Alan Jay Lerner: A Lyricist's Letters (54 page)

        
I have been working my head off for the last month or two and that plus my daughter’s illness has left me a little on the ropes, so Liz and I are going away Friday for the holidays and will be back on January 4th. I think “Jingle Bells” would just about finish me off, so we are going to Egypt.

        
From January 4th on, I will be here until that date in March, so do let us try and communicate at your convenience when I return.

        
Have a wonderful holiday. I look forward to the New Year and
My Man Godfrey
with effervescent enthusiasm.

Faithfully,

Alan

    
After the painful disaster of
Dance a Little Closer
, one can only admire Lerner’s enthusiasm and optimism in thinking
My Man Godfrey
could be “the most elegant musical since
My Fair Lady
.” He believed there was no reason that he could not enjoy success with the new musical, and threw himself into it with as much energy as ever. The Mercer Award was also well timed to boost his confidence, as is apparent from this follow-up note to Carr:

    
To Allan Carr

    
December 21, 1984

    
Dear Allan,

    
I just re-read the letter concerning the Award. I don’t want to present myself to you in any false colours. The letter actually says the following:

        
“We are honored that you have agreed to accept the ‘Mercer Award.’ This award has been presented only three times in the sixteen year history of the Hall of Fame. Ginger Mercer is expected to come to New York
to personally present the award to you as John always thought you are the greatest.”

        
Lovely to talk to you last night. I will be back January 4th. If Kristi wants to call me about anything, please tell her to do so.

        
Have a wonderful holiday and a “ highly successful” New Year.

Aye,

Alan

    
Back in London after his Egyptian vacation, Lerner resumed work on
Godfrey
in January 1985. His commitment to this show meant that when complicated changes to
Carmelina
were being requested from all sides, he finally decided to hand over the revision of the script to Joseph Stein. The following is his reply to a letter from Hugh Wooldridge, who had met with Lane and Stein in New York and drawn up a plan of action:

    
To Armand Gerrard

    
14 January 1985

    
Dear Armand

    
“ Someone in April ”

        
I read Hugh’s letter with great care and there are so many points of view about this play that what I would like to suggest is that, if he will, Joe Stein write it to his, Burton’s and Hugh’s satisfaction. Joe and I invariably agree about everything, so I have complete confidence that I would be happy with anything he writes (including a rearrangement of the songs).

        
I confess that I have my doubts about beginning with “Carmelina” because nobody knows who the hell anybody is, but perhaps it will be alright.

        
I have no objection to cutting out “It’s Time For a Love Song,” although it might be a bit much to introduce it at the very end of the play for the first time. Too operetta for me.

        
I also have my doubts about all the wives reprising “The Image of Me” because it has no emotional value. The reason it does with Florence is because her husband is the one who thinks he can’t have a child.

        
I don’t understand the idea for Gia. Songs are about one thing and I wouldn’t know how to write a song about three different men. Doing what? I am also rather fond of the one she sings, but—as I said above—if everybody agrees it should be taken out, I will try and think of something else.

        
Finally, “I Must Have Her” is a stiff and will be no matter what lyrics are put to it. It’s not the fault of the melody, it was just an idea that didn’t work. I would rather reprise “Carmelina” with new lyrics.

        
In all honesty, I must say that I rather like the show the way it is, with the suggestions that were made previously, i.e. “You Never Told Me” and “Time For a Love Song” beginning and ending Scene I. What will be the music to end Scene I now? Or is it the general consensus that no music is needed?

        
Anyhow, I leave the whole thing up to Joe. I simply have too much work to do to sit down and try and re-write this play so that everybody is satisfied when it is finished. None of the three of us was completely happy with it and Burton was quite violent about it, so I shall relieve the tension by being a “go-alonger.” If it’s alright with Joe, it will be alright with me.

Aye,

Alan

    
When the project became even more entangled later in the year, Lerner permitted Lane to work with another lyricist, Barry Harman,
⁸⁰
on a few new songs for the show, in order for it to be ready to go ahead while Lerner was working on
Godfrey
and
Gigi
. In the following letter to Sydney Gruson, he outlines his other recent activities, which included a rare (for Lerner) occasional song, “Brocades and Coronets,” written in honor of the six-month-old Prince Harry, younger son of Prince Charles:

    
To Sydney Gruson

    
28th January 1985

    
Dear Syd,

    
Knowing that your reading habits are reduced to the New York Times and trash—I assume you have given up pornographic literature out of envy—I am enclosing a review from the Atlantic Monthly which I do not think will amuse you at all. But that’s what I’m here for, isn’t it, pal? I really don’t know how you get along without me in New York. And frankly how I get along in London without you.

        
Are you and Marit coming over in February? I don’t know why, but in all your daily phone calls I have forgotten to ask you.

        
Liz and I will be in New York March 15th. I collect my award for being brilliant at the Waldorf March 18th. I hope you and Marit can come. Also, Alan Carr is giving a large dinner in my honour the night before at a place to be designated, so if you have a drag outfit
⁸¹
left in the closet I hope you will come and pay homage. I promise to put you next to Porter.

        
I have been working my butt off. Gerard Kenny, who is writing
Godfrey
with me, will be in New York and we can play you some of the songs. We will be a little over half finished by then.

        
On February 15th, Liz sings the lullaby we have written for young Prince Harry before the Royals at the Barbican. I think it came off quite well. It is called “Brocades and Coronets.”

