All About Eve.docx

7/25/2019 All About Eve.docx

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Plot Summary for

All About Eve

Aspiring actress Eve Harrington maneuvers her way into the lives of Broadway

star Margo Channing, playwright loyd !ichards and director Bill Sampson" #hisclassic story of ambition and betrayal has become part of American fol$lore"

Bette %avis claims to have based her character on the persona of &lm actress

#alullah Ban$head" %avis' line ()asten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy

night( is legendary, but, in fact, all of the &lm's dialog spar$les with e*ual

brilliance" +ritten by eanne Ba$er -.ba$er/erim"org0

#he ambitious Eve Harrington gets close to the great and temperamental stage

artist Margo Channing and her friends 1aren !ichards and her husband, the play2

writer loyd !ichards3 her boyfriend and director Bill Simpson3 and the producerMa4 )abian" Everybody, e4cept the cynical critic Addison %e+itt, believes that

Eve is only a naive, humble and simple obsessed fan of Margo and they try to

help her" However, Eve is indeed a cynical and manipulative sna$e that uses the

lives of Margo and her friends to reach her ob.ectives in the theater business"

+ritten by Claudio Carvalho, !io de aneiro, Bra5il

Stage star Margo Channing is friend to playwright loyd !ichards and his wife

1aren, in love with director Bill Samson, and the idol of Eve Harrington who

becomes her secretary2aide" Eve begins to dominate6 she sends Bill Margo'sbirthday wishes and arranges a party for him, at which point Margo e4plodes"

Eve becomes Margo's understudy and, when Margo misses a performance, critic

Addison %e+itt gives her rave reviews while ma$ing acerbic remar$s about

aging actresses li$e Margo" At Margo and Bill's engagement party Eve tries to

force 1aren to get her the lead in loyd's new play" Margo tells loyd she is going

to retire" Eve gets the part but Addison reveals to her he $nows the lies and

schemes she used to get where she is" +ritten by Ed Stephan

-stephan/cc"wwu"edu0

Broadway legend Margo Channing, aging but not gracefully, has everything6 a

successful career, close friends, a man who loves her" She also has a 'fan' named

Eve Harrington, who manages to worm her way into Margo's life, in order to

(study her li$e a blueprint(" Eve's sweet facade is soon seen through by a

number of people, most *uic$ly by theater critic Addison de+itt, who decides to

become her mentor" Eve achieves her goal of Broadway stardom, leaving a trail

of unhappiness, but ultimately contentment, behind her" +ritten by !on 1errigan

-mvg/whidbey"com0


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All About Eve 789:;< movie script

by oseph Man$iewic5"

)A%E =>6

=>#" %=>=>? HA 2 SA!AH S=%%@>S S@C=E# >=?H#

=t is not a large room and .ammed with tables, mostly for four but some for si4

and eight" A long table of honor, for about thirty people, has been placed upon a

dais"

%iner is over" %emi2tasses, cigars and brandy" #he overall

eect is one of worn elegance and dogged gentility" =t is

une"

#he CAME!A, as it has been throughout the C!E%=# #=#ES, is

on the SA!AH S=%%@>S A+A!%" =t is a gold statuette, about a

foot high, of Sarah Siddons as #he #ragic Muse" E4*uisitely

framed in a nest of Dowers, it rests on a miniature altar in

the center of the table of honor"

@ver this we hear the crisp, cultured, precise @=CE of

A%%=S@> de+=##6

A%%=S@>'S @=CE

#he Sarah Siddons Award for

%istinguished Achievement is

perhaps un$nown to you" =t has been


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spared the sensational and

commercial publicity that attends

such *uestionable (honors( as the

Pulit5er Pri5e and those awards

presented annually by the &lm

society"""

#he CAME!A has EASE% BAC1 to include some of the table of

honor and a distinguished gentleman with snow2white hair who

is spea$ing" +e do not hear what he says"

A%%=S@>'S @=CE

#he distinguished loo$ing gentleman

is an e4tremely old actor" Being an

actor 2 he will go on spea$ing for

some time" =t is not important what

you hear what he says"

#he CAME!A EASES BAC1 some more, and C@>#=>FES until it

discloses a fairly C@MP!EHE>S=E SH@# of the room

A%%=S@>'S @=CE

However it is important that you

$now where you are, and why you are

here" #his is the dining room of

the Sarah Siddons Society"

#he occasion is its annual ban*uet

and presentation of the highest


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honor our #heater $nows 2 the Sarah

Siddons Award for %istinguished

Achievement"

A ?!@FP @) +A=#E!S are clustered near the screen mas$ing the

entrances of the $itchen" #he screens are papered with old

theatrical programs" #he waiters are all aged and venerable"

#hey loo$ respectfully toward the spea$er"

A%%=S@>'S @=CE

#hese hollowed walls, indeed many

of these faces, have loo$ed upon

Mod.es$a, Ada !ehan and Minnie

)is$e3 Mans&eld's voice &lled the

room, Booth breathed this air" =t

is unli$ely that the windows have

been opened since his death"

C@SE 2 #HE A+A!% on its altar, it shines proudly above &ve

or si4 smaller altars which surround it and which are now

empty"

A%%=S@>'S @=CE

#he minor awards, as you can see,

have already been presented" Minor

awards are for such as the writer

and director 2 since their function

is merely to construct a tower so


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that the world can applaud a light

which Dashes on top of it and no

brighter light has ever da55led the

eye than Eve Harrington" Eve""" but

more of Eve, later" All about Eve,

in fact"

#HE CAME!A M@ES #@6 C@SE 2 A%%=S@> de+=##, not young, not

unattractive, a fastidious dresser, sharp of eye and

merciless of tongue" An omnipresent cigarette holder pro.ects

from his mouth li$e the sward of %'Artagnan"

He sits bac$ in his chair, musingly, his &ngers ma$ing

little cannonballs out of bread crumbs" His narration covers

the M@E of the CAME!A to him6

A%%=S@>'S @=CE

#o those of you who do not read,

attend the #heater, listen to

uncensored radio programs or $now

anything of the world in which we

live 2 it is perhaps necessary to

introduce myself" My name is

Addison de+itt"

My native habitat is the #heater 2

in it = toil not, neither do =

spin" = am a critic and

commentator" = am essential to the


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#heater 2 as ants are to a picnic,

as the ball weevil to a cotton

&eld"""

He loo$s to his left" 1A!E> !=CHA!%S is lovely and thirtyish

in an unprofessional way" She is scraping bread crumbs,

spilled sugar, etc", into a pile with a spoon" Addison ta$es

one of her bread crumbs" She smiles absently" Addison rolls

the bread crumb into a cannonball"

A%%=S@>'S @=CE

#his is 1aren !ichards" She is the

wife of a playwright, therefore of

the #heater by marriage" >othing in

her bac$ground or breeding should

have brought her any closer the

stage than row E, center"""

1aren continues her doodling"

A%%=S@>'S @=CE

""" however, during her senior year

in !adclie, loyd !ichards

lectured on drama" #he following

year 1aren became Mrs" loyd

!ichards" loyd is the author of

')ootsteps on the Ceiling' 2 the

play which has won for Eve


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Harrington the Sarah Siddons

Award"""

1aren absently pats the top of her little pile of refuse" A

hand reaches in to ta$e the spoon away" 1aren loo$s as the

CAME!A PA>S with =# to MAG )AB=A>" He sits at her left" He's

a sad2faced man with glasses and a loo$ of constant

apprehension" He smiles apologetically and indicated a white

powder with he unwraps" He pantomimes that his ulcer is

snapping"

1aren smiles bac$, returns to her doodling" Addison mashes a

cigarette stub, pops it out of his holder" He eyes Ma4"

A%%=S@>'S @=CE

#here are two types of theatrical

producers" @ne has a great many

wealthy friends who will ris$ a ta4

deductible loss" #his type is

interested in Art"

Ma4 drops the powder into some water, stirs it, drin$s, burps

delicately and close his eyes"

A%%=S@>'S @=CE

#he other is one to whom each

production mean potential ruin or

fortune" #his type is out to ma$e a


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buc$" Meet Ma4 )abian" He is the

producer of the play which has won

Eve Harrington the Sarah Siddons

Award"""

Ma4 rests &tfully" He twitches" A hand reaches into the

SCE>E, removes a bottle of Scotch from before him" #he CAME!A

follows the bottle to MA!?@ CHA>>=>?" She sits at Ma4's left,

at de+itt's right" An attractive, strong face" She is

childish, adult, reasonable, unreasonable 2 usually one when

she should be the other, but always positive" She pours a

sti drin$"

Addison hold out the soda bottle to her" She loo$s at it, and

at him, as if it were a tarantula and he had gone mad" He

smiles and pours a glass of soda for himself"

A%%=S@>'S @=CE

Margo Channing is the Star of the

#heater" She made her &rst stage

appearance, at the age of four, in

'Midsummer >ight's %ream'" She

played a fairy and entered 2 *uite

une4pectedly 2 star$ na$ed" She has

been a Star ever since"

Margo sloshes her drin$ around moodily, pulls at it"


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A%%=S@>'S @=CE

Margo is a great Star" A true Star"

She never was or will be anything

less or anything less"""

7slight pause'S @=CE

Having covered in tedious detail

not only the history of the Sarah

Siddons Society, but also the

history of acting since #hespis

&rst stepped out of the chorus

line 2 our distinguished chairman

has &nally arrived at our reason

for being here"""

At this point Addison's voice )A%ES @F# and the voice of the

aged actor )A%ES =>" CAME!A is in ME%=FM C@SE SH@# of him

and the podium"


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A?E% AC#@!

