The Weekend (1999) - full transcript
Marian (Deborah Kara Unger) and John Kerr (Jared Harris) are expecting an old friend, Lyle (David Conrad) for a weekend visit to their beautiful upstate New York home. Emotions run high since it is the one-year anniversary of the death of John's brother, the handsome and charismatic Tony (D.B. Sweeney), who had also been Lyle's lover. Marian, who is still inconsolable after losing Tony to AIDS, is upset when Lyle brings his new boyfriend, a young artist, Robert (James Duval). Meanwhile, the situation is just as tense at the Kerrs' neighbors' house, where oft-widowed, free spirit Laura Ponti (Gena Rowlands) gets a surprise visit from her resentful, angry daughter, Nina (Brooke Shields), and her married lover, Thierry (Gary Dourdan). Matters worsen when the battling mother-daughter duo joins the Kerr household for a dinner party, where the pain-riddled diners engage in a messy emotional showdown.
-The things you lose,
you don't ever get back.
It can never happen again
except in the smudgy carbon
copy of memory.
There are things that seem
irreconcilable that you
must find a way
to reconcile with.
The simple passage of days
tells the sharpness of the pain,
but never quite wears it out.
And it doesn't get
washed away with time.
It becomes a cold hard
lump of something,
and a loseable souvenir.
Donny once told me,
there's no future
in holding on to the past.
-I've never taken
the train before.
-I used to come up
almost every weekend.
-With Tony?
-Um-hmm.
Haven't been up
for almost a year.
-Oh, Lyle called.
He's bringing a friend.
-He didn't say he was
bringing a friend when
I talked to him Thursday.
-Well, maybe it's a new friend.
-Lyle comes up here, John,
to get away from his friends.
He's certainly not going
to bring one with him.
-Well, he is today on the 1140.
-He hasn't been up
all summer, and then
to come up this weekend and
bring someone, it seems odd.
-What is so special
about this weekend?
-It's the anniversary
of Tony's death.
You think Lyle's forgot?
-Of course not.
-You did.
-Tony wasn't my lover.
-Nope.
He was your brother.
-He was my half
brother, actually.
-Are we there yet?
-Soon.
-You know, you have ugly feet.
-Don't.
It's cold.
-Feet, in general,
are pretty ugly,
but yours are especially ugly
if you look at them closely.
-Well, then don't
look at them closely.
-Anything gets uglier
the more you look at it.
-Not true.
-Name one ugly
thing that gets more
beautiful if you
look at it closely.
-Insect.
-Actually, I like your feet.
They're genuine.
Old World.
Biblically even.
-Do that again.
My Old World feet liked it.
-Come on in, you'll
get used to it.
-Mission accomplished?
-Hey.
-I did my part.
-Yes, but did John do his?
-Let's just hope
he did something.
And a cheer.
-Do you make love
differently when
you're trying to get pregnant?
-I forgot what it's like
to make love and try
not to get pregnant.
-Was that a mating schedule I
saw stuck on your refrigerator?
-That is not on
the refrigerator.
That's on top of
the refrigerator.
You snooped.
-Oh, god, I feel no
desire to procreate.
-I prefer the idea
of having a ward
a la Dick Grayson in Batman.
-It's hot out here.
I wish I'd brought
my bathing suit.
-I don't have mine on.
-You never have yours on.
-Take off your dress.
Come here, get naked.
To be naked is to be oneself.
-I'm not getting nude
in front of this one.
-No, no, nude is set on
display, but a naked body
reveals itself without disguise.
-Oh, for Christ's sake.
You two are impossible.
OK, if this goes out
in the refrigerator,
I'll kill you both.
Duh-duh-da-duh.
-What should I do about beds
for Lyle and his friend?
One or two?
Are they sleeping together?
-Didn't ask.
Two and leave it to them.
-Different rooms?
-The same room should be fine.
-Lyle always sleeps
in the yellow room.
-Things are about
to change with Lyle.
Mustn't let it upset you?
-Wouldn't matter.
LAURA (OFFSCREEN):
Perspective is
nothing but a scientific fact.
If it disturbs you, ignore it.
My husband's disdain for
perspective was legendary.
Something of a disadvantage
in an architect.
I'm such a moron.
I'm making you
sound like one, too.
You made so much more
sense in life, darling,
than you do in death.
OK, that's gotta go.
That does, too.
-Nina, if your
mother's so awful,
why have we come all this way
to spend the weekend with her?
I didn't say she was awful.
-You did.
Since we left the
city three hours ago.
You've done nothing
but criticize her.
You know how precious
our free time is.
Hmm.
We could have been in
Santa Monica by now.
-Yeah, but I'm not
in Santa Monica.
-Neither is your mother.
-I thought you might
like some iced tea.
-Thank you.
-If you don't mind
my asking, why
don't you just sweep those up?
-They burst and stain the patio.
-Oh.
Well, there really is a reason
for everything, isn't there?
I have plenty of
time for small talk.
-It took forever for
us to find this place.
-Nina.
How lovely to see you.
Though it would have been
more wonderful if I'd known
you were coming.
-Well, it was one of those
spur of the moment things,
you know, like getting married.
This is Thierry by the way.
-Hello.
-[SPEAKING_FRENCH]
-Then this is--
-Jerry, how are you?
-Fine, Jerry, how are you?
-Jerry drove us up.
I thought it would be a
lot cheaper than a cab,
but it wasn't.
-Oh, how much do I owe?
-$300?
-I also told him he could
have a swim in the pool.
-Well, certainly.
Certainly.
I'm sure we have a spare
pair of Speedos somewhere.
The people I rented this house
from moved out in such a hurry,
you'd be surprised
what they left behind.
-Well, it certainly is a bitch
to get to, but it's lovely.
-I'm not supposed
to get too much sun.
I'm playing a prostitute.
-Are you an actor, too, Theirry?
-No, I train the
pigeons in this movie.
-The pigeons?
-Thierry can get a pigeon
to do almost anything.
-Yeah.
Uh, we use to use
carrier pigeons,
but they're all extinct.
So now we use street pigeons.
They're so much easier to
use than the common cairns
and herring goals
that we used when
we did the remake of
Hitchcock "Birds" with Nina.
-I played a topless dancer
who gets pecked to death
by a chicken.
-Great film.
-I don't think I saw that one.
-Well, you told me you did.
My mother thinks
that all film people
are hypocrites, especially me.
-That's not true,
Nina, and I'm very
proud of everything you do.
-Why is it that every time you
pat me on the back, mother,
it feels like there's
a knife in your hand?
I hope there's no
chlorine in the pool.
I'll get a rash.
-Well, you are
playing a prostitute.
-What have you
done to your hair?
-Cut it.
-Oh, you look great.
-I am great, thanks to--
-So you're the reason we
haven't seen Lyle all summer,
and here he's trying
to convince us
that he's been working
on book number two.
Have you read his book, Robert?
-Actually, no.
Lyle won't let me read it.
I think he's afraid
it might scare me off.
-Oh, well, it might.
It stopped me from painting,
but it's a wonderful book.
-Which has only just come
out in paperback, so I really
don't need to write a
second book now, do I?
I work at the museum, and
traveling almost every weekend.
-Oh, poor baby.
And I might as well exploit
my celebrity while I can.
-Your what?
-On a very small scale.
That's all I meant.
Oh, god, Tony would have been
mortified to see you celebrate.
-Not exploit it?
-Celebrate it.
-So how are you?
-Fine.
I mean, it's been a bit muggier
than usual, but I'm fine.
-How are you?
-So how long have
you lived up here?
-Oh, um, we moved up here
for good two years ago.
It used to be more
of a weekend retreat.
-Hmm, a debauchery.
-Are you hot back there, Robert?
-Oh, I'm fine, thanks.
So do you miss New York?
-Sorry?
-Do you miss New York?
-Um, sometimes, but it's easy
enough to get into the city
if you want.
Although with little
Rowland, that's
become a thing of the past.
-How is little Rowland?
-Fine.
He's at home helping
John with his wall.
-His wall?
-His wall.
John is building a stone
wall at the edge of the lake.
-That's interesting.
-What for?
-Oh, who knows what
goes on in his mind.
[BABY CRYING]
-Rowland, hey,
what are you doing?
John?
-Uh, John, John.
Hey, buddy.
I want you to meet Robert.
-How are you?
-Good, John.
-Hey, Rowland.
-The sticks.
I can't believe you
actually live here.
-I'd like to leave sometimes.
-John, you were supposed
to be watching him.
-I was.
He was about to stick
a wicket in his eye.
-Are you helping
Daddy with his wall?
-How did you know about that?
-I told him.
-It's supposed to be a surprise.
-Decorative or functional?
Which one is it?
-You have to wait and see.
-I don't want to wait and see.
-All right, come
on, let's go down.
Robert, you want to come?
-Sure.
-Maybe Robert would
like to freshen up
first and save the
surprise for later.
-I don't mind.
-Yeah, come on.
It's just down there.
-You don't have to be
polite up here, Robert.
Why don't we take your bags,
and I'll get you a beer?
-Whatever.
-Nice to meet you, John.
-Nice to see you, too.
-Look at this.
Wow.
-So how long have
you known Robert?
-Three weeks.
I met him at an artist
colony in Maine.
Skowhegan, do you know it?
-You're dating a painter?
-Not me.
Paintings dead, man,
haven't you read my book?
-I guess that makes being an art
critic a hell of a lot easier.
-The best thing about
Maine, apart from meeting
Lyle is I got to paint all day.
I don't really have
that luxury in New York.
-Why not?
-Can't afford it.
-But as an artist, you
can't really afford not to.
-Well, I'll remember that the
next time I can pay my rent.
That was meant to
sound encouraging.
Do you like children, Robert?
-Uh, I like their
hands and their feet.
-Well, that's a start.
-Oh, no, sorry.
I don't drink beer.
-Um, we have wine.
-Uh, water would be great.
-Hmm.
Water's coming up.
-Thanks.
-So what do you paint?
-Contemporary landscapes.
-Oh, any insights on shopping
malls and parking lots?
I'll get you a glass.
-Uh, well, I paint what I see
and hope it's significant.
Lyle said you were
a painter, too.
-Did he?
Well, that's more than
he's ever said to me.
It's more of a hobby these days.
I don't think that
there's anything
I have to say that
hasn't been said before.
-Come on, how do you know?
You silence the artist, and
you silence the most articulate
voice that people have.
-Well, let's just take
your bags upstairs
and think about that one.
-Oscar Wilde.
I don't know what year though.
-Hmm, very Donna Reed.
-Oh.
Don't be nostalgic for the 50s.
They were terribly drab.
-Really?
Even with you in them?
-Yes, even so.
-Oh, Mom, not too
much sugar, please.
Some of us have careers
that depend on how we look.
-Oh, I don't know, I think
you could use a few pounds.
-Butter?
-In the refrigerator.
-So, what do you want to
do about dinner tonight?
-Well, actually, I'm going out.
-But you have me
and Thierry tonight.
-Well, I have you and Thierry
all day tomorrow, too.
-But we've come all
the way up here.
-Listen, darling, I
wouldn't have even accepted
this invitation if I'd known
you were going to show up.
But you haven't for the
last six weeks, so you know,
it seemed really
foolish to expect you.
-And now that I am
here, you're going out.
Perfect.
It's only for a few hours.
It's not exactly a
criminal offense.
Besides, you'll have Thierry.
You won't even notice I'm gone.
-So are you having dinner with?
Do you remember Iris Kerr?
That beautiful American
woman who lived in Rome?
-The drunk?
-Uh, I prefer to
remember her beauty.
-Perspective.
-True.
Well, it's her son and his wife.
They live up here.
-Tony Kerr is married?
-No, it's not Tony.
It's the other one.
John.
-Tony Kerr was the most
gorgeous man I had ever met.
I wanted to go to his
leverage energy to him.
-Hmm, did you?
-Nope.
He broke my heart, not my hyman.
He likes boys.
-Uh, where'd you get the idea?
-I just started building it.
-You're not worried about it
collapsing or falling down?
Didn't use any mortar, did you?
-It's not meant to
last forever, Lyle.
-Ah, it's the most
beautiful place on earth.
-Then you should
visit it more often.
-I will now.
-Robert seems nice.
-He is nice.
He's the most instinctively
nice person I've ever met
and he's lovely.
-Is he the first since Tony?
What's it like being
with somebody new?
I haven't had sex
since I got married.
I mean, I mean, with
anyone other than Marian.
-The first time
Robert and I had sex,
I wake up early in the morning,
and I just watched him sleep.
And I thought if you
unwound this boy,
you would find nothing bad,
nothing rotten or unnecessary.
