Voila! Finally, the Grey Gardens
script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the Edith Bouvier Beale
movie. This script is a transcript that was painstakingly
transcribed using the screenplay and/or viewings of Grey Gardens. I know, I know, I still need to get the cast names in there and I'll be eternally
tweaking it, so if you have any corrections, feel free to
drop me a line. You won't
hurt my feelings. Honest.
[ Mrs. Beale ]
What are you doing down there ?
Just standing there ?
- [ David Maysles ]
Just filming the main room.
- [ Edie ] Whiskers!
[ Mrs. Beale ]
Well; did you know that
Whiskers has disappeared?
-A cat got out.
I'm trying to get him in.
-[ David ] Has he ? Ah.
Yeah, we don't know how he got out.
I think he got out in that hole there.
- No; I knew they were coming; and I--
- I think he got out in that hole.
- He can jump up there.
- I knew they were coming and--
Yeah. No, he got out
in that hole, Edie.
I put them all out.
You told me to.
No, dearie, he got out
in the hole, babe.
''Take the cats out; ''you said.
- Did you hear what I said, woman ?
- What ?
He got out in this hole here.
That was the noise we heard.
That raccoon did that to my new wall.
Isn't that terrible ?
They'll have the whole house
down soon.
[ Edie ]
Yeah; we'll be raided again.
We'll be raided again
by the village of East Hampton.
You know; they can get you
in East Hampton for wearing
red shoes on a Thursday...
and all that sort of thing.
I don't know whether you know that.
I mean; do you know that ?
They can get you
for almost anything.
-[ Edie ] It's the Maysles!
-[ Albert Maysles ] Hi; Edie.
-[ David ] The gentlemen callers.
- I saw your car.
- One of my cats just got out.
- Edie;you look fantastic.
David, you look absolutely
terrific. Honestly.
You've got light--
You've got light blue on.
Well, Al, you're still--
Mother says you're very conservative.
[ Laughs ]
Brooks, everything looks wonderful.
- Thank you.
- Absolutely wonderful.
This is the best thing
to wear for the day. You understand.
- Yeah.
- Because I don't like women in skirts,
and the best thing is to wear
pantyhose or some pants...
under a short skirt, I think.
Then you have the pants
under the skirt,
and then you can pull the stockings
up over the pants, underneath the skirt.
- Uh-huh.
- And you can always take off
the skirt and use it as a cape.
So I think this is the best
costume for the day.
- Okay.
- [ Laughs ]
I have to think
these things up, you know.
Mother wanted me to come out
in a kimono, so we had quite a fight.
So what did you do, photograph Brooks
cutting right down here ?
- Yeah; I've been through the jungle.
- Oh, for goodness sakes.
What do you want to do now ?
Where do you want to go ? Upstairs ?
Do you want to go up
and photograph it from the top porch ?
- Okay.
- Okay.
They're gonna photograph
from the top now, Brooks.
[ David ]
It's a beautiful garden back here.
Did you see the wall garden ?
- Oh, you mean the patio.
You mean this.
- Yeah.
That's a Spanish wall garden
over there;you know.
- Oh;yes.
- The Hills put that in.
They imported
everything from Rome.
Mrs. Hill, she was
a famous horticulturist.
That was one of the famous
gardens of America.
Brooks; next summer;
if we're all living;
I think a vegetable garden
would be a good thing in here.
You don't get
enough sunlight in here.
Yeah; Mother says she doesn't mind
if you have to cut down some privet
for the garden.
- Would be nice.
- Yeah.
Because food's going up.
We heard that on the radio last night.
Do you think my costume
looked all right for Brooks ?
I think he was a little amazed.
- He's probably seen it before.
- No, no. This is
the revolutionary costume.
I never wear this in East Hampton.
[ David ] He seems okay.
He seems like he can handle it.
[ Edie ]
You can't be too careful.
Know what I mean ?
That was
the original living room.
You know, people go back
to a kitchen now.
Though the washing machine was always
put in the maids' dining room.
You know, the washtubs are
in the maids' dining room.
- Let's go up.
- It's very difficult...
to keep the line between
the past and the present.
Do you know what I mean ?
It's awfully difficult.
[ Mrs. Beale ] That is
a beautiful ocean today; isn't it ?
What color would you say
that was ? Sort of sapphire ?
I've never seen
anything like that ocean.
The years I've been here--
the best in years.
Oh; Edie; are you around?
- Oh; Edie!
- I haven't been out of this
goddamn horrible place...
in two years.
God, if you knew how I felt.
I'm ready to kill.
Well; they're not going
to take you to the beach.
- Brooks wants his...
his check, Mother darling.
-All right; give me the--
- He's at the door.
- I told you I should do it now.
Twenty-four bucks for three cuttings.
Just a minute.
I told you--
Better bring the pen.
I locked all the cats away.
-[ Cats Meowing ]
- Don't be so mean.
They don't wanna be locked away.
The poor little kitties.
You know kitties adore sun.
I suppose I won't get out
of here till she dies or I die.
- Who's she ? The cat ?
- I don't know when
I'm gonna get out of here.
- Why do you want to get out ?
Another place'd be much worse.
- 'Cause I don't like it.
- Any place will be much worse.
- Here.
- Any place on earth.
- Yeah, but I like freedom.
Well, you can't get it, darling.
You're being supported.
- You can't get any freedom
when you're being supported.
- Yeah; but--
- You can't ?
- No;you can't.
- I think you're not free when
you're not being supported.
- You have to toe the mark.
- It's awful both ways.
- Well;you don't look it.
You look very young
for years of age.
Don't you remember
what you told me--
- I'd just like a couple of days
on the beach, that's all.
- What was it you told me ?
- Twenty-four bucks.
- You don't have to scream that out.
When are you gonna learn, Edie ?
You're in this world, you know.
You're not out of the world.
[ Edie Sighs ]
Let's see if I can remember the date.
Is it the th today ?
- Well; there are certain
compensations; I guess.
- Is it the th today ?
The old woman, she has to remember
everything, you know that.
I think this is correct.
Brooks Hiers. H-I-E-R-S.
- Oh; I didn't think it was necessary.
- Yes.
Why didn't you let me
do this in the house for ?
Why did you make me do it here ?
Mother;you don't have
enough clothes on.
Well, I hope-- I'm gonna get naked in
just a minute, so you better watch out.
- That's what I'm afraid of.
- Yeah; for what ? Now; why?
- I haven't got any warts on me.
- But the movie, the movie.
- I haven't got any warts on me.
- That isn't the point, Mother darling.
Well;you know where you got;
being like that.
No husband; no babies; nothing.
I can't help it.
I like to wear certain things.
- Is that H-Y-E-R ? H-Y?
- She likes everything without girdles.
- H-Y; Edie; or H-I ?
- H-Y-E-R-S.
- H-Y ?
- Yeah.
She and Marjorie don't believe
in wearing girdles.
I haven't worn a girdle
since I was years old.
- Here you are.
- Mother has certain ideas about, uh--
- I certainly have certain ideas
about living a long time.
-About clothes.
- That's what I got ideas about.
-[ Door Closes ]
It's very hard to live nowadays.
Living is very difficult.
''The Libra husband
is not an easy man to please.
''The monotony of domesticity
is not to his liking,
but he is a passionate man
and a respecter of tradition.''
All I have to do
is find this Libra man.
''The Libra husband is reasonable.
'' He is a born judge,
''and no other zodiacal type...
''can... order his life...
with so much wisdom.''
My God !
That's all I need-- order.
That's all I need--
an ordered life.
You know, a manager.
But he's got to be a Libran.
[ Man ]
Hello.
Yeah ?
- That sounds likeJerry.
- Oh, is thatJerry ?
For goodness sakes.
-[ Edie Laughing ]
- What are you doing ?
Jerry, you're
Aquarius, aren't you ?
That's what I saw
when I met you;Jerry.
- Remember I said the Marble Faun;
and it was terrible.
- Yeah.
Terrible, the tragedy
connected with the Marble Faun.
- You know, I callJerry
''the Marble Faun.''
- Nathaniel Hawthorne.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
Do you have
that book here, Edie ?
I haven't been able
to find it.
If you run across it,
I'd like to read it.
It's very deep. I don't know whether
you-- Well; I guess you're up to it.
They used to have it
on all the, uh--
I think it was on the high school
reading list. The Marble Faun.
''The Libra husband
does not seek divorce...
''unless the conditions of his life...
are not adjustable.''
I don't believe in divorce at all.
- I think divorce--
- Was your mother divorced or no ?
- No.
-Separated.
Yes, and then my father got a,
got a fake Mexican divorce,
and he... did have, you know,
what he called another wife.
But we didn't recognize it. It wasn't
recognized by the Catholic Church.
They don't recognize it,
you know.
Say, are you bossing me around, Edie ?
All afternoon ?
-[ Edie ] I think that's terrific.
- Oh, Edie, it's not the best one.
This is the worst one
of my wedding pictures.
The others look worse.
I was gonna be a singer;you know.
Aprofessional singer.
When I met Mr. Beale;
the jig was up.
Do you remember this ?
- May I see that, please ?
- The villain of the piece.
