Max Rose (2013) - full transcript

[piano music playing]

[piano music continues]

[piano music playing]

[inaudible weeping]

[piano music playing]

[clock ticking]

[Annie] There you go.

[Annie] Grandpa, can
I get you anything?

[Annie] You want
your slip ons?

[Annie] How about a...
How about a glass of water?

[Annie] I'll get
you a glass of water.



[Chris] I got some
interesting mail here.

[clock ticking]

[Chris] Looks like there could
be a couple of good coupons...

[clock ticking]

Vonnegut is on Charlie Rose
tonight.

[Eva] That man is
a horse's ass!

[instrumental music playing]

[Eva] Vonnegut, eh?

Yeah.

[clock ticking]

[Annie] Blue plate special.

[Annie] A little cat nap?

It's lunchtime.

[Annie] Charlie G
sent over some pastrami.



There's like a gallon of it.

[Max] What time is it?

It's almost 1:30.

Thank you.

[flips pages]

[closes book]

[slams book]

[man talking on television]

[clicking noises]

Are you planning
on fixing that latch?

[Eva laughing] Listen to this.

[Eva continues laughing]

"Once, I had a rose
named after me, and
I was very flattered.

-"But,
-[laughter continues]

"I was not pleased to read,

"the description
in the catalog.

"'No good in bed, but
fine up against a wall.'"

[both laughing]

[laughter continues]

[clock ticking]

Hmm?

Hey, I heard a good
one the other day.

"Cartoonist found dead in home.

"Details are sketchy."

"Details are sketchy."
He's a cartoonist!

[Annie] He makes sketches.

It's like a pun.

It's not very good.

-You gotta get going.
-Max?

[Max] I want you to go.

My shows are on.

And you have to get
back to your class.

[Annie] Max, it's covered.

It's fine. I want
to be here with you.

No. Now is...

alone.

-[Max] Please?
-I'm staying.

You're impossible!

Where do you think
I got it from?

-From me!
-Yeah, that's right.

Please?

Fine.

[Annie] Fine.

[stomps out]

I'm coming back for Columbo .

Fine.

[door slams]

[soft piano music playing]

[clock ticking]

[piano music continues]

[instrumental music playing]

[exhales]

[Annie] I'll teach you how
to use that can opener, okay.

[exhales]

[sniffles]

[Annie] Here, Dad. I got this.

[Chris] Mom always
loved fresh flowers
here, so I'll just...

-[Chris] You got that?
-[Annie] Uh-huh.

[Chris] Okay.

[jazz music playing]

I, uh, brought some movies.

I thought that might
be a good thing.

[Chris] I, uh, got
comedies. I remembered you...

Always loved comedies.

This one...

Is about a high
school gym teacher...

Who has big plans
for the summer...

but, is forced...

to cancel them to teach
an English class of misfit,
goof-off students.

[Chris] Fortunately,

his unconventional
brand of teaching
begins to inspire them.

I don't, uh...

Well, there's two of them.

[footsteps approaching]

-You got them?
-[Annie] Yeah.

-Oh, those look nice.
-[Annie] Mm-hmm.

[Chris] Thank you.

[Annie] Are you going
to watch a movie?

-Well, I was just suggesting...
-[Max] We're fine, Chris.

We're fine.

Oh, I, uh...

I thought, uh...

we'd make a night of it.

[Chris] Hang out, maybe?

[Max] You can go.

[Chris] All right.

That's fine.

I'm going to leave these...

in case you, uh...

[softly] Of course.
There's no DVD player, huh?

[Chris] All right.

[footsteps]

Uh, Pop, uh...

I'm sorry.

[opens door]

[door shuts]

[Eva laughing]

[Eva] Dance with me, dummy.

[laughter]

[Eva laughs]

[man on TV]
Can't see the rest.
Windows, windows, windows...

It's ideal,
this is a dream house.

I'm glad you like it?

[Annie] Paps.

Grandpa.

Hey?

Max, let's go upstairs, huh?

[Max] I'm fine
right here, Annie.

Max, it's time to go
to sleep, okay?

[Annie] Come on.

[Max] I don't want
to go upstairs.

[Annie whispering] Okay, uh.

[Annie] Stay down here.

[piano music playing]

[Chris] I was just
remembering Mom's birthday,
when I was quite young.

I don't know how old,
maybe five, six...

You and I made her cookies,
for her birthday.

And then we forgot
to turn the oven on.

[Chris] And when
we presented them,
she still ate two.

[Chris] That was Mom.

Have you thought any more
about something you might like
to say?

I think I'll do
a little soft shoe.

You can just express
whatever you're feeling. Okay?

