Original subtitles

Stop it, stop it, stop it.

Let go. Let go. Stop.

And Richard Ellespeare died.

He was a professor of mine at Harvard.

No.

I got it.

"He was a novelist and humanitarian."

Hey, hey, hey, back there.

"Published eight novels including the..."

- Stop it. - "...best seller, Hope's Way,

"for which he won the Pulitzer Prize."

Give it! Stop it! Give it!

What kind of man was this?

A man who pursued excellence and nothing less.

Dad?

Yes?

I have to go to the bathroom.

Oh.

Can't you hold it till we get there?

Mmm, yes. I guess...

I can practice mind over matter.

That a girl.

I don't know.

Oh, look at the baby cows, Ellie. Oh, my God.

Look at them.

I'm reading, Mom. And baby cows are calves.

I was never close to my mother growing up.

Is that something Mr. Best is going to use against me?

Ellen, the D.A.'s not gonna use anything against you.

Okay. Uh, because, well, I, I agreed to do this

because Mrs. Best, his wife, was a friend of my mother's.

Do I need an attorney?

Nobody in this office is accusing you of anything.

We're well aware that

this kind of thing happens all the time with terminal patients.

It's, it's a small town. People talk.

The D.A. wants to be able to say that he looked into it,

and he can put it to bed.

What can I say? It's an election year.

Anyway, were you aware that an autopsy was being performed

on your mother's body?

Yes. Uh-huh. At her request.

Uh, actually, to find out the source of the disease.

Primarily for my benefit.

Mmm-hmm.

Where are you living now?

In New York.

I've been there since I finished Harvard.

First thing in the morning.

Okay, so I'll meet you for coffee.

This goddamn living in the suburbs is gonna kill me.

Hey, Tweedy, the Beardstown Ladies

predict a stock market crash next month.

Finish the captions on the junk shop, Casey.

They're antiques.

- I got a one-ten pulse. Have to check this again. - Tweedy!

This story is too good.

Senator Sullivan, youngest guy ever to be elected to the Senate.

His father was a drug dealer.

He overcomes that. Excuse me.

Is on his way to big things, possibly the presidency.

Until he crashes his car into a tree, kills everyone inside,

- while he's on cocaine. - That was actually the final draft.

I mean, this is not just good, this is great.

Shakespearean!

Sins of the father revisited on the son, etcetera, etcetera.

We've got no interview. He's not talking. He's checking into rehab.

I can get him to talk. I promise you. I have a way in.

Some people in town are describing you as cold and insensitive.

Pulse, one-eighteen. Gulden, don't waste time.

Um, "Ambition is Ellen Gulden's religion.

"She's condescending, she's remote..." Whatever.

Well, I was ambitious. I still am.

My father taught me to work very hard at everything I do,

and I always have.

I'm not tired.

So, you were living a pretty normal life in New York?

Mmm-hmm.

- Apartment? - Mmm-hmm.

- Roommate? - No, no roommate.

- Boyfriend? - Boyfriend.

Honey, please just let me explain.

Jordan, just get out of here.

I don't want to see you anymore.

Come on. I got... I'm standing out here.

I got wine, candles. I got the whole kit.

Just go away, Jordan.

El, can I just talk to you for five minutes, please? I'll explain everything.

We were together since...

Go away!

...senior year in college.

This one was the last time, okay?

Well, not together. We, uh, we took breaks, you know?

A lot of breaks.

That's mean. That's not funny.

He just needed some space.

Space named Linda.

I'm sorry, was that her name? Lori? I don't remember.

- Oh, you're so mean. - Is that not her name?

You're just so mean.

Don't get me wrong. I like him. I've...

Of course, it was, um, Jules, my best girlfriend,

who, uh, came home with me to celebrate my father's birthday.

Jordan, um, as usual, had something he had to do.

Well, this ought to be good.

"Come as your favorite literary character."

I don't know why my mom can't just throw a normal birthday party.

Ellie, it's gonna be perfectly fine.

Thank you. Thanks.

- Hey! - Whoo-hoo!

- Hey! - Hi!

- Hi! - Hi!

Oh, good hat.

- Really good hat. Really good everything. - Uh-huh!

Thanks. What'd you guys come dressed as?

The Sylvia Plath twins?

Oh, Brian, you know I can't do costumes.

- Why? - It's just so...

- Human? - Mom.

So, what have you guys been up to?

Oh, my God. It's writing and deadlines.

- Ooh. Mmm-hmm. - Take me away.

Okay.

Oh, wait! Somebody just finished summer school, didn't he?

Congratulations.

- That's great. - Actually, I didn't finish.

What?

I, Brian Gulden, son of Mr. American Literature and the Romantics,

failed American Literature.

You're serious?

Yeah.

Well, way to go.

How did you do that?

I blew the test, Ellen.

Brian...

Did you tell Dad?

No.

Just 'cause I'm failing doesn't make me a moron.

Yoo-hoo! Hi.

There she is!

- Hi, Mom. - Your dad's not here. The coast is clear.

Gimme, gimme, gimme.

- Mmm. Hi, Jules. - Hi.

- Whoo! - Hi.

- Good to see you. - You, too.

- Let me get your... - Oh, no, no, no. I got it.

- Are you sure? - Yeah, yeah.

- Okay. - Thanks. Oh, thank you.

Wow.

You caught a cab?

You know, I would have sent Brian to come and pick you up.

- You should have told me. - Oh, that's okay.

Come in. Come in, come in, come in.

God, this must have taken you days.

Oh, well, thanks.

Jules, you look wonderful.

Oh, thanks. I just cut my hair.

Oh, it looks gorgeous.

Well, your hair looks great, too.

Oh, thank you. Oh... It's yarn. Look.

- Oh. - Guess who I am?

Mmm. Oh.

Oh, wait!

Clue.

Oh.

If I only had a brain

A heart, a brain...

However it goes.

Oh, well, you're right. As usual.

So, let me see. Who are you?

- Uh... - Oh.

Don't tell me. Let me guess.

Actually, you know what? We, we kind of forgot.

But it was only because we were trying to hurry,

'cause of course, we wanted to be here on time.

- So... - Oh.

- God, that cake looks so good. - Oh.

So, we're just us.

That's okay.

That's okay, Ellie. That's... Oh!

But I have an idea.

I do have a Thanksgiving costume upstairs.

- I could whip something up for you. - That's okay.

- You don't have to. - It's a turkey.

No, really, it's okay. It's all right.

- Can I help you with anything? - Oh, yes, thanks.

You could take those dishes, put them in the buffet.

- Sure. - Um, and Ellie.

Ellie?

You can...

Keep, keep, uh, slicing the bread with this knife.

- Okay. - Thank you.

I read your piece on Geraldine Ferraro.

- My brilliant daughter. - Hmm.

I was so proud of you.

It's no big deal. It's just a little follow-up piece.

Back and forth. Saw it.

Do you think that Dad read it?

Oh, I'm sure he did. You know your dad.

But he doesn't talk shop with me.

Ah! Fuck!

No, it's okay.

- Are you okay? - It's okay. It's not even bleeding.

- It's fine. It's really fine. - Here, wrap it up.

- Okay, thanks. - Brown paper.

- There's something in it that stops the bleeding. - Thank you. It's fine.

- Did you know that? - Really?

Okay, thanks. I got...

Oh!

- Oh, dear. - Sorry.

- Oh. - No, I'll get it.

That's all right. Don't let her throw the pieces out,

because I'm gonna use it in my mosaic table.

Don't worry. We got it.

Okay.

Keep your finger up and wrapped in the bag.

Hello. "There's no place like home."

- Thank God. - Are we the first ones here?

I wanted to come as Lancelot.

Ellen. Oh, it's good to see you. You're looking tired.

- Yeah. - Ellen.

Now, who are you supposed to be?

Oh, I'm Lizzie Borden.

- Who? - You know.

"Lizzie Borden took an ax, gave her mother 40 whacks."

Oh, Mrs. Best, can you hold the door?

- Oh, thanks. Help, Ellen. - Hmm?

I just saw Dad. He just turned the corner.

Oh! Hey, Jules, Jules! Come help, come help.

