? ?
? The carolers are singing ?
? And this I know, my dear ?
? Next Christmas ?
? Is this Christmas... ?
Great work, everyone.
? And this Christmas ?
? Is here. ?
Looks like we got a hit!
Sell enough tickets to choke the MGM lion.
Ho, ho, ho.
What would you like for Christmas, little girl?
You are my Christmas present.
When are you gonna unwrap me?
Wasn't that the sweetest story you ever saw?
No more candy canes, you had two already.
I'll get you some popcorn, come on.
Hey, boss.
Here's to Christmas miracles.
Yeah. Merry Christmas.
- That whole confession bit. - Uh-uh.
- Was that...? - Stahr's idea.
But Kay's words.
Now, now, we'll have none of that here.
To Monroe Stahr, who, in a mad reign of terror,
fired his editor, producer, director and...
God forgive us... his writer,
not to mention his boozehound leading man,
the scenery-chewing, ingénue-screwing Mr. Frost,
and turned tragedy to a triumph.
- Hear, hear. -Cheers. - Hear, hear.
It was Pat's baby, start to finish.
What do you think of it, Hannah?
Um...
I don't know.
It is my first American Christmas.
Is that really what they are like?
- More or less. - Yes, yes, yes.
Perfectly accurate.
How'd they like it?
I don't think Nathan's ever gonna be the same.
I mean, not too long ago, movie theaters
were something we looked for to get out of the rain.
I'm letting them see it again this afternoon,
just the two of them, at the Egyptian.
It's what they wanted for Christmas.
Hear that, Daddy?
Paying customers.
Excuse me.
Well, if it isn't the Jew who invented Christmas.
I think another Jew gets credit for that one.
Tell that to your disciples.
Be happy, Pat. Your movie works.
They're my employees, they have to like it.
But I don't.
And I'm telling you, it's a hit.
Excuse me. Hate to interrupt. Um...
We should really go, if we're gonna get there before dark.
Swell. You grab all the applause,
I got to worry about the box office.
They have got phones in Big Bear, Pat. I'll be checking in.
But will you be dying inside, sweating out every call
- from distribution? - Dying, dying.
Aching, I promise.
The hell's he doing here?
Shall I call security, Vajna?
Take it easy, Monroe.
It's bad luck to treat old friends like that.
Old friends.
And you got a hit on your hands.
Say, I hear, uh, you got an unknown
starring in your next picture.
She seeking representation?
I'd sooner put her with Hitler.
You must know that.
That's what I don't get about you, Stahr.
You can turn even a simple chat into high drama.
That what this is?
A simple chat?
How about you get off my lot?
I was just leaving.
- We'll see you next week. - Have a wonderful time.
- Have a great weekend. - Have fun.
- Bye-bye. - Congratulations.
What about Otis?
For our snowman.
Otis?
Get him a fine cashmere scarf,
a calabash pipe,
make him a real gentleman.
Well-read, charming,
a wise observer of humanity.
Oh, and a whiskey drinker.
Mm.
Should I be jealous?
Oh, it depends if you got me a present.
I can't tell you.
- Not till tomorrow. - Really?
Mr. Stahr.
My compliments.
That was quite something.
I have never seen a film dipped in sugar before.
Glad I cut the dancing gingerbread number,
- you would've hated that. - Hmm.
Is this the kind of movie you expect me to make,
a picture book for children?
You make the film you want, Fritz.
That's why I hired you.
Yes, but how should I make anything
with an actress who refuses to rehearse?
Mr. Lang...
Six weeks.
Six weeks to prepare.
And this one refuses me.
- I don't understand. - You didn't tell him?
He wanted to rehearse this weekend.
24 hours of uninterrupted rehearsals.
An acquaintance lent me his home for the purpose.
Axel here left his family in the middle of a trip.
But my leading actress,
who has uttered a total of zero words on film, declined.
You and I had plans.
We were looking forward to going.
Due to the insane schedule you have put me on, Monroe,
this is the only time I will have free
between now and the day we wrap.
I thought, perhaps, Miss Garbo here
might make an accommodation.
Monroe.
I'm sorry, darling.
He's the director.
