Z: The Beginning of Everything

Zelda!

Zelda!

- Zelda. - Hello, baby.

Mama.

Ohh.

Daddy. What are you doin' here?

Oh, a surprise.

You're supposed to be at Tildy's.

Oh, she sends her love.

Her new baby's a crier.

Come on in. It's like Grand Central around here.

My, what a lovely house.

Where did you find this place?

It's in the middle of nowhere.

The roads in this state are abysmal.

- Now, dear. - No, you're right, Daddy.

They are awfully bumpy.

Well, hate to drunk and run.

- Love you, Zelda, honey. - And I actually have to work.

Oh, bye.

Roaring good party. See you next weekend.

Bye.

Friends, up from the city.

They, uh, have to get back for work.

Uh, so it's proof that all roads lead to Westport.

The Sayres from Montgomery are at our door.

They just surprised us.

Yes, that'd be Mrs. Sayre.

And the right honorable Judge Anthony Sayre.

This is the right honorable Tana.

Houseboy, chief cook, bartender and...

All out master of many trades.

I'm sincerely happy to make your acquaintance.

- Thank you. - Uh, very nice to meet you, too.

Tana has been so helpful, Daddy.

Really a Godsend.

He's from the Japanese Reliable Employment Agency.

Japanese what?

Tildy said you needed a few things,

some sheets, some towels.

Oh, yes, thank you, Mama.

- Uh, Scott. - Yes?

Would you take Mama and the bags upstairs.

Oh, certainly. Tana, can you show Mrs. Sayre up to the guest room.

Sweetheart. I asked you.

Yes, but this is exactly the sort of thing that Tana excels at.

- Yes, of course it is, but... - It's fine, Zelda.

- Gives me a chance to get to know... - This way please, missus.

Daddy, let me take your jacket.

No, I'm fine.

Where's the lavatory?

It's right through there.

Why are you being like this?

I know you're upset about Max and the diary...

My parents are here.

What are they gonna think about all this?

This is the first time they've seen us married.

Firs time they seen us in a home.

Since when did you care what they think?

Your father hates me.

They didn't want to come to the wedding.

They didn't even see you off at the train.

You might not want to claim them

like you claim everything else about me,

but they are still my parents.

When my daddy gets out of the bathroom,

the least you can do is offer him a drink.

Mrs. Sayre, please, come this way.

Borrow this towel? It's okay, it's okay.

I will make you some tea.

You, pry this sorry ass up off of here

and call a cab. Call lots of cabs.

I got another one for you over here.

- Tallulah, Eugenia... - Hmm?

Can you please get rid of, uh...

- Who is that? - Not Scott Joplin, I can tell you that.

My parents,

Mama and the judge have decided to surprise us.

- They're here? - Oh, glory be, what fun.

No, no. We've gotta clear this place out.

They'll be horrified.

Oh, yes, perhaps this is a bit trop pour la famille.

We'll help you, Zelda. Anything for a Montgomery sister.

Gird your loins, Beadsie. We can handle the piano man.

Thank you.

Tell him, Max. 20,000 copies sold in the first two weeks.

Yes, indeed.

Sounds quite good.

Yes. I do tell Max, however,

that the next printing should be larger.

And I tell our authors they should stick to the writing.

Well, what other authors do you work with, Mr. Perkins?

Henry James. Edith Wharton.

Oh, my goodness, those are two of our finest writers.

I certainly enjoyed "The Portrait of a Lady"

and Henry James, he is a genius.

- Some of my favorites. - Ah, Vincent.

Here, let me introduce you to my father-in-law.

And I really must be going. Good to meet you, Judge Sayre.

Likewise, Mr. Perkins.

- Pages, my boy, pages. - Yes.

Call me.

Judge Anthony Sayre,

the poet Edna St. Vincent Millay.

- Pleasure. - Entirely mine.

Townsend, would you please help?

These guests are like cicadas,

loud and shrill and constantly under foot.

We have to get rid of them.

Of course I will help, just as soon as I finish this batch.

Damnit, Townsend. No one cares about pancakes.

What?

You know what I mean.

I know you're wrong. I think people care

a great deal about pancakes.

- Oh, you do, do you? - Um, yes, I do. Yes.

Yes, yes, I do.

So, you come down to these kinds of parties often then, do you?

Yes. I thought so.

Excuse me?

Your poetic soul.

I saw it the moment we met.

Not something all men have.

When one does, one does.

Do you know what I mean?

I should join my wife.

Perhaps, yet, should she not be allowed a journey of her own?

Well, again, it, uh, was a pleasure to meet you.

Bid adieu to your darling daughter, won't you?

You're the one that was bored, remember, Zelda?

"Well, let's invite everyone out, let's have a party."

- Yes, but I do think... - All I wanted to do was write.

This is what you wanted.

Scott, my parents are here.

What does it matter what I might have wanted a week ago?

What is wrong with you?

Where's Daddy?

Daddy.

Daddy.

Daddy, wait.

Daddy. I'm so sorry.

I don't know how a person, much less my own daughter,

can live like this.

We don't live like this.

It's just a few friends.

Oh, there's nothing few or friends about it.

I know you didn't want a life in Montgomery,

but I could never have imagined you wanted this.

I don't want this.

We came here because Scott needed to write.

Yeah, you call that writing?

No, no, of course not.

But I was so...

It was just so quiet.

What are you talking about, quiet?

Scott's really tryin'.

He is really tryin'.

And I am, too. We have the water and...

I love it. I swim every day.

I thought, oh, that's where I belong.

But then I have to come out.