It doesn't make sense, I don't
understand how something
like this happened.
I don't know what
I'm going to do.
This has been my whole life,
and now it's gone
I don't know what
I'm supposed to do.
Pendleton Industries is
all I've ever known,
and now it's all
been taken away.
When someone sees a
weakness in me,
I turn that weakness
into a strength.
Danica, you're so strong.
I don't think I can
do anything like this.
You can imagine
changing your life
by fighting for the
deed to the land, Clarinda.
Which is possible only if
Bartholomew is no longer living.
You will never get the
deed to the land again,
I will never allow it.
Put down that gun,
you silly girl.
Watch your step, Bartholomew,
Ridge is on the way,
and he's still in
love with Clarinda.
And Jared loves me.
Clarinda, it's true.
I'm here for you.
This is the story of Joy,
as told by me,
her grandmother.
Everybody starts with a some
kind of dream of what life will be.
Joy dreams started at this
metal garage her father ran.
My granddaughter had a
best friend, Jackie...
a half-sister, Peggy...
a dog...
a father...
a mother...
who is my daughter...
a grandmother, that's me.
She made many beautiful
things in her world, magic.
Some people love
to make things.
They have the patience and the focus
to figure it out with their hands.
Joy was one of those people
who rejoiced in making things.
And I open the door to
the big green meadow.
And I go into the forest.
And there I conquered
many dangers:
A wolf and other
scary things.
And I started to build
my very own house,
where I would live and make wonderful
creations for all the world,
to see and have.
And maybe for the Prince and Princess who
lived across the forest in a castle.
See? And they were in love.
Maybe they'd invite me over
because of the things that I made.
You need a handsome prince,
that's what you need: a prince.
No, I don't need a prince, this is a
special power, I don't need a prince.
My daughter Terry is separated
and alone in her room
watching soap operas.
You can imagine changing your life
by fighting for the
deed to the land, Clarinda.
- I have something for you.
- Oh, Danica, you're so strong,
I don't think I can ever
do something like this.
I always felt it was
for me to encourage her,
So I said:
You are going to grow up and be
a strong, smart, young woman,
go to school, meet a fine, young man,
have beautiful children of your own,
and you're gonna build wonderful
things that you do in your room.
Okay?
What happened to
this girl's dreams?
Watch this...
Mother,
I can't find my lanyard for work,
they're not gonna let me through
airport security without it.
Joy, you can't find your lanyard?
- Can I help you?
- No but I...
Honey, listen,
I know life hasn't gone as we
discussed many times, Sweetheart,
and you don't exactly have
your WHOLE life ahead of you,
but you still have
a good portion of it anyway.
"Hope springs eternal."
- Thanks, Mimi.
- Sure.
Mother, look what I DID find.
What is that?
How can you ask what this is?
It's the dog collar I
invented in high school.
Remember Mitzi choked
a couple of times
and so I invented
the dog collar
with a quick release so
a dog would never choke
and I covered it
with reflective tape...
PLUS, it's a flea collar.
I probably wouldn't be
late to this job I'm going to
if you had gotten me
a patent or a lawyer.
Joy the Doer, Joy the Doer,
you were always doing things, Honey.
How can I be expected
to remember everything?
Now the Hartz Company
has a patent to that collar.
I don't know how
to get a patent.
What's that smell?
Ow, how did you get yogurt down here,
Mother?
I was wondering
what that odor was.
It's starting to mold,
for Pete's sake.
Yes, I am, because I feel like I can
NOT have the life bled out of me this way.
Joy, look who's back,
look who's back!
- Yes, Bartholomew is back!
- No no.
I thought Bartholomew was dead.
I am a ghost.
He came back as a ghost
with even greater powers.
- Ghost, you go away!
- My powers are even greater now.
I cannot handle this,
how is it possible?
- I will always...
- Stay away from them!
Clarinda, you don't know
what a ghost can do to you!
...even from beyond the grave.
Grandma's gonna take you to the
birthday party, okay. 5 minutes?
- Hi, what are you doin' here?
- I'm returning him to you.
- I don't want him anymore.
- WHAT?
He's damaged,
he has no place else to go.
He's been livin'
in my house for two years.
- Oh, Dad, I'm so sorry.
- Yeah...
But, ya know,
Tony's livin' in the basement.
Your ex-husband shouldn't be livin'
in your basement,
that's not the proper
way to be divorced.
Okay, I don't know where
I'm gonna put you.
Dad, don't go in there,
Mom's in there.
You can have him back, Terry,
I don't want him anymore.
What's so much better
in being with Sharon?
Dad, don't answer that.
We went to the Metropolitan
Museum of Art...
- What did you like at the museum?
- What did I like?
I'll tell you what I liked:
I like the ancient Roman statues,
I liked the medieval armor,
I liked the Etruscan jewelry...
Museums are full
dust and death.
- having an espresso, a nice Panini...
- Okay, okay, enough.
- That's what I like.
- You ate a Panini in a coffin, Rudy,
A dusty, boring coffin.
Then why did you ask me,
what, are you a crazy person?
It's like having a conversation
- with an insane asylum person.
- What else, Captain Jack?
What else was so great?
- Captain Jack?
- Yes, you're Captain Jack, the Flying Jackass.
And do you know what you are?
You're like a gas leak.
- We don't smell you, we don't see you,
- I'm not a gas leak.
- But you're killing us all... silently.
- Retract that!
Tell me what else
you did with Sharon!
You Creature from the Black Lagoon.
No! This conversation is over!
Oh, my god, here it goes,
watch out, Joy, he's gonna snap!
Aw, please, you want me to snap,
that's your whole routine.
- You want to...
- Do I have a vagina?
- Hey, Terry!
- Stop.
- Like this?
- Dad, no!
How's this for snapping?
- NO!
- How this?
- This is snapping.
- Dad!
- Okay?
- You're disturbed!
You're a disturbed man!
- I'm disturbed!
- He's a damaged man!
You're right, I AM disturbed!
You're The Great Disturber!
I'm sorry, Honey,
I don't like this.
You're not supposed to see this
kind of thing, I'm very, very sorry,
- I apologize sincerely...
- It's not gonna happen, okay?
We got other investors.
- Okay, I'm gonna clean all this up.
- Dad, no, don't clean it up.
Dad, stop! Just don't! Okay?
What do you say?
Stop! I'll do it!
I just wanna get you out of this room.
Thank you.
Hi, Guys,
I'm sorry about all the yelling.
Mimi's gonna take you
to the birthday party, okay?
Hi, My Sweethearts.
- You broke things again.
- He did.
I did, I did break some things,
but Grandma was WRONG,
so, I was a LITTLE wrong,
but she was REALLY wrong.
But Grandpa's gonna come stay
with us for a little while.
- Yea!
- Yea!
A sleepover with Grandpa! Yea!
Sharon never separated the wash,
the whites were always gray.
- But you have that magic touch, Sweetheart.
- Yeah.
- Can I give this to you?
- Yeah, I'll take care of it, yea.
- Gotcha back.
- You can put 'em on my ledgers
- and all that stuff, the accounting...
- I know, I'll get them to you later, Dad.
- Love you, Grandpa.
- Love you.
I did your taxes, I did your W-2's.
You suck!
- What is he doing here?
- Sharon brought him back.
So, he's gonna stay with us
until he finds a new love or...
a new place to live.
You know how this goes.
Joy, I can't have your father here.
What do you wanna want me to do,
Tony, I have to work.
I know, Sweetheart, but your father's a nightmare,
we're gonna kill him... I can't...
I can't take it anymore, NITWIT!
That's the end of it!
Dad! Up!
I will KILL myself! I don't like any
of this! I don't like this!
This is not the proper way to be divorced,
the two of you.
You're gonna tell me
how to be divorced?
I'm a provider, Tom Jones,
I have my own business, I help Joy
with the mortgage. What are you doing?
You sing all night at
Angela Starpoli's club,
You get repeatedly fired
from Campbell's Soup...
Okay, well,
I'm gonna divide the basement.
I'm divorced,
I can do whatever I want, Rudy.
This is not the proper way
to be divorced.
I'll am about to be late for work,
so please,
try not to fight in front
children, okay?
Especially not physically.
Rudy, do you see this?
This microphone here?
You touch it, and I kill you.
I'm leaving, please, try not to
kill each of while I'm gone.
You've gone mad,
this is all YOUR fault!
Clarinda, Clarinda!
- Don't.!
- Clarinda.
Something terrible happened!
Stay away from him!
Oh, God, I have to fix this.
- Nice job, Joy, nice job.
- Peggy?
