 Lux presents Hollywood. The Lux Radio Theatre brings you Loretta Young and Miriam Hopkins in The Old Maid. And as our special guest, Miss Zoe Akin's author of The Old Maid. Ladies and gentlemen, your producer, Mr. Cecil B. DeMille. Greetings from Hollywood, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight we bring you the drama of a strange masquerade. The story of a woman who remade herself for the eyes of the world, who suppressed forever the yearnings of a great heart and lived a magnificent lie. Charlotte Lovell was called an Old Maid, but tonight we reveal her romantic secret. We go back to the days when she was young and beautiful and discover the reason for the deliberate sacrifice that her life became. The Old Maid is an intimate play, so intimate that it could never have been written by a man. It reveals too great a knowledge of the feminine mind and heart. And to this knowledge, Miss Zoe Akin's, who adapted the play from a story by Edith Wharton, brought a deep human sympathy which gave her characters a universal appeal on both stage and screen. The Old Maid was a Pulitzer Prize drama on Broadway and recently became a memorable Warner Brothers picture. In studying the script for the first time, it occurred to me that the term Old Maid is gradually passing from use. Today we have bachelor girls and single women, but few Old Maids. Perhaps that's because the words denote a rather drab appearance. And nowadays a dull drab appearance is old-fashioned when the help-like-luck's toilet soap is available. In tonight's play, the roles of Charlotte Lovell and her cousin Delia are of equal prominence, which presented an unusual casting problem. We needed two actresses who could be convincing both as girls of 20 and women of middle age. And we needed stars who were willing to appear unsympathetic at times for the sake of the play. And we found them in Loretta Young and Miriam Hopkins. And now we begin a story as old as the human race and as new as the sacrifice some mother must have made today. The Old Maid, starring Loretta Young as Charlotte and Miriam Hopkins as Delia. The curtain rises on Act One. In the past hundred years, the tempo of life has quickened and the ideas of a century past have been laid aside with the quaint dress and customs of their day. But one great ritual has remained almost constant. The wedding. Then as now there was the same hurried attention to last-minute details. Then as now the bride waited in her room, waited for the knock on the door which would summon her to her bridesmaids and the groom. The year is 1833. Our bride in a lovely old-fashioned wedding gown turns this way and that in front of her mirror, while her maid smooths out the lacy folds of the long white veil. You don't seem a bit nervous, Miss Delia. Nervous? Oh, no, I don't think I am. I wish I wasn't. I wouldn't be so clumsy. Landud think it was me getting married. I mean, my hand shakes so. Oh, take your time, Nora. We've still a few moments. You was always one to take things calm. You're not superstitious either, are you, Miss Delia? Oh, not very. All the same, you ought to have something borrowed and something blue. I know something old and something new. Well, my lace is old and everything else is new. But I've nothing borrowed and I've nothing blue. I'd feel easier in my mind if you had. Oh, Nora, then you'll have to lend me something. But what if I got missed that you'd wear? No, let me see. A garter. Lend me a garter. Gracious. Do you mean it, Miss Delia? Yes, of course. Why not? Well, please to look the other way then. Go ahead. I don't see you, Nora. It's your cousin, Miss. Charlotte. Oh, of course, Charlotte. I have something for you, Delia. Oh, how pretty you look. Did you, Nora? No, Miss. I could hardly believe me eyes. It must be the dress. No, I, of course, is the dress, Nora. I don't often have a dress that's been made especially for me. Here's the garter, Miss Delia. Thank you. This is something borrowed, Charlotte. You haven't anything blue I could carry, have you? It's odd you should ask me that, Delia. Here. This is blue. What is it? A cameo. It's a present for you, Delia. A present? From whom? From Clem Spender. Clem Spender? Here we go, Nora. Yes, Miss. Charlotte, tell me. He asked me to give it to you. But I thought Clem was in Italy. He came home today just in time for your wedding. He hadn't heard you were going to marry someone else, Delia. He thought you must be ill because you'd stop writing. Oh, Charlotte, I'm afraid... Of what? Of Clem. Of what he might say or do. Oh, you know Clem. There'll be champagne, and if he should take a glass too much, we'll watch him, Charlotte, will you? And be kind to him. I don't see how anyone could ever be unkind to Clem. Oh, don't. Please don't. Why, I didn't know you cared that much to me. You knew I loved him. I knew you told him so. Why, I wasn't crying. No, no, you won't cry. You won't cry if you keep saying to yourself, over and over, I'm marrying a Ralston. I am marrying Jim Ralston. Oh, yes, I'm marrying a Ralston, and I'm glad. Yes. You know, you know, Delia, when Clem went to Italy to study painting, you promised to wait for him. I did wait. I waited almost two years. If Clem wanted a wife, he should have stayed here and made something of himself. Oh, Delia, why didn't you have the kindness, at least, to write to Clem that you were going to marry someone else? I intended to. I... I tried to. But you were ashamed. No. No, I wasn't ashamed. I... Oh, I'm fond of Jim, and it seems so hopeless to wait for Clem. I couldn't bear to be an old maid, Charlotte. I shall be an old maid, because the man I love doesn't love me and not for any other reason. Charlotte? Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't know there was anyone known as ever known. But I would have waited for him all my life. You think so, but life doesn't stop. Oh, a woman gets lonely. She wants children in a home of her own. I could have waited. Oh. There's the wedding march, Delia. Yes. I'm ready. All right. Remember, watch Clem. Oh, I'll not forget. Here's your present. Something blue. Oh, Charlotte. I'm trembling, so... Let no man put us under. I now pronounce you man and wife. Wasn't she beautiful, Miss Charlotte? Nora, where is Mr. Spender? Where did he go? He went by through the hall. Miss Todd, the balcony. Oh, thank you, Nora. She seemed very happy, didn't she? Yes. Well, why not? She's married to a fine person and rich. We mustn't forget that, must we? The Ralston Millions. How important they must be to her. Oh, Clem, please don't. Oh, don't pity me, Charlotte. I don't want pity. I'm glad, because you don't need pity, Glen. If Delia wanted the things that, well, Jim Ralston could give her, if she wanted them more than she wanted you, you could never have been happy, could you? I might have been. I might have made her happy, too. Why didn't she give me the chance? What will you do now? No. Go back to Italy, I suppose. There's a packet sailing next week. Oh, is that wise? I mean, to go off alone? You shouldn't be alone now, Clem. You should have friends around you now. Someone who could, well, help you forget, perhaps. Who? Well, I could try, Clem, if you'd let me. Oh, I'd like to try. Well, Charlotte... Oh, please. Please don't look at me like that. Don't make me feel ashamed of myself, Clem. Charlotte, forgive me. You're so very sweet. And you could help. I'm sure you could. Oh, Clem. Let me through, please. Here's the moment, lady. All visitors are assured. Yes, I know. We're sailing in ten minutes. I know, I'm a passenger. Oh, good evening. Go round aboard. Oh, thank you. Mind that hoist. And it's dark. I'll be careful. There are the decks there. Do you want someone hurt? Move along now, ma'am. The tide's over the shore from the hour. You weren't going to make it? Well, I had to wait till they were all asleep. Charlotte. Yes? Are you quite sure you're not sorry? Oh, no, my darling. I'll never be sorry. Well, I'll let you unpack your things. All right. I'll be out on deck. Clem. Clem, I must write a note to Aunt Carrie. Of course. I'll have a boy come to pick it up. All right. Goodbye for a while, darling. Kiss me. Oh, Charlotte. Goodbye, sweetheart. Dear, perhaps someday I may be forgiven for what I am doing. I love Clem Spender. I have always loved him. And I must try to make up for the hurt he has suffered. I believe I can. By the time you receive this, we shall be far at sea. Please tell Delia. Explain to her that... Oh, yes? Who is it? First mate, ma'am. Well, come in, please. Sorry. Are you Mrs. Spender? Why, I... Is anything the matter? Quiet, ma'am. Quiet. Well, what is it, please? Mrs. Spender, there's been an accident. What? It was unavoidable, ma'am. The boom swung fast. And I guess he didn't see it. Where is he? He hurt badly? Oh, please, ma'am. Well, tell me, please. Ma'am, your husband's dead. Dr. Lanskill is here, Miss Delia. Lanskill, how are you, doctor? Good morning, my dear. And many happy returns of the day. Oh, thank you, doctor. And many happy returns from me, too, Miss Delia. And thank you, Nora. Miss Delia. Miss Delia. I've been married exactly six years, and Nora still can't get used to it. Perhaps because you're still as lovely as a bride. Miss Delia. Oh, doctor. Sit down. I'm so glad you've come. You seem to be looking quite well. Oh, it wasn't for me. I wanted to speak to you about Charlotte. Oh. What's the matter with Charlotte? Well, I don't know. Perhaps nothing, but... Doctor, you know she's going to marry Jim's brother next month. Of course. Why? Well, I've been Jim Ralston's wife for six years. When Charlotte becomes a Ralston, she'll learn they're very exacting about some things. Go on. Doctor, is there any reason why Charlotte shouldn't marry Joseph Ralston? None, whatever, so far as I know. I'm talking about her health. You remember about five years ago, she took a trip south. She was gone almost a year. Yes, sir. Lung fever. Yes. Oh, but you may take my word, Delia. There's no danger of a recurrence. Charlotte is perfectly well. Oh, thank you, doctor. I am relieved. But I thought she was looking badly lately, and I was afraid. Well, I imagine it was just overwork. I don't see why she does it, really. You mean the nursery? Yes. Taking a lot of strange children for charity, say. Seems to me they'd be better off at their homes. Perhaps, but she's doing a fine work, Delia, and she likes children. You go there often, don't you? Yes, I'm going today as a matter of fact. Charlotte asked me if I'd drop by and look at one of her little girls. Doctor, do you suppose she'll miss it after she's married? Miss the nursery? Because she'll have to give it up, of course. Joseph will insist. Will he? Oh, if I know Charlotte, my dear, she may do a little insisting herself. Oh, wow. Hi, children. Hi. And remember, be early tomorrow. We will. Good night, Miss Charlotte. Good night, dear. Good night. Good night. Good night. Bridget, Bridget, where are you? Coming, Miss Novel. Tina, supper's on the table now. Oh, thank you, Bridget. Tina, dear, your supper's ready. I want to play. I know you do, darling. But aren't you hungry? No, ma'am. Well, just the same. You must eat. I'll run along in the kitchen. All right. That's a good girl. Bridget, did you give Tina her milk today? Oh, yes, ma'am. Oh, thank you. I'm afraid Tina needs more attention than the others. Yes. I noticed she was a little pighead. Well, it's not only that. She's had a cold, of course, but, well, the chief difficulty is that she's very shy and the other children like to tease her because... because she's a foundling. May I come in? Oh, Dr. Lanskill, of course. I have brought some very distinguished guests to see you. Well, here, let me light the illuminating gas in the passage. Too late, Charlotte. Delia. Well, how nice of you to come. And, Joseph. Good evening, darling. I told Delia I was stopping by to see you and she wanted to come. Oh, not of her own free will. She's never been here before, you know. But that doesn't mean I haven't been