= have been proud and privileged to

have spent my life in the #heater 2

(a poor player """ that struts and

frets his hour upon the stage( 2

and = have been honored to be, for

forty years, Chief Promoter of the

Sarah Siddons Society"""

7he lifts the Sarah

Siddons Award from its

altar S#@PS" #he S@F>% S#@PS"

A%%=S@>'S @=CE

Eve" Eve, the ?olden ?irl" #he

cover girl, the girl ne4t door, the

girl on the moon""" #ime has been

good to Eve, ife goes where she

goes 2 she's been pro&led,

covered, revealed, reported, what

she eats and when and where, whom

she $nows and where she was and

when and where she's going"""

A%%=S@> has stopped applauding, he's sitting forward, staring

intently at Eve""" his narration continues unbro$en"

A%%=S@>'S @=CE

""" Eve" ou all $now all about

Eve""" what can there be to $now

that you don't $now"""

As he leans bac$, the APPAFSE )A%ES => as tumultuous as


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before" Addison's loo$ moves slowly from Eve to 1aren"

1A!E>, she leans forward now, her eyes intently on Eve" Her

lovely face )=S #HE SC!EE> as the APPAFSE )A%ES @>CE M@!E 2

as she thin$s bac$6

1A!E>'S @=CE

+hen was it How long =t seems a

lifetime ago" loyd always said

that in the #heater a lifetime was

a season, and a season a lifetime"

=t's une now" #hat was 2 early

@ctober""" only last @ctober" =t

was a dri55ly night, = remember =

as$ed the ta4i to wait"""

%=SS@E #@6

EG#" >E+ @!1 #HEA#E! S#!EE# 2 >=?H#

#raIc is not heavy, the shows have bro$en some half2hour

before" #he rain is .ust a dri55le"

#here are other theaters on the street3 display lights are

being e4tinguished" ?oing out .ust as 1aren's ta4i pulls up

is6 MA!?@ CHA>>=>? in 'A?E% => +@@%'" #he mar*uis display

below includes (Ma4 )abian Presents( and (By loyd !ichards"(


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#he ta4i comes to a stop at the alley" 1aren can be seen

through the closed windows telling the driver to wait" #hen

she gets out" She ta$es a step, hesitates, then loo$s about

curiously6

1A!E>'S @=CE

+here was she Strange""" = had

become so accustomed to seeing her

there night after night 2 = found

myself loo$ing for a girl ='d never

spo$en to, wondering where she

was"""

She smiles a little at her own romanticism, puts her head

down and ma$es her way into the alley"

EG#" AE 2 CF!!A> #HEA#E! 2 >=?H#

1aren moves toward the stage door" She passes a recess in the

wall 2 perhaps an e4it 2 about halfway"

EE'S @=CE

7softly

>ot at all"

EE

='ve seen you so often 2 it too$

every bit of courage = could raise2


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1A!E>

7smiles

7incredulous

='m going to ta$e you to Margo"""

EE

7hanging bac$

ou loo$ .ust &ne"""

7they're at the stage

door>=>?"

As 1aren and Eve approach it, an uninhibited guaw from

Margo ma$es them pause"

1A!E>

7whispers

7&rmly

#he critics thought so, the

audiences certainly thin$ so 2

pac$ed houses, tic$ets for months

in advance 2 = can't see that

either of loyd's last two plays

have hurt you anyJ

@%

Easy, now"""

MA!?@

7grins

7molli&ed

es, it isJ ou're talented,

famous, wealthy 2 people waiting

around night after night .ust to

see you, even in the wind and

rain"""

MA!?@

Autograph &endsJ #hey're not

people 2 those little beast who run

in pac$s li$e coyotes2

1A!E>

#hey're your fans, your audience2

MA!?@

#hey're nobody's fansJ #hey're

.uvenile delin*uents, mental

detectives, they're nobody's

audience, they never see a play or

a movie, even 2 they're never

indoors long enoughJ

#here is a pause" loyd applauds lightly"


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1A!E>

+ell""" there's one indoors now"

='ve brought her bac$ to see you"

MA!?@

ou've what

1A!E>

7in a whisper

=f you'd only see her, you're her

whole life 2 you must have spotted

her by now, she's always there"""

MA!?@

1ind of mousy trench coat and funny

hat

71aren nods

Harrington"

MA!?@

='m so sorry""" Harrington" +on't

you sit down

EE

#han$ you"

She sits" A short lull"

MA!?@

+ould you li$e a drin$ =t's right

beside you"""

1A!E>


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= was telling Margo and loyd about

how often you'd seen the play"""

#hey start together, and stop in deference to each other"

#hey're a little Dustered" But not Eve"

EE

7to Margoo, than$ you"

7to loyd Dings open the door to the dressing room" He's

youngish, vital, undisciplined" He lugs a beat2up suitcase

which he drops as he crosses to Margo2

B=

)orty2&ve minutes from now my

plane ta$es o and how do = &nd

you >ot ready yet, loo$ing li$e a

.un$ yard2


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MA!?@

#han$ you so much"

B=

=s it sabotage, does my career mean

nothing to you Have you no human

consideration

MA!?@

Show me a human and = might haveJ

1A!E>

7conscious of Eve

ou've already met"

B=

+here

1A!E>

!ight here" A minute ago"

B=

#hat's nice"


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MA!?@

She, too, is a great admirer of

yours"

B=!%=E

=magine" All this admiration in

.ust one room"

B=

#a$e your mistress into the

bathroom and dress her"

7Birdie opens her mouth

ou're not going, are you

EE

= thin$ ='d better" =t's been 2

well, = can hardly &nd the words

to say how it's been"""

MA!?@

7riseso, don't go"""


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EE

#he four of you must have so much

to say to each other 2 with Mr"

Sampson leaving"""

Margo, impulsively crosses to Eve"

MA!?@

Stic$ around" Please" #ell you what

2 we'll put Stanislavs$y on his

plane, you and =, then go somewhere

and tal$"

EE

+ell 2 if ='m not in the way"""

MA!?@

= won't be a minute"

She darts into the bathroom" Eve sits down again"

1A!E>

loyd, we've got to go2

loyd gets up" 1aren crosses to pound on the bathroom door"

She yells 2 the shower is going"""


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1A!E>

Margo, good nightJ ='ll call you

tomorrowJ

Margo's answer is lost in the shower noise" 1aren crosses to

$iss Bill" She's .oined by loyd"

1A!E>

?ood luc$, genius"""

B=

?eniuses don't need good luc$"

7he grins eyeing her *ui55ically" He oers her the whis$ey"

MA!?@ sha$es her head, absently" She loo$s down at her glass

again" #hen, she raises her eyes to loo$ at Eve"

MA!?@'S @=CE

""" the ne4t three wee$s were out

of a fairy tale 2 and = was

Cinderella in the last act" Eve

became my sister, lawyer, mother,

friend, psychiatrist and cop 2 the

honeymoon was on"""

=>#" MA!?@'S ==>? !@@M 2 %A

=t's one Door above street level" A long narrow room,

smartly furnished 2 including a Sarah Siddons Award"

MA!?@'S >A!!A#=E overlaps into the scene which is a S=E>#


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@>E"

Eve sits at a smart des$" She is .ust arranging a stac$ of

letters which she carries to Margo with a pen" Margo sits

comfortably by the &re with a play script" She hands the

scrips up to Eve, sha$es her head and holds her nose" Eve

smiles, ta$es the script, hands Margo the letters to sign"