What are you doing here?
What's the matter with
you sending Grandma Mimi
and her arthritis to take them
to their friend's birthday?
I'm fine!
You had a much better time with
me anyway, with Aunt Peggy.
Uh-uh! But I wasn't stupid enough to get into
a bad marriage and have a couple of kids.
Don't bother your sister.
I'm here to talk to Dad about business.
All right?
You gonna come bring the
books by the garage later?
Yeah, I'm gonna bring 'em later.
- He's in the basement.
- I know that you're here, I'm joking.
Yeah, I know.
Kids, we're gonna do
somethin' fun later, okay?
We're doin' somethin' fun now.
Well, we found your luggage,
but it's in Cleveland,
So now we just need to get
it back to New York City.
I'm filing a complaint.
My husband needs
his medication.
What's your name? Joy?
- You don't seem joyous today.
- Perhaps I'm not so joyous today.
Joy, I think you're being too hard.
Listen,
I need you to speak to your supervisor.
We're gonna be having some changes, and
you're going to be going to the night hours.
- Night? I was still making...
- We're having cutbacks.
- Joy, I'm sorry.
- Goodbye, nice to meet you.
I'm not payin'
for metal that I haven't gotten.
And on top of me, he says,
ya know, he wants to get paid,
he doesn't send an invoice and
he hasn't even sent the metal.
Why doesn't he just send the invoice?
Send the invoice, I'll pay him.
Yeah, that's it,
send the invoice.
Hi, Dad, I want to thank you again
for helping with the mortgage.
- It's okay.
- I, um...
- settled the accounts, balanced the books.
- Thank you.
I'm sorry business is so bad, Dad, but I don't
think that crazy gun range is helping.
How is that still legal?
- What can I do?
- After all these years.
I mean, they keep to themselves, it's
their property, the police leave 'em alone.
- Why, you think it's costing us business?
- I don't think it's helping.
Well, if you want to help, why don't you
come here and manage this place?
Ya know, I'd like to go to the next level,
put on a nice suit, ya know,
go out there and get some accounts.
- Yeah, this is 9873, just checking my mailbox.
- What is that?
Yeah, I have a pen,
what is it?
13, 14, that's it? Thank you.
What was that?
- It's a... 900 number.
- What's a 900 number?
It's a, ya know, a dating service for...
widows and widowers.
A dating service?
- You're not a widow or a widower.
- What's the difference, I'm single.
I meet nice ladies,
maybe we fall in love.
I have to fall in love or I'm
not interested, you know me.
I know, Dad.
Joan was no good for him, it's nice to have to
need somebody new, I got him some new clothes.
- Okay, okay, sounds good.
- Hello, is this 7633?
- I'll be seeing you.
- Yes.
- G'bye.
- Hi, this is 9833.
- Oh! Hi! How... How are you?
- What a nice voice you have.
- Thank you.
- You have an accent.
- Oh, yes, I am from Italy.
- Oh, continental.
- What is your name?
- My name is Rudy, what's yours?
Trudy.
- Are you kidding?
- No.
- Your name is Trudy?
- Yes.
Rudy and Trudy, I love it.
Let's figure out when we're gonna meet.
That's a good idea,
let's have dinner.
I can come pick you up.
- I have a green Mercedes.
- Okay, 6:30, I'll be ready.
Ciao!
- Good luck with your date, Dad.
- Thank you, I'm excited.
What do you think
you're gonna wear?
Polo by Ralph Lauren.
Do you have to use a
whole bottle of cologne?
- Tony!
- You smell like my grandmother.
He smells like my grandmother.
Hey, please, don't make me tense,
don't stress me out.
- Gotta stay nice and loose.
- Are you tense?
- I'm tense, you're makin' me tense.
- Dad, stop!
- I'm making you tense?
- Please.
- My carriage awaits.
- Have a great date.
- Wish me luck.
- You don't need it.
- Joy, water!
- Where are my cufflinks?
Mommy, come read to me!
Five minutes, Chris.
Mother AGAIN?
Yeah, just sit right there.
Are you comfortable?
How many times do I have to tell you
not to clean the
brushes out in the sink!
Danica thinks it's un-ladylike to toss
things in the toilet and I happen to agree.
Yeah? Well, better you have
Danica do your plumbing then, huh?
Danica directs her power
anywhere Danica chooses.
That's the power of Danica.
Oh, God, if this problem gets any worse, we're
gonna have to move you into a different room.
That means no TV.
it can be very scary for you.
Oh, don't let that happen,
Joy, this is my comfort nest.
- We're gonna need to get a plumber in here.
- What?
There's... a man in... in my room?
Well, I don't know any female
plumbers other than me.
- Well, can't you fix it, Joy?
- This has surpassed my capabilities.
Thanks, Joy.
The cicada's a large, flying insects
two to three inches long,
and makes a sound of up to 120 decibels,
louder than some telephones.
It lives half its life above
ground evading predators.
This is the book you wanted me to read to you,
Christie Anna? This book didn't get into the house?
Aunt Peggy got it for me,
she says that the reason I like cicadas,
is because they fill
the air with sound,
which makes the house
less lonelier for me.
Aunt Peggy tells you how YOU
feel about the house being lonely?
Aunt Peggy tells me a lot of things,
keep reading, please.
I don't want you listening
to Aunt Peggy too much.
Okay, why?
The cicada, a symbol of
rebirth in many countries,
digs into the ground and stays
buried for up to 17 years.
That's such a random number,
why 17 years?
It doesn't even say why,
I understand the four seasons in a year.
Why would something stay hidden for 17 years,
that's just unsettling.
I'm not reading this,
you're sleepy anyway, we gotta go to bed.
- I wanna sleep with Nana.
- No, you should sleep upstairs in your room.
I want Nana.
Anyway, wanna watch out,
there's a hole.
Good night.
- Just gonna lay down for a second.
- ...this is on you!
You knew that Bartholomew
is the ex-con in the story,
and Clarinda doesn't
even know about it.
Danica's on to him.
They all blame Clarinda but Danica's
gonna get to the bottom of it.
- No!
- Yes! It WAS you, Clarinda.
- I will get to the bottom of this.
- You've made TERRIBLE mistakes.
It was Clarinda!
Oh.
- Look who's here.
- Look who's here.
Look who's here.
We are here today to remember what was
lost, 17 years ago, can you remember?
Peggy comes with me,
Joy spends half the time with us.
We'll take her paper...
That's Joy's special thing
and it belongs in this house.
No, I...
Joy...
Joy, wake up,
someone's been ringing the door bell.
None of you really
knows what's going on.
- But I do.
- Don't you talk to Danica that way.
Jackie.
- Oh, my God, what happened?
- I'm worried about you.
I don't see you anymore,
you don't come to the PTA.
You know how my mom is always clogging
the sink with her hair from the brushes?
- With the pipes in her room?
- Yeah.
- She did it again.
- Again?
Yes, and I had to bash
open a hole in the floor,
there is a huge hole in the
floor of my mother's room.
and I'm broke.
My father works hard,
he's had some bad breaks.
I hope he gets another girlfriend,
and'll move out of the basement.
- He's in the basement with Tony?
- Yeah.
- And they hate each other.
- Yes.
It's a disaster,
they won't stop fighting.
I don't know, I don't know.
How are you, how's the family,
how is everybody?
- Everybody's okay.
- How's work?
My job...
I could take it or leave it.
What happened to us, Jackie?
All the things we
used to dream about?
I feel like things keep getting
farther and farther away.
Do you remember the night at the
party where everything started?
The band was playing,
everyone was excited.
How are you?
I need you home so bad.
- This is my boyfriend, Andre.
- Hello, Andre.
- A pleasure to meet you.
- Andre, this is my childhood friend, Joy.
Come inside!
This is my music class.
- This is a CLASS?
- Yes!
Don't turn on the lights,
'cause I don't wanna see.
Mama told me not to come!
- They're so good.
- They are, he teaches band.
- Who's the bald guy?
- That's my music teacher.
- And he has all this music in his house?
- Yeah, this is his house.
- He's from Venezuela.
- Who is that guy?
Yeah, that's the music teacher's son.
- My God, my God.
- You see?
You're dancing... here we go.
You like dancing?
What am I doing?
- You're dancing.
- No.
- Let me show you my father's house.
- What?
I'm gonna be a singer.
- Really?
- Yeah, I'm gonna be the next Tom Jones.
So, that's a big ambition...
there's only one Tom Jones.
I know, but...
You can't let the
practical get you down.
You gotta keep going...
do what you love.
That's true.
That's what my
father taught me.