Okay.

So, um, Snow White, explain?

What is that?

Oh. Mrs. Best, the D.A.'s wife.

- She's in my mom's cult. - Oh, God.

The Minnies. Yeah. They're named after some local do-gooder

who used to decorate Christmas trees in the town square.

And, uh, they're a cult?

- Woman's group. - Great.

- You know, bake sales, tag sales. All that. - Right.

- Come on, Ellen, just be nice. - All that do-good stuff.

No.

- You must be Ellen. I'm Harold Simpkey. - Hi.

I teach music over at Langhorne. Oh, I'm sorry!

Oh, he's here, he's here!

- Oh, no, no, no. - Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up.

Everybody get in and get down.

Ralph! Move your bottoms. Shh.

Quiet.

Kate?

Kate?

- Kate? - Surprise!

Happy birthday.

No.

Look at all of you. Kate.

How did you pull this off? Bravo!

- Come on, Dad! Speech! - Speech!

Speech!

- Yes. - I'm quite out of breath from walking home.

"It's only in going uphill that you realize you're headed downhill."

Did anybody ever hear that?

- Oh. - Thank you, thank you, thank you all for coming.

I'm really, I'm really very touched. I'm very...

Aw!

So, I guess this is the last class of the semester.

Thank you for taking this journey with me.

It's been a lot of fun.

And have a great summer.

There it is.

The National Book Award.

Mmm-hmm.

Oh, wow. He knows Oliver Most.

Yeah, they went to Harvard together.

Come see this. Come here.

It's his novel. Comeback Inn.

He's been working on it for years.

Took Milton 10 to finish my favorite poem.

Oh, here's his collected essays.

I read this first chapter.

- Yeah? - Mmm-hmm.

And?

- It's great. - Uh-huh.

So, uh, what did he say about your article?

Oh, I don't believe it.

You didn't ask him, did you?

Ellie...

- No, really. That's what they called me. - Did they now?

You know, having the dubious distinction of having been called Big Al

when you were this diminutive package is a challenge to confidence,

but you have obviously survived it.

- Have you not? - Yes.

So, here you have in front of you, a living example of,

of everything you're trying to achieve.

I would just say get an icebreaker and break out of it.

I'm having a lot of trouble.

Listen, a writer calls his friend.

He says, "I've just finished writing a story, and it's not very good.

"In fact, it's terrible. The worst part of it is, it's the best I can do."

The writer is John Steinbeck.

The book is Grapes of Wrath!

Hi.

Hey.

- Hi. - Hi.

- Happy birthday. - Thank you.

I'm afraid with 55 staring at me in the face,

I'm developing inflammation of the sentence structure

and definite hardening of the paragraphs. But...

How are you?

Oh, no. How are you?

You knew all about this little thing, didn't you?

- Hmm? - No, actually, I didn't.

Hmm.

Well, did you get a chance to look at my latest piece?

Yes! Yes, of course.

The Minnies seem to get their literature from Disney.

I know.

- Hey. - God, they're everywhere.

Enemy forces at two o'clock.

Danger, Will Robertson. Danger.

It's Robinson. Robinson.

Oh, Robinson.

Safe. Safe for the moment.

Oh, that was better. That was better.

Here, I'll show you what I mean.

- About your article. - Hmm.

Oh, I don't want to interfere.

You know, you are doing just fine.

Oh, no, come on. Come on.

You know, your criticism, it helps me so much.

I really appreciate it.

All right, writer to writer.

Less is more.

Yeah.

Your approach is a little overemotional at times.

It needs to be more succinct.

The word choice needs to be more muscular.

Ellen, you've got a great talent, but it's not enough.

You have to reach, goddamn it.

When I was 20 old, working at the New Yorker,

I would spend a whole day working on one sentence.

I mean, Lord knows I could...

Wait a minute. It's your best work to date.

It's...

It's not your fault.

It's like, the problem is that editor, damn it.

What is his name? Uh, Twimpy?

- Tweedy. - Yeah.

- George? Here you are. Hey. - He's a fool, as far as...

Yeah. We're hiding.

Come on. I know. Come inside.

It's time to blow out the candles and make a wish.

Oh, I wish we were alone.

Well, we're not yet. So, hurry up.

Come on, everybody's waiting.

Man, that's solid.

Brian, how's Harvard treating you?

Can't complain. We beat Oxford in the Prentice Cup.

I was referring to your courses.

Summer school was all right?

Uh, fine, you know?

You didn't have any more problems, did you?

No, everything's fine, Dad.

I'd be glad to help. I'll talk to your professors.

I'd be glad to look at your term paper.

I said everything's fine.

Well, good.

Good.

He's had a few, huh?

It's his birthday.

Good night. Good night, Mary.

Good night.

Hewitt.

Hewitt. That's funny.

Don't do anything.

I'll do it in the morning, honey.

Well, thank you, thank you, one and all, for a...

A beautiful birthday.

Happy birthday.

Happy birthday, Dad.

Happy birthday, darling.

- Mmm, good night. - Good night?

Mmm-hmm.

You're not going to bed. You're not going to sleep, anyway.

Oh, God.

I have to get up early, you know.

I have Dr. Cohen in the morning.

Oh, do you like Bette Midler?

Yeah. You...

Come on. Come on.

Oh.

Just one.

Do you wanna dance

And hold my hand?

Tell me you're my lover man

Oh, baby

Do you wanna dance?

Dance

Dance

We could dance under the moonlight

Hug and kiss all through the night

Oh, baby, tell me

The kids are watching us.

I don't care about that.

Do you, do you, do you?

Do you want to dance?

Do you, do you, do you?

Do you want to dance?

Do you, do you, do you?

Do you want to dance with me, baby?

I knew my mother was going to the doctor,

but, um, I didn't really know what for.

So, you didn't ask?

No.

What poem begins, "Twas the night before Christmas?"

Ah, it's not called, "Twas the night before Christmas?"

It's called, uh... I can recite the whole thing.

Does that count?

- Uh, I just need the title. - Anybody need coffee?

- No, thank you. - No?

- No. - Okay.

I'm gonna... We'll go through the whole thing.

Don't let him cheat.

Please.

Oh, my God. "A Visit From Saint Nick."

Oh, man! Don't I get the point?

Hey.

Where's Mom?

They're going to keep her overnight.

She's gonna have to have surgery.

Surgery?

Yes. They're...

They're going to try to take it out.

It's cancer?

Are they sure?

I'm going back out there to spend the night.

Is she going to die?

No, she's not going to die.

After the operation, she may need radiation or chemotherapy.

The doctors say that that could be very debilitating.

In which case she would need somebody to take care of her during the day.

Actually...

I want you to, to move home and take care of her.

Move home?

Brian is at school. He...

Dad, what about my job?

Well, you can freelance from here.

She's going to need help during the day.

Well...

Maybe you could take a sabbatical.

I mean, it's been four years since you took one for the novel.

A sabbatical is out of the question.

I have a department to run.

And I have to make a living.

And as you well know, the advance on my novel was spent years ago

on yours and Brian's education.

Dad? I have to do my interviews and my research in New York.

You know my job.

I cannot just drop everything.

I may never catch up again. It could ruin my career.

We can get a nurse, and I will come home every weekend...

A nurse? We're not getting a nurse.

Your mother didn't get a nurse when you had chicken pox!

A nurse!

You know she won't tolerate having strangers in this house!

- But, Dad... - Your mother needs you, Ellen!

Jesus Christ! You've got a Harvard education,

but where's your heart?

Excuse me.

- Honey! Hi. - Hey.

- I'm so sorry I'm late. Sorry. - Jules, I'll call.

- Hey, Jules. - Hi. Bye.

- Okay. - Hi.

Hi. Mmm, give me a kiss.

Are you okay? Come on, give me your bag.

What's the matter?

- My mom is sick. - She's what?

Ellen, a sick mother means three weeks off

and a very nice arrangement of flowers sent by the staff.

Yeah, still holding. You're doing great here.

If you leave there's no guarantee.

All I could offer you is maybe some freelance work. That's all.

Okay. But I'm still gonna finish the Sullivan piece from home.