''To my best friend and
most delightful comrade,
''to my only sweetheart
and wonderful wife;
''I tender this likeness
of her husband.
Phelan Beale; . ''
-So we did love each other.
- Did I laugh when I read that.
Aren't kids terrible ?
I just roared.
When the people don't speak;
they never get divorced.
- You just can't tell.
- I've been a very happy woman
all my life.
Shall I tell them about Gould?
Gould was Mother's accompanist.
He was a boogie-woogie composer
who had the most terrific style.
He was the most brilliant man
I've ever met.
That's including Mr. Beale
and Mr. Bouvier.
Completely brilliant.
This is cute, Mother.
I like that very much.
Don't you, David ?
You said Michelle Beale
stole this, didn't you, Edie ?
I never did.
She'd never do that.
See how fat I was, Edie ?
Did I look like a good mother ?
Was I a good mother ?
-[ David ] It looks like it.
- What ? Looks like it.
I didn't starve my children,
did I ? What ?
Fed 'em. Fed 'em well.
[ Mrs. Beale ]
They were very nice children.
I enjoyed them tremendously.
I'm crazy about my two sons;
absolutely mad about them.
-[ David ] Who's the little girl?
-[ Edie ] That's me.
[ Mrs. Beale ] Well; the boys were;
were not hard to handle at all.
- They were very easy to handle.
- Oh; my mother never saw my brothers.
I saw them every minute;
every single minute.
- Oh; they never got
any discipline; my brothers.
- They didn't need it.
- They were absolutely perfect.
- They never got any discipline.
This was taken with a tiny
little Kodak Number Two.
That was. Kodak Number Two.
Cost two dollars, that camera.
- Mother, I'm mad
about these pictures of you.
- Oh; no; don't take those.
- We'll just put them right over here.
- Oh; no; I want those out.
- Will you give me those; please ?
- No, you can't have them.
I want them; Edie.
I will never see them again.
Now; I want those pictures.
- I want those pictures; Edie.
- You can't expose them
to the light in here.
No; give me those pictures.
I don't want to ask times.
- Come on.
- I want to show that to Al.
- No, I want--
- I wanna show it to Al !
- It's my picture.
- Look what you made me do.
Well, you did it.
Look what she did.
- Mrs. Beale had a classical face.
I want you to see this.
- Look at what she did.
- Look. Very few people have this.
- Don't touch that !
Al, I want you to see this.
-[ Edith Laughing ]
- Now look, this is my mother.
This British blood;
maybeJewish; I don't know.
In the Leaman family;
I'm not sure.
- I don't want that photographed.
- Scotch blood-- the Ewings.
- Imagine showing those horrible things
I don't want you to show.
- The Ewing clan's in there.
But it's just a girl
from a good French family.
It's a very beautiful face.
[ Mrs. Beale ]
I lived alone at least years.
I-I didn't mind.
You get very independent
when you live alone.
You get to be a real individual.
- You can't have your cake
and eat it too in life.
- Oh;yes; I did.
I did. I had my cake; loved it;
masticated it; chewed it...
- and had everything I wanted.
- You can't have your cake
and eat it too.
I had a very, very happy,
satisfying life.
Well;you had a rich husband
You should have stayed with him.
- Now you might as well face it.
- What! For money?
- She was bored.
- Why; I was not. I was a great singer.
I had a perfect marriage;
beautiful children.
Terribly successful marriage.
Never had a fight in my life.
- I never threw anything
at Mr. Beale. Never.
- [ Laughing ]
They threw the bull around,
as they say.
No, I never had any words
with Mr. Beale at all.
I came down here to live in this,
in this house because I did
all my singing here.
I was so happy. I was happier
going out and singing...
than anything I've ever done
since I was born.
I liked it better
than anything I ever did.
- I can't find it, Mother.
- Well;you could let me help you.
- Let me--
- Listen, kid.
I'm extremely organized.
I know exactly where
to look for this stuff.
I've got it under control
right here, but I can't find it.
Get it ?
Well; bring in the--
bring in the orchestration...
of''Tea for Two. ''
I can't do it.
My feet hurt.
Just try; babe.
They're beautiful.
I have to get my voice exactly back
the way it was when I was years old.
- You can't; Mother darling.
- Oh, yes, I can. Oh, yes !
-Something happens; face it.
- I never strained my voice
ever in my life.
- Oh; but I strain my voice
from yelling and screaming.
- I've never smoked cigarettes.
- What is the matter with me ?
I could never speak again.
- Oh, no.
Why; I can get it back
in about a month;just about.
You know; good hard work.
When we are together
together, hmmm
Gould and Mother
made this record in .
-Sing it; babe. Just sing it.
- He was Mother's accompanist.
We belong together
We're happy together
And life is a song
When we are together
We know we are where we belong
When we are together
-Like birds of a feather
- Of a feather
- Together we thrive
- Together we thrive
- Little caring whether
-Little caring whether
- The rest of the world--
- The rest of the world--
-[ Record Sticks ]
- Oh, my heart, what happened ?
- That's pretty, that note.
- Terrific.
Oh, that's terrible.
Oh; I see. It repeats.
Yes, that's very important,
that last.
- That's the ''cazenza,''
''cadenza,'' whatever you call it
- ''Could I Be in Love. ''
Do you want that ?
Aren't you mad about your record ?
I was very serious
about my singing. Loved it.
After you hear that;
you realize nothing is--
- Important.
- No; it isn't. Nothing.
Well; my mother;you know; she gave me
the right slant on my voice.
She told me to leave everything;
to leave everything.
No man could compete
against Mrs. Beale and Gould.
- We were pretty good.
- No man in the world.
Well; I worked hard.
I wish you would play ''Laura. ''
Imagine bothering about anything
when she had a talent like that ?
Well, I had to take care of this house.
I lived on no money.
You were able to save
the house on account of me.
- Yeah, I think that--
- I didn't want to live in East Hampton;
but I had to on account
of Mother's house.
Well, now you see why you lived,
because you had music all the time.
That's why.
And you went to the beach too.
- That's what you liked.
- Those are the only things.
Well, I think
you liked your dancing.
- You were very good at that.
-[ Phonograph.: ''Tea for Two'']
[ Edie ]
This is Kostelanetz.
Did you see the; uh--
the play on Broadway?
'' No, No, Nanette.''
Tea for two, and two for tea
And me for you, and you for me
Alone
...to hear us
so see us or hear us
No friends or relations
and weekend vacations
We won't have it known, dear
that we own a telephone, no
I'll awake and start to bake
A sugar cake for you to take
Mmm, for all the boys to see
We can raise a family
A girl for you; a boy for me
Oh, can't you see how happy
We could be
Tea for two
If Edie was any good,
the soft shoe's out.
If she was any good at all.
It's all soft shoe now, you know.
- This is a dance. Come on, Edie.
- [ Laughs ]
I used to do it myself;you know.
I did that-- the soft shoe.
See us or hear us
No friends or relations
and weekend vacations
They won't have it know, dear
that we own a telephone
No, no, no
But I'll awake and start to bake
A sug-sug-sugar cake-cake-cake
See for all the boys to see
We can raise a family
A girl for you, a boy for me
Oh, can't you see
How happy we would be
Edie; dance to that.
A waltz. Come on. Get Edie up.
Dance. A waltz.
How can you resist that ?
[ Coughing ]
How can you resist that ?
Oh, la-la
La, da, ah, ah
Oh, can't you see
How happy
We would be
- Would be
- Terrific. Isn't that terrific ?
Isn't that a beautiful chord?
I'm mad about Kostelanetz.
[ Laughing ] Do you think
I'm gonna look funny dancing ?
-[ Both ] No.
- I do terrific dances.
I only care about three things.:
the Catholic Church,
swimming and dancing.
- And I had to give them up.
- Dave, it opens from the bottom.
I've got enough. I almost die
with the fleas in this place.
I can't go on another year.
I have to get to a hotel room.
Well, I have-- I brought
a lot of stuff for your fleas,
and I'll be more than willing
to put it down.
All I want is a little room.
[ Laughing ]
I can't stand a country house.
In the first place,
it makes me terribly nervous.
I'm scared to death of doors, locks,
people roaming around in the background,
under the trees, in the bushes.
I'm absolutely terrified.
I'm not a bit terrified
of the city, not a bit.
I like the terrible noise
you hear at night...
and all these terrible
drilling sounds.
I never go to sleep unless
the whole pavement is jumping outside...
and it's a hundred degrees
and that drill is just going--
[ Makes Grunting Noise ]
And then I just go to sleep.
[ Propeller Plane Overhead ]
[ Laughs ]
I only hope it stays up.
At the Balalaika
I haven't got my makeup on.
[ Whispering] My God,
do you think it's gonna stay up ?
I feel something slipping.
I feel something--
[ Edie ]
What am I missing ?
We'll almost have to listen
to Peale in about five seconds.
She doesn't like the Catholic Church.
She gets mad whenever I go.
Oh; go on. What the hell?
I worship the Catholic Church.
I'm gonna invite Father Huntington over
to spend the whole entire night with me.
- That's what I'm gonna do.
I love the church so much.
-[ Edie Humming ]
[ Giggles ]
-[ Radio Tuning ]
- Here it is.
