Beau Brummel
1
Nowhere in all history can
be found a more amazing
character than George Bryan
Brummel, the friend of
Princes, the arbiter of
fashion and the social ruler
of England during the
reign of George III.
2
And nowhere in all fiction
can be found more romance
than was crowded into the life
of this penniless commoner,
whose natural charm and
studied insolence made him
the greatest dandy of all
time - the immortal "Beau"
Brummel.
3
It was in the year 1792
that the greatest personages in
England were assembled
for the wedding of a
tradesman's daughter.
4
The bridegroom, Lord
Alvanley, Colonel of the
Tenth Hussars, - offering
rank and position at court
in fair exchange for wealth.
Lord Alvanley ... William Humphrey
5
The bride, Maid Margery.
... Mary Astor.
6
Just a young man of no
importance - a Captain of
the Tenth Hussars.
George Bryan Brummel -
... John Barrymore.
7
"I did not think to see
you wearing a bridal
gown for another."
8
"You know how they
forced me to give
you up!"
9
His Royal Highness,
George, Prince of Wales.
10
The Prince of Wales.
... Willard Louis.
11
Her Royal Highness,
Frederica Charlotte,
Duchess of York, sister -
in-law of the Prince of
Wales.
... Irene Rich.
12
"My dear one, I cannot
ask you to come with
me."
13
"And yet - how can
I let you go?"
14
"Take me with you!"
15
"My heart is all I have to
offer - and that I lay in
the hollow of your little
hand."
16
Margery's mother, ambitious,
relentless.
... Clarissa Selwyn.
17
"Would you ruin us for
this nobody?"
18
"Only a person come to
wish my daughter luck on
her wedding night."
19
"Perhaps this sixpence
may bring him luck."
20
"The Prince is waiting!
Is His Royal Highness
to be insulted?"
21
Revenge was all he thought
of now. He would use his
charm, wit and personal
appearance in a game
against the society which
had robbed him of his love.
22
At the 'Sign of the Hawk
and Chicken', the Prince of
Wales entertained the
Officers of his regiment on
the eve of their departure
for Manchester.
23
"Lord Henry, I hold a
number of your I.O.U's."
Lord Henry Stanhope
... Richard Tucker
24
"I shall take pleasure in
destroying them - if you
will give me your place
next to His Royal Highness."
25
The landlord's wife.
... Betty Brice.
26
"Egad, sir, what a beautiful
woman!"
27
"Your Royal Highness may
be able to hide in that
closet."
28
"My good man, I did not
ring for you."
29
"Your wife has just been
kissed - she has never
been kissed by a gentleman
before."
30
"Did my wife have the
honor, sir, of being
insulted by you - -"
31
"- - or the Prince of
Wales?"
32
"You can say anything you
like about the Prince -"
33
"- - but be careful of
my reputation."
34
"By George! You're a
better beau than I am -
George!"
35
"By George! I believe
I am - George!"
36
"I should like to ask Your
Royal Highness' permission
to resign from the Army."
37
"Have you no wish to
serve your country?"
38
"Not in Manchester, sir."
39
"Your Royal Highness
would not be there."
40
"Come, Beau Brummel,
wish your brother officers
a pleasant sojourn in
Manchester."
41
"Impossible, Your Royal
Highness!"
42
"We would not be there."
43
Thus the Beau staked
his fortune on the favor of
a Prince, who in 1811 ruled
England as Regent.
44
His house in London was
the rendezvous of the smart
world. The dandies of the
town flocked to his
dressing room to learn
the latest scandal or the
latest style.
45
As a protest against the
tax on powder, the Beau
had set the style for
natural hair.
46
"I could not think of
trusting my top hair to
anyone but Jean - -"
47
"- - or my temples to
anyone but Henri - -"
48
"- - or the tout ensemble
to anyone but Jacques."
49
"Mortimer, when is
your master going
to pay me?"
Mortimer .. Alec Francis
50
"I have no master,
Mr. Abrahams, I
am a Gentleman's
gentleman."
Abrahams .. Roland Rushton
51
"His Royal Highness, the
Prince of Wales."
52
"Parkyns, Mr. Brummel
never allows anyone to
raise his voice!"
53
"This person has un-
doubtedly called to ask
for financial assistance."
54
"You will oblige me
greatly by leaving my
house at once."
55
"Will you arrange a little
supper for tonight, George,
and invite some friends
of the female persuasion,
- say at eight?"
56
"Make it eight-thirty."
57
"Very well, George - now
won't you fix me one of
your new cravats?"
58
"The snuffbox I gave him!
Then he still 'thinks' of
me a little!"
Lady Hester Stanhope
... Carmel Myers
59
"Mr. Brummel thinks
only of you, Lady
Hester."
60
"George, dear, I could
not stand your neglect!"
61
"Your husband is in
the next room."
62
"How can you doubt me -
you know my heart is in
the hollow of your little
hand."
63
"Lady Hester came here
hoping for a glimpse of
Your Royal Highness."
64
"Please note that I will
see Lady Hester tomorrow
at four."
65
To deal with the infatuat-
ion of a woman, the
jealousy of a husband and
the caprices of a Prince
required tact.
66
"My dear Lord Henry, I
fear I shall not be able to
come to your house again."
67
"You see - I am in love
with your wife."
68
At Dowling Green.
69
"I will divorce my wife,
and I shall expect you
to marry her."
70
"What a pity Lord Henry
is such a poor shot!"
71
"My dear Lady Hester, will
you do me the honor to
marry me when you are
free?"
72
"But - if you accept me -
I shall hate you like the
devil!"
73
"A divorce and remarriage
would hurt my position
at court."
74
"What do we care for
scandal? You do love
me!"