What about you?
I invented The Dog Collar.
And I want to get patents,
but I don't think I ever will.
I was valedictorian in high school.
I got into a college in Boston,
but I...
I stayed here because my parents
are getting divorced, and...
I need to help my Mom...
and I help my Dad
with business stuff.
Accountant.
Maybe your dreams are
on hold right now.
No?
That's a nice way
of putting it.
This song,
it's going to be in the town musical.
We should sing it together.
I know I stand in line until you think you
have the time to spend an evening with me.
That's really nice.
Okay, go.
- No!
- Okay...
And if we go someplace to dance I know
that there's a chance you won't be...
He gave my girl a spring in
her step just when she needed it.
He got her to do the musical.
Something she never woulda done.
I know I stand in line until you think you
have the time to spend an evening with me.
And if we go someplace to dance I know that
there's a chance you won't be leaving with me.
And afterwards we drop into a quiet
little place and have a drink or two
Are you all right, Honey?
...talking to herself... strange.
Honey, you should go to bed.
- Hi, I'm Toussaint.
- Toussaint? Who's this guy?
- Not for me, for you?
- No, it's not for me.
Oh, the plumber.
What's he here for?
- What do you think? Terry.
- Terry, oh, Terry.
Oh, oh, wait,
what's going on?
What is this MAN
doing in my room?
- This is... Toussaint.
- Toussaint.
- Terry, Toussaint.
- Okay, well.
I mean, I... I... I taped my show, and then...
well, exactly how long is this going to take?
Well, it shouldn't take
more than a day.
What... what... what accent is that, Joy?
What country is that from?
- Haiti.
- Haiti.
- Haiti.
- It's French and Creole.
French and Creole...
Well, is there any way...
could you please put a curtain up here
so that I can come and go in my room and
watch my show while he's still working?
Of course, I'll staple it.
- Thank you, Sir.
- You're welcome, Mademoiselle.
Mademoiselle?
Good luck in here and...
good luck with that.
Why don't you go to bed.
Go on, keep going up the stairs,
go to bed.
I don't wanna go to sleep,
I don't wanna have that horrible dream.
C'mon, you can't have the
same dream twice, it never happens.
- It's impossible.
- That's not true.
I had the Peggy dream so many times
when I was younger with masks and the rope.
That doesn't make sense, no, no.
You can't have the same dream twice,
maybe it's...
Rudy, she's thinking about something.
Maybe it's a kinda dream,
and she's working something out.
I don't WANNA work anything out,
I just want to a nice, dumb sleep.
Let's knock her out, give her a children's
cough medicine, that's what does it.
Is that safe?
- No, it's not safe.
- Yeah, it's expired.
- Come on, Dear, knock it back, Honey.
- Yeah.
- No!
- One more, knock it down, c'mon.
- Rudy!
- Do it, Tony.
- Let's do it, one more.
- I do not know. Rudy.
Okay, one more.
Enough of this, that's it,
I'm gonna make a hot toddy.
That's what she needs.
- You're gonna intoxicate her.
- It is natural, it's all herbal, nothing strong.
I was kidnapped by another monk,
who was from Switzerland.
And it turned out that this monk,
was a duke of a royal family.
I shouldn't say "was",
because he still "is".
Leave me alone.
I don't think we should let
her sleep on the stairs.
Let's just put her here on the couch,
okay?
Seventeen years... Think
about it, we've been hiding,
for 17 years.
Seventeen years...
we used to make things.
Seventeen years ago... and that all stopped!
What HAPPENED?
When you're hiding, you're safe,
because people can't see you.
But the funny thing about hiding...
you're even hidden from yourself.
Baby, what's the matter?
Tony, you need to move out of basement,
you need to get your own home.
What? Why?
Because I go out at night
and sing at Angela's club?
No, because we've been
divorced two years.
We need to move on.
You need to move out.
- Rudy, you need to move out, too.
- WHAT?
There's more room in
the basement for me now.
And another thing, Rudy, tomorrow I would like to
have a meeting with you and Trudy at your office
to discuss her investing in
manufacturing of my new idea.
No, I'm still getting to know her, I'm falling
in love, I can't do that, I won't do that.
And what manufacturing
idea, what are you talking about?
I have always been there for you.
No matter what.
I didn't go away to school,
I stayed to help you
and Mom through the divorce
and do your accounting.
I let you live here whenever you want,
no matter what it is.
I am RESPECTFULLY asking for
the favor that you owe me.
If you look into your heart,
you'll know that I'm right.
Christie...
I need to use your crayons,
and your colored pencils and your paper.
Let's go to my room.
You're not gonna believe this,
you know that plumber that you recommended?
- Yes, Toussaint.
- Well, I hired him.
Terry freaks out, completely...
she hasn't had a man in her room for 8 years.
Then Rudy makes me
hang a drop cloth.
The way I look at it,
is that this is an opportunity
for you to invest in a new business...
that'll mean more money for you.
Tell Rico die number 5's gotta go off.
Rico, number 5, no, off!
Turn it off! Thank you.
It is a standard handle, 53 inches,
the sleeve connects to the mop head.
And this is where
it gets complicated.
There's a clip that
connects the sleeve to the...
I don't even know
what to call it...
the cup,
which is connected to the mop head.
So, when you pull up on the sleeve,
the mop head stretches,
so you can wring it without ever
touching it with your hands.
The only thing we see is this...
crayon drawings.
- We can't make heads or tails.
- We don't know what is.
So the mop doesn't hang loose,
like hair, like a string?
It hangs, but not on loose. open ends,
like hair, it's one continuous loop.
- I do not get it.
- I do not get it.
- I do not get it. What's he doing here?
- What's he doing here?
He is the father of our children,
and my friend, and he looks out for me.
- We are doing an invention.
- Cheers.
Hi.
Yes, we are, Christie.
It is very serious.
- It's priority.
- Yes, it is.
- And I'm helping.
- Yes, you are.
It's crazy like that in Haiti.
Toussaint is teaching
me how to speak French.
And the word for industrious is...
Worker.
At first I thought maybe something scary
would happen like what happed to Danica.
While she was
kidnapped by a man who,
turned out to be hiding from
a royal family in Switzerland
and then, she moved to Switzerland.
Of course,
she befriended that man, and more.
Don't ever try to limit me,
Joy.
And let me know if you want
some of this Chacalaca.
Chaka... say "Chaka"
- Chaka.
- It's very good.
Be seeing you.
No more.
Hey, Rodney, hey, Tom.
- Hey, Tito.
- Hey.
I wanna show
you something.
Maybe you help me
figure this out.
I know that has to be welded,
and this part is supposed to twist.
One, 2,
- 3, 4, 5, 6,
- 4, 5, 6,
- What are you doing?
- 17, 18,
34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40.
All right,
all right, Dad, come over here and grab this,
grab it right in the middle.
Okay, there,
you go up, and down.
- You see it?
- Not yet.
All right.
- How about now?
- No.
Well, you're going to.
I don't see it yet,
I mean...
- You ready?
- Yeah.
- Oh!
- Ah!
Three hundred feet of continuous
cotton loops... that's what I drew.
This is why I would like to
ask you for your investment, Trudy.
Maurice worked 50 years to
earn his fortune, Joy.
Before he passed on to the next world,
he made me promise, on his deathbed...
that I would never be
neglectful with one dollar...
of the money that he
so carefully earned.
Therefore, you have to answer Maurice's
four questions of financial worthiness.
Are you ready?
I think so, yes.
Question number 1.
- Where did you go to high school?
- Pinefield Public High.
Question number 2.
Who were you in high school?
I was valedictorian.
The smartest student
in the school.
That's good, right?
Perhaps.
Joy might be a BRILLIANT,
unrealized creator of commerce.
But, on the other hand, it's equally possible
that she is a fatally flawed underachiever,
doomed to a lifetime of failure,
disappointment... unfulfilled expectations.
You must admit, Joy, that your life to date
makes a stronger case for... disappointment.
I don't care about any of this.
it's not only risky, but,
it's fiscally irresponsible and
doesn't make any sense whatsoever.
Joy's never run a
business in her life,
I've been running my father's
garage for the last 10 years.
OUR father.
I have ventures that I'm planning to launch,
here, at this EXISTING business.
You've never mentioned any of this until
I came to Trudy and asked for investment.
What's Morris' third question.
Are you prepared,
within six months of commencing
this venture, to show adequate returns?
- I accept your terms.
- Don't do it, Joy.
What is the fourth question?
You are in a room and
there is a gun on the table,
and the only other person in the
room is an adversary in commerce.