How are you gonna do that?

The whole article depends on this expose.

Actually, Casey said that he has a way in with Sullivan, too.

No. This is my piece. I can do it.

Okay, I know what this is about.

You want an upgrade.

Well, you got it. I don't know what it is yet,

but it's yours.

You really think that someone would come in here

and say that their mother has cancer for a promotion?

Ellen, this is New York.

Ellen Gulden.

Hello, sweetheart, it's Dad.

Hi, Dad.

You okay?

Yeah, I'm fine.

Listen, I'm really sorry. Um...

I'm sorry, too.

Don't forget to make an extra set of keys so you can get in,

in case you need to.

Oh, you know what I got to do? I got to disconnect the phone.

Yes. By Wednesday.

- Okay, I'll call them. - By Wednesday.

I know. Um, when's she moving in? Saturday?

- On Thursday. - Okay.

What are you gonna do?

Call you when I get there.

That's right. You always forget, and then I worry.

- I'll remember. I promise. - Okay.

Thanks.

- Don't forget. - Okay.

Sweetie, I'm all nervous.

I've never asked anybody to live with me.

I'm gonna miss you.

I'm gonna miss you, too.

Ellie?

You're home! Whoa.

I was just, uh... I was remembering

- when I moved these plates from Princeton. - Oh, yes.

Remember? And Brian was practicing juggling.

So how are you?

- Oh, I'm fine. I'm fine. - Good.

I just have to take it easy. My oncologist, who is, you'll love this, a woman...

Really?

...says, uh, no upholstering, no furniture refinishing.

Oh, no. What are you gonna do?

Can you stay the whole weekend?

Uh, didn't Dad...

Oh, he didn't. Well, um...

I'm home for a while.

I took some time off from work.

Home where? Here?

Well, what about your job, and your little apartment?

Well, I'm gonna work from here. So...

- Oh, don't worry about it. - Oh, no.

- Tweedy said that it's fine. So... - Oh, no, no, no, no, no.

Not to play nursemaid to me, I hope.

Oh, no. That's not...

Oh, I don't need the...

Man, you'll hate me.

I'll just make you some dinner.

No, I want to stay.

At least until you feel better.

I mean, it's the right thing.

For who?

Whose idea was this?

Mine.

And Dad. And well, it was both of ours.

He shouldn't have asked you to do this, honey.

Because he knows you. He knows this'll never work.

No, no. I told Dad that I want to do this, and I'm going to.

So that's final. Okay?

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Oh, my girl.

I'm gonna make you some cinnamon toast.

And I'll get you a cup of tea, too.

Okay.

I'm glad you're home. Thanks.

She didn't know I was coming.

Well, you know how your mother is.

If she'd known,

she probably would have redecorated your entire bedroom.

What's that smell?

Um. That is an old writer's trick.

Schiller believed that his body sabotaged the attention of his mind

while he was writing.

So he engaged his body

with a simple stimulant, apples, to free his mind.

So far all it's done for me is make me hungry for apple pie a la mode.

So, what have you been working on recently?

My interview with James Sullivan.

Senator Sullivan? Mmm-hmm.

- That's impressive. - That's a big story.

You know, I've been meaning to ask you.

Random House has been asking me who I'd like to write

the introduction to Volume Two of my Collected Essays.

It's coming out in the spring.

Feel free to say no but if you had the time,

how would you feel about writing the introduction?

- Are you serious? - Mmm-hmm.

- I would love to. - Great.

Great. They envision some biographical sketch or interview perhaps.

- I'll help you write the questions if you want. - Okay.

Here's some literary criticism,

in case you haven't seen any of that recently.

And two, three examples of my work,

in case you don't carry that around in your bags with you wherever you go.

And wait.

Wow.

Could you wash these for me? No starch.

And this pocket needs to be stitched.

Thanks for taking care of this.

Ellie?

Tell Dad dinner's on the table.

Listen, sweetie, later on tonight

I'm gonna run you a vanilla bath.

That'll help you go to sleep.

Okay?

Morning.

Good morning.

Good morning merry sunshine

How did you wake so soon

Remember when we used to sing you that?

No.

Ah, I see the decorating season has officially begun.

Our quarterback is suiting up.

Oh, George. You love it when the Minnies decorate the Christmas trees.

You just pretend to be Scrooge.

- Mmm-mmm-mmm. Bye-bye. Good day. - Bye-bye.

Don't forget you have a staff meeting at 3:00.

Oh, yeah. I'll see you gals tonight.

Okay.

I wish I had redone this kitchen years ago,

when I had the money to do it.

Are you okay?

Yeah, I'm just, um...

I'm a little tired.

I have my big Minnie luncheon today.

Just the thought of all those Minnies is tiring.

I can make the lunch.

You could make the lunch?

Yeah, I'll call out for Chinese or make some tuna fish sandwiches.

No, no. This is the steering committee lunch,

where we plan the Christmas trees.

It's very important.

I'm gonna make chicken paillard, zucchini soup,

and my heavenly chocolate cake.

Well, that's what I'll make then.

You can make chicken paillard and zucchini soup

and chocolate cake?

Yeah. Just show me how. It can't be that hard.

Crap.

Oh, shit! Mom!

Can you come here, quick?

No, I saw it on Donahue.

This woman said a UFO landed and took away her husband.

A UFO?

And the UFO's name was probably Jennifer or Sophia.

No, but she saw something, you know.

And I think there are things in this world that are mysterious and unexplainable.

Yeah. Like remember when they had one calorie Tab?

I was always wondering why the need for that one calorie at all.

Oh, there you are.

Ellie made the lunch.

Ah!

Since Ellie made the lunch let's make her an honorary Minnie.

Oh!

Oh, yes, honey. Come on in and sit down.

I'm going to the library. I got some work to do.

Oh, come on.

Let's make Ellie an honorary Minnie.

Come on in. Come on. Bring the cake when you come.

A cake?

Why, she did all this by herself.

- She made a cake? - That is dear.

I slept on the couch all morning.

That's really nice, but I really have to finish my article.

I couldn't be a Minnie. There's really nothing Minnie about me.

Oh, don't be silly.

I don't even like Christmas.

Oh. Ellen, Ellen could help Kate with her Christmas tree.

Welcome to the Minnies.

Now, moving on to other Minnie matters.

It was... It was awful.

It was awful.

- Hmm. - I guess that that world it, um,

it just felt small to me.

And, uh, and sometimes I felt like I was going crazy.

But since my mom was so good at decorating

and doing those creative things around the house,

I suggested that she do something with her talent,

like, uh, like decorate professionally.

Start her own business.

You're kidding?

No, it would be fun.

Ellie, this is the Minnies busiest season. You know that.

We have the Halloween festival for the kids,

we have Thanksgiving, a benefit for the older people,

and then we have to decorate all the Christmas trees in the town square.

Okay.

Well...

Why, why... Are you gonna make coffee now?

Uh-huh.

How are you gonna get to sleep tonight if...

It really doesn't affect me.

Mmm-hmm.

We could...

Do, um, a project.

- Project? - Mmm-hmm.

You and me. Something we could do together.

- Together? - Yeah, something different

that you would like.

Like...

A book club.

Book club?

Why do you keep repeating everything I say

as if it's the most remarkable thing that you ever heard?

I'm sorry. Okay. No, a book club. That's good.

- Who else should we have? - No one.

No one?

There you go again.

Okay. A book club.

Mmm-hmm.

I hate what Jane Austen does in this book, too.

What? What?

Well, she, the way she makes Jane the sweet and domestic one.

The good one. She makes her second fiddle to Elizabeth,

the one who's the outspoken and smart one.

They do it at the college, too.

Women professors, they say, "Oh, you keep house.

"That's terribly interesting."

Yeah, but I don't see...

Oh, there's another book that does that. Little Women.

Yes, the writer sister?

Um, she puts her in opposition to the other one that has babies.

- But what... - Meg.

So, you wanted to get back to New York?

Right.

You felt like you were wasting your time?

Sort of. She seemed okay.

Your anger and resentment were building up.

Yes. Well, I mean...

