HIGHWAY 1, USA
Bob, the manager of a filling station, and his wife Mary have worked hard and sacrificed a great deal in order to put Bob’s younger brother Nate through college. Mary dreams of the life they will soon have once Nate’s education is completed. Bob had promised his mother on her deathbed that he would do whatever necessary to ensure that Nate would become successful. He intends to support Nate until he has established himself financially.
The couple’s friends arrive to wish Bob well as he departs to attend his brother’s graduation. Mary stays behind to look after the filling station. She tells Aunt Lou of her distrust of Nate.
Having completed his education, Nate remains idle for the next year, living with Bob and Mary and contributing nothing to the household. Bob wonders if Nate will ever get a job. When Bob is out, Nate tries to seduce Mary, telling her that he is the better of the two brothers. When Mary laughs at him, Nate becomes enraged and stabs her.
Mary’s screams bring Bob running, followed by their neighbors. Nate begs Bob to protect him from the police. With Mary presumed dead, a devastated Bob tells everyone that he himself is to blame, but nobody believes him. Mary regains consciousness and names Nate as her assailant. As he is led away, Nate pleads in vain for Bob to help him. Finally realizing what kind of man Nate has turned out to be, Bob promises Mary a brighter future.
- INTERMISSION -
THE DWARF
It is the 18th birthday of Donna Clara, the Spanish Infanta. Don Estoban, the court chamberlain, supervises as the servants prepare a sumptuous birthday party. The Infanta’s favorite maid, Ghita, marvels at the splendor of the decorations and gifts. The beautiful Infanta and her playmates are heard dancing and playing in the garden, but soon arrive to marvel at her birthday gifts, cheekily disturbing the chamberlain and the maids as they work. Don Estoban implores the girl to wait for the ceremony.
Left at last in peace, Don Estoban describes some of the fabulous gifts to the maids. The most wonderful of them all, he says, is also the most repulsive, for the Sultan has sent the Infanta a hideously misshapen dwarf. The dwarf, Don Estoban explains, is completely unaware of his ugliness for he has never seen himself in a mirror; he thinks he is a handsome knight. The maids hurry to cover the mirrors before the gift ceremony begins.
After the Infanta and her retinue have taken their places for the celebration, the dwarf is brought in. The ladies laugh with merriment at the strange spectacle before them. Gazing at the Infanta’s beauty, the dwarf is unable to sing the merry song requested of him. Instead he sings an impassioned song of lovesickness. The girls laugh with delight at the idea that the hideous dwarf wants to be loved. Smiling sweetly, the Infanta tells the dwarf that he may choose any of the ladies in the court as a wife, and the dwarf tells her that the only one he could love is the Infanta herself.
The Infanta sends her guests away, and listens intently as the dwarf improvises a story about rescuing her from a dragon. She tells him that if he wants to love her, he must be a valiant knight; he must also be very handsome, for beauty is sacred to her. She sends him ahead into the ballroom to await their first dance. The maids observe the scene in the ballroom, watching as the Infanta presents the dwarf with a white rose in front of the assembled guests.
Lost in rapture, the dwarf returns. Ghita tries unsuccessfully to bring the dwarf back to reality. His beautiful dream finally collapses when he inadvertently uncovers a mirror and suddenly finds himself face to face with his reflection.
When the Infanta returns, he begs her to tell him that he is handsome and that she loves him. The Infanta tears herself away from him, saying “I want to dance and play with you, but I can only love a man, and you are an animal.” The dwarf falls dying at her feet, as the Infanta hurries back into the ballroom to dance.
In fond memory of Tara Colburn, supertitles are underwritten by Dunard Fund USA.
Additional support in honor of Chaz’men Williams-Ali provided by Carolyn L. Miller.
Additional support for Highway 1, USA provided by Studio KNZ, with special thanks to Michael Ellis Ingram, Colm Seery and Sheldon Williams.
