All her life she had wanted to teach at Wellesley College.
So when a position opened in the Art History department...
... she pursued it single-mindedly until she was hired.
It was whispered that Katherine Watson...
... a first-year teacher from Oakland State...
... made up in brains what she lacked in pedigree.
Which was why this bohemian from California...
... was on her way to the most conservative college in the nation.
- Excuse me, please. - Oh, sorry.
Excuse me.
Excuse me. The bus?
- Keep walking, ma'am. - Thank you.
But Katherine Watson didn't come to Wellesley to fit in.
She came to Wellesley because she wanted to make a difference.
- Violet. - My favorite Italian professor.
- Nice summer? - Terrific, thanks.
- Who's that over there? - Where?
Oh, Katherine Watson. New teacher. Art History. I'm dying to meet her.
Who knocks at the Door of Learning?
- I am every woman. - What do you seek?
To awaken my spirit through hard work...
...and dedicate my life to knowledge.
Then you are welcome.
All women who seek to follow you can enter here.
I now declare the academic year begun.
A shame you didn't come yesterday. It's so quiet before the girls arrive.
Just a few rules. No holes in the walls.
No pets, no loud noises, no radio or hi-fi after 8 on weekdays...
...10 on weekends...
...no hot plates and no male visitors.
Anything wrong?
I don't think I can go a year without a hot plate.
Don't you just love chintz?
And look.
They match.
Sweet, right? Your room's here.
My room is just across the way...
...and Amanda Armstrong's down the other end.
- You grew up here? - My whole life.
You'll meet my parents when they come to visit.
- They visit? - Regularly.
- What do you teach? - Speech, elocution and poise.
Dinners are communal, so I'll handle that.
But breakfast and lunch, you're on your own. So...
...we each get our own shelf. I'll make your label this evening.
I don't need to tell you, everything on our individual shelves is sacrosanct.
I just knew when we met...
...we'd be instant friends.
Be careful. They can smell fear.
- Good morning. - Good morning.
Thank you.
This is History of Art 100.
We'll be following Dr. Staunton's syllabus.
- Any questions so far? - Your name?
- Why don't you go first? - Connie Baker.
- Katherine Watson. Nice to meet you. - Dr. Watson, I presume.
- Not yet. And you are? - Giselle Levy.
Giselle. If someone could get the...
- Susan Delacorte. - Thank you, Susan Delacorte.
From the beginning, man has always had the impulse to create art.
- Can anyone tell me what this is? - Wounded Bison, Altamira, Spain...
...about 15,000 B.C. Joan Brandwyn.
Very good, Joan.
Despite the age of these, they are technically sophisticated because...
The shading and the thickness of the lines moving over the bison's hump.
- Is that right? - Yes, that's exactly right.
Next slide.
This is probably less familiar. It was discovered by archeologists...
In 1879, Lascaux, France. Dates back to 10,000 B.C.
Singled out because of flowing lines depicting the movement of the animal.
- Impressive. Name? - Herd of Horses.
- I meant yours. - We call her Flicka.
Elizabeth Warren. They call me Betty.
Very good.
Betty is also correct.
Just because something is ancient doesn't mean that it is primitive.
For example. Next slide, please.
Mycerinus and His Queen. 2470 B.C.
It's a funerary statue of the pharaoh and queen...
...originally intended to preserve the pharaoh's ka. Soul.
Have any of you taken Art History before?
No.
Let's go on. Slide.
Seated Scribe. Egypt. 2400 B.C.
Peasant Couple Plowing. Sixteenth century B.C. Egypt.
Snake Goddess. Minoan. 1600 B.C.
Fresco. Minoan. 1600 B.C.
Funeral Mask. Mycenaean. 1200.
Could someone please get...?
Thank you.
By a show of hands only...
...how many of you have read the entire text?
- And the suggested supplements. - Long way from Oakland State?
Well, you girls do prepare.
If you've nothing else for us, we could go to independent study.
Ac...
I was in California once. How do you get work done with all that sunshine?