Just everything
down to the bone.
Perfect and clean.
-Ah, so is it romantic
or just sexual?
-I'm going to put you and
Lyle in the yellow room.
Oh, I hate to refer
to rooms by the color,
but it's something
we do up here seeing
as the rooms are
different colors.
-Colors.
-Yellow.
-This is such a beautiful room.
-Thank you.
-You know, in India, Hindu
women often decorate their homes
with brightly colored
rice paste paintings
in the hope of persuading the
goddess of love to stop by.
-Wow.
Are you Indian?
-My father is.
He lives in Delhi.
He's a counterfeitor.
-Ooh, how exotic.
What does he counterfeit.
-Anything that will
make him a lot of money.
-And your mother?
-Was American.
She, uh, died when I wasn't
much older than Rowland.
-Oh, I'm sorry.
-That's OK.
So I went to live with
my grandparents in LA
when I was 10.
-LA?
oh my god.
Ultra shock.
-Well, I wasn't very happy
with my father, so it's OK.
I don't think he liked
the way I turned out.
-What, that you're a painter?
-OK.
-Oh.
-Would you be happy
if Rowland was gay?
-Well, if he was happy.
-You wouldn't be happy first?
I mean, you'd wait for him to be
happy and then you'd be happy.
-I haven't really
given it much thought.
I think it's a bit premature.
-Oh, I'm sorry.
-That's all right.
I'll just leave
you to settle in.
-Thanks.
-There are times when you think
no one is actually look at you
when you have a quality I
can only describe as sexy.
Oh, god, I'm exhausted.
I could fall asleep.
-No!
No, don't fall asleep.
Talk to me.
Is John a good lover?
-You shouldn't ask me
questions like that.
-Why not?
-Because.
-Why are people always to
reluctant to talk about sex?
It's intimate, Tony.
-I used to have a crush on John.
-He's your brother.
-I was 10.
Oh, lord, well, I trust
you've gotten over it.
-It was just a phase.
He doesn't seem
sexy to me anymore.
-Is Lyle a good lover?
-Sex isn't a high
priority with Lyle.
-Is it with you?
-I like sex, and Lyle doesn't?
Not as much as me.
-Is that a problem?
-No.
When I travel sometimes,
I fool around.
-Does Lyle know you do this?
-We don't really talk about it.
-Does Lyle have other lovers?
-No.
We're happy together.
That's the important thing.
-What's it like to fool around?
-Why do you want to know?
Deep down, you're just like me.
It's the chase, not the catch.
Sometimes I think I
should have married you.
I'm serious.
I've never felt that
way about anyone.
Before me and Lyle,
and you and John,
we were lepers in the same spot.
Always kissing the last
person you'd expect.
-Isn't there a
danger that you could
fall in love with
one of your liaisons.
And there's nothing
stopping it from happening?
-It doesn't happen.
-No, as long as you're safe.
-It's a little late for that.
-What did you just say?
How long have you known?
-A couple of years.
-Why didn't you tell me?
-I decided I wouldn't tell
anyone until it mattered.
Except Lyle.
I'm sorry.
-Oh, you're healthy.
-Like an ox.
Or is it a horse?
I can never remember.
-It's a horse.
I think we should go back now.
-Oh, stay a bit with me.
-I need a beer.
Oh, you.
Send Lyle with the rowboat.
-Nina.
-What?
-Your mother.
-So you're working on your book.
-Oh, arranging and
rearranging notes mostly.
I'm writing a book
about, well, I
should say I'm working on a
biography of my late husband.
-One of her late husbands.
Yes?
-The latest.
It's Atorian Ponti.
Maybe you've heard of him.
He was quite a
celebrated architect.
-No, I don't think so.
-Not that celebrated, obviously.
-Oh, the first time I saw
a building he designed,
I was actually speechless.
The book is not
going well, however.
Biographies.
They can make the most
thrilling lives seem banal.
It's just much more
interesting trying
to get his whole life
on paper when I was--
-Giddy with widowhood?
-Yes.
Yes.
Exactly.
-May I see?
-Oh, yes, please.
-Do I at least rate a mention?
-Oh, of course.
Atorian loved you as if
you were his own daughter.
-Which is why he sent me
away to boarding school.
-Nina, you begged to
go to boarding school.
You said all of your
friends were going.
-I was 12, Mom.
I also wanted to be one
of Charlie's Angels.
You know, she
didn't even want me
to call her mother in
public, only Laura,
as if we were friends.
-Well, you never seemed
particularly interested in me
as a mother.
I thought perhaps you'd
prefer me as a friend.
-I had plenty of friends.
-You certainly did, and you
were with them all of the time.
You never even came
home on vacation.
-Well, I wasn't ready
to be paraded around
as one of your precious
little accessories.
-You know, about a year
after she'd gone to school,
Atorian and I went to a party,
and someone asked how she was.
And I remember thinking, oh,
oh, Nina, yes, that's right.
I have a daughter.
I'd put her clean
out of my head.
-Your life.
-If we expect nothing
from our children,
and they expect nothing from
us, nobody will be disappointed.
-Hmm, only lonely.
-It's very beautiful.
One or another is lost since
we fall apart endlessly,
in one motion depart
from each other.
-D.H. Lawrence was
Atorian's favorite poet.
And that so sums up the
way I feel about him.
At least writing about him.
How are we ever supposed to know
what a person's really like?
Maybe it's impossible.
Maybe they just
keep sliding away
like water changing
all the time.
-To be celebrated is nothing,
but to be loved is everything.
-Oh, my mother was less inspired
when my father passed away.
She sent a card.
-Well, I just had so
little to say about him.
I mean, the whole relationship
was such a whirlwind,
[FRENCH] I think
you say in France.
-[FRENCH] yes.
-A sudden, exhilarating
leap into the void.
-Well, I should have looked.
Within a year he had
me under a pedestal.
And in the end, the only
thing that we had in common
was Nina, which, of course,
made it all worthwhile.
Well, I must say it was
fund while it lasted.
I swear he had a
hand with 20 fingers,
and it was always on my ass.
-I was going to spend the day
at Wilbur Robinson's house.
And Wilbur is my best
friend, and his house
is the greatest place
in the world to visit.
It's kind of dull around
here today, said Wilbur.
And I looked around, Aunt Billy
was playing with her train set,
cousin Pete was
walking the cats.
And Uncle Gaston sat comfortably
in the family county.
-It's so odd having
a child, Lyle.
I keep thinking when
he learns to talk,
he's going to tell me everything
that's on that little mind,
and I'm going to
know him entirely.
We never know anyone
like that, do we?
-How well did our
parents know us?
-But you'll tell Mommy what
you're thinking, won't you?
-Don't do it.
-Huh?
Tell me what's on your mind?
Aw, are you thinking
you're stinky?
Because I do.
Or are you thinking
you want Uncle
Lyle to change your
diaper, are you?
-Oh, there are limits to
Uncle Lyle's devotion.
-Oh, actually, he's warm.
Here, just run this
under some cold water.
Hey, honey, hey.
Hey.
Hey.
-Here you go.
-Hello, happy one.
-You know, towards
the end, I used
to pray that Tony's
illness would just turn him
into a baby, and
then he wouldn't
know what was happening to him.
-But he did.
That's what he wanted.
-I never knew what Tony wanted.
It should be easier than
changing a grown man,
don't you think?
-I think I'm more afraid of
being sick than I am of dying.
It's too abstract for me.
I can't imagine
dying or being dead.
But I can imagine being sick.
I don't mind dying,
you see, it's
just the preliminaries I hate.
I can feel it coming, I think.
-What do you feel?
-Just scared.
Being sick in a
way that makes me
feel like it's
already happening.
And if I died now, on a gorgeous
day like today, with you here,
my life would have ended well.
I love you.
-What are you doing
in here all alone?
Are you being
mysterious or exclusive?
-Enigmatic.
-Where's Lyle?
-He's upstairs asleep.
It's amazing how exhausting
indolence can be.
And Marian?
-I think she's
checking on Rowland.
-Tony was my half brother.
We had the same mother.
He used to get all the girls.
The only problem was
he didn't want them.
Well, I'd better get cleaned up.
Um, I just wanted to say
that Marian and I are
very pleased that
you're here, Robert.
And very happy to
see you with Lyle.
-Thanks, John.
I mean, maybe it should
be awkward with Robert.
-Is it?
-Well, I can't
pretend it doesn't
make me feel a
little uncomfortable.
This last year has
been unbearable.
There were times I wish I'd had
the strength to commit suicide.
I guess if I'd had the strength,
I wouldn't have felt the need.
But even at my most
desperate, I always
thought something
wonderful my happen.
It wasn't optimism.
It was just a respect
for the possible.
And then this boy walks into my
life, and I feel human again.
And I just wanted to
share that with you.
-Well, now, I feel awful.
-Good.
-How could I not say
anything, because that
would be dishonest.
And you know me
too well for that.
And you are my best friend.
-I don't know why I always feel
like whispering when I'm here.
The first time I saw this
place, I nearly cried.
-Well, you were always more
sentimental about nature
than people.
-Well, God is in nature.
-And truth is in wine.
-Thierry seems very nice.
-He's married.
-Oh.
Well, the nicest
men often are, which
probably means that they aren't
quite as nice as they appear.
-You never let that stop you.
-Did you know he was married
when you first met him?
-It slipped his mind.
-Yeah.
His wife lives in France?
-Santa Monica.
Yeah, it's not really a
matter of distance though.
It really is lovely here.
-Isn't it?
-You know it's
beautiful in Italy, too.
Have you thought any more
about that offer I made you?
-What would I do in Italy?
-They make movies
in Italy, Nina.
-Yeah, in Italian.
-You speak Italian.
-Used to.
So is, uh, Tony's
brother good looking?
-I don't really
remember, you know.
He's just very, very quiet.
His personality doesn't really
quite extend out to its edges.
His wife speaks her mind though.
-They sound awful.
-No, they really aren't so bad.
They're just not his type.
-You sound like such a snob.
-Hey, you're the one that
said they sounded so awful.
-Can we go back now.
I think I've have enough
beauty for one day.
-OK.
-What do you think of Robert?
-He's nice enough.
He's young.
How are you going to cook these?
-We're going to saute them.
-Hmm.
-I don't like him.
-Why not?
-Just something about him.
-It must be hard for
him coming up here.
So well in being
so closed to Tony.
-Oh, I understand that.
It's just, I don't
buy his enthusiasm.
He seems presumptuous
or judgmental.
-Aren't you being just a
little judgmental yourself?
-We can't help but form
impressions of people, can we?
I don't think it will last.
-Well, then you should be nice.
If he's just something
that Lyle's going through,
you probably won't
have to see him again.
-Yeah.
-A turban?
-I thought we could use
a little ammunition,
I hope that thing works.
-Don't you have somewhere to go?
-I'm Italian.
I'm expected to be late.
-You know, I always
thought that a grudge
would make a person ugly.
But that isn't true
in your case, is it?
Strange.
-You can go anyplace
in the world
and some things remain constant.
The sun goes up,
the moon comes down
and children resent
their parents.
-You wear too much
makeup, Mother.
In this light, you look
like a beautiful prostitute.
-You know, one thing that
is disturbing about children
is that they can always see
right through their parents.
What they don't realize,
is their parents
can see right through them back.
-Nina, take the wine.
You're too much.
-It doesn't matter, Thierry.
I should get going anyway.
-You look very beautiful.
-Thank you.
-Have a nice evening.
-Thank you.
-Hey.
-Hi.
-Hi.
How are you?
I'll be done in just a minute.
-Where did Tony die?
-What?
-It was here in this
house, wasn't it?
-Robert, I don't think
that's a question to really--
-True.
-Robert, it doesn't matter.
Of course, it fucking matters.
-Robert, please.
-Tell me.
-Jesus.
-My daughter, Nina,
came up from the city
unexpectedly, so it kind
of slowed things down.
-Hello.
-Hello.
-You remember my husband?
-Yes, how are you?
-You should have brought
your daughter with you.
-Yes, I-- oh, my word.
What lovely paintings.
-Yes, Marian painted them.
-Really?
Well, if you cook half
as well as you paint,
we're in for a rare treat.
-Can I get you
something to drink?
-Absolutely.
-Red wine?
-Red, please.
-OK.
-Now what should we
do about Nina, is it?
-Oh, nothing, she's just fine.
She's here with her fiance.
-Well, you should have
brought them both.
-Why don't you give them a call?
-Well, it's very
kind of you, but they
don't have a car, actually.
-Then I'll pick them up.
The more the merrier, huh?
-Thank you.
-Cheers.