[ Radio.:Norman Vincent Peale ]
To get on top of things
and to stay there.
- Does that mean women too ?
- For if you do not do this,
it is very likely that things
will get on top of you.
Isn't he terrific ?
And since I always believe
in a simple formula that is workable;
I have a formula for you now.
First: try, really try.
Try; really try.
Second: think, really think.
Cute. Think; really think.
And third:
believe, really believe.
- [ Radio Tuning ]
- Well, you may say,
'' How many times do I have to try ?''
Why, it may be
a good many times.
For example; I have in my pocket here
a letter from a man in London; England.
''Dear Dr. Peale;
Over three years ago...
''I was in your great Marble
Collegiate Church for the first time...
''and I was having it rough.
- [ Snickers ]
- ''The job I'd been doing
had come to an end; and I was .
- [ Laughing ]
-[ Mrs. Beale ] Your age; old gal.
''Your suggestion lived with me;
plus the advice to try; really try;:
- He lived. I never lived.
- ''think; really think;:
believe; really believe.
''I did think. I did work
very hard to find a job.
Eighty-eight interviews.''
So did he
or did he not get the job ?
He did.
Will he or will not
handle himself...
in the years that are to come ?
He wasn't emotional.
He didn't get upset.
- He wasn't nervous.
- He wasn't me.
He was cool.
Now one thing is sure.:
The human mind will not function
when it is hot.
- Only when it is cool
and dispassionate...
- Dispassionate.
- That was the word
I wanted to other day.
- will it produce.
I couldn't think
of what it was.
I think it would be a good idea
if every day every individual...
would look at himself
in the mirror;
earnestly;
and ask the question;
''Who am I ?
Am I a weak person ?
Am I a defeated person ?
Am I an inferior person ?''
Not at all.
I am a child of God;
and I was intended
to get on top of things...
and I was intended to stay there.
-Amen; amen
- Very good. That was very long.
- Very long.
- You notice how he went
on and on and on ?
Let's hear the prayer.
I mean the song. You sing the song now.
- Doxology.
- Sing it.
[ Announcer ] You have been listening
to Dr. Norman Vincent Peale...
-as he spoke this morning
from his pulpit...
- No emotionalism.
-at Marble Collegiate Church.
- Never give up.
You want to keep on top.
Way up high up on top.
Wonderful way
to smother somebody.
[ Laughing ] Would you pass
your mirror over here ?
I've got to see what I look like.
- [ Laughing ]
- Don't drop it.
- Uptight.
- That was wonderful.
I see why I've got cataracts.
I have astigmatism,
one eye pulled against the other,
and I should've worn glasses
and I didn't.
- Oh; I told you to wear glasses.
- Is there anything else
you want to know ?
- You got with the glasses
about four years ago.
- I'll tell you about my teeth.
Four years ago; Edie. You got
the glasses; and you didn't wear them.
- My teeth are still all right.
- You have to wear the glasses
when; when you have any trouble.
You have to.
[ Laughs ]
And my hair will grow...
I hope. Here.
[ David ]
You're dressed for battle; Edie.
Mother's telling Marjorie how
spoiled I am, how terrible I am.
And Marjorie knew my father
and my uncle and everybody.
Mother's giving her
all this S-H-I-T,
so I went and told her
some things about the family.
But, you see,
in dealing with me...
the relatives didn't know...
that they were dealing
with a staunch character.
And I tell you, if there's anything
worse than a staunch woman--
S-T-A-U-N-C-H.
There's nothing worse,
I'm telling you.
[ Sighs ]
They don't weaken... no matter what.
But they didn't know that.
Well, how were they to know ?
You know, my father had made up his mind
about what Farmington produced...
and what the
Sacred Heart Convent produced.
I don't think he was so down
on the Spence School,
but he certainly was down
on Farmington.
I don't know why.
Farmington was a junior college.
You could choose
what you wanted to study.
Perhaps that was what made
my father dislike it so--
that I could choose.
But I chose what I thought
he'd want me to choose--
you know,
English literature and...
Oriental philosophies and, uh...
well, I always took French,
but nothing ever happened there.
I can read and write in French,
but I can't speak it.
I had years and years
and years of French.
Terrible.
[ Laughs ]
This was taken by Amy Dupont
my last year in Farmington.
I was .
-[ David ] Edie; that's so beautiful.
- Mr. Wainwright did that.
He was an artist from a very good
family. He was in the social register.
He did it in the solarium
of Grey Gardens.
David; look at this.
I was in a fashion show.
-[ Laughs ]
-[ Mrs. Beale ] Let me see that.
[ Albert ]
Oh; beautiful. Look at that; David.
-[ Mrs. Beale ] May I see that ?
- Wow! Look at that.
[ Edie ] I thought I was
the cat's pajamas in that!
[ Mrs. Beale ] You did; Edie. See how
pretty Edie was when she was young ?
It's perfectly foolish of her
not to look that way now.
She could;you know; if she
didn't worry about everything.
Didn't she look like a girl
that had everything ? Huh ?
[ Edie ]
This has inspired me.
I'll have to get another
brown tailored suit and grow my hair.
My God; I have no hair.
[ Mrs. Beale ] You never put any
lipstick on for this picture; did you ?
- I have another kind on.
- You look horrible.
Why didn't you put
lipstick and makeup on ?
[ Edie ] Mr. Beale smashed
the window of Burt Bacharach...
when he put this in the window
on upper Madison Avenue.
-[ Mrs. Beale ] For God's sakes.
- He offered me a job.
He didn't say to get out
of that family situation;
but he said;
''You need a job; Miss Beale. ''
[ David ] Didn't you expect that Edie
might get married someday?
[ Mrs. Beale ]
Oh; I did. I wanted her to.
Oh; I picked out some nice men.
She didn't like the men I picked out.
[ Edie ]
They were horrible.
[ Mrs. Beale ] She could have married
this Gerald Getty.
He was a millionaire;:
he gave her a gorgeous ring.
She decided not to marry that guy.
She had to give the ring back.
She has a proposal of marriage
from Paul Getty.
Remember Paul;
the richest man in the world?
[ Edie ]
He married Teddy Lynch.
[ Mrs. Beale ] Then you could
have marriedJordan McClanahan.
He was another millionaire;
and he wanted to marry you.
She just didn't want to get married.
That's all blamed on me.
[ Edie ]
No; I never fell in love until I was .
[ Mrs. Beale ] Well; how old
are you in these pictures ?
- Twenty-four.
- Twenty-four. That old?
- .
- Very young looking for twenty-four.
France had just fallen...
to Hitler.
- But you never fell for a man.
- Paris; Paris; excuse me.
France fell;
but Edie didn't fall.
That was the thing.
See; I--
They didn't tell us that
when we studied World War I,
that everything was so awful
with the Versailles Treaty,
that we were soon going to get into
something four years after I got out.
If I'd only known it,
I would have just--
just enjoyed every single minute,
just done everything.
[ David ] It must've been tough
on people. I remember as a kid...
so many loved ones being killed.
But you were the dating age.
A lot of my friends went
overseas and got married.
They went in the Red Cross.
They went to India, Australia.
They all got married.
One of my best friends
went to Australia.
If I'd have been able to go; she
might have persuaded me to go with her.
And she met somebody
in the hospital.
She was working for the Red Cross,
and she never came back to New York.
But I never had a chance
to do anything like that...
'cause Mother wasn't well
during the war.
She had her eye operation.
I missed out on everything.
I missed out on the reunion
of my graduating class in Farmington...
because that was the fall that
Jack Kennedy campaigned to get in...
and I was stuck here with Mother,
the cats, the house and T. Logan...
and I couldn't go.
- No, you said you didn't want them
to know how old you were.
- The th reunion of my class.
- No; I think--
- ''Well, I didn't want them
to know my age,'' says Edie.
No; I would have enjoyed that; Mother;
becauseJack Kennedy campaigned
to get in and won.
Get in the Farmington School ?
That'd be a good place for him.
I don't know. I think
it would have been a lot of fun.
Yeah, everything's good
that you didn't do.
At the time,
you didn't want it.
- I couldn't get away.
- Well, that's the choice.
- You can't go back and say--
feel gorgeous right now...
- I couldn't leave.
-and say; ''Oh; why didn't I do this ?''
- I couldn't leave.
Because you didn't feel then
the way you do now.
Everybody thinks and feels differently
as the years go by; don't they?
- Yeah.
- Yes.
- What time is it, chickens ?
-[ David ] What time is it ?
- I want to go in now.
- It's; uh; .: .
- I may need David's hand to get up.
- You have it.
Where is it ?
Can you come around this way ?
- Sure.
- Are you taking pictures ?
Always. Here.
[ Edie ]
''Two roads diverged in yellow wood...
''and pondering; pondering both
or pondering each--
''pondering one I took the other...
and that made all the difference.''
-[ Mrs. Beale ] Robert Frost.
- Isn't that wonderful ?
- Did he say that ?
- That's all you need--
just three lines like that.
- Come on; Edie; is that Robert Frost ?
- Who else ?
I thought it was you.
I think your poetry is better.
- ''Two road diverged in yellow wood...
