Wonder Bar (Warner Bros.) (1934)

AIR WAVES HERE’S ANOTHER HIT! LIANE: (trying to hide her embarrassment) No, you may, go, Richard. Vl] — Vl keep the menu. RENAUD: What were you scribbling on it — not a poem to me — by any chance—? LIANE: (gayly) Why not? (abruptly) You look tired, darling. RENAUD: notice her (pretending not to embarrassment) I am rather tired, dear — it was _ awful at the board meeting tonight. For the first time I believe the stockholders realize what a terrific emergency we’re facing. But it’s over for the day — and I’m with you — (softly) Do I bore you, dear? LIANE: (uneasily) No, of course not, but I know so little about your business, — after all. RENAUD: (sincerely) You’re a brick, Liane, most wives would be very jealous of a business that took up so much of ther husbands’ time. LIANE: (nervously) Don’t be silly. I realize how important your bank is to you. RENAUD: (thoughtfully) If it weren’t for you, Liane, sometimes I think I’d throw the whole thing over. (sighs) However — some day — Let’s see what’s good to eat tonight on the menu — LIANE: (trying to keep her voice steady) Darling — I — let me see it — I — RENAUD: (not understanding her action) Yes, surely?—Why, what’s the matter dear? Your hand is shaking. Are you ill? LIANE: No, no, I’m perfectly all right. (trying to be coquettish) But I know yow’re too tired to bother about ordering that’s all. Let me do it for you! RENAUD: Oh, fine, my dear— fine! PAGE BOY: Telephone, Monsieur Renaud. RENAUD: Thank you. Pardon, Liane—just a moment—(off) You know what I like to eat and drink! LIANE: Yes, dear— (Harry slips up to the table) HARRY: (softly) Darling— LIANE: (emotionally) Harry —you’ve got to give that necklace back to me! Monsieur Renaud is suspicious! I told him I lost it—and this morning I found out that the insurance company had put detectives on the case! HARRY: (startled) So that’s why they were around this morning—inquiring about me! LIANE: (frightened) We’ve got to pretend I found it! Pll tell them I was mistaken about losing it! HARRY: (excitedly) You can’t do that! LIANE: Why? HARRY: They’d know you were covering me up right away. They’d be suspicious. They’d start asking me questions—and there’s a couple of things in my past that won’t stand it, see? LIANE: (pleadingly) Let me try it anyway! Please, Harry! I can say I found it in a dresser drawer—that I mislaid it! Then I'll insist they drop the investigation and— HARRY: minute. (angrily) Wait a When you gave it to me you told me to convert it into cash. Well, I did! LIANE: (frightened) You’ve— you've already sold it? HARRY: (lying) Certainly! LIANE: Get it back! You’ve got to! HARRY: Fat chance. The fel low I sold it to has left town. LIANE: (terrified) They’ll find out! They’ll arrest you! I'll be implicated—face a horrible scandal—! HARRY: (grimly, meaningly) Maybe. Maybe not! LIANE: to do? What are we going HARRY: (tensely) I don’t know about you—but I’m leaving here’ tonight! I'm going to America! LIANE: (tensely) Harry—I’m not going to let you leave without me! If you do, V’ll tell the insurance detectives where you’re going—where they can get you! HARRY: (sharply) Shss! Your husband’s coming back. (changed suave tones) I’m _ so delighted you liked our dance, Madame! — Ah — Monsieur Renaud—! RENAUD: you do. (coolly) How do HARRY: Au friends! revoir, my (off gaily) Duty calls! RENAUD: (sternly) You do know him quite well, don’t you? LIANE: (startled, trying to control herself) Who? That gigolo? What makes you say that? RENAUD: (his voice shaking a little) Nothing very important. Something came up at the office this morning. We’ll discuss it later—tonight. I wonder what’s delaying that waiter with our dinner? Ah, here he comes now! (music for the dance swells drowning the voices—then grows fainter) INEZ: (low, troubled voice) Harry— HARRY: (bored) What? INEZ: (tensely) Why are you so anxious to sell the chain? HARRY: (angrily—in nervous exasperation) Because the police are after me and I want the cash that’s