All language subtitles for Guess.Whos.Coming.to.Dinner.1967.720p.BluRay.H264.AAC-RARBG HI

["GLORY OF LOVE" PLAYING]

[INAUDIBLE DIALOG]

[♪♪♪]

You know, I just had a thought.

Why don't I go check in a hotel and get
some rest, and you go find your folks.

Oh, John. You wanted to meet them, let's go meet
them. The sooner we get it over with, the better.

Mom may not even be at the gallery, she'll
probably be out to lunch. Dad's at his office.

You may not meet them till dinner.
You may be wrong about them.

You should've called and
told them we were coming.

You may be in for the biggest
shock of your young life.

After 23 years living in the same house with them,
don't you think I know my own mother and father?

I hope so.

There's no problem.

[♪♪♪]

We'll only be a minute, and then we'd
like to go out to Claremont Drive.

CAB DRIVER: All right.

[JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING
OVER SPEAKERS]

I'll see if Mom's in the office.

Joey? Hilary, hi. How are you?

What a surprise!

I'll be with you in just a moment.
Okay.

Strange.
One of Hilary's favourites.

It's called a kinetic sculpture.
A what?

Look.

[BUZZING]

Why, isn't that someth...?

[BELL DINGS]

[BOTH LAUGHING]

Darling, what are you doing here?
I thought Mother might be here.

Mrs. St. George, I'd like
you to meet Dr. Prentice.

Dr. Prentice.
I'm so pleased to meet you.

Mrs. St. George,
a pleasure to see you.

Uh, Christina's lunching with Mr. Cazelet.
If you like, I can ring up.

No, just tell her I'm back,
will you, and that I'll be home.

Has something happened?
Is anything wrong?

Something's happened, but
everything's right. Thanks, Hilary.

How was Hawaii? Was it fun?
Hawaii was simply unbelievable.

Do you live in San Francisco,
doctor, or are you visiting?

I'm just passing through.
Oh, I see.

It was a pleasure to have
met you, Mrs. St. George.

Thank you. Bye-bye.

[SCULPTURE BUZZING AND DINGING]

[♪♪♪]

No, Hilary runs the gallery now,
but it's Mom who has all the ideas.

Her idea for filling hotel rooms
with originals is brilliant.

Gives the people who stay there time to
decide if they like them enough to want them.

The hotel gets supplied
with free decor,

the guests get to look at good paintings
instead of bad reproductions,

the painter gets a chance to make a
sale, and Mom gets her commission.

Take the next right.

Isn't that clever?
Oh, that is clever.

Ohh.

[♪♪♪]

What do I owe you? $10.50, Mac.

Twelve bucks, right?

Right.

Oh, John, come meet Tillie.

Tillie, this is Dr. Prentice.
John, Miss Matilda Binks.

Pleased to meet you, Miss Binks. I've
certainly heard a great deal about you.

What are you doing home unexpected?
You told them you're back already?

Yes, I left a message
for Mom at the gallery.

Oh, it's lovely to see you,
Tillie! I missed you.

You still ain't told me why you're home
early. You want those bags took upstairs?

Not my two.
I've not come to stay.

It's personal reasons, Tillie.
I'll tell you all about it.

You eat any lunch yet,
or are you expecting it now?

Oh, could you make us some sandwiches and some
coffee? We'll have it out on the terrace.

Mmm.

[CHUCKLING]

Do you like it?

It's beautiful.

Come out and look
from the terrace.

Oh. What?

Hey, who's that?

That's Dorothy. Isn't she a knockout?
She helps Tillie during the week.

Which days? Never mind.

Hey, I ought to call my folks
and get that out of the way.

Okay, use the phone
in the study.

Are you gonna introduce me?
Not on the phone.

Won't you tell them about me?
I'd rather write to them.

Well, I'll have to meet them,
won't I, before I come to Geneva?

Or are we gonna keep our
marriage a secret from them?

Why didn't I think of that?
See, that's a thought.

I'll shut this in case
Dorothy goes by.

[♪♪♪]

Los Angeles, please.
Area code 213.

Axminister 246-99.
Time and charges.

Well, I've got a right to my own
opinions, and you want my opinion?

I don't care to see a member of
my own race getting above hisself.

Then I don't want your opinion,
and if I ever do I'll ask for...

Oh, Tillie, I'm sorry.
I didn't mean that.

But you can't mean what you're
saying either, and you're so wrong.

Look, you're the last person I'd have
expected to take such a silly attitude.

You know I've always loved you,
and you're just as black as he is.

How could it possibly be all right for me
to love you and wrong for me to love him?

Will you just stop
and think about that?

Oh, listen, what are we having for dinner
tonight? Gotta make it something special.

Celery soup and rump steak.

On, now, come on, Tillie!
Turtle soup and tournedos.

And one of your best pies?

[CAR HORN HONKING]

It's Mom!

Joey? Darling?

What the hell? Joey? Mom!

Hello, darling, are you all right?
Oh, Mom, so good to see you!

No, nothing's wrong.
Everything's fine!

I rang the gallery right after lunch to tell
Hilary that Cazelet had agreed to ask me...

He has? That's marvellous!
Yeah. She was being mysterious.

She said you were back. She thought
you might have a surprise for me.

What did she mean?

Do I hear someone?
Is there someone here?

Oh, Mom, I'm so happy! I've never been
so happy in all my life! I'm just...

Bursting. Yeah, I can see that.

And I'm already feeling
happy for you. Do I know him?

No, no, that's just it. I only
met him myself 10 days ago.

And you wouldn't believe
what's happened in just 10 days!

Well, I think I might, if you'd
pipe down long enough to tell me.

Mom... Mom, he's so wonderful.
Wonderful things have happened in...

I've never known anyone like him.
Never known anything like this.

I fell in love with him
in 20 minutes!

Well! That was quick.

[BOTH LAUGHING]

Well, Dad, I wanted to stop on
the way back, but time got so short,

and I've got to get to work.

MR. PRENTICE: Yeah, but I still don't understand
why you couldn't spend one day with us.

Well, fact is, Dad,
I met this girl.

You what? You met a girl? Well, why didn't
you say so? Mary, he says he met a girl.

Why, that's good. That's good news. Does
she live up there in San Francisco?

Yes. I'm at her house now.

He's at her house now, at the girl's house. Well, that's
different, son. Where did you meet her, in Hawaii?

Yes, in Hawaii. And I wanted
to meet her folks, you see.

That sounds good, son.
I mean, serious.

Yes. It's serious.

This is quite a surprise.

Yes, she's surprising
in a lot of ways, Dad.

Your mother says,
"Is she pretty?"

Yes, she's pretty.

Says she's pretty. What?

Your mother says, "How old is she?" Mary,
what the hell difference does that make?

Well, she's only 23, Dad.

Twenty-three, well, that's good.

You want my opinion? You're 37,
that's just the right difference.

Women age faster than men.

You reckon to marry the girl, son?

Well, we've been
talking about it, but, um...

Dad, there's one or two
problems, you see,

that I'll write to you about
on the plane to New York tonight.

All right?

He's so calm
and sure of everything.

He doesn't have
any tensions in him.

He knows what he believes
and what he thinks is right,

and why, and where he's going.

Oh, Mom, there's one thing
I must tell you.

He was married before,
and he had a son.

It was so tragic.

Both his wife and son were killed in a
train accident in Belgium eight years ago.

And John...

I haven't even
told you his name.

Mom, it's John Wade Prentice.
Isn't that a lovely name?

John Wade...

JOEY: Joanna Prentice, I'll be.

But, Mom. Mom?

There's something else
that I must tell you

that John's been concerned
about, very deeply concerned.

He's been worrying for the past week
whether you and Dad would be upset if...

[JOHN CLEARS THROAT]

Well, it's about time. I was
wondering where you'd been.

Mom, this is John.

Doc... Doc... Dr. Prentice?

I'm so pleased to meet you.

I'm pleased to meet you,
Mrs. Drayton.

I take it Joanna's already
busted out with the big news.

Well, she has told me a good deal,
and all very quickly too.

Well, she's only known me for 10 days,
so she can't tell you when I'm blushing.