- Come on;you said that.
- We want something else.
- ''and pondering one, I took the other.
- Edie;you're not teaching us.
- and that made all the difference.''
- We don't want to learn it.
It's very pretty.
- Isn't that amazing ?
No, I don't think it's
half as good as your poems.
They looked the same; and he probably
couldn't tell and yet he--
I wish I could remember
the correct lines.
I'm absolutely exhausted.
I danced eight hours last night,
practicing the, uh--
the marching song.
-[ Albert ] Great.
- My God, my muscles !
I can't do it, I'm telling you.
What a I gonna do ?
They're gone...
with this soft life.
[ Laughing ]
We all march together
for love is behind
We all stand together
United we die
We all march together
for we love the land
It's the spirit of V.M.I.
We all march together
for life is unkind
[ Laughing ]
When they do that, that's
when the plane goes by, see ?
So I'm doing
the V.M.I. marching song,
which is a ground maneuver.
Anyway, I've got to get it all
coordinated in my mind.
Hey; Mother;
I'm working on my dance.
-[ Mrs. Beale ] I'm starving.
- We all march together
-For life is unkind
- You see, she doesn't want to eat
anymore 'cause she got so fat,
so I have to sit here
and starve all the time.
- How can I eat and look sexy too ?
- I think I lost five pounds.
- I'm gonna die.
- Well; don't live with me.
I want to eat.
- Will you eat some liver pate ?
- It's not awfully good.
- If you put lemon with it;
it's all right.
- I'm gonna die with this diet.
- I don't like it at all.
- Don't do it. Have a sandwich.
I got fat not wearing
clothes for two years.
Oh; that wasn't it at all. It was
the quarts and quarts of ice cream.
My bill was $
just for ice cream.
- Here's your liver pate.
- You have to make it.
I can't. No, I can't.
I ate in front of the Maysles
the other day. You have to make it.
I was very embarrassed. No.
I ate all that chicken--
- Oh, Mother, I should
have stolen that blue--
- Take it out, babe.
You like the green ?
That's chartreuse there.
- What do I do with this ?
- You have crackers somewhere.
- Should I put it on crackers ?
- Yeah. You should--
It needs a lemon
or mayonnaise or something.
When am I gonna get out of here ?
[ Laughing ]
Oh, she's always talking like that.
When I get to New York;you're never
gonna get me back to East Hampton.
- Oh, that's silly.
Oh, Edie, that isn't nice.
- Ever. Never !
Edie, the man is doing this.
For goodness sakes ! That's terrible !
When I get to New York; brother;
I'm not ever coming back.
Well, you got in awful trouble there.
It's a good thing you had a place
to come to.
- Recuperate at Mama's
for about to years.
-[ Edie Grumbling ]
She had a horrible time. I used to
have to send her big boxes of groceries.
She was starving.
From my grocer's thing down there.
- I was discovered...
- Sent her big boxes of groceries.
-but I needed training.
- And I always put
a bottle of wine in her bag.
I thought she'd have
a terrible accident.
Well; I was discovered; but--
well; never mind.
Oh, I wouldn't say anything good
happened to you in New York.
-Are you kidding ?
- No.
I was discovered by Mr. Gordon.
He was a friend of Mrs.--
- Well, what is it ?
- What was that woman's name ?
- People discover me
every time I go out, but...
- What was Ruby Chapman's--
- I don't think anything of it.
- This is serious ! He went to pieces !
- Mr. Max Gordon went out of his mind.
- Oh, not Max Gordon.
- He never went to pieces in his life.
- He did !
- He did not. A very--
- Now, what was the woman's name ?
She gave me the letter.
Mrs. Hitchcock.
- I can't go back to ancient history.
- Ruby Chapman's partner !
How can you remember so long ?
Now I'll have to get drunk.
- They gave me the letter to Max Gordon.
- I'll have to start drinking.
I can't take it. Ah, she'll make
a drunkard out of her mother.
What crackers do you want ?
We'll take these. Do you mind ?
They're very good.
- Do you want these ?
- I don't like crackers. You know that.
Just put a lemon on it.
Little lemon.
Don't you know who Max Gordon is ?
He's a famous producer.
You've heard of him, haven't you ?
- He discovered Judy Holliday.
-[ Mrs. Beale; Indistinct ]
He discovered Judy Holliday.
He said I was much funnier.
Well, you haven't
been funny today, boy.
You're lacking in humor.
It's how you are
when you grow older.
I needed training.
Where was I to get the training ?
- You start when you're .
I had mine when I was .
- Oh, stop.
[ Humming March ]
This cracker's
for the photographer.
Tell me what;
what I should have done.
Here, could you put this
away, please, Edie ?
- I should have immediately
tried to get into something ?
- Put it where it'll get frozen.
Until it gets frozen, will you ?
David, instead of coming home...
I should have tried to get into
something; is that it ?
David; do you think you and Al
should have told Edie to lose weight ?
-She's been impossible.
- Do you think I should have
gotten into night club work ?
[ David ]
What does your mother think ?
-[ Mrs. Beale ]
I had everything picked out.
- My father was alive !
- That was it. My father was alive.
- I was going around with a--
- My father was alive.
- Do you want to hear
what I have to say?
Mr. Beale would have
had me committed.
Gould and I were at Edie
every day to go to Traphagen.
She could do anything.
She could learn toe dancing.
She could learn radio. She could learn
all sorts of stage dancing.
- Why was I gonna do this ?
- She could do--
The things we told you.
We told you to go to Bendel's...
- I couldn't go with my mother
sitting here; David.
- and model earrings.
- I couldn't go
with my mother sitting here.
- You were so gorgeous in hats...
and you had such a beautiful
face and we always adored you.
And we said, ''Why, she should do hats,''
and she had gorgeous feet.
And Mr. Beale always made her
wear a certain kind of shoe
when she was a little girl.
Orthopedic shoe.
And she; she could have--
I had deep responsibility
for you; Mother.
I was taken care of for years !
Ah, the hallmark of aristocracy
is responsibility, is that it ?
[ Propeller Plane Overhead ]
I'm not gonna spend
this winter in East Hampton.
In the first place, I can't.
I just can't. I can't spend
another winter out here in the country.
I can't do it.
I don't enjoy it.
Furthermore, I'm telling you,
I can't get my figure back
unless I hit New York City.
You know.
That icebox is too near.
I've gotta get away
from that icebox.
[ Humming March ]
[ Edie ]
They all want luncheon.
Come on.
We're gonna have luncheon.
[ Yells ]
What ?
-[ Mrs. Beale ] Edie!
- What ?
I fed the cats!
I just have to leave for New York City
and lead my own life.
I don't see any other future.
[ Mrs. Beale ] Will you shut up!
It's a goddamn beautiful day!
Shut up!
Paris is the place for you. Get on
stage in Paris at the Follies Bergere.
The point is that I came down
here to take care of my mother.
I'm sick and tired of worrying
about her night and day.
- Well; I had a very good--
- I was away from her
for five or six years.
- I had a very good man.
- And I was sick and tired
of lying awake at night...
- He took care of me for years.
- wondering what was happening
to my mother.
She didn't have to worry.
[ David ] Who was the man
that took care of you for years ?
- Twenty-three years.
- Nobody took care of her for years.
- I took care of this damn house
for years.
- I'm, I'm on the air.
Dare say my mother was ever taken care
of by any man but my father,
and I'll push you
under the goddamned bed !
[ David ] No; Edie;
I think Al was referring to Gould.
Yes, he was.
He took care of Mother by accompanying
her to the movies and playing the piano.
Took care of me and the washing--
No one took care of Mrs. Beale. She had
my father's money and her own money.
- What money ?
- The Bouvier money.
And another thing; Mrs. Beale
wasn't taken care of sexually.
I think he was nicer than anybody
I've ever known in my whole life.
He was a writer.
He wrote seven books at one time.
He was brilliant. And he played
the piano magnificently...
and composed exquisite music
and dedicated about songs to me.
-So Edie didn't have to worry.
- No; she didn't have to worry
the way she did; no.
She made me leave the Barbizon.
Well; I thought you'd been
in New York long enough.
- You were getting lines in your face.
- But I didn't want to leave.
- I was getting my big chance.
- Oh; no;you were not.
That married man was not going
to give you any chance at all.
- I was getting my audition in !
- You were not.
- I was going to get it !
- Well;you didn't get it.
You missed out.
I was just getting up
what you call a little nerve.
Now, listen, you're wasting that thing
on this, 'cause it's just nuts.
- When she said I had to come home.
- I thought you should come home.
-She started high-pressuring me
to come back in March of ;
- It was time after years.
and she kept it up
until the end ofJuly.
- And July th,
I check out, got on the train,
- Well;you should come down.
- came back,
and was never able to get back.
- It's very hot in New York.
It's very hot in New York
onJuly th.
[ Meowing ]
[ Mrs. Beale ] ''You and the Night
and the Music. '' It's beautiful.
- Do you know that one ?
You do know it ?
- Mm-hmm. Sure.
Do you really ?
Sing it for me. Sing it.
The night was young
and you're so beautiful
No. ''You and the Night and the Music.''
Sing that song.
- I don't know that.
