Next in my Daily Book Excerpt:
Another Clifford Odets play – and this one is probably the most well-known of his plays (although I do not believe it is his best)- Golden Boy
It was turned into a movie, first of all, a couple of times. The play is still done (more so than Odets’ other plays). It has a much more simplistic plot than, say, Paradise Lost (excerpt here) – and not just simplistic, but kind of creaky and phony in sections. Odets really shows the playwright puppet strings, I think. You can feel him working for effect, manipulating events. It has some phenomenal scenes – and maybe the most famous love scene he’s ever written. I myself know huge chunks of the scene by heart because of how many times I have seen it done in acting classes and workshops. (“He stiffened the space between my shoulder blades. Misery reached out to misery.”) It’s a huge favorite of actors (for obvious reasons). But all in all: Golden Boy is Odets’ most simplistic play.
I did a production of this in Chicago – a very memorable experience. I played Anna Bonaparte, the giggly pleasure-loving sister of Joe Bonaparte (the lead character).
But here’s the famous love scene I was talking about. It’s between Joe Bonaparte and Lorna Moon. Joe Bonaparte: an Italian kid, who has an aptitude for boxing. But also he has an aptitude for playing violin. (oh no! What shall we do? We Americans all have split personalitieis!!) Should Joe become a boxer – which essentially means turning his back on art??? Or should he become an artist – which essentilally means turning his back on making a buck??? Oh no, what should Joe do??? The plot itself kind of creaks along, it’s not natural, BUT … despite all of that: there is some dialogue in this play that would knock you on your ass. Odets at his very best. Oh, and Lorna Moon is the tough broad who is the girlfriend/gun moll of Joe Bonaparte’s boxing manager (Tom Moody). Lorna’s had a tough life, and the broad is HARD. At least seemingly so. She is a fantastic part. Because, of course, she has HUGE vulnerability beneath that tough exterior. Actresses have a great time withi this character.
So here’s their “love scene”. They have started to take long walks in Central Park together … Lorna is another man’s girlfriend, so there’s no question of anything between them. However, her boyfriend treats her like shit, and Joe sees that, and hates it. Joe is naive about women. He wants to save her.
That’s enough – you can figure out the rest for yourself. It’s a great scene.
EXCERPT FROM Golden Boy
[Lorna and Joe sit on the same park bench]
JOE. Some nights I wake up — my heart’s beating a mile a minute! Before I open my eyes I know what it is — the feeling that someone’s standing at my bed. Then I open my eyes … it’s gone — ran away!
LORNA. Maybe it’s that old fiddle of yours.
JOE. Lorna, maybe it’s you …
LORNA. Don’t you ever think of it anymore — music?
JOE. What’re you trying to remind me of? A kid with a Buster Brown collar and a violin case tucked under his arm? Does that sound appetizing to you?
LORNA. Not when you say it that way. You said it different once …
JOE. What’s on your mind, Lorna?
LORNA. What’s on yours?
JOE. [simply] You … You’re real for me — the way music was real.
LORNA. You’ve got your car, your career – what do you want with me?
JOE. I develop the ability to knock down anyone my weight. But what point have I made? Don’t you think I know that? I went off to the wars ’cause someone called me a name — because I wanted to be two other guys. Now it’s happening … I’m not sure I like it.
LORNA. Moody’s against that car of yours.
JOE. I’m against Moody, so we’re even.
LORNA. Why don’t you like him?
JOE. He’s a manager. He treats me like a possession! I’m just a little silver mine for him — he bangs me around with a shovel!
LORNA. He’s helped you —
JOE. No, Tokio’s helped me. Why don’t you give him up? It’s terrible to have just a Tuesday-night girl. Why don’t you belong to me every night of the week? Why don’t you teach me love? … Or am I being a fool?
LORNA. You’re not a fool, Joe.
JOE. I want you to be my family, my life — Why don’t you do it, Lorna, why?
LORNA. He loves me.
JOE. I love you!
LORNA. [treading delicately] Well … Anyway, the early bird got the worm. Anyway, I can’t give him anguish. I … I know what it’s like. You shouldn’t kick Moody around. He’s poor compared to you. You’re alive, you’ve got yourself — I can’t feel sorry for you!
JOE. But you don’t love him!