75
"I love you more in
this moment than
ever before --"
76
"-- when I tell you
that I have never loved
you at all."
77
"Fool! Do you think I care
about anything but my
own position at court?"
78
"Thank you. You have
saved me from doing
something commonplace."
79
Yuletide at York House -
when the Beau held sway
as the first gentleman of
Europe.
80
"How do you like
my coat?"
81
"I say, George, do you call
that thing a coat?"
82
"What would become of
you if anything should
happen to your friendship
with the Prince?"
83
"I should cut the Prince
and make the Duchess
the fashion."
84
"Mr. Brummel, you are
wasting yourself. You
have the qualities of a
great leader, yet you
choose to play the part
of court jester."
85
"I am a nobody without
rank or fortune. I attract
attention by insolence and
hold it by scandal."
86
"Things would have been
different, Your Royal
Highness, had I known
the tenderness of a real
woman."
87
"A woman to sit beside
my fire, to move among
my things - to bless them
with her touch."
88
"A woman like Your
Royal Highness!"
89
"Mr. Brummel treats you
as a brother-in-law."
90
Because of the growing
coldness of the Prince - the
Beau decided to take his
own advice and make the
Duchess the fashion, so
invited her to one of his
charmingly indiscreet
midnight suppers.
91
"Her Royal Highness - -
the Duchess of York."
92
"I did not come to
reproach you, but
only to warn you."
93
"You have an enemy at
Court - someone I dare
not name. He has heard
of your appointment with
the Duchess and threatens
to tell the Prince."
94
"What do I care for
enemies?"
95
"How can I make you
understand?"
96
"You must listen to me -
I have loved but one
woman in my life."
97
"I loved you then - I
love you now - I'll
love you always!"
98
"But - the Lady Hester?"
99
"I was lonely - she was
amusing."
100
"And - the Duchess?"
101
"I was lonely - she
was kind."
102
"Lord Alvanley, you've
always wanted this
tailor's dummy - take
him."
103
"The Beau's false chivalry
has deceived many a
woman. I would be more
faithful."
104
"I place my heart in
the hollow of your
little hand."
105
"Could you forget
him if I sent him
to France -"
106
"- as Ambassador?"
107
"Lady Alvanley, I will see
you to your chair."
108
"I promised myself
that pleasure."
109
"I had forgotten, George,
you were a Prince."
110
"Prince or no Prince,
you are wasting your
time."
111
The Prince - incited by
the Beau's enemies and
resenting his insolence -
gave a dinner to a group
of intimates at Carlton
House.
112
"Duchess, the Beau loves
too well - and for too short
a time. Beware!"
113
"You are fortunate, George.
No one ever tells a woman
to beware of you."
114
"I have decided to send my
good friend, Mr. Brummel,
to France, as Ambassador."
115
"Frankly, we are tired of
our dear Beau's scandals
- but scandal is all the
rage in France."
116
"What a success Your
Royal Highness would
have in France."
117
"Come, my dear, tell
Mr. Brummel you'll be
happy to see him leave
for France."
118
"You have been drinking
George - control yourself!"
119
"I fear I must call my
carriage. Wales, ring
the bell!"
120
The Mall - where the world
of fashion waited to see
of the Prince would carry
his quarrel into the open.
121
"Sup with me after the
play tonight, Lord Byron.
I want all my good friends
with me."
122
"Who's your fat
friend?"
123
"We've waited long enough
for our money. Now we'll
put him in prison."
124
The game had been played
and could never be played
again.
125
"I have come to say good-
bye, Lady Alvanley. I am
going to Calais."
126
"My creditors have promised
me a free lodging in jail."
127
"I shall be quite fashionable
in Calais - spending my
time between London
and Paris."
128
"I will be honest with
you. The Beau's day
is over."
129
"I am the same poor
nobody who left this
garden on your wedding
night --"
130
"-- only more poor,
more hopeless, more than
ever your lover."
131
The Dover coach.
132
"This was all I could get
away with, sir."
133
Soon London forgot to
talk about the "Two Georges"
- for one had become King
of England - and the
other -
134
A great day came when
the streets of Calais were
decked with flags - the
city was in gala mood -
135
- for the King of England
was passing through.
136
"I had hoped to reach
home before His Majesty's
arrival. What time is it?"
137
"I understand, Mortimer,
we cannot eat our watch
and have it too."
138
"Does this come with
Mr. Brummel's apologies?"
139
"Please, Your Majesty!
Pity and forgive!"
140
"He is ill - broken -
near to starving!"
141
"Byng, lend me �100."
142
"Return this money to
His Majesty with my
compliments."
143
"It is your last service for
me. You are dismissed!"
144
That night, for the first
time, the Beau served
himself.
145
"I saw what happened at
the Inn today. I could
not stay away."
146
"My garret is heaven,
since you have climbed
so high."
147
"You never wrote in all
these years. Have you
forgotten, George?"
148
"You know my husband
died."
149
"Will you marry me,
George?"
150
"I am old, and changed,
and tired of life."
151
"I think I am even tired
of love."
152
Years are long! And a
mind broken by the weight
of loneliness and privation,
found refuge in the prison
hospital of Bon Saveur.
153
Death kills but once -
Life kills many times.
154
And Mortimer, who had
been sending money from
England, came one day.
155
"Sir, the King of England,
your friend George -
is dead."
156
"Sir, Lady Margery is
very ill."
157
"Mortimer!"
158
"Mortimer, my guests should
arrive at eight o'clock."
159
"But I told His Royal
Highness to make it
eight-thirty."
160
"Margery!"
161
"Mortimer, please seat the
Lady Margery."
162
"You will not leave me,
Margery?"
163
"Were it the last drop in
the cup of life, I would
pause to drink - to you."
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