I thought you meant--
- You thought you did.
-[ Albert ]
You and the night and the music
- He knows it.
- Go on.
- I don't know the rest of it.
'' Fill me with flaming desire.''
The words are wonderful.
Love like yours and mine
Is a glowing thrill
Of sparkling wine
Make the most of time
Ere it has flown
You and the night and the music
Thrill me with flaming desire
Setting my being
Completely on fire
Oh, you and the night and the music
Dance till the music is through
I forgot. Oh, listen,
this is it. '' Love.''
Till the moment is through
After the night
And the music die
Will I have you
[ Mrs. Beale ]
Edie! Oh; Edie!
- Where's Jerry; Edie ?
Edie; where's Jerry?
- I don't know, Mother.
-That's what I'm wondering.
-Don't you think you'd better find him ?
Mother wants me to watch him
the whole time he's in the house.
- No;you told me
not to have him back here.
- Like I watched Tom.
- No; thanks.
- My eyes dropped out.
Mother and her friends.
I never cared for the three
people that my mother liked.
I couldn't get on with Mr. Beale...
and I didn't care
for her composer friend...
and as for Tom Logan;
he drove me crazy in the house.
[ Mrs. Beale ] I loved Tom.
He played the guitar so beautifully.
He sang and was in a rodeo;
and even was in Hollywood.
You'd have to admire
somebody like that.
-She was a pushover.
- He had no place to go.
And then he asked my mother;
he said; ''I've just been fired
from the Sea Spray.
Would you like a maintenance man ?''
Mother took him home.
I didn't want a maintenance man.
I said, ''I'll take you home
for one night.''
- That's the story of Tom Logan.
- That's what I said.
There wasn't a thing
he didn't know how to do.
He could fix anything.
Lights, plumber things.
He knew how to do everything.
Just one of those terribly clever men.
He couldn't do any work. He made good
salads, but he was drunk all the time.
Oh, no. He came up here every morning
at : knocked on my door.
We talked over
the menu for the day.
Including a half a bottle
of rose vin...
or wine or whatever it's called.
Naturally; we couldn't get rid
of him; and I had to stay here.
What I should have done is leave;
and he would have left right away.
All right;you don't believe
in religious compulsion.
It was a religious thing.
- If I had left, he would have left.
- No; I deserve--
- Because the work
would have been too much.
- He didn't want to go.
All alone in the house for Tom.
All I had to do was leave.
I'm so stupid that I--
Well; where would I have been ?
I'd have been all alone in the house.
I think you would have, Mother.
-[ Mrs. Beale ] Edie! Yoo-hoo!
- What ?
The Marble Faun is at the door.
He can wait.
LetJerry in. Hurry up.
I'm gonna look at this path
withoutJerry.
[ Humming ]
This is a sea of leaves.
A complete sea of leaves.
If you lose something;you can't
find it again;:it drops to the bottom.
I lost my scarf.
I'll never get it again.
Best scarf I ever owned.
The most beautiful color of blue.
It dropped.
You know; it fell off my head.
[ Whispering ]
To hell with the Marble Faun.
- Hello ?
- Hello; Edie.
Oh, hello,Jerry darling.
Do you want to come in ?
I just came for the faucet
so I can get down to the hardware store.
- Yeah; Mother said you called.
Was that you on the phone very early?
- Yeah.
How are you ?
I'm looking at you now.
Really well.
I'll come down and let you in.
Do you want to come up here ?
- You want to come up ?
-All right; for a moment.
Mother's screaming to have me
let you in. I'd better do it.
I'll be at the back door
here, okay ?
I'll come right down.
-Jerry's puffing and blowing.
- No. I'm tired, and I don't
want to get any tireder.
What do you want,Jerry ?
Who wants a nice piece of corn ?
No. I don't want any.
Thank you.
Jerry;you didn't get
enough to eat tonight.
- Well; I can't resist. I'm sorry.
- The margarine.
Jerry, you're gonna put
some of this on, aren't you ?
- You wanna do it for me ?
- Why, yeah. The pleasure's all mine.
If I don't burn myself.
Which piece of corn
do you want,Jerry ?
- Doesn't matter.
-See how polite he is ?
You want some; Edie ?
Where's your plate;Jerry; for it ?
- I couldn't eat in front of the camera.
- I've got very big hands.
-[ Edie Laughs ]
- This corn is out of this world.
Oh, did I do it nicely ? He always
compliments me on the way I do my corn.
[ Mrs. Beale Chuckles ]
-[ Clattering ]
- [ Edie ] There they are.
There are your raccoons.
Run away from your drinks
and do that to your raccoons.
[ Albert ]
Hear him ?
[ Edie ]
Yeah; he's there. I can hear him.
Everything's in the attic;
everything from sloths; otters;
badgers; uh; possums; raccoons.
I don't leave the bags anymore.
'Cause I had to get up to
cellophane bags this, uh--
Horrors. Somebody's removing
the books from my room.
Where did this little book
come from ?
[Jerry ]
Edie!
[ Mrs. Beale ]
That's Jerry. He locked himself out.
No,Jerry hasn't
locked himself out.
[ Chuckles ]
He locked himself out.
[ Mrs. Beale ]
Who's knocking at the door?
[Jerry ]
Who is it ?
[ Whispering ]
He's around there.
Who got this book out of my room ?
I cleaned this whole attic up
the other day.
Now, who's been dropping books
around is what I want to know.
I would have seen that book.
He evidently has been
up in that room reading it.
All right, Buster, old pal,
come and get it.
[ Mrs. Beale ] There's somebody
knocking at the door; Edie.
Yeah, all right, Mother.
-[ Heavy Knocking ]
- Yes ?
[ Man ]
Is Jerry here ?
Oh, yes. I'll get him for you.
Just a minute. Hey,Jerry.
- Yeah ?
- I think your friend's
in the, in the, uh, front.
I found a little book
dropped in the attic; Mother.
- He's been up there.
- Well;you should keep him out.
He told me he was working
on that thing;:he wasn't at all.
- Want a little bit, Edie ?
- No.
- You don't want a little bit ?
-[ David Mutters ]
- My God!
- What ?
- I just thought of something.
- What ?
Give me that. What did you think of?
What ? Come on.
[ Whispering ]
The guy was standing outside the window,
and he was passing books out to him.
- You think so, Edie ?
- Yes.
- I don't believe all that.
- Yes!
I don't believe it.
Want a taste, Edie ?
- I don't want any.
- No. We lost the glasses.
The glasses are gone.
Next thing; those antiques
will all be missing.
See, you shouldn't have
a contact with the outside world...
because how do I know that
there isn't something up in that room ?
If you get what I mean.
You can't tell what's
been put up in that room...
or what's been taken out.
- [ Sighs ]
- Don't worry so much; please.
This cat's going to the bathroom
right in back of my portrait.
- Oh; isn't that awful?
- No; I'm glad he is.
I'm glad somebody's doing
something they want to do.
[ David Laughing ]
I was frozen this morning
when I woke up. Were you, Edie ?
- I did drop. It dropped.
It dropped quite a bit.
- I missed you last night.
I was so lonely. She only left me
one little kitty to keep me warm.
And all these blankets were on the
floors, all this pile of stuff here.
Jerry's pretty good at waiting on me.
He can find things here that
I wouldn't find for half an hour.
- [ David ] Jerry; the major domo.
- I'm so sick of that kid.
- I have great pity for him.
- Lois says--
Well;you know the trouble.
- And I like him, but--
- Lois says-- You know the trouble.
-[ David ] What ?
- The trouble is,
he's madly in love with Edie.
I said I thought Edie was madly
in love with him. Pardon me.
He might as well leave right now,
'cause he's never gonna get it.
- So that's it.
- Get what ? Sex with you ?
- What he's after.
- He doesn't want any sex with you.
- Well, that's all they're after.
-An old person like you ? Good God!
- So why don't you tell him right now ?
- Unheard of. Unheard of.
- You should tell him right now
so I'm not bothered by him.
- He doesn't want sex.
He's got about six girls
in East Hampton. He's so busy.
- No, but the point is, he thinks--
- I don't know what he's doing.
He's out every single night
with a different girl.
- Yeah, but that's,
that's the point, you see.
- He had a wonderful time.
- He's gonna be here for years
and years. I see this coming.
- He enjoys himself thoroughly.
- I hope.
- The guy's gonna be here
for years and years.
- I doubt that.
- It's gonna be one of those things.
Like Tom Logan.
Aren't you gonna feed Whiskers; Edie ?
Come on; go in and feed Whiskers.
Now, don't eat it.
Give it to Whiskers, please.
- You're thin. You want to get thin.
- She's very mean to me.
No. I have to be very strict.
The priest said she needed
a very strict hand.
[ Laughs ]
What the priest told me.
[ Imitating Irish Accent ]
''She sure needs a very strong
hand, your daughter.''
And I tried to give it to her,
you know that ?
After Mr. Beale, you know,
stopped living in East Hampton,
I had a terrible
hard time with Edie.
She just went wild after
her father wasn't living here.
She went wild, absolutely wild.
I couldn't do anything
with her at all.
Isn't it awful
when a dancer gets fat ?
Isn't it awful ? God.