Only one of you can prevail.
Yet, you have protected your
business and Maurice's money.
Do you pick up the gun,
Joy?
That's a very strange question.
There is nothing strange
about this question at all.
This is money.
Do you pick up the gun?
- I pick up the gun.
- Good.
I'm going to remember
that you said that...
when I speak to my lawyer.
What did Trudy's lawyer say?
- He did a World-Wide patent search.
- What's a patent?
A patent is like a law that
you get to protect your idea.
A lot of people PATENT their ideas, but only
a FEW of them actually get their ideas made.
So, Trudy just wanted to be careful.
Joy, I just wanted to let you know that
Toussaint has almost finished his work.
And, uh... yeah, we really need
to find some more work for him.
You want more
work in the house?
- I have another bitch I'll have to go to.
- What?
- Yes.
- But we have real issues here.
We don't have money for that work,
Mom.
Okay.
Joy.
- What is happening to you, Mother?
- I don't know what's going on.
- Are you in love with Toussaint?
- I... I am, I WAS feeling alone,
and I didn't even realize it,
ya know, and then...
What did the patent search find?
Trudy just wanted to be careful,
and this guy found
a man that's in Texas
who works another guy
in another country where they have an
idea that MIGHT be similar to my mop.
- What country?
- Hong Kong.
Hong Kong man has a
representative in Dallas, Texas.
The Dallas man was very
reasonable with my lawyer.
Okay.
So, this guy in Texas...
We're supposed to pay him a royalty
on the patent, as a protection, right?
Right.
- To be safe from any claims.
- Yes.
- Is that correct?
- Please, stop using the word "we".
None of this is YOUR
money or your business.
But the same guy also
owns a manufacturing plant
that your guys say is
cheaper than any other place?
In California.
A metal and plastic
injection mold factory.
- Okay, so it's the same guy, he owns the patent...
- This happens all the time in business,
- You find the best partner, it's smart.
- He doesn't understand business.
He doesn't know business.
- I know, I'm just...
- I understand business.
Dad and I, we buy parts for
the trucks all the time at the garage.
Maurice did it all the time.
One stop shopping,
it's the cheapest.
- They're telling major story... yes!
- Is that normal?
But is it normal like
the same guy who has the
patent is the same guy who
has the manufacturing?
- Yes, best, better, better, if you look at it that way.
- Yes.
And the lawyer?
Why Morris' lawyer?
- Yeah, he's very good.
- Yeah, but he specialized in garment business.
- Tony...
- Not in manufacturing.
Tony...
Let's quit while we're ahead.
I know that you want Tony to be
your counselor, if you will, and
I will respect that,
as Tony and you should
respect what we're
proposing as the lawyer for
this whole business endeavor.
Well, all right,
the parts have arrived from California,
and we can start
manufacturing here.
I have the first assembled mop.
I told you it was gonna be
more refined, and it is.
Father Martinez is here, you need to set
those women up right now and get going.
They're gonna be so grateful
- I'm gonna go talk to those ladies.
- for work, Joy.
Now we finally
have jobs for them.
I'm a little proud o'ya,
I gotta admit it.
But... it cost much more than
$15,000 to make the first run.
I know, Trudy, but with all due
respect, that actually wasn't my fault.
Look at this, more bills.
- WHAT?
- Another bill from Gerhardt.
This guy keeps billing
me for his mistakes.
That's business.
That's not the way I do business,
I'm calling this guy.
Gerhardt, I not gonna keep payin' for these parts
that are taking you four times to get right.
That was your design,
you have to pay for those parts.
That's mold making,
that's the process.
My client's pay
when we figure it out.
It was not my design,
Gerhardt, it was your mistake.
- I'm not payin' it.
- That was your design, you have to...
Did he just hang up on you?
This guy was supposed to
be easy and inexpensive.
He keeps overbilling us,
I'm not payin' for it.
Nobody pay it.
I'm gonna fight it
out with this guy.
Just assemble them
and try to sell them.
Just put it in your window, let your customers
decide, my family's been goin' here my whole life.
Look, the big companies,
they pay me for my shelf space.
Maybe you could sell one of your mops
to one of those big companies,
and maybe THEY'LL
put it on my shelf.
It's expensive at nineteen ninety-five, but
it's the only mop you'll ever have to buy.
But I don't want people... to buy ONE mop for
$20, and never have to buy another mop again.
I'd rather they keep buying OUR mops
at $5 dollars 50 times, 100 times.
Ah, you were broke,
and bored and you had an idea.
So what,
lots of people have ideas.
Go home, please,
take care of your family.
Hi,
would you like to try a new mop?
Well, it's the only mop
you'll ever have to buy.
Hi, would you like to try
a new mop?
- No.
- It's self-wringing.
You can remove the mop head...
throw it in the washing machine.
- No germs.
- No.
- No.
- No?
You wanna just try it?
You can try it...
It's self-wringing, ya see?
No other mop does this.
Come and try the
brand new mop!
- It's the mop of the future.
- No thanks.
- Wanna try this mop, Lady?
- What's this?
It's a brand new mop.
You can wring it without
getting your hands dirty.
Naw, I don't think so.
C'mon, try it,
it's the mop of the future.
- Self-wringer, huh?
- Yeah.
All right.
I do like the idea of that, ya know,
I hate havin' to touch the mop head
after I get done cleaning the bathroom
floor... I always think that disgusting.
Wow, it really does get all the corners
that my sponge mop won't get...
all those crannies where
my kids spill their juice.
- I really like it, can we buy it?
- Take it easy, Christie.
Wow, I mean, that's just amazing,
you really don't have to touch it.
Look at that! You know what would
make this perfect, if
you could remove the mop head,
put it in the washing machine...
really get it clean.
- You can.
- What!?
Are you serious!?
- How much is this mop?
- Nineteen ninety-five.
No, that's too much.
But, I guess, I mean, but if it is the only mop
that you ever have to buy, I mean we keep buying...
- Hi, Daddy.
- Hi, Baby.
You... you remember Angela...
and two brothers, right?
I do... hello.
- Mommy, the policeman.
- Ma'am.
Did we break the law?
- We're takin' this with us.
- No! Don't! We're leavin'.
Now I'm gonna let you
off with a warning.
- No! Sir! I feel like it's a couple of minutes...
- If I catch you around here again...
- you WILL be prosecuted.
- the mop can do it...
- Where would I go?
- You cannot sell on
- Kmart property.
- Sir, please, I made those mops myself.
I paid for them, please!
I won't come back but you
don't have to take my stuff!
Please!
- Are you even allowed to do this?
- How embarrassing for you,
to be seen here like this with your
daughter, what kind of parent are you?
- Yeah, Tony.
- Enough!
- Come, let's go c'mon, let's go./i
- Tony, let's go.
Yeah, I'm comin', I'm coming.
Honey, it's okay, Mommy's okay.
This stupid thing...
this place is fallin' apart!
No! No!
- Honey, the telephone isn't working.
- I know, I just got the notice.
I had to go next door
to use the phone.
- Tommy's got a fever.
- Tommy has a fever!?
A simple cold, it's a cough,
it's goin' around, all the kids have it.
Thank God the
heat's still working.
- Mommy, why isn't this phone working?
- Because I'm late on paying the bill.
- Not you, too?
- Are we going to lose this house?
No, we're not gonna lose our house.
Come on, get upstairs,
get in the bath.
Listen to your Mom,
get right in that tub.
- I don't have to.
- I don't care.
Christie, you get in that hot bath, listen to
your mother, I don't want you getting sick, too.
Lauren Rose said you're a cleaning
lady and you sell used mops.
Lauren Rose said that?
Yeah, and I really hurt my feelings.
First of all,
even if I was a cleaning lady, so what?
There's no shame in hard work.
And second of all, you know, I'm...
I'm tryin' to sell a new mop,
not used mops.
And third of all...
don't...
don't take any guff from anybody.
Ya know, don't... don't let it in.
I know it's hard,
and I'm sorry that happened.
Now, get in the bath.
Aw, c'mon,
go to sleep, Honey.
Joy.
- Not now, Mimi.
- Joy, wait, wait..
Just tell me what happened today, I want
know how it went, please, I want to know.
It was a disaster.
But you must never give up, ever since
you were little you were born to bear...
Bear what, Mimi?
Failure?
Disgrace?
Humiliation in front
of my daughter?
You were born to be the...
presence in the world.
And I know that I'm gonna
live to see you grow to be
the successful matriarch
that you were born to be.
Matriarch...
- To be a mother with courage.
- Who can't even support her children.
Sweetheart...
What are you doin' here?