At last, an adult decides.
Thank you, Mr. Stahr. Please, Axel, take her luggage.
Is it, uh...
Just, uh...
Uh.
How could you do this?
There'll be other weekends.
It's Christmas Eve.
It's a chance to make the movie better
and rehearse with one of the world's greatest directors.
You have to, for your career.
My career.
Exactly.
You had no right to speak for me.
I was speaking for the picture.
Good to know your priorities.
Kathleen, that is not fair.
This is important, you and I.
I mean, if... if we don't matter to you...
At Christmas, in my family,
- we would never... - What, do your job?
We would never be away from the people we love.
Your gift.
Kathleen.
Eh, forget Rochester.
That town's a toilet bowl. What about Stamford?
Must be gangbusters in Stamford.
Goddamn matinees.
Call me with an update later.
Yeah.
Merry Christmas to you, too.
Nobody's coming out.
Not even the hayseeds.
I don't understand it.
We spent a fortune marketing this thing.
Can I get you anything, Mr. Brady?
Ads in all the major newspapers.
Billboards, posters, you can't even take a piss
without Leslie Reeves grinning back at you.
It's just the first matinee, sir.
It'll pick up.
My sister in Evanston's taking her family tonight.
How many kids she got?
Just my niece.
You couldn't have been Catholic, Birdy?
Go home and be with your family, Mr. Brady.
Yeah.
You, too.
Could I have some water?
No, sweetie, I'm sorry, you can't.
The doctor was in a little bit ago,
and I don't want you to worry,
they need to operate.
They think there might be a bleed in there.
So they are gonna go in and fix it right up.
Mr. Brady?
Yes, Miner. What is it?
Mr. Stahr wants a revised budget on his desk by Monday,
so it's holiday be damned for me.
Okay.
Well, I'm sorry to interrupt, ma'am.
Whatcha got there?
Just, uh... some goodies.
Hmm.
Want some?
I better not, I'm still on the clock.
Why don't you...
If Nathan and Darla are off at the movies...
Come over for dinner?
Come, come over.
- To the mansion. - You had me over last time.
Well, that's not the same thing as the Okie coming over
to Mr. Brady's on Christmas Eve.
Maybe...
maybe, if, if I didn't have just this one suit.
It's hardly Buckingham Palace, Max.
Let me tell you how it would go.
I'd meet you at the door.
- No butler? - Night off.
I'd have a hot cider waiting for you.
And then we'd go into the parlor for some tree trimming.
Me and the boss.
No. Daddy would be on the phone.
He's always on the phone.
But my mother will love you.
She already thinks you're very charming.
Those Brady women are clever.
We'd have a drink on the patio.
It's cold out.
Could put my jacket over your shoulders.
Winning more points with mother.
Good.
We'd look up at the stars...
- Max, I wasn't... - I'm sorry, was that bad?
Well, I-I thought we were pretending.
- I don't know, were we? I'm sorry. - I don't know.
- I'm sorry, here you go. - Wait, but I didn't...
- mean to... - I don't know, you coming towards me,
I-I'm sorry. And I mess up.
Now, whose house is this, Fritz?
A nothing manager trying to sign me.
I needed the space, so I am allowing him to believe
I take him seriously.
Don't eat the props, Axel.
Clint.
Merry Christmas, Monroe.
Uh...
Wasn't expecting you.
You saved it, pal.
"Angels on the Avenue," it's... it's wonderful.
Leslie was wonderful.
This is the Christmas America dreams about.
I just wanted to say congratulations, and thank you.
Uh...
You'll have to forgive me, Clint.
People don't often respond to being fired so graciously.
No, well, I wasn't gracious that first week.
I drank up just about everything but the L.A. River.
But then I ran into Burt Ainsley.
Remember him?
Yeah, sure. From the silent days.
Please. Have a seat.
Well, he took me in,
dried me out, showed me what I was doing to myself.
Even found me an acting coach.
So, thank you.
You saved me.
I'm happy to hear that.
Well, Burt's having a party tonight.
Real holiday shindig. You should come.
Ah, I don't know.
Uh, there's so much to catch up on.
Come on, it's Christmas.