- We tan in class. - Really?
No.
You know, not everybody wanted you.
I'm not naming any names.
These jobs usually go quickly. Ex-students, friends of, you know...
...the right people.
The person they wanted took a job at Brown, and no one else was available.
So here you are.
You can go in now. Good luck.
Your first class left a lot to be desired, Miss Watson.
And I'm curious about the subject of your dissertation.
You suggest, "Picasso will do for the 20th century...
...what Michelangelo did for the Renaissance," unquote.
In terms of influencing movements.
So these canvases that they're turning out these days...
...with paint dripped and splotched on them...
...they're as worthy of our attention as Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel?
I'm not comparing them.
Have you ever seen the Sistine Chapel, Miss Watson?
Actually stood there?
I've never been to Europe.
I can assure all of you this is the place I want to be more than anything.
Better discipline next class, Miss Watson.
- Hello. - It's me.
- Hey! - Collect from Katherine Watson.
- Will you accept? - Yeah, sure, of course I will.
Hey, is everything okay?
Yeah.
Tough, huh?
Well, how are the classes?
Snobs, right?
- I hate to say I told you so. - You don't have to.
I can't really talk right now.
I'll write you tonight.
So you got a fella?
He's... He's there. I'm here.
Long distance. Torture. I know. Come. Come in and sit down.
When Lenny left for the South Pacific, it nearly broke my heart.
We wrote every day until...
He was a great man.
- I'm sorry. - It was a hundred years ago.
I'm babbling.
I love Lucy. Even if she is a communist.
The only thing red about Lucy is her hair.
And even that's fake. Desi said it.
Winchell wrote it.
Amanda Armstrong. I see you survived.
Katherine Watson. Just barely.
Oh, good. You've met. Katherine's taken the third bedroom.
How about a little dinner before What's My Line?
How about a little drink?
Her companion died in May.
Companion?
You know, companion.
Josephine Burns. Taught biology here for 30 years.
You'll love it here, Katherine. You'll see.
I already do. L... Honestly, it's beautiful. It's perfect, really.
Well, don't fool yourself. They have claws underneath their white gloves.
Who?
The alumnae, their offspring, the faculty. You name it.
Watch out for yourself.
Too much independence frightens them.
- Will you please stop? - Oh, a word of advice.
Don't let those girls know that they got to you.
- They didn't. - Good for you.
You almost convinced me.
- What is that? - You tell me.
Carcass by Soutine. 1925.
- It's not on the syllabus. - No, it's not.
Is it any good?
Come on, ladies. There's no wrong answer.
There's also no textbook telling you what to think.
It's not that easy, is it?
All right. No. It's not good.
In fact, I wouldn't even call it art. It's grotesque.
Is there a rule against grotesque art?
I think there's something aggressive about it...
...and erotic. - To you, everything is erotic.
- Everything is erotic. - Girls.
- Aren't there standards? - Of course.
Otherwise a tacky velvet painting could be equated to a Rembrandt.
My Uncle Ferdie has two tacky velvet paintings. He loves those clowns.
There are standards, technique, composition, color, even subject.
So if you're suggesting that rotted side of meat is art...
...much less good art, then what are we going to learn?
Just that.
You have outlined our new syllabus, Betty. Thank you.
What is art? What makes it good or bad?
And who decides?
Next slide, please.
Twenty-five years ago someone thought this was brilliant.
- I can see that. - Who?
My mother. I painted it for her birthday.
Next slide. This is my mom.
- Is it art? - It's a snapshot.
If I told you Ansel Adams had taken it, would that make a difference?
- Art isn't art until someone says it is. - It's art!
- The right people. - Who are they?
Betty Warren!
- We're lucky we have one right here. - Screw you.
Could you go back to the Soutine, please?
Just look at it again. Look beyond the paint.
Let us try to open our minds to a new idea.
All right, back to chapter three. Has anyone read it?
Okay.
"When your courses are set, and a dream boat you've met...
...have a real cigarette. Have a Camel."
I've got my courses, I've got my Camel cigarette. Where is my dream boat?