That could be another
problem for us.

Mrs. Drayton, I'm medically qualified, so
I hope you wouldn't think it presumptuous

if I say you ought to sit down
before you fall down.

He thinks you're gonna faint
because he's a Negro.

Well...

I don't think I'm
going to faint. Ahem.

But I'll sit down anyway.

Can't we all sit down?

Well, I, um...

I suppose it would
be all right if I said,

"My goodness," wouldn't it?

Well, my goodness.

Do we mind her saying
"My goodness"?

I don't mind.

Did you tell them about me? Yes.

What'd they say?
They said I sounded serious

and asked if you were
pretty. I said you were.

They said this was a big
surprise. I said it was.

What did they say when you told
them I wasn't a coloured girl?

Well, I didn't. It felt like too
big a shock for the telephone.

After all, an awful lot of people are gonna
think that we're a very shocking pair.

Isn't that right, Mrs. Drayton?
I know what you mean.

Tillie's made us some
sandwiches. Let's go outside.

Yes, let's.

Come on, Dr. Prentice.

JOEY: I can explain the whole
situation in two minutes.

You see, John was invited to
lecture at Hawaii University.

And we met at this big party at the dean's,
and after the party we went for a long drive.

Thank you.

And since then, we've been somewhere together
every night. We've been swimming every day.

And then John was supposed to fly back to
Los Angeles on Saturday to see his parents.

That's where they live.

Thank you, Tillie.

Try one of these. They're great.

Do you want some coffee?
No. No, thanks. No coffee.

Does your father
know that you're back?

Oh, no, I was gonna phone him. Do you
think he'd come back early if I...?

Oh, he's coming back early, all right.
He's playing golf with Monsignor Ryan.

That's marvellous! Then he can meet John
and then we can all talk over dinner.

Because, you see, John has to fly to New York tonight
to see a friend of his at Columbia University.

And then tomorrow night, he's flying to Geneva to do
three months' work for the World Health Organization.

And what I intend to do is fly to Geneva
next week so that we can be married.

And that's the whole situation.
In a nutshell.

Except that he thinks that the fact he's a
Negro and I'm not creates a serious problem.

Does he?

I've told him 97 times that it wouldn't make the
slightest bit of difference to you or to Dad.

But he just wouldn't believe me.
And so that's why we're here.

And that's why he's watching you so closely right
now while he's pretending not to watch you at all.

[BOTH CHUCKLING]

Ahem. She's absolutely right,
Mrs. Drayton. I'm sorry.

I told her not to spring all this
on you so suddenly, but...

Look, if your father's coming home, you could at
least say that I'm somebody you met in Hawaii...

Oh, now, really!

But you could give him
a half-hour to adjust...

But what for? He still has
to be told, doesn't he?

[CAR HORN HONKING]

Well, you should make up your minds,
because I think I just heard his car.

[DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES]

TILLIE: Mr. Matt?
Hi, Tillie. How are you?

All hell's done broke loose now!
What's wrong, that waste disposal?

No, it ain't that, but you just remember
I said all hell's done broke loose!

What happened? Where's Christina?
She's on the terrace with little Joey,

With Joey?

And somebody calls
hisself Dr. Prentice.

Doctor? There's a doc... Well,
what's wrong? What's happened?

Joey?

Here he comes.

JOEY: Daddy! How are you?

MATT: Well, what's happened?
What are you doing here?

Tillie said there
was a doctor...

There is, there is. Dr. John Wade Prentice.
This is my dad.

Pleased to meet you.
How are you? Nice to know you.

MATT:
What is it? Is something wrong?

JOEY: Of course there's nothing wrong.
I decided to come home early.

Oh, uh, Dr. Prentice and I met in Hawaii and
we flew back on the same plane this morning.

Oh! Oh, well, well, well. Sit down. I thought
something was really wrong. Tillie said...

JOEY: Oh, Tillie's behaving very strangely
today. Would you like a cup of coffee?

No, thanks. I have a date to
play golf with Monsignor Ryan.

How are you? What's the matter?
Are you having a chill?

No, darling. I'm fine, I...

Doctor? Where are you
practising, in San Francisco?

Sit down.
No, sir. I am just here for one day.

Oh, well, where is your
practice? Hawaii?

No, not real... I'm not
established in any one place.

I'm in tropical medicines, mostly
in Africa these past few years.

Oh, well, that
sounds interesting.

Everything about
Dr. Prentice is interesting.

I'm sure it is. I wish I had more time.
Will you excuse me?

Couldn't you be half an hour
late and stay and talk with us?

I'd love to, Joey, but I mustn't
keep the monsignor wait...

No, I'm gonna be late as it is.
Will I be seeing you later, doctor?

You certainly will.
Good. Well, that's good.

Dr. Prentice will be here for dinner.
Fine. Then you can tell me...

And there's a great deal
to tell too, isn't there, Mom?

Well, fine. See you all later.

[FOGHORN BLARING IN DISTANCE]

What the hell is going on here?

This doesn't make sense either.
Well, I told you, didn't I?

What did you tell him?

Look, Chris, if you don't explain to me in the
next few minutes what you three are playing at...

I can explain it, Mr. Drayton.
You can? Well, let's have it.

Well, it's my fault. See, we
have a sort of a situation here.

Joanna and I didn't just meet in Hawaii.
We spent a good deal time together.

I mean, all the time
after we met.

And, well, we have this problem.

I fell in love with your daughter.

And as incredible as it may seem,
she fell in love with me.

And we flew back
to San Francisco

to see if you or Mrs. Drayton would
have any objections if we got married.

Joanna told her mother
as soon as she walked in.

And I had the stupid idea that
maybe there was some way to

break this gently.

Daddy, you're making
John and me nervous.

Am I? Well, I wouldn't
want to do that.

I wouldn't want to make
anybody nervous.

How about you, Chris,
are you nervous?

Sit down, doctor,
before you make me nervous.

Ahem. Would, um, anybody
like a cup of coffee?

What did she say when Joanna told her?
Did she raise any objections?

None so far. There
hasn't been much time.

What objections?

Dad, I know this is sort of a shock because
it's all so sudden and unexpected.

And it never occurred to me that
I might fall in love with a Negro,

but I did, and nothing in the
world is gonna change that.

Even if you had any objections I wouldn't let him
go now, if you were the governor of Alabama.

I mean, if Mom were.
So tell him, will you?

Tell John if you have any objections,
and then you can go play golf.

What is it you expect me to say?

If you want me to think about this,
you'll have to give me time.

The doctor says you have
a problem. You certainly have.

And if you're expecting any sensible statement from me,
you'll have to give me a little time to think about it.

Does that sound reasonable?

It's reasonable, Mr. Drayton,
but not quite practical.

You see, Matt, there's
sort of a special problem.

See, I've got to fly to New York tonight,
and on to Switzerland tomorrow night.

Yes, and what Joey wants, what she
proposes, is to go to Geneva herself

so that they can be married
within the next couple of weeks.

What the hell is all the rush?

JOEY: Well, we know that
we want to get married.

And unless somebody does have any
objections, why should we waste any time?

John and I aren't gonna
change our minds.

Are you saying...?
Are you telling me

that you want an answer today
about how your mother and I feel?

Well, of course we do.
We want you and Mom to state

absolutely clearly that you
have no objections whatever.

And that when we do get married,
we'll have your blessing.

Now, are you gonna
play golf, or no?

No, no, no.

I'll just call it off.
Excuse me, doctor.

And that's my dad.
Do you like him?

I don't know. Does he like me?

I don't know either.

When he puts on his American-eagle face,
nobody can tell what he's thinking except Mom.

Yeah, well, I don't think he liked any
of us after the silly way we began.

Excuse me, will you?
Give John some more coffee.

She's beautiful, Joanna. She's even
better-looking than you, you know that?

Hello, Edie? Two things,
Edie, both of them urgent.

Call up Monsignor Ryan, make my apologies
and tell him I can't play this afternoon.

Tell him something's come up,
something personal at home.

Then call the library and see if they've
got any dope on a John Wade Prentice.

Prentice. A doctor of medicine,
fellow of about 35, 36.