[kisses]

[kisses]

[Max] Eva and I were married...

Sixty five years.

I can't even remember...

my life without her.

Everyone tells me...

this is...

going to get better...

And easier.

I know they believe that.

But I can't see that happening.

I'm 87 years old,
and I've lost my Eva.

The truth is...

I've lost her a long time ago.

[Max] For 65 years.. .

her life with me...

was a lie.

I don't blame her.

I blame myself.

She thought...

she married a
different kind of man.

A better man.

But, she was...

mistaken.

I'm a failure.

I failed my wife...

[exhales]

I...

failed my family.

I failed myself.

[microphone feedback]

You said something
to... that...

A few things today
I found distressing.

-Distressing?
-[slams table]

[Max] Do you know
what distress is!

My wife, the love of my life,

is dead!

[Chris] You're scaring us as...

And you want me to sit here
and converse with you!

Okay.

I want you to know that
nobody thinks you're a failure.

[Annie] You had
a lovely marriage.

You have a family
that loves you.

You made a beautiful record.

Did something happen
between you and Mom,

that...

you haven't told me, or anyone?

No!

Nothing!

Absolutely nothing!

When Kat's father died,

her mom went to a
bereavement counselor,

"I'd like to make a
phone call, to see if..."

To make the phone call
and see if they'll accept you!

[Max] That's my answer
to your brilliant suggestion.

You're in pain.

That's all I see...

is someone in pain.

[Chris] I'm just suggesting
you talk to some...
someone else.

Someone outside the family.

You can't talk to me,
you won't talk to me.

Is he talking to you
about any of this?

About the stuff that he said
to a room full of strangers?

Enough!

[Annie] I got it, I got it.

[door slams]

[Max] Annie.

[Max] I'd like to
ask you something,

but you have to be sure to
tell me if I'm out of bounds.

Why wasn't Scott here tonight?

He's in Chicago.

[distant dog barking]

No. He, uh... He took a job
with the philharmonic there.

Why aren't you there?

It's complicated.

[Max] Come on, kid.

Just go.

[Max] Did you hear about...

the restaurant...

on the moon?

They serve great food,
but no atmosphere.

Hoo-hoo.

He, he, he.

Are you sure you
don't want me to stay?

We could make Chicken Annie.

No, I want you to go home...

and get some sleep.

[whispers] Okay.

It still doesn't feel real.

[inhales]

Chicken Annie,

tomorrow. I'm holding
you to it, Buster.

[kisses]

[door opens]

[Max] Goodbye, Annie.

[door closes]

[exhales]

[water flowing]

[Max] You know what
I thought about?

I was just lying there,

listening to you breathe.

And I never told
you, Eva, but...

You breathe nicer
than anyone I've
ever known in my life.

And...

I'm thinking to myself,

"We've had 65 years together,

but we never...

figured how old we were...
together.

-[Max] Do you know how old?
-[Eva] That's because my
arithmetic is so...

We're a hundred and
sixty nine years old.

Each?

No, not each!

-Both of us together.
-Oh, really?

A hundred and sixty-nine
years old.

It's a hell of a long time.

-[Max] Yeah.
-I wish we'd been together
a hundred and sixty-nine years.

[Eva] That would
have been great.

[clock ticks]

[floor creaking]

[clock ticking]

[inhales]

[floor creaks]

[closes door]

[clock ticks]

Ahh.

[suspenseful music]

[closes drawer]

[Max] I was cleaning
your dresser...

and the drawers...

and, I came up with this.

[Eva laughing]

[Max] You're the
secret in my heart.

"Ben."

There's a date on here.
November 5th, 1959.

I wracked my brain...

trying to think of that day.

[Eva] Remember your
recording session
in New York?

[Max] November 5th, 1959.

[Eva] You've got
a flight to catch.

[Max] And you said...

[Eva] Hurry home.

[Max] Until I join you.

[door opens]

[Annie] So...

this is...

Captopril.

[Annie] That is for
blood pressure,

and you take that once a day
in the morning, with food.

[Annie] And, this
is the new one.

What is that for?

[Annie] It's for...

when you get agitated.

-[Annie] Max?
-Yes.

[Annie] Why did you say
that stuff yesterday?

[Max] Can I have the pill?

Thank you.

Will you talk to me, please?

[Annie] What's going on?

[sighs]

[Annie] Oh, her compact.
I always loved this.

[taps table]

Open it up.

[clicks]

What is that?

She never let me play with it.

[Annie] I thought
you gave it to her.

Uh.

There are a thousand
explanations for this,

so, whatever you're thinking,
I'm sure you're wrong.

[Annie] I'm staying tonight.

Let's make some dinner, okay?

[Max] Yeah.