- Giselle, where is my dream boat? - Betty's cousin isn't good enough?
- I haven't met him. - Don't encourage her.
He's only escorting Connie as a favor.
Why are you like this?
I didn't mean that.
I'm just under so much pressure with the wedding.
Do you realize November 2 is three weeks from now?
- Oh, honey. - Don't have it.
- Don't come. - Here. Here.
I'm working on table seating now, so I can just erase your name.
- Can I see it? - No.
Let me look. I can't look for a second?
- You want to see where Bill is sitting. - No. That is over. Right?
Right? Giselle, right?
Damn it.
- Do I look a little bit like her? - Like who?
- Katherine Watson. - You mean, "crap is art"?
- I think she's fabulous. - Well, no man wanted her.
- She isn't dead. - She's at least 30.
- Oh, no. No. - I guess she never wanted children.
For your information...
...Katherine Watson had to take this job to escape from California.
Please.
She had a torrid affair with a Hollywood movie star.
- She came here to get away. - That's ridiculous.
- Who was it? - I don't know.
Who was it, Giselle? Don't be a pimple! Tell me!
- It's ridiculous. - Tell me. No, it's not. You know.
- You know something. Tell me. - It's William Holden.
- Fantastic! - I know.
Who is it?
William Holden.
I know. I know. I'm late. I'm... Abject pleading, apologies, forgiveness.
Is she giving you any trouble?
If these girls can't get back on time, know what I say? Lock them out.
Come on. Out! I'm going to lock the door. Out!
Bedtime, ladies. Bedtime. Let's go. Bedtime.
- Hey, Betty. - Quiet time, ladies.
Women like Katherine Watson don't get married...
...because they choose not to. - No woman chooses to live...
...without a home, unless she's sleeping with her Italian professor.
- You are so critical. - I am not.
Of course you are. You're your mother's daughter.
It's a classic Electra complex.
I don't blame you. I mean...
...who wouldn't want to murder your mother?
- Hey. How's the Harvard sweetheart? - Divine.
Got an extra ciggie?
- Did you do his homework? - Of course.
- Want to do mine? - No.
This isn't what I think it is. Is it?
Where'd you get it?
From the school nurse.
- It's against the law. - Oh, honey. It's a girl's best friend.
- A certain kind of girl. - Meet the last virgin bride.
- Spencer is a gentleman. - And even gentlemen have dicks.
- Maybe I'll get one. - What? A dick?
Don't be stupid, Connie.
Someone, somewhere, someday might be interested.
Just in case. Just in case, I'll be prepared.
Was that necessary?
I was taught it's best to speak honestly.
Okay. You're a bitch.
We recently learned that Amanda Armstrong...
... our nurse, has been distributing contraception to Wellesley girls.
This revelation is disturbing to an institution...
... that prides itself on propriety.
Go, go, go! Go, go! It's been going on since the late '80s.
- Whoever wins is first to marry! - Do the girls take it literally?
Only the girl with the winning hoop. Oh, look, it's Phyllis Nayor!
Good for her. It gets me every time.
- Why the buggies? - They've got their man.
They're wishing for their babies.
Have you seen this?
What is it?
It's a front-page attack on Amanda Armstrong. Betty Warren wrote it.
"By providing contraception on demand, our school nurse...
...is little more than a cheerleader for promiscuity." Wow.
Oh, they're not going to dump her in a lake!
- I'm coming, Phyllis! - Have you seen this?
I wouldn't worry. Betty's just a young girl flexing her muscles.
So was Lizzie Borden, and her mother wasn't president...
...of the alumnae association. - Would somebody get that girl a towel!
- That's her mother? - Apple, tree.
Is Amanda going to get into trouble?
Amanda needs to start minding her p's and q's.
The trick to surviving Wellesley is never getting noticed.
Ciao, Mona Lisa.
The big war hero.
He thinks he's something special.
He sleeps with his students.
The gold is fine. The napkin rings are vulgar.
The glassware should be trimmed with gold.