Birdie comes in with a tea tray which she sets on a low table

before the &re"

#he phone rings"

Birdie and Eve both go for it" Eve gets there &rst" By her

polite but negative attitude, we $now she is giving someone a

s$illful brush2o"

Birdie glares &rst at her, then at Margo"

Margo leans her head bac$, closes her eyes blissfully"""

Birdie slams the double door to the landing on her way out"""

=>#" BAC1S#A?E 2 CF!!A> #HEA#E! 2 %A

)rom the wings" #he audience is never visible" Eve in the

f"g" Margo and company ta$ing a curtain call" #umultuous

applause""" the curtain falls" #he cast, e4cept for Margo and


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two male leads, wal$ o" #he curtain rises again"""

EE, watching and listening to the storm of applause" Her

eyes shine, she clasps and unclasps her hands"""

#HE S#A?E, Eve again in the f"g", but closer" Again the

curtain falls" #his time the two men go o" Curtain rises on

Margo alone" =f anything, the applause builds"""

EE, that same hypnotic loo$""" there are tears in her eyes"

#he curtain falls oscene, then rises again 2

MA!?@, the curtain falls again between her and CAME!A"""

BAC1S#A?E, the curtain .ust settling on the Door" Margo

starts o"

S#A?E MA>A?E!

@ne more

MA!?@

7sha$es her head? !@@M 2 >=?H#

=t's undergone *uite a change" A new carpet, chint5 covers


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for the furniture, new lampshades, dainty curtains across the

&lthy barred window"

Birdie waits within" She's listening to a &ght3 she shuts it

o as they enter"

MA!?@

7entering#" BAC1S#A?E 2 CF!!A> #HEA#E! 2 >=?H#

Margo pops out, loo$s for Eve, then stares in ama5ement"

EE, near the wings" She stands before a couple of cheval

mirrors set up for cast members" She has Margo's dress held

up against her body" She turns this way and that, bows as if

to applause 2 mimic$ing Margo e4actly"""

MA!?@ watches her curiously" #hen she smiles"


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MA!?@

7calling=?H#

Margo's asleep" A bedside cloc$ with a luminous dial reads N

A"M" e4actly" #he phone rings" Her head comes up out of the

pillow, she sha$es it" She fumbles, switches on a lamp, then

pic$s up the phone"

MA!?@

Hello""

@PE!A#@!'S @=CE

+e are ready with your call to

Beverly Hills"""


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MA!?@

Call, what call

@PE!A#@!'S @=CE

=t this #empleton O99; Miss Margo

Channing

MA!?@

#hat's right, but = don't

understand2

@PE!A#@!'S @=CE

+e are ready with the call you

placed for 8Q midnight, California

time, to Mr" +illiam Sampson in

Beverly Hills"""

MA!?@

= placed"""

@PE!A#@!'S @=CE

?o ahead, please"""

B='S @=CE

7a loud, happy s*uaw$ MA!?@ is on screen" She

puts her phone away" She gets a cigarette" She lights it" She

rolls over on her bac$"""

=>#" MA!?@'S BE%!@@M 2 %A

Margo is propped up in bed, still reDective" Birdie comes in

with her brea$fast tray and a (hi( which gets a (hi( from

Margo" She starts on some petty chores" Margo ta$es a sip of

orange .uice"""

MA!?@

Birdie2

B=!%=E

Hmm

MA!?@

ou don't li$e Eve, do you

B=!%=E

%o you want an argument or an


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answer

MA!?@

An answer"

B=!%=E

>o"

MA!?@

+hy not

B=!%=E

>ow you want an argument"

MA!?@

She wor$s hard"

B=!%=E

>ight an' day"

MA!?@

She's loyal and eIcient2

B=!%=E

i$e an agent with one client"

MA!?@

She thin$s only for me"""


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7no answer from Birdie=>? HA 2 SA!AH S=%%@>S S@C=E# 2 >=?H#

MA!?@, reDectively twirling her highball glass" #he applause

continues" She lifts her glass to drin$" Her glance meets

1aren's" She raises the glass in a silent toast"

1A!E> smiles wanly at Margo's toast" #hen the smile fades as

she loo$s reDectively bac$ to Eve"""

1A!E>'S @=CE

= saw Eve *uite often after our

&rst meeting, but we never really

tal$ed again 2 until the party

Margo gave for Bill when he

returned from Hollywood"""


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=>#" MA!?@'S BE%!@@M 2 >=?H#

=t's anuary" #he bed is littered with fur coats" #hrough the

open door, from the Door below, the murmur of a party at a

late hour" >o hilarity"

1A!E>'S @=CE

=t's always convenient at a party

to $now the hostess well enough to

use her bedroom rather than go

where all the others have to go"""

1aren is ma$ing repairs at Margo's dressing table" Eve

enters, carrying a magni&cent sable coat which she drops on

the bed"

1A!E>

>ow who's show up at this hour

=t's time people went home 2 hold

that coat up"""

7Eve holds it up3 1aren

whistles

%iscouraging, isn't it +omen with

furs li$e that where it never gets

cold"""

EE

Hollywood"

1A!E>

#ell me, Eve 2 how are things with

you Happy

Eve melts into warmth" She beams, sits on the bed" 1aren has

spun around on the dressing table stool"

EE

#here should be a new word for

happiness" Being here with Miss

Channing has been 2 = .ust can't

say, she's been so wonderful, done

so much for me2

1A!E>

7smiles

7crosses to her


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>obody's done so much, Eve, you've

got to stop thin$ing of yourself as

one of the Hundred >eediest

Cases""" what is it

EE

+ell""" Miss Channing's aairs are

in such good shape""" there isn't

enough to $eep me as busy as =

should be, really 2 not that ='ve

ever considered anything that would

ta$e me away from her""" but the

other day 2 when = heard Mr" )abian

tell Miss Channing that her

understudy was going to have a

baby, and they'd have to replace

her"""

She loo$s down at the coverlet once more"

1A!E>

""" you want to be Margo's new

understudy"

EE

= don't let myself thin$ about it,

even2

7she loo$s up, rises as


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she spea$s


95/304

= won't forget"

EE

= seem to be forever than$ing you

for something, don't =

She hugs 1aren, leaves" She nearly collides with Birdie on

her way in"

B=!%=E

#he bed loo$s li$e a dead animal

act" +hich one is sables

1A!E>

7pointing

+hat did you e4pect 2 live sables

B=!%=E

A diamond collar, gold sleeves 2


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you $now, picture people"""

#hey start out"

1A!E>

Bill says actors out there eat .ust

as infre*uently as here2

B=!%=E

#hey can always grab oranges o

trees" #his you can't do in #imes

S*uare"""

#hrough the open door, we see them go down the stairs and out

of sight"

=>#" SEC@>% )@@! A>%=>? A>% S#A=!S 2 >=?H#

1aren and Birdie come down the stairs to Bill, Ma4, Addison,

a blonde young lady named M=SS CAS+E 7Addison's protegee2of

the2moment< 2 and, at the feet of Bill and Addison""" Eve"

#hey are all seated on the steps"

Birdie goes through and down the stairs to the &rst Door"

1aren remains with the others"

Addison is holding forth6


97/304

A%%=S@>

Every now and then, some elder

statesman of the #heater or cinema

assures the public that actors and

actresses are .ust plain fol$"

=gnoring the fact that their

greatest attraction to the public

is their complete lac$ of

resemblance to normal human beings"

M=SS CAS+E

7as Birdie and the sables

passow there's something a girl could

ma$e sacri&ces for"

B='S @=CE

And probably has"

M=SS CAS+E

Sable"

MAG

7to Miss Caswell

#hat happens to be your particular

abnormality"


100/304

B=

@h, = admit there's a screwball

element in the #heater" =t stic$s

out, it's got spotlights on it and

a brass band" But it isn't basic,

it isn't standard 2 if it were, the

#heater couldn't survive"""

M=SS CAS+E

7to a passing butler

#hat isn't a waiter, my dear"

#hat's a butler"

M=SS CAS+E

+ell, = can't yell (@h, butler,(

can = Maybe somebody's name is

Butler"""

A%%=S@>

ou have a point" An idiotic one,

but a point"


101/304

M=SS CAS+E

= don't want to ma$e trouble" All =

want is a drin$"

MAG

7getting up

+ell done" = see your career rising

in the East li$e the sun"""