See you tonight.
Oh, and, uh...
bring that pretty girl of yours.
So, let me understand,
you can't have dinner,
you can't have a drink,
you can't go for a walk because you have an appointment.
- On Christmas Eve. - Yeah.
I know it sounds...
Curious?
It's stupid, it's, um...
it's Mass, it's Christmas Eve Mass.
I only go once a year and...
That is disgraceful.
At home, we call that a "shonde."
Shameful.
What, do you take Communion?
You light a prayer candle?
No.
It's worse than that.
I sing in the choir.
- You do? - Baritone.
I love Christmas Eve Mass.
I want to come.
- No. - Please.
No, I'm not a performer, I...
I'm not really even a singer.
Please.
All right.
On one condition:
You tell no one what you saw.
Do you swear?
So help me God.
Bobby, Tommy, no running, boys.
- Yes, Father. - That's it.
May I help you, my son?
You seem in distress.
Sorry, Father, I...
I...
Perhaps we can sit in silence.
No, no, I...
I brought a baby into the world.
Beautiful baby.
Was it great.
Pride, joy...
...anticipation.
So full of promise.
But, Father, my baby has taken a turn.
My baby is... in crisis.
And I'm scared.
Hmm.
Stuck, waiting for news.
It might not survive the weekend.
I am so sorry for your suffering, my son.
Can I help?
I do need your help, Father.
From your whole congregation.
Well, we will pray for the little one, of course.
Prayer may not be enough.
Prayer is always enough.
That... is a multitude of tickets
to the new Brady-American picture,
"Angels on the Avenue."
I need you to distribute them.
Tickets?
One per family.
If you would.
Do you believe in confession?
Well, I'm not Catholic.
I almost gave it a try once on a trip to Italy.
But the impulse passed.
I need to say something.
I wouldn't want to take this with me.
All right.
I haven't been completely honest with you,
or anybody here.
Okay.
That theater I passed out in,
I wasn't just there to watch a picture.
I don't understand.
I bring men there.
- Customers. - Oh.
I see.
Everything else I told you was true, I-I swear it.
I just... thought that they'd kick me out
if they knew that part.
And I thought you wouldn't come see me anymore.
If you want to leave, I understand.
Nobody needs to spend Christmas Eve...
I had an affair with my husband's partner.
Milton, that's his name.
Handsome as the devil.
It went on for two years.
Two years.
Yeah.
I thought about it every second.
So it just kept happening.
He had one rule,
and that was no contact of any kind.
You know, no secret notes.
Of course, no phone calls.
So you know how we communicated?
Hmm.
My husband is color-blind.
I pick out his clothes for him every day,
and when I put him
in this one bright red tie...
...that's my signal to Milton
that I'm coming over.
I wasn't just cheating on my husband...
...I was making him the messenger.
It could've destroyed their... business,
their friendship.
My family.
And I didn't care.
It was mine.
And I would do it again.
Do you think that anything you did in that theater
was worse than that?
It's Christmas.
What do you say...
we forgive ourselves?
Mother?
- Remember these? - Mm.
Do you have a New Year's resolution?
A week early for that, isn't it?
Hmm.
Well, it's a big decision,
to dedicate a year of your life to something.
I just wondered if you had one yet.
Oh, no, we have to use those.
These were your favorite when you were little.
You used to call them your "wee woodens."
And you would make up stories and act them out,
and tell Daddy and me not to listen.
But we always did, because they were so good.
Oh, the romances.
The heartbreaks.
You had such an imagination for a little girl.
We're only doing silver and gold this year.
You know, I do have a resolution.
I think this is the year I stop thinking about Monroe Stahr.
How about you?
I...
think that's a wonderful plan.
What do you think?
I think I have a beautiful wife,
and a beautiful daughter,
and if I had a brain in my head, I'd never leave this room,
ever again.
Tree's nice, too.
? ?
In this city of strangers,
it's nice to take the time to meet your neighbors.
Don't you think?
We should've done this ages ago.
Stop.
You believe this man to be a fascist spy. Ja?
And here you are, alone, in his living room,
vulnerable, terrified.
That's a wonderful note, Fritz.