The little sugar boxes, gold and white, filled with chocolate. No candlesticks.
- Freesia instead of daisies. - Wise choice, madam.
No baby's breath.
- You already had your fitting? - We're on our way.
Here's the seating chart and Spencer's list of groomsmen.
Oh, I almost forgot.
I spoke to him about reading the poem. He'd rather not. I said all right.
Excuse us for a second, Joan.
A good wife lets her husband think that everything's his idea...
...even when it's not. - I don't care if he reads it.
You will in retrospect.
Now, why don't you see if you can't nudge the idea into his head.
I've been here now for 21 years, Jocelyn.
- I remember you as a student. - Twenty-four, if you count that.
So why the theatrics?
We cannot appear to promote sexual promiscuity.
Okay. It's about appearances, then? No.
All right, all right.
All right. Well, I promise not to appear to be sympathetic, progressive...
...or what did Mrs. Warren call it? "Liberal."
Scout's honor.
I spent the better part of Friday afternoon convincing the alumnae...
...that your record was impeccable...
...that you would no longer provide contraceptive devices...
...and you'd make a public statement to that effect.
I'm not willing to make a public statement.
It doesn't matter, Amanda.
They're letting you go.
It's out of my hands.
And this champagne cup is in the wrong place.
And up and down. And up and...
Katherine. Good evening, Miss Watson.
- Good evening, Miss Watson. - Join us.
No.
- Good night, Miss Watson. - Good night, Miss Watson.
And down. Very nice. Very nice.
Hey.
Heard about Amanda. I'm sorry.
She seemed all right about it. I wouldn't be.
They don't give you too many chances around here.
Oh, that depends how much they hate you to begin with.
Can I buy you a drink? Or are you here for dinner?
How long do the marriage lectures take?
Get this woman a booth.
Your husband is at a crossroads in his career.
He's competing for promotion against two rivals, Smith and Jones.
To get the edge, you have wisely decided to invite the boss...
...and his wife to a 7:00 dinner.
You've carefully planned your meal...
...set your table and arranged for a babysitter.
- Oh, we have babies! - Yes, and I have twins!
Then, surprise. It's 6:15...
...and your husband's called to say that Smith, Jones and their wives...
...have been invited at the boss's request.
Ever the Wellesley girl...
...you keep your cool and understand...
...that the boss is probably testing you as much as your husband. What next?
- Yes? - File for divorce?
That's very funny.
But the thing is, it's not a joke.
A few years from now your sole responsibility...
...will be taking care of your husband and children.
You may all be here...
...for an easy A...
...but the grade that matters the most is the one he gives you, not me.
- You'll need to... - Whatever you do...
...don't put the boss's wife next to your husband.
- Why not? - She's screwing him.
Is that where you learned to speak Italian? In Italy?
Yeah.
- Have you got a boyfriend? - Yes.
You know, if you were mine, I'd never let you go.
I wouldn't have asked your permission.
Yeah, they say you're progressive.
A forward thinker.
- Are you? - There are a lot of labels here...
...l've noticed.
Right family, right school, right art, right way of thinking.
Well, saves the effort on thinking for yourself.
How do you expect to ever make a difference if everything is a joke?
Oh, Katherine Watson comes to Wellesley to set us all free? Come on.
- Thank you for the drink. - No, no. Wait. I was teasing.
They have their own way of doing things here.
You've just gotta find a way to work with them. We all had to.
I'm sorry.
Five years ago, they'd have slapped my wrist.
But now there's a committee for the protection of everything.
They think you're dangerous?
Oh, no, darling. No. Subversive.
It's gotten to the point...
...where you don't know who is protecting whom from what.
Or should that be "from whom"? Well, whom gives a damn anyway?
They're doing me a favor really.
Will you be all right?
Better than that.
I should really have left when Josephine died.
Nothing left to love here anymore. So...
Hello?
- Miss Watson? - Yes. I'm back here.
I've never been to this part of campus before. Where are we?
No man's land. So to speak.
Come on in.
What's all this?