[Max] Good.

[Annie] Are you sitting
where I said?

Yes I am, honey.

[Annie] Close your eyes.

Uh, my eyes are on the floor.

[Annie] Keep them closed.

[Annie] Okay, you
can open them now!

[Annie] Are you ready?

[piano music playing]

[thumping on floor]

Stairs...

and...

escalator.

-[Max] Oh, God!
-[laughing and clapping]

[Annie] Okay. And now...

I have a couple
of jokes for you.

Um, I asked
my 5th graders at school,

[Annie] uh, to tell me
their favorite jokes.

What does a fish say
when it runs into a wall?

"Dam!"

[Annie] Uh, um...

Um...

Let's try, uh...

What do you get when
you cross a vampire
and a snowman?

Frostbite.

[Annie laughing]

[Annie] Can we have a little...

Thank you! Thank you.

[laughs]

-[Max] Let me give
you a little sugar.
-[Annie] Mwah.

I'm so proud of you.
You were so good.

[Annie laughing]

You look like a skinny,
Roseanne Barr.

[Annie laughing]

[Annie] I don't know
if that's a compliment.

[Max singing]
♪ All your dreams
Were meant to share

♪ With somebody

♪ Someone to have
A midnight cup of tea with

♪ To have and hold,
And sometimes

♪ Disagree with

♪ Oh, it's wonderful to care

♪ For somebody

♪ And the most you
Have to give is

♪ Your love!

♪ In a cabin or a castle

♪ Even though you rise or fall

♪ Without somebody

♪ You're nobody

♪ At all

[floor creaking]

Eva.

Eva?

Are you there?

[exhales]

I know,

that we do things...

psychologically.

And we do things...

that we hope will
make us feel better.

-I feel better...
-[Annie] Max?

calling your name.

-[Annie] Max.
-Yeah, honey.

-[Annie] Max.
-I was... I was just
looking for my glasses.

Who are you talking to?

Let's go downstairs. Let's
go back to sleep, okay?

Yeah. Okay.

-[Max] Yeah, okay.
-[Annie] Okay.

[Max] Yeah, okay.

[Max] Are you going
to go back to sleep?

-[Annie] Uh-huh.
-[Max] Okay.

[Max] Okay.

[Max] That's good.

-[Max] Cause then we'll all be
sleeping at the same time.
-[Annie] Yeah.

[Max] That's good.

[cello music playing]

[cellphone vibrating]

-[Annie] Hi.
-[Scott] Hey, did I wake you?

-[Annie] No, no, I'm up.

-[Scott] Is he there?

[Annie] No, he's still asleep.

[Scott] How's it going.
Any better?

[Annie] Not that great.

[Annie] I'll tell you
about it later.

[Scott] Okay. So,
I looked at the flights...

Yeah. Look, uh...

I don't even know what's
going to happen this weekend,
so just...

Don't come, okay. I might be
with him the whole time.

[Scott] I want to come.
I want to be there for you.

I'll come by after work.

Annie,

I don't want to be a burden.

You could never ever
be a burden, Max.

[sniffles]

Hey, remember when
I peed on that clown?

[Max laughing]

That was the best
part of his act.

[Max] I remember.

Yeah.

[Annie laughing]

Okay. I'll see you later.

[Annie] Ugh, Max...

You gotta take a bath.

[laughs]

[car door opens]

[piano music playing]

[Eva] I don't think there's
anything I would change
about you if I could.

[Eva] Nothing I would change.
I love you just as you are.

[instrumental music playing]

[Max] You here here
with him that day.

He was here.

[Eva] You're still
worried about that?

[Eva] So you're doing
housekeeping now?

[Eva] Why don't you worry about
what happened in New York.

[Eva] What happened
in the recording session, Max?

[Max] I played awful.

[Max] My performance was...

[Max] Indescribable.

[instrumental music continues]

[Max] There's a date,
November 5th,

1959.

[instrumental music playing]

[Max] We had a good life,
didn't we?

[Eva]
What are you looking for,
for God's sake?

[Eva] You think you're going
to find a picture of him?

[Eva] You were always
preoccupied with success.

Or should I say, failure.

Poor Max.

[Eva] Better keep looking.

[door opens]

[floor creaking]

[opens drawer]

[flipping pages]

[clock ticks]

[clock ticks louder]

[door opens]

[door closes]

[exhales]

Who is he!

[phone rings]

-[Max] Hello?
-[woman] Hello.

-[Max] Annie?
-[Annie] Grandpa, I've
been calling for hours.

[Max] Your grandmother...

[Max] She was just here.

[slams phone]

[Annie] Grandpa,
can you hear me?

[Annie] Are you
sure you're okay?

