Family Ties (1982–1989): Season 2, Episode 7 - Sweet Lorraine - full transcript

Working at the school radio station Alex sets himself up a blind date with a fellow music enthusiast. This date ends up being the 39-year-old Lorraine. The two enjoy themselves as their ...

♪ I bet we've been together
for a million years ♪

♪ and I'll bet we'll be together
for a million more ♪

♪ oh, it's like
I started breathing ♪

♪ on the night we kissed

♪ and I can't remember
what I ever did before ♪

♪ what would we do, baby

♪ without us?

♪ what would we do, baby

♪ without us?

♪ and there ain't no nothin'

♪ we can't love
each other through ♪



♪ ooh-hoo

♪ what would we do, baby

♪ without us?

♪ sha-la-la-la

Okay, we're gonna open up
the old phone lines now.

Alex, can you give me
a ride home?

Mallory, will you get a grip?
I'm on the air here.

Alex, you don't have to whisper.
Nobody's listening.

The only people who listen
to this music died years ago.

Oh, yeah? Well, uh...

There's a deceased listener now.

Hello. You're on with Alex.

Yeah, I'd like a large pizza
with anchovies,

and don't forget...



Uh, don't, uh...

Don't forget... the number
for requests is 555-7955.

Okay. Hello.
You're on with Alex.

Duke Ellington didn't write

"Wanderlust" by himself.

It was Johnny Hodges
and the Duke.

Well, thank you very much.

It's, uh, thrilling
to talk to someone

who shares my passion
for the sound of swing.

My pleasure, Alex.

Would you play "Sweet Lorraine"
for me?

It's the fifth cut on side one.

Consider it done.

Okay.

Here's a special request for
that classic, "Sweet Lorraine."

♪ I've just found joy... ♪

I want you to know that I'm also
a big Alex Keaton fan.

Well...

you've got great taste.

Listen, uh,
would you be interested

in going to the Woody Herman
concert with me Friday night?

Yeah, well,
I'm not really in the habit

of asking for blind dates,
either.

But I-i thought
we might have fun.

Great. Great.

O-okay, uh...

Yeah. Lorraine Ferrar?

7:30?

All right. I'll see you then.

Well, Mallory?

Big deal, Alex.
She accepted the date.

It's only 'cause
she's never seen you.

I'd like to make a special plea.

Mallory Keaton, a sophomore
here at Harding high,

hasn't had a date since birth.

Anyone out there
who wants to take her anywhere,

I'll personally give you
a dollar.

Now back to the music.

Ah, good evening. Mrs. Ferrar?

Yes?

Yeah, I'm Alex Keaton.

I'm taking your daughter,
Lorraine, out tonight.

Good evening, Alex.
Won't you come in?

Thanks.

I'm Lorraine.

Oh.

Oh!

Oh.

Are you surprised, Alex?

Surprised? No, no.

What's there to be
surprised about?

You're Lorraine, huh?

Yes, I am.

Okay. Uh, I'm... I'm Alex.

No surprises here.

Well, I'm really looking forward
to the concert,

and I'm delighted
to be going with you.

Well, I'm delighted
to be going with me, too.

And you.

Oh, this is my daughter,
Melissa.

Melissa, Alex Keaton.

This is your dau...

Are you surprised?

No!

No. She's your daughter.

She's Melissa,
you're Lorraine...

I'm still Alex.

Where's the surprise?

Are you gonna be my new daddy?

- I'll get that.
- No, no, no.

Hello?

Oh, mais oui, Claude.

Merci, Claude. Au revoir.

It's what I do for a living.

You speak French on the phone.

No. No, I'm an arbitrageur.

That is, I buy...

You deal in the simultaneous
sale and purchase

of equivalent commodities

in order to profit
from the price discrepancies.

Well, Mr. Keaton...

Perhaps destiny has taken a hand
this evening.

Well, destiny and I
are certainly not strangers.

There is absolutely nothing
in this world to compare

with the thrill of hearing
a big band in person.

Hear, hear.

Plus, I love the way
they dress, you know?

You can go anywhere
with a big band.

But you need a big car.

Uh, Lorraine,
I brought you back here tonight

to play you my favorite record.

Uh, may I?

Well, please.

Okay.

Oh, Alex, I've had
a fantastic evening.

I blush to say
how long it's been

since I laughed like this.

Well, why, uh, why haven't you
laughed, Lorraine?

Why? Oh, many reasons.

Bad marriage, bad divorce.

I'm... I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to pry.

Oh, no, no, no. It's all right.

I don't mind talking about it.

I don't think he loved me, Alex.

Oh, t-that...
That's hard to imagine.

We tried to make the marriage
last as long as we could.

We had a child to bring up.

Yeah. I-i know how that is.

You must have been very young
when you got married.

Yes, I was.

You've been wondering
about my age all evening,

haven't you, Alex?

Oh, no. Your age?

No. Your age? Never.
Never entered my mind.

How old do you think I am?

Oh, I don't know.