Different things different days.
People who inspire me, artists I admire, editorials I don't.
So you came to see me.
- You gave me a C. - I'm kind.
The assignment was to write about Bruegel. I did that.
- No, what you did was copy Strauss. - I was referencing an expert.
If I wanted to know what he thought, I'd buy his book.
Miss Watson, with all due respect...
Bruegel was a storyteller. Find the stories.
Break them down into smaller pieces. You might actually enjoy it.
- You're giving me another chance? - So it seems.
Is that my file? What's it say?
Well, let's see.
- Straight A's. - Until now.
President of the poetry society, captain of the debate team...
...co-captain of the tennis club, founder of the horticulture league.
- I sound like a pompous ass. - Yes, you do, but a very busy one.
And it says here that you're pre-law. What law school are you gonna go to?
I hadn't thought about that. After I graduate, I'm getting married.
- And then? - And then I'll be married.
You can do both.
Just for fun, if you could go to any law school, which would it be?
Yale.
They keep five slots open for women, one unofficially for a Wellesley girl.
But you haven't really thought about it.
Wake up, Joanie, wake up. Wake up.
Okay, don't get up.
Don't hear what I have to say about Tommy and Spencer...
...looking at an engagement ring...
...for you.
You're sure?
That's everything we always wanted, huh?
We'll be best friends, and our husbands will be best friends...
...and we'll have houses together and we'll have babies together...
...and they'll be best friends.
You're going to be Mrs. Tommy Donegal.
When?
I'll get the scoop tomorrow. You go back to sleep.
The first part of the exam will consist of two pairs of slides.
Please identify each of the slides by name, period and date.
Then compare and contrast them.
You will have 10 minutes for each pair.
Then you will write a 1500-word essay...
...describing the stylistic differences between Raphael and van Eyck.
Eyes forward, Miss Delacorte.
You have 40 minutes.
Good luck.
- Excuse me. - Governor. Another shot, please.
This way, please. Thank you.
Excuse me.
This is quite the event.
- I'm surprised I was invited. - Well, look around you.
Who wasn't?
You ever hear the expression "Keeping up with the Joneses"?
Of course.
Mr. And Mrs. Gordon Jones.
The actual, historical family they invented the phrase about.
Good to know.
That's him!
- Thank you. - Good to see you.
- Thank you very much. - A beautiful dress.
Hi, we're so glad you came.
- We're together. Table 19. - Good.
Holy God!
The governor is right behind you. Don't turn around.
Great band.
- Violet. - Yes?
- Would you mind if I go here? - Not at all.
Over here. Thank you.
- Great band. - Great band.
- Hi, Katherine. - Hi, Professor Dunbar.
I'm getting a Manhattan. Like anything?
No, thank you.
I'll take a Jack and ginger.
He's making his move.
I knew he'd go for her.
She's too old for him.
She's too smart for him.
Hold that.
- They're playing our song. - What?
- They're playing our song. - I heard you.
- Hi. - Hi, Giselle.
- Ladies' choice? - Sure.
Excuse me.
Ladies, gentlemen! Quiet!
What's this about the poem you wanted me to read?
- It was your idea, remember? - I never said that.
Ready?
Excellent.
Well, I wrote this down, just in case you forgot. It's my favorite.
Smile.
Now, Betty, I tried to think of a million ways to tell you how I feel.
But instead...
...I refer to your favorite poem.
- Good catch. - You said it.
He's a morsel. Miss Watson!
- He's a favor. Remember? - Come on.
Miss Watson, I want you to meet Tommy.
Tommy, come here for a second.
You are so beautiful.
- This is Katherine Watson. - Oh, wow! In the flesh.
- She has not shut up about you. - Oh, stop.
- You know what I'm saying? - I do.
- You did something to impress her. - Well, it seems you did too.
- You make these especially well. - Thank you.
I had a fella. Lenny.
You remind me of him so much.
He had this...
...funny little thing where his two front teeth...
...they overlapped.
He's dead.
South Pacific.
My parents say my future is right on the horizon.