[Max] For 65 years
I was loyal and true.

[Max] And I never once ever
looked at another woman.

[Max] You were my wife.

My girl.

[Max] But I do have
to know, why?

[slams door]

[Max groans]

[heart beats]

[Max groaning]

[thuds]

[piano music playing]

[wind chime tinkling]

Ahh.

Ah.

[Max] Annie?

[Annie] Hey, sunshine.

[Annie] Dad brought that.

[Annie] He left it.
He didn't want to wake you.

[Annie] And I brought
your red sweater.

And, your gray slacks...

were in the kitchen trash.

[Annie] So I'm
having them cleaned.

For what?

[Annie] Why am I
having them cleaned?

Because they were
in the kitchen trash.

And, look...

It's a new scarf.

Well, what's the matter
with my old scarf?

Nothing. I just...

Grandma was knitting this
for you, and so I finished it.

I gotta go home.

You said you'd give this a try.

I did. I gave it a try.

One night's not enough.

Well...

somebody...

has got to keep an eye
on the kitchen sink.

-It's got some leak.
-[Annie] I'll do it.

What do you mean you'll do it?

Yeah, don't worry about it.

You don't know how to do that.

I'll get a plumber to do it.

Oh, sure. Spend a lot
money. That's terrific!

[Max] God!

I gotta go home.

[Annie] Max, please.

[Annie] Please don't do this.

[exhales]

I saw the picture.

Did you know him?

[knocks on door]

[woman] Hello, Max.
How are you doing?

Time for your pill.

I'm Colleen.

[Colleen] Here you go.

[Colleen] You let me
have those, okay.

[Colleen] There you go.

Come on, now. Come on,
come on. Let me up.

All right.

Now, listen, I'll make
up your bed for you.

It's a nice place. You're gonna
like it here, I think.

[Colleen] Yeah.

All right. Let's see,
well, how you're doing.

[Colleen] All right.
Let me have this.

[Colleen] All right.

Here's your book.

Glasses.

[Colleen] Thank you, my dear.

Okay. I'll see you at dinner.

[Max] Okay.

[Colleen] How are you doing?
I'm, Colleen. It's time
for your pill.

How are you feeling, Mr. Rose?

Wonderful.

I'm in One, Who Flew
Over the Cuckoos Nest.

[Ms. Flowers laughing]

Well, uh, I wanted to ask
you here because, uh,

I thought it was really
important for you to
have some, uh...

social interaction with...
with your peers.

And I was wondering if you had
a chance to look at some of the

fantastic activities
that we have here.

Activities?

[Ms. Flowers] Well, we've got
some, uh, great activities
like cooking class.

Do you like to cook?

[Ms. Flowers] Um...

Book club?

There is, uh, what about,
uh, working out?

Do you like to work out?

It's very good to exercise
at your age, Mr. Rose.

You know, I read in your file
that you're a musician.

Yes, some time ago. Yeah.

[Ms. Flowers] Mm-hmm.

Well, we've got this
performance series
every Wednesday...

where I could really use...

your talent.

Maybe you could... consult?

Listen, if you think
a cooking class is stupid...

[Ms. Flowers]
You know, that's fine.

You don't have to cook.

I'm just trying to help you.
I'm here to try to help you

find a little bit of happiness.

[Ms. Flowers]
Does that make sense?

[Ms. Flowers] If you want to
sit in your room all day long,

and stare out the window
and feel sorry for yourself,
you can be my guest.

But I'm here to help you.

If there's anything
that you want to talk about,

I know there's a lot of
adjustments going on
right now, so...

Please come
talk to me, okay.
I would like that.

You live here now.

And I believe
that a whole new world could
be opened up to you.

But I'm gonna
need you to participate.

[opens drawer]

[closes drawer]

[jazz music playing]

♪ There are girls

♪ Just right for some kissing

♪ And I mean

♪ To kiss me a few

♪ All those girls

♪ Don't know what
they're missing

♪ I've got a lot
of living to do ♪

[Coleen] Hello, Max.
How is your book?

Enthralling.

[Colleen] Okay, then.
See you at bedtime.

I can't wait.

♪ Gotta move

♪ Cause time is a wasting

♪ There's such a lot living

♪ To do!

♪ There is music to play

♪ Places to go

♪ People to see

♪ Everything

♪ For you and me ♪

Max is a piano player.

Oh, yeah? Who was
his favorite pianist?

Oscar Peterson.

-[Lee] Oscar Peterson?
-[Max] Good Jewish guy.

Hello! You're right on target.

[laughter]

Can you play the blues?

I lived the blues.

[Lee] Oh, chitty boom,
chitty boom, chitty boom.