LORNA. I’m not much interested in myself. But the thing I like best about you … you still feel like a flop. It’s mysterious, Joe. It makes me put my hand out. [She gives him her hand and he grasps it]
JOE. I feel very close to you, Lorna.
LORNA. I know …
JOE. And you feel close to me. But you’re afraid —
LORNA. Of what?
JOE. To take a chance! Lorna darling, you won’t let me wake you up! I feel it all the time — you’re half dead, and you don’t know it!
LORNA. [half smiling] Maybe I do.
JOE. Don’t smile — don’t be hardboiled!
LORNA. [sincerely] I’m not.
JOE. Don’t you trust me?
LORNA. [evasively] Why start what we can’t finish?
JOE. [fiercely] Oh, Lorna, deep as my voice will reach — listen!! Why can’t you leave him? Why?
LORNA. Don’t pull my dress off — I hear you.
JOE. Why?
LORNA. Because he needs me and you don’t —
JOE. That’s not true!
LORNA. Because he’s a desperate guy who always starts out with two strikes against him. Because he’s a kid at forty-two and you’re a man at twenty-two.
JOE. You’re sorry for him?
LORNA. What’s wrong with that?
JOE. But what do you get?
LORNA. I told you before I don’t care.
JOE. I don’t believe it.
LORNA. I can’t help that!
JOE. What did he ever do for you?
LORNA. [with sudden verve] Would you like to know? He loved me in a world of enemies, of stags and bulls! … And I loved him for that. He picked me up in Friskin’s hotel on 39th Street. I was nine weeks behind in rent. I hadn’t hit the gutter yet, but I was near. He washed my face and combed my hair. He stiffened the space between my shoulder blades. Misery reached out to misery —
JOE. And now you’re dead.
LORNA. [lashing out] I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about!
JOE. Yes, you do …
LORNA. [withdrawing] Ho hum …
[There is silence. The soft park music plays in the distance. The traffic lights change. Lorna is trying to appear impassive. Joe begins to whistle softly. Finally Lorna picks up the last note and continues; he stops. He picks up her note and after he whistles a few phrases she picks him up again. This whistling duet continues for almost a minute. Then the traffic lights change again.]
LORNA. [beginning in a low voice] You make me feel too human, Joe. All I want is peace and quiet, not love. I’m a tired old lady, Joe, and I don’t mind being what you call “half dead”. In fact it’s what I like. [Her voice mounting higher] The twice I was in love I took an awful beating and I don’t want it again! [Now half crying] I want you to stop it! Don’t devil me, Joe. I beg you, don’t devil me … let me alone …. [She cries softly. Joe reaches out and takes her hand. He gives her a handkerchief which she uses]
LORNA. [finally] That’s the third time I cried in my life.
JOE. Now I know you love me.
LORNA. [bitterly] Well …
JOE. I’ll tell Moody.
LORNA. Not yet. Maybe he’d kill you if he knew.
JOE. Maybe.
LORNA. Then Fuseli’d kill him … I guess I’d be left to kill myself. I’ll tell him …
JOE. When?
LORNA. Not tonight.
JOE. Swiftly, do it swiftly —
LORNA. Not tonight.
JOE. Everything’s easy if you do it swiftly.
LORNA. He went up there tonight with six hundred bucks to bribe her into divorce.
JOE. Oh …
LORNA. [sadly] He’s a good guy, neat all over — sweet. I’ll tell himtomorrow. I’d like a drink.
JOE. Let’s drive over the Washington Bridge.
LORNA. [standing] No, I’d like a drink.
JOE. [standing and facing her] Lorna, when I talk to you … something moves in my heart. Gee, it’s the beginning of a wonderful life! A man and his girl! A warm living girl who shares your room …
LORNA. Take me home with you.
JOE. Yes.
LORNA. But how do I know you love me?
JOE. Lorna …
LORNA. How do I know it’s true? You’ll get to be the champ. They’ll all want you, all the girls! But I don’t care! I’ve been undersea a long time! When they’d put their hands on me I used to say, “This isn’t it! This isn’t what I mean!” It’s been a mysterious world for me! But Joe, I think you’re it! I don’t know why, I think you’re it. Take me home with you.
JOE. Lorna!
LORNA. Poor Tom …
JOE. Poor Lorna! [The rest is embrace and kiss and clutching each other.]
Slow Fadeout