7to Bill

ou're maudlin and full of self

pity" ou're magni&cent"


105/304

Ma4 has come up with Miss Caswell's drin$"

@%

How about calling it a night

MA!?@

And you pose as a playwright" A

situation pregnant with

possibilities 2 and all you can

thin$ of is everybody to go to

sleep"""

B=

=t's a good thought"

MA!?@

=t won't play"

1A!E>

As a nonprofessional, = thin$ it's

an e4cellent idea" Fndramatic, but

practical"""

As she spea$s, she ma$es her way to loyd's side"

MA!?@

Happy little housewife"""


106/304

B=

Cut it out"

MA!?@

#his is my house, not a theaterJ =n

my house you're a guest, not a

director2J

1A!E>

#hen stop being a star 2 start

treating your guests as your

supporting castJ

A%%=S@>

Hear, hear"""

@%

>ow let's not get into a big hassle2

1A!E>

=t's about time we didJ =t's about

time Margo reali5ed that what's

attractive on stage need not

necessarily be attractive o"

MA!?@

7suddenly#" %=>=>? HA 2 SA!AH S=%%@>S S@C=E# 2 >=?H#

#he applause continues" Margo sits bac$ in her chair now,

pic$ing at a bit of &ngernail polish"""

MA!?@'S @=CE

Bill's welcoming2home2birthday

party""" a night to go down in

history" i$e the Chicago )ire 2 or

the Massacre of the Huguenots" Even

before the party started, = could

smell disaster in the air"""

=>#" MA!?@'S BE%!@@M 2 >=?H#

#he same night as the previous se*uence, but before the party


112/304

has started" Margo is all dressed e4cept for .ewelry" She

stands before her dressing table putting it on" She sips at

an enormous Martini"""

MA!?@'S @=CE

= $new it, = sensed it even as =

&nished dressing for that blasted

party"""

Birdie comes in"

B=!%=E

ou all put together

MA!?@

My bac$'s open"

7Birdie goes to wor$ on

it? !@@M 2 >=?H#

As Margo strolls up, very o2hand"

MA!?@

%on't let me $ill the point" @r

isn't it a story for grownups

B=

ou've heard it" About when =

loo$ed through the wrong end of a

camera &nder"

MA!?@


116/304

7to Eveot with a hit"

1A!E>


126/304

#his is the most ghoulish

conversation"""

Bill brings two Martinis" He hands one to Margo"

MA!?@

7it drips ice 8


128/304

Margo, darlingJ

+@MA> Q

%arlingJ

MA!?@

7passing

%ear Margo" ou were an

unforgettable Peter Pan 2 you must

play it again, soon" ou remember

Miss Caswell

MA!?@

= do not" How do you do

M=SS CAS+E


129/304

+e never met" #hat's why"

A%%=S@>

Miss Caswell is an actress" A

graduate of Copacabana School of

%ramatic Arts"

7his glance is attracted

by Eve coming downstairs

7murmurs

7icily

7to Margo? !@@M 2 >=?H#

=t's many Martinis later" Most of the guests have gone" #he

party has reached that static state 2 everyone's assumed more

or less permanent places"

Birdie passes, carrying a cup of coee" CAME!A )@@+S her

to the piano where Margo sits on the bench beside the

pianist" He is .ust &nishing (iebestraum( and she stares

moodily into a Martini" Birdie halts beside her with the

coee" Margo loo$s up" Birdie holds out the coee" Margo

ta$es the onion out of the Martini, drops it into the coee

and waves Birdie away" Birdie goes" (iebestraum( comes to an

end" #he pianist tries to ease into a more sophisticated

rhythm" Margo stops him"

MA!?@

7*uietly=S#

>o" ou're .ust cra5y about

(iebestraum"(

MA!?@

(iebestraum"(

P=A>=S#

oo$, Miss Channing""" it's $ind of

depressing" =f you don't mind my

saying so, everybody's $ind of

dying on the vine"""

MA!?@

My dear Horowit5" =n the &rst

place, ='m paying you union scale"

Second, it's my piano" #hird, if

everybody doesn't li$e $ind of


134/304

dying on the vine, they can get o

the vine and go home"

(iebestraum"(

Fnhappily, he plays (iebestraum"( Margo sips her Martini,

stares down into it again" Bill tiptoes up"

B=

7whispers#! 2 >=?H#

=t's a good si5ed one" =n the b"g", the caterers are pac$ing

dishes, glassware, etc" Margo crosses to a cupboard" She

&nds the bicarb"

MA!?@

Here you are, Ma4ie dear" @ne good

burp and you'll be rid of that Miss

Caswell"""

MAG

#he situation ='m in ain't the $ind

you can belch your way out" = made

a promise"""

MA!?@

Miss Caswell

7Ma4 nods


138/304

+hat

MAG

An audition for the part we're

replacing" +hat's2her2name, your

sister"""

He adds water to the bicarb"

MA!?@

+ell, if she can act, she might not

be bad" She loo$s li$e she might

burn down a plantation"""

MAG

7mi4ingow =

feel as if ='d suddenly ta$en all

my clothes o"""

@%

+ee$ after wee$, to thousands of

people, you're as young as you


145/304

want"""

MA!?@

""" as young as they want, you

mean" And ='m not interested in

whether thousands of people thin$

='m si4 or si4 hundred2

@%

ust one person" =sn't that so

7Margo doesn't answer% )@E! 2 CF!!A> #HEA#E! 2 %A

Margo comes from the street through the lobby 7 a few people

buying tic$ets< and into the deserted foyer" She spots

Addison sprawled on one of the sofas"

MA!?@

+hy so remote, Addison = should

thin$ you'd be at the side of your

protegee, lending her moral

support"""


148/304

A%%=S@>

Miss Caswell, at the moment, is

where = can lend no support 2 moral

or otherwise"

MA!?@

#he ladies' 2 shall we say 2

lounge

A%%=S@>

Being violently ill to her tummy"

MA!?@

=t's good luc$ before an audition"

She'll be all right once it starts"

She heads for the auditorium"

A%%=S@>

Miss Caswell got luc$y too late"

#he audition is over"

MA!?@

7stops


149/304

#he audition was called for Q6N;"

=t is now nearly four"

MA!?@

7lightly

= refer to your new and unpregnant

understudy" Eve Harrington"

MA!?@

EveJ My understudy"""


150/304

A%%=S@>

7$eenly

Completely" >or, = am sure, could

anyone else present tell you how

Miss Caswell read or whether Miss

Caswell read or rode a pogo stic$"


151/304

MA!?@

+as she that bad

As Addison spea$s, he rises with e4citement"

A%%=S@>

Margo, as you $now, i have lived in

the #heater as a #rappist mon$

lives in his faith" = have no other

world, no other life 2 and once in

a great while = e4perience that

moment of !evelation for which all

true believers wait and pray" ou

were one" eanne Eagels another"""

Paula +essely""" Hayes 2 there are

others, three or four" Eve

Harrington will be among them"""

MA!?@

7Datly

=n time she'll be what you are"

MA!?@

A mass of music and &re" #hat's

me" An old $a5oo and some spar$les"

#ell me 2 was Bill swept away, too,

or were you too full of !evelation

to notice

A%%=S@>

Bill didn't say 2 but loyd was

beside himself" He listened to his

play as if someone else had written

it, he said, it sounded so fresh,

so new, so full of meaning"""

MA!?@

How nice for loyd" And how nice

for Eve" How nice for everybody"

Addison, of course, $nows e4actly what she's doing" He senses

the approaching typhoon, he whips it up"""

A%%=S@>


153/304

Eve was incredibly modest" She

insisted that no credit was due

her, that loyd felt as he did only

because she read lines e4actly as

he had written them"

MA!?@

#he implication being that = have

not been reading them as written"

A%%=S@>

#o the best of my recollection,

neither your name nor your

performance entered the

conversation"

Miss Caswell appears, uncertain, in the b"g"

A%%=S@>

)eeling better, my dear

M=SS CAS+E

i$e = .ust swam the English

Channel" >ow what

A%%=S@>

ou ne4t move, it seems to me,

should be toward television"


154/304

Margo, abruptly, starts for the auditorium" Addison smiles"

He ta$es Miss Caswell's arm"

M=SS CAS+E

#ell me this" %o they have

auditions for television

A%%=S@>

#hat's all television is, my dear"

>othing but auditions"

He ta$es her toward the street"

=>#" #HEA#E! 2 CF!!A> #HEA#E! 2 %A

#he curtain is up3 the set, covered, is a bedroom in a

deteriorating Southern mansion"

