The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Poster

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Wikipedia IMDb

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: A Stage for a Star

            INT. GASLIGHT CAFE - NIGHT

Midge stands on the tiny stage, gripping a half-empty glass, lit up by the spotlight.

MIDGE:
The other day, my son asked me if the moon was made of cheese. Can you imagine? I told him, 'No, honey, the moon is made of all grandmas' mildewed, tasteless brisket.'

The audience LAUGHS.

SUZY:
(whispers to a nearby SEATED PATRON)
She's been coast-to-coast nonstop for weeks. It's amazing how she's still going strong.

INT. MIDGE'S APARTMENT - DAY

Midge explains to the kids that she's going on a tour.

MIDGE:
So, I'm going on this little trip--

ETHAN:
When will you be back, Mommy?

MIDGE:
In a few weeks, but don't worry! Grandma Rose and Grandpa Abe will be here to take care of you. It'll be like a long sleepover at camp, just at home!

INT. CLUB - BACKSTAGE - NIGHT

Midge is about to step on stage while Suzy reviews her set list.

SUZY:
(feeling uneasy)
Sixteen cities in three weeks? This is going to be one hell of a ride. Buckle up, kid.

MIDGE:
(smiling)
I was born ready. And hey, it's 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Magical World Tour' in the making!

INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

Midge and Suzy arrive at the first stop of the tour. They're both exhausted.

MIDGE:
(flips on the light)
Wow, this is... cozy.

SUZY:
Are you kidding me? Looks like we're sleeping in a crime scene.

They both DROP onto the beds.

INT. CONCERT HALL - NIGHT

Midge meets a local COMEDIAN before her set. He's friendly and surprisingly supportive.

COMEDIAN:
(Holds out his hand)
How's it going, Mrs. Maisel? It's an honor to be opening up for you. I've heard great things about you from my friends back in New York.

MIDGE:
(smiling)
I'm just glad to be here. The pleasure's all mine!

INT. BACKSTAGE - NIGHT

Midge catches the comedian stealing some of her jokes while on stage.

MIDGE:
(incredulously)
Did he just use MY joke?!

SUZY:
(angry)
That two-faced, joke-stealing rat! When he gets off that stage, I'll give him a piece of my mind.

MIDGE:
(smirking)
Relax, Suzy. I've got an idea.

TO BE CONTINUED.
            

The Triumph of Midge

            INT. B. ALTMAN - DAY

MIDGE MAISEL is working at the makeup counter with her co-worker, glorying in their recent sales success.

MIDGE: (smiling) Eighteen compacts, Gloria. Eighteen! We're really riding the wave of success here.

GLORIA: Couldn't agree more, Midge. But you know who could really use a ride on the wave of success? My love life.

MIDGE: (laughing) You and me both, girl.

EXT. GASLIGHT CAFE - NIGHT

MIDGE rushes to the entrance of the cafe, SUSIE MYERSON waiting for her.

SUSIE: You're late, Maisel. What's the excuse? Got another night at your beauty school dropout meetings?

MIDGE: First of all, I am never late, I am fashionably punctual. Second of all, you should really consider joining us. You'd kill it in the lipstick department.

SUSIE: Yeah, no thanks. I'd rather swallow a glass of bleach than put on lipstick. Anyway, come inside, you're up in a few minutes. Your public awaits.

INT. GASLIGHT CAFE - NIGHT

MIDGE takes the stage, the crowd clapping and cheering.

MIDGE: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to another exciting night at the Gaslight Cafe. You know what I love about living in New York City? It's how everyone here is always in a hurry.

CROWD: (laughter)

MIDGE: No, seriously, this is the only city I know of where people run to catch the subway... only to realize they've just entered the wrong train car.

CROWD: (laughter)

As MIDGE continues with her jokes, the club owner, LENNY BRUCE, watches admiringly from the back.

INT. GASLIGHT CAFE - BACKSTAGE - NIGHT

MIDGE comes off stage, glowing with the success. LENNY joins her.

LENNY: You killed it out there tonight, Mrs. Maisel.

MIDGE: (smiling) Thank you, Mr. Bruce. It's always flattering to hear that from the person who owns the club.

LENNY: I have a proposal for you...

TO BE CONTINUED
            

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: A Night to Remember

            INT. THE GASLIGHT CAFÉ - NIGHT

The club is full. Susie, clipboard in hand, coordinates the stage location among the bustling WAITSTAFF.

SUSIE
(to the bartender) These drinks better be good tonight, Roger. We've got a good lineup.

