The Great Ziegfeld

Directed by Robert Z. Leonard. Written by William Anthony McGuire.

Anna Held

• [reading the note] Why is he a Jr., is he a little boy?

• How can I love someone who plays tricks on me, puts terrible things in the newspaper, has millions of reporters annoying me?!

• That night I say to Flo - I mean Mr. Ziegfeld - "Flo, why do you send me so much milk?" and he just laughs and says, "Anna, that's a great idea. You'll get it from now on everyday." Everyday, 20 gallons of milk? I say, "Flo, who can drink so much milk?" and do you know what he says? "Don't drink it - bathe in it! And you will be a big success."

• No, no, no, I cannot sing today. I told you before I'm much too angry to sing, and I'm sick of watching you roll your eyes like I do.

Dialogue

Anna: Tell me, Monsieur Ziegfeld, are you in the theatre?

Florenz: Yes, I'm a producer.

Anna: You're a pro... did you hear that, Marie - Monsieur Ziegfeld is an American producer! Do you know Monsieur... Billings?

Florenz: Billings?

Anna: Oui!

Florenz: Billings...

Anna: He's American producer, too!

Florenz: Oh, is that so?

Anna: Oui!

Florenz: No, I've never heard of him. Of course uh, not in New York, that is. America's a big country, Miss Held. We still have many producers in the west putting on shows for the Indians.

Anna: Indians? Do you mean the savages?

Florenz: Yes.

Anna: Did you hear that, Marie? I do not think I will like America.

Florenz: Oh, you'd love New York.

Anna: Would New York love me?

Florenz: I think so.

Anna: You only think so? Did you not like my performance?

Florenz: Yes, and... no.

Anna: Yes and no, what shall that mean - does it mean yes or no?

Florenz: Well uh, both.

Anna: Did you not care for my singing, no?

Florenz: Yes, a trifle nasal I thought, but yes.

Anna: And you did not like my costumes either?

Florenz: No, I thought one dress was very attractive but the rest, no.

Anna: Monsieur Ziegfeld, I think you're very rude. Please go! [calling out the door] Monsieur Ziegfeld!

Florenz: Yes?

Anna: Come back, please. Sit down. You know, you're very honest. I like you very much.

Anna: Audrey, are you not interested in my present?

Audrey: I would be, if they were mine.

Anna: But Audrey, you will have many of them someday. Maybe you have to work a little, and to suffer a little, but what is that, hmm?

Audrey: I'll work - but I won't suffer.

Anna: [walking in on Audrey and Florenz] You should have at least closed the door.

Florenz: Wait! Anna! Anna, please don't misjudge me. I couldn't help it. She's... she's drunk.

Anna: Do you always do that when she's drunk? The members of your company must enjoy that very much.

Florenz: Oh, Anna, don't say that. Don't you understand, dear, when one of my girls -

Anna: Poor Flo, you have so much trouble with your girls. Oui!

Florenz: Do you know Ziegfeld?

Billie: No, I don't want to. I understand he's a horrible person.

Florenz: Horrible?

Billie: Yes, they say he's a terrible ladies' man. I suppose that's forgivable, because he's surrounded by so many beautiful women.

Florenz: Yes, yes, strange you've never met him.

Billie: I don't want to. I love his shows - they're so beautfiul and in such good taste. It'd disappoint me terribly to meet him and find him to be a fat, pudgy man with a big stomach.

Florenz: Oh, he's not fat. And not really so pudgy.

Billie: No? You know him?

Florenz: Oh, yes. Yes, he... he would like you.

Billie: How do you know?

Florenz: But didn't you just say he had good taste?

Billie: Oh, well you're sort of a ladies' man yourself, aren't you?

Florenz: I think with you as the lady I could make Ziegfeld look like an amateur.

Cast

• William Powell - Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.
• Myrna Loy - Billie Burke
• Luise Rainer - Anna Held
• Virginia Bruce - Audrey Lane