#here is no one in the theater but Ma4, seated on the aisle

about two2thirds down, and Eve with loyd and Bill on the

stage" She is seated3 they stand between her and auditorium"

#here is some ad lib tal$ among the three which we cannot

ma$e out" Margo marches down the aisle with a steady pace"

She passes Ma4 smiles a sic$ly, hopeful smile" She ignores

him as if he were a used paper cup" She disappears through

the door which leads bac$stage"


155/304

Ma4 whistles" loyd turns" Ma4 indicated the door and puts

his hands to his head in despair"

Margo wal$s out of the wings on stage" Bill and loyd turn to

her" Eve rises"

MA!?@

7cheerilyo mind"

B=

+hat a body, what a voice"

MA!?@

#he e42ship news' reporter" >o

body, no voice, all mindJ

B=

#he gong rang" #he &ght's over"

Calm down"

MA!?@

= will not calm downJ


168/304

B=

%on't calm down"

MA!?@

ou're being terribly tolerant,

aren't you

B=

='m trying terribly hard"

MA!?@

+ell, you needn't" = will not be

tolerated" And = will not be

plotted againstJ

B=

Here we go"""

MA!?@

Such nonsense, what do you all ta$e

me for 2 little >ell from the

country Been my understudy for

over a wee$ without my $nowing,

carefully hidden no doubt2

B=

7sits upow don't get carried away2


169/304

MA!?@

7going right on# 2 %A

@ne large room, a small foyer with a door to the corridor" A

stair up one wall to a narrow balcony from which a couple of

bedroom open"

1aren is painting" Earnestly but badly" A still life of an

orange, an avocado, an eggplant and three bananas"

1A!E>'S @=CE


176/304

@n the day of the audition, my

biggest worry was to $eep a banana

loo$ing part of an eggplant""" then

loyd came home"

7in the b"g", loyd lets

himself in

loyd, what happened"""

@%

Fp to hereJ #hat's where ='ve got

it 2 up to hereJ @f all the star

ridden, presumptuous, hysterical2

1A!E>

Margo, again"""

@%

And again and againJ #wo hours late

for the audition, to begin with2

1A!E>


177/304

#hat's on time for Margo"

@%

#hen a childish, heavy2handed

routine about not $nowing Eve was

her understudy2

1A!E>

=t's .ust possible she didn't"""

@%

@f course she $newJ )or one thing,

Addison told her how superbly Eve

had read the part2J

7suddenly softening

2 don't run out of ad.ectives,

dear"

@%

2 everything a playwright &rst

thin$s of wanting to write about"""

until his play becomes a vehicle


178/304

for Miss Channing"""

1A!E>

Margo hasn't done badly by it"

@%

Margo" Margo's great" She $nows it"

#hat's the trouble"

She can play Pec$'s Bad Boy all she

wants, and who's to stop her +ho's

to give her that boot in the rear

she needs and deserves

He starts up the stairs to the bedroom"

1A!E>

7murmursewton 2 they say, thought of

gravity by getting hit on the head

by an apple" And the man who

invented the steam engine, he was

watching a tea2$ettle""" but not

me" My Big =dea came to me .ust

sitting on a couch"""

She lies down, folds her hands behind her head"

1A!E>'S @=CE

#hat boot in the rear to Margo"

Heaven $nows she had one coming"

)rom me, from loyd, from Eve,

Bill, Ma4, and so on 2 we'd all

felt those si5e &ves of hers often


180/304

enough""" but how #he answer was

bu55ing around me li$e a Dy"""

She sits up" She smiles" #he smile fades"""

1A!E>'S @=CE

= had it" But = let it go"

Screaming and calling names is one

thing 2 but this could mean"""

She sha$es her head, crosses to her easel, resumes wor$ on

the bananas" She slows down, then stops"

1A!E>'S @=CE

+hy not +hy, = said to myself,

not =t would all seem perfectly

legitimate" And there were only two

people in the world who would $now"

Also, the boot would land where it

would do the most good for all

concerned2

She puts the brush away and crosses to the phone which is by

loyd's wor$ chair" As she crosses6

1A!E>'S @=CE

And after all, it was not more than

a perfectly harmless .o$e which


181/304

Margo, herself, would be the &rst

to en.oy"""

She loo$s in a leather phone boo$, pic$ up the phone and

dials"

1A!E>'S @=CE

""" and no reason why she shouldn't

be told about it 2 in time"

#here's an answer at the other end"

1A!E>

7into phone#" C@FPE 2 >=?H#

loyd driving" All three in the front seat"

1A!E>

+hat time is it

@%

+hen you as$ed a minute ago it was

&ve2forty2two" =t is now &ve

forty2three" +hen you as$ a minute

from no, it will be2

1A!E>

= .ust don't want Margo to miss her

train" As it is, she'll barely ma$e

the theater"""


183/304

@%

)ive2&fty2&ve" +e'll be at the

station in plenty of time"""

MA!?@

#hat little place .ust two hours

form >ew or$" =t's on my list of

things2='ll2never2understand" i$e

collecting shrun$en =ndian heads"""

1A!E>

@f all people you should $now what

it means to want some peace and

*uiet2

MA!?@

Peace and *uit is for libraries"

#he car swerves 2 suddenly and slightly"

1A!E>

loyd, be careful"""

@%

ust a little s$id, that's all"

#his road's li$e glass"


184/304

MA!?@

1aren and = .ust don't want an

accident2

@%

= have no intention of having an

accidentJ

MA!?@

=t's not important whether you do"

+e are wearing long underwear"

#hey all laugh" Suddenly the car slows and stops 2 with that

hissing sound that can mean only one thing 2 no gas"

@%

>ow what's this"""

He tries to start it again" >o luc$" He turns on the

dashboard lights" #he gas gauge reads empty"

@%

But it can't beJ +e can't be out of

gasJ = &lled it myself yesterdayJ

7to 1aren

7loo$ingone in sight, there aren't many

along this bac$ road"""

MA!?@

>ot many car either, not much

chance of a lift"""

A moment of silence"

@%

+ell" >o sense my .ust sitting

here" ='m going to wal$ up about

half a mile, .ust in case"

He starts out of the car" #he cold comes in li$e a $nife, the

women react"

1A!E>

ou'll brea$ your nec$ on that ice"

@%

7grins

%on't .o$e about such things"

MA!?@

7*uietly

He always loo$s so pathetic

whenever he does anything physical2

MA!?@

=t seems to me that wal$ing, for

most people, is not very dangerous"


188/304

1A!E>

7smiles

Margo" Bill is all of eight years

younger than you"

MA!?@

#hose years stretch as the years go

on" ='ve seen it happen too often"

1A!E>

>ot to you" >ot to Bill"

MA!?@

=sn't that what they always say

She turns the radio on again" A piano nocturne"""


192/304

MA!?@

= don't suppose the heater runs

when the motor doesn't

1A!E>

Silly, isn't it ou'd thin$ they'd

&4 it so people could .ust sit in

a car and $eep warm"""

Margo nods, get some cigarettes out of her bag" She oers

one to 1aren" #hey light up"

MA!?@

About Eve" ='ve acted pretty

disgracefully toward her, too"

1A!E>

+ell"""

MA!?@

et's not fumble for e4cuses, not

here and now with my hair down" At

best, let's say ='ve been

oversensitive to""" well, to the

fact that she's so young 2 so

feminine and helpless" #o so many

things = want to be for Bill"""


193/304

funny business, a woman's career"

#he things you drop on your way up

the ladder, so you can move faster"

ou forget you'll need them again

when you go bac$ to being a woman"

#hat's one career all females have

in common 2 whether we li$e it or

not 2 being a woman"

Sooner or later we've all got to

wor$ at it, no matter what other

careers we've had or wanted""" and,

in the last analysis, nothing is

any good unless you can loo$ up

.ust before dinner or turns around

in bed 2 and there he is" +ithout

that, you're not woman" ou're

something with a )rench provincial

oIce or a boo$ full of clippings 2

but you're not a woman"""

7she smiles at 1aren #HEA#E! 2 >=?H#

#he snow has been shoveled to either side of the alley,

ma$ing a lane" #he performance is .ust over"

Addison, his bac$ to us, stands loo$ing toward the stage

door" A few actors, on their way out"


195/304

A%%=S@>'S @=CE

Eve, of course, was superb" Many of

the audience understandably

preferred to return another time to

see Margo"