Tell them the horizon is an imaginary line...
...that recedes as you approach it.
I think I'll go back to my seat.
I had a really nice time. Thank you.
Connie.
- Is this the brushoff? - No.
I thought you were, you know...
...done with me.
- Why would you think that? - Betty said that you...
I don't wanna take advantage. I know that this was some favor.
She did me the favor, not you.
Come on, dance with me.
She's too good for you.
Maybe you're right.
I'm too good for you too.
- But I have lower expectations. - I thought we settled this last spring.
So then we probably shouldn't have slept together over the summer.
Stop.
You ready?
Do you wanna know something funny?
Lenny's not dead.
Not technically.
He...
He's got married.
He's got a wife and kids...
...and a mortgage.
It was all supposed to be mine, except for the wife.
And you... You don't look a thing like him.
- You ugly bartender. - Stop it.
- You couldn't shine his shoes. - I'm sorry.
It wasn't supposed to turn out like this.
- Which way? - Let me just see here.
I'm not sure.
- Where are we supposed to go? - I think it's here.
Come this way. We're almost there.
Joe.
- Hello. - Hi. How are you?
Great. Thank you so much for this. You're a pal.
It's a pleasure. Your timing is perfect.
There it is.
- That's Jackson Pollock. - In a word.
I was getting used to the idea of dead, maggoty meat being art, now this.
Please don't tell me we have to write a paper about it.
Do me a favor.
Do yourselves a favor. Stop talking and look.
You're not required to write a paper. You're not even required to like it.
You are required...
...to consider it.
That's your only assignment today. When you're done, you may leave.
Thank God Betty isn't here.
Where did you come from?
Mars.
What a coincidence.
Tom Donegal came by to see Joan. So I hopped a ride.
Why?
So I could do this:
- Katherine. - Yes?
- Have you got a minute? - Of course.
Walk with me.
- You going home for the holidays? - No.
- Too far? - Too expensive.
But I've never had a New England Christmas, so...
- Our weather hasn't scared you away? - I love it here.
Do you?
I've been getting some calls about your teaching methods, Katherine.
They're a little unorthodox...
...for Wellesley.
- We are traditionalists, Katherine. - Yes, I noticed.
So if you'd like to stay here...
- Is that a question? - More a discussion.
- About my staying here? - You'll have your formal review in May.
Until then...
...a little less modern art.
Happy holidays.
And to you.
- Afternoon. - Oh, hi...
I hope you get that ring!
Bye, girls, see you next year. Have a safe trip.
So, what's the big hush-hush secret?
Are we gonna hear the pitter-patter of little Spencers?
Stop. They'll tell us when they're ready.
Are you ready?
Is she the cutest? You are the cutest. Come here, you.
Spencer's been made junior partner.
- It is about time. - And it's a significant raise too!
- Betty! - What? I can say that, can't I?
To Tommy and Joan?
Well, it is. So maybe a family isn't far behind.
Let's take our coffee in the sitting room, shall we?
I'll help.
- Keep them closed. - All right.
Beautiful! You've got everything you've ever dreamed of.
You will too.
I've got a secret to tell you. You swear you won't gab to anyone?
I got accepted early to Yale Law School.
To what?! Why?! You don't want to be a lawyer.
Maybe I do.
You won't switch cold creams without asking me, but you applied to school?
On a lark. We never thought I'd get in.
- Who's "we"? - Miss Watson.
She practically filled out my application for me.
You've got to be kidding me! What right does she have?
You're getting married!
First of all, there's no ring on this finger.
Second, I can do both. I can.
- How does Tommy feel about this? - He doesn't know. No one does.
- Not even her? - No one.
Joanie! Betty!
You are this close to getting everything you ever wanted.
And this close to losing it.
I just got a call. They need me in New York tomorrow.
Joan and Tommy are here. Can't you leave in the morning?
Then I'd miss the meeting. Sorry, guys. We take a rain check?
- Sure, buddy. - We'll see you in the new year.
Happy and merry.
I'll call you in the morning.