Uh, I'd say about...

Years old.

I'll be 40 in July.

I'll be 29 in March.

My, my.
And still in high school.

Well, I'm a veteran...
You know.

Okay, I'm... I'm 17.

But they've been
17 very full years.

Alex, chronological age
means nothing to me.

I like that in a woman.

Hey, you want to dance?

I thought you'd never ask.

Hey, you're good.

Thank you.

No, thank you.

No, thank you.

Oh, mom, dad!

Alex, uh, where's your...

I-I mean is...

I-is this...

Who's this?

Oh, I-I'm sorry.
Mom, dad, this is...

Lorraine Ferrar.

My date.

She's his date, Steven.

Hello.

Yes, it... it c-certainly
is nice to meet you.

Yes. I'll say.

Hey, hey,
you kids want to dance?

- We'll just roll back the rug.
- Nope.

I don't think so.

You think so, Steven?

Are you talking to me?

Oh, no, no...
Uh, no... no dancing for us.

No.

No, uh...

Good night.

Yeah. That's good.

Good night.

Good night.

You say people do that
for fun, huh?

Oh, Alex, don't be
so hard on yourself.

I think you did very well...
For a first-time skater.

Lorraine, I told you,
that's not my first time.

I've been taking lessons
for years.

It's just the first time

they let me out on the ice,
that's all.

Well, how about a movie tonight?

"Wild Strawberries" is playing
at the Fjord Theatre.

No. No, Lorraine.
No more Swedish movies.

Everybody's always depressed,

and it's always dark out
and snowing.

And nobody ever says
what they mean.

Well, what kind of movie
do you like?

I don't know.

Take, uh, take
"Conan the Barbarian."

Oh, come on, Lorraine.
That was a great movie.

Look, at least you knew
who Conan was.

You know, you knew
he was a barbarian.

You knew his friends
were barbarians.

And you knew he wasn't gonna
walk into a dark restaurant

and order fish.

Alex, Swedish films
are meant to be symbolic.

When the priest ordered fish, it
meant that he still had faith,

that his life still had meaning.

You see, the sea is the origin
of life.

I'm not that good
at symbolic thought.

You know, I need facts.
I need figures.

I need to see the bottom line.

Oh, Alex, there's more to life
than just the bottom line.

There's beauty for its own sake.

There's... there's poetry.

There's literature.
There's dance.

Yeah. Yeah.

Remember that play we saw...
That guy in tights?

I-I learned a lot from him.

Well, for one thing,
I learned never to wear tights.

Well, thank you, Alex,
for putting up with my taste.

Oh, put up?

Lorraine...

I've... I've had a great time
the past two weeks.

I have, too, Alex.

Really?

I-I mean,
y-you haven't minded that...

Well, that I'm not that much
a man of the world?

No, I've kind of liked it.
It's refreshing.

Ow! Oh! Oh, my foot.

Ah! Ah!
It's starting to thaw out.

Oh, here. Let me rub it for you.

Ah.

Ooh.

There.

Is that better?

Yeah.

Um, better.

No, Alex.

It's not the time.

Do you have any idea
when it'll be?

I-I mean, my schedule's clear
for six to eight months.

Alex, let's not complicate this.

It's so nice the way it is...
With us just friends.

Yeah.

We're making a big thing
out of nothing, right?

Right.

He's at her house again.

I know.

- Does that bother you?
- No.

- Does it bother you?
- No, not at all.

She's a friend of our son's.

She's Alex's, uh...

Girlfriend.

That's right.

She's Alex's...

Full-grown,
frenchwoman girlfriend.

French...

As in I'amour.

He has got to stop seeing her!

That's what we'll tell him
the minute he comes in!

Hey, mom, dad.

Boy, what a day.

Ice skating, Chinese food,
sparkling conversation.

She's the greatest.

I'm telling you, mom,
I feel young again.

M-maybe this wasn't
the right time to tell him.

Steven, this has definitely
gone too far!

They've had Chinese food
together!

We didn't have
Chinese food together

till we'd been married
for two years!

Let's just be thankful

they haven't had Moroccan food
together.

Remember what happened
the first time we had that?

Hey, hey, hey.

It's got to stop, mom.

All we did was ask him
how his old lady was.

Girls, we'd like to talk
to Alex.

Good idea... let's get
this thing out in the open.

Alone?

Well, we've never been
so insulted in our lives.

But hey.

Shall we, Jen?

They're such children.

Alex, your mother and I
have been talking.

Hey, good for you.

Lorraine says talking is good
for a relationship.

Well, it's funny
you should mention Lorraine.

She's what we were
talking about.

Oh?

We think you should
stop seeing her.

- What do you mean?
- Alex...

You're 17 and she's 40.

She is not 40.

She'll be 40 in July.

You don't see
any of your old friends.

You're never home.

You lapse into French
for no apparent reason!

Au contraire, mom.

Alex, we... we just don't
want to see you get hurt.

Dad, I'm not gonna get hurt.