why. And if it’s going to make you feel any better—I’m taking the money for it—and getting out of this place for good, tenight! INEZ: (tensely) Harry, if you go—I go! I couldn’t stand it— being separated from you! HARRY: (viciously) Let me alone—will you? INEZ: Please—don’t treat me this way—talk to me a minute! HARRY: still. (menacingly) Be You annoy me. INEZ: (pleadingly) But you can’t run away and leave me! I love you, Harry—I love you— doesn’t that mean anything to you? HARRY: (angrily) What’s the use of arguing! I told you I’m going alone—and that’s final! (vamp of ‘‘Wonder’ Bar’’ breaks into their words—and swells to its height as Tommy sings ‘‘Wonder Bar’’) I thought I knew you when you passed by— When I nodded to you, and caught your eye; Have you forgotten our rendezvous ? That table in the corner set for two— It’s waiting for you; (all join in refrain) Don’t you remember the night we sat together, at the Wonder Bar? Don’t you remember, we said we’d meet again some day, and here we are. Can’t we revive the spark—that went out in the dark— The night that you, had to say adieu, dear, But I always knew, dear— You’d wander back into the Wonder Bar— Wonder Bar— (Applause — fading as changes to a dance number) music (Fourth Scene—5 minutes) RICHARD: Say, boss— AL: What’s on your Richard, if anything? mind, RICHARD: You want to get rid of Harry without any trouble? AL: Try dropping me a hint! RICHARD: (confidentially) I just heard him make a crack that if he could raise some money he’d leave town tonight! AL: Who'd he tell? RICHARD: had a serap. out—alone— Inez. They just He wants to pull AL: (excited) Now I get it! He’s been trying all night to sell me a hunk of jewelry! (tensely) Did he sound like he was on the level about going? RICHARD: (shrewdly) Put two and two together. Those detectives this morning asking about Harry were from the inSurance company. It’s a einch he’s plenty anxious to leave town, isn’t it? AL: You're right, pal. Go tell that mug Ill see him in my office right now— RICHARD: Okay, boss! AL: And listen! Why shouldn’t young Tommy take his place! Swell kid! And maybe he can’t dance! <A hit with the dames, too. He can do a lot more than pound the ivories, believe me! Hey, Tommy! Tommy! TOMMY: Yes, Mr. Wonder! AL: How about singing “Why Do I Dream Those Dreams” for the folks! TOMMY: Okay with me! AL: Folks—I want to formally present young Tommy Green! You heard him sing tonight for the first time! He was only warming up! You ain’t heard nothing yet! Give little Tommy Green a great big hand! (applause) Let ’er go, Tommy! (vamp of ‘*Why Do I Dream Those Dreams— Tommy _ sings, tenor voice) Thoughts that you suppress — thoughts you won’t confess— You dismiss them from your mind, but then, they come again. I’ve tried to avoid dreams that I’ve enjoyed, But I find they never can be utterly destroyed—for— (all join in the refrain) I see somebody just like you, preparing breakfast, just for two. A dream that never does come true, Why do I dream those dreams? And when the evening sun goes down, I always picture you around, An angel in an evening gown, Why do I dream those dreams? Lights are low, in the beautiful seclusion of a little hideaway— Though I know, it’s a beautiful illusion, Can’t I make you stay? The morning sun will shine again, And I’ll wake up and pine again, But in the night you’re mine again, Why do I dream those dreams? (Applause fading into words of Inez to Tommy) INEZ: Wonderful—Tommy— TOMMY: Thanks, Inez! But what’s wrong with you—tell me! INEZ: (tears in her Nothing’s wrong, Tommy. guess—it was your song! voice) I—I TOMMY: No it wasn’t. What is it—(grimly) Is it Harry again? If that guy’s pulling another of his— INEZ: (quickly) No, no! It isn’t Harry—I— TOMMY: (suddenly breaking) Inez! I ean’t let you go on this way! Before you met Harry and took him for a partner—don’t you remember all the things we’d planned? INEZ: Please, Tommy — I thought we weren’t going to talk about that. TOMMY: (pleadingly) But I knew you liked