Coffee?
Guess who has an early Christmas present?
- Oh, my! How can you live like this? - Like what?
We'll just wait for you to tidy up a bit.
In this lifetime? Lt'll never happen. Come here, beautiful.
What are you doing here?
- You still like it here? - I do. I like getting to know the girls.
Most of the time.
- And the weather. - Yeah, the weather's nice.
- Are you freezing? - Yeah.
- Your lips are a little blue. - I like them that way.
Why didn't you bring a coat?
Bill.
Giselle, what are you doing here?
Freezing.
Look, it's over. I can't see you anymore.
- I can't. - I know.
Really.
I just want to talk to you for a minute.
Come on.
Oh, I missed you.
You're beautiful.
Life without you...
...just isn't life.
And I don't want to go through life not living. Do you?
No.
I love you so much I would move to this elitist icebox if you want me to.
Make an honest man out of me.
Miss Watson?
Hi. I didn't know you were here.
Giselle Levy, Bill Dunbar, this is...
- This is my... Paul. - Fiancé.
As of about a minute and a half ago. Paul Moore.
God. Congratulations! Your fiancé?
You must be thrilled.
I don't think she's caught her breath yet.
I haven't.
- Well, sit down. We'll have a toast. - We'd love to. We're in a hurry.
But that's really great. Congratulations, old man.
- Congratulations. Merry Christmas. - Come on, let's...
Best of tidings to you both. Bye.
No, Paul.
Nancy'll have a heart attack. She has these rules.
- Come on. - No.
- Why? - I said no. I'm not comfortable.
I'll make up the convertible sofa.
What are you doing?
You're not kidding?
I just came 3000 miles to see you. I'm sleeping down here by myself?
Stop. Stop. Stop for a second.
- Tell me what the hell's going on. - I don't know.
I feel like everything is getting away from me.
We haven't actually, literally looked at each other for three months...
...and now you're here, and I have this ring on my finger.
Which makes you uncomfortable too?
The last time I checked, we weren't on this track.
When was the last time you checked?
Bill...
The name is Paul.
I'm not saying no to you.
No, you're not saying anything.
You never really do.
If you need me for anything else, my number's on the refrigerator.
I feel so guilty leaving you alone after...
I'm fine. I have lots of research to do.
That's right. Throw yourself into work.
I'll be back...
...on the 2nd.
See you next year.
1954!
Sunflowers. Vincent van Gogh. 1888.
He painted what he felt, not what he saw.
People didn't understand. To them, it seemed childlike and crude.
It took years for them to recognize his actual technique...
...to see the way his brush strokes seemed to make the night sky move.
Yet, he never sold a painting in his lifetime.
This is his self-portrait.
There's no camouflage, no romance. Honesty.
- Now, 60 years later, where is he? - Famous?
So famous, in fact, that everybody has a reproduction.
- There are post cards... - We have the calendar.
With the ability to reproduce art, it is available to the masses.
No one needs to own a van Gogh original.
We do. In the Newport house.
But it's small. Tiny.
They can paint their own. Van Gogh in a box, ladies.
The newest form of mass-distributed art:
Paint by numbers.
"Now everyone can be van Gogh. It's so easy.
Just follow the simple instructions...
...and in minutes, you're on your way to being an artist."
Van Gogh by numbers?
Ironic, isn't it? Look at what we have done to the man...
...who refused to conform his ideals to popular taste.
Who refused to compromise his integrity.
We have put him in a tiny box and asked you to copy him.
So the choice is yours, ladies.
You can conform to what other people expect or you can...
I know. Be ourselves.
You're a sight for sore eyes.
I would've been on time but, silly me, I thought class was in the classroom.
Glad you could join us, Mrs. Jones. We thought we'd lost you.
- There's an unwritten rule for marr... - Don't bother.
Since your wedding, you've missed six classes, a paper and your midterm.
Well, thank God I didn't miss the paint-by-numbers lecture.
I was on my honeymoon and then I had to set up house.
- What does she expect? - Attendance.