But those who remained cheered

loudly, lustily and long for Eve"""

how thoughtful of her to call and

invite me 2 that afternoon"""

He starts to wal$ toward the stage door"

A%%=S@>'S @=CE

""" and what a happy coincidence

that several representatives of

other newspapers happened to be

present" All of us 2 invited that

afternoon to attend an understudy's

performance"""

He goes in the stage door"

=>#" BAC1S#A?E 2 CF!!A> #HEA#E! 2 >=?H#

More activity than last time, the performance being .ust

over" Addison comes through the door, pic$s his way toward

Margo's dressing room"


196/304

A%%=S@>'S @=CE

""" about which the management $new

nothing until they were forced to

ring up the curtain at nine

o'cloc$" Coincidence" Also every

indication of intrigue, s$ulduggery

and fraud"""

#he door tot he dressing room is open .ust a bit" Addison

pauses beside the door to listen"

B=

7from within#" MA!?@'S %!ESS=>? !@@M 2 >=?H#

Bill faces Eve, who wears Margo's costume" She is a ravishing

sight" Her eyes shine up to his radiantly6

B=

7continuing

@f course your performance was no

surprise to me" After the other day

= regarded it as no more than 2 a

promised ful&lled"

EE

ou're more than $ind" But it's

still Miss Channing's performance"

='m .ust a carbon copy you read

when you can't &nd the original"""

A%%=S@>

ou're more than modest"

EE

=t's not modesty" = .ust don't try

to $id myself"

A%%=S@>

A revolutionary approach to the

#heater" However, if = may a

suggestion"""

EE

Please do"


203/304

A%%=S@>

= thin$ the time has come for you

to shed some of your humility" =t

is .ust as false not to blow your

horn at all as it is to blow it too

loudly"""

EE

= don't thin$ ='ve done anything to

sound o about"

A%%=S@>

+e all come into this world with

our little egos e*uipped with

individual horns" =f we don't blow

them 2 who will

EE

Even so" @ne isolated pretty good

performance by an understudy" =t'll

be forgotten tomorrow"

A%%=S@>

=t needn't be"

EE

Even if = wanted to 2 as you say 2

be less humble, blow my own horn"""


204/304

how would = do it ='m less than

nobody"

A%%=S@>

= am somebody"

Eve rises" She eyes him steadily"

EE

ou certainly are"

She goes into the bathroom"

A%%=S@>

eave the door open a bit, so we

can tal$"

Eve does so"

A%%=S@>

After you change, if you're not

busy elsewhere, we can have supper"

EE

7from the bathroom

7smiling

#hey'll be wasting this much of

their time at any rate" Eve has no

intention of going to Hollywood"

He turns to 1aren, changing the sub.ect"

A%%=S@>

)rom the smartness of your dress, =

ta$e it your luncheon companion is

a lady

1A!E>


211/304

7smilesot #o #ell( by Addison


212/304

de+itt" He e4pression becomes increasingly horri&ed" She

drops the paper and rushes out"""

=>#" MA!?@'S ==>? !@@M 2 %A

Addison's column *uivers in Margo's hand as she strides about

reading it" 1aren sits miserably"

MA!?@

7declaiming

= guess at this point ='m what the

)rench call 'de trop'"""

B=

7smiles#" !=CHA!%S' APA!#ME># 2 %A

1aren's having some lunch" loyd, still in his robe, sits


216/304

opposite her having some coee and a cigarette" A copy of

the interview before him"

@%

7is saying

#hat was a pity"""

@%

7gets up

#hat's *uite a change of sub.ect"

@%

7wal$s again

>ow you're *uoting Addison" @r Eve"

A pause"

@%

Eve did mention the play, you $now"

But .ust in passing 2 she's never

as$ to play a part li$e (Cora,(

she'd never have the nerve"""

1A!E>

Eve would as$ Abbott to give her

Costello"


220/304

@%

>o, = got the idea myself 2 while

she was tal$ing to me"""

1A!E>

+ith gestures, of course"

@%

7wistfullyow .ust a minute2

1A!E>

Margo Channing has not been e4actly

a compromise all these years, half

the playwrights in the world would


221/304

give their shirts for that

particular compromiseJ

@%

7angryow .ust a minuteJ

1A!E>

=t stri$es me that Eve's disloyalty

and ingratitude must be contagiousJ

loyd's full of anger and guilt" He snaps bac$"

@%

All this fuss and hysteria because

an impulsive $id got carried away

by e4citement and the conniving of

a professional manure slinger named

de+ittJ She apologi5ed, didn't she

1A!E>

@n her $nees, = have no doubtJ ery

touching, very Academy2of2%ramatic

ArtsJ

@%

#hat bitter cynicism of yours is

something you've ac*uired since you


222/304

left !adclieJ

1A!E>

#he cynicism you refer to, =

ac*uired the day = discovered = was

dierent from little boysJ

#he phone has been ringing" loyd snarls into it"

@%

HelloJ

7he *uiets down=?H#

Margo, 1aren, Bill and loyd are ensconced happily at a table

in the rear of the room" A bottle of &ne wine is being

poured" #heir mood is e*ually bubbly"

B=

#he so2called art of acting is not

one for which = have a particularly

high regard"""

MA!?@

Hear, hear"""

B=

But you may *uote me as follows"

Ruote" #onight Miss Margo Channing

gave a performance in your

coc$amamie play, the li$e of which

= have never seen before and e4pect

rarely to see again" Fn*uote"


225/304

MA!?@

He does not e4aggerate" = was good"

B=

ou were great"

As they loo$ at each other, they reDect the understanding

that has hit them both at last"

@%

=t's been *uite a night" =

understand that your understudy 2

Miss Harrington 2 has given her

notice"

MA!?@

7eyes still on Bill

More champagne, Miss Channing

MA!?@

#hat's what = said, bub"

@%

7to 1aren=?H#

>ever having been, = can't say what it loo$s li$e" =t is to

be hoped that there is an outer and inner room" +e are

concerned with the outer"

#here is an attendant in charge, and a constantly changing

Dow of ladies who pause to ma$e various repairs" All cafe

society 2 including one young drun$ stretched out under a

min$ coat and a wet towel"

#here are two chairs 2 or a ban*uette 2 in a corner" Eve

waits there" She rises as 1aren approaches"

EE

= was wondering whether you'd come

at all""

1A!E>

%on't get up"

7she smiles grimly

#here can't be very much2

EE

@h, but there is2

1A!E>

2 and easy or not, = won't believe

a word"

EE

+hy shouldn't you

7a pause

et's not get over2dramatic"

EE

7smiles grimly

Eve""" don't cry"

EE

7turned away

But the raves about your

performance2


238/304

EE

2 an understudy's performance"

1A!E>

+ell" = thin$ you're painting the

picture a little dar$er than it is,

really" =f nothing else 2 and don't

underestimate him 2 you have a

powerful friend in Addison"

EE

He's not my friend" ou were my

friends"""

1A!E>

He can help you"

EE

= wish ='d never met him, ='d li$e

him to be dead""" = want my friends

bac$"

#his time she does cry" Softly, miserably" 1aren loo$s about"

A pause" She puts an arm around Eve"

1A!E>

Eve" = 2 = don't thin$ you meant to

cause unhappiness" But you did"


239/304

More to yourself, perhaps 2 as it

turned out 2 than to anyone else"""

EE

='ll never get over it"

1A!E>

7smilesothing is forever in

the #heater" ove or hate, success

or failure 2 whatever it is, it's

here, it Dares up and burns hot 2

and then it's gone"

EE

= wish = could believe that"

1A!E>

?ive yourself time" %on't worry too

much about what people thin$,

you're very young and very

talented"""

7she gets up, her hand

still on Eve's shoulder

= don't thin$ anything in the world

could ma$e me say that"

She turns away again, but Eve's grip is li$e a vise"

EE

Addison wants me to play it"

1A!E>

@ver my dead body"""

EE

7cold, relentless


242/304

#hat won't be necessary" Addison

$nows how Margo happen to miss that

performance 2 how = happened to

$now she'd miss it in time to call

him and notify every paper in

town"""

71aren stops struggling#" CFB !@@M 2 >=?H#

Eve enters and slides in beside Addison"

A%%=S@>


244/304

Hungry

EE

ust some coee"

A%%=S@>

7pours

7thoughtfully

>othing much" She apologi5ed"

MA!?@

+ith tears

1A!E>

+ith tears"

MA!?@

But not right away )irst the

business of &ghting them o, chin

up, stout fella"""