Oh, Matt! Tsk-tsk-tsk. Gee.
He's a coloured fella.

If they haven't got anything, call up the
Medical Association, see what they've got.

Get anything you can, will you?
Hurry it up and call me back.

Surely there can't be
any necessity for that.

It can't do any harm either.

But, Matt, for gosh sake. Joey said he was
lecturing at the university in Hawaii.

Tell me something, did this ever
occur to you that this might happen?

No.

Never occurred to me either.
Not once.

Well, can you tell me your reaction?
How do you feel about it?

Oh, I don't know. I was shaken
at first. I still am, I suppose.

But, Matt, they're serious.
They mean what they're saying.

Both of them.
They know what they're doing.

No, they may mean what
they're saying, I accept that,

but they don't know what
they're doing. I won't accept that.

[KNOCKING]

If I'm not intruding?

Of course not, John.
Please come in.

I'd like to have a couple of minutes
with the two of you, if I may.

MATT: Sure, sure, doctor.
Come on in.

There's something you both ought to know.
I made a decision.

Joanna doesn't know about it, and I
don't see any reason why she should.

What is it, doctor?

Joanna thinks she's committed
and that our whole future is settled,

but there is no real commitment.

And up to now,
nothing is settled at all.

I don't understand. Joanna said you were gonna be
married no matter what we might think about it.

Well, that's not the case.

Unless you two approve, and without any
reservations at all, there won't be any marriage.

Well, why, John?
Why have you decided that?

Well, Mrs. Drayton, this thing
has happened so quickly

I'm just as startled
as you must be.

Two weeks ago I would have said
such a thing was inconceivable.

But two weeks ago
I had not met Joanna.

She's not at all like
anyone I've ever known.

It's not just that our colour
difference doesn't matter to her.

It's that she doesn't seem to
think there is any difference.

The trouble is, this thing has come up at a time
when I already have all the problems I need.

And I feel that I couldn't afford to get married if it
meant that I would have to take on any special problems

in addition to those we're
obviously going to have.

When you say "special problems,"
doctor, what do you mean?

Well...

Your attitude, Mr. Drayton,

and yours, Mrs. Drayton.

Joanna is very close
to both of you.

If by marrying me she damaged
her relationship with either of you,

the pain of it
would be too much for her.

I wouldn't know how to deal
with that kind of situation.

In any case,
I wouldn't even want to try.

Well, I'm glad you
told us this, doctor.

Don't misunderstand me.
I love your daughter.

There is nothing I wouldn't do to try to keep
her as happy as she was the day I met her.

But it seems to me without your
approval we will make no sense at all.

That is why I am asking for
the clearest possible statement

of what your attitude
is going to be.

I appreciate that, doctor.

It's almost in the form
of an ultimatum.

Not quite, Mr. Drayton.

All you have to say
is "goodbye."

Well, that's where it's at.

Thank you for the opportunity
to speak my piece.

[DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES]

Well? Still think you ought
to have someone check on him?

No. He's right about Joey too.

You know that, don't you? Yes.

Thank God he is, Matt. That's the
way I feel, thank God he's right.

She's 23 years old

and the way she is, is just exactly
the way we brought her up to be.

We answered her questions. She listened
to our answers. We told her it was wrong

to believe that the white people were somehow
essentially superior to the black people,

or the brown, or the red,
or the yellow ones for that matter.

People who thought that way
were wrong to think that way,

sometimes hateful, usually stupid,
but always, always wrong.

That's what we said.

And when we said it,
we did not add,

"But don't ever fall in love
with a coloured man."

[PHONE RINGS]

Yes. EDIE: Edie, Mr. Drayton.

You want the whole story?
Yeah, yeah, what is it, Edie?

Well, he's an important guy. Just the
main points: Born Los Angeles, 1930.

Graduated maximum cum laude
Johns Hopkins, '54.

Assistant professor,
Yale Medical School, '55.

Three years, professor, London
School of Tropical Medicine.

Three years, assistant director,
World Health Organization.

Two textbooks and a list of monographs and
Medical Society honours as long as your arm.

Married Elizabeth Bowers 1955,
one son: John Wade.

Oh. Both killed in an accident in 1959.
There's a lot more here.

Oh, no, that's all right.
Thanks, Edie.

What's the $2.20?

He made a call to
Los Angeles, to his parents.

I guess he doesn't bum
free telephone calls either.

Well, I can certainly understand why he
didn't have much to say about himself.

Who the hell would believe him?

[LAUGHS]

[♪♪♪]

I beg your pardon, lady.
Loves me, loves me not.

Well, tell me,
what do you think?

Aren't they exactly
the way I said they were?

I must admit they are
very special people...

Shall I tell you something?
What's that?

For a whole week
I've been nervous.

No. I don't believe...

Oh, not about what they'd ultimately
feel, just about their first reaction.

I thought it was just possible that,
for the first time in 23 years,

they might let me down
for the first half-hour.

You're a phoney, you know
that? You're a big phoney!

I'm not a phoney.

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

Well?

She's always been
a happy human being.

She laughed out loud
before she was 6 months old.

She was happy as a baby,
happy as a little girl,

happy all through school
and college.

But, um,

I don't think I've ever seen her
quite so happy as she is right now.

And I have to be happy
for her, Matt,

and I am.

I feel happy for her.

And proud of the fact
that we helped to make her.

And whatever happens now,
I feel glad that Joey is Joey.

[ROCK 'N' ROLL MUSIC
PLAYING ON RADIO]

[DOORBELL BUZZES]

How are you today?
Having a steak fry, huh?

Well, now, there she is.
How are you today?

Wanna give me a lift to
Market Street? Save me a cab.

You know it, doll!

I hope these is better than
the last we had, hotshot.

Lady, don't look at me. I just deliver
it, I don't rustle the cattle.

You said to remind you
to open the wine.

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

Civil rights is one thing.
This here is something else.

[♪♪♪]

I went out onto the terrace. Oh, I'll
never forget it, it was so beautiful.

It was already dark
and the moon was rising.

I guess I didn't see him at first because I was
looking at the view, but he was standing there.

Then, all of a sudden, he moved
or something, and I jumped.

[BOTH LAUGHING]

And he just stood there,
looking at me, and sort of...

You're burning your shirt.
Oh, yes. Sort of smiling.

"Hello," I said. "Who are you?"

And, ooh, I think he thought
I was, you know, attractive.

Anyway, finally he said, "Well, do
you think it could possibly matter?"

And it's just crazy, and I admit it...
You'd better let me do this.

But 20 minutes later
I felt I was in love with him.

No.

Mom, how long did it take you
to fall in love with Dad?

Oh, well, nothing like
so long as 20 minutes!

Is that really true? Oh, Mom!
Yes, that's really true.

Joey, I wanna ask you something.
How deeply are you and John invol...?

No, no, I have no right...

How deeply involved? Do you mean
have we been to bed together?

I don't mind you asking
me that. We haven't.

He wouldn't.

I don't think he could have been in much
doubt about my feelings, but he wouldn't.

You're burning my shirt.

He's been concerned the whole time
about my getting hurt somehow.

They're still talking. Wouldn't you think
they'd have said everything by now?

Are you saying they don't have
any special sense of rhythm?

That's right.

But, hell, you can see it.

You can't turn on the television set
anywhere without seeing those kids dancing.

And I say the coloured kids
are better than the white kids.

But there's an
explanation for that.

It's our dancing and it's our
music. We brought it here.

I mean, you can do the watusi,
but we are the Watusi,

if you know what I mean.

I remember when I was about your
age, my sports editor telling me

that Negroes would never
be able to play baseball.

Now I suppose if he wanted to, Willie Mays
could be elected mayor of San Francisco.

I own a newspaper, but I
couldn't be elected dogcatcher.

Well, I don't guess you want to be dogcatcher any
more than he wants to be mayor of San Francisco.

No, I suppose that's right.

Doctor, we've talked about
a good many things,

but there's one thing
we haven't talked about.

Have you given any thought to the
problems your children are going to have?

Yes, and they'll have some.
And we'll have the children.

Otherwise I don't know what you'd call
it, but you couldn't call it a marriage.

Is that the way Joey feels?