This funny, Kathleen?
Begin again.
We should've done this ages ago.
No, no, no. God's sakes.
That was the most dishonest performance
I have ever seen.
Even the way you eat is a lie.
Do it again! Eat.
No, Kathleen, I did not believe you.
Excuse me.
Again.
- Fritz, I... - Again.
Again.
No wonder you were afraid to rehearse.
Again.
Again, again, again!
Is it so difficult?
You take one peanut...
and you put it in your mouth and you chew.
And then you take another peanut
and you put it in your mouth and you chew
- like a human being. - Fritz, please, I...
And then, when the camera comes to you,
people know that you are a human being
and not an acting monkey, and you eat again,
- and you eat slowly... - Fritz, please...
No, you will commit to the scene
and to the character!
More like an actual actress
and less like someone's girlfriend
who was hired on a whim!
Again.
- Hey. - Hi.
Monroe, you made it.
Yeah, I thought I'd just stop by.
Good. Let's go find Burt.
Come on.
Excuse us, guys.
Well, speak of the devil.
- Burt, this is... - Monroe Stahr. -Hey.
Pleasure to meet you.
This is a Christmas party.
I didn't know your people celebrated Christmas, Monroe.
- Gee, Burt. - No, that's all right.
That's all right, Clint.
You know, I just remembered a script that needs reading,
but thanks for the offer.
You have a lovely home, Burt.
And merry Christmas.
Gordon, Judy.
Welcome. Lovely to see you.
Make yourselves at home.
? Good King Wenceslas ?
? Last looked out on the feast of Stephen ?
? When the snow lay round about ?
? Deep and crisp and even ?
? Brightly shone the moon that night ?
? Though the frost was cruel ?
? When a poor man came in sight ?
? Gath'ring winter fuel ?
- ? Hither, page, and stand by me ? -? Ooh, ooh, ooh ?
- ? If thou know'st it, telling ? - ? Ooh, ooh, ooh ?
- ? Yonder peasant, who is he? ? - ? Ooh, ooh, ooh ?
- ? Where and what his dwelling? ? -? Ooh, ooh, ooh ?
? "Sire, he lives a good league hence ?
? "Underneath the mountain ?
? "Right against the forest fence ?
? By Saint Agnes' fountain." ?
Repetition...
is the only way to make things real.
Peter Lorre... "M"...
his first scene, he's supposed to whistle
"In the Hall of the Mountain King"...
but he couldn't do it without making it comic.
You know how I wiped the smile from his face?
72 takes.
In the end, whistling was so painful for him,
he finally knew what kind of movie he was in
and what working for me was gonna be like.
He was lucky to have you.
I hope we understand each other now, Kathleen.
Yes, Fritz.
I understand you.
What the hell is this?
Ask Nathan.
I found him on the street.
- It's our Christmas dinner. - Max.
- Is that my jacket? - Max.
- Get over there, get over there. - Max.
Hey.
Hey, buddy, you got to scram. You got to get out of here.
Stop!
Stop! Stop!
Oh, my God.
Stop!
? Adeste ?
? Fideles ?
? Laeti triumphantes ?
? Venite, venite... ?
? In Bethlehem... ?
? Natum ?
? Videte ?
? Regem ?
? Angelorum ?
? Venite ?
? Adoremus ?
? Venite ?
? Adoremus ?
? Venite ?
? Adoremus ?
? Dominum. ?
Hey, you got a pay phone?
In back.
Can I pour you anything?
- Club soda. - Got it.
And another round for the loving couple, on me.
Hey, merry Christmas, friend.
Merry Christmas.
Operator.
Long distance, please.
Oh, Mr. Brady,
I've got a Mr. Perry on the phone from...
Chicago. Right.
David, what's the good word?
I see.
Thanks.
Sure. Sure, it could turn around.
Yes, merry Christmas to you, too.
Yes?
I'll connect you now.
All right.
Milton?
Hi, Ma.
Is something wrong?
No, no, I just wanted to say hello
and, uh, merry Christmas.
Merry...?
It's 1:00 in the morning here.
I know, I know, I'm sorry.
