Mannix (TV Series)

Dark So Early, Dark So Long (1971)

Josephine Hutchinson: Mildred Oliver

Quotes 

• Joe Mannix : [greeting Mildred Oliver]  Ah, it's so good to see you, Mildred. Come in. Come in.

  Mildred Oliver : I was just passing by and I- I saw the name.

  Joe Mannix : Sit down. Golly, how long has it been?

  Mildred Oliver : Now, don't you dare. I'm not as old as I look.

  Joe Mannix : You look just beautiful.

  Mildred Oliver : It's fall like that that used to allow you to raid the refrigerator, as I remember.

  Joe Mannix : Well, after all, I was going to school on a G. I. Bill- $110 a month and all you could read.

  Mildred Oliver : Those were good days, Joe.

  Joe Mannix : And Mr. Oliver's great barbeques- what a feast.

  Mildred Oliver : Matthew loved to have young people around, especially you, Joe. Thank you for that wonderful letter.

  Joe Mannix : Well, he was a great guy. And Leslie- how is she?

  Mildred Oliver : [sinks her head]  Fine, as far as I know.

  Joe Mannix : You weren't just passing by, were you, Mildred?

  Mildred Oliver : [shakes her head]  I'm worried about her, Joe. She's drinking... excessively, I think is the clinical world for it. She was always a high-spirited girl- foolish but forgivable. But parties are just the public part of her drinking these days. It goes on day and night.

  Joe Mannix : When did this all start?

  Mildred Oliver : I don't know exactly. It was as if... the wind changed and no one noticed. She got worse after Mathew died. I let it go, hoping she'd find herself.

  Joe Mannix : But she wasn't really looking.

  Mildred Oliver : In fact, there was a time when she lost herself completely for months.

  Joe Mannix : When was that?

  Mildred Oliver : Five years ago. She just dropped out of sight. I was worried sick.

  Joe Mannix : Why didn't you call me, Mildred?

  Mildred Oliver : I thought of it many times. She turned up, finally- married.

  Joe Mannix : Yeah, I know. I remember seeing his picture.

  Mildred Oliver : On a tennis court, no doubt.

  [Mannix looks at Oliver] 

  Mildred Oliver : Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't say that. Hardly know Glen, really. Mothers rarely approve of their daughters' choice in husbands, do they?

  Joe Mannix : Well, that's all history, Mildred. What about today?

  Mildred Oliver : Something's bothering her terribly, Joe. We were supposed to go shopping on Saturday, and she canceled. Then I called her on Sunday and Glen said she was out, but she never called me back. Then yesterday, we were supposed to meet for lunch, and she never showed up. And I still can't get through to her on the phone. Something's dreadfully wrong, Joe.

  Joe Mannix : How can I help?

  Mildred Oliver : Well... they're having a cocktail party today at the house. Glen's invited, oh, some important buyers from the East. I'm still on the board, so they had to invite me.

  Joe Mannix : And you have to invite me for old times' sake.

  [Mildred nods] 

  Joe Mannix : Well, I hope they don't mind.