MIDGE (O.S.)
(voiceover)
Every night should be a night to remember. They say it's better to burn out than to fade away, and I'm determined to keep the flame alive.

INT. THE MAISEL APARTMENT - NIGHT

MIDGE stands in front of the mirror applying her lipstick. She looks stunning in a fabulous cocktail dress.

MIDGE
(to herself) Fits like a glove. If only my comedy career would fall effortlessly into place like this dress.

MOISHE (O.S.)
(voiceover) My daughter, the comedian. I never thought I'd see the day!

INT. WEISSMAN APARTMENT - NIGHT

ROSE and MOISHE argue about MIDGE's new career choice.

ROSE
Moishe, she's happy. And she's good at it, better than I could have ever imagined.

MOISHE
I understand that, Rose, but she can't get by on comedy alone. She needs a real job, a fallback plan!

ROSE
(sweetly sarcastic) Your fallback plan was to drink Manhattans until you couldn't remember your failures, so you really shouldn't give her any advice.

INT. THE GASLIGHT CAFÉ - NIGHT

Susie counts down the seconds on her watch as the previous act wraps up. MIDGE enters to thunderous applause.

MIDGE
Thank you, thank you! Wow, what a crowd tonight! So, my mother-in-law likes to tell everyone I'm a secretary. That's her fallback plan for me. But what she doesn't realize is that being a secretary would be the perfect job for a comedian. Because comedy is all about timing. Timing, my friends, is the key to both answering phone calls and solid joke delivery. Every time I kick off these heels to run barefoot on stage, I'm one misplaced punchline away from answering phones.

The audience laughs.

CUT TO:

EXT. NEW YORK STREET - NIGHT

MIDGE and SUSIE walk together after the show, laughing and discussing the performance. A car honks and SUSIE screams at them.

SUSIE
Learn how to drive, ya moron!

MIDGE
God, I love this city. The audience, the energy, the way every single one of you joins together in ragging on out-of-towner drivers.

SUSIE
And that's why you're going places, Midge.

They approach a car parked out of place. They notice it's painted with racial slurs.

MIDGE
(is determined) We need to make a stand against this, Susie.

TO BE CONTINUED.
            

From Page to Stage

            INT. WEISSMAN APARTMENT - KITCHEN - DAY

Rose, Abe, and Midge are having breakfast. Midge reads today's newspaper.

MIDGE
(surprised)
Would you look at this! Lenny Bruce is performing tonight at the Gaslight!

ABE
(skeptical)
Bruce? Huh, isn't he too political for your taste, Miriam?

MIDGE
(smiles)
He's brilliant, and you know I love a challenge. I bet I can learn something from him.

ROSE
(excited)
Maybe we should go see him tonight. It'll be a fun family night out!

MIDGE
Er... family?

INT. WOMEN'S WASHROOM - THE GASLIGHT - NIGHT

Midge, Susie, and Rose are freshening up.

SUSIE
(surprised)
Bringing your mother along to the Gaslight? Bold move, kid.

MIDGE
(sighs)
She insisted. She thinks Lenny is kinda cute.

ROSE
(fixing lipstick)
I'm right here, you know? And he is cute, in a roguish sort of way.

INT. THE GASLIGHT - STAGE - NIGHT

Midge jumps up on stage and starts her set.

MIDGE
(excited)
Welcome, ladies and gentlemen! Are you ready for some comedy tonight?

The crowd cheers, and Midge is taken aback when she spots her mother, father, and Moishe in the crowd.

MIDGE
(continuing)
So, my mother is in the audience tonight! Finally, someone's more nervous about my act than me.

INT. THE GASLIGHT - TABLE - NIGHT

Rose, Abe, and Moishe discuss Midge's performance.

ROSE
(nervously)
I hope she doesn't embarrass us... or herself.

ABE
(sarcastic)
Your faith in her is staggering.

MOISHE
(calmly)
Aw, relax! Joanie would drop her act the moment her mother walks in the door. Ain't that right, Abe?

Abe laughs nervously, knowing Moishe's right.

INT. THE GASLIGHT - STAGE - NIGHT

Midge is on a roll with her set.

MIDGE
(energetic)
Have you ever tried to buy makeup at a department store? You walk in, and it's like stepping into a war zone! Ladies, am I right?

The crowd laughs, and Midge sees Lenny Bruce sitting in the back, watching intently. She beams.

TO BE CONTINUED
            

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel - Double Booked

            INT. B. ALTMAN DEPARTMENT STORE - DAY

MIDGE stands behind the cosmetics counter, applying lipstick to an ELDERLY WOMAN. SUZIE walks up and starts speaking before Midge can even acknowledge her presence.