-Cheers.
-Cheers.
Oh, it's a wonderful house.
Just wonderful.
Although, it does
have that renty
feeling as if it
suspects me of not having
committed myself
to it fully yet.
-Well, then it must be nice for
you that Nina's made it out.
-Yes, it really is.
Though, it's a little
disturbing to have
someone just for the weekend.
Just beginning to enjoy their
company, you turn around,
and they've gone again.
-More weekend guests.
Sorry about that.
You're really not
guests, you're family.
-No, I'm the guest,
and I'm glad.
Thank you for having me.
-Well, you're welcome.
Laura Ponti, this is Robert.
-Hello, how are you?
-Pleasure.
-Lyle, nice to meet you.
Laura's daughter, Nina, and her
fiance are up for the evening,
so John's just gone
to pick them up.
-[SPEAKING_FRENCH]
-What happened to that martini?
-Shh.
-So how long are you two up for.
-Just the weekend.
We go back tomorrow.
-Morning.
-I thought we were going
to have a lazy day.
-I wish I could, but I have
to work tomorrow evening.
-Oh, it's a shame you
have to go back so soon.
It's such a beautiful weekend.
My daughter came in
from the city today,
and she just
practically drove me
crazy with all her urban energy.
-You bastard!
-Be reasonable, Nina.
-Reasonable?
You call your fucking wife
from my mother's telephone,
and you've got the nerve to
tell me to be reasonable?
Well, you should
have thought of that
before you decided to spend
the weekend fucking me.
-Hello?
Hello?
-Oh, Christ.
Whatever it is, I
don't live here.
-You must be Nina.
The name's Kerr, John Kerr.
-Comes the dawn.
Tony's brother.
-Yeah.
-What does she do?
-She's an actress.
She's making a
movie in the city.
-Oh, what is it?
Maybe we've heard of it.
-Oh, I was afraid
you'd ask me that.
I haven't any idea.
She does quite a lot of stuff,
mostly in action and horror
films, which means
she has to bare
her breasts before she's killed.
-My wife, Marian, wanted to
ask you both over for dinner.
We tried to call, with
the line was busy.
-Well, Thierry was just leaving.
-[FRENCH]
-But, uh, I'd be delighted.
I actually liked
all of her movies.
At least they
weren't pornography.
-Yes, at least.
-Still, if they were,
and she was really happy,
I suppose I find some way
of approving on that, too.
Oh, this damn thing.
-She's quite
something, your mother.
The way she just parked on
our lawn, like she was saying,
I have arrived, and I will
park where I damn well please.
-Please sit down, make
yourself comfortable.
Just throw all that
stuff on the floor.
It's what I do.
-Is it all right to
smoke in the house?
-Sure.
-Marian's very good at
collecting interesting people.
You know what the trouble
with interesting people is?
They make you feel dull.
-Well, if you're anything
like your brother,
I doubt you're dull.
-I'm nothing like, Tony.
Although, my mother, God bless,
has spent most of her life
encouraging me to be.
-Your mother never struck me
as being particularly happy
though.
-No.
She used to joke
a lot, but I don't
remember her laughing much.
You know what she used
to say all the time.
Life's too short not to
do exactly what you want.
-Hmph, sounds like a threat.
-No, it was meant to be.
-Well, she sounds like
my mother, selfish.
-Yeah, but somehow she
managed to turn it into charm.
-Well, spoiled people
are always charming.
It's part of what
makes us attractive.
-Nina has a certain
splendor about her,
which is far rarer and much more
delightful than common sense.
I swear she could charm
an angel out of its wings.
-You make her
sound a bit unreal.
-Well, sometimes
she seems that way.
-Is Tony going to
be there tonight?
You wouldn't believe the
crush I used to have on him.
All he had to do was walk into
a room and the walls danced,
and my legs buckled.
-Tony's dead.
-What?
-He died of AIDS last year.
-Aw, I'm so sorry.
-It's all right.
-I can't believe it.
We went to Morocco together.
I spent two weeks
trying to seduce him.
Until I finally figured him out
as far as anyone ever could.
-You've no idea how
many beautiful women
have told me that story.
-Thank you.
-I see so little of her
nowadays that sometimes I
feel we're more like
friends grown apart.
-Aren't you disappointed?
-No.
Absolutely not.
I do not allow any room in
my life for disappointments.
It's such a pernicious emotion.
There seems to me to be such
a romantic notion of family
intimacy that I
think is just that.
I think it's a notion.
Family should get
together when they need to
and want to just
like, like friends.
-But needing isn't
always mutual.
I mean, I know we're not obliged
to love one another, but we do.
It would be unnatural not
to want to be close to
and attend those we love.
Don't you think?
-That hasn't been my experience.
-Sorry.
It's just that it's been mine.
-Then you're lucky.
-Well, there's just another
one of those damn notions.
I mean, ideally, we should
all just love one another,
but family relationships
do not always
live up to their expectations.
-So you're saying we
should lower them?
-If you ask me, we should
get rid of them all together.
-So how old were you when
your parents divorced.
-Uh, my mother divorced my
father when I was a baby
and moved to Italy.
I stayed in England
with my father.
Tony went to live
with my mother.
I used to see them every summer.
-So how did you end up here?
-My father sent me to
camp here one summer.
I loved it.
Pretty much didn't go back.
You preferred camp to Europe?
-What can I say?
I'm not sophisticated.
Told you I was dull.
-All right.
OK.
-I used to imagine Tony and my
mother on the beach in Italy,
you know, soaking up the sun
and checking out the boys.
And I'd think, well,
I'm not like that.
Then I'd see my
father sitting down
to one of his fancy
dinners in his London club,
and I knew I wasn't
like that either.
-So what are you like?
-Well, these days just a kid
happy to be in the woods.
-Oh, there's nothing so
wonderful as being in love,
is there?
I've been in love,
have loved, 11 times
and have married four times.
-Are you in love now?
-Yes.
Not with a man.
And not with a woman
either for that matter.
I'm in love with
my villa in Italy.
And it's one of the best
love affairs I've ever had.
-I'd rather love people.
-Well, that's
because you're young.
Young people are always in love
with each other, and the world,
and themselves.
But when you get
older, you'll find
a special joy of loving a home.
I mean, a home is-- it's yours.
A home belongs to you.
You belong to it.
And it never leaves you,
which is comforting.
-Tony came to visit me once.
-At camp?
-Um-hmm.
It was an absolute disaster.
-Oh, why is that?
He seduced one of
the camp counselors.
Oh, it's funny now.
It was humiliating at the time.
I was furious.
I didn't speak to him
for years after that.
-Well, did you ever make up?
-Yeah.
You know, we wouldn't have
picked one another as brothers
if we'd had the choice.
But I think afterward,
we forgave one another
for being different.
We were both surprised by
how much we liked each other.
-Well, I never have
been particularly lucky
in my choice of men.
They're either gay, or married.
-I'm telling you, when
I'm in my villa, all
by myself alone at night,
I feel wrapped in its arms.
-Well, then to have a house
full of people that you love
would be ideal.
-But then the house
wouldn't be yours.
-But wouldn't sharing
make it better?
-Well, would sharing
Robert make him any better?
No.
I think we give away too
much, and then we regret it.
-Oh, but you can't give away
too much to those you love.
-Oh, well, you
can only say that,
because you are such a
kind and really good woman.
I'm not that any longer.
Kindness is a quality that
gets worn out with the years.
It leaves you with
a little patent,
but it's not the real thing.
That's why I like
people like Robert here.
Someone who desperately
wants to love
people instead of buildings.
-Really?
Most people think I'm cynical.
No, judgmental.
-Well, how can you
live today and not
be cynical unless
you're an idiot.
It's just an armor anyway,
just covering our true selves.
And I don't think it's
very thick on you yet.
-You look like a man about
to face a firing squad.
-You're right, you're right.
I've always been lucky.
-Oh, luck has very
little to do with it.
Marrying well does.
-Hello.
-Please, don't get up.
-We, um, we started without you.
-Well, I've already eaten.
I'm just here for the
company and the alcohol.
I'll start with a beer.
-So where's Thierry?
-He had to go back to the city.
You must be Marian.
I'm Nina.
-Hello.
-I've heard all about you.
-This is Lyle and
Robert, his friend.
-His lover.
-What did I tell you?
-What did she tell you?
That all of the men
that I find attractive
are either gay, like these two,
or Tony, or married like John.
-Your mother said
you were engaged.
-Did she?
Well, Thierry was, was being the
operative word, my boyfriend.
And we were saying a
less than tearful goodbye
when your gallant
husband arrived.
-Oh.
-Well, maybe my gallant husband
could help me in the kitchen.
Gallant, my ass.
-You mentioned Tony.
Tony Kerr.
Did you know him?
-Yeah, I used to very well.
We went to Morocco together.
-You went to Morocco
with Tony Kerr?
-Yeah.
When I was 18, right
after boarding school.
-Wait, I was there, too.
-With Tony?
-Did you stay at the--
-Aahana Hotel.
-Yeah.
-Hotel.
Oh, we used to sit naked
and read Joe Orton together.
-Yeah.
-I had no idea he had died.
-Well, I hadn't either.
-He died here in this house.
-Oh, well, this is
no topic for dinner.
-No, it's fine, really.
-Well, I meant-- never mind.
-She look's like she just
got out of the Navy the way
she's looking at you.
-Well, everything looks
just delicious Marian.
-Lyle, I was reading a review
of your book in the "Times".
I found it very interesting.
I tried to get a copy, but
the book stores up here
are just hopeless.
-Well, I'm sure I've got
an extra copy somewhere,
and I could sign it for you
before you go if you'd like.
-Really, that
would be very nice.
Thank you.
-What's it called?
Neo This, Neo That.
-Oh, that's the
story of my life.
Here, to a happy weekend.
-My mother's writing a book.
-Really?
What about?
My late husband.
Nina's stepfather,
Atorian Ponti.
-The architect?
-Yes.
You've heard of him?
-Of course.
He's one of the greatest
European architects
of this century.
-It's a pity his work never
caught on in the United States.
-I guess he was just
too much of a maverick.
-Yes, he was a maverick.
-I think he was a genius.
-So do I.
-I would love to read your
book when it's finished.
-Well, I'm afraid it's not
going forward very quickly.
I guess I've just bitten
off more than I can chew.
Atorian is so rich
and contrast, it's
really hard to
capture him in words.
-Excuse me.
-Where are you going?
-I left my wallet
down by the wall.
-Well, it's not going anywhere.
-Be right back.
-I don't know, pretty
soon he's going
to start sleeping
by that damn wall.
-Well, let him.
One thing I've
learned in my life
is to let men sleep
where they want to.
So Robert, you
don't know anything
about restoration
of canvases and--
-Marian did that for
several years at the Met.
-Really?
Well, I didn't know that.
That's very interesting.
Have you restored old
canvases and things?
-Um-hmm.
-How about frescoes, which is
what I'm really getting at?
-Only canvasses.
Why do you ask?
-I'm doing some work
on my house in Italy.
And we ran across some frescoes.
They're very badly
damaged, but I
would love to have
them restored.
-That must feel like a miracle.
-It does.
-Just digging in the
ground and there they are.
-Yes.
-Are they beautiful?
-Oh, I think so.
I mean, I don't know whether
Atorian would have thought
really, but I think
they're very beautiful.
Well, I could certainly get some
names of someone if you want.
I mean, you hate to
go to all that trouble
and have them turn
out second rate.
-I wouldn't want you
to go to any trouble.
-Oh, it wouldn't be a trouble.
-Lyle, could you go
see where John is.
His food's getting cold.
-I'll go.
-Nina.
-It makes much
more sense if I go.
I've already eaten, so
which way is this, uh, wall.
-You might get lost down there.
I think he's created
a bit of a maze.
Well, I have an unerring
sense of direction as long
as I know where I'm going.
-It's just across the lawn.
There's a little pathway
above the trees to the right.
-Did you know the word, crochet
comes from the old French word
croak, meaning, say
your prayers, rabbit.
-Oh, no, no.
It comes from the old
Gaelic word [GAELIC],
which means leave my
ball alone you lying,
cheating, sick bastard.
-Can we play doubles?
No, no, because
then Lyle and Marian
will be discussing
postmodernism,
and I can only take so much
deconstruction in one weekend.
Hmm.
Sometimes I wish I'd
been born lucky instead
of handsome and talented.
-It's funny.
I always thought you
were the lucky one.
-Compared to you?
It's all relative.
-You know, you can stay
here as long as you like.
-Maybe it's like a vacation.
-What is?
You know how when
you're on holiday,
you pretend you're
having such a great time,
but then towards the end, you
just, you want to get home,
sleep in your own bed
with your pillows.