She feels that every single one of our children
will be president of the United States

and they'll all have
colourful administrations.

Well, you made her, Mr. Drayton.
I just met her in Hawaii.

But how do you feel
about that problem?

Well, frankly, I think your
daughter is a bit optimistic.

I'd settle for secretary of state.

[CLEARS THROAT]

Would you think it was some kind
of cowardice if I told you that,

no matter how confident you
two are, I'm just a little scared?

No, it wouldn't.

But you never know.
Things are changing.

I have a feeling they're not changing anywhere else
quite as fast as they are in my own back yard.

Just tell me this. Don't you
think this quick decision

about how we feel about
this thing is just a little unfair?

In a way, I do.

But it wasn't my idea that
everything be settled so quickly.

Your daughter said
there's no problem.

She said, "My dad is a lifelong fighting
liberal who loathes race prejudice"

and has spent his whole life
fighting against discrimination."

She said, "My parents, well, they'll
welcome you with open arms."

And I said, "Oh, I sure
wanna meet them."

John! Telephone,
it's Los Angeles.

Take it in my study. Thank you.

Hello. Yes, this is he.
OPERATOR: Dr. Prentice?

MR. PRENTICE: Hello. Hi, Dad.

What's up, man?
Dr. Graves call again?

Oh, no, it's not that, son.

I just had an idea. What would you say to
us flying up there to spend the evening?

This evening?
We could be up there at 6:30.

I thought maybe we could take you
and your young lady friend out...

Tell them to come to dinner.
Just a minute.

No, no, no, Dad, see,
I'm having dinner with her folks.

Don't be silly. They're invited!
Who's that speaking, the young lady?

Yes, that's her. Just a minute.
You haven't asked your mother...

Mr. Prentice, won't you come to dinner, you and
Mrs. Prentice? John and I will meet your plane.

Stop butting in, Joanna. Hi.
Who am I talking to? John?

Looks like she wants us, even if you don't.
And we certainly wanna meet her.

So we'll see you at 6:30.
Yeah. Oh, no, no, no.

Your mother says she's pleased.
Oh, hell, he knows that!

All right, son. We'll see you later.
Dad? Dad! Dad! Dad!

[PHONE HANGS UP]

What's the matter with you?

Mom! CHRISTINA: Yeah?

John's father and mother
are coming to dinner.

Oh. Good. Marvellous.

JOEY: We'll meet
their plane at 6:30.

Fine. You tell Tillie,
won't you?

JOEY: Okay.

Joanna, I told you.
My folks, they don't...

They think you're a coloured girl.
Why didn't you tell them?

I was gonna write to them.
What difference does it make?

Do you think they wouldn't come?
Call them back and tell them.

They're gonna know anyway at 6:30
because I'll go with you to meet them.

Oh, no, that's not
a good idea. I'll meet them.

It gives me a chance to explain...
Ohh.

I have to explain...
Why do you dramatise everything?

Look, I told Peter and Judith that
we'll meet them for a drink at 5:30.

That gives us just enough
time to get to the airport.

She's my best and oldest friend.
You've just got to let them meet you.

Did he tell you about this
medical plan of his?

No. What?

It's the damnedest thing
you ever heard of.

They put a whole medical school on about
20 trucks, run into some African country,

pick up the brightest native
kids, hundreds at a time,

and put them through courses.
Like the U.S. Army Corpsmen.

Only his idea is that they're all specialists,
each one trained to do one simple thing.

Like sewing up a wound,
or delivering a baby, what have you.

They go into places where people
never heard of an aspirin tablet,

let alone a doctor.

Imagine what that means.

For every thousand kids they train, they can save
a million lives a year. Now, just think of that.

He seems to have made
quite an impression on you.

Yeah.

I asked him how he got so far.
You know, he's only 37.

He said he thought
he got the best breaks

because everybody he met didn't want
him to think they were prejudiced.

Yeah, he made an impression.
I wouldn't know how to fault him.

Are you trying to fault him?
No, of course I'm not.

You know his father is a mailman?
Retired now, lives in Los Angeles.

Now, how do you suppose
a coloured mailman

produced a son with
all the qualities he has?

You'll find out this evening.
What?

Guess who's coming to dinner.
Who?

You mean... His parents?

Now, wait a minute.

Whose idea was that?
Joey invited them.

Yeah, Joey, Joey. We're being pressurised.
You know that, don't you?

First there was no marriage
unless we approved.

Then we had one day
to make up our minds.

Now we have to spend hours entertaining
somebody we never heard of!

What the hell
is coming off here?

Don't look at those. Those are my baby
pictures. That was at Klosters the year...

[DOORBELL RINGS]

I'll get it, Tillie.
Just a second.

Monsignor Ryan,
how wonderful to see you!

Well, good afternoon.
Good afternoon.

But why are you here
when you should be in Hawaii?

What is the problem that caused your
father to chicken out on our game of golf?

And who is this gentleman?
This is Dr. John Wade Prentice.

We met in Hawaii 11 days ago and the
two of us are gonna be married.

Are you indeed? I take it
you mean to each other?

Dr. Prentice. Monsignor.

Of course, you're the problem.
Yes.

I'm afraid I am.

Why haven't your parents
informed me?

They didn't know either.
We only flew back this morning.

Excuse me a second,
I forgot to tell Tillie something.

Well, uh...

I suppose this was all very sudden?
Yes, it was.

I suppose you two have had time
to consider what you're doing.

No, we've not.

Tillie, we'll be
two more for dinner.

How many steaks did you get?
I got four. I was told four.

Order two more because the doctor's father
and mother are coming and we'll be six.

His father and mother, here?
That's right.

If the butcher can't send them,
tell him to put them in a taxi.

It's getting more like a Holy
Rollers' meeting every minute.

Of course! I know about you. I read
an article about you in Commonweal.

I shall want to talk
to you about that.

Do you know this fellow you brought home is a
very important man? Are you aware of that?

I'm wholly aware of it. When I'm
married to him, I'll be important.

Yes, I daresay you will,
as a matter of fact.

Where's Arnold Palmer?
Dad and Mom are in the garden.

Just go on with what
you're doing. Fore!

Of all our friends,
he's the closest.

We're not Catholics,

but he and Dad and Mom have done things
together, sat on committees and things.

He's a wonderful man,
and we love him.

You're a remarkable fellow, Mike.
You get younger every minute.

Did you?
Yes! I've just seen him.

Handsome fellow, isn't he? Little
Joey's nothing less than radiant.

It warms me chilly old
heart just to look at her.

Mike, aren't you just
a little shocked?

Shocked? Why should
I be shocked?

I've known a good many cases of
marriages between races in my time.

Strangely enough, they usually
work out well. I don't know why.

Maybe because it requires
some special quality of effort.

More consideration
and compassion

than most marriages seem
to generate these days.

Could that be it? Yes, it could.

I'm glad you said that.

That's a beautiful thought.
You do have beautiful thoughts.

It's my trade, you know.

What about laddie over here?
You making heavy weather of it?

You know, this man is quite
a famous fellow in his own right.

He's done incredible work in Asia
and some awful place in Africa.

Mom! Hilary's here.
She wants to see you.

Oh.

Excuse me. Express some more
beautiful thoughts to the lad.

Thank you.

I hope you won't think I'm prying,
but, naturally, one is curious.

Naturally.

Dr. Prentice and I are
gonna be married, Hilary.

Are you?

I didn't even know. Christina
hadn't even mentioned it.

She didn't know.
It was a surprise to her too.

A surprise?
Well, I should think it was!

[CHRISTINA CLEARS THROAT]

My dear, Joey tells me that congratulations
are in order, and that you didn't even know.

What's the problem, Hilary? What
brings you all the way up here?

Oh, Mr. Cazelet
phoned about the...

Oh, that. Excuse us, will you?
I'll walk out to your car with you.

I hope I'll be
seeing you shortly.

Actually, no, Hilary, Dr. Prentice is leaving
tonight, and Joey within the next couple of weeks.

Then you must permit me
to wish you every happiness.

Come along, Hilary.

Christina! Oh, my poor dear,
what a shock for you.

I knew something was up when I came into the gallery,
but this? Whatever are you going to do about it?