It's awful, I'm telling you.
It's awful ! God !
My father believed in running
the children's lives, you know ?
He wanted me to get my master's degree,
be a junior partner in his law firm.
- Take the ice cream.
- He was Broadway;
on the ninth floor,
and my knees would start to shake...
coming down on the ninth floor
of Mr. Beale's offiice.
My knees were rattling.
My mouth was dry.
You were scared of your father.
And I'd go in, and he'd
come forward out of his office
with his watch in his hand,
and then he'd look at the clock
on the wall, and he'd say,
''You're five minutes late,''
he'd say. Oh, my God.
- No; he had a very--
- And then he'd sit down
and look at me like this...
and say, ''Take it off.
Take that hat off.
''Take that lipstick off.
Take that nail polish off.
- How dare you wear those high heels !''
- Oh; she's just acting.
Don't you want some of this ?
Butter pecan.
Mmm. Mmm.
He said the only thing
to be was a professional woman.
He did say that.
Didn't he, Mother ?
Well, I wouldn't say
it's the only thing.
He didn't want me to get married.
I don't think people should get married.
I don't believe in it at all.
If you can't get a man to propose
to you, you might as well be dead.
- Oh; I don't think it's important.
- I think it's disgusting,
- Aunt Mary had the most wonderful life.
- absolutely disgusting...
- Lived to be years of age.
- to live alone.
What are they proving ?
They have to around with dogs
or other women or something.
- Dogs are lovely.
- I, I think it's terrible.
I'll take a dog any day.
[ Chuckles ]
Why didn't you marry the man
you wanted to, like I did ?
I think the saddest thing was my not
marrying into the Obelensky family...
'cause I adore them.
- Any Obelensky is wonderful.
That's all I can say.
- He's a very sweet man.
If he's related to
the Obelenskys; he's okay.
- I didn't know he was
any relation to them.
- Yes.
-I never knew it.
-Serge's; uh; nephew by his half-sister.
Now, there was a boy
I might have married.
Why didn't you marry
Paul Getty ?
I said; ''How did you
happen to come here ?''
And he said; ''Oh; I saw you at a dance; ''
he said; ''in South Hampton. ''
- I said, ''You did ?'' He said, ''Yes.''
- He was just a kid.
He was . And I said;
''Eugene; what you need is a girl. ''
And he said; ''No; Edith; I'm looking
for a wife. I wanna get married. ''
- He wanted to take Edie to Westchester.
- Wasn't that cute ?
Tom had just died; and I did not
want another man in my kitchen.
- I went downstairs--
- He'd just made a cookbook.
He'd just written a cookbook.
- Mother got rid of him in minutes.
- Don't want any cookbooks.
Mother got rid of him
in minutes because he came
from a celebrated family.
The Tyszkiewicz family.
And I suppose mother didn't want me
to have anybody that was decent.
- You understand.
- I didn't want anybody in the kitchen.
It would have been perfectly
all right for me to marry Tom Logan.
Why did you want to marry
a kid ?
- I forgot to say
that Eugene was a count.
- He didn't have a nickel.
I would have been Countess--
Countess Edith.
I didn't want my child to be taken away.
I'd be entirely alone.
Do you know what I go through
with this awful stuff?
Listen; I've got to eat lunch.
I'm starving.
Well, you know me--
always hungry.
- [ Door Closes ]
- I'm not gonna gain the weight back.
I didn't have any breakfast.
- I'll put some lipstick on.
- You want to give me something
to put on; Edie ?
[ Giggles ]
I'm beginning to laugh.
- These are my brother's drawers.
- Give me something to put on.
And I feel so strongly about mementos
and everything because of Mother...
that I was never able to ever
clean out these desk drawers
and throw the stuff away.
- Would you believe that ?
You know, it's childhood stuff.
-[ Mrs. Beale; Indistinct ]
- Oh; Edie;yoo-hoo!
- '' Memorabalia'' or something.
- Edie;yoo-hoo!
- I couldn't throw anything away.
- They're looking at this room.
- Oh; Edie!
Yeah,just a minute.
They discovered something
terrific in here.
- Come on. I've waited long enough.
- Is it from Austria ?
- Why; what happened?
- Never mind about me.
[ Edie ] ''The moving finger writes
and; having writ; moves on. ''
I was going to write
another line from Omar Khayyam.:
''We come like water
and we go like wind.''
Edie;yoo-hoo!
- Well, I got that one up.
- Edie; bring me the telephone.
That's the man.
This is the woman.
- I can't tell.
-Are you getting me
the blue kimono; Edie ?
I'm putting up the silver masks.
Edie; come here a minute. Hurry.
I can't get the thumbtack
in the wall.
- I think I have the saddest life.
- Oh; Edie!
I have to go on with
the redecoration of this room.
- Yeah.
- Can you get me something to eat ?
All right.
[ Edie ]
I made this.
Those are roses
of all different years.
That's my shell collection.
You can't see it; it's so dirty.
Isn't that tragic ?
That's-- These--
Then I have two things to go there.
And ''Around the World''
is supposed to go there.
Edie; I can't do it.
- Open it. I can't do it.
- I'm just gonna put that up there...
'cause I like red
in this room for some reason.
And I was gonna hang
the birdcage right here...
and have
''Around the World'' there.
But I haven't gotten to that.
Perhaps I'd better begin taking
care of Mother and bossing her
and cooking her some food.
- What do you boys think ?
-[ David ] Bossing her around?
Yeah.
I let her do what she wants.
I think maybe I ought to give her
cooked meals at certain hours.
What do you think ?
I don't have any clock.
You know,
I never know what time it is.
You think she'd eat them ?
I don't know. You know her
better than anybody.
I give her her head. I let her do what
she wants to do. I think it's awful.
She should eat, you know,
chopped meat and a baked potato
at a certain hour for luncheon.
Then have a nice little dinner.
But that takes timing.
No, I'm not ready,
and I have no makeup on !
-[ Albert Laughing ]
- But things are getting better !
Did you find my sign,
''In bathtub'' ?
Right.
I couldn't believe it.
Come on in.
We're not ready.
-[ Mrs. Beale ]
Is that Al down there ? Hello; Al.
-[ Albert ] Yeah. Hi.
- Take your time.
- Oh, God ! I almost tripped.
I almost broke my neck then.
God, these stairs are dirty.
Oh.
[ Giggles ]
[ Indistinct Chattering ]
How could Edie leave
these stairs like this ?
Don't I look funny
coming down these stairs, hmm ?
-[ David ] No. You look great.
- Don't I ? I feel funny.
I feel funny.
-Just like a night at the opera.
- Is it ?
The night at the opera will be when
I get in that chair in the dining room.
That would be the night
at the opera.
-[ Edie ]
Mother; Lois andJack are here!
- Hello,Jack.
-[ Lois ] Happy birthday!
- [ Chatters, Indistinct ]
I say, where's the cushion, Edie ?
Get the cushion. I'll ruin my dress.
- Oh;yes. She puts it here.
- Oh, God, and those chairs.
Are they dirty, those chairs.
Hello,Jack.
- Hi, how are you ? Happy birthday.
-[ Mrs. Beale Giggles ]
Well;you're very cute
to celebrate with me today.
-[ Edie ]
I like you in that costume; Lois.
- Oh, why, thank you.
[ Edith ] I see Edie hasn't--
You better not sit on those chairs.
- They look very dirty.
- They can sit on paper.
I thought you were gonna
clean up; Edie.
I tried.
I swept the, uh, hall.
Well, I'm kind of disapp-- Jack,
you don't mind sitting by me, do you ?
I swept the floor. We have wine.
I'll bring down the glasses.
Bring down the wine, please.
- And Edie is due--
Lois is due ginger ale.
- Okay.
But don't let the cats out.
How do you like that thing
Lois did for me,Jack ?
Are your eyes good enough
to see that ?
- Oh; sure.
- How are your eyes ?
[ Edie Giggling ]
- She's no waitress, I'll tell ya.
- [ Giggling Continues ]
Well, she's got
a pretty heavy tray.
Leave the tray here, won't you ?
Oh, no, she's not gonna.
She's gonna do
just as she wants, you know.
She's a Schrafft's waitress.
They always do just as they want.
Here's to Mother.
May she live to be at least .
-[ Mrs. Beale ]
Oh; it's one more year. Ha; ha.
- She's in her th.
- She's in her th now-- th year.
-[ Radio Announcer; Indistinct ]
She's gonna tell that to everybody
in East Hampton, you know.
-[Jack ] Well; that's life.
- Everybody's gonna know my age.
- Well; happy birthday.
- Thank you very much.
-[ Lois ] Happy birthday
- Sing me '' Happy Birthday.'' Sing it.
- I sang it.
- Do it again.
- Happy birthday to you
-Happy birthday
-[ Lois ] Very good.
- Happy birthday
Dear Mother
-[ Mrs. Beale Laughing ]
- Happy birthday
To you
Why do we have to have
paper cups when I wanted my--
I wanted my green goblets
with all the gold on 'em;
and she wouldn't bring 'em down.
-[ Radio.: Commercial ]
- So disappointed on my birthday.