No, um,

the one thing that I never wanted to do was to live my mother's life.

And there I was doing it.

- Oh, this is my favorite. - Oh!

- Oh, not Bette Midler, Mom. Please. - That's great.

- Oh, you like this one. - It's just...

You don't like Bette Midler? What are you, nuts?

I'm gonna get me some of them

'Cause you've got to have friends

Friends

- Harmonize with me! - You do the harmony.

But you're doing so nicely on your own.

Friends

Friends

Mom, when are we gonna turn around and head home?

I told you, we have to go get yarn, sweetheart.

Remember?

Thank you, Kate.

Okay, sweetheart.

Come sit up with me.

I'll see you next week if I'm spared.

Thank you again.

I love your mother!

Bye!

Well, I think she had fun, though. Don't you?

I have no idea.

- Honey, give me a pill, will ya? In there. - Yeah.

Look, we've been driving around for hours wasting time.

There's a thermos down there, too.

You don't feel well and I need to meet Dad. Okay?

Mmm-hmm. Mmm-hmm.

You know where we are?

Canada.

We just dropped Clarice off at her mother's house.

That's because she's been living there for four months

since her husband left her and she hit rock bottom.

And she stays inside all day, with the shades drawn, every day.

So, one of us comes up once a week

and takes her out to have some fun, you know?

Have some laughs.

And that's what we did today,

I hope.

Partly cloudy skies, and wind will be coming in

from the northeast at 10 miles per hour with occasional...

What am I supposed to do? I have no money.

You could always do work study.

Right. And do what?

You can work in the library. That's easy.

He's not here.

So, who's he doing now?

Probably Celine, his new T.A.

You mean T and A.

I'd do him.

Not me. He's way too critical.

I mean, can you imagine? "You have real talent.

"But you must reach goddamn it."

- Hello? - Hi, Kate.

Uh, George, uh, wanted me to give you a call...

- Harold? - Yeah, hi.

- Oh, hi. Yes. - Hi. Uh...

The...

Ellie, is that you? I have it.

Sorry.

So, when you worked with James Sullivan,

would you say that he was driven?

Oh, absolutely. I've never worked with...

Uh-huh. How about voracious?

- Voracious in what sense? I mean... - Ellen? Ellen?

Well, what about his drug use back then?

- I'm sorry. I can't comment on... - Ellen?

- Did you find it? - I'm coming now.

- Thank you very much. You've been really helpful. - Ellen?

- Coming. - What?

- Could you come now, please? - What?

I'd given her two, um, Percocet

- about an hour ago. - Uh-huh.

And they don't seem to be taking an effect.

- I can't give her any more now. - Really? No, absolutely not.

You've been on the phone for long time and I was supposed...

- What's going on? - I can't find the, the heating pad.

I need it.

Can you look?

I need the heating pad.

- We can't find it. - You want the heating pad? Okay?

She's in horrible pain. She hasn't slept all night long.

- You woke Ellie up. I told you not to... - Oh, baby. I'm so sorry.

- ...wake her up. Why did you wake her up? - Come on, baby. Shh.

I think I... Oh, I hung it.

Shh. Ellen, please.

Here, here, here. Here we go.

Now, I just have to plug, plug it in. All right.

- Has she got it? - Yeah.

Turn it on. Yeah.

Yeah, she got it. It's good.

- You can go now. You can go to... - You think?

Yeah, go to class now.

All right, all right. All right.

- It's okay. - What else now? What else?

- I'll wait for Dr. Cohen to call. - And, um...

I'll cancel the reservation at the Porchlight tonight, Kate.

- Yeah, that's good. - Yeah.

- Here you go. - Go.

Go!

The pill didn't work yet, baby.

Just wait a little longer.

- Is it getting warm? - Yeah, somewhat.

Yeah.

I'm giving her Dilaudid for her pain.

It may make her a little groggy.

And she shouldn't drive.

Her speech may be a little slurred.

Even though you may see some transient periods of improvement,

she still shouldn't drive while she's on this medication.

Okay.

I want to send a nurse to monitor her vital signs.

In fact, this afternoon.

No, we don't, we don't need nurse.

- I can handle this. - I insist.

Your mother's in a great deal of pain.

She needs someone she can be open with about it.

Well, she can be open with me.

Can she?

Still beating?

Loud and clear.

Now, what can I do to help you, Mrs. Gulden?

- Mmm. - Tell me about your pain.

Is it constant?

Mmm-hmm. Pretty much, yes.

But, um, this medication's really helping me out.

Okay.

Are you having trouble bathing and dressing?

Well, sometimes I have a little trouble

getting in and out of the tub.

You didn't tell me that.

Why didn't you tell me that?

Oh, Ellie. There's so many things for you to worry about.

I...

Well, let's go upstairs.

I can show you some easy ways to get in and out of the tub.

Okay.

Mmm.

Mmm-hmm.

Thank you.

Are you having problems with anything else?

Mmm-mmm. No.

I guess, uh...

Sometimes bending down.

You know, it's hard, hard to get my trousers on sometimes.

Mmm-hmm. - And, uh...

And my bed is nice and high,

so I have no trouble getting in and out of there.

- All right. - Hi.

Kate, I have a surprise.

- You have to close your eyes. - Mmm.

And keep them closed, please. No cheating.

Ellen, you, too.

What are you doing?

What have you done?

No, no. Don't open your eyes just yet.

- Ready? - It's so...

Open.

Oh, it's so...

If you can't go to the Porchlight,

the Porchlight comes to you.

It's...

Fabulous.

Oh, my!

Here.

Oh, it's so beautiful.

Thank you.

And after dinner, I've rented your favorite movie.

Jem, are you awake?

- Go back to bed. - I can't go to sleep.

Go back to bed.

What you got in the box?

Nothing. Go back to bed.

I guess she doesn't need her pill.

No, she's looking a lot better now.

She's gonna be just fine.

- Dad? - Yeah?

I was just thinking that maybe

you could cut back on your classes.

Help out a little.

Ellen, I'd like to, but this is the busiest time of the semester for me.

I've got midterms,

which means I've got evening tutorials.

Didn't you see her this morning?

She's getting worse.

No, she's not.

Don't you ever say that again.

But, Dad, I...

Ellen.

Look, I have essays to grade.

And I've got a deadline.

Dad, if I don't finish this article,

I'm never gonna get my job back.

Don't you realize that?

Ellen, enough. Midterms!

I can see why people would think that I didn't care.

But I just didn't know what to do.

My mom would have couple of bad days,

and then she'd be fine.

And, uh, she was still doing the things that she'd always done.

So...

Well, I was just wondering if you could tell me

when he's gonna be released from rehab.

Well, you know, I'm just trying to be a friend here,

which I'm sure that he needs right now.

Is friend of yours in trouble?

- I'm sorry, can you hold on just a second? - All right.

It's a work thing.

Oh.

I thought you said a friend...

So anyhow, the reason why I'm asking

- is because I'm sure that he's gonna need... - Are you...

Are you gonna get ready soon?

Uh, I'm sorry.

Uh, I'm kind of in the middle of something.

- It's kind of important. - Okay.

Okay?

So anyhow, um, I need to know because I think...

Well, you don't have to come if you don't want to, you know?

- Honey, you really don't have to go. It's fine. - I'm really sorry.

- Just one second. - All right.

You do know that this is exactly what the Moonies do?

They take your shoes, your clothing, your identity.

You sure the Minnies aren't just an offshoot of the Moonies?

Well, at least you're wearing your favorite color.

Next goblin, please.

Come on.

Look, two more Madonnas.

Hey, Kate!

Whoo, there's Clarice.

Go back to work. Go back.

Louisa, give me pie.

- Oh, no! - I got to go for it.

You stand over there. You just stand over... Stand over...

Shh. Kate, don't make me laugh.

- Home? - Yes, darling.

Thanks.

Let me see. No, maybe not.

Oh, my! Evelyn!

You know, I really should get home.

Okay. We'll go pretty soon.

I just want to go around one more time.

Okay, one more time.

- But... - What?

- Only one. - One more.

Okay, one more time.

Okay.

Whoo! Whoo!

Whoo! Look at the little leaves.