The child is of age...
Yes, the child is 23.

Why didn't you simply ring up
with the Cazelet information?

I must admit,
I was intensely curious.

I simply couldn't believe it. It's so unlike
Joey to do anything so appallingly stupid.

Yes, come along, Hilary.
What you must be going through!

You must try not
to worry about it.

I have some instructions for you. Go straight
back to the gallery. Start your motor.

[CAR ENGINE STARTS]

When you get to the gallery, tell Jennifer that
she'll be looking after things temporarily.

She's to give me a ring if there's
anything she can't deal with herself.

Then go into the office and make out a
cheque, for cash, for the sum of $5000.

Then carefully, Hilary,
remove absolutely everything

that might subsequently remind
me you had ever been there,

including that yellow thing with the blue
bulbs which you have such an affection for.

Then take the cheque for $5000,
which I feel you deserve,

and get permanently lost.

It's not that I don't want to
know you, Hilary, although I don't,

it's just that we're not
really the sort of people

that you can afford
to be associated with.

Don't speak, Hilary, just go.

You see that boy, the tall one? If he'd played
his cards right, you'd never even have met me.

But he fell for some girl from Pomona.
That'll teach him.

[DOOR CLOSES]

Mom, you know what Hilary was doing? She
was being an absolute bitch! She was.

I almost wish you'd
fire her, I really do.

Joey! How can you be so hard?

She has a ruthless streak,
John. Be warned about it.

She gets it from her father.

They need all the help
you can give them.

They're gonna have
special difficulties...

Christina.
Don't budge, please. Sit.

Of course, they know all that. They're
serious people, fine, intelligent people.

And if they know what
lies in store for them,

and they still want each
other enough to accept it,

then it's as plain as anything that
they love each other very much.

And you have to agree that any two
people who love each other that much

deserve all the best luck
in the world.

I don't know. I wish I didn't have the
feeling that they'll never make it.

That the whole
thing's impossible.

Oh.

You feel that way, do you?

You're really
thrashing about, then.

That's very interesting, indeed.
And rather amusing, too,

to see a broken-down old phoney liberal
come face to face with his principles.

[CHUCKLES]

I always have believed that
in that fighting liberal façade,

there must be a reactionary
bigot trying to get out.

Oh, go to hell. You and your
crowd are still preaching hell.

Well, I'm off.

As much as I'm enjoying your discomfort, I may
be able to save a few souls before supper.

But I am, as it happens,
free for dinner...

Please come, 7.30. The doctor's family
are flying up from Los Angeles.

Oh, well, in that case,
you'll actually need me.

Otherwise, your side won't
even outnumber the blacks.

Thank you, my dear.

Half past 7. Oh!

What was that the Beatles sang?

[SINGING THE BEATLES'
"WE CAN WORK IT OUT"]

[LAUGHING]

Mom did it. Do you
think it looks like him?

He looks a little grim...

Hey!
No, no. Don't let me disturb you.

Not at all.

I hope you don't mind, but I've just
wangled an invitation to dinner.

I'm delighted you're coming.
Thank you, my dear.

I'm very delighted
to have met you.

My pleasure. Certainly.
See you this evening.

You know, you two make me feel

quite extraordinarily happy.

I'd better tell Tillie. If you listen,
you'll hear her going through the roof.

I've brought you the latest bulletin.
Guess who's coming to dinner now.

The Reverend Martin Luther King?
Oh, Tillie.

You're so close. Monsignor Ryan.

Bake a second pie.
He loves your cooking.

Oh, listen, is the big guest room in order? Dr.
Prentice wants to have a shower and change.

He does? He does.

She's 23. She has the right
to do as she pleases.

That's not the point. The doctor said...
I know what the doctor said.

Could we get out of here
for a few minutes?

Can't we take a ride?
What are the others doing?

Meeting Peter and Judith,
then going to the airport.

Yeah, yeah, all right. Come on!

Well, come on, will you?

[FOGHORN BLARING IN DISTANCE]

What happened to Homer, that lawyer?
I thought she liked him very much.

Nothing happened to Homer.
Dr. Prentice happened to Joey.

Hell, it was only last Christmas she
said Homer had the inside track.

Isn't that the place we got the good
ice cream? Let's get some ice cream.

Oh, Matt, it's after 5!
A little ice cream can't hurt!

[ROCK 'N' ROLL MUSIC
PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]

[CROWD CHATTERING]

Yes, sir?

When I had ice cream before, I had a special
kind of flavour that I liked very much.

I can't remember what it was.
I'll bring the list.

Oh, no, you must know what it is.

Daiquiri ice, honeycomb candy,
cocoa-coconut, jamoca almond fudge,

mocha jamoca, peanut butter
and jelly, cinnamon, banana mint?

Must've been some other place.
Fresh Oregon boysenberry sherbet.

That's it. That's it.

That's it. Fresh Oregon boysenberry.
Bring me a big one, huh?

Will you have some?
No, black coffee.

One double fresh Oregon boysenberry
sherbet and one black coffee. Thank you.

[CLEARS THROAT]

You know, Matt,

I think Mike was right,
that Joey is lucky.

The work he's doing is so
important. She'll be able

to help him with it and share it all with
him. It's the best break any wife can have.

You know, for us
it's all been great.

But do you know what was
the best time of all?

Was in the beginning,
when everything was a struggle.

And you were working too hard
and worried, sometimes frightened.

And there were times when
I felt, when I really knew,

that I was a help to you.

That was the very
best time of all for me.

Okay. One black coffee.
Thank you.

And one fresh Oregon
boysenberry sherbet.

Thank you. Thank you.

This is not the stuff. I never had
this stuff before in my life.

[CAR HORN HONKING]

You know, it's not bad at all.
I kind of like it.

Fresh Oregon boysenberry.

Yes, sir?

When I had the ice cream before,
this isn't the stuff I had.

But I like it, it's very good.
I like it very much.

Okay.

[KNOCKS]

How do you do, Miss Binks?
I got something to say to you, boy!

Just exactly what
are you trying to pull here?

I'm not trying to pull anything.
I was looking to find me a wife.

Ain't that just likely?

You wanna answer me something?

What kind of doctor are
you supposed to be anyhow?

Would you believe horse?

Ohh!

You make with witticisms
and all, huh?

You may think you're fooling Miss Joey
and her folks, but you ain't fooling me.

You're one of those
smooth-talking,

smart-ass niggers
just out for all you can get,

with your Black Power and all that
other trouble-making nonsense.

You listen here, I brought up that child,
and ain't nobody gonna harm her none.

As long as you're here, I'm right
here watching. You read me, boy?

You bring trouble, you'll know
what "black power" means!

And furthermore, you ain't
even all that good-looking!

[♪♪♪]

[ROCK 'N' ROLL MUSIC
PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]

That was very good. If I come in again,
remind me about the Oregon boysenberry.

Yeah, I sure will.
Thank you, sir.

Shall we take home
a couple quarts for dessert?

No. Tillie's baked some pies.

You stupid idiot!

You stupid idiot! Why can't
you look where you're going?

Your car's so low,
I couldn't see it.

Of course you didn't see me!
You weren't even looking!

Look what you did to my car!
All right, it's my fault. My insurance...

Who cares about your lousy insurance?
I worked over three months on that!

How much to have it repaired?
Look at it! Thirty or 40 bucks.

Stupid old man! You ought to be put
away someplace, in a home or something.

There's 50 bucks. Don't bother
to have it fixed. Buy a new one!

Some of these old guys,
they're senile!

Stupid old man!

There ought to be a law!
There ought to be a law!

What the hell is it today?

Less than 12 percent of the people
in this city are coloured people.

I can't even have a dish of Oregon boozenberry
without running into one of them!

[SINGING "GLORY OF LOVE"]

[BAND PLAYING]

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

I just can't tell you
how happy I am for you.

And the whole thing
having happened so quickly.

You remember what it was with Peter and me.
It took us three years to get married.

We'd been living together
for two of them.

To John and Joey.
John and Joanna.

He won't call me anything but Joanna.
I'm beginning to like it too.

To John and Joanna.