Sugar-free Diet Pepsi is here
[ Mrs. Beale ] Oh; what a beautiful--
I knew I wanted to look at that cake!
Did you ever see anything
like that ?
- '' Happy Birthday.'' Gorgeous !
-[ Phone Ringing ]
- Imagine having red--
Somebody's calling me, Edie.
- That's terrific.
- My sister ordered that
out of Sag Harbor.
-[ Edie ] Hello ? Yeah.
- Hey, Mother, can you move
your chair a little bit ?
- Yeah.
This is the first time we've used
the long wire in the dining room.
Oh, hello, Polly.
Thank you, dear. Are you gonna sing it
all the way through ?
[ Giggles ] Listen,
I got your beautiful present.
- Uh, Edie, have you brought
the present down yet ?
- I haven't opened any presents.
We're sitting down here
in the so-called old--
- What, dear ?
- We haven't opened anything.
There's a great big box up there.
Tremendous box; but we haven't
opened the presents
Well, you sent me a card.
I got that.
I don't think she did
send Mother a card.
Michele sent the cards.
I haven't started the cake;
but I'll read you what it says.
It says; uh--
What does it say;Jack ?
Edith; happy birthday--
Oh; it says; ''Happy birthday; Edith. ''
- And that's all in red.
-[Jack ] Yes.
And then the flowers
underneath are--
Well, yellow flowers and green.
It's a perfectly enormous cake.
Oh ! [ Laughs ]
Thank you; dear. Hang up.
- Did you say good-bye ?
Did you say good-bye ?
- That's the girl you hated.
[Jack ] Are they having eye trouble ?
They freeze your eyes.
- Both of them have been operated.
-[ Edie ] They had to have operations.
- They both had two operations.
-And then they weren't good; either.
One lost her eye. One girl.
Yeah; the eyes disappeared--
dried up and disappeared.
She has double vision. She has to wear
dark glasses over the cataract glasses.
She's absolutely cured; Edie!
-She's cured now.
- Did she say she was cured ?
She said; ''I feel wonderful. ''
The really nice thing to have
is to get deaf and get blind...
and then have some cancer
come in your face and your lips.
- Cancer?
- Cancer of the tongue
or something like that.
- Yeah, cancer is worse.
- Yeah.
[ Lois ] You want to open
my little presents and then--
Yeah; I am. Edith;you ever
see anything as cute as this ?
[ Lois ] A little pad there
you can write your requests on.
I need that more than anything
to write things down.
I have my things written all over boxes,
all over the bed, everywhere.
I got Epstein's address.
I've got--
Who have I got there, Edie ?
All the electricians
in East Hampton.
- All of'em. Isn't that
a nice book, Edie ? Look.
- Terrific.
I can't be late now
and I can't forget.
And I can't hate anybody
and I can't do anything.
The little book is gonna keep me
straight. Straight as a die.
Isn't that nice ? I haven't had
a little thing like that in ages.
- I had a wonderful time.
- Your hands are cold.
It did you no good, my food.
- Oh, no.
- Your hands are cold, lady.
[Jack ]
Well; I must be on my course; I guess.
- [ Edie ] Good-bye.
- Well, so long, fellas.
Thank you for your card and your
ice cream. I love you very much.
Oh; especially the ice cream.
[ Door Closes ]
[ Mrs. Beale ]
Bring me my yellow cushion; Edie.
- Yeah.
- The cats are in here.
Did you know it ?
The cats are in with me.
Will you turn the heat off?
It is terribly hot in here.
[ Edie ] Your room is terribly dirty.
It's got to be cleaned.
- Not tonight; Geraldine.
- There's a horrible smell.
I can hardly sit here.
I love that smell. I thrive on it.
Makes me feel good.
We have to hang the portrait
and clean the room.
No ! Pull the chair out !
He wants to look at it !
I'm not ashamed of anything. Where
my body is is a very precious place.
It's ''concentrated''ground.
[ Giggles ]
[ David ]
Consecrated.
[ Mrs. Beale ] What are they doing ?
Take a picture of Edie.
I'm trying to think of--
Oh, I know what I can have.
Oh, for goodness sakes, he is.
My God. They see me as-- You know,
you don't see me as I see myself.
But you're very good,
what you do see me as.
I mean, it's okay.
-Are you pleased with those ?
- You know,
I see myself as a little girl.
- And all that.
- What I see is a very immature child.
She sees me as a baby; and I see myself
as... some kind of a little girl.
They see me as a woman.
I don't see that.
But when I get out of here; I do.
- You gonna babble on ?
- When I go to New York City;
I see myself as a woman.
But in here I'm just, you know,
Mother's little daughter.
I doubt that very much. You wanna
play Al the record I bought you ?
Virginia Military Institute!
Oh, my God. I can't get over this.
I really can't.
And you can't dance at all.
- Why can't I ?
- I never saw you
do anything military. Never.
Are you absolutely crazy ?
There isn't anything I can't do.
[ March ]
[ Chuckles ]
[ Music Ends ]
[ Laughing ]
Darling David, where have you
been all my life ?
Where have you been ?
Where have you been ?
Where have you been ?
Where have you been ?
[ Humming Marching Tune ]
Only thing I needed
was this man !
-[ Mrs. Beale; Indistinct ]
- What ?
- What did you say?
- All I needed was this man. David !
[ Humming Continues ]
- David
- [ Whistling ]
I wish I'd had David and Al
with me before this.
[ Mrs. Beale ]
Yeah; well;you had your mother.
Yeah.
But they're more interested.
Good Lord.
I can't believe it.
It's .
Here, kitty, I got
a big, nice piece of white--
Here, kitty.
Here, kitty.
You like that ? That's nice.
No bones on that one.
[ Humming ]
Oh, that's a pretty song.
'' Don't Throw Bouquets At Me.''
You know, that was-- I was trying
to think of the words to that.
- Bouquet
- No, don't throw
- Bouquets at me
-Bouquets at me
-Don't
- Don't what ?
- Hurry up. Don't what ?
- [ Humming Continues ]
- Your lips to mine
- Oh; no. That's not it.
- No;you're way off
the beat there. No.
- Don't
- [ Humming ]
- Bad. Go to the bottom of the class.
No; that isn't it.
- You're mine
- No; that isn't it either.
People will say
- We're in love
- Her voice is improving.
She didn't say ''lahve. ''
You're not Czechoslovakian.
''Love. ''
- [ Humming Continues ]
- You don't say ''lahve. ''
You say that-- You see;
she knows that she sings so badly...
that she has to wiggle
about times to every note,
you see, to distract the people,
you know, but she really
can't sing it right.
- I can sing like mad.
- You sing beautifully.
You're singing incorrectly.
Very ugly. Always
must do everything correctly.
- Now start at the top now.
-[ Edie Humming ]
-Don't
-Don't
Throw
Bouquets at me
- Don't make funny faces.
- My--
- [ Hums ]
- Now that's what I want.
The next line.
- Are much too much
- Oh; no. Way off there.
No; that's not it.
-Ha har hee
- No. '' Ha har hee'' doesn't make up...
for a lot of words
you can't remember.
- People will say we're in love
- No.
Oh; don't do that
Omie thing again-- ''lahve. ''
Where in hell
did you come from ?
- I'm going to bed, kids.
I love you very much, both of you.
-[ David ] Okay.
- But, you know, she took
my pillow, and I'm in agony.
-Mona Lisa; Mona Lisa
Why did you lose my pillow,
Edie ?
I'm warm inside so I can sleep
And then I
Want to weep
I'm a-getting tired
So I can da-da-da
- [ Edie Babbling, Laughing ]
- I didn't know you were going
to be so disagreeable.
-Down around the lamppost
-[ David; Albert Laughing ]
- In the... something
-[ David; Albert Humming ]
[ Humming ]
If I only knew the words.
Marlene Dietrich.
Down around the lamppost
It's Lily Marlene
That's an old war song, Mother.
[ Edie ] I tried to get you.
I called and called and called.
[ Albert ]
- Oh;yeah ? How's everything ?
- I guess you went out.
Then I called again.
You were busy.
- Guess what's happened.
- What ?
What I had felt
was in the cards.
I'm telling you, I'm not gonna spend
another ten years with this.
You know, I spent ten years
with the last.
- You mean Tom Logan.
- What is it now?
The Marble Faun is moving in.
- Who is ?
- The Marble Faun.
-[ David ] Jerry?
- Oh.
- He just gave us a washing machine.
That cements the deal.
I gotta get out of here. I'm not
gonna spend the rest of my life...
washing clothes in that goddamn--
- I don't blame you.
- It's a very nice washing machine.
It came from this house
they're gonna sell.
You know, he had a job
as a gardener's assistant at this house.
And they're gonna sell the house,
so they gave him the washing machine.
[ Whispering ]
But he's moving in.
Oh.
I can't watch him,
I'm telling you.
Of course, he's still gonna have
the gardening job, you know.
But I think he gets home at : .
So, Mother says-- Do you wanna
come in and speak to Mother ?
- She'd like to speak to you.
- Okay.
Come on in. I'm pulverized
by this latest thing.
Well, you do !
You have a beautiful face, like a girl.
Like, you look like my mother.