interested, Charlotte. Of course not. Where are all the children? Oh, they must have gone by this time, haven't they, Charlotte? Well, all but one. She, uh... She lives here with Bridget. She lives here? Yes. Oh, may we see her? Well, uh... Oh, yes, of course. Uh, Bridget, will you bring Tina in, please? Yes, ma'am. How is her cold, Charlotte? Well, I thought you might look at her, doctor. Oh, come in, dear. This is Tina. Good evening, Tina. Don't be shy, darling. This is Mrs. Ralston, Tina. And how what do you do? Creepy. Oh, that's right. Tina, Tina what? What's your other name, child? Clementina? No. Your other name. She doesn't understand, either. How old are you, Clementina? You're five, dear. Five? And don't you know your parents' name, Clementina? No, she doesn't. Oh. Bridget. Bridget, you better take Tina now. Yes, ma'am. Oh, no, let her stay a moment. Do you want to stay, Tina? Yes, ma'am. I'd like to stay if you do. Well... Oh, affectionate. Yes, ma'am. I've never thought I'd take to anybody like that before. She's very sweet, isn't she? Tina, Bridget is waiting there. Good night. Good night. Good night, Tina. Oh, she's a lovely child. I wouldn't worry about her cold, Charlotte. She looks much better today. Delia, I'm afraid I've got to run. Can I drop you at the house? Oh, so soon. Well, if I must. Goodbye, Charlotte, dear. Goodbye, Delia, and thank you for coming. Good night, Charlotte. Good night, doctor. Are you coming, Joseph? I'll see you later. All right. Good night. Well, are you ready, Charlotte? To go? Oh, no, I have some things to do yet, Joseph. Can't they wait, dear? I'm afraid not. Charlotte, do these children need all of your time? Well, no, not all. Why? Well, no, I should think you could spare some for me. I'm very jealous, Charlotte. Jealous of my waves? Oh, darling, you needn't be. Well, you can give me what I want most for them. What is that? Oh, your interest, your advice, your presence. My presence? Where? Here, Joe, with me. Charlotte, you're not really counting on still coming here every day after we're married. I certainly. It never occurred to me that I wouldn't. It never occurred to me that you would. Well, why shouldn't I? Why should you? Well, you know because of all these unfortunate children mean to me and all I mean to them, because it's my duty. Duty? A married woman's first duty is to her husband or home. Joseph, you mean because I'm making a good marriage, I'm supposed to get rid of these poor darlings as if they were dolls I'd finish playing with? Oh, no, I can't. I won't. Well, they need me, Joe. And I need you. Oh, but it's not the same. I'd be giving them only a little part of each day. Why can't I do that? Because people might think it is. Oh, people, that shows your roast and Joe, afraid of everything that everybody else doesn't do. Charlotte. It's not fair of you to ask me to give up these children. Very well, it's not fair, but I ask it all the same. Joseph, let's not talk anymore. Not now. Goodbye, Joseph. After that, after all, what I'm asking isn't much. You, you'll see that. I'll be waiting for you to send for me when you do see me. Did you call, ma'am? Why, I, oh, no, I just wanted to see Tina to, uh, to kiss her good night. Here she is, ma'am, already prepared. Good night, Tina. Good night. Oh, my darling, my sweet little angel. Why, Charlotte? What are you doing here at this hour? May I speak to you, Delia? For certainly, darling. What's the matter? Delia, I want you to help me. Help you? With Joe. Delia, he wants me to give up my children. Oh, well, of course he does. Not any man would. But I can't. I told him I can't. Well, now you must try to be sensible, Charlotte. Whether you agree with Joe or not, you must realize you'll never have another chance like this. After all, one's own babies have the first claim. That's just it. How can I give up my own baby? Yours. Which of the poor waves do you call your baby? I call my baby. My own baby, Delia. Your own? Yes. My little girl, Tina. No. Yes, she's mine. She's mine, Delia. Oh, my poor darling. Oh, Charlotte. Tell me everything. Oh, what do you want me to tell you? That's all you need to know. You, you love someone. Oh, my poor Charlotte. I can't give up my own baby, can I? I can't, Delia. No, no, of course not. We must think of some way. Hold it. Delia, if you could talk to Joseph, persuade him that no harm can cover my going on with my nursery. Oh, please, Delia. Oh, don't cry like that. I'll do my best to help you. Delia, if only you can. If, if you could just tell Joe. No, I couldn't. He'd never forgive me for that, you know that. No, you're right. You couldn't tell him, of course. Charlotte, when was it? When you went south that time? Yes, Delia. Then Dr. Lanskel knew, didn't he? Yes. Yes, he was very kind to me. But he can't help me now. You're the only one I can turn to, Delia. Oh, if I only knew what to do. If there was only something I... Well, Charlotte, we're talking as if, as if there went someone else to consider Tina's father. Does he know? No. You never told him. Well, I couldn't. Why? Why, darling, you? Because he's dead. Dead? Yes. Charlotte, don't you want to tell me who it was? Oh, it doesn't matter, Delia. You wouldn't understand it. But how can I help you if you don't trust me? What happened? I told you all you need to know. How did he die? Was it six years ago? He was killed. An accident. Delia. Clem, Clemspender. Yes, you and Clemspender. Oh, Charlotte, how could you? When he didn't even pretend to love you. Oh, I knew you wouldn't understand. I shouldn't have told you, Delia. No, I don't understand. Hadn't you any pride at all? Well, you needn't be so contentious. I've never been sorry. Not really sorry, Delia. Now you've come to me. Well, what do you expect me to do? Oh, have you forgotten so soon that you were going to help me? Well, what can I do? Do you think you can marry Joe with a thing like that on your conscience? But what he doesn't know, what nobody knows, can't hurt him, Delia. And I'll make up for it