The Gilded Age

Are you sure this isn't too much for you, Agnes?

We should have ordered the carriage.

All my life, I've walked to church on Easter morning.

Why should I stop now?

Because we're getting older.

You may be getting older. I am not.

How long will you be in Newport?

Only a few days this time.

Larry says the house is finished,

and I want to make sure that it is.

Well, I hope it will take your mind

off that other business.

I hate to see you upset.

Nothing will take my mind

off that "other business," as you call it.

As long as we have no box at the Academy,

we are not in the front rank of society,

whatever we may pretend.

That's what Carrie Astor says.

Well, she should know.

Her mother will have been consulted,

and she must have decided to keep us out.

The Academy must have a list of applicants

as long as your arm.

And I'm sure Mrs. Astor tried to help.

Are you?

I'm not.

What do you see?

I'd forgotten how beautiful Philadelphia was.

I hope we're not going to be late.

The church isn't far.

So you know?

When I was in school, we'd visit for some events.

It was nice of Mr. Spring to invite us.

I suppose none of this is easy for them.

Of course not.

But the Spring family has asked us to join them

in their grief for Easter, so that is what we shall do.

Après vous, monsieur.

Or should I say, "You first, mister"?

- - It does not offend me

that I am a source of humor to you all.

I confess, I would like to know how long it must go on.

Until it stops making us smile.

Mr. Gordon pretended to be French to get a job.

Is that a crime?

Not a crime, but quite a good joke.

If the mistress can accept that her chef is from Kansas,

surely we can.

If she admits it at all,

I bet it's through gritted teeth.

Or should we say, "par les dents serrées"?

We have a big dinner tonight.

Hello.

Miss Weber, isn't it?

How do you know my name?

I asked one of your footmen.

I'm Jack Trotter.

I work for Mrs. Van Rhijn across the street.

Then happy Easter, Mr. Trotter.

I was thinking you might like to meet up some day,

maybe have a cup of coffee.

We're off to Newport tomorrow.

- For long? - Only till next Monday.

But we'll go back soon for the season.

When you get home, maybe we could arrange something

before you're gone again.

I'd like that.

How pretty they've made it.

There's Mrs. Russell.

Oh, happy Easter. To all of you.

Ada, come sit down.

- Agnes. - Lina.

Ada.

Oh, I meant to tell you,

I've had a letter from Dashiell Montgomery.

- Oh, how is he? - Who is he?

- A nephew of my late husband. - Arnold.

Were you on first name terms?

We weren't, and I was his wife.

What's Dashiell up to?

Well, it seems he tired of Washington

and has moved back to New York with his daughter.

Oh, poor motherless girl.

Motherless?

Dashiell's wife died very young.

Frances must be about 14 now.

I'll invite them for some tea,

maybe next Thursday.

Not Thursday.

Why not?

No reason, really.

But I'm usually rather busy on Thursdays.

Oh.

As we celebrate the resurrection of our savior,

we know the Lord is close to the brokenhearted.

And we pray for those in our congregation,

the sick, the lonely, the bereaved.

And we ask continued prayer for Samuel Spring

since the death of his wife and son

who was blessed with two mothers,

one of whom is here today.

Our prayers are with you all.

Easter is a time of renewal.

It is through the miracle of Easter

that our savior gives us new life.

Today, we declare our sublime and unshaken faith

that Christ did truly rise from death

and that God, having raised Him up,

shall also raise us up with Him.

Please rise.

Let us ask, O God, that our hearts may be light

with heavenly hope.

It may not happen in this world,

but it will happen in the sweet hereafter

when we shall rise again

and be made like unto Christ

in His eternal and glorious Kingdom.

- Amen. - All: Amen.

- Lovely to have you. - Thank you.

- Happy Easter. - Happy Easter to you.

I thought he did well. The new rector.

He kept the sermon short, which is something.

Oh, look. He's over there. Shall we say hello?

You could leave it for another time.

Excuse me.

I know exactly who you are. Mrs. Van Rhijn and Miss Brook.

They've told me all about you.

You mustn't believe everything you hear.

And this is our niece, Miss Marian Brook

and Mrs. Van Rhijn's son, Oscar.

Pleasure.

That was a lovely sermon.

I hope so.

Half the battle is not to put the congregation to sleep.

Mr. Russell.

I thought I might see you here.

Happy Easter to you, Mr. Tritton.

I hear you're having some union difficulties

- in Pittsburgh. - You could say that.

I ask because we're going through something

similar in Cleveland.

And of course, Jay Gould is having trouble too.

They say membership of the Knights of Labor

is in the hundreds of thousands now.

Never mind the Knights of Labor.

We must deal with the steelworkers.

They've elected a new leader, a man called Henderson.

And I'm afraid he seems to know what he's doing.

The only thing worse than a union man

is a clever union man.

We ought to get some of the owners together.

Gould, Morgan.

Billy Vanderbilt, if he'd come.

- Shall we go? - Of course.

We'll be in touch.

How are you settling into the city?

Well, New York is very different from Boston.

It's the little things I miss... old haunts, familiar food.

New York cuisine isn't meeting your standards?

Oh, quite the opposite,

though I am still searching for an authentic bowl

of New England clam chowder.

- - Well, I hope you find it.

But you're managing?

I survived the Easter service today.

And my first wedding is this week.

- Ah. - So I feel I'm getting there.

May we hear who is to be married?

Uh, Miss Bingham and Mr. Raikes.

Do you know them, by any chance?

- No. - A little.

- Not really. - Yes.

We should go.

We mustn't keep the rector all to ourselves.

Happy Easter. Both: Happy Easter.

Agnes, slow down.

We're not in a race.

Speak for yourself.

I couldn't get away fast enough.

Mama, I think I'll say goodbye here.

I need a cab.

But you'll be back for dinner?

I will.

- I hope you'll come. - I mean to.

Are you going to Mrs. Rutherford's ball?

I'm quite surprised I've been invited.

With three bachelor sons?

Mother says she'll have every heiress in New York

on the dance floor.

I've been meaning to ask you about your hat.

Isn't it lovely?

How did you enjoy the service?

I thought it was perfect.