Ching ting ching,
cha ching, ching,
da ding ding din.

Bop doody bap, de
kae gong ka boom gang.

You got something of a minor
celebrity at this table, Max.

Walter is the oldest
man in California.

[Walter] Hey you,
you gotta keep...

the mind, and the body
in motion.

[Walter] You, uh,
think you're young...

you be young.
[clicks tongue]

You got a parrot?

I had the parrot.

And the parrot was...

okay.

[Lee] Sometimes
he would really...

talk too much
out of turn, you know.

"Polly want a cracker!"
"Polly want a..." Shut up!

[laughter]

You're, you're, you're
in a rare form today.

Yeah. Well, you know...

Look at all these nice
ladies in here, man.

[Walter] Jack, you've
been married five times?

[Jack] Yeah.

Could you pick out one...

that was really the best.

Or that you wish
you had stayed with.

Yeah, all five of them.

I don't even remember.
They're divorcing me faster
than I can marry them.

[Lee] Oh, ho, ho, ho, ho.

[Lee] How long you say
you were married?

Fifty-two years.

[Walter] She's been gone...

around 27 years.

[Lee] You still kind
of miss her, huh?

Oh, yeah.

-Really?
-Oh, every...

After 27 years?

Oh, yeah. Yeah, I...

Every, uh...

Every, every,
every, every, uh...

night.

I, I, you know,
I still send her a kiss.

[Lee] Aha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.

Yeah.

[Walter] She, she,
she was a...

[Walter] A great woman.

[instrumental music playing]

[Chris] Uh, I actually
looked up this pizza place.

Uh, they have reviews...

And, um...

Four out of five,

uh, for a pizza place
is remarkable...

if not historical.

[Chris] Uh, I'd never heard
of the place, so we, um...

we went in there...

and, uh...

and I thought it was good.

-[Chris] Yeah.
-[Annie] It was okay.

I don't know if I'd give
it four out of five, per se.

See what I made.

Oh, wow!

Pot holders.

In the shape of a body part.

These are kidneys.

[Chris] Thank you.

These are great.

How's it going in here?

Okay.

[Annie] So, Max,

Dad talked to the
real estate agent.

And she said the offer
from the Kay's is the
best we can expect.

Then we don't sell the house.

[Annie] I know. But...

the thing is...

you need the money,

to cover the cost
of living here.

Look, I took the offer.

You took the offer?

It's like Annie said. This...

This place is very,
very, expensive.

The house...

wonderful memories
and a great life...

that... that we all had
there at some point, and...

[gulping]

You have to sell
in order to stay here.

[Max] It's not your house...

to sell!

You put my name on the deed.

That was a convenience.

I did what had to be done.

[Max] You selfish little putz!

[Chris] Okay...

Great to see you, as always.

[Max] Who'd you sell it to?
One of your big shot friends?

[Max] No, maybe you
bought it for yourself,

so you could go
and get another wife,

and a bunch of kids
that you don't take care of.

I take care of my kids.

[Max] Like you cared
for, Annie?

I, I care about you, Pop.
I don't want to fight.

I don't need
you to care for me.

[Chris] Okay, look...

we, we got to, uh,
deal with this.

Deal with what?

I'm not angry at you, Pop.

I love you.

[Chris] Okay?

I love you.

You try to say it?

I love you.

[smacks lips]

[Chris] Please.

[Max] I've seen what you do
to people you love.

Okay.

All right. You win.

Escrow will close Monday.
The money is in a trust.

[opens door]

[door closes]

[exhales sharply]

How's Scott?

Scott's fine.

Anything new?

Maybe, about Chicago?

You know, I've got my kids
and my class here, so...

Do you know...

If they could package
how I feel about you...

[both] ...they'd make
millions of dollars.

Max, you're too mean to my dad.

You don't have to defend
your father, Annie.

I know. I don't have to.

He wants to be close to
you and you won't let him.

Annie, I'm just a little
bit older than you, but,

I think I know my own son.

No!

No. I don't think you do.

He has a lot to handle
right now between me,

and you, and everything
that's going on with, Kat.

He's being a good father to me.

He is.

Even if you won't see it.

And he tries to be a good son.

You're a different
person with him, Max,

and it isn't fair.

I know exactly
what you're doing.

You're staying here...

because of me.

But I'm fine, Annie.

I am.

I'm sleeping better.

I keep busy.

And all that stuff you...

you said at the
funeral was right on.

You were absolutely right.

And grandpa is okay.

[exhales]

I found it in one of
her books last week.

[Annie] I debated about
a thousand ways whether
I should give it to you.

[Annie] It's from him.

[clicks]

[knocks on door]

[Lee] Come on in
this house too!