Maybe life's like that.
Whoa, what hit me?
-Last martini, mate.
-All right.
Hey.
I'm poison.
I'm poison.
-Sorry, the door was open.
-So whole circus coming,
or is it just us?
-It's just us.
Did you make this?
-Yeah.
-It's amazing.
-Thanks.
I was just thinking what
I was going to build next.
Something big right
out in the middle
of the lake with
about two feet of it
sticking above the surface.
-Something you can
only see from below.
-Yeah.
-I like that.
We should go back.
-You just got here.
Sit down.
-Two people sitting side by
side on a rocking good night.
We're as good as guilty already.
You're not dull.
-Hmm.
-Violence gathers
in a small place.
A room, a bed, a glove.
-What's that?
-That's the infant Jesus
of Prague, James Schuyler.
-I don't think I like it.
-It's the most wonderful thing.
-It sounds like a threat.
-More like a warning.
-What am I going to do with you?
-Hey, what am I going
to do without you?
-Get on with your life.
You don't need to
know what you want.
You just need to know
what you don't want.
-I don't want you to keep
trying to cheer me up.
-Hey.
Times like this you
have to figure out
what it is about life
that still delights you.
Then grab a hold of it.
Grow claws if you have
to, but just don't let go.
You delight me.
-All the anodized aluminum,
but that is if they let me.
The Italian government is
just impossible sometimes.
You can't even
clean out a closet
without their permission.
-Yeah, but you really
got to hand to them.
They've kept their
country really beautiful.
-Yeah, they have, haven't they?
Well, I'm going to
ask you something,
and just answer me honestly.
Are you a good painter?
-I think I am.
Yes.
I admit I am.
All right, then, I want
to make you an offer.
You know those I have
that need restoring?
Why don't you come and do them?
-Oh, I, I don't really
know a lot about frescoes.
Oh, you can learn.
I'm sure you can.
I mean, I'd pay you,
of course, and there's
a very nice little apartment
right on the grounds.
-I don't know what to say.
-Well, think about it.
-Love at first sight.
-My mother's always been
a sucker for artists.
-Ah, put it on your head.
You'd be Carmen Miranda.
-Too beautiful to eat.
-Oh, Robert.
Here.
They're grape scissors.
We use them to cut a bunch.
Take a branch and cut
the stem like this.
Not difficult.
-Go ahead, Robert.
-Oh, for heaven's
sakes, don't tame him.
Let him eat grapes with
his fingers if he wants to.
Let's all rid ourselves of
these ridiculous, ridiculous,
ridiculous affectations.
-They were my grandmothers.
-I didn't mean any harm.
-That's when you usually
do the most damage.
-I'll go talk to her.
-No, no.
I, I've broken something here.
It's up to me to put it right.
Oh, dear.
-I'm going for a walk.
-I'll come with you.
Marian, I am so sorry.
-I'm sorry.
-Oh, no, you have nothing
to be sorry about.
I just, I know you want this
to be a special evening,
and I've gong and spoiled it.
-Laura--
-I'm really sorry.
-You didn't spoil it.
I spoiled it.
Gloriously.
Where's Jonathan?
-He's outside with Nina.
And Lyle, and Robert.
-OK.
-One night's good food
and wine, tears, laughter.
Summer casts a spell
on all of us, Marian.
Oh, come on.
-One of my mother's
more restrained moments.
Well, I guess Tony was
here tonight after all.
Why, if you, if you were dead
would you ever choose to hold.
-I didn't know you smoked.
-I used to smoke, all the time.
-In the good old days?
Before dinner, I overheard John
and Marian talking about us.
They don't think
I'm right for you.
They think it won't last.
-People conjecture about
relationships all the time.
It doesn't necessarily
mean they're right.
-So you think they're wrong?
You think I'm right for you?
-Look, you're still not upset
about the grape scissors,
are you?
-All I'm asking
is can you imagine
our relationship developing?
Can you imagine us loving
one another, because I can.
-Robert, I'm fond of you.
This isn't about love.
-Well, if you don't love, why
did you tell me that you did?
-Robert, there are times one
could be forgiven for not
speaking the literal
truth when one's--
-Fuck this one stuff.
And if you think that
I'm going back there,
you're fucking crazy.
-You know, one of
these days, life
is going to present
both of us a bill.
I'm not sure either one of us
are going to be able to pay up.
-Oh, please.
There is a lot more
bothering Marian
than me flirting
with her husband.
And I don't think throwing
the grape scissors did
too much for her equilibrium.
-No, but I did apologize.
-Well, maybe you shouldn't have.
If I was Robert, I
would have hit her.
-You know, people only humiliate
each other when they're afraid.
-And what are we afraid of?
-Us?
-Yeah.
-Each other.
-Oh, Jesus, watch out!
-Lyle, what are you doing?
Where's Robert?
-He went back to the house.
-I couldn't hear.
-Look, uh, sorry about the
thing with the grape scissors.
-I thought it was pretty rude.
-No, Marian wasn't,
didn't mean to be rude.
Robert just didn't understand.
-She'll apologize in
the morning, I'm sure.
Your face is cut.
You have blood all over.
What--
-No, I'm all right.
-What happened?
-I fell down and I
broke my glasses.
I can't really see without them.
Robert's not really
at the house.
-What?
-We had a fight, and he
ran off into the woods
to look for the train station.
-He didn't do this?
-No.
-Look, I'd better get
you back in the house.
I'll go look for Robert.
If he wants to
leave, I'll take him
to the station in the morning.
Come on.
-What the fuck was I doing?
I mean, what business did
I have bringing him here?
-Business.
-Then, why do we invest in them?
Why do we spend our
whole lives trying
to get something out of them?
-Some of it's done.
-I was betraying him.
Your brother.
-I don't know.
This doesn't look
very promising.
Listen, why don't
you change your mind
and come on over to my
house and spend the night.
-She makes a terrific breakfast.
-Yes, I really do, and it's
freezing to death out here.
Come on.
-Thanks, but I think I prefer
to stay here at the station.
-Oh, maybe you shouldn't
have pressed Lyle.
-You know, I thought
he'd answer differently.
-Yeah.
-At least, I hoped he might.
-Hope can be very intimidating
to a lot of people.
Especially to people
like Lyle and me,
who don't have a whole lot left.
-Hey, I didn't
know what you were
doing with him in
the first place.
-You know, I think
that mourning should
be taken as an aphrodisiac.
No, I simply mean
that I don't think
it should be an excuse for
you not to fall in love again.
Still, it can be very difficult
when it fizzles again,
especially when you're young
and have no perspective.
-I have my own perspective.
-Oh, of course, you do.
That was so smug of me.
No, no.
I just sometimes, I
think, because I've
been asked questions,
I know all the answers.
I'm really sorry.
-No, I think you're wonderful.
You're smart.
You're funny.
And nice.
-Thank you.
-Your welcome.
-Listen, let me
give you my card.
I'll be in Italy in September.
Now, whatever you
decide, you know?
Keep in touch.
I mean, if it's only to let
me know that the train came.
I will.
-Ciao.
-Ciao.
-You really should go, you know?
It's Italy.
My mother's got a lot
of maternal instincts
she needs to express.
It might as well be to you.
-Why not you?
-It takes time and
effort, selflessness.
Something we both
lack in spades.
Promise me you'll go.
-OK.
-Thank you.
Good night, Robert.
[KNOCKING]
-Lyle.
[KNOCKING]
-Lyle?
-Yes.
-Is everything all right?
I saw John drive away.
-Laura Ponti left
her house keys here.
-Oh.
I didn't hear the phone.
-Maybe John found them,
and then called her.
I'm not sure which, but
he said to be right back.
-He's probably on
one of his drives.
Did you and Robert
have a nice walk?
-Yes.
Good night, Marian.
-Night.
Night Robert, and sorry
about the grape scissors.
-Marian, this is Laura.
I'm sorry to be calling
so late, but I just
thought you would like to
know that I dropped Robert off
at the station.
-I thought Robert was here.
Why would you drop
him at the station?
-Well, that's where
he wanted to go.
Would you tell Lyle that I
called, because Robert really
wanted him to know
that he was all right.
And Marian, thank you
again for a lovely dinner.
Good night.
-Good night.
-What's going on?
Laura Ponti just
called, and said
that she dropped
Robert at the station.
-Oh, she found him.
Good.
-Good.
What's good?
What's going on, John?
-Robert and Lyle had a fight.
Robert ran off.
Lyle walked into a tree.
-But he's OK.
-He cut his face.
And he's upset.
-So where have you been?
-I went to look for Robert.
-Hmm.
Well, Lyle said that you'd
gone to drop off Laura's keys
that she had left from here.
Why would he lie to me?
-Maybe he was embarrassed.
-Well, so we were right
about the two of them.
-God, Marian.
You sound so mean.
-Oh, shit.
-Morning.
-Ouch!
That's got to hurt.
-Actually, It's not so bad.
I'm feeling quite butch.
Well, I do have no idea why
they call them black eyes.
-You mean the color blue.
Did I wake you?
-No, I couldn't sleep.
Checking for the damage.
-Just because you can't see
doesn't me it's not there.
-What's this?
It's Robert's chair.
-It's lovely.
-May I ask you something?
-Of course.
-Did you like Robert?
-Nope.
I didn't get a chance to
know him before he ran off.
-He kind of got the feeling
you didn't like him.
-That's a shame.
-Actually, he
overheard you telling
John you didn't like him.
-Why did you do that to me?
-What?
-Ask me a question when
you knew the answer?
-I wanted to see
what you'd tell me.
-Well, you didn't think
I'd tell you the truth?
-Marian, yesterday you
told me you liked him.
-Well, maybe yesterday
I liked him Lyle,
but I'm not going
to sit and make
a judgment on whether I like
a person or not based on what?
A couple of hours
in their company?
-Oh really, see, that's exactly
what he thought you did.
-What?
He ran off because
Marian didn't like him?
-Knew you didn't like him.
-Well, I'm sorry that he
overheard a conversation that
he--
-Don't be sorry, Marian.
-Why?
It's my fault.
Isn't that what you're saying?
-Jesus Christ, your fault,
you, all your fault.
No, it's not your fault.
He didn't leave because he
thought you didn't like him.
He left, because he
thought I didn't like him.
He wanted me to tell
him that I loved him.
I couldn't.
So he panicked, and he ran away.
-Well, he's well.
-Some of us are just better
at hiding it than others.
-Lyle, you don't run off
in the middle of the night
just because someone
doesn't say I love you.
-Really?
Brilliant.
I didn't know that.
I liked him.
I liked him a lot.
-Did Lyle say what the
argument with Robert was about?
-Robert overheard me telling
you I didn't like him.
-Oh.
-Do you really think I'm mean?
-You're a fine person, Marian.
What did Lyle really say to you?
-It's about me.
Hey.
Oh.
Did Mommy upset you, too?
There Mommy.
There Mommy.
-Anything interesting
in the "Times".
-One laugh after another.
-Why is it that you look
the best in the peace
and quiet that follows
a violent storm?
-Well, I am something
of a season campaigner.
What's up?
-My schedule.
We're going to
Toronto on Thursday.
-Oh, well, will you
have any spare time?
I mean, you could stay
up here a few days.
Thierry, too, of
course, if you'd like.
-The only place I'll be
seeing Thierry is at the set.
-Oh.
I'm sorry.
-No, you're not.
He was just another way of
punishing you, and hurting
myself.
And I think it's
about time I stopped
doing both of those things.
-That would make me very happy.
Listen, um, I didn't misbehave
too badly last night, did I?
-No, half the time
you were charming.
-And the other half?
-You thought you were charming.
You loved Atorian
very much, didn't you?
-As much as you
loved your father.
Well, they're still alive
in our dreams, aren't they?
-Yeah.
-It's better going
back to the city
than leaving it don't you think?
Lyle?
It's comforting traveling in
the same direction as the river.
-Hmm.
-I do feel awful about
what happened with Robert.
When the two of you came here
to stay, you were both so happy.
I wasn't nice to him.
-No.
It wasn't about Robert.
It was about Tony.
-I know.
-Mourning should sooth the
objects, not the subjects.
-And I don't mourn Tony well.
-Neither do I. Will
you invite Robert back?
Do you want me to call him?
-I will.
-OK.
-That's us.
Well, me.
-Are we still friends?
-Of course, we are.
-OK.
-Lyle.
In your life, love never
gets expressed directly.
You get in touch
with your emotions,
and then you run away from them.
-But you know I love you.
-It shouldn't require so
much effort on my part.
Promise me things
will be different.