in other ways. Oh, he won't be sorry he married me. But you don't love him as much as you love Clemspender. Well, I... I love him differently, perhaps. As you love Jim. Oh. Differently. And I need Joe's love. Well, I... I don't know what to say. I can't think. You must give me time. No, there is no time, Delia. I must decide now, tonight, and I can't think either. Please, dearly, do something. Whatever you do, you can't make things worse. Whatever happens... Yes? You'll have to trust me. Leave it entirely in my hands. To do it, I think, best. Yes. Yes, sir. I trust you, dearly. That was the first act of the Old Babe. Act two sets the course that determines the rest of Charlotte's life. But during this intermission, Mr. Ruick has a short presentation for you. Before our stars Loretta Young and Miriam Hopkins return in act two of the Old Maid, let's hear what our trio have on their minds this evening. Hello, Mr. Ruick. What's on your mind? Hello, girls. Well, first of all, I've been wanting to ask you what it was you were humming just before the show tonight. Oh, everyone's humming it, Mr. Ruick. It's called an 18th-century drawing room. Oh, yes. It's a very romantic song about two old-fashioned lovers, the man in silk and lace, and the girl. Yes, the girl. What was she like? Well... Here is one thing that we know This must have had a smooth complexion It is natural to assume For she was enchanting in that 18th-century drawing It was in love with her name today Gentlemen still prefer... Girls, you've turned the description of a beautiful girl in an 18th-century drawing room right into a message to girls in 20th-century living rooms Well, we want to remind them how lucky they are to have swift, easy complexion care We want to be sure they appreciate luxe-toilet soap Most women do because luxe-toilet soap is real beauty soap It makes your skin feel so much softer and smoother That's because luxe-toilet soap, active lather, removes every bit of dust and dirt that might otherwise remain to choke your pores Active lather gives you the protection of perfect cleansing And every woman knows how important that is to complexion beauty Don't take any chances on losing your complexion appeal Use the soap that nine out of ten famous Hollywood stars use every day And never forget that three-minute luxe-toilet soap complexion care at bedtime Smooth, soft skin is so important to your appearance Your charm Why don't you decide now to get three cakes of gentle, white luxe-toilet soap tomorrow? Our producer, Mr. DeMille Starring Miriam Hopkins as Delia and Loretta Young as Charlotte with Helen Wood as Tina Only a few minutes have passed Shocked and jealous at the news that Tina is the child of Charlotte and Clems Bender Delia is determined to break up the marriage Downstairs in the dim candlelight of the drawing room She faces Joseph Ralston but cannot bring herself to tell him the truth Perhaps in her place, Joseph, I'd feel exactly as she does And since it seems to be a matter of deciding between you and the children Well, I don't see what you can do if she chooses them If she chooses them, it's because she thinks she's doing what is right In that case, I must be the one to give in Joseph, you mean you've decided that Charlotte's to do exactly as she likes in this matter? Exactly as she likes so long as she doesn't overtax her strength And I'm going to tell her so at once No, it's no use What? It's no use You were talking just now about her health I tell you, Charlotte can't marry you She can't marry anyone I don't understand you Charlotte's ill She's coughing again You know what that means She can't marry anyone, I tell you Ill? But why, why wasn't I told at once? Well, because, because Well, such things aren't easy to tell Charlotte ill Good evening Fine concert tonight, Delia You should have been there Is something wrong? Dr. Lansko Yes? When Charlotte went south five years ago It was for lung fever, wasn't it? Oh, I thought everyone knew that, Joe That disease is in her family, isn't it? Everyone knows that, too Why do you ask? Suppose she began coughing again Has she coughed? What would it mean? It would be a very bad sign, of course That's all Good night What did he mean, Delia? He's not going to marry her But I, I don't understand this Dr. Lansko Charlotte didn't go south because of her health I know why she went That's why she mustn't marry Joe Who decided that? I did With or without her consent? Without You've taken a great deal on yourself, Delia You think I've done wrong? I think it's a sacrilegious thing To lay so much as a finger on another person's destiny But she came to me herself to beg me to help her So she wouldn't have to give up her child This was the only way And I can make it up to her I'll take the baby into my own home Delia And Charlotte, too She'll have a proper home here Clemspender's child must have every advantage Clemspender's child I think I understand Good night Dr. Lansko Yes? You're right I've done a sacrilegious thing Deliberately The wisest of us make mistakes, my dear Sometimes we never learn Whether or not they were mistakes I hope yours wasn't Speak to Joseph Charlotte, you can't marry Joe, can you? And keep little Tina Well, not keep her with me No, but... Old dealer You're trying to tell me I must give her up I promised to help you to die But I didn't promise that you should marry Joe, too Well, I've done the best I could You and little Tina, she'll be together always But Joe, you didn't... You didn't tell him, Delia I couldn't bear that What did you tell him? That you were coughing again Oh, Delia Well, I had to tell him something If you were to keep the child Engagement had to be broken So you frightened him away I see He's dreadfully unhappy, but He accepts your decision My decision Well, mine then And if I don't accept your decision What if I tell him the truth? What if he should say he'd forgive me? If there'd been any hope of that Would you have come to me? Or give up these foolish thoughts, Charlotte And try