Original subtitles

(tranquil orchestra music)

- [Todd] Does a man ever forget?

Does he ever completely get over

that first fierce, bittersweet crush?

That first love?

I haven't, I remember, and in a way,

I still love Rosemarie Brown.

It was my second year at Yale.

A musical, Moonbeams, opened in New Haven

for a one week run before moving on

to the main event, Broadway.

I was there opening night.

House lights, overture, curtain, it opened big.

A production number with girls, girls, girls,

and there she was.

Not the fabled, perfect creature,

maybe not even beautiful, but alive.

Oh, wonderfully alive and all the rest.

She danced right through the proscenium

through the darkened theater,

touched me, and I was in love.

I went the whole route.

First row, center seat reserved for the entire run,

including Wednesday and Saturday matinee.

Roses backstage after every performance with a card

expressing undying endearments in deadly verse,

unsigned, of course.

And every night after the show hanging at the stage door,

for just one last look, just one knee-buckling whiff

of her perfume as she wisped by on that handsome arm

of that older gentleman.

He must have been all of 28.

Dave Mann was that older gentleman.

He was just a chorus boy in Moonbeams

but even then, everybody said he was a big talent

destined to go places but destiny is a dark, twisting road.

That's Dave Mann, at least the earthly remains of.

Day before yesterday,

in an unending alcoholic-induced nightmare,

he died screaming.

Rosemarie and that's Marty, an agent and a nice guy.

He got Dave his picture contract.

Got Dave Mann into the big time, the big money.

When Dave Mann hit the booze-greased skids

and toppled Humpty-Dumpty from the pinnacle,

it was the dumb, sweet little chorus girl

who stuck all the way.

All the way to the bottom, until death did them part.

- For the end of man is peace.

The Lord redeemeth the soul of his service.

None of them that trust in him shall be desolate, Amen.

- I can't cry.

I've got no more tears.

- You've cried enough already.

Now it's over, it's done.

I'll take you home.

- It's not right.

You'd think someone would have remembered

from the studios or one of the shows, somebody.

It's not right.

- Come darling, come, it's finished.

(dramatic orchestra music)

(car door shuts)

- [Buzz] I think maybe it's better if I just wait here.

- Come on in.

- I don't really know the girl.

- Come on, will ya?

I need the support.

- Okay.

(doorbell buzzes)

(doorbell buzzes)

- Yes?

- [Todd] Rosemarie, it's Todd Stiles.

- Todd?

- Hi, can we come in?

You remember Buzz?

- Yes, I wanna thank you for the flowers.

- [Todd] Sure.

- For remembering, and you.

Look, I'm not feeling very well tonight.

- We were hoping you'd have dinner with us.

- Oh, I couldn't.

- Marty told me since the funeral,

you've just been sitting in the apartment

and not eating, not talking.

Rosemarie, you can't just drift.

- Why not?

(door bangs)

Dave's dead.

I don't have a cunning drunk to miss, to sober up,

to clean up after, to cry over.

Dave's dead, I'm free.

Free to drift.

- Well, tonight you drift with us.

Place called Lucy's, they've got great steak and spaghetti.

- And spumoni.

- I couldn't.

- Once you asked me to dinner.

I didn't turn you down, remember?

It was closing night in New Haven.

I came into the theater and the doorman handed me a card

inviting me backstage after the performance.

Rosemarie Brown wanted to meet me.

So um, after the final curtain,

I walked into the magic of backstage,

you came to meet me, took my hand, and said,

- Todd, where should we have dinner tonight?

- And we dined.

Not just a dinner, Buzz, we dined.

And danced cheek to cheek until Good Night, Ladies.

(laughs)

Good Night, Ladies, dim the lights, and you kissed me.

I told you I'd never forget.

I never have.

Come on, please.

We'll be in the car out front.

- Steak, spaghetti, and spumoni.

Wow.

- Yeah.

- How old is she?

- Not old, 30 maybe.

- In the eyes, she looks 100.

All of a sudden, all like she left Shangri-La, twice.

(upbeat jazz)

- Stomach shrunk.

- [Todd] You did fine.

Ready for coffee?

How about some brandy?

- Oh no, thank you.

- [Buzz] Doctor's orders.

