PEYTON PLACE
Episode 8.
10-08-64
Rossi confirms that Betty Anderson is pregnant.
WA: It's a long ride home for Rodney Harrington and Allison
Mackenzie. They aren't talking much. They've said about
all there is to say to one another at Tucker's Pond.
That's the "Lovers Lane" of Peyton Place.
Intro: The waterfront. Breakers crashing against the rocks. The
Harrington house. Rodney is finally driving Allison home.
Tower clock sounds two times loudly and 9 more times more
softly with scene of George Anderson. It is 11:00 pm.
Written by Franklin Barton and Theodore and Mathilde Ferro
Directed by Ted Post
Scene 1: George is downstairs in the Anderson livingroom pursuing
his lifelong hobby, drinking. Julie is upstairs in bed.
Betty is pacing the floor in her bedroom, troubled.
Scene 2: Meanwhile, Dr. Rossi is walking Constance to her door. She
observes to Rossi that this is Indian summer. [Indian
Summer is a period of mild, warm, hazy weather following
the first frost of autumn]. He gives Constance the
rationale for his leaving New York City for Peyton Place,
Massachusetts. They arrive at the house. She invites him
in. Inside, Constance calls for her daughter, Allison.
She offers Rossi a drink. He notices the picture of the
purported Mr. Mackenzie. He picks it up and looks at it
closely, and puts it back on the mantle. They agree to
call each other "Michael" and "Connie." They sit and begin
to talk. Rossi explains to Constance that he and Dr.
Donald Brooks were classmates in medical school. He was
born in New York City and grew up there. Constance hears a
car drive up. She knows that Norman Harrington doesn't
have a car. She looks out the window and sees that it is
Rodney Harrington.
Scene 3: Outside, still in the car, Allison and Rodney are talking.
She thanks Rodney for a lovely evening. Then the
conversation takes a downturn.
Scene 4: Allison comes in the house and greets her mother and Dr.
Rossi. He exits gracefully by telling Constance that he'll
see her tomorrow at the festival. Allison goes up to her
room and lies on the bed to have a private cry. Constance
goes up to Allison's room. She asks her mother why she
can't be like other girls. She talks about how her mother
hasn't loved anybody for 18 years.
Scene 5: The next morning, the tower bell is sounding. In Rossi's
private office, in the Peyton Professional Building, which
used to be Dr. Donald Brooks office, Dr. Rossi talks with
Betty. He tells her that he is certain that she is
pregnant. This is her second visit concerning the
pregnancy. He asks her where she is going. She is not
sure. Betty leaves and walks by the Pillory.
On the square, Rossi meets up with Matthew Swain and his
faithful dog, Rip. This is the day of the Founders Day
Festival. They are outside the Book Gallery. A window
sign reads "Constance Mackenzie Art Objects." Matthew
observes how fine a display it is. Laura Brooks drives up
in her convertible and invites Matthew and Michael to
"Sunday brunch at the Harrington house." Matthew declines
and Michael accepts. He says he needs to speak to Leslie
about Seth Clay, a mill worker. [See episode 4.]
Scene 6: George is on the couch at the Anderson house reading a
newspaper. It is probably a copy of the "Clarion" although
it looks bigger than one would think reasonable for a daily
newspaper in a town of only 9875.
Scene 7: Constance is tending the flowers outside the Mackenzie
house. Allison comes out carrying a basket. Allison
opines that she wishes they could bloom all year round.
Rodney drives up in his convertible and invites them to
join him for the "Harrington Sunday Brunch". Constance
asks Rodney how his parents are. They are fine. Rodney
suggests that she cut the stems shorter so they will take
to water better. Rodney demonstrates his floral knowledge
by defining chrysanthemum as "golden flower."
Scene 8: Laura Brooks drives Dr. Rossi to the Harrington house and
they are admitted by Christine, the maid, who will later
inherit $1000 on the death of Catherine. [Christine was
nigh perfect domestic. The only faux pas we recall
her making resulted from not knowing the proper way to
address Betty.] Laura introduces the new doctor to the
assembled crowd including Catherine Peyton Harrington, the
mistress and hostess of the Harrington mansion. Dr. Morton
is talking to Leslie. Leslie introduces Dr. Morton to Dr.
Rossi.
[It seems strange to us that Dr. Rossi had not previously
gone to Doctors Hospital to meet the chief-of-staff. This
could explain some of the hostility that Dr. Morton showed
toward Rossi. Rossi purchased Dr. Brooks practice from
Laura without meeting her, seeing Peyton Place or even
seeing the hospital.]
Norman walks up and speaks to his aunt Laura who introduces
him to Dr. Rossi. Norman sometimes calls her "cousin".
Norman looks out the window and sees that his brother,
Rodney, has brought Allison Mackenzie. Rodney brings
Allison inside the mansion and tells her he will never hurt
her again. He tells her that he really does love her.
This was possibly the first time anyone, other than her
mother, had ever told her that. Allison evidently relates
to older men. Rodney gets a phone call from Betty.
Scene 9: In the Anderson house, Betty is on her bedroom in her
bedroom sulking, much like Allison in scene 3. Julie comes
in and attempts to comfort her. Julie says she may be as
much to blame for the break-up as Betty.
Preview: Catherine talks with Leslie. Julie talks with Betty.
CH: I was young and pretty when you married me and my
father owned the mill.
LH: Catherine, please.
CH: And now I'm not so young, and you run the mill.
LH: I built up that business for you and your father.
And I've earned every cent I get out of it.
CH: Have you ever stopped to think, Leslie, what would
happen to you if we separated?
JA: Betty, you can't run away from it.
BA: I'm not. Okay, I am. But I just found out this
morning. Dr. Rossi wasn't sure until this morning.
Just give me some time.
To be politically correct, Indian Summer should be called Native
American Summer.
PREV HOME NEXT