1A!E>

Chec$"

MA!?@

ery classy stu, lots of

techni*ue2

@%

ou mean 2 all this time 2 she'd

done nothing but apologi5e +hat'd

you say

1A!E>


248/304

>ot much"

MA!?@

?room2

7Bill says (huh(ever have =

seen so much elite 2 and all with

their eyes on me" +aiting for me to

crac$ that little gnome over the

noggin with a bottle" But not

tonight" Even Eve" = forgive Eve"""

there they go"

#hey all loo$"


249/304

A%%=S@> A>% EE, they get up and go without loo$ing bac$"

?!@FP, they watch for an instant"

MA!?@

#here goes Eve" Eve evil, ittle

Miss Evil" But the evil that men do

2 how does it go, groom Something

about the good they leave behind 2

= played it once in rep in +il$es

Barre"""

B=

ou've got it bac$wards" Even for

+il$es2Barre"

MA!?@

ou $now why = forgive Eve Because

she's left good behind 2 the four

of us, together li$e this, it's

Eve's fault 2 = forgive her"""

1aren's reactions are, of course, most important" 1nowing

what she's done to Margo 2 wondering how to do what she must"

MA!?@

""" and Bill" Especially Bill" Eve

did that, too"


250/304

@%

ou $now, she probably means well,

after all"""

MA!?@

She is a louse"

B=

7to loydever try to outguess Margo"

MA!?@

?room"

B=

es, dear"

MA!?@

ou $now what ='m going to be

B=

A cowboy"

MA!?@

A married lady"

B=


251/304

+ith the paper to prove it"

MA!?@

='m going to have a home" >ot .ust

a house ='m afraid to stay in"""

and a man to go with it" ='ll loo$

up at si4 o'cloc$ 2 and there he'll

be""" remember, 1aren

1A!E>

7*uietly

>othing"""

B=

>othing

1A!E>

Everything""" everything's so

funny"""

Margo removes the champagne glass from in front of 1aren"""

)A%E @F#"

)A%E =>6

=>#" #HEA#E! 2 CF!!A> #HEA#E! 2 %A

1aren is seated unobtrusively in a rear lower bo4" loyd sits

beside Ma4 up front"

@n stage, the play is (on its feet"( Eve plays a dramatic

scene with a young man" #hey carry (sides( but do not consult

them"

As she spea$s, Eve moves upstage, turns to face the young man

who is forced to turn his bac$ to the auditorium"


255/304

Bill calls a halt" He indicates to Eve that she was to have

remained downstage"

Eve seems to be at a loss" She loo$s at loyd"

loyd rises, says that he told her to ma$e the change"

Bill comes down to the footlights to tell him to stic$ to

writing, he'll do the directing" =t mounts swiftly to a

screaming &ght" Bill throws the script out into the

auditorium, ta$es his coat and stal$s o"

Eve runs after him" Ma4 retrieves the script" loyd remains

adamant" 1aren has risen in dismay"

Eve drags Bill bac$" +ithout loo$ing at loyd, he ta$es the

script from Ma4, tells the actors to pic$ up where they left

o"

Eve whispers to loyd from the stage" loyd smiles,

molli&ed, sits down again with Ma4"

1aren wal$s up the side aisle, out of the theater"""

1A!E>'S @=CE

loyd never got around, somehow 2

to as$ing me whether it was all


256/304

right with me for Eve to play

(Cora(""" Bill, oddly enough,

refused to direct the play at &rst

2 with Eve in it" loyd and Ma4

&nally won him over""" Margo never

came to a rehearsal, too much to do

around the house, she said" ='d

never $nown Bill and loyd to &ght

as bitterly and as often""" and

always over some business for Eve,

or a move or the way she read a

speech""" but then ='d never $nown

loyd to meddle as much with Bill's

directing 2 as far as it aected

Eve, that is""" somehow, Eve $ept

them going" Bill stuc$ it out 2 and

loyd seemed happy 2 and = thought

it might be best if = s$ipped

rehearsals from then on"""

=>#" !=CHA!%S' BE%!@@M 2 >=?H#

=t is a lovely, large room" #wo double beds, not alongside

each other and each with an e4tension phone beside it" =n

addition to the door to the living room, there are two more 2

to separate dressing rooms and baths" loyd is asleep" But

not 1aren" She turns restlessly, &nally sits up, lights a

cigarette"


257/304

1A!E>'S @=CE

=t seemed to me = had $nown always

that it would happen 2 and here it

was"

=t felt helpless, that helplessness

you feel when you have no talent to

oer 2 outside of loving your

husband" How could = compete

Everything loyd loved about me, he

had gotten used to long ago"""

#he phone .angles suddenly, startling her" =t wa$es loyd up"

1aren answers"

1A!E>

Hello""" who""" who's calling Mr"

!ichards

=>#" !@@M=>? H@FSE 2 >=?H#

A girl, in a wrapper, at a wall phone" Her hair's in curlers"

She's frightened"

?=!

My name wouldn't mean anything" =

room across the hall from Eve

Harrington, and she isn't well"


258/304

She's been crying all night and

hysterical, and she doesn't want a

doctor"""

!=CHA!%S' BE%!@@M, loyd is sitting on the edge of the bed,

loo$ing over"""

@%

+ho is it +hat's it all about

1A!E>

7into phone? H@FSE

?=!

>o, Eve didn't say to call him, but

= remembered = saw Mr" !ichards

with her a couple of times 2 and =

thought they being such good

friends"""

!=CHA!%S' BE%!@@M


259/304

@%

7into phone? H@FSE

?=!

She's up in her room, Mr" !ichards"

= really hate to bother you li$e

this, but the way Eve's been

feeling 2 ='m .ust worried sic$

what with her leaving for >ew Haven

tomorrow, and everything"""

!=CHA!%S' BE%!@@M

@%

#ell her not to worry 2 tell her

='ll be right over"

!@@M=>? H@FSE

?=!

='ll tell her, Mr" !ichards"

She hangs up" As she moves from the phone, the A>?E +=%E>S


260/304

to disclose Eve at the foot of the stairs" #he girls smile at

each other" #hey go upstairs, arm in arm"

!=CHA!%S' BE%!@@M, 1aren is still in bed, phone still in her

hand" She hangs up, swings her legs out, puts out her

cigarette, gets into a robe" #he open door and light of the

dressing room tell us where loyd is"

1aren wal$s to the door, starts to say something, changes her

mind" She crosses to a table, lights a fresh cigarette, comes

bac$ to the door"

1A!E>

7&nallyow loyd appears" He's in Dannels, and a sport shirt with

no tie" He's confused and guilty and tortured"

@%

= didn't thin$ you wouldJ =t seems

to me, 1aren, that for some tine,

now, you've been developing a deep

unconcern for the feeling of human

being in general2

1A!E>

='m a human being, ='ve got someJ

@%

7goes right onE+ HAE> 2 %A

#he theater is but a few doors from the #A)# H@#E" #he

mar*uee announces a new play by loyd !ichards, presented by

Ma4 )abian, opening tonight"

Addison and Eve stand before the theater admiring her photo

on a lobby display" >one of the actors are starred"

A%%=S@>'S @=CE

#o the #heater world 2 >ew Haven,

Connecticut, is a short stretch of

sidewal$ between the Shubert

#heater and the #aft Hotel,

surrounded by what loo$s very much

li$e a small city" =t is here that

managers have what are called out

of2town openings 2 which are

openings for >ew or$ers who want

to go out of town"""

#hey start for the hotel 2 Eve's arm through Addison's"

EE


264/304

+hat a day 2 what a heavenly day"""

A%%=S@>

%2day"

EE

ust li$e it"

A%%=S@>

And tomorrow morning you will have

won your beachhead on the shores of

=mmortality"""

EE

7grins

)ran$ly 2 yes"

#hey've arrived in front of the hotel"

EE

=t'll be a night to remember" =t'll

bring to me everything ='ve ever

wanted" #he end of an old road 2

and the beginning of a new one"""

A%%=S@>

All paved with diamonds and gold

EE

ou $now me better than that"

A%%=S@>

Paved with what, then

EE

Stars"

She goes in" Addison follows her"

=>#" C@!!=%@! 2 #A)# H@#E 2 %A

Addison accompanies Eve along the corridor to her door"


266/304

EE

+hat time

A%%=S@>

Almost four"

EE

Plenty of time for a nice long nap 2

we rehearsed most of last night"""

A%%=S@>

ou could sleep, too, couldn't you

EE

+hy not

#hey've arrived at her door" She opens it"