The absolute image
of my mother,Jerry.
Jerry;you're not going
to drink anything; are you ?
- No.
- Well, what are you gonna have ?
- I'll wait for the chicken.
- You're waiting for the chicken ?
You mean to say you're not
gonna have soup or a drink...
or a highball
or something like that ?
Don't you think
we better have some rum ?
Oh; no. She didn't put any papers
on that thing today?
I asked her to. Jerry;
I'm badly treated all along.
[ Edie Whispering ] I think my days
at Grey Gardens are limited.
I think my days
at Grey Gardens are limited.
- When do we start
- Oh, God, please !
- The scene is set
- Oh, Edie, take that scarf off.
- That I'm in love with you
- Grab that scarf for me.
Oh, Edie, quit it, for God's sake.
[ Edie Giggling ]
There's an extra knife.
I'll put it in the middle.
- I forgot the forks.
- Do you mind getting my slippers;
Edie ? Get my slippers.
Will you, please ?
You know where you put them.
You have to get very tough
with Edie.
She won't do anything
till you get very, very tough.
A strong hand, says the priest.
Said, ''She needs a strong hand.''
I said, ''I know it. I brought
Edie up without her father.
It was very difficult.''
Then she went to New York
and did what she wanted to do.
You know, I wanted to get Mr. Beale
back and have him come back.
She said she'd leave the house forever
if I had her father come back.
Well, the moon is high
- The breezes sing of it
- Would you bring my little radio ?
Edie; will you bring my little radio ?
It's on my bed.
Will you bring
my little radio; please ?
I've got to have
some professional music.
- [ Edie Continues Singing ]
- She found the slippers.
Quite remarkable.
You got the radio, Edie ?
- You got my radio ? It's on the bed.
- The night is young
- [ Humming ]
- How did you happen
to find it so quickly ?
Put this up there.
Will you, Edie, please ?
Put that up there.
This thing.
All right, if you're gonna
stay there and eat, I'll eat here.
When did we start
Now I'm gonna put that terrible
racket of Edie to bed.
And I'm in love
With you
[ Radio: Static,
Indistinct Announcement ]
- She's always hated Marlene Dietrich.
- I can't stand that music.
- She has. She absolutely
loathes Marlene Dietrich.
- She makes me very ill.
- The scene is set
- Oh, Edie, I can't take it, Edie.
I'll go right into the room; and
I won't have any hot food or anything.
Don't do it, Edie !
I'll get so mad !
- Listen, will you stop it ?
I'm going in the next room.
- I'm singing it in American.
- I'll never see you again,
as long as I live.
- I'm singing it in American.
I don't care. You're not gonna
sing that song. Stop it, will ya ?
- Why not ?
- 'Cause I don't wanna hear it.
I'm your mother. Remember me ?
- Well; I stood for yours
all these years.
- Come on.
Well, my voice
is beautiful and trained.
-[ Edie Humming ]
- It was beautifully trained, my voice.
- I never tried to attract men with it.
- The scene is set
- Edie; stop it.
I'm going to get up now. Good-bye.
- I'm in love with you
I'm going right in the other room
with the cats where I'll be happy.
- [ Humming Continues ]
- I'm not gonna take it.
I hope my bathing suit falls off.
I hope it does.
Something fell off just then.
Get out of here.
Don't make me mad. Get out!
- You're making me very angry!
Go out! Go away! Stop!
- Why ?
- Mother, look at your chest.
- Well, stop it !
Stop that silly nonsense !
- Quit it! Go away!
- I can't have any fun in this house.
- You had enough fun.
- I've never had five minutes' fun.
Not a minute.
- I never had a minute's fun.
- Go away! You don't look at it!
Well, you made
a rotten breakfast.
Horrible. You spoiled the whole thing.
I can't go over to my seat now.
- There's no back to this bathing suit.
-[ David ] We won't look.
Mother; do you realize that your
whole chest was showing in that movie ?
[ Mrs. Beale ] Yes. Everything is
perfectly disgusting on account of you.
You did it. You sure do bring out
the worst in your mother.
[ Door Closes ]
[ Radio ]
I think Mother's very mean to me.
I'm glad I stopped you. Thank God.
I'll have a little peace here.
Yeah, but I do several versions
of that.
She's got a beautiful voice,
but you never heard it.
You never heard her voice.
She can really sing decently.
Sings very well.
Better voice than I have.
But not that song.
Now sing ''Only a Rose; ''now; Edie.
You ought to be able to do that.
Go on. Sing it.
Only a rose
Only a rose
Another day
- Only a rose
- [ Humming ]
I give you only a rose
- Dying away.
- Dying away
Only a rose
To keep in harmony.
- [ Laughs ] To keep in harmony
- To keep in harmony
- Only-- [ Laughs ]
-[ Mrs. Beale Laughs ]
I don't think there's
any point in my meeting anybody
that doesn't like music, do you ?
'Cause I can't stand them.
Finally; I can't stand them.
There's something lacking;
and it's music; isn't it ?
I mean; in a man.
Well, it is nice to have a man
who can play the piano for you.
- No; that isn't all.
She doesn't get it.
- You can practice.
Unless a man understands music; there's
no point in my even meeting him...
'cause I never could figure out
what was wrong.
You know; with stockbrokers
and tennis players and--
I tell you who was a songwriter
and a dancer and a playwright
and everything.
Eugene Tyszkiewicz.
But Mother got rid of him in minutes.
- He didn't speak English well.
He'd only been here seven years.
- You didn't try his cooking.
- He might've poisoned you.
- He was Serge Obelensky's nephew.
-You wanna marry a stranger?
-I mean, he was a very, very decent guy.
- I looked up his horoscope.
He was born November the th.
- You want to marry a stranger?
- I have to go in now.
- We was a very wonderful boy.
Too young for me, probably-- .
- Who was this ?
- Eugene Tyszkiewicz. He was a twin.
- I couldn't stand having
another cook in this house.
- That isn't the point.
And he actually proposed,
under the window.
- He had no home.
He was living in a third-class hotel.
- Under the window.
- He didn't have a thing.
- He said, '' Edith, if you want
to get married, I'll marry you.''
- Not one single nickel.
- And I think that
was decent, don't you ?
- I don't see why.
- He probably wouldn't have,
but just the same.
Not one person had entered
Grey Gardens for many years...
before Eugene Tyszkiewicz
came around.
So I credit him
with all the nerve in the world.
Why; no one
would even speak to us.
People who I had walked
to the Maidstone Club with for years.
- Don't believe a word of it.
- Admiring all the other people.
- Don't believe
a word of it, kid. Not a word.
- All the other people--
- [ Rambling ]
- If your father could hear you,
he'd turn in his grave.
He'd say, '' My God, Edie !''
Well; anyway; I think
you were very cruel; Mother.
- Well, I don't think it's nice.
- He came from one of the best
families in Poland.
And he was related to the Obelenskys.
And I think it's terrible that
she wouldn't give me a chance
with Eugene Tyszkiewicz.
- That was absolutely cruel
to drive the only beau away !
- But he was !
- Do you want to marry a man ?
- I don't care !
That was the only one...
besides these horrible people
that came around here !
- Have you got your thing
lighted for that ?
-[ David ] Yeah; we're all lit.
- He was only
and from a very good family !
- and she's !
And she got rid of him
in minutes flat !
- No, he didn't. He said--
- I'm bored with all these
awful people likeJerry !
- And all those people !
- That wasn't the truth. No.
Tell him the truth.
That was not the truth.
Uh, no,
and that was not the truth.
He said, '' How could such a warm,
lovely person over the telephone...
turn into anything so cold ?''
That's what he said
right down on the porch.
So I said, I said,
''You'd better go home.''
Never said good-bye or anything.
'' How could such a warm,
lovely woman over the telephone
turn into something so cold ?''
I thought that was just
a little too much.
Uh, I'll tell you the whole thing.
You might as well face it.
It's my mother's house,
and she owns it,
and she wanted the people
she wanted in it...
and she didn't want
the people that I wanted in it.
But God knows whom I wanted in it.
I mean; besides Eugene;
and Mother wouldn't allow Eugene
to stay even minutes.
But I had to spend ten years
with Tom Logan.
And now we haveJerry
who is Mother's friend.
So, you just can't do
anything about it.
So I can see now
why girls get married.
You know,
they're forced into it.
It's all a question
of who you want to stay with.
Of course, I'm mad about animals,
but raccoons and cats
become a little bit boring.
I mean, for too long a time.
[ Laughs ]
I don't know.
I don't know.
I better check on Mother and the cats.
She's a lot of fun.
I hope she doesn't die.
I hate to spend the winter here;
though. Oh; God.
Another winter.
[ Whispering ] Very depressing,
you know, when winter sets in here.
You know, 'cause I don't like the
country, and I don't want to be here.
Any little rat--
Any little rat's nest in New York,
any little mouse hole,
any little rat hole,
even on Tenth Avenue,
I would like better.
[ Phonograph.:Big Band ]
Beneath the moon and the sun
Too near or far
No matter, darling where you are
I think of you
Night and day
[ Continues; Indistinct ]
Silence of my lonely room
I think of you
The magic
Of dreams come true
[ Humming ]