Don't you know
it's rattlesnakes out there?

[Max laughing]

[Jack] The piano man is here.

[jazz music playing]

[Lee] Yeah!

-Hit me.
-Hit him.

[Lee] Somebody, hit me.

[Walter] Come on, Jack?

-[Jack] Hit him again.
-[Walter] Yeah.

[laughter]

[jazz music playing]

[inaudible dialog]

[Max] And when I get out of
the shower and I look at this,

head to toe...

And I realize...

I've been using all this stuff
for more than 80 years.

No wonder it's breaking down.

[Jack] You're
not indestructible...

and that's a disappointment.

Sixty.

Sixty five, seventy.

Seventy five, eighty.

Eighty five...

[coughs] Ninety.

We would go around New York,
closing up all the jazz joints,

listening to everybody, man.
'Cause music in the 60s
was everywhere.

[Jack] There use to be a
show business Jewish temple.

Producer goes in there...

And as he looks
around the temple,

there's a dog in there.

[Jack] When the rabbi
leads the prayer...

the dogs puts his
hands up and he's...

davining,
and the producer says,

"I can make a fortune if I can
get that dog in a movie."

And he goes to the owner
of the dog, he says,

How does a dog learn
to davin? He says,

-"The dog is Jewish..."
-[Max] Okay.

so he says, uh...

Producer says,
"I'd like to get the
rights to use that dog."

And the owner of the dog says,

"That's a very tempting offer,

but the dog has his mind
set on becoming a dentist."

[laughs]

[jazz music playing]

You got it.

[jazz music continues]

Aw...

[Walter] You're amazing.

[applause]

[jazz music continues]

[laughter]

[jazz music]

[Lee] ♪ Bum bum, dee dum bop.

[scatting]

♪ Bum, bo, bo, bo, bo, bo...

♪ It's a good time

♪ It's the odd time

♪ It's the real time to
say it's about time!

♪ Oww

[Max] Oh, good.
Play it, Davy, play it.

[Jack] Yeah!

[jazz music continues]

Yahoo! Yippee!

[snoring]

Lee.

What are you doing here?

[Lee] Friendship.

People in this place,

they respect me.

You know why?

Because...

I'm a star.

TV star.

[Lee] Don't you recognize me?

I had my own series.

For fifteen years...

Everybody knew
me on the street.

[Lee] People came up
with their babies and kids,

wanted my autograph.

You can't buy that, Max.

That's a gift.

You know, and I've been
very, very, fortunate.

[Lee] Hey, dude,

what's your story, man?

You can tell me.

I'm your friend.

Is it bad?

[Lee] Well...

If by bad you mean the
worst possible scenario...

Then, yes.

"Eva,

it's all settled.

I will arrive on the 5th,
after Max departs for his
recording session in New York,

I eagerly await an audience
with your latest pieces.

And, as always,

with you."

[instrumental music playing]

[Lee] Let me see this.

[Lee] B.S. Tracey?

[Lee] I know this dude.

[Max] You know him?

I mean, I don't
know him, but,

yeah, I know him.

[Lee] Big producer.

[Lee] He loved putting
his name on things.

You know what I'm saying?

[Lee] You know a
B.S. Tracey productions?

[Lee] Huh.

[Lee] Hey, Billy.

It's me, Lee.

Miller.

What's up, man?

[laughs] Were you asleep?

[Lee laughing]

Yeah, I'm doing all right.

Listen...

You remember this guy,
B.S. Tracey, that used to
give all those pool parties?

Yeah, him.

B.S. You got it.

You still have his address?

Is it now? Okay, well
lay it on me, man.

Hold on a minute.

Bob diddy, da, da, da.

That's it. Yeah, I got it.

Okay. Thanks again. Take care.

Hey.

[car approaching]

[Lee] What is this?

An old flame?

[Max] I got something
I gotta do.

[kids] Grandpa, grandpa.

Grandpa!

Grandpa, Max.

[Lucy] Grandpa, Max.
Grandpa, Max!

[Max] Hi, sweetheart.

Hi, darling.

How are you two? You both
getting ready for bedtime?

[kids] Yeah.

[Max] Yeah, that'd be nice.
I wish I could go with you,

'cause I'm so sleepy now.

-[Chris] You want to
play with your grandpa?
-[kids] Yeah!

[Chris] Get in there.

Is that the way you like it?

-[Lucy] Yeah, and then
put that on.
-[girl] Put the hat on.

[Max] No, I will
not wear a hat.

-[kids] Why?
-[Max] Cause I'll muss my hair.

-[kids] No, you won't.
-[Max] And I combed
my hair this morning

-for over 35 minutes.
-[kids] We won't muss
your hair.

