arthur, listen, listen to me. Now, I've been talking to Maude, and she's told me

what I have to do to be happy.

And so...

I'm going to go to New York and get a little apartment and take life by the

horns. I'm leaving you, Arthur.

What,

did I leave something out?

you say you feel wonderful.

Isn't there someone other than yourself that you should be thinking of?

Well, I do feel a little sorry for Arthur.

To hell with Arthur. What about me?

But I do to you.

You told Arthur that I was the one who gave you this crazy idea.

I just wanted to give you credit. I know how you always like to take credit for

everything.

Vivian, I like credit. I don't need guilt.

I don't want you to feel guilty. I want you to feel proud.

open up a whole new life for me.

Why do you keep blaming me?

I didn't do anything.

Well, sure you did. You told me Arthur is a jerk.

You didn't know that?

Well, yes, but you really brought it to my attention.

Vivian, Arthur is not a jerk.

I think he is.

For argument's sake, let's say that Arthur is a jerk.

That's still no reason to leave him.

I mean, what would this country be if every woman got a divorce because she

married to a jerk?

We'd have 70 million women dancing with each other.

Come on, all I know is I want some excitement in my life like that little

Sally Houser.

Vivian, I'm going to lay it right on the line.

I know what your fantasy is.

Dump. Poor, loyal, solid Arthur. Go off on your own. Taste some new wine.

Honey, you're in for a big disappointment.

Wait till you see what kind of man is waiting out there. Wait till you see

kind of man is actually available.

Here's that deodorant.

I didn't say you needed it. I was just offering.

I'm going to get me some of that.

Well, it's true what they say. The flesh is weak.

Sure, it didn't look weak to me. Vivian!

Talking about your flesh.

Now, come on, Vivian. You've got to pull yourself together.

I don't think you should even think about leaving Arthur anymore until

least sober up. Now, don't you agree?

I guess so. All right, now sit down. And no more drinking. I'm going to get you

a nice cup of coffee. Maybe you should take a nice hot shower.

Hey. Forget that.

Viv,

look at this. It's Sylvia Kirshner's husband, Eddie.

He's serenading her with a ukulele.

Chuck used to serenade you like that. Do you remember?

Yes, in fact, that's the very same song Chuck always used to sing, Deep Purple.

Mud, you know what? I can remember the very first time he ever serenaded me,

Mud. It was right before the end of our senior year, and I was sitting right

here thinking about how much I really wanted to go to New York after

Oh, it was so exciting, but it was so scary, too. I was just... scared about

everything. You know, would I be able to take care of myself?

And would I be able to find a job? Would I really be good at it? Or would I be

lonely and cry a lot?

Would I be able to find a really cute apartment on Park Avenue that I can

afford? And while I was sitting here feeling so afraid, all of a sudden,

there was Chuck beneath my window.

Playing that old ukulele and singing Deep Purple.

And you know what I realized at that moment, Maude?

I realized that I could marry Chuck and then I wouldn't have to worry about

going to New York and making all those decisions.

I could just let Chuck take care of me.

Boy, I'll never forgive Chuck for that.

I mean, that's the way things were then.

I mean, none of us knew any better. You married Chuck. I married Barney.

Yeah, but you never stayed married for long. I've been a prisoner of marriage.

I've been out on parole a lot.

Oh, my life is such a horrible lie.

Oh, Viv, come on. It is not a lie. Oh, yes, it is. Yes, it is. Every time I

in the mirror, all I see is a woman who can't tell her husband the cat died.

Proportion? There was nothing to feel guilty about. I mean, it's not as if you

killed the cat to get the money.

Oh, no, but it's when I was burying

her that I got the idea about keeping the money.

should i be dependent on some man for money right now it's arthur before that

was chuck why should i have to be miserable all my life just because when

20 years old some boy who reminded me a little bit of van johnson came along

under my window strumming his damn ukulele and singing deep purple

Kirshner's husband.

Oh, Bob?

Don't cry.

Oh, don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry.

Don't cry. Actually, I was getting ready to pour water on him last night.

But I'm so unhappy.

You know, I don't really want to leave, Arthur. I really love Arthur. I just

want to be appreciated.

Like a punky Sally Houser.

Vivian, your trouble isn't Arthur.

And it isn't Chuck. It isn't even Deep Purple.

It's you.

Breaking up your marriage isn't going to help. Viv, it's not going to give you

that freedom.

Standing up for yourself is going to give you that freedom.

Vivian, let those people down at the museum know that you think you're worth

something. Then they'll think you're worth something.

You're right.

They should pay me.

I am going to insist that they pay me.

Do you think they will?

Yeah, well, sure they will.

Unless they don't. Oh, then they will.

What about Arthur?

You're going to tell Arthur the truth.

You're going to tell him there are going to be changes.

Changes in your marriage, changes in your relationship, changes in you. When

goes to bed at night, there's going to be a new Vivian Harmon lying next to

Arthur likes separate beds.

Another change he's going to have to get used to.

Hello?

Yes, she's here, Arthur, and I am not a big budinsky.

It's Arthur.

He drove all the way up from Tuckahoe, Viv. He's downstairs.

What am I going to say to him? You're going to say to him all the things that

you said you were going to say to him.

You were the one who said I was going to say all those things. Why don't you say

them to him? Now, listen to me, Vivian. You are at the crossroads of your life.

Now is the time for you to decide whether you're going to be a woman who

up for yourself or a doormat.

Hello, Arthur. This is the new Vivian Harmon speaking.

Arthur, I love you too, and I want to come home, but not as a doormat.

Now, Arthur, there are going to have to be some changes made.

First, I am going to work at that museum, and they are going to pay me so

don't have to depend on your $7 a week allowance.

And second, we're going to move our twin beds together, and I don't care about

your post -nasal drip.

Arthur, wait, wait.

Before you agree to my terms, there's one other thing I have to tell you.

Now, Arthur, our entire future as man and wife may depend upon how you accept

what I'm about to say.

Arthur?

The cat died two years ago.

to get me a new cat.

I guess he doesn't appreciate me.

Oh, Vivian, this is wonderful.

First, I'll be out a dollar and a quarter a week in cat food. Vivian,

I'm not going to be on an allowance anymore. You're an independent woman.

Right, right.

Thanks to you.

Oh, boy, are you a friend, isn't he?

Oh, Maude, I just hope someday you get the reward you deserve. Oh, Vivian, I

will.

Sylvia Kirshner, I am so sorry about that water on your husband.

Vivian really did...

Mod was recorded on videotape before a studio audience.