Lost Classic That Never Was – Part 7

Lost Classic That Never Was – Part 7

There’s more of the Bill and Rosie story in this bit… Oh yeah, and Dominique ‘punishes’ herself.

Part 7 – here it is.

Patricia Neal and Raymond Massey
Inexplicably Dominique proposes to Gail and, bless him, he immediately accepts without hesitation or condition.

I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to post this. I had this idea that I was going to use these scenes as a sort of commentary on Brexit. Luckily I had second thoughts when I realised if I came across something like that I would probably find it so irritating I might punch the screen – even if I agreed with the general view point. Sometimes, most times, it’s best to state plainly what you think. So this bit of madness isn’t the place for that.

Next I set out about making a point about Superman versus the Last Man. It was something I was going to go on about in the intro to Part 4 but then I was sick that week, so I just hurriedly posted that part 4 without really doing the intro bit. I did actual write it over the weekend but it ended up going somewhere I didn’t intend, making a much more serious point – but in a very long-winded, plodding, rambling sort of way. It’s a bit … I don’t know … but I am going post it, there’s stuff there I do want to say. But definitely it ends up too serious for this.

Then there was one final thing I was going to mention for this bit. A bit of daftness and totally related to You Can Take Your Fountainhead With You And Swing It. So whenever I write some bit of a story I have this imaginary reader who is following the story as I write it that reacts … whenever. Probably how everybody writes, right? So I’ve changed Ellsworth Toohey’s character to be basically a nice guy and you see part of his sweetness when he visits Peter and Ann at their new office. Ann is really surprised by how different he is to what she was expecting and she says she ended up wanting to just give him a big hug. Peter says “Never do that, Ann. – Never.”. Imaginary Reader was really upset by this line. (I know this sounds weird – I just have an overactive imagination.) So in case you are like my imaginary reader, thinking ‘what would be wrong with hugging nice Mr. Toohey?’ this is reason – This Mr. Toohey likes to see himself as a wolf, an ace manipulator of people and situations, but in fact he’s really a bit of a lamb and a good friend to many people. He might be OK with some young suitor when they are alone treating him like a lamb, but if Ann or anyone in public were to treat him that way he wouldn’t like it, he would be highly insulted and he’d feel as if she’d ripped off his mask to laugh at him. She’d basically make an enemy of him. Ann is pretty straightforward and would never understand this. The world Peter is from is one where most people wear masks so he gets this without being told. He knows Ann needs to be told.

What else in this part? Well, Dominique visits Howard after the party. She, very anguishedly, proposes to him, on the condition that he gives up on the whole being an architect thing, coz she’s sure he won’t make it and they will destroy him and she can’t bear to watch it happen, instead she proposes that they get married and live a boring life where he will take a boring job and she will cook and clean for him – because apparently the idea of her bringing any of her wealth into the marriage is out of the question. Funnily enough, Howard doesn’t accept her enticing offer. The scene ends with them entwined in a passionate embrace – in 1940s movies that means they got it on.

Filled with remorse at being unable to give herself to the man she truly loves, Dominique sets out to punish herself. By eating loads of junk food and putting on a heap of weight? No. By hitting the booze and dope hard? No. By sleeping with a string of undesirable people to convince herself it doesn’t matter? This is a 1940s movie you know. So no. No. She runs off and proposes to a millionaire who loves her unconditionally. … You’ve got to admire her really. Fair play Dominique.

Raymond Massey as Gail Wynand in You Can Take Your Fountainhead With You And Swing It.
Incidentally, since it is of no importance to you, I love you.

And there’s more about Bill and Rosie’s relationship. But you’ll have to read it to find out what happens.

James Stewart and Lionnel Barrymore as Bill and Pop in You Can Take Your Fountainhead With You And Swing It.
Mother was the exact same when she was expecting Rosie.
Spring Byington as Mrs. Mitchell in the lost classic that never was.
Mrs. Mitchell looks worriedly towards the bathroom door.
Robert Douglas and Gary Cooper in the neverwas classic You Can Take Your Fountainhead With You And Swing It.
Why don’t you tell me what you think of me in any words you wish?
Jean Arthur as Ann Kirby
He’s a lamb.
Douglas Fairbanks Jr as Peter Keating.
I told you.
Raymond Massey and Patricia Neal in The Fountainhead
Dominique and Gail Wynand step out of a registry office and are cheered on their way by a crowd
Ginger Rogers and Gene Tierney
It doesn’t look right on me.
Jimmy Stewart as Bill Kirby in that neverwas classic You Can Take Your Fountainhead With You And Swing It.
I’m glad you’re home.
Ginger Rogers as Rosie in The Lost Classic That Never Was
She turns around and there are tears in her eyes.
Ginger Rogers and Jimmy Stewart at Totts.
Bill and Rosie smile and look a little awkward.

Oh yes, this bit ends with the start of God Bless The Child – a song co-written by Billie Holiday.

Part 7 – in case you missed it above.

And here is the first half of that lost classic that never was You Can Take Your Fountainhead With You And Swing It.