to realize what it's going to mean To be with your child always That's what you wanted most, isn't it? Well, yes, but... Well, I've done what I could I've spoken to Jim about it You had to come here You and Tina Here? In this house? Yes But not as her mother Well, that would be impossible You must never know You realize that, don't you? Yes Yes, I do Don't shout at me Don't Everything will be all right Oh, I promise you You must have the best of schooling The very best Certainly, Mrs. Rom She must be treated as my own daughter Of course London and Rome I think that's sufficient For Miss Tina's first trip abroad You will do nicely, Mr. Harvey Thank you Oh, Nora, you've forgotten One of the candles On Miss Tina's birthday cake She'd never forgive me, Mum 18 of course Tina plays beautifully, doesn't she? Charlotte, did you hear me? Yes, Doctor I was saying, Tina plays very well Yes, she does But you'll be late for the ball Unless you start soon You know, when you consider How pleasant life is in this house You must feel a deep satisfaction In having managed to give Tina such a home If Tina's life has been pleasant in this house It's Delia who's made it so, not I She calls Delia mother We won't talk of your own sacrifices For the child Charlotte But Delia's done her best too Her best to spoil her From the day Jim died 12 years ago There's nothing now Nothing at all that Tina doesn't have Or can't have I ask him for it I must be going Doctor, are you leaving? Yes, Delia I have a patient to see on my way home Good night, Doctor Oh, Tina Let me see you You're very beautiful tonight We're going to a ball Doctor Lanz, can you know landing? Of course How do you do, sir? May I help you with your cotton? Thank you Well, good night all Good night Tina Yes, Charlotte Tina, the carriage has been waiting for 20 minutes And horses don't like standing on a cold night like this They're going now, Charlotte Yes, we're just going It doesn't matter if we're late at a ball It's not unbecoming to anyone To make a habit of being on time I know The early bird catches the worm Take care of the pennies And the pounds will take care of themselves Tina I see nothing to laugh at People who have no regard for punctuality Usually have no regard for other things And Charlotte, please Must always find fault with me You're not perfection, my child I know I'm not perfect Tina, dear, you'd better go I'll wait outside, Tina Very well Oh, mother, I wish you were coming too But this is a young people's ball doubt You're a young mother And Charlotte doesn't mind being alone Tina, please Mother, do you like my hair like this? Lanning said it's lovely I hope everyone likes it Tina, why must you always think That people are interested in you? Why shouldn't I? Aren't they? My dear, what would people think of you If you talk like that? Just what she deserves, probably Mother, tell Aunt Charlotte To stop finding fault with me Tina, Tina Someone must find fault sometimes You think mother spoils me, but she doesn't It's just that she understands me Why you don't Tina, don't speak to Aunt Charlotte Mother knows what it is to be young And have everyone fond of her Why are you? Now go Good night, mother Good night And don't be too late I suppose you felt you had to scold Tina Because of the way she spoke to me I wanted to realize what it is to be respectful She thinks I can't understand her Because she considers me an old maid Yes, a ridiculous, narrow-minded old maid What else can she ever think of? Oh, my dear Oh, you needn't pity me She's really mine I do scold her But I don't want to be hard on her As it is, I always practice what I'm going to say to her If it's anything important So I'll sound like an old maid Aunt talking and not a mother I know, Charlotte, I know Delia, have you noticed that Tina has changed? Changed? Since when? Since Lanning Halsey has been coming here so often It's very natural for him to come often He's very much in love with her Yes But do you dislike it? I mean as a husband for Tina Tina, I cannot afford to pick and choose But there's nothing against Lanning, is there? Except that he seems uncertain As to his choice of a profession Uncertainty about a profession May cause uncertainty about other things, too I don't understand you, Charlotte He hasn't asked Tina to marry him How could he? He earns nothing and his allowance will be stopped If he marries against his parents' wishes Oh, but Charlotte, you... Unfortunately, Delia, my girl has no fortune and no name And if the careful mother we know Has warned her son against becoming interested But after all, Tina's happy with us She doesn't need to marry anyone Tina, an old maid? Never! My child shall have her life! Charlotte, why do you twist my words? I mean that Tina's young, she isn't 20 yet She can wait No We've waited long enough You're thinking of Charlotte What are you going to do? I don't know You'd better go to bed, Delia There's no need in both of us waiting up for her And it's my duty, not yours Very well Good night, Charlotte Good night Probably walk through the snow What, Tina? You walked home with Lenny Why, you imprudent child in this wet snow You shouldn't do these things, Tina You were always a delicate child Do you know how late it is? Tina You must go, Lenny Not yet No one's about This is very wicked of us Is it? Why? I don't know Oh, Lenny, I loved it The snow and the moonlight And icy trees in the square And being with you last all alone What are you doing? I'm taking off your wet slippers I loved it too But I should have taken better care of you just the same Oh, silly Now for the other foot Both little feet have to be warm A little Tina may be ill Oh, Tina What if you should die? You won't, will you? Promise not to Oh, Lenny, you silly Tina Oh, darling And I shall never kiss anyone but you Ever Tina And Charlotte Do you know what time it is? Oh, I'm sorry, Miss Lovell I was speaking to Tina And Charlotte, stop Tina Oh, Mother I've not been able to sleep I heard you come in It's late I know, I