Like they're in big hurry to get somewhere.

Those Minnies go all out.

Yeah, they do.

They go all out.

Very creative women. Hmm?

Yes.

- More is more. - What?

You know, your dad always says less is more.

Mmm-hmm.

To me, more is more.

Oh, I love walking in Langhorne.

My gosh, look at what Evelyn Best has done here.

Uh-huh.

It's such a beautiful night.

Are you okay? Mom?

Uh-huh. You hear that?

What? Hear what?

That.

What?

Oh, I guess it's the rumble

of the furnaces or something.

You know, Langhorne kind of, I don't know, hums.

Even in the summertime, you can hear...

Maybe it's the air conditioners.

Crickets or the bees.

Mmm.

No, I think it's something more. You hear it?

No.

You can feel it.

No.

Trick-or-treaters. Oh, my gosh.

They're gonna beat us home.

You go get your dad up at the college. Tell him to hurry up.

- Are you sure? - Yeah, I know he's doesn't want to miss this fun.

- Okay. - Trick-or-treat.

- Trick-or-treat. - Trick-or-treat.

Dad.

...something you have to remember.

Yeah, I can see that.

Hi.

Hi.

Well, you missed all the trick-or-treaters.

They were so cute.

Hmm.

Remember when Brian dressed up like a dice?

And he tipped over and you wouldn't help him up

because you were so busy laughing at his little legs

scrambling around in the air like a bug.

Did you find your dad?

The secretary said he had a late class.

Oh. That's too bad.

You okay, Ellie?

Uh-huh. Great.

Good.

I love this movie.

Do you think about politics much?

And if so, what do you think about politics?

Do you mean my... Do you mean my political philosophy?

I think that's what I mean.

Well, you know how some of these meetings can go.

Some of the faculty and...

Uh-huh.

You know, one of the students had a little, you know?

- Well, whatever. - Oh.

Uh, so he, uh, he just wanted me to call.

Okay.

He thought you... Yeah, he thought you shouldn't...

He didn't want you to worry.

All right. Thank you, Harold.

Yeah, it's just another one of those meetings.

Ellen?

Ellen?

Hmm?

I was asking about your father.

You haven't really mentioned him.

Was he not around that much?

No, he was around.

Um, he was busy with his classes,

but he managed to spend time at home. Mmm-hmm.

"I looked at my American Express bill one January

"and went into ring failure."

"I was so opposed to name tags,

"that once when woman slapped a gummed label

"over my left bosom that said, 'Hello, my name is Erma,'

"I leaned over and said, Now, what shall we name the other one?"

What are you reading?

"Aunt Erma's Cope Book.

"How to get from Monday to Friday in Twelve Days."

- Huh. - Hey, guys!

- Up here. - Should I put it away?

You better. Or else he'll call the thought police.

And they'll come in in tweed jackets

and pummel us with rolled up New York Times.

Whoa!

Is this dissention in the ranks?

- Should I do my reading from this tonight? - No.

No readings this Thanksgiving.

Nobody even likes the readings. It's just gonna be us.

- Mmm, and Jordan. - Wait a minute.

You're gonna buck 26 years of tradition?

You're gonna take away Frost and Whitman,

and all those other exciting dead guys?

- Are you feeling all right? - Shut up.

You are not going to believe

who's downstairs with Harold.

Oliver Most.

Poet laureate in our house.

- What is that book? - Oh, it's mine.

Ellen, could you put out, like,

some hors d'oeuvres or something for them?

Are they staying?

Yeah!

- Aw. - Mmm-hmm.

Great.

Dad?

Yeah?

It was just supposed to be Jordan and us. Just family.

Well, I mean...

They have no place else to go.

Oliver's down from Harvard for a book signing tour.

He's all by himself.

Come on. You know your mother loves Oliver Most's work.

You promised.

Well, I can't very well disinvite them now, can I?

And we could all use a little holiday cheer around here now.

Couldn't we?

Oh!

Get up!

Okay. Thank you.

- Oh, Ellen. Oh, you did this? - Uh-huh.

- Oh, Ellie. - It's beautiful bird.

Thank you.

You don't have to be concerned

with things like that, there's plenty of time.

I have to pay my father back when I get back.

What am I gonna do? I don't know if I feel good about it.

Would you like some wine?

Well, you know, there is plenty of time.

A writer writes something.

He calls his friend. He says,

"I've finished writing a little something and it's not very good.

- "In fact it's terrible. - Right.

"The worse part about it is it's the best thing I can do."

And that was Steinbeck, Grapes of Wrath.

Wow. That's my favorite book.

Your father tells me you write literary reviews from time to time.

Mmm-hmm. That's right.

That's interesting. Like father, like daughter.

Tell me, have you ever had the opportunity to review any of my work?

Um...

I want to say grace now.

Oh, good.

Uh, no, George. I want to say my own grace.

Of course. Of course.

"Thank you for the world so sweet

"Thank you for the food we eat.

"Thank you for the birds that sing.

"Thank you, God, for everything."

And thank you, Ellie, for making

such a beautiful Thanksgiving dinner.

Mmm.

Sure.

Bravo.

To Chef Boyardee.

Shut up. That's terrible.

Well, to our great surprise and delight,

tonight has become a night to go down in our family's history books.

We have the honor to have with us Oliver Most,

whose work means so much to me

and who was the first to encourage me with Comeback Inn.

He's agreed after dinner to read to us from his new book,

for which I am...

I am very grateful.

Ah, well, George, you know, I'm happy to oblige, but...

You're gonna have to remind me.

What in the hell is Comeback Inn?

It sounds as if I've encouraged you to invest in some sort of,

uh, roadside motel.

Honey, would you pass the vegetables around?

Yeah.

Want some carrots, sweetheart?

- It's my novel. - Oh!

My novel.

Yeah, no.

Well, Jesus, George, I'm sorry. I forgot.

As Thurber says, "With 60 staring me in the face,

"I've developed inflammation of the sentence structure..."

Everything looks beautiful.

"...and definite hardening of the paragraph."

- Asparagus? - Oh. Oh, um...

Up in my blue room

Fools rush in and not to bed

I am the rain trippin' weird dead head

Sure I'm gonna love you one more time

A little bit of whiskey running 'round my mind

Well, you don't know the things I see

Hey, did you see my dad tonight?

He just kills me.

You know, he doesn't say one word to me about dinner

and then he just goes off to his study.

Like we're servants there to serve him or something.

Hello! Another round.

- What, what are you, Janis Joplin? - No. No.

Just take it easy on the sauce, okay?

I have not been out in two months.

I know.

- I deserve another drink. - I know.

I deserve another drink.

Especially since it's been like that since the beginning.

Do you know he doesn't do anything?

He really doesn't. He doesn't do anything. I do everything.

- I do! I do everything! - I realize that.

But I think in situations like this,

you have to be sympathetic with people.

I mean, everybody has to deal with bad stuff in their own way.

- You know? - What?

Whenever you guys say that people deal with stuff in their own way,

it means that you don't deal with it at all.

We deal with it.

We make the meals and we clean up the messes,

and we listen while you guys talk about

how you're gonna deal with stuff in your own way.

Well, what way is that, Jordan? Hmm?

What way is that? What way?

See? No way.

And what the fuck are you looking at? Huh?

Hey. Hey, hey, hey. Hey.

Stop it. What are you doing? What are you doing?

- No, no, no. - What's the matter with you?

- Why are you acting like this? - Oh, I'm sorry.

I'm being rude.

Well, you know what I think is rude?

- I think it's rude... - Hey, stop it. I'm trying to talk to you.

- ...when Little Miss Delta Delta Delta over here... - Stop it. Stop it!

- ...is trying to pick up on my boyfriend... - Will you stop it?

- ...in front of my face. - Why don't you just lay off of her? Huh?

Your sister's losing her mind.

Do you think I look invisible?

I am not losing my mind!

I am not losing my mind! I am just tired, Jordan.

I am tired. I am tired.

Ellen, let's go.

Being my mother is very tiring.

Oh, come on. There's nobody more different

from their mother than you. Come on. Let's go.