You know, where you're so lucky is
in Joey's folks. Joanna's folks.

You've only just met them,
but take my word for it,

Matt Drayton really stands
for something in this town.

It's always been a good paper.
And he made it what it is.

And there's never been a single public issue
on which Matt Drayton didn't take a stand.

JUDITH: When are you flying over?
Sometime next week?

As soon as I can
arrange everything.

Why aren't you flying
over with John?

Why am I not flying
over with you?

JUDITH: Is your passport in order?
Yes.

JUDITH: Need clothes or anything?
Nothing I couldn't get over there.

Then it seems crazy for both of you to go all
that way alone when you could go together.

Why don't you both leave tonight?
Why not?

Yes.

[ALL LAUGHING]

It's 6:00. In an hour they'll be here.
The doctor's plane leaves at 10:45.

No matter what it is or when you say it,
you have to tell them how you feel.

I need more than one day
to make a decision like that.

It's the silliest thing I ever
heard of. But I'll tell you this:

I am not gonna try to pretend
that I'm happy about it. I'm not.

If the doctor's decision depends
upon that, then it's too bad.

And I'm thinking only
of Joey's welfare.

I have nothing against him,
but he's a grown man,

and he behaved irresponsibly
by letting this thing happen.

Now he wants me to be
happy about a situation

when I know they'll both
get their brains knocked out!

Sorry, but that's the way I feel.
And I know how you're reacting.

You're so wrapped up
in Joey's excitement

that you are not behaving
in her best interest.

[♪♪♪]

Yes, Mom, but there wasn't any reason not to go
tonight. You can understand, can't you, Mom?

My passport's in order, I don't need
anything. I can pack in an hour.

I'll be with him. We'll be
together the whole time.

Mom, they're here.
I can see them.

They look like awfully nice
people. His mother looks lovely.

Break it to Dad
for me, will you?

Well...

I should've called you back again,
because there is one thing I...

I've been meaning to write to you.
There's one thing I didn't explain.

And I'm afraid it's gonna
be kind of a shock.

If you see what I mean.

Mom, Dad, this is
Joanna Drayton.

Joanna, my mom, my dad.

Mrs. Prentice, I'm so happy.

Miss Drayton? Drayton, yes.

JOEY: Mr. Prentice,
I'm very pleased to meet you.

I can explain.

I can imagine what's
going on in your mind,

but we can explain.

You can? Of course we can.

You have bags?

Of course you have bags.
Let's go get your bags.

Mama.

What did your folks say?
All's well.

Did you talk with your father?
To Mom, but she'll tell him.

Tonight?
I thought I ought to tell you.

This whole damn thing...
No, that's out of the question.

I couldn't do what you're about to do, so I don't
begin to understand how you propose to go about it.

You can't break their hearts over a drink
and then expect them to sit down to dinner.

Don't you think I know that?

I'll talk to the doctor after dinner.
Tell him exactly how I feel.

Matt, I'm not trying to argue.

There's nothing to say
that you don't know.

But it's important that you understand
just how wrong I think you...

I believe you're making
the worst mistake...

I think you'll regret it
for as long as you live.

You're as wrong as you can be.

I'm thinking of her. Even the doctor's
gonna know I'm thinking of her.

There's something else. I'm surprised
it hasn't occurred to you.

The doctor will accept whatever you say to
him because he's a terribly sensitive man

and because he said he would.

But Joey won't. Your mistake is in
underestimating your daughter.

She'll fight you and your whole
attitude and everything you do

and every argument
you ever try to give her.

And one thing more.

Until today I'd never have believed
I could say such a thing.

But when she fights you,
and for what it may be worth,

I'm going to be on her side.

I never would've believed
I'd hear you say a thing like that.

Damn it.

Can I get you another drink?
No, thanks. I'll get it myself.

[ALL CHATTERING]

I wish we had more time...

What were you gonna say?

I was gonna ask Miss Drayton
how her parents reacted to...

Yeah, I wanted to ask that too.
Please call me Joanna.

They were shaken. I don't think
I've seen them so surprised.

What really shook them was that I wanted to
marry anybody they hadn't even heard about.

I can't blame them
for being stunned.

Then you couldn't blame us
if we were a little stunned too.

I mean, I wouldn't appear
unreasonable if I suggested

that you two are behaving
like escaped lunatics.

Dad,

this whole thing happened so
quickly. It's like riding a rocket.

We didn't plan it that way,
it just happened that way.

It's hard on Joanna's folks,
and it'll be hard on you.

If you have any objections,
you'd better raise them in a hurry,

because in exactly four hours we're
gonna be on that plane and gone.

I can't list all my objections in four hours.
I think I'd need more like eight hours.

You've only got four hours, so you'll
just have to talk twice as fast.

[DOORBELL RINGS]

Christina!
Hello, darling. How are you?

Forgive me.
I'm a little bit early.

[SPEAKS IN LATIN]

Come in.

I don't like to be
always repeating myself,

but how long since I remarked

that you are the loveliest
woman I've ever known?

There is a kind of envy
that is in no way sinful.

That's what I've
always had for Matt.

What can I get you to drink?
I like Scotch.

But aren't we drinking wine?
Yes.

I'll have a drop of Scotch anyhow.
Equal amount of soda, please.

Thank you.

My dear, what's the matter?

We're in trouble, Mike.

We're in terrible trouble,
terrible trouble.

John told us, Matt and me,
that he wouldn't marry Joey

unless we approved the marriage
with no reservations whatever.

Joey doesn't know he said that.

Now she's decided to go
with him tonight.

They're on their way in from
the airport with John's parents.

Neither of them knows
that Matt has decided...

Well, Matt has decided
that he can't approve.

That's not true.
Please tell me it's not true.

Where is Matt?
He's upstairs, changing. He's...

He's not himself, Mike.

Oh.

Excuse me.

It's incredible!

Table all right?
It's fine, Tillie. Thank you.

Miss Christina,
what's gonna happen here?

I don't know, Tillie.
I just don't know.

You and Mr. Matt gonna put a stop
to this damn nonsense foolishness?

Tillie, I don't want
to put a stop to anything.

He's a fine man.
He's a wonderful man.

And Joey is very much
in love with him.

And it isn't just "damn
nonsense foolishness."

I tell you,
the way you're talking,

I don't understand
nothing no more.

Nobody understands
nothing no more.

MATT: No, I don't think you're butting
into something that doesn't concern...

Damn, blast these lousy...

I understand how you feel, Mike.
I understand how everybody feels.

But you have to understand something too.
They've boxed me into a hell of a corner here.

And no matter what Christina says, or what
you say, I won't behave irresponsibly.

I'm not gonna tell them they can't get
married. I don't even have the right.

But they don't have the right to come in here
and expect me to be happy about something...

Oh, for God's sake!

You're about to destroy
all the happiness there is

in one of the happiest
families I've ever known.

Have you any appreciation
at all for Christina?

Christina?

Have you any appreciation at all
of how she has behaved today?

She was all for it as though
there were no problems.

But there are no problems
they don't know about.

Christina respects Joey's
judgement more than you.

Oh, come off it! If Joey came home
with some fuzzy-wuzzy and said,

"Mom, this is the man for me,"
Christina would say, "How wonderful!

Where will we get enough roses
to fill the Rose Bowl?"

I'm trying to remember
where I've seen you so angry.

Oh, yes. When you took nine
shots on the seventh green.

Would you mind getting
the hell out of here?

I think I know why
you're angry too.

Not with the doctor, not with Joey
or Christina, not even with me.

You're angry with yourself.
You pontificating old poop!

You're angry because
suddenly you've been thrown.

You're the last man
I'd expect to behave this way.

You're not yourself!
You're off balance!

You don't know who you are, what
you are, or what you're doing.

That's your trouble. You've gone back on
yourself. In your heart, you know it.

There's a limit to what
I'll take, even from you!

For 30 years, there's been no man
I've admired or respected more.

You know that, Matt.

And for the first time in all those
30 years, I feel sorry for you.

Damn it, that's enough!

Are you really capable of putting
yourself in my position?

Unless you've got kids
of your own somewhere,

how could you know how a father
feels in this situation?