[kids] You won't
mess your hair up.

[girl] Wait, put
them on his head.

[Lucy] I'll wear
the nose and the hat.

-[Max] You cant have the nose.
-[girl] Why?

-[Max] 'Cause it's my nose.
-[girl] It's not your nose.

-[Max] You want to put it on?
-Yeah.

[Max] Let's see if I...

Put your hand out. Let me see
if I can fit it on your nose.

[kid] Can it fit?

Lucy, you don't
have enough nose.

[Chris] You have
a preference in tea?

[Max] Breakfast tea.

[Chris] Uh-huh.

[Chris] Breakfast tea.

They're great kids, Chris.

I know.

Are you doing okay?

I don't know.

My marriage is falling apart.

My mom just died.

My dad thinks I'm
a waste of space.

I'm great!

I don't think you're a waste.

No?

Then why is it that's
one of the nicest things
you've ever said to me?

You know how you think back...

to when you were younger
and you had wonderful dreams.

[Max] Everything was
so beautiful, and pretty,
and nice...

and loving.

Those things just
don't go away.

We're guilty of
pushing them away.

I'm still a little groggy.
Is that an apology?

Don't push it, Chris.

You had your music.
You had Mom.

You guys somehow
loved each other

day in, day out,

for 65 years.

I'm two marriages in,
I still can't figure it out.

Sometime you have to act...

the way you feel.

The way you really feel.

That'd be nice.

Got anything in mind?

[piano music playing]

[Chris] That's some house.

[Max] Yeah, it is.

[Chris] Hey, pop...

here's the button over here.

[Max] Oh, okay.

[beeps]

[woman] Hello?

[Max] I'm here for Ben Tracey.

[gate opens]

[Chris] I'll wait
for you out here, Pop.

[opens latch]

Eva Rose sent me.

[opening door]

[door opens]

[closes door]

He's in there.

Good luck.

[clock ticking]

[clock chiming]

[Ben] I was so close.

So close. I almost
made it underground...

without seeing your face.

[Ben] Uh.

Come here.

[labored breathing]

Come on over here.
Come here!

There you go,
you can do it.

[footsteps ]

Come on, have a seat.

Do you play the piano?

[Ben laughs]

No, just sit down.

Come on,
come, on, come on.

Sit down,
sit down, sit down.

[Ben] Oh, God.

I got cigarettes there,
can you get me one?

Ahh.

[Ben] Oh, yeah.
Okay, good. Yeah.

How about a light?

I know it's asking a lot.

[strikes lighter]

[Ben groaning]

[Ben exhales]

Eva...

Lillian Rose.

[Ben] She's survived
by her son, Christopher,

her grandchildren,
and of course...

ahh...

by her beloved
husband of 65 years,

Max Rose.

Hmm.

You don't know how
disappointed I am.

I was hoping
you would go first.

[Ben groans]

[Ben] Ahh!

Uh.

[clicks]

[Ben] So...

What do you know about me?

You're my wife's lover!

[Ben laughs]

[coughing]

[Ben] Uh, listen...

[water flowing]

I, uh, I bought your
wife's drawings,

so it's strictly a professional
relationship, okay?

I don't believe you.

Huh, well, you shouldn't.
It's a lie.

I want the truth!

[Ben laughing]

Max Rose wants the truth!

Everybody get that?

[coughs] Well...

[Ben] Let me make you a drink.

[Ben] Okay.

[Ben] Ahh! Here you go.

Now, that's the finest
chair in my house,

the most comfortable,

I hope you like it,
because it's throne-like,
and that befits you.

[Ben] You know what
I'm saying? Um, um, oh...

Here's...

to dying.

[Ben] We all start out
with a slap on the ass,
and then we end up...

jealous old men,
wishing we had
what the other guy's got.

[chuckles]

[Ben] Yeah. Ahh!

[Ben] But...

[exhales]

it's what we do in the middle.

And I got mine.

Hollywood, big time.

[Ben] Even my old man
was impressed. That bastard!

[Max] Ben.

Did you have
a relationship with Eva?

Yes, no.

What do you think?

November the 5th, 1959.

You crazy son of a bitch!

You come onto my doorstep
and ask me about one thing
that happened 50 years ago!

[chuckling]

[Max] And what
happened that day?

[exhales]

I don't remember.

[Max] I think you do.

[switch clicks]

November 5th, 1959.

Where did you get that?

[clicks open]

[Ben sobbing] She...

Oh, she kept it...

She kept it.

[sobbing]

[coughing]

[Ben] Could you...

[Ben] Could you get my pills
out on the table there?