And there is nothing lurid
about this relationship.

She's my friend.

I feel comfortable with her.

It's like being with you, mom.

Well, then spend more time
with me.

Don't judge Lorraine
without knowing her.

Let... let me invite her over
for an evening, okay?

For dinner. Please?

Okay. How's Saturday?

Swell.

Hi, Melissa.
How's my little girl?

Believe me, Alex,
staring out the window

won't get her here any faster.

Ah! There she is.

What'd I tell you?

Uh, mom, Lorraine's here!

Yeah. Dad, sit up.

Good. Don't slouch.

Try and look like
you've been to Europe.

I'll go put on my lederhosen.

Good. Good.

Oh. Oh, I can't believe
you're gonna wear that.

Why?
Were you planning on wearing it?

Good evening, Alex.

Good evening, Lorraine.

Welcome to chateau Keaton.

Uh, you remember my mom and dad.

- Hello.
- Hi.

Nice to see you again.

Uh, let's... let's sit.

Yeah. Please.
Right over here, uh, Lorraine.

Okay. Well... Here she is.

Here I am.

- Yes, you are.
- Yes, you are.

Welcome to our son.

Home.

O-our sunny home.

Thank you.
It's a pleasure to be here.

Alex, uh, tells us
you're French.

He's right.

Alex, maybe Lorraine would like
something to drink.

Oh, yeah.

Uh, would you care for
an apéritif?

Well, thank you, monsieur.

Yes.

"Monsieur."

I love that.

Well, you take good care of her.
I shall return.

You are to be commended.

He's been so beautifully
brought up.

It's almost as if he's
a throwback to another era.

Turn of the century.

There's something I must ask.

I think I know what it is.

Elyse, nobody is more surprised
about Alex and me than I am.

Oh, I'm not too sure about that.

My husband is gone,

and Alex has turned out to be
a great companion for me.

He's brought
a certain joie de vivre

that I don't think
I've ever felt before.

It's thrilling.

That's the way joie de vivre is.

Lorraine...

I'm happy that you've had
a-a good experience...

You're a mother.
You must know how I feel.

Let me assure you

that I have no designs upon Alex
beyond friendship.

Lorraine, you've been frank
with us,

so we'll return the favor.

We feel that you're simply
too old for Alex.

Well, I-I'm sorry.
It's nothing personal.

He's letting
his schoolwork slide.

He doesn't see
any of his old friends.

We feel he should spend
more time

with someone his own age.

Well, you are his parents.

And if you don't
want me to see him,

I will abide by your wishes.

T-that doesn't mean
you have to leave.

I'm afraid it does.

Good night.

Steven, did we do
the right thing?

We had to do something.

Where's Lorraine?

She's gone.

What do you...
What do you mean, she's gone?

We told her how we felt.
I'm afraid we hurt her feelings.

Oh...

We didn't mean
for her to leave, Alex.

You know...

You didn't even
give her a chance.

You had no right
to treat her that way!

Alex, we apologize.
I'm very sorry.

"Sorry."

What good is sorry?!

You know, I'm...

I'm a man.

You have to treat me like a man!
Do you understand?

You're gonna have to learn
to let go.

Dinner is served.

Of course, we can keep it warm.

♪ ...Be my Lorraine ♪

Hello?

Hi. Do you have Glen Gray's
Casa Lma Orchestra

playing "Tuxedo Junction"?

I'm only playing
"Sweet Lorraine" tonight, sir.

Yeah, we're into the second hour

of the first annual
sweet Lorraine-athon.

And here's the
big band all-stars of 1944,

with their very special
interpretation

of "Sweet Lorraine."

♪ I just found joy ♪

♪ I'm as happy as a baby boy ♪

♪ with another brand-new... ♪

Catchy tune.

Yeah.

♪ when I met... ♪

W-where have you been?

I've been calling you
for four days.

I know.

Oh, I, uh, I guess you're angry
about the other night.

No.

No, I'm not angry.

I just needed some time
to sort things out.

What things?

Alex, you're 17 years old.

And I am almost 40.

Does it make any sense at all

for us to spend so much time
together?

Chronological age
means nothing, Lorraine.

Uh, a good friend of mine
told me that once.

I believed her.

Oh, Alex,
you mean so much to me.

I haven't felt so alive
in 20 years.

Me either.

Okay, 17.

I know how you feel.

Your parents feel so strongly
about this.

I feel uncomfortable
going against their wishes.

How do your parents feel
about it?

Who am I gonna go
to Swedish movies with?

And my ice skating
was really coming along...

If I could just learn to stop.

Well, we can still see
each other from time to time.

But don't stop doing
the things you used to do.

Oh.

Uh, you... you mean I-i should
date girls my own age?

Yes, amongst other things.

I just don't want you to stop

leading the life
of a 17-year-old.

I've never led the life
of a 17-year-old.

Give it a try.

I'll try.

Bye.

♪ everything that's beautiful ♪

♪ everything that's good
and true ♪