You don't know! I know they
won't have a dog's chance,

not in this country, not in
the whole stinking world!

They are this country, Matt.

They'll change
this stinking world.

In 50 years, maybe,
or 100 years,

but not in your lifetime.
Maybe not even in mine.

My dear friend,

I wish with all my heart
you could be restrained.

If I were 10 years younger, to
prevent you from going downstairs,

I'd make an effort
to wrestle you to the floor.

That'll be the day.
That will be the day.

[CAR HORN HONKING]

Is that the car?
Did you hear a car?

Mrs. Prentice.
I'm Christina Drayton.

How do you do?

How do you do?
I'm so pleased to meet you.

Let me take your coat and hat.
And yours, Mrs. Prentice?

How good of you to come
all this long way. Do go in.

What did Dad say? Did you tell him?
Was he shaken?

Well, it was a surprise.

Does he wanna talk to me?

I'm sure he does, later.
Please come in.

May I get you a drink?
May I have some sherry, please?

What a lovely room.
John, would you be bartender?

Shall we sit over here?

What will you have, Dad? Bourbon?
Thank you.

MRS. PRENTICE: You have such a
magnificent view, Mrs. Drayton.

Thank you. Please sit down.

Sit down, Mr. Prentice.

Did you have a pleasant flight?

Very pleasant, thank you.

The view of the sunset
was breathtaking.

Only took 40 minutes.
Four hundred miles.

It's incredible, isn't it?

[CLEARS THROAT]

My husband will be down directly, I think.
He's upstairs changing.

And we have a friend coming
to dinner, Monsignor Ryan.

They'll be down in a minute.
Mrs. Prentice. Mom.

Here you are, Dad. Thanks, son.

Are you Catholics, Mrs. Drayton?

No, we're not, Mr. Prentice.

I'm afraid we're nothing in particular. Monsignor
Ryan just happens to be an old friend.

Do you come often
to San Francisco?

I've got to talk to your father.
There he is.

Dad, I'd like you to meet
Mr. And Mrs. Prentice.

This is my father.
Mrs. Prentice, nice to meet you.

How do you do?

Mr. Prentice, happy to meet you.
May I present Monsignor Ryan?

How do you do? How do you do?

Glad to meet you, sir.

Are you and John tending bar?
Yes.

We're both drinking Scotch.
Coming up.

Sit down, sit down.
Sit down there, Mike.

Well...

Did you have a nice flight
from Los Angeles?

Oh, yes. Very nice flight.

TOGETHER: Only 40 minutes.

Only 40 minutes from Los Angeles.
Terrifying.

If you're going to talk about flying,
you could talk about flying to Geneva,

because John and I are hoping to persuade all
four of you to fly over for the wedding.

Would anybody like to talk about that
before I go up and start packing?

I take it they've told you
all about their plans.

Of course we have. It's only when you're
eloping that you keep it a secret.

I don't know about you,
Mr. Prentice,

but it seems to me that these two
are rushing it just a little bit.

It seemed that way to me too.

It seems like that to you too?
That's right.

Mm-hm. I'm certainly
relieved to hear that.

I was beginning to think
I was the only one...

I would like Mrs. Prentice
to see the view.

What are you talking
about? What view?

From the terrace,
before it gets too cold.

Would you care to see the view?
Yes, thank you. I would.

Good. Excuse us. Bring
your drink, that's fine.

Mrs. Prentice, have you had any
chance to speak privately with John?

Well, no.

It's important you understand
what's happened here,

and what I'm terribly
afraid is going to happen.

May I explain the situation
to you, or try to?

Yes, please. I wish you would.
First I have to ask you...

Forgive my being so
abrupt and so direct.

Are you shocked by the fact

that John, your son,
is involved with a white girl?

Yes, surprised.

It never happened before.

I guess it never occurred to me
that such a thing might happen.

But it wouldn't be true
to say that I'm shocked.

Are you, Mrs. Drayton?

Well, I think I was at first,
this afternoon,

because it came as
a surprise to us too.

But now I know how
they feel about each other.

Joey's very young, Mrs. Prentice,
but she's not a child.

And they're deeply
in love with each other.

Are you about to tell me that
you'd approve the marriage,

but that your husband
won't? Is that it?

Yes, that's it.

My husband won't either.

I wish there were more time,
just to adjust to the situation,

but there just isn't any time.

If we're going to accept the
thing at all, it seems to me,

we'll have to trust
the two of them

and accept that they
know what they're doing.

And, Mrs. Drayton, my
husband just won't do that.

They seem to be having
quite a conversation out there.

It might do no harm if we had
a few words, Mr. Drayton.

Yes, sure.

We can go into my study.
Will you excuse us, please?

Doc, you'll excuse us, please?

I'll have another drink,
if you will.

Another? No.

If you'll excuse me, I'll go up
and throw a few things together,

like for the next 10 years.

Mr. Drayton...

I don't know you at all, and I
certainly wouldn't wanna offend you,

but are you some kind of a nut?

Are you telling me
that you approve of this?

I wasn't going to tell you that.

Because if you do, you may
be a big newspaper publisher,

and I'm nothing but a pensioned-off
mailman, but you are out of your mind!

I have a good idea of what
my father is saying to him.

I wish I knew.

You were talking
with him upstairs.

Have you any idea what Mr.
Drayton is saying to my father?

I can tell you one thing.

I was sorry to hear that you intend
to withdraw from the situation

if you encounter any opposition.

She's up there packing.

John, your mother
would like to speak to you.

This is a mess. Where's Joey?
She's upstairs.

I'm going up.

Everything is ready when you are.
We're not ready, Tillie.

Well, what you're saying is you
feel practically the same as I do.

That's right. But even so, you know,
this is a hell of an unhappy situation

for both your son
and my daughter.

I think it'd be best if you
talked to John yourself.

Hmm.

I said that if they didn't
approve, there'd be no marriage.

I set the terms, Mama.
They don't disapprove.

Only Mr. Drayton. Are you sure?

She said she'd even
drive you to the airport.

John, I've lived with your
father for almost 40 years.

God willing,
there'll be a lot more.

And even though I've only known
about this situation for one hour,

I feel the same way
Mrs. Drayton does.

She says Joanna
will never give you up.

I guess it depends upon
how much you want her.

Want her?

I want her, Mama.

You know what it's been like
for me these past eight years?

I felt like I never
wanted anybody again.

But, Mama,

these last few days with her,

it's like I'm alive again.
It's love.

MATT: Excuse me, doctor.

[♪♪♪]

Your father wants to talk to you.
Does he?

He's in my study.

I've been talking to your
husband, Mrs. Prentice.

He seems pretty much
upset by all this.

I know. Your wife says
you are too, Mr. Drayton.

Not upset, exactly. It's a
very difficult problem.

For whom? For you
and my husband?

I think you'll solve
your problem.

All you have to do is tell them
you're against them. That's all.

And you'll have no problem.

You're not telling me
you're happy about this?

This is not a night for
talking about happiness.

This is an unhappy night.

You talked to Christina.
I know how she feels.

Can you imagine for one minute
that I want to see them hurt?

No. No more than
my husband does.

But hurt they're going to be,

worse than my husband knows.

I think worse than you know too.

He's as much against this
as I am, maybe more.

Son, you've got to listen. I'm not
telling you how to live your life,

but you never made
a mistake like this.

You've been nothing but a source of pride
for me and your mother your whole life.

But you don't know
what you're doing!

This affair happened too fast,
you said so yourself.

You've got to stop and think! Have you
thought what people would say about you?

In 16 or 17 states you'd be breaking
the law. You'd be criminals.

And say they changed the law, that don't
change the way people feel about this thing.

For a man who never put a wrong foot
anywhere, you're way out of line, boy!

That's for me to decide, man.

Shut up and let me...
Don't say that to me!

You have no right
after what I've been to you.

You know that and I know that.
I know what you made of yourself,

but I worked my ass off
to buy the chances you had!

You know how far I carried
that bag in 30 years?

Seventy-five thousand miles.
And mowing lawns in the dark

so you wouldn't be stoking furnaces
and could bear down on the books.

There were things your mother should have
had that she insisted go instead for you.