am sorry You'd better go now, Lenny Yes, Mrs. Roche Don't scold him This is Tina's fault, not his Any boy would have done the same As she'd permitted No, no, it's not her fault Tell you Tell him not to come here again It's your house or I'd tell him myself And Charlotte, take that back Mother, tell Lenny he's to come When he wants to Tell him, Mother It is your house, not hers Don't bother, Mrs. Lawson I'm going away soon in a week, probably So it doesn't matter very much Whether I'm forbidden this door or not I'd only have come again to say goodbye In any case Goodbye I'm sorry, Tina Lenny You see You see what she's done, Mother She's driven Lenny away Oh, no, my child I've not driven him away If he's not coming here again It's because he finds it awkward When he has no intention of marrying a girl Who is so free with her kisses That's not true That's not true You know it's true Your aunt's right, Tina If Lenny goes, it's because he doesn't care As much for you, don't you think? But he would have cared If she'd not driven him away I'd have made him care And now I can Now he's gone And I'll never forgive her Never I won't You know business to meddle on, Charlotte Go to your room, Tina I'm going But before I do She's got to know that I'm sick of her Fault finding and her spying and her meddling You can say what you please to me, Mother Because you understand me and I love you But she's only a sore old maid Who hates me because I'm young and Attractive and alive While she's old and hideous And dried up And has never known anything about love I won't have her interfering with my life I tell you I won't have it This has gone on long enough I see my mistake now And I mean to remedy it Your mistake? You've been good to us, Tina But I understand my duty now If I am to save my child, I must take her away Charlotte, what are you saying? I must take Tina away from here We must go somewhere we were not known We wish to live among plain people Leaving plain lives But she can find herself a husband And make herself a home You take Tina away from me now I'm not ungrateful, Bea Oh, don't speak of gratitude What does it matter Whether you're grateful or not It's Tina I'm thinking of Of course it's Tina you're thinking of Tina and Clemspender You're insane, Charlotte I've not thought of Clemspender for years Oh, but you have You have, Delia You've thought of him and thinking of Tina A woman never stops thinking of the man she loves You can't forgive me Because Clemspender didn't quite break his heart over you That's why you were like keeping me at your mercy And taking his child from me And suppose that's true She's your child too And to take her away now From the life you've made such a sacrifice To give her that would be too cruel Even more cruel to her than to me What's ahead for her here, Delia For a girl without a name Or a penny among cautious people Like the whole of Lismarckine You've done all you could for her But you see what's come of it so far Now I... No, I've not done all I could But I'm going to if you'll let me I'll adopt Tina legally Adopt her? How could that help? I'll give her my name The Ralston name And my money No, I refuse How can you refuse How can you sacrifice Tina's happiness to your pride? My pride? Why, what pride have I accepted my child? Then you are going to sacrifice her When she might have everything she wants Even landing Halsey for her husband It's just as she said He will love her if she wants him to And if she has money of her own And my name while the Halsey's wouldn't dare Find her a bad match for their son Charlotte, give her this chance What mother wouldn't? If landing takes her away from us both Well, it won't be like really giving her up Couldn't we just go on loving her together? Or couldn't we, Charlotte? Mother, are you coming up? I've been waiting for you Charlotte, go up to her You're her mother now It's on the second act of the old maid But the love Charlotte feels for her child Cannot be denied so easily As we see in a moment When our stars return for act three Right now, here's a gentleman with a brief and pointed message Miriam Hopkins, Loretta Young and Helen Wood Will be back in a moment for the third act Of the old maid But before they do I'd like to tell you about some conversational bridge That I overheard the other day Conversational bridge? Why, what's that, Mr. Rui? Well, my wife was having a bridge party But the ladies didn't seem to be playing cards Raisy, but I've been done Did you see her in when tomorrow comes? She always looks so pretty I'll bid a heart I'll pass She is lovely, but my favorite is Madeleine Carroll Wait till you see her in honeymoon in Bali What beautiful hair and skin Even in the close-ups Sure, bid dear But did Jane bid hearts or clubs? Say for sure, gorgeousness You want to see Joan, Bennett in the man and the iron mass Can that girl wear stunning costume? Well, anyone is good looking as she is Can wear a bungalow apron and look like a million See here girls, can't we just review the bidding a minute? You see, no matter where you are You'll hear women discussing the screen stars They admire them, often follow their lead In the kind of clothes they wear Or the beauty care they use The makers of luxe toilet soap take real pride in the fact That nine out of ten screen stars use luxe toilet soap And they're just as proud of the fact That thousands of charming women all over the country Agree with the stars That fine white luxe toilet soap Is the right soap for their complexions Now here's the reason luxe toilet soap Gives your skin such gentle, beautiful care It has active lather That removes dust and dirt Every trace of stale cosmetics Active lather gives your skin the protection Of thorough, perfect cleansing It isn't only screen stars who must pass close-up tests Every woman knows that the eyes of her friends The eyes of those who love her Notice how she looks They notice whether her skin is smooth and clear Or dull and unattractive Use cosmetics all you wish But don't take