After.
-I don't want there
to be an after.
-Promise.
-There are things you lose
you don't ever get back.
You can never have them again
except in the smudging carbon
copy of memory.
There are things that seem
irreconcilable that you
must find a way
to reconcile with.
The simple passage of days
dulls the sharpness of the pain,
but never quite wears it out.
And it doesn't get
washed away in time.
It becomes a cold hard
lump of something.
And a loseable souvenir.
Tony told me once.
There's no future in
holding on to the past.
you don't ever get back.
It can never happen again
except in the smudgy carbon
copy of memory.
There are things that seem
irreconcilable that you
must find a way
to reconcile with.
The simple passage of days
tells the sharpness of the pain,
but never quite wears it out.
And it doesn't get
washed away with time.
It becomes a cold hard
lump of something,
and a loseable souvenir.
Donny once told me,
there's no future
in holding on to the past.
-I've never taken
the train before.
-I used to come up
almost every weekend.
-With Tony?
-Um-hmm.
Haven't been up
for almost a year.
-Oh, Lyle called.
He's bringing a friend.
-He didn't say he was
bringing a friend when
I talked to him Thursday.
-Well, maybe it's a new friend.
-Lyle comes up here, John,
to get away from his friends.
He's certainly not going
to bring one with him.
-Well, he is today on the 1140.
-He hasn't been up
all summer, and then
to come up this weekend and
bring someone, it seems odd.
-What is so special
about this weekend?
-It's the anniversary
of Tony's death.
You think Lyle's forgot?
-Of course not.
-You did.
-Tony wasn't my lover.
-Nope.
He was your brother.
-He was my half
brother, actually.
-Are we there yet?
-Soon.
-You know, you have ugly feet.
-Don't.
It's cold.
-Feet, in general,
are pretty ugly,
but yours are especially ugly
if you look at them closely.
-Well, then don't
look at them closely.
-Anything gets uglier
the more you look at it.
-Not true.
-Name one ugly
thing that gets more
beautiful if you
look at it closely.
-Insect.
-Actually, I like your feet.
They're genuine.
Old World.
Biblically even.
-Do that again.
My Old World feet liked it.
-Come on in, you'll
get used to it.
-Mission accomplished?
-Hey.
-I did my part.
-Yes, but did John do his?
-Let's just hope
he did something.
And a cheer.
-Do you make love
differently when
you're trying to get pregnant?
-I forgot what it's like
to make love and try
not to get pregnant.
-Was that a mating schedule I
saw stuck on your refrigerator?
-That is not on
the refrigerator.
That's on top of
the refrigerator.
You snooped.
-Oh, god, I feel no
desire to procreate.
-I prefer the idea
of having a ward
a la Dick Grayson in Batman.
-It's hot out here.
I wish I'd brought
my bathing suit.
-I don't have mine on.
-You never have yours on.
-Take off your dress.
Come here, get naked.
To be naked is to be oneself.
-I'm not getting nude
in front of this one.
-No, no, nude is set on
display, but a naked body
reveals itself without disguise.
-Oh, for Christ's sake.
You two are impossible.
OK, if this goes out
in the refrigerator,
I'll kill you both.
Duh-duh-da-duh.
-What should I do about beds
for Lyle and his friend?
One or two?
Are they sleeping together?
-Didn't ask.
Two and leave it to them.
-Different rooms?
-The same room should be fine.
-Lyle always sleeps
in the yellow room.
-Things are about
to change with Lyle.
Mustn't let it upset you?
-Wouldn't matter.
LAURA (OFFSCREEN):
Perspective is
nothing but a scientific fact.
If it disturbs you, ignore it.
My husband's disdain for
perspective was legendary.
Something of a disadvantage
in an architect.
I'm such a moron.
I'm making you
sound like one, too.
You made so much more
sense in life, darling,
than you do in death.
OK, that's gotta go.
That does, too.
-Nina, if your
mother's so awful,
why have we come all this way
to spend the weekend with her?
I didn't say she was awful.
-You did.
Since we left the
city three hours ago.
You've done nothing
but criticize her.
You know how precious
our free time is.
Hmm.
We could have been in
Santa Monica by now.
-Yeah, but I'm not
in Santa Monica.
-Neither is your mother.
-I thought you might
like some iced tea.
-Thank you.
-If you don't mind
my asking, why
don't you just sweep those up?
-They burst and stain the patio.
-Oh.
Well, there really is a reason
for everything, isn't there?
I have plenty of
time for small talk.
-It took forever for
us to find this place.
-Nina.
How lovely to see you.
Though it would have been
more wonderful if I'd known
you were coming.
-Well, it was one of those
spur of the moment things,
you know, like getting married.
This is Thierry by the way.
-Hello.
-[SPEAKING_FRENCH]
-Then this is--
-Jerry, how are you?
-Fine, Jerry, how are you?
-Jerry drove us up.
I thought it would be a
lot cheaper than a cab,
but it wasn't.
-Oh, how much do I owe?
-$300?
-I also told him he could
have a swim in the pool.
-Well, certainly.
Certainly.
I'm sure we have a spare
pair of Speedos somewhere.
The people I rented this house
from moved out in such a hurry,
you'd be surprised
what they left behind.
-Well, it certainly is a bitch
to get to, but it's lovely.
-I'm not supposed
to get too much sun.
I'm playing a prostitute.
-Are you an actor, too, Theirry?
-No, I train the
pigeons in this movie.
-The pigeons?
-Thierry can get a pigeon
to do almost anything.
-Yeah.
Uh, we use to use
carrier pigeons,
but they're all extinct.
So now we use street pigeons.
They're so much easier to
use than the common cairns
and herring goals
that we used when
we did the remake of
Hitchcock "Birds" with Nina.
-I played a topless dancer
who gets pecked to death
by a chicken.
-Great film.
-I don't think I saw that one.
-Well, you told me you did.
My mother thinks
that all film people
are hypocrites, especially me.
-That's not true,
Nina, and I'm very
proud of everything you do.
-Why is it that every time you
pat me on the back, mother,
it feels like there's
a knife in your hand?
I hope there's no
chlorine in the pool.
I'll get a rash.
-Well, you are
playing a prostitute.
-What have you
done to your hair?
-Cut it.
-Oh, you look great.
-I am great, thanks to--
-So you're the reason we
haven't seen Lyle all summer,
and here he's trying
to convince us
that he's been working
on book number two.
Have you read his book, Robert?
-Actually, no.
Lyle won't let me read it.
I think he's afraid
it might scare me off.
-Oh, well, it might.
It stopped me from painting,
but it's a wonderful book.
-Which has only just come
out in paperback, so I really
don't need to write a
second book now, do I?
I work at the museum, and
traveling almost every weekend.
-Oh, poor baby.
And I might as well exploit
my celebrity while I can.
-Your what?
-On a very small scale.
That's all I meant.
Oh, god, Tony would have been
mortified to see you celebrate.
-Not exploit it?
-Celebrate it.
-So how are you?
-Fine.
I mean, it's been a bit muggier
than usual, but I'm fine.
-How are you?
-So how long have
you lived up here?
-Oh, um, we moved up here
for good two years ago.
It used to be more
of a weekend retreat.
-Hmm, a debauchery.
-Are you hot back there, Robert?
-Oh, I'm fine, thanks.
So do you miss New York?
-Sorry?
-Do you miss New York?
-Um, sometimes, but it's easy
enough to get into the city
if you want.
Although with little
Rowland, that's
become a thing of the past.
-How is little Rowland?
-Fine.
He's at home helping
John with his wall.
-His wall?
-His wall.
John is building a stone
wall at the edge of the lake.
-That's interesting.
-What for?
-Oh, who knows what
goes on in his mind.
[BABY CRYING]
-Rowland, hey,
what are you doing?
John?
-Uh, John, John.
Hey, buddy.
I want you to meet Robert.
-How are you?
-Good, John.
-Hey, Rowland.
-The sticks.
I can't believe you
actually live here.
-I'd like to leave sometimes.
-John, you were supposed
to be watching him.
-I was.
He was about to stick
a wicket in his eye.
-Are you helping
Daddy with his wall?
-How did you know about that?
-I told him.
-It's supposed to be a surprise.
-Decorative or functional?
Which one is it?
-You have to wait and see.
-I don't want to wait and see.
-All right, come
on, let's go down.
Robert, you want to come?
-Sure.
-Maybe Robert would
like to freshen up
first and save the
surprise for later.
-I don't mind.
-Yeah, come on.
It's just down there.
-You don't have to be
polite up here, Robert.
Why don't we take your bags,
and I'll get you a beer?
-Whatever.
-Nice to meet you, John.
-Nice to see you, too.
-Look at this.
Wow.
-So how long have
you known Robert?
-Three weeks.
I met him at an artist
colony in Maine.
Skowhegan, do you know it?
-You're dating a painter?
-Not me.
Paintings dead, man,
haven't you read my book?
-I guess that makes being an art
critic a hell of a lot easier.
-The best thing about
Maine, apart from meeting
Lyle is I got to paint all day.
I don't really have
that luxury in New York.
-Why not?
-Can't afford it.
-But as an artist, you
can't really afford not to.
-Well, I'll remember that the
next time I can pay my rent.
That was meant to
sound encouraging.
Do you like children, Robert?
-Uh, I like their
hands and their feet.
-Well, that's a start.
-Oh, no, sorry.
I don't drink beer.
-Um, we have wine.
-Uh, water would be great.
-Hmm.
Water's coming up.
-Thanks.
-So what do you paint?
-Contemporary landscapes.
-Oh, any insights on shopping
malls and parking lots?
I'll get you a glass.
-Uh, well, I paint what I see
and hope it's significant.
Lyle said you were
a painter, too.
-Did he?
Well, that's more than
he's ever said to me.
It's more of a hobby these days.
I don't think that
there's anything
I have to say that
hasn't been said before.
-Come on, how do you know?
You silence the artist, and
you silence the most articulate
voice that people have.
-Well, let's just take
your bags upstairs
and think about that one.
-Oscar Wilde.
I don't know what year though.
-Hmm, very Donna Reed.
-Oh.
Don't be nostalgic for the 50s.
They were terribly drab.
-Really?
Even with you in them?
-Yes, even so.
-Oh, Mom, not too
much sugar, please.
Some of us have careers
that depend on how we look.
-Oh, I don't know, I think
you could use a few pounds.
-Butter?
-In the refrigerator.
-So, what do you want to
do about dinner tonight?
-Well, actually, I'm going out.
-But you have me
and Thierry tonight.
-Well, I have you and Thierry
all day tomorrow, too.
-But we've come all
the way up here.
-Listen, darling, I
wouldn't have even accepted
this invitation if I'd known
you were going to show up.
But you haven't for the
last six weeks, so you know,
it seemed really
foolish to expect you.
-And now that I am
here, you're going out.
Perfect.
It's only for a few hours.
It's not exactly a
criminal offense.
Besides, you'll have Thierry.
You won't even notice I'm gone.
-So are you having dinner with?
Do you remember Iris Kerr?
That beautiful American
woman who lived in Rome?
-The drunk?
-Uh, I prefer to
remember her beauty.
-Perspective.
-True.
Well, it's her son and his wife.
They live up here.
-Tony Kerr is married?
-No, it's not Tony.
It's the other one.
John.
-Tony Kerr was the most
gorgeous man I had ever met.
I wanted to go to his
leverage energy to him.
-Hmm, did you?
-Nope.
He broke my heart, not my hyman.
He likes boys.
-Uh, where'd you get the idea?
-I just started building it.
-You're not worried about it
collapsing or falling down?
Didn't use any mortar, did you?
-It's not meant to
last forever, Lyle.
-Ah, it's the most
beautiful place on earth.
-Then you should
visit it more often.
-I will now.
-Robert seems nice.
-He is nice.
He's the most instinctively
nice person I've ever met
and he's lovely.
-Is he the first since Tony?
What's it like being
with somebody new?
I haven't had sex
since I got married.
I mean, I mean, with
anyone other than Marian.
-The first time
Robert and I had sex,
I wake up early in the morning,
and I just watched him sleep.
And I thought if you
unwound this boy,
you would find nothing bad,
nothing rotten or unnecessary.
Just everything
down to the bone.
Perfect and clean.
-Ah, so is it romantic
or just sexual?
-I'm going to put you and
Lyle in the yellow room.
Oh, I hate to refer
to rooms by the color,
but it's something
we do up here seeing
as the rooms are
different colors.
-Colors.
-Yellow.
-This is such a beautiful room.
-Thank you.
-You know, in India, Hindu
women often decorate their homes
with brightly colored
rice paste paintings
in the hope of persuading the
goddess of love to stop by.