That is the stupidest thing that you have ever said!

- Okay, great. - That's the stupidest thing you've ever said!

Oh, God.

Hey, Ellie?

Yeah?

Are you all right?

Yeah, I just have a headache.

What happened to Jordan? I heard Brian go upstairs to...

Yeah, he has to work tomorrow. So he just took the train back.

Mmm.

You sure you're all right?

How do you do this?

Every day, all day in this house?

And no one notices.

Doesn't that drive you crazy?

But this is my family, Ellie.

These are the people I love.

Maybe it's time for you to start thinking about going back to New York.

Maybe you should go back to the city,

your work, and your writing, and all the things that you like to do.

That's what's important, sweetie.

I'm gonna...

You know, we can get somebody to help out around here.

That's not...

But you did a great job tonight.

You should be proud of yourself.

Night-night, sweetheart.

Good night.

- Hello? - Gulden, is this you? Tweedy.

Mr. Tweedy, hi.

Sullivan's having a press conference at 4:00.

A press conference. Where?

Harvard Club. 44th Street.

The next train's not till 5:00. Shit!

Then Casey...

No, don't send Casey. I'll be there.

- Excuse me. - Yeah.

Excuse me, ma'am. I'm sorry. Excuse me.

Excuse me.

"Too late" is unacceptable.

You said you'd get the story.

And I will. I'll find him.

Look, I've got a contact at Sullivan's office.

Now, he's getting on a plane tonight at 9:00 at JFK.

Oh, no, no, no. I've worked on this thing for three months!

He's staying at the Plaza Athene. I can check it out.

Anyone could figure that out. No, I will meet him there!

I'll meet him at the Plaza Athene before he leaves!

This is my story, goddamn it!

This is my story!

Good night, sir.

Taxi!

Hey!

Don't I know you?

- I don't think so. - Yes!

We went to Harvard together. Ellen Gulden.

You were couple of years ahead of me.

I wrote for the women's magazine, Peeved Eves.

I remember Peeved Eves.

Well, it's nice to see you.

Yeah, yeah. Nice to see you, too.

Got to get to JFK in time for the last commuter shuttle.

It's my daughter's birthday today.

Oh!

If you're going to JFK, I can give you a lift.

They moved to Seattle a couple of months ago

to get away from all the cameras,

my ex-wife and my, uh, ex-kids.

Mmm.

Yeah, you know, I think I saw something about that on television.

How horrible.

You know what's strange?

- One minute you're in school... - Mmm-hmm.

...and the next minute you look up

and your life's all turned around and screwed up.

Yes, I know.

You try and you try to get ahead.

- Yes... - Somewhere in it all, you just, um...

You lose yourself.

- And you never know when it's gonna come. - Mmm-hmm.

Comes out of nowhere, bang.

It's just, uh, your life is a disaster.

Yep.

Well, I just hope I can make it up to my wife and kids.

You know, that's all that counts.

That's all that counts.

Yeah, you're right. They're the ones who love you.

That's what counts.

I'm reading, Mom. And baby cows are calves.

You're right.

G.A. Tweedy, here. Leave message after the noise.

Mr. Tweedy, it's Ellen.

Um...

Listen, I waited for Sullivan outside of his hotel,

and, um, well, he never showed.

Damn.

There we go.

There's several reasons why I asked you here today,

one of which...

- Hi, John. - Hi.

- George. - Peter.

One of which is to ask you

why you were so hostile with me at Thanksgiving.

I know this is not the best situation for any of us, but...

But I'm trying, Ellen, I'm trying to be patient.

I have some questions that I'd like to discuss with you.

- I don't think I wanna talk about the interview. - I do.

Okay, Ellen.

How come Mom waited so long?

Why didn't she go to the doctor sooner?

What are you talking about?

Was it maybe because you didn't want your world disrupted?

Because you needed her to keep your life running smoothly?

Like you need me now?

What the hell are you doing, Ellen?

Because she can't do it all?

Well, do you have any idea what it takes

to keep your life running so smoothly?

- Ellen, have you lost your mind? - Maybe!

Keep your voice down.

This is inappropriate, Ellen.

It is appropriate!

Everything at our house has changed!

But you don't know about it.

Because you're behaving as though life goes on as usual.

Well, life as we know it is done! This is real life!

Fuck fiction!

Less is not more!

You have taken sabbaticals for the great American novel.

Why not one for Mom?

Why won't you participate

in the most important thing that has happened in your life?

She needs you.

Why is it always more important for you

to hear what some writer has to say than me?

And Brian?

Hey!

Hey, what other tricks do you use

beside your fucking apples

to get your writing juices flowing, Dad?

Cheating on Mom, is that one?

I will hire a full-time nurse. You are going back to New York.

What other tricks?

Several people have mentioned

a heated argument that you had with your father.

Outside the campus cafe?

Uh, it was shortly after Thanksgiving.

Do you recall the incident?

Mmm-hmm. Yeah, I remember.

It was a stressful time,

and there was a lot to do,

and it was hard.

So, there was no problem between you and your father.

No.

Or your father and your mother?

My mother and my father? 'Course not.

It was a busy time. I mean, I was a full-fledged Minnie.

I remember, um,

we were making the ornaments,

the craft ornaments with the feathers and the sequins for

my mother's Christmas tree in the square.

And, um, I would climb up the ladder and she would tell me where to put them.

So, it was fun.

Was a lot of fun.

I did good, don't you think?

Yeah, it's really not that bad.

Yeah, it's okay.

You know, I always used to try to get you to go see Santa.

For years and years.

And then when you were eight years old,

you got in line and you went to the very front

- and you pulled his beard off and... - Pulled his beard off.

...yelled, "Fraud!"

Your dad was so proud of you.

Well, guess what.

I'm getting in the line.

- Oh, now you want to. - Yes.

Oh!

A new pair of skates, some skis and some... Is that right?

Uh-huh.

Good girl. Go on. Be good.

Merry Christmas.

Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho.

- Hello. - Ellen Gulden.

- Uh-huh. - I know what you want.

A new computer and Diane Sawyer's job.

That'd be okay. Well, okay, here we go.

Uh.

Well, nothing for me, Mayor.

Oh, Santa.

Well, I guess maybe it is for me.

- Ma'am? - Are you all right?

I really... Oh...

Can you breathe? Do you want to try and sit up on the bench?

Mom?

Mom?

Excuse me, is there a phone that I can use, please?

Sure.

Just use this line right here. Press nine to get out.

Answer the phone, Dad.

Ellen?

Mom's in the hospital.

The cancer has progressed

much more quickly than we had expected.

I'm sorry, but I think it's best to stop the chemotherapy.

Uh, you know what?

Um, I'm not ready to stop the chemotherapy.

I'm afraid there's no more we can do.

We all need now to focus on helping her through this next part.

I'm putting her on morphine.

You'll need to give her one tablet twice a day for the pain.

They shouldn't be chewed or crushed

because they might become toxic.

I am sorry. I'll get you the prescription.

So, what do you think of the wheels?

Oh, they look wonderful.

Oh, gosh, it's like what we used to do

- to the bikes when you were kids. - Uh-huh.

- You look beautiful. - Oh, Brian.

You do.

No coat?

No, I don't need one. I'm layered, honey.

I just wanna show off my new sweater.

Oh, I love Christmas. I love it.

- Hey. Hi. - Hey, folks. Merry Christmas.

- Merry Christmas. - Hi.

Hi.

Oh. Everybody's out tonight.

Are we late?

Ah, they should shovel that, you know?

They should shovel that more carefully than that.

Well, honey, you should do it.

- Hey, you guys! - Merry Christmas!

Hello.

June Fortier.

Get up here, you.

Clarice Mitchell.

There she is.

- Oh! Hi, Kate. - Hi, Ellen.

- How are you? - Hi, Brian, George.

- Kate. - Melissa Jamison.

Well, you just look wonderful. You look wonderful.

Well, thanks. Don't go get mushy on me.

- I just love the sweater. - Oh, thanks.

Evelyn Best.

Kate Gulden.

Oh!

Oh!

And Ellen Gulden.

We see you, Ellen. You can't hide.