chances with improper careless cleansing Use luxe toilet soap regularly, every day Make it your bedtime beauty care You want your skin to stay smooth and lovely Because it's nice to hear people say How attractive she is Start your luxe toilet soap care tomorrow, won't you? We pause now for station identification This is the Columbia Broadcasting System We continue with Act 3 of the Old Maid Months have gone by And Delia's plans for Tina have borne fruit It's June now, the evening before Tina's marriage to Lanning In the drawing room, the last preparation for the wedding Are being made Everything's done that can be done tonight I've been to the kitchen, I told Melissa Grimes She'd better count on, or 200 plates of ice cream I can't think of anything else, neither can I And Charlotte, you've been wonderful Haven't you, Dr. Lansko? Very impersonally, I think the only thing left is to go to bed You must be tired, Charlotte The bride's the one who should be sent to bed Say good night, Tina Yes, Tina, you should go to bed now But I'm not sleepy, Mother You can rest, whether you sleep or not Yes, you should go up now, Tina All right, but will you come up and say good night to me, Mother? Of course, because tonight... Oh, Mother, I'm so happy Too happy, too happy, dear Oh, Dr. Lansko Lanning says we've all been straws Whirling around on a sunlit torrent Ever since Mother adopted me And his parents said he might get married They've been sweet to me But if Mother hadn't cared enough for me To give me her name and the money They'd have not wanted him to care Oh, not since... Oh, I know, Mother I know what I owe you I owe you everything You know, I used to wonder who I really was But I don't care now I'd rather have you for my mother Than anyone in the world Tina, dear, stop chattering I must see about the door list Excuse me, Doctor Of course Tina, you mustn't run on so before you, Aunt Charlotte She's done just as much for you as anyone Yes What do you think, Dr. Lansko? Aunt Charlotte gave me all her grandmother's jewels Oh, you're a lucky girl, I've seen them I know I am And my wedding veil She wanted me to wear the wedding dress That she was going to wear once, too, and didn't It seems odd to think that Anyone ever wanted to marry Aunt Charlotte Tina, you must go off to bed Now, hurry, dear All the same, I won't go to sleep Until you've come in and said goodnight I've told you I'll come Now run along Good night, Dr. Lansko Good night I must go, too You know, I think poor Charlotte is happy at last I hope so Doctor, I know you thought I took too much on myself When I kept Charlotte from marrying Jo that time I've not forgotten what you said About meddling with another person's destiny But I know that you've paid for your mistake If it was a mistake Good night, my dear Thank you Good night, Dr. Lansko Yes, Charlotte You're going up now to speak to Tina Yes Unless there's something you want to talk to me about first I told her I'd go up to her I understand But please understand me, too, if I ask you not to No, I don't I understand you, Charlotte Surely you realize on the night before her wedding A girl ought to have a mother's counsel Naturally That's why I must be the one to talk to Tina tonight Just tonight, I am her mother Charlotte, you're not going to tell her that Not now You hate me so much for it is all that Hate you? Oh, what a word to use between us It's a word that's been between us since the beginning, Delia You hated me for the moment you knew that I was the mother of Clemsbender's child And there's been hate between us ever since Because his child is mine instead of yours I realize now that you believe I've hated you because you've hated me Hated me in spite of everything I've tried to do Nothing was for me, Delia It was all for Clemsbender and his child Charlotte, our lives are over And so is Clemsbender's But Tina's is ahead of her And if you love her as I love her You couldn't stand and talk of hatred Not here of where the very air spilled with her happiness tonight Oh, it's wicked of you, Charlotte It's wicked I'm not wicked I wouldn't have done to you what you've done to me From the beginning, you've deliberately divided me from my daughter You suppose it's been easy all these years to hear her call you mother You perpetually came between us If you hadn't, she'd had no one else to turn to but me She'd have had to love me And that's why I can talk of hatred That's why tonight, just tonight, she belongs to me And that's why I won't let her call anyone else's mother tonight Very well I won't go up to her If you wanted to know the truth about her best You're right to tell her that too I suppose you imagine it would be a tragedy for Tina to learn that she's my daughter Well, we shall see Oh, did you tell her? Did you? She's waiting for you Charlotte I couldn't after all I stood outside her door Won't try to think of something to say to her without her guessing There's nothing I can say You're the mother she wants Go up to her daily It's not your fault, oh, mine Oh, Charlotte After all, she was mine when she was little Good night, baby Oh, Charlotte Come in, mother, I've been waiting for you Tina Do you want to do something that will make me very happy? Anything, darling I'll find you Aunt Charlotte She's just gone to her room And when you found her, remember this She didn't marry a man who loved her very much And who would have given her everything she wanted Because she wouldn't give you up That's why she's no maid Oh, why didn't anyone ever tell me that before? Well, sometimes Sometimes people don't think Sometimes they're selfish But you remember And you try to make a glad of the choice she made Without letting her know I asked you to I've always been so horrid And there's one thing more Yes When you go away tomorrow, at the very last moment You understand, after you've said goodbye to me And to everyone else Just as Lanning helps you into the carriage Yes Lean down And give your last kiss to Aunt Charlotte Don't forget The very last