-Wow.
Are you Indian?
-My father is.
He lives in Delhi.
He's a counterfeitor.
-Ooh, how exotic.
What does he counterfeit.
-Anything that will
make him a lot of money.
-And your mother?
-Was American.
She, uh, died when I wasn't
much older than Rowland.
-Oh, I'm sorry.
-That's OK.
So I went to live with
my grandparents in LA
when I was 10.
-LA?
oh my god.
Ultra shock.
-Well, I wasn't very happy
with my father, so it's OK.
I don't think he liked
the way I turned out.
-What, that you're a painter?
-OK.
-Oh.
-Would you be happy
if Rowland was gay?
-Well, if he was happy.
-You wouldn't be happy first?
I mean, you'd wait for him to be
happy and then you'd be happy.
-I haven't really
given it much thought.
I think it's a bit premature.
-Oh, I'm sorry.
-That's all right.
I'll just leave
you to settle in.
-Thanks.
-There are times when you think
no one is actually look at you
when you have a quality I
can only describe as sexy.
Oh, god, I'm exhausted.
I could fall asleep.
-No!
No, don't fall asleep.
Talk to me.
Is John a good lover?
-You shouldn't ask me
questions like that.
-Why not?
-Because.
-Why are people always to
reluctant to talk about sex?
It's intimate, Tony.
-I used to have a crush on John.
-He's your brother.
-I was 10.
Oh, lord, well, I trust
you've gotten over it.
-It was just a phase.
He doesn't seem
sexy to me anymore.
-Is Lyle a good lover?
-Sex isn't a high
priority with Lyle.
-Is it with you?
-I like sex, and Lyle doesn't?
Not as much as me.
-Is that a problem?
-No.
When I travel sometimes,
I fool around.
-Does Lyle know you do this?
-We don't really talk about it.
-Does Lyle have other lovers?
-No.
We're happy together.
That's the important thing.
-What's it like to fool around?
-Why do you want to know?
Deep down, you're just like me.
It's the chase, not the catch.
Sometimes I think I
should have married you.
I'm serious.
I've never felt that
way about anyone.
Before me and Lyle,
and you and John,
we were lepers in the same spot.
Always kissing the last
person you'd expect.
-Isn't there a
danger that you could
fall in love with
one of your liaisons.
And there's nothing
stopping it from happening?
-It doesn't happen.
-No, as long as you're safe.
-It's a little late for that.
-What did you just say?
How long have you known?
-A couple of years.
-Why didn't you tell me?
-I decided I wouldn't tell
anyone until it mattered.
Except Lyle.
I'm sorry.
-Oh, you're healthy.
-Like an ox.
Or is it a horse?
I can never remember.
-It's a horse.
I think we should go back now.
-Oh, stay a bit with me.
-I need a beer.
Oh, you.
Send Lyle with the rowboat.
-Nina.
-What?
-Your mother.
-So you're working on your book.
-Oh, arranging and
rearranging notes mostly.
I'm writing a book
about, well, I
should say I'm working on a
biography of my late husband.
-One of her late husbands.
Yes?
-The latest.
It's Atorian Ponti.
Maybe you've heard of him.
He was quite a
celebrated architect.
-No, I don't think so.
-Not that celebrated, obviously.
-Oh, the first time I saw
a building he designed,
I was actually speechless.
The book is not
going well, however.
Biographies.
They can make the most
thrilling lives seem banal.
It's just much more
interesting trying
to get his whole life
on paper when I was--
-Giddy with widowhood?
-Yes.
Yes.
Exactly.
-May I see?
-Oh, yes, please.
-Do I at least rate a mention?
-Oh, of course.
Atorian loved you as if
you were his own daughter.
-Which is why he sent me
away to boarding school.
-Nina, you begged to
go to boarding school.
You said all of your
friends were going.
-I was 12, Mom.
I also wanted to be one
of Charlie's Angels.
You know, she
didn't even want me
to call her mother in
public, only Laura,
as if we were friends.
-Well, you never seemed
particularly interested in me
as a mother.
I thought perhaps you'd
prefer me as a friend.
-I had plenty of friends.
-You certainly did, and you
were with them all of the time.
You never even came
home on vacation.
-Well, I wasn't ready
to be paraded around
as one of your precious
little accessories.
-You know, about a year
after she'd gone to school,
Atorian and I went to a party,
and someone asked how she was.
And I remember thinking, oh,
oh, Nina, yes, that's right.
I have a daughter.
I'd put her clean
out of my head.
-Your life.
-If we expect nothing
from our children,
and they expect nothing from
us, nobody will be disappointed.
-Hmm, only lonely.
-It's very beautiful.
One or another is lost since
we fall apart endlessly,
in one motion depart
from each other.
-D.H. Lawrence was
Atorian's favorite poet.
And that so sums up the
way I feel about him.
At least writing about him.
How are we ever supposed to know
what a person's really like?
Maybe it's impossible.
Maybe they just
keep sliding away
like water changing
all the time.
-To be celebrated is nothing,
but to be loved is everything.
-Oh, my mother was less inspired
when my father passed away.
She sent a card.
-Well, I just had so
little to say about him.
I mean, the whole relationship
was such a whirlwind,
[FRENCH] I think
you say in France.
-[FRENCH] yes.
-A sudden, exhilarating
leap into the void.
-Well, I should have looked.
Within a year he had
me under a pedestal.
And in the end, the only
thing that we had in common
was Nina, which, of course,
made it all worthwhile.
Well, I must say it was
fund while it lasted.
I swear he had a
hand with 20 fingers,
and it was always on my ass.
-I was going to spend the day
at Wilbur Robinson's house.
And Wilbur is my best
friend, and his house
is the greatest place
in the world to visit.
It's kind of dull around
here today, said Wilbur.
And I looked around, Aunt Billy
was playing with her train set,
cousin Pete was
walking the cats.
And Uncle Gaston sat comfortably
in the family county.
-It's so odd having
a child, Lyle.
I keep thinking when
he learns to talk,
he's going to tell me everything
that's on that little mind,
and I'm going to
know him entirely.
We never know anyone
like that, do we?
-How well did our
parents know us?
-But you'll tell Mommy what
you're thinking, won't you?
-Don't do it.
-Huh?
Tell me what's on your mind?
Aw, are you thinking
you're stinky?
Because I do.
Or are you thinking
you want Uncle
Lyle to change your
diaper, are you?
-Oh, there are limits to
Uncle Lyle's devotion.
-Oh, actually, he's warm.
Here, just run this
under some cold water.
Hey, honey, hey.
Hey.
Hey.
-Here you go.
-Hello, happy one.
-You know, towards
the end, I used
to pray that Tony's
illness would just turn him
into a baby, and
then he wouldn't
know what was happening to him.
-But he did.
That's what he wanted.
-I never knew what Tony wanted.
It should be easier than
changing a grown man,
don't you think?
-I think I'm more afraid of
being sick than I am of dying.
It's too abstract for me.
I can't imagine
dying or being dead.
But I can imagine being sick.
I don't mind dying,
you see, it's
just the preliminaries I hate.
I can feel it coming, I think.
-What do you feel?
-Just scared.
Being sick in a
way that makes me
feel like it's
already happening.
And if I died now, on a gorgeous
day like today, with you here,
my life would have ended well.
I love you.
-What are you doing
in here all alone?
Are you being
mysterious or exclusive?
-Enigmatic.
-Where's Lyle?
-He's upstairs asleep.
It's amazing how exhausting
indolence can be.
And Marian?
-I think she's
checking on Rowland.
-Tony was my half brother.
We had the same mother.
He used to get all the girls.
The only problem was
he didn't want them.
Well, I'd better get cleaned up.
Um, I just wanted to say
that Marian and I are
very pleased that
you're here, Robert.
And very happy to
see you with Lyle.
-Thanks, John.
I mean, maybe it should
be awkward with Robert.
-Is it?
-Well, I can't
pretend it doesn't
make me feel a
little uncomfortable.
This last year has
been unbearable.
There were times I wish I'd had
the strength to commit suicide.
I guess if I'd had the strength,
I wouldn't have felt the need.
But even at my most
desperate, I always
thought something
wonderful my happen.
It wasn't optimism.
It was just a respect
for the possible.
And then this boy walks into my
life, and I feel human again.
And I just wanted to
share that with you.
-Well, now, I feel awful.
-Good.
-How could I not say
anything, because that
would be dishonest.
And you know me
too well for that.
And you are my best friend.
-I don't know why I always feel
like whispering when I'm here.
The first time I saw this
place, I nearly cried.
-Well, you were always more
sentimental about nature
than people.
-Well, God is in nature.
-And truth is in wine.
-Thierry seems very nice.
-He's married.
-Oh.
Well, the nicest
men often are, which
probably means that they aren't
quite as nice as they appear.
-You never let that stop you.
-Did you know he was married
when you first met him?
-It slipped his mind.
-Yeah.
His wife lives in France?
-Santa Monica.
Yeah, it's not really a
matter of distance though.
It really is lovely here.
-Isn't it?
-You know it's
beautiful in Italy, too.
Have you thought any more
about that offer I made you?
-What would I do in Italy?
-They make movies
in Italy, Nina.
-Yeah, in Italian.
-You speak Italian.
-Used to.
So is, uh, Tony's
brother good looking?
-I don't really
remember, you know.
He's just very, very quiet.
His personality doesn't really
quite extend out to its edges.
His wife speaks her mind though.
-They sound awful.
-No, they really aren't so bad.
They're just not his type.
-You sound like such a snob.
-Hey, you're the one that
said they sounded so awful.
-Can we go back now.
I think I've have enough
beauty for one day.
-OK.
-What do you think of Robert?
-He's nice enough.
He's young.
How are you going to cook these?
-We're going to saute them.
-Hmm.
-I don't like him.
-Why not?
-Just something about him.
-It must be hard for
him coming up here.
So well in being
so closed to Tony.
-Oh, I understand that.
It's just, I don't
buy his enthusiasm.
He seems presumptuous
or judgmental.
-Aren't you being just a
little judgmental yourself?
-We can't help but form
impressions of people, can we?
I don't think it will last.
-Well, then you should be nice.
If he's just something
that Lyle's going through,
you probably won't
have to see him again.
-Yeah.
-A turban?
-I thought we could use
a little ammunition,
I hope that thing works.
-Don't you have somewhere to go?
-I'm Italian.
I'm expected to be late.
-You know, I always
thought that a grudge
would make a person ugly.
But that isn't true
in your case, is it?
Strange.
-You can go anyplace
in the world
and some things remain constant.
The sun goes up,
the moon comes down
and children resent
their parents.
-You wear too much
makeup, Mother.
In this light, you look
like a beautiful prostitute.
-You know, one thing that
is disturbing about children
is that they can always see
right through their parents.
What they don't realize,
is their parents
can see right through them back.
-Nina, take the wine.
You're too much.
-It doesn't matter, Thierry.
I should get going anyway.
-You look very beautiful.
-Thank you.
-Have a nice evening.
-Thank you.
-Hey.
-Hi.
-Hi.
How are you?
I'll be done in just a minute.
-Where did Tony die?
-What?
-It was here in this
house, wasn't it?
-Robert, I don't think
that's a question to really--
-True.
-Robert, it doesn't matter.
Of course, it fucking matters.
-Robert, please.
-Tell me.
-Jesus.
-My daughter, Nina,
came up from the city
unexpectedly, so it kind
of slowed things down.
-Hello.
-Hello.
-You remember my husband?
-Yes, how are you?
-You should have brought
your daughter with you.
-Yes, I-- oh, my word.
What lovely paintings.
-Yes, Marian painted them.
-Really?
Well, if you cook half
as well as you paint,
we're in for a rare treat.
-Can I get you
something to drink?
-Absolutely.
-Red wine?
-Red, please.
-OK.
-Now what should we
do about Nina, is it?
-Oh, nothing, she's just fine.
She's here with her fiance.
-Well, you should have
brought them both.
-Why don't you give them a call?
-Well, it's very
kind of you, but they
don't have a car, actually.
-Then I'll pick them up.
The more the merrier, huh?
-Thank you.
-Cheers.
-Cheers.
-Cheers.
Oh, it's a wonderful house.
Just wonderful.
Although, it does
have that renty
feeling as if it
suspects me of not having
committed myself
to it fully yet.
-Well, then it must be nice for
you that Nina's made it out.
-Yes, it really is.
Though, it's a little
disturbing to have
someone just for the weekend.
Just beginning to enjoy their
company, you turn around,
and they've gone again.
-More weekend guests.
Sorry about that.
You're really not
guests, you're family.