One brandy, please.

- [Todd] Coffee and brandy for the lady.

- You know, I never was very bright.

Dave always used to say

the only brains I had were in my feet.

- [Todd] Well, he was wrong.

- Maybe.

I must say, right now I am pretty mixed up.

Mind if I ask you a question?

- [Todd] Go.

- Why are you doing all this for me?

- Simple, we want to.

- Todd, it was such a long time ago.

And you, Buzz, you don't even know me.

- The question is not why, the question is what?

What are you gonna do now?

- The only thing I know about is dancing.

Most people, when they think back,

they remember things like a toy or a best friend

or things like that.

Me, all I remember is dancing.

Up on toes at two doing a specialty to Glow Worm.

- A specialty to Glow Worm?

(laughs)

- [Buzz] That I have to see.

- Oh, mother still has the pictures of it on her wall.

Ms. Brown's Academy of Dancing, Chelsea.

You know, the arty part of London.

I was mother's star pupil.

Not that she had to push me, she didn't.

Right from the start, I loved it.

Right from the start, I was very lucky.

I remember when I arrived in Broadway in a touring company.

New York was easy for me.

First time round, I had a routine right up.

Whenever I was free and there was a new show,

I was always on the call.

It was lovely, I loved it.

I was very, very happy.

- Why'd you give it up?

- Dave didn't want me to dance.

He said it wasn't right for an important actor's wife

to be hoofing in a line.

Oh, he helped me, honest.

He got me some bits and he even coached me himself

but it was no good, too dumb.

I guess I'm just a dancer.

- Just a dancer?

That's kind of like a lot, isn't it?

- I remember as if it was yesterday.

Dave woke up and looked around.

This time, we had the big house in Beverly,

the pool, the servants, convertible in the garage.

Oh, everything that Dave thought he wanted.

He looked around and Dave said,

"Why ain't I happy?

"Baby, why ain't I happy?"

I didn't have the answer.

So, Dave started to look for happiness.

One day, he looked into a bottle.

- Okay, tomorrow morning, Television City,

ready to audition at 10 sharp.

- Guaranteed 39 weeks in a big production line.

- I couldn't.

Look at me, not now, I couldn't.

- I think you could.

- I own a mirror and I have eyes.

- So do I.

- Oh look, it's been seven or eight years for me.

Working in a line,

a girl's gotta be in shape, fantastic shape.

- [Buzz] Get in shape.

- Oh yes, just like that.

(fingers snap)

- Just like that.

- Confidentially, you can't miss.

The producer's a leg man.

- Don't.

- [Todd] He is.

- How would you know?

- How would I know?

"How would I know," she says.

It just so happens, we work with him everyday.

- You're kidding.

- Oh yes, ma'am, we work at CBS.

- So, tomorrow morning, dressed and ready to go at 10.

Will you try?

- I couldn't.

Could I?

(upbeat orchestral music)

- Mr. Benjamin?

- Mmm?

- [Driver] We're here, sir.

- Mm hmm.

- Good morning, Mr. Benjamin. (door buzzing)

- Mmm.

(suspenseful music)

(piano dragging)

- [Mr. Benjamin] Sorry.

- Mr. Benjamin--

- Tomorrow.

Now, young man, if you think, alright what do you want?

- Well, he wants to talk to you, sir.

- Hmm?

Make it good.

Well, make it fast.

- Well, we have this friend, this girl--

- What girl?

Huh?

Don't tell me, I don't wanna know.

The sea's full of sharks and I've got only one lifeboat.

- I beg your pardon?

- Now look, kid, you've got a girl, yeah?

You wanna do her favors.

Alright, give her money, don't get her in show business.

- Well, she is in show business.

At least, she used to be and she was very good, a real pro.

- Well if she's so great, why don't she audition?

- Because her name isn't on your list at the door.

Yeah, if you could just add her name, you know.

No favors, just a tryout.

- Alright, go down and tell Arty

to put her name down on the list

and if he gives you a beef just tell him to call me up.

- Oh, thank you very much, thank you.

- And remember, no favors.

She makes, she makes, she doesn't--

- Sure.

- Absolutely.

- Mm-Hmm.

(mumbling)

- Good morning, sir.

I see we've got you talking to yourself again.