I won't forget And I'll go to her now Aunt Charlotte You didn't come to say good night to me No, Tina, I didn't So I've come to you Good night Oh, Aunt Charlotte I'm so grateful for everything And I love you so very, very much In a moment our stars, Loretta Young and Miriam Hopkins Are returning for a curtain call First, however, I'd like you to meet the author of tonight's play There are two groups of playwrights Who've contributed to the vitality of the American theater The first group is made up of those who write one successful play And are never heard from again In the other category are those who've written not one but many hits Writers like Zoe Aikens, author of The Old Maid And our special guest tonight At the last count she had seen 22 of her plays produced And there's a brand new one called Starvation on Red River, soon due on Broadway Miss Aikens, you should be used to taking curtain calls by now Unfortunately, there are not always curtain calls, Mr. DeMille Sometimes one looks round for the closest exit And runs instead of walks But I do remember one night The first time I heard an audience shout, author And found myself somehow out on a stage I don't know exactly what I said now But it must have been something intensely original Like, thank you Not being exactly a silver-tongued orator And I do remember also the little speech The producer made afterwards in the wings This is wonderful, he said, if that audience is on the level You say you're not a silver-tongued orator, Miss Aikens And I've noticed as far as politics and economics are concerned You keep your characters off the stump, too Yes, I've never gone in for propaganda in my plays That's a rare virtue When so many dramatists are going in for propaganda instead of plays You regard the theatre solely as a place for entertainment, then Oh, not at all I think good entertainment is a very rare and beneficial thing But I think the theatre, to be important Must be more than merely enjoyable A play is only important When it widens the horizon of the mind By enriching it with emotional experiences Other than its own And so gives light as well as pleasure Make them laugh, make them cry and make them remember Yes, make them remember if you can What is easily forgotten doesn't count The emphasis you place on human values in plays Has made you something of an authority on feminine psychology Whether you welcome the distinction or not I decline it with thanks After all, a psychologist is only a person Who can guess what others feel and think And I like to think my guess is as good about a man as about a woman Wasn't the old maid criticized as too sentimental? That is, before the audience flocked to the box office Yes, it was And I don't know why Unless it's because the ladies were hoop skits instead of slacks There isn't a sentimental line in the play To my way of thinking You know the Oxford dictionary defines sentimental As being prone to shallow emotions And after all, jealousy and love and hate Are the strongest stuff of life And when I first read Edith Wharton's story I thought it was intensely modern In the way it dealt with these forces The critic of the English Manchester Guardian said This might well be called the story of a crime Being the story of the murder of one woman's happiness by another And that hardly seems a sentimental tale to me But I think I've said enough And I know we all want to congratulate Ms. Young and Ms. Hopkins You are playing Ms. Aiken's figure in universal language And here are Loretta Young and Miriam Hopkins No longer in the period of candlelight and carriages Thank you, Mr. DeMille. It's been a real adventure being here tonight But before I go, I want to say something about the product behind this program Candlelight and carriages may be outmoded But there's one American fashion that will never change And that's the fashion of having clear, smooth complexion And part of it is the regular use of luxe soap I've been a luxe soap booster for a very long time now I agree with Loretta. Luxe soap is a definite help to a good complexion Now, won't you tell us what the Luxe radio theatre play is going to be next week, Mr. DeMille? Next Monday night, we're going to present Only Yesterday And our stars will be Barbara Stanwyck and George Brent Only Yesterday is a love story of unusual tenderness A drama of a woman's love which endured through every hardship that time and circumstance created Everyone who likes a real love story will thoroughly enjoy Only Yesterday Oh, it's a beautiful play and a fine cast, Mr. DeMille Good night, and thank you again Good night, Loretta And it's also been a great pleasure to have you with us, Miriam Thank you, Mr. DeMille. I've enjoyed it, too Good night Good night That was fine acting we had tonight Our sponsors, the makers of Luxe toilet soap Join me in inviting you to be with us again next Monday night When the Luxe radio theatre presents Barbara Stanwyck and George Brent In Only Yesterday Mr. Cecil B. DeMille, saying good night to you From Hollywood This is Melville World Inviting you to enjoy the increasingly popular Luxe daytime program The Life and Love of Dr. Susan In today's episode, Dr. Susan helped perform a delicate operation on her own son Tomorrow, she will learn the startling result Listen then For the time and station, see your newspaper The Life and Love of Dr. Susan comes to you in addition to the Luxe radio theatre Heard in tonight's play, where Juanita Quigley as Tina as a child Doris Lloyd as Nora Jack Lewis as Dr. Lanscale Fred Shields as Clem Spender Fred Mackay as Joseph Ralston Harold Daniels as Lanning Halsey John Fee as clergyman Lou Merrill as mate And Howard McNair as seaman Loretta Young's current picture is Walter Wanger's Eternally Yours Miriam Hopkins appears through the courtesy of Warner Brothers Pictures And is now appearing in their production of The Old Maid Lewis Silver's is from 20th Century Fox Where he directed music for drums along the Mohawk This is the Columbia broadcasting system