I have this idea... a guy I know.
- What guy?
- He used to work with me.
And now he works at this... big retailer.
A new way of doing business.
I mean, it's worth a try.
- You would do that for me?
- Of course.
They were the best
divorced couple in America.
Much better friends than
they were husband and wife.
I can get you a
meeting with him.
Where is it?
I don't understand what we're
doing in Amish country, they don't
even have electricity out here,
how can they sell anything on TV?
It has nothing to do with it
with the Amish people.
It just happens to be located here,
I looked it up... in Amish country.
- AH-misch.
- What?
- AH-misch.
- AH-misch.
Sign in, please.
We're here to see Marv Brickman.
Okay, Marv Brickman, does he know
who you are if I call his office?
Of course he know, we're friends,
we used to work together.
Tom was wrong about that...
- Tony.
- Marv, how are you?
- I can't see you today.
- Why?
- Maybe tomorrow, if you can stay in town.
- No, we have the kids at home.
- We can stay.
- See you tomorrow.
Listen, you can't just expect
to come in here and see someone.
Did you take care of
that advertising thing?
- Yes, I did.
- Good.
- What's going on here?
- This is my good friend, Tony.
- Tony Miranda.
- We work together at Campbell's.
- Leo Walker.
- And this is... she's his ex-wife.
- Joy.
- Hi, Leo.
She's an inventor, she wanted
two minutes of your time today, but...
Leo, don't worry about this.
- Ya know, maybe tomorrow.
- You know what...
Ya know, why don't ya for five minutes
while the sales group's still here?
- Are you sure?
- Yeah, absolutely.
Thank you.
- Ya got everything?
- Yeah.
- Great.
- Thank you, Man.
Thank you.
So, tell us your name, please.
I'm Joy.
- And what would you like to show us today?
- I have a self-wring mop.
So...
- Do you need some help?
- No, got it.
Oh! Sorry.
That's my shoe...
Oh my goodness,
I'm so sorry, Sir.
Do you mind...
I'm sorry.
Is that plastic?
- Yes..
- Arnold, why don't you give it a try?
- Is that okay?
- Yes, of course.
- Just dunk it.
- I dip it?
- Yes.
- And then I...
- push?
- You pull, you have to pull it.
- Pull it, pull it first.
- Push it in there.
Pull and twist,
just like when you're on the road.
We don't mean to be disrespectful,
Joy, it's been a long day for us.
I feel like I wanna tell you
a little bit about who I am.
'Cause I have a feeling you don't know exactly
where you are right now, am I right?
10 months ago...
a man named Barry Dillard
called me from Los Angeles,
He started a television network,
Fox Television Channel.
And prior to that, he ran 20th Century Fox,
among other studios.
And he acquired a little cable channel,
right here in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
And he hired me to run it...
as a bigger idea.
I'm from Detroit, Michigan.
I ran America's largest,
most affordable,
successful, value driven retailer,
a chain called Kmart.
Prior to that,
I was buyer for K-Mart.
And prior to that,
I managed seven separate Kmart stores.
I decide what products we
let into our stores here...
into people's homes,
24 hours a day,
for our valued customers.
I choose very carefully
and very conservatively.
I spend most of my day deflecting
incoming shots from people like yourself.
You see that chart?
This green line here rises
or stays the same each month.
There is no problem with
my product choice.
Do you know what Q-V-C stands for,
Joy?
No, I don't.
Quality, Value, Convenience.
I sell products affordably,
but I don't sell cheap products,
and your mop is plastic
and it looks strange.
I don't know anything about charts, or...
business, frankly,
but I do clean my own home,
and I made this mop,
because it is better
than anything else out there.
Please give me a chance.
I like that it's plastic, because it's
so light, in my hands it's like nothing.
It's also 10 times more absorbent
than any other mop on the market, why?
Because it's 300 feet of continuous
cotton loop, that I looped myself.
That is an enormous amount of absorbent
cotton on a very small mop head.
Now, I'm done with the bathroom,
and I haven't wrung the mop once.
Let me ask you a question.
Would you take this mop,
when you were just cleaning the
bathroom and around the toilet
and all of those germs...
and take it into the kitchen where
your family eats,
where you feed your children?
I take this mop head,
I put it in the washing machine,
it comes out clean like new.
You can't do that
with any other mop.
- So...
- So...
Can you make 50 thousand
of these mops by next week?
Yeah, I think so.
David Selznick he was
the son of an immigrant,
married Jennifer Jones from Oklahoma,
America's sweetheart.
That just goes to show
you that in America
the ordinary makes
extraordinary every single day.
Thomas, where you going with that?
- The skinny pants you wanted.
- Yeah.
No, I never said skinny pants, no,
I said stove pipe, classic look.
I heard skinny pants.
No, I always... I...
you know how much I love the stove pipe.
- Stove pipe, classic, got it.
- Got it. Got it. Got it. got it.
- From now on we go with stove pipe.
- Thank you.
You see those guys, I told them so many
times, they still don't understand.
A very smart guy once said:
Ya tell somebody something once,
they don't listen,
ya tell somebody 4 times,
they don't listen,
by the ninth time you say it,
they begin to hear you.
That's why we're
on 24 hours a day.
That why those people I have
to tell about the stove pipe.
Music in the makeup rooms?
Yeah, I thought I'd give
a sense of place, Todd.
But if you don't want it,
you can always turn it down.
You're our biggest seller,
Todd, whatever you need to do
to make you comfortable why are we care
about, you're our number one seller.
- What!?
- Oh, no.
He's your number one seller?
No, no, no, no... Cindy, Cindy,
please, you know that we love you.
Oh, for Heaven's sake.
She's never had a professional attitude,
and clearly she's jealous.
But can you do me a favor
and make your friend?
Can you just do me that favor,
Todd?
Please, for me.
- Yes.
- Thank you.
This is Joy, she has a very exciting new
mop that we're going to introduce next week.
I would like you to launch it,
you're my first choice.
Uh... Mop... you want me to
bring this newborn into the world?
That newborn that you're holding is every cent,
every dollar, even debt, that I've ever made.
- Every cent you've ever made?
- That's right.
That kind of pressure
is not helpful.
- What?
- No...
It's not part of my process,
either.
Oh!
- Todd.
- I didn't mean to pressure you, Todd, I...
We're... and we're finicky creatures.
- He's very sensitive.
- He IS our number one seller,
he's selling EVERYTHING through the
roof with numbers we've never seen before.
I take it very seriously,
I see it as a privilege that we
have to go into people's homes
and I despise anybody
who's cynical about that.
Jack Warner wasn't cynical about that,
Darryl Zanuck wasn't cynical about that,
and Neil Walker is not
cynical about that.
Let me show you the stage.
I believe, eventually, one day, television will
even be BY and ABOUT actual, regular people.
Even on computers,
24 hours a day.
Who knows, nobody thought
this network would be real.
And here we are.
By the,
stocks goin' through the roof.
Must be mine
or Joan's dog.
Who's Joan?
Who is Joan?
Thank you, Darling.
Oh, you're never going to make it
in a man's world dressed like that.
Oh, Mister Peepers...
It's a round stage,
it has 4 or 5 different sets that rotate,
depending on what we're
selling at a given moment.
Look at the quality of this...
Here comes Joan and Cindy,
watch this.
These guys are major,
Joan's the original seller.
Can you do anything better than...
your blacks, your... your pearls.
- Everything!
- Everything!
Everything, look at it against the peach.
Look at that... morning.
Look at that green... afternoon.
- Look...black.
- Evening.
Of course, can you be more elegant?
So, it's functional,
- elegant...
- You can wear it alone, you can wear it...
What I love...
The stars are people,
they always make the mistake of thinking
it's about the face, but it's not,
it's about the hands.
Because that's what people use...
they hold things they care about...
and her hands are going
to become their hands.
And that becomes them,
and then their voice and then their eyes.
The stars always make
the mistake.
It's really not the hands and the voice,
that's the heart of it.
6-2-7-6...
A hundred dollar value.
Are they not phenomenal?
Now watch this.
Cindy's gonna let us down, right...
Right now, thirty-nine ninety-nine.
NOW!
You need this,
you can get this,
you need to call right now,
though.
I'm being called.
Watch the calls, look at this.
Watch them, here they come.
- Here they come.
- Now.
Calls coming in now.
Calls, calls, calls,
calls, calls, calls.
Calls... look at the counter,
I guarantee you we're gonna go over 20.
Those are empty seats... standard...
those are legal, those are...
Keep your...
they're actual sales, Joy.
Do you mind,
you busy?
