No One Ever Leaves A Star

[JOE]

It's been a bundle of laughs

And thanks for the use of the trinkets

A little ritzy for the copy desk back in Dayton

And there's something you ought to know

I want to do you this favour

They'll never shoot that hopeless script of yours

They only wanted your car

[NORMA]

That's a lie

They still want me

What about all my fan mail?

[JOE]

It's Max, who writes you letters

Your audience has vanished

They left when you weren't looking

Nothing's wrong with being forty unless you're acting twenty

[NORMA, spoken]

I am the greatest star of them all

[JOE, spoken]

Goodbye, Norma

[NORMA]

No one ever leaves a star

[A gunshot. Joe and Norma pant heavily.]

[Another one. Joe screams in agony.]

[A third and last shot. Joe has died. Norma is breathing heavily.]

[NORMA]

This was dawn

I don't know why I'm frightened

Silent music starts to play

(spoken)

Happy New Year, darling

(sung)

If you're with me

Next year will be

Next year will be

They bring in his head on a silver tray

She kisses his mouth

She kisses his mouth

(spoken)

Mad about the boy

(sung)

They'll say Norma's back at last

[MAX, spoken]

Madame, the cameras have arrived