- Come on. We need all the Minnies up here. - Come on, Ellen.

And now for the moment we have all been waiting for.

Happy Holidays, Langhorne.

Silent night

Holy night

All is calm

All is bright

Round yon virgin

Mother and child

Holy infant

So tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly

Peace

Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night

Holy night

Shepherds quake

At the sight

Glory streams

From heaven afar

Heavenly hosts sing hallelujah

Christ our Savior is born

Christ our Savior is born

- Wait for me! - I'm going first!

Oh, there you go, Mom, there you go. Oh.

I'm having trouble juggling everything.

Gee, I haven't dropped one yet. Oh!

No, no, no.

- No, no, no! - Oh, I couldn't help it. It was a reflex.

- I couldn't help it. - Oh, what?

Oh, here.

- Hey! - Oh, hi.

- Whoa! My God! - Whoa!

Hi. Nice hat.

- Oh, thank you. - How you doing?

And you didn't tell your mom?

How could I tell her? She's never known about my dad's little flings.

God, he's still doing it, you know?

He's got this friend, this fucking Harold guy,

who calls and makes excuses for him.

And this woman, she dropped him off right in front of the house.

God!

Oh, God, why won't he answer?

This is the third time I've tried to call him today.

The red and gold one is ours.

- Mmm. Hey, it's beautiful. - Mmm-hmm.

My mom says with a tree that size, the key is "gaudy".

- More is more. - What're you doing?

Ellen, don't call him again.

I don't want him to worry. He's still really upset about Thanksgiving.

And I think that he was afraid

to come and visit me for the holidays.

- Oh, please. - No, I'm serious.

I was really, really hard on him.

- Ellen. - Hello?

Hi. Is Jordan there?

Yeah, he's paying for the Chinese food.

Do you wanna hold on?

No, no, no, that's okay.

Some girl answered and said that he was paying the Chinese delivery guy.

Okay, Chinese food at home.

- It's New Year's. - Shit.

- Shit! - Shit.

Don't call him again. El.

Come on, Jordan, just pick up the phone. Answer.

- Hi, this is Jordan. I'm not in right now. - Oh.

Puts the answering machine on.

Okay, good, then hang up.

Hi, Jordan, it's me.

Just calling to say Happy New Year's.

And to tell you that, um, I've really been thinking about what you said

about how we needed to talk about our plans.

And, yeah, we do need to talk.

I just...

I wanna talk.

And, uh...

If you get a chance, uh, call me. Okay?

And I really hope that you have... Happy New Year.

Okay.

Sorry.

Is everybody ready?

Um, would you...

Kate? Darling?

- Oh! - What?

- It's almost time for the big moment. - New Year's resolutions.

- Okay. - Another great Gulden Family tradition.

Can't dwell on the negative. Gotta talk about all the great things

- that we're gonna accomplish next year. - Ellen...

- Please. - Wouldn't it be a lot easier

if we could just admit to our failures, the things that we fucked up on?

Ellen, would you not use that word in the house, please?

Sorry. Used the "F" word.

Failure isn't allowed in the Gulden house.

You know, maybe... Maybe we should break tradition this year.

And since I've got a hell of a good list of failures, I'll start.

- I don't think that's a good idea. - No, no, no.

- Come on. Come on, I'd like to. - I don't think so either.

- You'd like to? - Yeah, I... I'd like to.

Lost my desk at the magazine.

Uh, really fucked up the Sullivan interview.

So, I'm not gonna get that job back.

- And by the looks of things... - The Sullivan interview?

What are you talking about? Why didn't you say something?

...have really ruined my relationship with my boyfriend.

So there we go, Happy New Year.

I failed my English class last semester.

I'm on academic probation.

And I got kicked off the tennis team.

- Happy New Year. - Jesus Christ, Brian!

- I could get a tutor. I could help you. - What's this?

Mom, I got a job at the Cambridge Racquet Club.

- Oh. - And I don't wanna go back to school.

You got a job? That's great.

- Ten, nine, eight... - Isn't it?

- You like it? - ...seven, six, five, four...

- Yeah, I love it. - That's wonderful.

That's what you should do then. Good.

- God, you only live once. - Welcome to '88!

The holidays seemed to take a lot out of my mother.

It was right after New Year's when her health

really started to decline.

And this guy in my class was going on and on

about how selfish she was and how of course she would leave.

So, my professor, who's a woman, said,

"Anna Karenina would have left her husband for her lover,

"but would never have left her son.

"And had Tolstoy been a woman, he would've understood that."

What do you think of that?

I haven't been reading Anna Karenina.

No more whipping. That's enough. Just drain the cherries.

We have two hours till Brian leaves.

You know I wanna have his pie ready for him when he goes.

I think the crust is probably ready, too. You better check that.

It should probably bake a little longer, but I can...

I can't read anything anyway.

My eyesight's gone like an old lady. Let me see.

- Uh, I don't think... - Let me see.

Let me see... Damn it!

I hate this stupid chair! I hate it, I hate it.

I wish I could just roll it down the street.

Right through Evelyn Best's front window.

She pet me like a cat at Christmas. Did you see that?

Don't do that. Just leave it. Get another pie plate.

There's another one over in the left-hand cubby.

Have time to make another one.

- Left. Left-hand cubby. Right there. - Mom, actually,

I put them in here.

And, you know, Mom, there's handicapped access everywhere...

I am not handicapped!

Oh, God, I'm not!

What are you doing?

I am not an invalid!

- Stop that! - I am not! I am not!

It's my house, you know!

You can't tell me what to do! I'm still a mother!

Still a mother here.

Mom, I know that.

Hello?

Ellen, I'm going to be working late tonight.

Sorry I didn't make it home for supper.

Mmm-hmm.

I'll get there as soon as I can.

Yeah, I'm sure you will, Dad.

- Who was that? - It was your husband.

Seems he's working late again.

Well, it's a tough job running that whole department.

Not that tough.

Whatever you're doing, stop, and come in here.

Right now.

Yeah?

What has happened between you and your father?

What do you mean?

You've been so angry at him ever since you came home.

I don't know. I mean, there's some stuff that...

Well, I mean, it doesn't have anything to do with you.

Pretty soon he's all you'll have, you know.

Please, Mom, stop. I don't...

No, you stop.

He's gonna need you. You're gonna need each other.

And my God, you used to be so close. What...

The two of you are so alike.

Please don't say that.

Why? Because he's not perfect?

Because he's not the man you thought he was?

No, I...

No, I can't. I can't talk about this with you.

- Come back here. Come on. - I can't.

I want you to sit down here. I wanna...

I wanna talk to you. Sit there.

Now, you listen to me because I'm only gonna say this once,

and I probably shouldn't say it at all.

There is nothing that you know about your father that I don't know.

Nothing.

And understand better.

Okay?

You make concessions when you're married a long time

that you don't believe you'll make when you're beginning,

when you're young.

You say, "Oh, I'll never tolerate this or that or the other thing."

But time goes by, darling.

And when you've slept together a thousand nights,

and you've smelled like spit up from the babies when they're sick,

and you've seen your body droop and get soft,

and some nights you just think,

"Oh, God, I'm not gonna put up with it another minute."

But you wake up in the next morning

and the kitchen smells like coffee

and the kids have their hair brushed all by themselves,

and you look at your husband

and know he's not the person you thought he was.

But he's your life.

And the kids and the house and everything that you do is built around him.

And that's your life, that's your history, too.

And if you take him out, that's like cutting his face out of all the pictures.

It just makes a big hole, and it ruins everything.

You can be hard, Ellen.

And you can be very judgmental.

And with those two things alone,

you're gonna make such a mess out of your life, you wouldn't believe.

And I wanna be able to tell you these things in 10 years.

And when I think how most of what you've learned so far came from your dad,

- it just, it hurts my heart to think how little... - No. No.

- ...I have gotten done. Yes, yes. - Don't, Mom, don't.

Just... Shh. Let's not talk about that.

Will somebody let me speak?

I wanna talk. You let me talk. Now, let me talk.

Your dad won't let me talk because he says I'll upset myself,

and you won't let me talk.