- Is the queue full?
- The queue's full.
You can hear a phone
call right now.
When they can't call through,
we gotta keep 'em watching.
- Did we get a call, did we get a call?
- Okay... we got it!
Joan, phone call right now!
We have a caller! We have a caller.
Ah, Sharon from Colorado.
- Hi, Sharon!
- Hi, Sharon.
Cindy and Joan,
I can't believe I'm talking to you.
- Are you happy
with your necklace?
These necklaces are SO
gorgeous and timeless.
Well, good for you.
My great-grandmother had things like this,
I am so excited to have these here.
Go, go, yes, yes, yes,
go, yes, yes, yes...
Joy!
Do you see those numbers?
We're gonna wind-up
with 25 thousand.
- Cindy knows how to close it.
- Wow!
Okay, I want to go home,
I want you to call your lawyer,
look at the contract,
make sure your product factory is in line.
- Okay?
- Okay.
Okay, Godspeed, good luck,
here we go, I'll walk ya out.
You can't expect Trudy to write a check
for 200,000 dollars for 50,000 mops,
when you already owe her 18,000 to
make mops you haven't even sold yet.
Do you understand that
there is a business...
that wants to sell
my mop on television?
It's going to sell.
Fine, you feel so strongly about it,
you put up half the money.
Yes, it's only fair that you
share the financial risks, too.
How's she gonna do that?
She's got nothing, she's got no money.
What? You want me to take out
a second mortgage on my house?
They want me to take out a
second mortgage on my house.
A second mortgage?
- But the house, the kids?
- What's gonna happen, Joy, how would you do that?
I don't know.
Hey, how ya doin'?
You know, I've been watchin' you through
that fence since you were a little girl.
I've been watchin'
you grow up.
- Hey, listen.
- What?
Would it be okay if I...
- You wanna fire a few rounds?
- I do.
- Good, it might make you feel better.
- Thank you, I think I will.
- You know how to hold it?
- Yeah, yeah.
Okay, go ahead.
Good!
Good!
Good!
Oh, my God.
Get ready,
this is definitely gonna change the holidays
for anyone who has
a floor or a bathroom.
Because we have the most exciting
new home product in years.
This is the new,
self-wringing mop...
Okay, okay, okay.
the new standard in homes.
Right here.
Let's take a look at this.
This is brought to you only by QVC.
Now, this is clearly extremely
soft and absorbent cotton.
There we go,
we just take this...
And you...
This is a little
trickier than it looks.
We put it...
Whoops,
it's gettin' my arm wet here.
Let's see,
we got no sales here.
- Maybe... maybe, maybe a caller, is there a caller?
- What happened?
So there... so there are no calls.
All right.
And we do NOT have any sales still,
so, this is what we're gonna do.
We're gonna move on now, we're gonna
move on to Cindy. who's gonna talk to
Serena Kendall,
Former star from Falcon Crest and Dynasty.
And she is gonna tell us
all about her new line of gowns.
These are my special
occasions gowns...
Special! How apropos.
that were inspired by all of the times
that I was in Dynasty and Falcon Crest.
That is absolutely amazing,
I want you to pan here, look at these.
Look at the detail, look at the detail,
look at the value in that.
About how many sequins
would you say that is?
- That's it?
- That's all?
No! It's over!
That's how fast it happens!
- They're not gonna give her a second chance.
- Don't give her another chance.
- Now what's gonna happen?
- No, wait.
They're going to give her a second chance!
- They will.
- 200,000 dollars.
50,000 mops.
Joy...
Hello.
Five thousand, one hundred and seven
sequins for... get this, how much?
Two ninety-nine.
I'm sorry the
product didn't sell.
That man didn't know
what he was doing, Neil.
Well, it wasn't the man,
Joy, it was the product.
I made 50,000 units
because you told me to.
I mortgage my house,
I'm in 200,000 dollars of debt, more.
Well, it's your business,
your debt.
And we indemnify up to a third,
if you read your contract.
To be honest,
that's even gonna be hard to get.
Neil, you gotta give us
another chance.
I'm SO sorry, Joy, I just can't
bring it to my boss, I can't.
I can't accept your answer.
I can't, and I won't.
Joy, you have to let
Trudy report this loss
to bankruptcy, because otherwise
she's gonna hemorrhage even more money.
You have to file, too,
because of your mortgage,
your children's future, and your loss
and you have to prepare yourself for that.
We have to file for bankruptcy?
I warned you many times, Joy.
Dad, I warned you not to
spend the money!
You can go out and gas
her from the very beginning, Peggy
I'm in a meeting
with our lawyers.
What do you think
you're doing?
"Go home, Joy."
"And watch the numbers
roll in on television."
"Make up to 50,000 mops."
Borrowing and owing every dollar,
including your home.
It could have been handled better,
I'll let Todd have another shot...
I don't want Todd or anyone
else to try it, it should be me.
We don't have regular people, we have
celebrities as spokesmen who do the selling.
I told you this.
Who showed YOU the mop?
Who you sold it to you?
Who taught YOU how to use it?
And who convinced YOU that was great
after you thought it was worthless?
Excuse me,
can you give us a second?
Come with me.
Ever been in front of a TV camera? Are
you comfortable in front of a TV camera?
Because when you get there, there's lights,
and there's cameras, and people freeze up.
You said to me that David
Selznick, the son of immigrants,
married Jennifer Jones,
an All American girl from Oklahoma,
because, in America,
all races, and all classes,
can meet and make whatever
opportunities they can,
and THAT is what you feel, when you reach
into people's homes, with what you sell.
You said that.
What do you think?
Looks great, right?
Yeah, yeah, it's beautiful,
very girl, very classic.
All right, if you come back next time...
Lori, Lori...
Yeah?
I just want you to take
it a little bit forward,
Just like that...
if she comes back again.
Not with the comb,
not with the comb.
- Try the black.
- Okay.
- Okay?
- Okay.
It's gonna be perfect.
Wow.
Beautiful. What do you think?
How do you feel?
I'd like to change just one thing.
Do you mind?
- Okay, surprise me.
- One small thing.
- I'll surprise you.
- Okay, surprise me.
I want the small
thing is that she changes.
What!
You un-did the whole thing.
- This is me.
- This is you?
You've got the exact same outfit
you had when you came in here.
I wear a blouse and I wear
pants, that's who I am.
I wanna go on as me.
You wanna go on as you,
then I hope you make it back.
Joan, Cindy,
say good luck to Joy.
Well, you look great,
good luck today.
- Oh, thank you.
- Good luck!
That's her, that's how she is.
Blouse and... she should be in a skirt,
she's got nice, long legs, show her legs.
Good luck.
Joan Rivers wants me in a skirt,
but I'm gonna use the pants.
Do what you wanna do.
C'mon let's go upstairs.
- Are you nervous?
- Yes.
Just be yourself, and remember,
it's all about the hands.
Here we go.
Ready!
The stage is moving!
Household product three
hundred seventy-five.
In 3... 2...
What are you doing?
Come on! Go!
Go!
She's freezing.
Hi! These lights are so bright...
Nobody tells you how bright these...
well, Neil did tell me.
Neil is my boss here.
I should thank him for
letting me be up here.
- Uh... sorry.
- You're Joy!
I am Joy?
Just say something,
talk about the mop!
Oh, my God!
We have to do something.
We have to do something.
Do we have a call?
Can we go to a call?
We have a call.
- Is it a friendly call?
- It's a friendly call?
Okay, take it, take it.
Joy, we have a call.
A call? How did that happen?
Well, we have a call!
Hi, Jo Ann from New York.
Jo Ann from New York!
We have a call coming in
from Jo Ann from New York.
Yeah, I'm calling in because I would love a
mop that I don't have to touch when I wring it.
Ya know, my hands get raw when I...
mop broken glass, and I wring
the mop, I cut my hands.
Do you ever cut your hands
when you're wringing?
Jo Ann, that is so funny that you said
that, that is actually exactly how I
was inspired to invent this mop.
I had... there was glass shattered everywhere,
I was with my 2 kids, with my father,
and I... every time I would wring the mop,
I would get glass shards in my hand.
and the old mop just wasn't
very absorbent, so...
I... I went to my daughter's room,
I borrowed her crayons
and I designed this mop.
- Make sure you get down there, yeah, that's it.
- It's made of plastic, so it is lightweight,
- but very durable.
- Go in, go into the hands.
It's extremely absorbent,
with 300 continuous
cotton loops, that I looped
myself, when I designed it.
How much is it?
It is nineteen ninety-five.
I like that price, I want
a whole bunch of them.