A%%=S@>

#he mar$ of a true $iller"

7he holds out his hand

= &nd it odd that 1aren isn't here

for the opening, don't you

He sips his soda and puts away, carefully avoiding a loo$ at

Eve" As he loo$s bac$2

EE

Addison"""

A%%=S@>

7blandly

So that's it" loyd" Still .ust the


271/304

#heater, after all"""

EE

7turns3 shoc$ed

loyd !ichards is commercially the

most successful playwright in

America2

EE

ou have no right to say such

thingsJ

A%%=S@>

2 and artistically, the most

promisingJ Eve dear, this is

Addison"


272/304

Eve drops her shoc$ed manner li$e a cape" Her face lights up 2

she crosses bac$ to the ottoman"

EE

Addison, won't it be .ust perfect

loyd and = 2 there's no telling

how far we can go""" he'll write

great plays for me, ='ll ma$e them

be greatJ

7as she sits

She $nows enough not to be here"

EE

But not all of it 2 not that loyd

and = are going to be married"


273/304

A%%=S@>

7thoughtfully

7increasingly tense

7*uietly

oo$ closely, Eve, it's time you

did" = am Addison de+itt" ='m

nobody's fool" east of all 2

yours"

EE

= never intended you to be"

A%%=S@>

es, you did" ou still do"

Eve gets up, now"


276/304

EE

= still don't $now what you're

getting at" !ight now = want to

ta$e my nap" =t's important that =2

A%%=S@>

7brea$s in

ery well, plainly and distinctly"

Although = consider it unnecessary 2


277/304

because you $now as well as =, what

= am about to say"

7they are now facing each

other

Everything" Because after tonight,

you will belong to me"

EE


278/304

= can't believe my ears"""

A%%=S@>

A dull cliche"

EE

Belong 2 to you #hat sound

medieval 2 something out of an old

melodrama"""

A%%=S@>

So does the history of the world

for the past twenty years" = don't

en.oy putting it as bluntly as

this, fran$ly = had hoped that you

would, somehow, have $nown 2 have

ta$en it for granted that you and

="""

EE

""" ta$en it for granted #hat you

and ="""

She smiles" #hen she chuc$les, then laughs" A mista$e"

Addison slaps her sharply across the face"

A%%=S@>

7*uietly


279/304

!emember as long as you live, never

to laugh at me" At anything or

anyone else 2 but never at me"

Eve eyes him coldly, goes to the door, throws it open"

EE

?et outJ

Addison wal$s to the door, closes it"

A%%=S@>

ou're too short for that gesture"

Besides, it went out with Mrs"

)is$e"

EE

#hen if you won't get out, ='ll

have you thrown out"

She goes to the phone"

A%%=S@>

%on't pic$ it upJ %on't even put

your hand on it"""

She doesn't" Her bac$ is to him" Addison smiles"


280/304

A%%=S@>

Something told you to do as = say,

didn't it #hat instinct is worth

millions, you can't buy it, cherish

it, Eve" +hen that alarm goes o,

go to your battle stations"""

He comes up behind her" Eve is tense and wary"

A%%=S@>

our name is not Eve Harrington" =t

is ?ertrude Slescyns$i"

EE

+hat of it

A%%=S@>

=t is true that your parents were

poor" #hey still are" And they

would li$e to $now how you are 2

and where" #hey haven't heard from

you for three years"""

EE

7curtly

A matter of opinion" ?ranted" =t is

also true that you wor$ed in a

brewery" But life in the brewery

was apparently not as dull as you

pictured it" As a matter of fact,

it got less and less dull 2 until

you boss's wife had your boss

followed by detectivesJ

EE

7whirls on him

But the U:;; you got to get out of

town brought you straight to >ew

or$ 2 didn't it

Eve turns and runs into the bedroom, slamming the door"

Addison opens it, follows close after her""" he can be seen

in the bedroom, shouting at Eve who is oscene"

A%%=S@>

#hat U:;; brought you straight to

>ew or$ 2 didn't it


282/304

=>#" BE%!@@M 2 %A

Eve, trapped, in a corner of the room"

EE

She was a liar, she was a liarJ

A%%=S@>

Answer my *uestionJ +eren't you

paid to get out of town

Eve throws herself on the bed, face down, bursts in tears"

Addison, merciless, moves closer"

A%%=S@>

)ourth" #here was no Eddie 2 no

pilot 2 and you've never been

marriedJ #hat was not only a lie,

but an insult to dead heroes and to

the women who loved them"""

7Eve, sobbing, puts her

hands over her ears3

Addison, closer, pulls

them awayorth Shore,

you've never been to San )ranciscoJ


283/304

#hat was a stupid lie, easy to

e4pose, not worthy of you"""

Eve twists to loo$ up at him, her eyes streaming"

EE

= had to get in, to meet MargoJ =

had to say something, be somebody,

ma$e her li$e meJ

A%%=S@>

She did li$e you, she helped and

trusted youJ ou paid her bac$ by

trying to ta$e Bill awayJ

EE

#hat's not trueJ

A%%=S@>

= was there, = saw you and heard

you through the dressing room doorJ

Eve turns face down again, sobbing miserably"

A%%=S@>

ou used my name and my column to

blac$mail 1aren into getting you

the part of (Cora( 2 and you lied


284/304

to me about itJ

EE

7into the bedo2no2no"""

A%%=S@>

= had lunch with 1aren not three

hours ago" As always with women who

want to &nd out things, she told

more than she learned"""

7he lets go of her hands

#a$e your nap, now" And good luc$

for tonight"


286/304

He starts out"

EE

7tonelessly=>? HA 2 SA!AH S=%%@>S S@C=E# 2 >=?H#

#HE S#@PPE% AC#=@> of Eve reaching out for the award" #he

applause and bulb2popping still going on"

A%%=S@>'S @=CE

And she gave the performance of her

life" And it was a night to

remember, that night"""

#HE AC#=@> pic$s up where it left o" Eve accepts the award


287/304

from the Aged Actor, $isses him tenderly, folds the award to

her bosom and waits for *uiet"

She spea$s with assurance, yet modestly and humbly"

EE

Honored members of Sarah Siddons

Society, distinguished guests,

ladies and gentlemen6 +hat is there

for me to say Everything wise and

witty has long since been said 2 by

minds more mature and talents far

greater than mine" )or me to than$

you as e*uals would be presumptuous

2 = am an apprentice in the #heater

and have much to learn from you

all" = can say only that = am proud

and happy and that = regard this

great honor not so much as an award

for what = have achieved, but as a

standard to hold against what =

have yet to accomplish"

7applause

7patientlyFE 2 >=?H#

Eve gets out of ta4i in front of a fashionable apartment

hotel" She doesn't say good night to Addison, she enters the

hotel as the cab drives o" She hasn't the award with her"

=>#" C@!!=%@! @F#S=%E EE'S APA!#ME># 2 >=?H#

Smart, but not gaudy" Eve crosses from the elevator to her

apartment" She lets herself in"

=>#" EE'S H@#E APA!#ME># 2 >=?H#

A small foyer, from which one door leads to the leaving room,

another to the bedroom" #he bedroom and living room do not

connect e4cept through the foyer"

All the lights are out" Eve turns them on in the foyer, the

same as she enters the bedroom" #here are some new trun$s, in

various stages of being pac$ed" Eve tosses her wrap on the

bed, goes through the foyer to the living room"


296/304

She turns on the light in the living room" CAME!A )@@+S her

to a smart small bar where she &4es a sti drin$" As she

turns from the bar, she stares 2 starts in fright 2 and drops

the drin$"

A young girl, asleep in a chair, wa$es with a .ump" She

stares at Eve, horror2stric$en"

EE

+ho are you

?=!

Miss Harrington"""

EE

+hat are you doing here

?=!

= 2 = guess = fell asleep"

Eve starts for the phone" #he girl rises in panic"

?=!

Please don't have me arrested,

pleaseJ = didn't steal anything 2

you can search meJ


297/304

EE

7pauses

How do you $now my name

?=!

=t's a very famous name, Mr"

de+itt"

A%%=S@>

And what is your name

?=!

Phoebe"

A%%=S@>

Phoebe

?=!

7stubbornly

#hen you must Miss Harrington how

to get one" Miss Harrington $nows

all about it"""

Phoebe smiles shyly" Addison closes the door" Phoebe stares

down at the award for an instant"

EE'S @=CE

7sleepy3 from the living

room

Documents

All About Eve.docx