- Ah, this year's worse.

- How could it be?

- This year, even the stagehands

want their girls in the show.

(upbeat orchestra music)

(tranquil orchestra music)

- Arty?

- Oh no, not again.

- Yes, again. - Just try once more, will ya?

- Well, I don't have to look but Brown as in brown.

No, no show.

- I'm gonna go get her.

- Hey, wait a minute, it's 10 o'clock.

All you're gonna accomplish is get yourself fired.

- So, I'll get fired.

- Never get her back in time anyway.

- [Todd] All I can do is try.

- [Rosemarie] Paul!

- Come on.

- I'm scared.

- I know you're scared, come on.

- I can't, honest, I can't.

- There's no such word.

- I've been standing here for a half hour

watching all the kids go in.

I don't like 100 of them,

young and full of zip, all of them great.

- So are you.

Come on, try, for me.

(dramatic orchestra music)

(chattering)

- Better hurry up, sweetie, that Kelly can be a monster.

- [Joy] Darlings.

- How did you get out of bed so early, Joy, darling?

- It wasn't easy.

(chattering)

- I'm ready.

- Always.

(chattering)

- Here, let me help you.

She shows up for an audition,

everyone else is strictly second best.

Have to admit, though,

she's really a great dancer, fabulous.

Hey, suck in, will ya?

- [Woman] Okay, girls, (clapping)

Come on, let's go, on stage.

On stage, everybody, let's go, come on.

(chattering)

- Hurry up.

- [Man] I wish we had jobs for all of you but we don't.

Our line is 10 girls, one swing.

That's the budget.

Now, what I want...

Welcome aboard, Cinderella.

(group laughs)

- Nice guy.

- Yeah, just what she needed.

- There's your man.

Say hello to Benny.

(Group) Hi, Benny!

- If you have your own lead sheet, let him have it.

If not, don't worry about it, he'll wing it for ya.

And when you get up to bat,

show me your best stuff first, right off.

Let me have at least a full minute.

If I want more, I'll ask for it

and please, please do not waste time.

This is television.

We open up to like 40 or 50 million people

two weeks from Sunday.

Alright, girls, (clapping)

move over to the side, the girls--

- Have no fear, old Pete Marlin is here.

(laughs)

Girls, girls, girls.

(laughs)

Come, dance with me,

oh dance with me. (group laughs)

Girls, girls, girls.

- [Man] When you're through, let me know Steve,

so I can go to work.

- Come da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-dance, dance dance with me.

Hi.

- Hello, Pete.

- Have no fear, Zip is here!

(laughs)

Whoops, excuse me, alright dancing girls, attention.

I want your height, weight, measurements,

and service number, I mean telephone number.

(laughs)

Jammed up the joke, I said, yes.

38-28-38, ha, you'll do, number please?

Number, the number, the number, number?

- Hollywood.

- Hollywood.

- 24699.

- 24699, good girl.

Now, don't call us, we'll call you.

Oh, we will call you, yes.

- Next.

(exasperatedly groans)

- [Man] Hey, Zip!

On the double, hop, two, three, four.

(laughs)

Character, he kills me.

(group laughs)

(punches loudly)

(Pete laughs)

He kills me.

(Pete laughs)

- Number, please?

- This is a friend, stupid.

- Sorry.

- Well, we better let Kelly get the show on the road

before he beats me up.

Good luck to you, Rosemarie.

- [Rosemarie] Thanks.

- Come on, stupid. - Ow, ow!

- About Dave, gee, I'm sorry.

I wish I could have been there just for old time's sake

but you know how it is.

- I know how it is.

- Don't you worry about a thing.

I'm gonna put the good word in with the guy for you.

- Thanks, Pete, I sure can use it.

(claps)

- [Man] Alright, alright, let's go to work, huh?

Now, you make some room over there.

Alright good, back up.

First, we'll start with uh--

- See that one I was just gassing?

Out, O-U-D-T, out, you got it, Najinski?

(dramatic orchestral music)

(sultry piano music)

(clapping and laughing)

- Yeah, like too much, man, huh?

Too much.

- Thank you, have a seat, ma'am.

Okay, next.

Next?

Alright now, look girls.

I know it's a tough act to follow, but uh...