And I don't mean fancy things.
I mean a decent coat. A lousy coat!

You'll say that means nothing?
You'll break your mother's heart?

What happens to men
when they grow old?

[♪♪♪]

Why do they forget everything?

I believe those two young
people need each other

like they need the air
to breathe in.

Anybody can see that
by just looking at them.

But you and my husband,

you might as well be blind men.

You can only see
that they have a problem.

But do you really know
what's happened to them,

how they feel about each other?

I believe that men grow old,

and when sexual things
no longer matter to them,

they forget it all,
forget what true passion is.

If you ever felt what my son

feels for your daughter, you've forgotten
everything about it. My husband too.

You knew once, but that
was a long time ago.

Now the two of you don't know.

And the strange thing
for your wife and me

is that you don't even remember.

If you did, how could you
do what you are doing?

I don't care what your mother says. Maybe she's
gone haywire too. This is between you and me.

That's the first thing you've said that makes any
sense, because that's exactly where it's at.

And what I mean to say...
You've said what you had to say.

You listen to me.

You say you don't want to
tell me how to live my life?

So, what have you been doing?

You tell me what rights I've got or
haven't got and what I owe to you.

Let me tell you something.
I owe you nothing.

If you carried that bag a million miles,
you did what you were supposed to do.

Because you brought me
into this world.

And from that day, you owed me
everything you could ever do for me,

like I will owe my son if I ever
have another. But you don't own me!

You can't tell me when
or where I'm out of line,

or make me live by your rules.

You don't even know
what I am, Dad.

You don't know who I am.
How I feel, what I think!

And if I tried to explain it the rest of
your life, you will never understand.

You are 30 years
older than I am.

You and your whole lousy generation believes the
way it was for you is the way it's got to be!

And not until your whole
generation has lain down and died

will the dead weight
of you be off our backs!

You understand?
You've got to get off my back!

[♪♪♪]

Dad.

You're my father.

I'm your son. I love you.

I always have and I always will.

But you think of yourself
as a coloured man.

I think of myself as a man.

Now, I've got a
decision to make.

And I've got to make it alone,
and I've got to make it in a hurry.

So...

would you go out there
and see after my mother?

Ooh, Mom!

[♪♪♪]

CHRISTINA: Oh, darling!

Talk John's parents
into flying over with you.

It would mean so much to John,
and I know they can afford it.

John's father will make
it rough for him.

Did you see his expression
when he went to talk with Dad?

But isn't she lovely?
Don't you like her already?

Yes, darling, I do.
She's a good one.

When John's father saw that
I was white, I thought he'd faint.

What about your own father?
Yes. That was funny, wasn't it?

Mom, isn't this thrilling?
Aren't you just...?

Yes, darling, I am just...

[♪♪♪]

I should be able to say
something to you, Mrs. Prentice.

In my trade there are a hundred
clichéd phrases of comfort,

for every human condition.

But in the midst of this
heartbreaking distress,

I must admit I'm
completely stumped.

There's simply nothing
I could say.

Mary, you've got to understand...
Please, John.

The monsignor is right.
Please, say no more.

I'll be a son of a bitch.

Close the door, Mr. Drayton.

You didn't have the guts
to tell me face to face?

Before you start telling me
how much guts I've got,

I told you I'd have
something to say.

Now I'm ready to say it.

Are you going to stay in here?

Joey.

You know that I'm completely
sympathetic, don't you?

You know that I have no
reservations about anything.

And that whatever makes you
happy is my happiness too.

Of course I know that.

Then listen to me, darling.

There's something I have to
tell you about this situation,

which you don't really...

MATT: Christina!
What are you doing up there?

Joey! Come on down here,
both of you!

How about your glasses? Can I get
you a drink, Mr. Or Mrs. Prentice?

No, thank you.
John? Mike? No, you've had enough.

Dad. What's going on?

MATT: There's something
I want to say.

I'd like you to sit down and see if you
can keep quiet. Please, sit down, John.

Sit down, Chris, please.

I have a few things to say, and you
might just think they're important.

It's been a strange day.
That's not putting it too strongly.

I might even say it's been
an extraordinary day.

I've been thinking about the day
and the way it has gone,

and it seems to me that now

I need to make a few
personal statements

for a variety of reasons.

The day began for me when
I came in and Tillie said to me...

Excuse me. Tillie!

This'll only take a second.

Everything's been ready...
All right, Tillie. Sit down.

This is Miss Matilda Binks,

who's been a member
of this family for 22 years.

And who today has made a great
deal of trouble. Sit down.

Now, the minute I walked into
this house this afternoon,

Miss Binks said to me,
"All hell done broke loose now."

I asked her, naturally enough,
to what she referred,

and she said,
"You'll see." And I did.

After some preliminary guessing games,
at which I was never very good,

it was explained by my daughter
that she intended to get married,

and that her intended was a
young man whom I'd never met

who happened to be a Negro.

I think it's fair to say that
I responded to this news

in the same manner that any normal
father would respond to it,

unless, of course, his daughter
happened to be a Negro too.

In a word, I was flabbergasted.

And while I was
still being flabbergasted,

I was informed by my daughter,
a very determined young woman,

much like her mother,
that the marriage was on

no matter what her mother
and I might feel about it.

Then the next rather startling
development occurred, when you said

that unless we, her mother and I,
approved of the marriage,

there would be no marriage.

You didn't.
What a funny thing to do.

Joey.

This may be the last chance I'll ever
have to tell you to do anything.

So I'm telling you, shut up.

Now, it became clear
that we had one single day

in which to make up our minds as to how
we felt about this whole situation.

So, what happened?
My wife, typically enough,

decided to ignore every
practical aspect of the situation

and was carried away in some kind of a
romantic haze, which made her, in my view,

totally inaccessible to
anything in the way of reason.

I have not as yet referred
to His Reverence,

who began by forcing
his way into the situation,

and then insulting my intelligence
by mouthing 300 platitudes,

and ending just a half-hour ago
by coming to my room

and challenging me
to a wrestling match.

What time is your plane? 10:45.

Right.

Now, Mr. Prentice,
clearly a most reasonable man,

says he has no wish to offend me
but wants to know if I'm a nut.

Mrs. Prentice says that,
like her husband,

I'm a burned-out shell of a man
who cannot remember what it's like

to love a woman the way
her son loves my daughter.

And strange as it seems,

that's the first statement
made to me all day

with which I'm prepared
to take issue.

Because I think you're wrong.
You're as wrong as you could be.

I admit that I hadn't
considered it,

but I know exactly
how he feels about her.

And there is absolutely nothing
that your son feels for my daughter

that I didn't feel
for Christina.

Old, yes.

Burned-out, certainly.

But I can tell you,
the memories are still there.

Clear, intact, indestructible.

They'll be there if I live to be 110.
Where John made his mistake

was attaching so much importance to
what her mother and I might think.

Because in the final analysis it
doesn't matter a damn what we think.

The only thing that matters
is what they feel

and how much they feel
for each other.

And if it's half
of what we felt...

that's everything.

As for you two and the problems you're going
to have, they seem almost unimaginable.

But you'll have
no problem with me.

And I think that when
Christina and I and your mother

have some time to work on him, you'll
have no problem with your father, John.

But you do know, I'm sure you
know, what you're up against.

There'll be 100 million people
right here in this country

who'll be shocked and offended
and appalled at the two of you.

And the two of you will
just have to ride that out,

maybe every day
for the rest of your lives.

You can try to ignore
those people,

or even feel sorry for them and for
their prejudices and their bigotry

and their blind hatreds
and stupid fears,

but where necessary, you'll just
have to cling tight to each other

and say,
"Screw all those people."

Anybody could make a case, and a hell of a
good case, against your getting married.

The arguments are so obvious
that nobody has to make them.

But you're two wonderful people

who happened to fall in love

and happened to have
a pigmentation problem.

I think that now, no matter what kind
of a case some bastard could make

against your getting married,
there would be only one thing worse.

And that would be if,
knowing what you two are,

knowing what you two have,

and knowing what you two feel,

you didn't get married.

Well, Tillie. When the hell
are we gonna get some dinner?

["GLORY OF LOVE" PLAYING]