. Calvero’s 2nd Dream Sequence ‘The glamour of limelight, from which age must pass as youth enters’
Charles Chaplin / Claire Bloom / Nigel Bruce / Sydney Chaplin / Norman Lloyd / Buster Keaton / Andre Eglevsky / Melissa Hayden / Marjorie Bennett / Wheeler Dryden / Barry Bernard / Snub Pollard / Mollie Glessing / Cinematography Art Direction Original Music, Screenplay, Producion & Direction
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Spring is here. Birds are calling. Skunks are crawling. Wagging their tails.. For love.. Spring is here
Whales are churning.
Worms are squirming.
Wagging their tails..
For love..
What is this thing?
On which I sing?
That makes the whole world bewitched?
What is this thing?
That comes each Spring?
That gives us all the itch?
Oh.. it’s..
Love!
It’s love! love, love, love, love, love,
Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love..
. CALVERO – Pardon me, but have you a fly swatter?
THE GIRL – I beg your pardon?
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CALVERO – Now, if you come beggin’ around here..
I shall call the Police..
THE GIRL – I repeat, I beg your pardon.
CALVERO – I don’t care what you repeat, or what you’ve eaten.
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THE GIRL – I’ve eaten nothing.
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CALVERO – You haven’t? Poor dear, here’s tuppence..
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..get yerself a sandwich.
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THE GIRL – Sir, I demand an apology.
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CALVERO – An apology? I don’t know you. Who are you?
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Who are your people? Are you in the Social Register?
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THE GIRL – My name, happens to be Smith.
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CALVERO – Never heard of them
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THE GIRL – Ha! That shows you’re asinine.
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CALVERO – I should have worn my overcoat.
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However, you’ve interrupted me in the middle of my sonnet.
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THE GIRL – In the middle of your what?
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CALVERO – Not in the middle of my ‘what ‘, in the middle of my sonnet.
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My ‘Ode to a Worm’..
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Oh! Worm! Why do you turn into the earth from me?
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Tis Spring! Oh, worm.
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Lift up your head, whichever end it may be,
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And smile at the sun!
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And twine your naked form,
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And with your tail fling high the dirt,
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In ecstasies to Spring,
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Tis Spring..
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Tis Spring..’
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THE GIRL – Ridiculous! A worm smiling at the sun!
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CALVERO – Why not?
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THE GIRL – In the 1st place, a worm cannot smile..
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CALVERO – How do you know? Did you ever appeal to it’s sense of humour?
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THE GIRL – Of course not.
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CALVERO – Weeeell, then.
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THE GIRL – But, it doesn’t make sense!
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CALVERO – Ha! But why should poetry have to make sense?
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Don’t you know there’s such a thing as Poetic license?
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THE GIRL – Just a moment, I’ve given you no license!
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CALVERO – Oh, no.. don’t.
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This thing we’re doing is so much bigger than ourselves.
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At this moment I’m beginning to grasp the meaning of life.
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Oh, what a waste of energy.
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(Sniffs the air)
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What is this urge, that makes life go on, and on, and on?
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THE GIRL – You’re right, what does it all mean? Where are we going?
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CALVERO – You’re going South, dear.
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(Removes the Girl’s hand from his pocket)
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Naughty!
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THE GIRL – How did it get there?
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CALVERO – Pure magnetism, old dear! Pure magnetism!
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THE GIRL – Why are you so antagonistic towards me?
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CALVERO – Must we be serious?
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THE GIRL – You make it difficult for me to know you.
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CALVERO – You should read my memoirs.. in the Police Gazette.
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THE GIRL – You’re a funny man.
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CALVERO – Why?
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THE GIRL – To talk about worms in the way you do.
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CALVERO – Why not? Even flies are romantic.
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THE GIRL – Flies?
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CALVERO – Oh, yes! Haven’t you seen ’em..
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..comin’ from the stable to the table?
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Chasin’ each other over the nobs of sugar..
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..and keepin’ their appointments in the butter?
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Surely you’ve read ‘The Life of the Bee’ ?
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THE GIRL – No, I haven’t
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CALVERO – Well..
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..the bee’s behaviour in the beehive is un bee-lievable.
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THE GIRL – Reeeeally.
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CALVERO – Ah Achooooo! Oh, oh.. pardon me..
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THE GIRL – Gesundheit.
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CALVERO – Certainly does.
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THE GIRL – I beg your pardon?
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CALVERO – The dress. It goes on rather tight.
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You’re awfully dusty tonight, dear. Awfully dusty, turn around.
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Where do they keep you? On the top shelf or something? Mm..
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(Tastes the dust on the Girl’s shoulder with the tip of a feather duster)
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Fuller’s Earth? Johnson’s Power? I know.. corn starch!
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THE GIRL – Just think.. all life, motivated by love. How beautiful!
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CALVERO – By the contrary, it’s vile. Wretched. Awful.
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Hmm.. But it’s wonderful!
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THE GIRL – I like you.
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CALVERO – Reaaaally?
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THE GIRL – You’re sensitive, you feel things.
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CALVERO – Now, don’t encourage me!
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THE GIRL – Few people have the capacity to feel.
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CALVERO – Or the opportunity.
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(Offers the duster, as though it were a bunch of flowers)
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Use them, for only what you wish, dear.
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PRODUCTION STILLS
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Verdoux 