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