SUZIE
What the hell were you thinking, Midge?

MIDGE
What now, Suzie?

SUZIE
(squinting at her pocket notebook)
I just found out that you have two gigs tonight! How did you manage to double book yourself?

MIDGE
I...wait, what? I don't remember doing that.

INT. GASLIGHT CAFE - NIGHT (FLASHBACK)

Midge is on stage, killing it with her stand-up routine. A pair of BOOKING AGENTS are in the audience, laughing and taking notes.

BOOKING AGENT 1
We have to get her to perform at our club!

BOOKING AGENT 2
Absolutely.

INT. B. ALTMAN DEPARTMENT STORE - DAY (PRESENT)

MIDGE
I did? Must have slipped my mind.

SUZIE
First, you're at the Vanguard, and then you have to get all the way across town to the Fillmore - in less than an hour! You're nuts!

MIDGE
I can handle it. What's the worst that could happen?

SUZIE
(gestures around department store)
You want to keep working here? 'Cause that's the worst that could happen -- you'll have no time for anything else!

INT. VANGUARD - NIGHT

Midge performing her routine on stage to a lively crowd.

MIDGE
So, I told Suzie, what's the worst that could happen? Let's just hope I don't have to run to the Fillmore in these heels!

Crowd laughs.

EXT. NEW YORK - NIGHT

Midge sprints through the busy streets of New York, frantically trying to get to the Fillmore in time. As she runs through the streets, she has to avoid getting hit by passing cars.

SUZIE
(running behind Midge)
Told you this was a bad idea!

MIDGE
Oh, come on! We're almost there!

INT. FILLMORE - NIGHT

A visibly out-of-breath Midge takes her place on stage just in time. She stammers through her opening lines but eventually catches her breath and dives into her routine.

INT. FILLMORE - NIGHT (LATER)

Midge finishes her act to thunderous applause. Suzie approaches her as she exits the stage.

SUZIE
Somehow, you did it, Midge. But don't you ever pull a stunt like that again.

MIDGE
(smiling)
I promise I won't. But it was kind of thrilling, wasn't it?

SUZIE
(snorts)
You'll be the death of me, kid.

TO BE CONTINUED
            

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: A Night at the Roxy

            INT. THE WEISSMAN APARTMENT - DAY

We open on the usual chaos that is the Weissman home. ROSE is fussing with an invitation in her hand, while ABE plays with baby ESTHER in the background.

ROSE
(worried)
Abe, it says 'an evening at the Roxy with the B. Altman's.' Tonight! Miriam has to come.

ABE
(smirking)
You know Midge is at work, dear.

ROSE
(sighs)
Right. I'll call her.

INT. B. ALTMAN'S - DAY

MIDGE is organizing perfumes on a counter, as SUSIE rushes in, knocking over a display.

SUSIE
(restless)
Midge, you're not going to believe it! I've booked us a real gig for tonight! It's at The Roxy!

MIDGE
(excited)
Susie, that's incredible! I'm in!

SUSIE
(whispering)
But here's the catch - you have to come to the theater right after work, and we've got the smallest slot at the end of the night. It's a risk.

MIDGE
(grinning)
We've never shied away from risks. Count me in.

MIDGE's phone begins to ring. She picks it up.

MIDGE
(answering)
Hello?

ROSE
Do you have plans for tonight, dear?

MIDGE
(guilty)
Well, yes. I just got booked for a big gig at the Roxy.

ROSE
(with disappointment)
But our family has plans for tonight - a night out with the B. Altman's at the Roxy. We were all supposed to dress up.

MIDGE
(surprised)
The Roxy? Tonight?

INT. THE GASLIGHT CAFE - NIGHT

With SUSIE, MIDGE reviews the giggling family event before her comedy routine.

MIDGE
(nervous)
How am I supposed to perform when my family is out there?

SUSIE
(smirking)
You can always use them for material, right?

INT. ROXY THEATER - NIGHT

MIDGE takes the stage, wearing a beautiful dress. Her family, sitting in the audience, gazes at her in surprise.

MIDGE
(apologetic, charming)
Ladies and gentlemen, I'm so sorry, but I'm afraid my comedy act doesn't quite meet the elegance of tonight's atmosphere. So, forgive the change of pace, and enjoy!

MIDGE, against all odds, starts cracking jokes, making light of the family event and poking fun at her own dual role as a saleswoman at B. Altman's and an aspiring comedienne. Her family can't help but smirk, and the general audience starts to warm up to her, too.

TO BE CONTINUED