Uh, thank you, uh?

- Maxine.

- Okay.

(taps)

Let's go, Max.

(snapping fingers)

- Little jazz, Benny.

- [Benny] One, two, three, four.

(jazzy upbeat piano)

- You know something?

I'm beginning to like this job.

- Like it?

I'm thinking of making it my life's work.

- Short but swinging life of Todd Stiles?

- Mm-Hmm, as they say though, what a way to go.

- Yes, indeed.

- Hey, that's very good.

You study with Bickford?

- Two years.

- Uh-Huh, okay Max, you got the job.

- Thanks.

- Next.

(upbeat jazz piano)

- No, sorry.

Alright, next.

(elegant piano music)

- No, that's all, thank you.

Next.

(upbeat piano music)

That's very nice, have a seat.

(elegant piano music)

Yeah, that's very pretty.

Thank you, have a seat.

Miss?

Oh come on, it's past lunch time.

Will ya, please?

- Could I have something fast tempo, please?

(upbeat piano music)

- No, no, no, that's alright, sorry.

Thank you.

- Kelly, Kelly?

- Yes, Sam?

- Hire her.

- Who?

- Her, Rosemarie, wait.

- Sam, wait a minute.

You saw the girl.

- Alright Kelly, a favor.

- This from the man with only one lifeboat?

- Mm-Hmm.

- But Sam, she's a lox.

- With work, she'll be alright.

- [Kelly] Never.

- And if not, well you always got a swing girl.

- But, Sam...

- But, but, but, well, but what?

- Pete.

- Pete?

What about Pete?

- Yeah, what about Pete?

Make with the words, Najinski.

- Pete wants that one out.

- An old friend like you, who needs enemies?

- Well, you saw her, pathetic.

She'd ruin the whole line.

- Oh well, it's the show you are thinking about.

- What else?

- What else?

I'll tell you what else, old friend.

You just can't stand having anybody around

who remembers you when, that's what.

How many times did Rosemarie

lend you and the bum she married hamburger and rent money?

Oh, of course, now, now you should pay her back.

Well, I'm still here, Pete.

And I still remember you when.

I remember him scrounging for bits

and running to buy cigarettes for the headliners.

Yes, I remember.

- Long as your remember so good, Sam,

just remember I'm the star of the show.

- So, star, get me Brigoose.

- Uh-Uh, I don't want her.

- Tough.

- Look, Sam, if I walk, you ain't got no show.

(Sam chuckles)

I'm not going to talk to you.

If you had any decency, but you wouldn't understand that

but let's just talk muscle.

How are you on your contract?

You don't own mine.

Go ahead, go ahead, walk.

Yes, you're right, you're right.

There won't be any show

but this I promise you, you don't work.

You don't do a walk-on.

You don't make a nickel, not one for the next five years.

I can afford it, can you?

You're gonna take the girls to lunch like a big man.

Go ahead, I'll be back and then you do work at 1 o'clock.

Get her, Kelly, go ahead.

I'll take care of myself, excuse me.

(slow orchestra music)

Rosemarie, just wanted the pleasure

of telling you myself, you're hired.

- Oh, thank you.

- No, don't thank me.

These two stagehands,

they were your underside, they did, so...

- Stagehands?

I really will try my best.

- You always did, darling.

- [Mr. Anderson] Stiles, Murdoch!

- Right, Mr. Anderson.

(fast orchestra music)

- Bah-Bah-Bah-Bum-Bum-Bah- Bah-bum-bah-Rah

Rah-bum-bah-bah-rah!

Alright, let's take it again, Benny.

(upbeat jazz music)

(fingers snap)

No, no, no, the left foot.

It starts with the left foot.

And one and two, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-boom.

Now, do you think you can get that, Cinderella?

Alright, let's get this straight, everybody.

Before five o'clock, we're gonna have this routine,

the whole routine, do you understand?

Let's go.

(upbeat jazz music)

And ho-dee-dah, you got it?

Alright, let's go.

(upbeat jazz music)

- What if she doesn't make it?

- Murder?

- Alright, stay with it.

- He'll be back.

- So will I.

(upbeat jazz music)

(claps) - No, no, hold it, hold it.

Tag stinks.