-No, I'm the guest,
and I'm glad.
Thank you for having me.
-Well, you're welcome.
Laura Ponti, this is Robert.
-Hello, how are you?
-Pleasure.
-Lyle, nice to meet you.
Laura's daughter, Nina, and her
fiance are up for the evening,
so John's just gone
to pick them up.
-[SPEAKING_FRENCH]
-What happened to that martini?
-Shh.
-So how long are you two up for.
-Just the weekend.
We go back tomorrow.
-Morning.
-I thought we were going
to have a lazy day.
-I wish I could, but I have
to work tomorrow evening.
-Oh, it's a shame you
have to go back so soon.
It's such a beautiful weekend.
My daughter came in
from the city today,
and she just
practically drove me
crazy with all her urban energy.
-You bastard!
-Be reasonable, Nina.
-Reasonable?
You call your fucking wife
from my mother's telephone,
and you've got the nerve to
tell me to be reasonable?
Well, you should
have thought of that
before you decided to spend
the weekend fucking me.
-Hello?
Hello?
-Oh, Christ.
Whatever it is, I
don't live here.
-You must be Nina.
The name's Kerr, John Kerr.
-Comes the dawn.
Tony's brother.
-Yeah.
-What does she do?
-She's an actress.
She's making a
movie in the city.
-Oh, what is it?
Maybe we've heard of it.
-Oh, I was afraid
you'd ask me that.
I haven't any idea.
She does quite a lot of stuff,
mostly in action and horror
films, which means
she has to bare
her breasts before she's killed.
-My wife, Marian, wanted to
ask you both over for dinner.
We tried to call, with
the line was busy.
-Well, Thierry was just leaving.
-[FRENCH]
-But, uh, I'd be delighted.
I actually liked
all of her movies.
At least they
weren't pornography.
-Yes, at least.
-Still, if they were,
and she was really happy,
I suppose I find some way
of approving on that, too.
Oh, this damn thing.
-She's quite
something, your mother.
The way she just parked on
our lawn, like she was saying,
I have arrived, and I will
park where I damn well please.
-Please sit down, make
yourself comfortable.
Just throw all that
stuff on the floor.
It's what I do.
-Is it all right to
smoke in the house?
-Sure.
-Marian's very good at
collecting interesting people.
You know what the trouble
with interesting people is?
They make you feel dull.
-Well, if you're anything
like your brother,
I doubt you're dull.
-I'm nothing like, Tony.
Although, my mother, God bless,
has spent most of her life
encouraging me to be.
-Your mother never struck me
as being particularly happy
though.
-No.
She used to joke
a lot, but I don't
remember her laughing much.
You know what she used
to say all the time.
Life's too short not to
do exactly what you want.
-Hmph, sounds like a threat.
-No, it was meant to be.
-Well, she sounds like
my mother, selfish.
-Yeah, but somehow she
managed to turn it into charm.
-Well, spoiled people
are always charming.
It's part of what
makes us attractive.
-Nina has a certain
splendor about her,
which is far rarer and much more
delightful than common sense.
I swear she could charm
an angel out of its wings.
-You make her
sound a bit unreal.
-Well, sometimes
she seems that way.
-Is Tony going to
be there tonight?
You wouldn't believe the
crush I used to have on him.
All he had to do was walk into
a room and the walls danced,
and my legs buckled.
-Tony's dead.
-What?
-He died of AIDS last year.
-Aw, I'm so sorry.
-It's all right.
-I can't believe it.
We went to Morocco together.
I spent two weeks
trying to seduce him.
Until I finally figured him out
as far as anyone ever could.
-You've no idea how
many beautiful women
have told me that story.
-Thank you.
-I see so little of her
nowadays that sometimes I
feel we're more like
friends grown apart.
-Aren't you disappointed?
-No.
Absolutely not.
I do not allow any room in
my life for disappointments.
It's such a pernicious emotion.
There seems to me to be such
a romantic notion of family
intimacy that I
think is just that.
I think it's a notion.
Family should get
together when they need to
and want to just
like, like friends.
-But needing isn't
always mutual.
I mean, I know we're not obliged
to love one another, but we do.
It would be unnatural not
to want to be close to
and attend those we love.
Don't you think?
-That hasn't been my experience.
-Sorry.
It's just that it's been mine.
-Then you're lucky.
-Well, there's just another
one of those damn notions.
I mean, ideally, we should
all just love one another,
but family relationships
do not always
live up to their expectations.
-So you're saying we
should lower them?
-If you ask me, we should
get rid of them all together.
-So how old were you when
your parents divorced.
-Uh, my mother divorced my
father when I was a baby
and moved to Italy.
I stayed in England
with my father.
Tony went to live
with my mother.
I used to see them every summer.
-So how did you end up here?
-My father sent me to
camp here one summer.
I loved it.
Pretty much didn't go back.
You preferred camp to Europe?
-What can I say?
I'm not sophisticated.
Told you I was dull.
-All right.
OK.
-I used to imagine Tony and my
mother on the beach in Italy,
you know, soaking up the sun
and checking out the boys.
And I'd think, well,
I'm not like that.
Then I'd see my
father sitting down
to one of his fancy
dinners in his London club,
and I knew I wasn't
like that either.
-So what are you like?
-Well, these days just a kid
happy to be in the woods.
-Oh, there's nothing so
wonderful as being in love,
is there?
I've been in love,
have loved, 11 times
and have married four times.
-Are you in love now?
-Yes.
Not with a man.
And not with a woman
either for that matter.
I'm in love with
my villa in Italy.
And it's one of the best
love affairs I've ever had.
-I'd rather love people.
-Well, that's
because you're young.
Young people are always in love
with each other, and the world,
and themselves.
But when you get
older, you'll find
a special joy of loving a home.
I mean, a home is-- it's yours.
A home belongs to you.
You belong to it.
And it never leaves you,
which is comforting.
-Tony came to visit me once.
-At camp?
-Um-hmm.
It was an absolute disaster.
-Oh, why is that?
He seduced one of
the camp counselors.
Oh, it's funny now.
It was humiliating at the time.
I was furious.
I didn't speak to him
for years after that.
-Well, did you ever make up?
-Yeah.
You know, we wouldn't have
picked one another as brothers
if we'd had the choice.
But I think afterward,
we forgave one another
for being different.
We were both surprised by
how much we liked each other.
-Well, I never have
been particularly lucky
in my choice of men.
They're either gay, or married.
-I'm telling you, when
I'm in my villa, all
by myself alone at night,
I feel wrapped in its arms.
-Well, then to have a house
full of people that you love
would be ideal.
-But then the house
wouldn't be yours.
-But wouldn't sharing
make it better?
-Well, would sharing
Robert make him any better?
No.
I think we give away too
much, and then we regret it.
-Oh, but you can't give away
too much to those you love.
-Oh, well, you
can only say that,
because you are such a
kind and really good woman.
I'm not that any longer.
Kindness is a quality that
gets worn out with the years.
It leaves you with
a little patent,
but it's not the real thing.
That's why I like
people like Robert here.
Someone who desperately
wants to love
people instead of buildings.
-Really?
Most people think I'm cynical.
No, judgmental.
-Well, how can you
live today and not
be cynical unless
you're an idiot.
It's just an armor anyway,
just covering our true selves.
And I don't think it's
very thick on you yet.
-You look like a man about
to face a firing squad.
-You're right, you're right.
I've always been lucky.
-Oh, luck has very
little to do with it.
Marrying well does.
-Hello.
-Please, don't get up.
-We, um, we started without you.
-Well, I've already eaten.
I'm just here for the
company and the alcohol.
I'll start with a beer.
-So where's Thierry?
-He had to go back to the city.
You must be Marian.
I'm Nina.
-Hello.
-I've heard all about you.
-This is Lyle and
Robert, his friend.
-His lover.
-What did I tell you?
-What did she tell you?
That all of the men
that I find attractive
are either gay, like these two,
or Tony, or married like John.
-Your mother said
you were engaged.
-Did she?
Well, Thierry was, was being the
operative word, my boyfriend.
And we were saying a
less than tearful goodbye
when your gallant
husband arrived.
-Oh.
-Well, maybe my gallant husband
could help me in the kitchen.
Gallant, my ass.
-You mentioned Tony.
Tony Kerr.
Did you know him?
-Yeah, I used to very well.
We went to Morocco together.
-You went to Morocco
with Tony Kerr?
-Yeah.
When I was 18, right
after boarding school.
-Wait, I was there, too.
-With Tony?
-Did you stay at the--
-Aahana Hotel.
-Yeah.
-Hotel.
Oh, we used to sit naked
and read Joe Orton together.
-Yeah.
-I had no idea he had died.
-Well, I hadn't either.
-He died here in this house.
-Oh, well, this is
no topic for dinner.
-No, it's fine, really.
-Well, I meant-- never mind.
-She look's like she just
got out of the Navy the way
she's looking at you.
-Well, everything looks
just delicious Marian.
-Lyle, I was reading a review
of your book in the "Times".
I found it very interesting.
I tried to get a copy, but
the book stores up here
are just hopeless.
-Well, I'm sure I've got
an extra copy somewhere,
and I could sign it for you
before you go if you'd like.
-Really, that
would be very nice.
Thank you.
-What's it called?
Neo This, Neo That.
-Oh, that's the
story of my life.
Here, to a happy weekend.
-My mother's writing a book.
-Really?
What about?
My late husband.
Nina's stepfather,
Atorian Ponti.
-The architect?
-Yes.
You've heard of him?
-Of course.
He's one of the greatest
European architects
of this century.
-It's a pity his work never
caught on in the United States.
-I guess he was just
too much of a maverick.
-Yes, he was a maverick.
-I think he was a genius.
-So do I.
-I would love to read your
book when it's finished.
-Well, I'm afraid it's not
going forward very quickly.
I guess I've just bitten
off more than I can chew.
Atorian is so rich
and contrast, it's
really hard to
capture him in words.
-Excuse me.
-Where are you going?
-I left my wallet
down by the wall.
-Well, it's not going anywhere.
-Be right back.
-I don't know, pretty
soon he's going
to start sleeping
by that damn wall.
-Well, let him.
One thing I've
learned in my life
is to let men sleep
where they want to.
So Robert, you
don't know anything
about restoration
of canvases and--
-Marian did that for
several years at the Met.
-Really?
Well, I didn't know that.
That's very interesting.
Have you restored old
canvases and things?
-Um-hmm.
-How about frescoes, which is
what I'm really getting at?
-Only canvasses.
Why do you ask?
-I'm doing some work
on my house in Italy.
And we ran across some frescoes.
They're very badly
damaged, but I
would love to have
them restored.
-That must feel like a miracle.
-It does.
-Just digging in the
ground and there they are.
-Yes.
-Are they beautiful?
-Oh, I think so.
I mean, I don't know whether
Atorian would have thought
really, but I think
they're very beautiful.
Well, I could certainly get some
names of someone if you want.
I mean, you hate to
go to all that trouble
and have them turn
out second rate.
-I wouldn't want you
to go to any trouble.
-Oh, it wouldn't be a trouble.
-Lyle, could you go
see where John is.
His food's getting cold.
-I'll go.
-Nina.
-It makes much
more sense if I go.
I've already eaten, so
which way is this, uh, wall.
-You might get lost down there.
I think he's created
a bit of a maze.
Well, I have an unerring
sense of direction as long
as I know where I'm going.
-It's just across the lawn.
There's a little pathway
above the trees to the right.
-Did you know the word, crochet
comes from the old French word
croak, meaning, say
your prayers, rabbit.
-Oh, no, no.
It comes from the old
Gaelic word [GAELIC],
which means leave my
ball alone you lying,
cheating, sick bastard.
-Can we play doubles?
No, no, because
then Lyle and Marian
will be discussing
postmodernism,
and I can only take so much
deconstruction in one weekend.
Hmm.
Sometimes I wish I'd
been born lucky instead
of handsome and talented.
-It's funny.
I always thought you
were the lucky one.
-Compared to you?
It's all relative.
-You know, you can stay
here as long as you like.
-Maybe it's like a vacation.
-What is?
You know how when
you're on holiday,
you pretend you're
having such a great time,
but then towards the end, you
just, you want to get home,
sleep in your own bed
with your pillows.
Maybe life's like that.
Whoa, what hit me?
-Last martini, mate.
-All right.
Hey.
I'm poison.
I'm poison.
-Sorry, the door was open.
-So whole circus coming,
or is it just us?
-It's just us.
Did you make this?
-Yeah.
-It's amazing.
-Thanks.
I was just thinking what
I was going to build next.
Something big right
out in the middle
of the lake with
about two feet of it
sticking above the surface.