        
Any news from your side? Or are you still leading that boring life that you cherish so?

        
I received a couple of pompous letters from Welles
⁸²
which I’m sure were Photostats. Did you receive a couple, too? I have written him a sympathetic but caustic reply.

        
Give my love to Marit and a boot in the arse to you, old chum.

Aye,

Alan

    
After a month of working on the lyrics, he also wrote to Carr to update him on the progress of the songs for
Godfrey
:

    
To Allan Carr

    
February 1, 1985

    
Dear Allan,

Progress Report

        
Accomplishments to date:

        
1. Opening song, “Garbage Isn’t What It Used To Be”—finished, minus four lines, including musical interlude introducing Godfrey in speech/song in the middle of the number.

        
2. During it, he mentions the difficulty of “selling those bloody apples on the corners” and he gives them all away. I would love to have 1000 balloons shaped liked apples fall from the ceiling and on to the audience.

        
3. “I’ve Been Married”—finished, music in the hands of Alan Bates.

        
4. “Miss Hilary Bacon of Beacon Hill”—finished, music being delivered to Alan Bates this week.

        
5. “Will I Ever Fall in Love Again—Not I Yi Yi Yi” (rumba)—music completed, lyrics one half.

        
6. “Run For The Train”—Harlem—music completed, lyrics one half.

        
7. “Some People”—completed, but there will be a second chorus which Godfrey sings to the audience and which I am well into.

        
8. An absolutely beautiful new song for the second act called “It Was You Again,” sung by Irene. Wherever she went in Europe and looked at the gondolier, or the hotel porter, or the maître d’hotel, “it was you again.” No lyrics.

        
9. The second act will open at the pier when the two sisters came back from Europe. Comedy song by custom officials and Irene and Cornelia called “Anything To Declare?” Not started.

        
10. “Dancin’ The Blues Away”—finished.

        
By the time we arrive in New York in mid-March, I imagine seven or eight will be completed. As it lays out, there will probably be eleven numbers in the score, not counting reprises with additional lyrics.

        
There will definitely be a tango for Mrs. Bullock and her teacher as we discussed.

        
The score is being written roughly to the outline which seemed to be satisfactory to Kristi. I told her when we met that there were two or three scenes that were so musical, it would be preferable if I wrote them. She agreed. But of course they will not be chiseled in granite.

        
Do you think Tommy Tune will be available? As I mentioned on the phone, Foster Brooks
⁸³
would be sensational if he’s not too expensive. I think I mentioned Alyson Reid,
⁸⁴
the girl who is playing the lead in the movie of
Chorus Line
.

        
The score will be completed without doubt by June 1st at the latest.

        
That’s all.

        
Hope you’re well, happy and enjoying a life of fame and fortune and that this year will be your most successful of all.

        
Much love.

Aye,

Alan

    
The old
Merry Widow
project briefly returned into view in February, when Plácido Domingo raised the possibility of making it. He was due to record an album of operetta arias,
Vienna, City of My Dreams
, in the spring of 1985, and his agent, Margherita Stafford,
⁸⁵
mentioned the
Widow
project to Lerner. By now, it was clear that the original authors’ estates would never allow the operetta to be used, so Lerner suggested using his original scenario interspersed with extracts from other Viennese pieces of the same style and period. Allan Carr became interested in the film, and in the following letter Lerner explains its back history to him, as well as a possible way forward:

    
To Allan Carr

    
February 5, 1985

    
Dear Allan,

    
Never did I think I would be sending you the enclosed, but yesterday I was on the phone with my old friend, Margherita Stafford. She told me she had been discussing Placido with you and that you mentioned to her you had heard I had once written a script for him and would I send it to you. Ergo, I am sending it to you.

        
Placido and I go way, way back. Believe it or not, he began his professional career as the understudy to Freddie Eynsford-Hill in the Mexican production of
My Fair Lady
, which was produced by my brother. He had expressed a desire to do a film of
The Merry Widow
and two young English producers, along with Margherita, came to me. At the time I was busy contemplating my navel and I undertook to do it. After reading
The Merry Widow
, however, it seemed absurd to try and do it the way it was, so I decided to write a Schnitzlerian
⁸⁶
plot. (He’s back in vogue again, incidentally. Two plays at the National.) Sort of like
La
Ronde
with
The Merry Widow
songs interspersed on the stage, and with new lyrics the songs would have a double meaning.

        
After finishing the bloody thing, the two widows of the original book, who think their dead mates wrote the greatest thing since Genesis Book I, were absolutely horrified and permission to proceed was refused.

        
Then we all decided to keep the script and interpolate instead of
The Merry Widow
some of the great songs of that era. They would be just as wonderful for Placido. Alas, however, by that time the two Limeys had run out of money and had to abandon the project.

        
As a result of Margherita’s prodding last night, I got it off the shelf, dusted it and le voici, as they say in the
Cage aux Folles
.

        
Finished the second Act ballad over the weekend, “It’s Always You,” and I hope you will be as pleased with it as I am.

        
Margherita says you’re in California, so I hope that is where you are because that’s where the script will be.

        
Love.

Aye,

Alan

    
P.S. By coincidence, I received a call last week from one of the ex-producers who is now working in Australia who asked me to send him a script. He asked if I thought Liz would be interested. I think—unbiased—she might be quite marvelous. Audrey Hepburn has already said she would play Frieda.