[Ben coughing]

[clears throat]

[labored breathing]

Life goes on, huh?

[chuckles]

[labored breathing]

[sniffling]

I met, Eva...

at USC.

[exhales] I knew right away.

[Ben] This woman...

she was something more.

This woman gave
with her whole heart.

Then, uh...

she met you.

That, uh, you were playing
at some club or another.

And she was so
smitten with you.

[exhales]

[Ban] Who are you?
Some cliche, some
passionate artist?

I, I could have
made you myself.

But she thought
she was in love.

And then she made...

the crazy decision
to marry you.

[sniffs]

But I had to keep
her in my life, so...

I bought her drawings.

As I told her. She was
some kind of a Picasso.

[Ben] It was just an excuse.

But, she didn't care.

But I finally started
to get to her.

Yeah, November 5th, 1959.

[Ben] You went to New York,

and...

And I went all in.

"Leave with me.

Let me take care of you.

Let me rent you a studio, and
you could be a real artist."

[Max] So what happened?

What happened?

[Ben sobs]

What do you think happened?

She wouldn't leave you,
you putz.

[coughs] So...

I gave her this...

as a little reminder...

[exhales]

so she'd know
she always had a choice.

[Ben] And she kept it.

[whispers] She kept it.

[Ben coughing]

[coughing continues]

[Ben] Oh, God. I'm tired.

Ah.

Ah.

[Max] Come on, Ben.
Let me help you.

[Ben] Oh, yeah. Okay.

Okay.

[Ben] Ahh.

[labored breathing]

She was a hell of a girl,
wasn't she?

Yes, she was.

[piano music playing]

[Chris] You sure you don't
want me to wait?

[Max] No. Thank you.

So what is this?

That's the greatest
Italian restaurant you've
ever been to in your life.

[Max] And I had
this hankering...

for their chicken cacciatore.

I love chicken cacciatore.

Yeah. Me too.

Look, I'll catch a cab.

-I'll be fine.
-Okay.

Are we gonna be all right, kid?

Salt and pepper.

Bread and butter.

Your kids need you, Chris.

[Max] They really do.

[Chris] Thanks.

You sure you don't want
me to wait? I don't mind.

-No, I'll catch a cab.
I'll be fine.
-Okay. All right.

[Max] I've caught cabs before,
and I was fine.

-Get out of the car.
-I'm still fine...

-Get out of the car.
-[Max] What?

Get out of the car.

-[Max] get out of the car?
-Yeah.

Oh, okay.

[laughing]

[phone ringing]

[phone vibrating]

-[Annie] Hello?
-[Max] Hello, Annie.

-It's, Max.
-[Annie] Max?

[Annie] Is...
Is everything okay?

Everything's perfect.

[Annie] What do you mean?

[switch clicks]

[Annie] Where are you?

[Max] I want you to make
me your best promise, Annie.

Are you out somewhere?

[Max] Promise me, honey.

What?

I want you to go to
Chicago to be with Scott.

[Max] Annie, you're
a wonderful person.

So much love to give.

Sharing that love...

That's the most
important thing.

[Max] More important than work.

More important than dreams.

It's more important
than anything.

[Max] Do you understand, Honey?

I understand.

[Max] I love you, baby.
And I always will.

You're going to have
a beautiful life, honey.

[sobbing] No...

I love you.

I love you too.

Goodbye, cookie-face.

Goodbye, Gramps.

[slams phone down]

[sniffling]

[piano music playing]

♪ Remember days

♪ Remember nights

♪ When all we ever needed was

♪ Each other

♪ With looks reserved
For one another

♪ Time wore a smile

♪ And all the while

♪ We lived, we loved

♪ We asked ourselves how could
Our days ever end

♪ We thought that we
Had our life always

♪ To spend

♪ We danced, we dreamed

♪ How sweet it seemed

♪ Remember then

♪ When in each others
Arms we heard the music

♪ We loved the sound

♪ We heard the song

♪ Of distant chimes

♪ Other times

♪ They seemed to say

♪ If ever you should leave me

♪ For a moment

♪ As if you would

♪ As if you could

♪ I'd smile and whisper,
Darling

♪ Hurry home

♪ Hurry home ♪

[instrumental music playing]

♪ We danced, we dreamed

♪ How sweet it seemed

♪ Remember then

♪ When in each other's arms
We heard the music

♪ We loved the sound

♪ We heard the song

♪ Of distant chimes

♪ Other times

♪ They seemed to say

♪ If ever you should leave me

♪ For a moment

♪ As if you would

♪ As if you could

♪ I'd smile and whisper,
Darling

♪ Hurry home

♪ Hurry home

♪ Hurry

♪ Home ♪

[music ends]