-Something you can
only see from below.
-Yeah.
-I like that.
We should go back.
-You just got here.
Sit down.
-Two people sitting side by
side on a rocking good night.
We're as good as guilty already.
You're not dull.
-Hmm.
-Violence gathers
in a small place.
A room, a bed, a glove.
-What's that?
-That's the infant Jesus
of Prague, James Schuyler.
-I don't think I like it.
-It's the most wonderful thing.
-It sounds like a threat.
-More like a warning.
-What am I going to do with you?
-Hey, what am I going
to do without you?
-Get on with your life.
You don't need to
know what you want.
You just need to know
what you don't want.
-I don't want you to keep
trying to cheer me up.
-Hey.
Times like this you
have to figure out
what it is about life
that still delights you.
Then grab a hold of it.
Grow claws if you have
to, but just don't let go.
You delight me.
-All the anodized aluminum,
but that is if they let me.
The Italian government is
just impossible sometimes.
You can't even
clean out a closet
without their permission.
-Yeah, but you really
got to hand to them.
They've kept their
country really beautiful.
-Yeah, they have, haven't they?
Well, I'm going to
ask you something,
and just answer me honestly.
Are you a good painter?
-I think I am.
Yes.
I admit I am.
All right, then, I want
to make you an offer.
You know those I have
that need restoring?
Why don't you come and do them?
-Oh, I, I don't really
know a lot about frescoes.
Oh, you can learn.
I'm sure you can.
I mean, I'd pay you,
of course, and there's
a very nice little apartment
right on the grounds.
-I don't know what to say.
-Well, think about it.
-Love at first sight.
-My mother's always been
a sucker for artists.
-Ah, put it on your head.
You'd be Carmen Miranda.
-Too beautiful to eat.
-Oh, Robert.
Here.
They're grape scissors.
We use them to cut a bunch.
Take a branch and cut
the stem like this.
Not difficult.
-Go ahead, Robert.
-Oh, for heaven's
sakes, don't tame him.
Let him eat grapes with
his fingers if he wants to.
Let's all rid ourselves of
these ridiculous, ridiculous,
ridiculous affectations.
-They were my grandmothers.
-I didn't mean any harm.
-That's when you usually
do the most damage.
-I'll go talk to her.
-No, no.
I, I've broken something here.
It's up to me to put it right.
Oh, dear.
-I'm going for a walk.
-I'll come with you.
Marian, I am so sorry.
-I'm sorry.
-Oh, no, you have nothing
to be sorry about.
I just, I know you want this
to be a special evening,
and I've gong and spoiled it.
-Laura--
-I'm really sorry.
-You didn't spoil it.
I spoiled it.
Gloriously.
Where's Jonathan?
-He's outside with Nina.
And Lyle, and Robert.
-OK.
-One night's good food
and wine, tears, laughter.
Summer casts a spell
on all of us, Marian.
Oh, come on.
-One of my mother's
more restrained moments.
Well, I guess Tony was
here tonight after all.
Why, if you, if you were dead
would you ever choose to hold.
-I didn't know you smoked.
-I used to smoke, all the time.
-In the good old days?
Before dinner, I overheard John
and Marian talking about us.
They don't think
I'm right for you.
They think it won't last.
-People conjecture about
relationships all the time.
It doesn't necessarily
mean they're right.
-So you think they're wrong?
You think I'm right for you?
-Look, you're still not upset
about the grape scissors,
are you?
-All I'm asking
is can you imagine
our relationship developing?
Can you imagine us loving
one another, because I can.
-Robert, I'm fond of you.
This isn't about love.
-Well, if you don't love, why
did you tell me that you did?
-Robert, there are times one
could be forgiven for not
speaking the literal
truth when one's--
-Fuck this one stuff.
And if you think that
I'm going back there,
you're fucking crazy.
-You know, one of
these days, life
is going to present
both of us a bill.
I'm not sure either one of us
are going to be able to pay up.
-Oh, please.
There is a lot more
bothering Marian
than me flirting
with her husband.
And I don't think throwing
the grape scissors did
too much for her equilibrium.
-No, but I did apologize.
-Well, maybe you shouldn't have.
If I was Robert, I
would have hit her.
-You know, people only humiliate
each other when they're afraid.
-And what are we afraid of?
-Us?
-Yeah.
-Each other.
-Oh, Jesus, watch out!
-Lyle, what are you doing?
Where's Robert?
-He went back to the house.
-I couldn't hear.
-Look, uh, sorry about the
thing with the grape scissors.
-I thought it was pretty rude.
-No, Marian wasn't,
didn't mean to be rude.
Robert just didn't understand.
-She'll apologize in
the morning, I'm sure.
Your face is cut.
You have blood all over.
What--
-No, I'm all right.
-What happened?
-I fell down and I
broke my glasses.
I can't really see without them.
Robert's not really
at the house.
-What?
-We had a fight, and he
ran off into the woods
to look for the train station.
-He didn't do this?
-No.
-Look, I'd better get
you back in the house.
I'll go look for Robert.
If he wants to
leave, I'll take him
to the station in the morning.
Come on.
-What the fuck was I doing?
I mean, what business did
I have bringing him here?
-Business.
-Then, why do we invest in them?
Why do we spend our
whole lives trying
to get something out of them?
-Some of it's done.
-I was betraying him.
Your brother.
-I don't know.
This doesn't look
very promising.
Listen, why don't
you change your mind
and come on over to my
house and spend the night.
-She makes a terrific breakfast.
-Yes, I really do, and it's
freezing to death out here.
Come on.
-Thanks, but I think I prefer
to stay here at the station.
-Oh, maybe you shouldn't
have pressed Lyle.
-You know, I thought
he'd answer differently.
-Yeah.
-At least, I hoped he might.
-Hope can be very intimidating
to a lot of people.
Especially to people
like Lyle and me,
who don't have a whole lot left.
-Hey, I didn't
know what you were
doing with him in
the first place.
-You know, I think
that mourning should
be taken as an aphrodisiac.
No, I simply mean
that I don't think
it should be an excuse for
you not to fall in love again.
Still, it can be very difficult
when it fizzles again,
especially when you're young
and have no perspective.
-I have my own perspective.
-Oh, of course, you do.
That was so smug of me.
No, no.
I just sometimes, I
think, because I've
been asked questions,
I know all the answers.
I'm really sorry.
-No, I think you're wonderful.
You're smart.
You're funny.
And nice.
-Thank you.
-Your welcome.
-Listen, let me
give you my card.
I'll be in Italy in September.
Now, whatever you
decide, you know?
Keep in touch.
I mean, if it's only to let
me know that the train came.
I will.
-Ciao.
-Ciao.
-You really should go, you know?
It's Italy.
My mother's got a lot
of maternal instincts
she needs to express.
It might as well be to you.
-Why not you?
-It takes time and
effort, selflessness.
Something we both
lack in spades.
Promise me you'll go.
-OK.
-Thank you.
Good night, Robert.
[KNOCKING]
-Lyle.
[KNOCKING]
-Lyle?
-Yes.
-Is everything all right?
I saw John drive away.
-Laura Ponti left
her house keys here.
-Oh.
I didn't hear the phone.
-Maybe John found them,
and then called her.
I'm not sure which, but
he said to be right back.
-He's probably on
one of his drives.
Did you and Robert
have a nice walk?
-Yes.
Good night, Marian.
-Night.
Night Robert, and sorry
about the grape scissors.
-Marian, this is Laura.
I'm sorry to be calling
so late, but I just
thought you would like to
know that I dropped Robert off
at the station.
-I thought Robert was here.
Why would you drop
him at the station?
-Well, that's where
he wanted to go.
Would you tell Lyle that I
called, because Robert really
wanted him to know
that he was all right.
And Marian, thank you
again for a lovely dinner.
Good night.
-Good night.
-What's going on?
Laura Ponti just
called, and said
that she dropped
Robert at the station.
-Oh, she found him.
Good.
-Good.
What's good?
What's going on, John?
-Robert and Lyle had a fight.
Robert ran off.
Lyle walked into a tree.
-But he's OK.
-He cut his face.
And he's upset.
-So where have you been?
-I went to look for Robert.
-Hmm.
Well, Lyle said that you'd
gone to drop off Laura's keys
that she had left from here.
Why would he lie to me?
-Maybe he was embarrassed.
-Well, so we were right
about the two of them.
-God, Marian.
You sound so mean.
-Oh, shit.
-Morning.
-Ouch!
That's got to hurt.
-Actually, It's not so bad.
I'm feeling quite butch.
Well, I do have no idea why
they call them black eyes.
-You mean the color blue.
Did I wake you?
-No, I couldn't sleep.
Checking for the damage.
-Just because you can't see
doesn't me it's not there.
-What's this?
It's Robert's chair.
-It's lovely.
-May I ask you something?
-Of course.
-Did you like Robert?
-Nope.
I didn't get a chance to
know him before he ran off.
-He kind of got the feeling
you didn't like him.
-That's a shame.
-Actually, he
overheard you telling
John you didn't like him.
-Why did you do that to me?
-What?
-Ask me a question when
you knew the answer?
-I wanted to see
what you'd tell me.
-Well, you didn't think
I'd tell you the truth?
-Marian, yesterday you
told me you liked him.
-Well, maybe yesterday
I liked him Lyle,
but I'm not going
to sit and make
a judgment on whether I like
a person or not based on what?
A couple of hours
in their company?
-Oh really, see, that's exactly
what he thought you did.
-What?
He ran off because
Marian didn't like him?
-Knew you didn't like him.
-Well, I'm sorry that he
overheard a conversation that
he--
-Don't be sorry, Marian.
-Why?
It's my fault.
Isn't that what you're saying?
-Jesus Christ, your fault,
you, all your fault.
No, it's not your fault.
He didn't leave because he
thought you didn't like him.
He left, because he
thought I didn't like him.
He wanted me to tell
him that I loved him.
I couldn't.
So he panicked, and he ran away.
-Well, he's well.
-Some of us are just better
at hiding it than others.
-Lyle, you don't run off
in the middle of the night
just because someone
doesn't say I love you.
-Really?
Brilliant.
I didn't know that.
I liked him.
I liked him a lot.
-Did Lyle say what the
argument with Robert was about?
-Robert overheard me telling
you I didn't like him.
-Oh.
-Do you really think I'm mean?
-You're a fine person, Marian.
What did Lyle really say to you?
-It's about me.
Hey.
Oh.
Did Mommy upset you, too?
There Mommy.
There Mommy.
-Anything interesting
in the "Times".
-One laugh after another.
-Why is it that you look
the best in the peace
and quiet that follows
a violent storm?
-Well, I am something
of a season campaigner.
What's up?
-My schedule.
We're going to
Toronto on Thursday.
-Oh, well, will you
have any spare time?
I mean, you could stay
up here a few days.
Thierry, too, of
course, if you'd like.
-The only place I'll be
seeing Thierry is at the set.
-Oh.
I'm sorry.
-No, you're not.
He was just another way of
punishing you, and hurting
myself.
And I think it's
about time I stopped
doing both of those things.
-That would make me very happy.
Listen, um, I didn't misbehave
too badly last night, did I?
-No, half the time
you were charming.
-And the other half?
-You thought you were charming.
You loved Atorian
very much, didn't you?
-As much as you
loved your father.
Well, they're still alive
in our dreams, aren't they?
-Yeah.
-It's better going
back to the city
than leaving it don't you think?
Lyle?
It's comforting traveling in
the same direction as the river.
-Hmm.
-I do feel awful about
what happened with Robert.
When the two of you came here
to stay, you were both so happy.
I wasn't nice to him.
-No.
It wasn't about Robert.
It was about Tony.
-I know.
-Mourning should sooth the
objects, not the subjects.
-And I don't mourn Tony well.
-Neither do I. Will
you invite Robert back?
Do you want me to call him?
-I will.
-OK.
-That's us.
Well, me.
-Are we still friends?
-Of course, we are.
-OK.
-Lyle.
In your life, love never
gets expressed directly.
You get in touch
with your emotions,
and then you run away from them.
-But you know I love you.
-It shouldn't require so
much effort on my part.
Promise me things
will be different.
After.
-I don't want there
to be an after.
-Promise.
-There are things you lose
you don't ever get back.
You can never have them again
except in the smudging carbon
copy of memory.
There are things that seem
irreconcilable that you
must find a way
to reconcile with.
The simple passage of days
dulls the sharpness of the pain,
but never quite wears it out.
And it doesn't get
washed away in time.
It becomes a cold hard
lump of something.
And a loseable souvenir.
Tony told me once.
There's no future in
holding on to the past.