Um, I realized I hadn't asked you about your hip in a while.
You-you said you were having a hard time walking.
That was five months ago, darling.
Last time you called.
I guess you're right.
Is it any better?
No, I've just learned not to mind it.
How's work?
Ah, work's fine.
How's everything else?
Are you seeing anyone?
I am, actually.
A very nice girl.
Before you ask...
before you ask what you're about to ask,
no, she isn't, but she can cook.
Hmm, wonderful.
I hope you enjoy a lifetime of ham sandwiches with mayonnaise.
I think you'd like her.
What does she call you?
What, Ma?
This... this girl, does she call you Milton?
Or that other name?
She calls me Monroe like everyone else out here.
Then I'm not so sure I'd like her.
Darling, it's late.
Yeah, I'm sorry to wake you.
Good night, Milton.
Yeah, night, Ma.
On second thought... I'll take an Irish whiskey.
Sure thing.
It's dying... everywhere.
They're staying away in droves, even in the Midwest.
It's over.
We needed this to be a hit.
The mortgage, the house...
Mayer, Christ.
It had to be a hit. It had to be.
Now... it's failing.
I failed.
Pat.
I'm afraid I'm gonna drag you down with me.
Jesus.
Pat.
My mother warned me about you.
She did?
Yup.
She said you were a bad bet...
because you were so sure of yourself.
"A man like that"
"will never need you"
"as much as he needs success."
But you didn't listen.
Course not.
I loved you.
And I believed you'd give me attractive children.
I do need you.
My Rose.
Well, let me tell you something.
Pat Brady's a king.
Pat Brady is a giant...
bigger than any one picture.
He owns all this...
...and I still love him.
Even crying like a baby?
Especially crying like a baby.
I don't deserve you.
Last call.
Last call?
Well, I'm trying to leave early.
Christmas and all.
Oh, yeah, of course. Sorry.
Meeting up with my girl,
then we go with her family to their place for the day.
You?
I don't go in much for Christmas. Keep it.
Oh. Thanks.
Why not?
Jewish.
Hmm. Well, what do Jewish folks do for Christmas then?
Ah, hide mostly.
Growing up, I used to go to the Yiddish theater
with my uncle and father.
But not anymore?
- Mm. - Why not?
I don't know.
Guess I'm not all that Jewish anymore.
Well, then what are you?
I make pictures.
Oh.
Didn't know that was a religion.
It must be.
Everyone in it is constantly praying.
Hey, you ever go?
To the pictures?
Can't say that I do.
Why not?
Y'all ain't really making them for me.
What do you think they'd look like if we did?
A bit more colorful, I suppose.
Oh.
I really got to be closing up.
You got somewhere to go?
Merry Christmas.
? ?
Hannah.
Hannah!
Can you just stop for a second?
It was stupid going to that church.
It was a mistake.
Why?
I knew all of it.
The sounds, the smell,
the lights from the candles
and that song.
So familiar, like home...
...except the faces.
And I can't...
That's all gone.
I came to this country when I was four.
We didn't know a soul.
No one knew us.
No one cared to know four more wops
who couldn't speak a lick of English.
After work, my dad and I
would wander through Manhattan, up and down.
And then one night we hear this laughter
coming from the theater... It was a puppet show.
So we go in, we sit down, and I'm on his lap.
And everyone around us is howling,
and I look up at my father, and he's crying.
And he's crying...
because he had no idea
what all these people were laughing at.
These strangers.
He was miserable.
But we went back the next night...
and the next.
And he started to understand.
And after a while, so did I... I started to get the jokes,
and these people started to feel a little less like strangers.
Go ahead, keep playing.
I'll shut up.
? ?
Daddy, you can't clump
- it all in one spot like that. - Well...
It makes the tree look lopsided.
Why don't I just watch you do it.
You take such pleasure in it.
- Try again. - She'll give you notes.
You all have a visitor.
Merry Christmas.
Uh, I'm empty-handed, sorry.
Well, merry Christmas anyway.
I hope you're crashing our party
to bring me some news about the box office.
I wish I could say so.
The evening numbers any better?
If we're gonna talk about that,
I'm gonna need a real drink.