"Oh, Mom, please don't talk."

Brian's the only one who lets me talk. He's never here.

I wanna talk before I die.

I do. I wanna be able to say the things.

- I wanna say the deep thoughts. - Okay, okay.

Without you shushing me because what I say hurts you.

Oh, Mom.

Tired of being shushed.

What do you wanna say?

I already said everything I wanna say.

Except I'm sad.

- Why? - I'm sad that I won't be able to...

...to plan your wedding.

So, promise me that you won't have

a ring bearer or a flower girl,

because those kids always just misbehave

and then they distract from the bride.

And don't invite too many people.

Well, you know, I might not even get married, so...

Whatever.

If I knew that you would be happy, I would close my eyes now.

I would.

It's so much easier to be happy, my love.

It's so much easier to choose to love the things that you have.

And you have so much.

Instead of always yearning for what you're missing

or what it is you're imagining you're missing.

It's so much more peaceful.

We've gotta reinstate the mental tests.

Thank you. That's very nice.

You're too kind. Stay that way.

You know what it is?

I thought about it today. It takes six months.

What time is it?

I can't see the clock. What time is it?

It's 11:35.

- Did Harold call yet? - Uh-uh.

Ellie, I need you to go get your father and bring him home.

Where?

Yeah, can I get another beer?

Okay. Yeah.

...rising young star among the heavyweights.

He connected with that tremendous right toward the end of the fifth,

then lobbied Johnson and had him holding on at the bell.

He is a crafty veteran. He's been here before.

I'm sure that he's got a lot left in his bag of tricks.

Dad.

Who's that?

You weren't supposed to see this.

You shouldn't have...

He didn't... I mean, he didn't even remember my book.

Didn't even remember it.

The narcissistic son of a bitch.

Thinks just 'cause he teaches at Harvard, right?

He didn't even remember it.

Let's go home. Mom's waiting.

Ellen, the first time I saw your mother,

she was so filled with light.

She lit up everything around her.

Even me.

I just can't imagine the light going out.

I can't imagine it.

I think it's time to go home. Come on.

Let me get my...

Okay. Yeah.

Okay.

Harold?

Ellen, I was gonna bring him.

I was just gonna call.

Here, let me, let me.

Ice cream monster.

The ice cream monster!

It's the ice cream monster! Good day.

Your brother was back at his new job in Cambridge

and your father was back full time at the college.

Right.

So you were responsible for giving her her medicine?

Yeah. Mmm-hmm.

Teresa?

Teresa?

Teresa?

Mom, the nurse isn't here. It's me. Are you okay?

Oh, I'm fine.

Well, do you need me to get...

I said I'm fine.

I need you to help me. I can't get out.

Okay.

Okay, come on.

Put your arm around me. Okay, ready?

Look up. Okay, ready?

- Okay, lift. - Put your arm around me.

Put your arm around me. Good.

Good. Okay, here we go. Here we go.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Oh, I need a pill, Ellie.

It's not time yet. Can you wait?

No.

No. Please.

Oh, I don't wanna live like this.

Here.

You'll be better tomorrow.

No, I won't. This is not living. This isn't living.

Why can't this be over, baby?

Please help me.

Will you help me?

You're my girl. You help me, please.

Ellie, promise me you'll help me?

Please, please, please.

We all made this for you, honey.

See, it's got our names all over it, embroidered.

Oh, it's beautiful.

I hope you like it.

How beautiful. What's that smell?

That's that Indian Summer potpourri, isn't it?

Mmm-hmm.

- It's your favorite. - Mmm, lovely.

Who's making a racket out there?

Oh, she brought the baby.

You girls do good work, you know.

Are you available next Tuesday?

Oh, here he is.

He says, "I want Kate." Here's Kate.

- Oh, I thought I'd never... Aw! - There she is.

Hello, little man.

- Can you sit down for me? - Oh, my gosh.

Ellen, I... I'm so sorry.

I know it must be very hard for you, seeing her like this.

It's okay.

It'll be over soon.

I have a bib, too.

I do remember telling Mrs. Best that it would all be over soon.

But everyone knew that.

Ellen,

did your mother ever ask you to help her out of her pain?

Mmm-hmm. Yeah, I gave her her medication every day.

No.

Did your mother ever ask you

to help her take her life?

If she did, Ellen,

I can say with some assurance that no one in this office...

I did not help my mother take her life.

Where was your father on that last night?

He had a class.

He didn't come home until she was already sleeping.

- George. - Yeah.

Mmm-hmm. You came home so early.

- They canceled my class. - Oh.

Hi, you pretty girl.

Did you miss me?

Oh, no.

I wanna talk to George now.

- George? - Mmm-hmm?

Did you feed her?

No one should have to live like that.

No one.

Mom said that.

She was right.

Hey.

I finished the table.

Love you, Ellie.

I love you.

I knew that.

I always knew that.

We're gonna go back to the house.

Here, why don't you hold onto my arm?

Take care, sweetie.

Very meaningful, the work that you've been doing.

El?

- Hey. - Hi.

Hi.

I'm so sorry.

I don't know what else to say.

I'm so sorry.

Let's go through this way.

How are you?

Yeah? You okay?

Never knew I could miss someone so much.

Oh, God.

I know. I missed you, too.

I know this isn't really a good time to talk,

but, you know, when you're ready, we should...

We should figure out what we're gonna do this year, you know?

- Don't you think? - You know, Jordan,

a lot has happened that you just don't understand.

And I'm sorry, but I don't think you can understand.

What?

What are you talking about?

Thank you for coming.

El?

Ellen,

your mother died of an overdose of morphine.

Can you think of any possible explanation for that?

Do you think your father might have some idea how it might've happened?

I really don't know how he could.

Like I said, he didn't come home until she was sleeping.

Have you discussed any of this with your father?

No.

Well, only because I went back to New York right after the funeral.

And I really haven't talked to him since then. I've been really busy.

New job.

- You're writing again? - Mmm-hmm.

Feature writer, for The Voice.

Hmm. Congratulations.

Thanks.

I may want to speak to your father.

Anyway...

- Thank you. - Sure.

I'm sorry for your loss.

Thank you.

How long have you been here?

Not long.

I can smell the lilacs and the hollyhocks under the soil.

Your mother used to say she could do the same thing.

How'd it go today?

All right, I guess.

He's gonna wanna talk to you, too.

Ellen, I just want you to know how much I admire your courage.

And I wish I'd done it.

What?

I wish I had.

I would've.

Couldn't.

Dad, I didn't do it.

I didn't do it.

I thought that...

All this time, I've thought that it was you.

- Oh, my God. - No.

- It's impossible. - Oh, my God.

She was too helpless. She was too frail.

The pills.

How could she... Jesus!

Ellen, I...

I loved your mother.

I don't suppose I'm ever gonna stop loving her.

But because she could do anything,

run the house, run our lives,

keep everything so beautiful and so warm,

I only thought of what she meant to me.

My muse,

my lovely wife,

my one true thing.

Of course she did it.

Who else would've had the strength?

No, you have to go deeper than that.

You have to go four inches.

- Four? - Yeah.

Yeah, so that they don't rot in the snow

- or so that the animals don't get them. - Mmm-hmm.

And then four inches apart so that the roots don't tangle,

and they'll just look prettier.

What are these plants?

Daffodils.

- These are daffodils? - Yeah.

Yeah.

And now

Is it too late to say

How you made my life so different

In your quiet way?

I can see

The joy in simple things

A sunlit sky

And all the songs we used to sing

I have walked

And I have prayed

I could forgive

And we could start again

In the end

You are my one true friend

For all

All the times you closed your eyes

Allowing me to stumble

Or to be surprised

By life

With all its twists and turns

I made mistakes

You always knew that I would learn

And when I left

It's you who stayed

You always knew

That I'd come home again

In the end

You are my one true friend

Though love may break

It never dies

It changes shape

Through changing eyes

What I denied

I now can see

You always were

The light inside of me

I know, I know, I know I know it was you

I have walked

And I have prayed

I could forgive

And we could start again

In the end

You are my one true friend

My one true friend

I always, always knew

I always knew that it was you

My one true friend