Thank you.
H-375, that's the order number.
Household item 3-75.
I guarantee you...
- That's it, stay right there.
- You are not going to
- Now! Do it again, hands down,
- find another mop like this that exists
- Right there, that's good, get the hands.
- If there was, I woulda bought it
and I woulda, ya know,
cut my hands on it.
You can go across
the whole kitchen,
with one wring,
just imagine that.
Watch this.
Chocolate syrup.
Go to the syrup,
go to the syrup.
Baby food, a very big spill...
at my house.
- A very common spill for me.
- Hands, hands.
Now, the biggest difference,
I don't have to touch
this disgusting mop head.
There's not another mop on the market
that has as much absorbent
cotton as this mop right here.
And I guarantee you,
there will be no regrets,
no returns... I have been mopping for
most of my life, every single day...
The phones are ringing!
I cannot tell you how much
this mop has changed my life.
- The phones are ringing!
- The phones are ringing.
- The phones are ringing.
- The phones are ringing.
It's gonna be the greatest mop to have
around Christmas time when you have family over,
I can't... I...
I am a mother of two.
There is just spill after spill,
family comes to town,
you can mop your entire
kitchen with one wring.
Oh! My God! 29,000!
This is very special!
I haven't even told you about
my personal, favorite feature,
which is the
removable mop head.
that I can put into
the washing machine,
and it will come
out clean as new.
Yes! Yes!
Oh, my God,
these numbers keep climbing.
Thank you, I...
I... I...
Yes! That's how you keep it going.
- Thank you.
The is the most
absorbent mop on the market,
It's lightweight, it's the
only mop you're ever gonna buy,
the best mop you're
ever gonna use,
it is lightweight, and durable and that
is just me speaking from my experience...
as someone who mops the house every,
single day... from my heart.
This woman's gonna
be all business.
No way.
Oh, my God!
I can't believe it!
Can you believe it?
I thought for sure you were gonna tell
me that your counting machine was broken!
- I listened to you, you were right.
I just can't believe...
- that actually happened.
- I know.
I guess you could say we're
friends in the commerce.
- Friends in commerce.
- Yeah.
So, let's promise each other,
that if one day,
and that day may come, that we become
adversaries in commerce, that we remain friends.
That's a true friendship,
indeed.
Friends in commerce.
I agree, let's shake on it.
We've got 10 looms, and then when they're
completed this is where the mop heads are sewn.
- Who makes your parts?
- A factory out in California.
It is cheaper and faster
than anyplace around here.
Smart!
Are they gonna be able to stay on-schedule?
I hope... yeah.
- That's a great job.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
- Right here?
Hello?
Grandma...
Mimi...
I so hated to
leave her that day.
I had so much I
wanted to say to her...
and to my great-granddaughter.
I felt I wanted to stay
near her and watch over her.
Christie.
There's a problem
in California.
There can't be a problem in California,
I told Neil that everything was fine.
Gerhardt keeps rising his prices,
he just did it again... more money per unit.
I can't do that,
we're gonna lose money.
I sent a representative
to handle it.
Representative? We don't have a
representative, what representative?
- Peggy went.
- Peggy?
I don't wanna talk
about this right now.
- She wanted to be part of it.
- How could you send Peggy?
She wanted to be part of it, you are both
blood relatives, you're half sisters,
it's very, very important that
you love and respect each other.
I paid them the 20 that
you owed them... I had to.
I got them to fill
the order of 100,000
with a price increase of
only two dollars per unit.
We can't increase at all,
Peggy, don't you understand?
We sold at a certain price.
Any hikes, ESPECIALLY
the ones he's asking for,
mean that I will
lose so much money
that I will be in even MORE
debt than I was before.
- You're gonna make it back.
- I'm gonna make it back?
How?
I've got ideas, you know?
There are things
I'd like to do.
I spoke to him about a project that Dad
and I have been designing. Right, Dad?
Yes we did it.
Do you have and idea how
much your idea will cost?
How or where
you'll sell it?
If you could even manufacture it,
after it's taken everything we're got
to sell this one product,
that now, thanks to you,
that is going to
cost more money?
Maybe my product is
better than your product.
I can do what you did on TV,
it's not that hard.
Isn't that the whole purpose of that channel,
is that everybody could do it?
What... what...
what your sister does is...
not easy, but,
what we were planning to do...
- is not that difficult.
- Listen me.
Never... speak...
on my behalf...
about my business... again.
Now I have to go
to California.
- Can I help you?
- I'm Joy, I'm here to see Gerhardt.
- He's not available.
- I'll wait.
She says she's here
to see Gerhardt.
Gerhardt!
- Hey... I'm Gerhardt.
- I'm Joy.
C'mon in.
Derek Markham is my boss,
he lives in Texas.
Fabri-Pac is one of the several companies
he owns or collects royalties for.
I report to him,
he makes pricing decisions.
Well, I have never met or talked
to this Derek Markham.
but I've talked to you
many times on the phone,
and I do find it very curious that
the second I'm on television
with a lot of success,
the price for our
products goes up.
It seems very unfair to me,
to say the least.
It seems like he's
shaking us down.
You met Gregory,
our plant foreman.
It's very hard for us to
lower the costs at this point.
We are already losing
a lot of money.
How can that possibly be with
the 500,000 we've given you
on TOP of the 50,000 of advanced
royalties that have gone to...
Derek Markham in Dallas.
And that's not even
counting what my sister
paid you without my authority,
by the way.
For your over-charges
and YOUR mistakes.
Your sister paid the increase,
that you refused to pay.
Well, she had no authority to do that,
she is not an officer of my corporation.
But you and I could both spend a
lot of time and money in court,
to prove I'm right, but...
that would just make
our lawyers wealthy,
while my product dies instead of being on
television, like it could be right now.
- You can pay more.
- I can't pay more.
- I won't.
- Costs are higher.
Wear and tear on the molds, we have
to re-make them every other week.
Is that so?
Can I see the molds?
They're in the machines,
it'll take some time
to prepare them for ya.
Is there a
bathroom I can use?
Yeah, it's down the hall,
Gregory'll show ya.
Thanks.
What's this?
What are you doin'
in here?
What is THIS? These are my
designs! These are MY molds!
Those are ours!
We knew you'd be trouble!
The cops are on their way,
- we called them as soon as...
- These are MY molds!
- Those are ours!
- I'm taking these with me!
I'm taking all of these with me, I want all
these boxes out and I'm taking them.
- You're trespassing!
- It's not your patent!
These are my designs!
I'm not going anywhere
without my molds!
What? No, no, this is not stealing,
this is MY property.
This is MY property, I have all of these
designs, these are all mine, they belong to me.
She's from out of state, John.
You've known me 15 years!
All right, c'mon, Ma'am,
you're trespassing.
- It's okay, Ma'am.
- I'm not trespassing.
- You're trespassing.
- I was in your office!
- I don't know, c'mon.
- He let me in his...
Gerhardt, you're not
gonna get away with this.
- You're not gonna get away with this, you're a thief!
- Be careful what you're saying.
- You're a thief, Gerhardt!
- Be careful...
- This is stealing!
- Lady, stop it.
What about Trudy's money, Joy?
You have to pay back Trudy's money.
- This is only getting worse.
- I predicted tragedy, Joy.
You're racking-up quite a steep bill,
we had to fly out here, bail you out.
Plus, it cost us an extra
10,000 dollars for Ray Cagney,
this California patent
attorney to get us to this point.
We got the State to
decline prosecution.
They see it's a
contract dispute.
When you paid royalties
to Derek Markham in Texas,
it put all YOUR parts and molds
under the umbrella of THEIR patent.
I see you brought your drawings
and hung them to prove your designs.
But, it's impossible to fight it now.
You were not
properly advised.
Christie, please!
- Tony, take her to bed.
- I don't wanna go to bed, I wanna stay here.
I paid those royalties because you told
me to, because YOUR lawyer told me to.
Our lawyer was mistaken,
this happens sometimes in business.
It didn't work for you.
It happens sometimes,
Trudy's lawyer's not a patent attorney.
Which I said! And you said I had
no business being Joy's adviser.
- And now it turns out that I was right...
- This is not helping, Tony!
- That's enough, Tony, please.
- It's enough now?
I'm very sorry,
I wish there was more I could do.
But when your sister, Peggy, paid
unjustified bills that you refused to pay...
it closed the door on that.
What about Neil Walker and QVC?
Wouldn't they pay the expenses
on defending the patent?
Be careful, Joy, you could be
sued for misrepresentation,
and failure to deliver your
product, that's breach.