You gotta drive into it, put some strength in those arms.

And bah-bah-bah-bah-sha-shoo-shoo-s!

The end, alright?

Come on, let's take the tag again, Benny?

- [Sam] Kelly?

- Yeah?

(snaps)

Alright, girls, that's it.

That's all for today.

Nine o'clock sharp tomorrow

and get to bed early.

- Gave her a nice workout there, kid.

- I gave them all a nice workout, Pete.

- She won't be back tomorrow, that's for sure.

(laughs)

- Look, let's understand one thing.

No matter how tough I am on those kids,

no matter how hard I drive them,

it has nothing to do with you, do you understand?

Nothing to do with Sam,

nothing to do with that girl as a person.

It's for me, I want the best, Pete.

- Go, make good, kid, be my guest.

(slow orchestral music)

- Come on.

- Hollywood 24699.

- Buzz and I will pick you up here at the talent entrance

just to make sure you get home and get something to eat.

- I'll get home all right.

- Yeah, but will you eat?

- Yes, I'll eat.

(chattering)

- Right now, I could eat about six pounds of steak.

I'm absolutely famished.

Are you okay?

- Listen, sweetie, first thing you do when you get home,

hot tub and soak.

- And lots of hot tea with lemon.

I've gotta go.

- Me too, take care now.

(slow orchestra music)

- [Rosemarie] Go away!

Let me die, let me die.

- Come on, Rosemarie, try it again.

- Stop, you, I can't even walk.

- Okay, well just rest a while.

- We'll just all quit.

One of the troubles with love is it makes you soft.

It makes you choose the easy way out for somebody.

- What do you mean easy way out?

Look at her.

- I am looking and I see a winner.

Rosemarie, the day before yesterday at the restaurant,

you asked me, "Why?"

And you said I don't even know you.

Well, I know what you went through

and I know how crippled up and hurt you are

but I still figure you're a winner.

Why don't you look around you?

The world's full of losers.

It takes character to win.

That's a big word, character.

It means will, determination, guts, purpose, and fortitude.

But above all, it means no outs,

not even blistered feet and them torn muscles.

Now, you've got outs if you want them

but it's up to you, not me,

not Todd, not anybody, you.

You wanna quit?

- Will, dedication, no outs, words.

It's easy for you to talk.

What do you know about me?

What do you know about the last eight years of my life?

Trying to stop a man from destroying himself,

killing himself inch by inch.

The nights and the days, I'd have to watch over him.

Never being able to go out for a walk,

never being able to see sane people.

One day I went out, I went out for 20 minutes, that's all.

When I got back, I had to drag him off the bed

and beat out the burning clothes with my bare hands.

Other times, I had to run out and not once but 20 times,

run out in the street, leaving in the night half-dressed

to keep him from killing me

in one of his drunken nightmares.

Run and come back and run and come back

(screaming) and run and come back.

What do you know about courage?

(slow orchestra music)

I stayed, I stuck it out.

Right or wrong, but I've got no more left.

Or in your book, is no one allowed to go bankrupt?

Not even torn muscles and blistered feet, you say?

Well, I'm the one that went

to that torture session yesterday

and I'm the one that's gonna face it

again today, not you, me!

(chattering)

- Alright girls, let's go.

Good morning, Sam.

(claps)

You're late, Cinderella.

- I'm sorry, Mr. Kelly, it won't happen again.

- Alright, let's get to work.

We'll take it right from the top.

Here we go, Benny.

(upbeat jazz music)

- Yeah, ha ha!

(claps)

What's the matter, Pete?

Don't you recognize class, real class when you see it, huh?

(claps)

Yeah, honey!

(claps)

Say, not bad, uh...

- Rosemarie.

- Rosie, yeah.

Hey, you been trained good.

- Thank you.

- In fact, you are good.

- Someone once said the only brains I had

were on my feet.

(laughs)

Still, I suppose it's better than having no brains at all.

- Yeah.

Girls, let's take it again from the top.

Here we go.

(snaps)

(upbeat jazz music)

(audience applause)

(audience applause)

(audience applause)

(upbeat orchestra music)

- [Announcer] This has been a Screen Gems Film Presentation

from Columbia Pictures.

Herbert B. Leonard, Executive Producer.