Uh, I'll get it, Annie Mae.
It's, uh...
it's been a long night.
I don't know what I'm doing here.
I don't either.
This is our family Christmas.
Of course it is.
Mother, it's Darla.
Max is in the hospital.
You guys don't like candy, do you?
So what happened?
It's so stupid, I don't want to say.
Nathan and me were walking home from the movie,
and we saw this hobo lying in the street.
And Nathan asked, "What if we brought him in?"
"Like in the picture?
Give him food and stuff?"
And so we did.
Brought him home, fed him,
like in the movie.
Let him sleep in Max's bed.
Then Max came home
and asked the guy to leave.
The guy beat him up pretty bad.
You know, movies are stories.
Right?
They're not real life.
They're better than real life.
Darla, Nathan.
He's awake.
And he wants to see you two.
Nathan.
? Silent night ?
? Holy night ?
? All is calm ?
? And all is bright ?
? Round yon virgin ?
Rose?
? Mother and child ?
Is she okay?
? Holy infant ?
You need some company?
? So tender and mild ?
? Full of ?
? Heavenly joy ?
? Full of ?
? Heavenly ?
? Joy. ?
This is what you've reduced me to.
Lending my house to a pretentious Kraut,
and then breaking into it,
just to see you.
I guess between your new job
and your new boyfriend,
you're never gonna be alone anymore.
Rupert, they'll hear you.
You can drop the accent, Jane. It's me.
I thought we weren't gonna use that name anymore.
What is wrong with you?
They're right down the hall.
I don't like chasing you, it's demeaning.
And we're partners, right?
Things have gotten... complicated.
Complicated? How?
Monroe.
Then they're not complicated at all.
We fell in love.
Uh-uh. Monroe doesn't love you,
he doesn't even know you.
He's in love with a character you're playing,
the reminder of his dead wife.
That's why this worked, you're a good actress.
If he loved you,
you wouldn't be here on Christmas doing circus tricks
for a pig like Lang.
Remember that girl who got off the bus
from Wisconsin,
and I took her in.
Taught her an accent,
turned her into someone Monroe would notice.
And then he did.
That's called management.
But management isn't free.
You can't simply walk away from it
just because you've become the First Lady of Malibu.
- I just wanted to work. - And you're working.
Like I promised.
- It's all happening. - Shh.
Everything you told me you wanted.
Everything we dreamed of.
And more.
Of course, if this is all too much for you,
we can just go, right now.
I'll put you on the next bus back to Oshkosh.
- Egg Harbor. - Same difference.
Is that what you want?
No.
Then say it.
It's not what I want.
Say it again.
- It's not what I want. - Good.
'Cause we got plans.
? ?
? Sleigh bells ring, are you listening... ?
Brady here.
Yeah. Merry... happy what-have-you.
Give it to me straight.
? We're happy tonight ?
? Walking in a winter wonderland ?
Christ.
That's terrific.
Everywhere?
Great. Great.
No. I had a feeling.
An overnight sensation, huh?
Just like "The Devil to Pay!" back in '30.
Yeah. Listen, thanks.
Thanks again.
Good news, Mr. Brady?
? Then pretend he is Parson Brown ?
They came. Last night.
And today, on Christmas Day, a little miracle.
People told other people, it's snowballing everywhere.
"Word of mouth." How about that?
Hey!
I just ruined Louis Mayer's day!
? The plans that we've made ?
? Walking in a winter wonderland ?
? ?
Seen worse.
? ?
Are you guys statues?
Come on.
Grab that broom.
Monroe.
I'm back.
Wh...
I was so stupid to send you away.
I don't want to be away from you again.
Not even for a second.
Um...
I have something I need to tell you.
Sure.
What is it?
Um...
Oh...
It's been a long night.
I'm tired.
I'll tell you later.
Marry me.
It's what I want.
- What? - It's what I want for Christmas.
I don't like who I am when you're not around.
Marry me.
Yes?
Yes.
Yes. Yes.
? Later on ?
? We'll conspire ?
? As we dream by the fire ?
? To face unafraid ?
? The plans that we've made ?
? Walking in a winter wonderland. ?
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