QVC requires that you deliver
a fully patented product.
I've been doing this for a long time,
you're in for a long court process,
that will stall your product,
and you will probably you lose.
I wish I could do more.
Take care now.
You're gonna have to
check the facts, Joy.
You're almost over half a
million dollars in debt,
I don't know how
you're gonna pay it.
We have to declare bankruptcy.
YOU'RE gonna have to declare bankruptcy.
- I have to declare bankruptcy.
- She has to.
- To try to contain my losses.
- Yeah.
- I have to write it off.
- It just seems so wrong.
We've worked so hard.
We've come so far for us to just
give up now, it just seems so unfair!
Business is unfair,
that's it.
It's not working out,
well, that's what happens.
That's why people don't go around
making an invention every other day.
Now, wake up!
It's my fault, I gave her the confidence to
think she was more than an unemployed housewife,
selling plastic kitchen stuff
to other unemployed housewives
on a junk cable channel.
It's my fault, it's not your fault, Honey.
It was my mistake to make her
think she was more than she was.
She pressured herself into doing
something she shouldn't have done.
And it was wrong of you to put that
pressure on yourself.
It was wrong of us put
that pressure on you.
I need more vodka.
It was wrong of us to think that you'd
be an INSTANT business person overnight.
Of course,
this is not who you are!
It takes a kind of toughness, a
certain acumen that you simply don't have.
Sign the paper.
You have to sign these
bankruptcy papers, Honey.
The notary's right outside,
let me get her.
You're gonna have to move out of
your house immediately.
You're gonna have to move
into to an apartment,
maybe you can move into
a room in Trudy's house.
- With the children?
- Yeah.
You have room, she's
my daughter, why not?
Well, let's talk about it.
- Trudy, we have to offer her something.
- Again? Why me?
Thank you.
Mimi said that you were the one
born to help carry us on to success.
No, Christie, Mimi was wrong.
The world does not GIVE you opportunities,
the world destroys the opportunities.
It breaks the heart.
I should have listened to my mother,
when I was 10 years old.
I should have spent the rest of my life watching
TV and hiding from the world like my mother.
So I don't want
hear anymore about Mimi.
She was wrong,
she had her head in the clouds,
and it was full of stupid ideas,
and it gave me stupid ideas.
But this?
This stupid, stupid idea!
Mommy, don't tear them, no!
Christie, I'm sorry.
Christie, I'm so sorry.
Please, go to bed,
everybody, just go to bed.
- Goodnight, Mommie.
- Good night, Sweetheart, go to bed.
- I'm so sorry I failed you, Joy, I'm so sorry.
- Please, just go.
Joy? Joy? Joy, where are you?
Joy, where are you?
It's open.
You can leave the door open.
No one knows I'm here.
You don't even
know who I am.
I could be Derek Markham, or I might be
someone Derek Markham sent to handle you.
You have no case.
Maybe people think you came to Dallas
in despair to take your own life
because you were in such deep financial
trouble suddenly from your little venture.
I made a phone call this
morning to Hong Kong.
It was 3 a.m. in California, but it was
3 p.m. the following afternoon in Hong Kong.
I always think it's amazing...
how time works like that.
But I was fortunate enough to get on
the phone with Mister Christopher,
who I found to be very friendly.
Which was surprising, because I
really haven't found the gentlemen
in California to be very nice,
considering we're all in business together.
Welcome to the world
of business, I guess.
I told Mister Christopher that reason that
I was calling was to discuss the differences
in the designs of our products.
But I quickly learned
that Mister Christopher
has no IDEA that his Hong Kong
patent for a self wringing mop
is worth anything or if it even WORKS.
Because they have not
made or sold a single mop.
Unlike us,
who have sold over 200,000.
And I've paid YOU over 50,000
dollars in advanced royalties
on behalf of Mister Christopher.
Blood money
from my family,
and my second mortgage.
It turns out Mister Christopher didn't
know anything about those royalties.
So it seems... we have a
case of fraud and embezzlement.
And... as if that
weren't bad enough,
I also discovered in the
paperwork that our mops
actually don't bear
any similarities.
So, I never DID owe you any
royalties for your patent.
That's another case of fraud.
My lawyers really
could go after you.
But I told them, "Give me a day."
To see if maybe, you
might have made a mistake.
And you would correct,
given the chance.
We'll pay you back all
the royalties you paid us.
I can pay you... give you 20,000
on top of paying you back the 50.
Okay?
I'll give you 50,000 on top
of paying you back the 50...
Plus interest.
I want all my molds back,
I want you to sign this piece of paper...
saying that you have
no rights financially.
I'm just gonna add...
50...
50...
plus interest.
Sign here.
She'd put up with
just about anything...
until when she had to
bring the hammer down.
She brought the hammer down.
She couldn't know
what was to come.
That she'd go on to make
another 100 record settin' patents.
Skinny velvet hangers
make neater closets.
That's a big deal
for a lot of people.
I mean,
who thinks up things like that?
Joy did.
But she didn't know any of this would
happen as she walked that day in Dallas.
Yes, Sir, tonight's the night, folks,
Saint Nick'll make his yearly visit
to all the folks all over the world.
There's fun and expectation
in every house across the land.
And speaking of houses, what do you say
we take a little look in on a typical one.
Now, I'll admit that what you see right now is
just a small piece of the of the front of the house.
For all you grown-ups
and kiddies alike,
This is the time of Santa's magic, so,
I think we can make it become a real house.
Even the house with love in it.
Mister Santa Claus,
can we have a little snow, please?
Thank you, that's fine.
Now, Santa, let me see what it
really looks like inside this house.
A house with love in it
Is rich indeed.
Although there are a thousand things
that house may need
She couldn't know that one day she
would move into a big, beautiful home.
A roof so plain and bare.
Her mother was... happy.
She remained close to her,
and with the rest of her family...
which was,
as always, complicated.
She would pay for products
made by Rudy, Trudy, and Peggy...
even when they failed,
even when they wrongly sued
for ownership of her company.
As Rudy got older, Joy continued
to take care of him and love him.
As Neil Walker predicted,
Joy did become a whole, new business,
And even out-grew QVC.
- Is talking...
- Is Tony there?
Yeah, Tony's in there,
the whole family's in there.
Her ex-husband and her best friend
would remain her steadfast advisers.
Please be patient.
I love you.
- Good night, Mom.
- I love you.
- I love you, too, Papa
- I love you guys.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Welcome.
- Thank you.
What do you have?
- A traveling clothes cleaner.
- Let's see it.
- So, you're from Memphis?
Yes, I am.
- You work as a waitress?
- Yes, Ma'am.
All right...
let's see it.
- You made this yourself?
- Yes, I did, Ma'am.
I made my first invention myself, too.
I like this,
a very good design.
Thank you.
Can you stay an extra day,
maybe see our designers?
No, because of your boss.
What hotel are you
staying in right now?
At the Holiday Inn, Ma'am.
The Holiday Inn?
Let's move them over to the Radisson,
get them a suite, they'll be more
comfortable with their baby.
I'll call your boss and
get it taken care of,
give you an extra day so that tomorrow
you can come in, meet with the designers,
- Get tickets, stuff like that, right?
- I get to do that?
We'll work on the idea,
see if we can do something.
This means so much to me.
I know what it feels like.
I know what it feels
like to be in that chair.
- We'll see you tomorrow, okay?
- Thank you.
- And good luck.
- C'mon, Sweetie.
- Thank you.
- Go get the next...
Neil.
Sorry, we have legal
stuff to bury now.
Yes, we do.
- Here we are.
- Here we are.
- Adversaries in commerce.
- Adversaries in commerce.
- And friends.
- Yes, and friends.
I'm gonna tell you somethin',
but you didn't hear it from me.
I don't know WHO you are or
WHAT you're talkin' about.
That's what I wanted to hear.
Barry's gonna come
after you hard.
But that's just business, that's
the way Barry is, he's a negotiator.
Ultimately he needs you,
he's buying HSN.
It's ALL about HSN now, and
he wants you to come with him.
He needs you...
You're gonna be really big over there.
That's what's gonna happen.
But...
you didn't hear from me, right?
No... I sure didn't.
But thank you.
- It's nice to see you.
- It's good to see you.
- I'll see you later, Bud.
- Yeah.
- It's been a long journey.
- Yes, it has.
- I'm proud of you.
- Thank you, Neil.
This right here,
this is a special power.
This is a special power.
And then I started to
build my very own house,
where I would live and
make a wonderful creation,
for all of the world
to see and love.
She didn't know any of this would
happen, as she walked that day.