me, then—and I’m still crazy about you! INEZ: Will you please stop! TOMMY: (emotionally) I can’t sleep nights thinking of you! I sit there pounding out tunes— and you’re in every one of them! INEZ: (frantically) Can’t you see things have changed? TOMMY: (heartbroken) I know they have. You’re a big star here. Vm just a piano player. (hysterical) Don’t you understand, Inez? Can’t you see? (musie of the tango begins softly) INEZ: No, Tommy, no! I’m so much in love with Harry I’m going insane! TOMMY: He’ll only throw you over for— INEZ: (with restrained wildness) I’ve a knife here! TOMMY: (horrified) Inez! You wouldn’t! INEZ: He’s driving me mad, I tell you! I am mad! (music louder) TOMMY: (music crashes) Here he comes—! (Fifth scene —5 minutes) HARRY: (roughly) Are you deaf, Inez? Didn’t you hear our cue? INEZ: (dully) Vm ready— (musie increases mingled with applause as Inez and Harry dance) HARRY: (viciously hissing) Don’t be so listless, woman! Pay atention to what you're doing! INEZ: Harry—darling— HARRY: Don’t darling me! Snap out of it! If you don’t ’m going to walk off the floor. You’re so clumsy everybody’s noticing it! INEZ: (emotionally) Harry— HARRY: stop it! (angrily) Will you INEZ: (tensely) — You can’t leave me—I won’t let you! HARRY: about that! (hissing) We’ll see ‘INEZ: But we belong to each other! I’m not going to let you! I’m not! HARRY: (sneeringly) No? Well, try and stop me! INEZ: (voice trembling with emotion) You’re taking Madame Renaud with you—! HARRY: am! (hissing) Suppose I INEZ: (wildly) No. you’re not! You're going alone! Alone! HARRY: (gasping) Inez — you’ve — you’ve stabbed me! You’ve— (Music hits a crashing crecendo —mingled with cries—screams of women—and suddenly stops) AL: (clowning) Keep your seats, folks! These fights go on night after night! It’s part of the show! It’s Wonder Bar, folks! Wonder Bar! Hi, Richard, get the boys to escort Monsieur Harry out! It’s the big climax, folks! The big smash! And now —for my new song—“Goin’ To Heaven On A Mule!” Hit the ivories, Tommy! Go to it, boys! All ready, folks! (The orchestra plays the vamp for ‘‘Goin’ to Heaven on a Mule,’’ in the midst of stormy applause, Al sings:) Ever since I was a little pickaninny, I’ve rode an old Missouri mule. That’s the only way I’m ever gonna travel, I’m a superstitious fool— And when the good Lord tells me That I’ve sung my closing song, My soul will still be on that mule A-jogging right along: (all join in refrain) When I pass away on that Judgment Day— I’m goin’ to Heaven on a mule— An old Missouri mule— Bye and Bye—I’ll be high— Across that rainbow in the sky— To heaven on a mule— Mammy waits—at those Pearly Gates— I’ll see all those Harlem babies Struttin’ to the tones of saxophones again— And I'll roll a lot of sevens when I roll the bones with Jones again— Yes, siree—with a ‘‘Glory Be’’— I’ll be glad to see Abe Lincoln like he used to be— The man who set me free— Yes, I’m goin’ up to Heaven on A Missouri mule— ridin’ Emperor (Applause — cheers — murmurs fading into voice of narrator) NARRATOR: And this, friends is only a hint at the melodramatic action of “Wonder Bar.” There is grand comedy, too—and spectacular settings and dances. You'll want to know—the outcome of the complicated love affairs of Harry and Inez—Harry and Madame Renaud—lInez and Tommy—Al Wonder and Inez— of mad Captain Von Ferring— and of the amusing touring American couples who are both thrilled and shocked by the amazing goings-on of that big Paris showplace — The Wonder Bar. You'll learn all the anBAP ORS ita. rdrxcinrencoses next at the Seog aes senay givens Theatre. Till then, good bye and GOOD LUCK. THE END EA DEAD NGL BEA IEE TERE LODE LEE ETD ANTE TENCE ALE SEEDER EINE ADEE EET AEG DEL CLE DE LES A BENE SED LLAILEN TELA LE LIED I LEED ELE DELLE LET ELLE IES ALD, TELESIS ELE EL ETE DLL ALLEL DELLE DDD AL DPE LE RL LEE LEE DDT DEINE LAE DLA DELLE DE ARIEL AE LED DLE DEL LEER DELLE PAE AR LDEAD AEDT LED EPL LA EELS LEAT EI | NGL GS EES SN Se Th Page Twenty-three