La Hora de La Nostalgia

Daniel Rabinovich: Ladies and gentlemen, signora, signori, ositoko, ositaka. We start here, and out of program, a new broadcast of 'The Hour of Nostalgia', 'Nostalgy Hour', 'L'heure de la nostalgie', 'L'ora della nostalgia'... Ositoko, ositaka. Many artists have already passed through 'The Hour of Nostalgia', but we have received countless requests from our audience asking us to have a great artist on our show, even if it's just one... and today we have finally been able to please them. Tonight we have a visit that fills us with emotion and memories. It's a beloved artist, respected by all of you, a famous author and performer of famous songs from the twenties, such as 'Iron my gaiters', 'I come back to you because I found nothing better', the song he dedicated to the beautiful actress Deborah Duncan, titled 'Deborah, passion devours me', and so many songs that delighted several generations. I know you all know who I'm talking about. I have the immense pride of presenting you with his elegance, his songs, his emotion, and his memories, the great José Duval.

(Enter Marcos playing the role of the old and deteriorated José Duval)

Daniel Rabinovich: Mr. Duval, what a great joy to have you with us tonight on 'The Hour of Nostalgia', thank you very much for coming.

(Marcos interprets the phrase as a farewell and prepares to leave the stage, but Daniel stops him)

Daniel Rabinovich: What a special emotion we feel for those of us who have seen you so many times in the movies. So many memories! Tell us, Mr...

(Marcos nods and loses his balance, leaning his body backwards. Everyone gets scared and Daniel holds him and helps him regain a vertical position)

Daniel Rabinovich: Tell us, Mr. Duval, do you ever feel the melancholy, the memory of lost things?

Marcos Mundstock: It's just that what I've lost is my memory.

Daniel Rabinovich: Do you think your art has evolved over the years?

Marcos Mundstock: Yes, uh, if it has evolved...

(He loses his balance again backwards and Daniel holds him again. Marcos grabs onto Daniel to not fall)

Marcos Mundstock: Let me... uh, if it has evolved. When I started, I was what is called a typical artist of mmm... an artist of mmm... an artist of mmm... music hall.

Daniel Rabinovich: Music hall.

Marcos Mundstock: Yes, what happens is that sometimes it... (puts on his dentures) but then over the years my style was mmm... my style was mmm...

Daniel Rabinovich: Music hall.

Marcos Mundstock: No, it was enriching. And you see, the secret in such a prlff... in such a prlff... prlff... in such a (Daniel holds his jaw) prolonged career, thanks, the secret is to have always known how to maintain balance. Once you maintain balance...

(Marcos staggers back again and Daniel holds him again. To prevent it from happening again, Daniel separates his legs a bit to help him keep his balance)

Marcos Mundstock: Fantastic, they don't know what else to come up with. Ha, ha...

Daniel Rabinovich: And how come you're still performing?

Marcos Mundstock: That's what I wonder.

Daniel Rabinovich: What's the secret?

Marcos Mundstock: Ah, the secret, yes, yes, listen: alwa... (his hand trembles) no, don't worry. No, it's not that the hand is trembling, it's that the rest is still... listen: you always have twenty years in the... zzzz... zzzz...

(Marcos falls asleep and starts snoring, until Daniel wakes him up by touching his arm)

Marcos Mundstock: Good morning.

Daniel Rabinovich: Mr. Duval, listening to your voice inevitably brings to mind one of your countless hits, such as Jeannette...

Marcos Mundstock: Ah, yes!, Jeannette, Jeannette... well, Jeannette was... it was a hit, because it's a song that had... what?

Daniel Rabinovich: Jeannette, why don't you sing a few bars of Jeannette?

Marcos Mundstock: Ah, bars, yes...

Daniel Rabinovich: Mr. José Duval in: 'Jeannette'.

Marcos Mundstock:
Jeannette, Jeannette, Jeannette,
When I think of you, it stirs my emotions.
(Daniel approaches in case he loses his balance)
Jeannette, Jeannette, Jeannette,
When I think of you, I lose my mind.
(Daniel is attentive again in case he falls)
Jeannette, Jeannette, Jeannette,
When I think of you, my heart hurts.
(Daniel listens to Marcos' heart and whispers something in his ear)
That's why, I never think of you.

Daniel Rabinovich: Let's talk a little about your youth, back in the 12th century... 1912, about your first romances, about your relationship with the dancer Brigitte Coco.

Marcos Mundstock: Ah, yes, yes. Well, you see, Brigitte was much younger than me... everyone is much younger than me... and I'll never forget the day she said to me: 'José...', because she called me José...

Daniel Rabinovich: Why?

Marcos Mundstock: Because my name is José. What's wrong, young man? No... she said: 'José, soon we'll be three'.

Daniel Rabinovich: Was she going to have a child?

Marcos Mundstock: No, she was going to have a lover. By that time our son was four years old and he was mmm... he was mmm...

Daniel Rabinovich: Music hall.

Marcos Mundstock: How can a child be music hall? Listen, really, I'm worried about you, young man. Don't you want me to recommend my pediatrician? No, our son was very naughty. And like every artist's child, he didn't like going to bed early; so I sang to him to make him fall asleep, aaahhh, I sang, aahh, I sang... until one day he told me he preferred me to hit him.

Daniel Rabinovich: We all remember that beautiful song you composed especially for her, titled 'Alone Brigitte and I'. We would love to remember it.

Marcos Mundstock: Yes, yes, me too.

Daniel Rabinovich: Mr. José Duval:

Marcos Mundstock: Mr. José Duval...

Daniel Rabinovich: Time passes and as it passes...

Marcos Mundstock: But you're blowing me wrong, man!

Time passes and as it passes
It erases the before and the after.
But I will never forget
What happened that time... uh... what happened?

Daniel Rabinovich: Among roses and gladioli...

Marcos Mundstock:
Among roses and gladioli,
When the sun appeared,
We were finally alone,
Alone Brigitte and... and...
Daniel Rabinovich: and me...
Marcos Mundstock: Alone Brigitte and you...
Daniel Rabinovich: No. me... you.
Marcos Mundstock: Ah, of course, alone Brigitte and me and you.
Daniel Rabinovich: No, Mr. Duval, you were alone.
Marcos Mundstock: It seems that Brigitte didn't come.

And there I was alone
With the sky as a witness.
I gathered courage and exclaimed:
I want to marry... myself!

Daniel Rabinovich: Thank you very much, Mr. Duval. Well, to finish this supplic... this interview, we know you're writing a book.

Marcos Mundstock: Ah, yes, they've already told you about the book. Yes, well, it's a book, let's say... uh... just this morning I was at the publisher for the... uh... you see, as it has rained but it doesn't cool down... and that's bad... let's say it's good for the... uh... I have to wrap up a lot, I advise you to do the same because at a certain age you have to take care of yourself. I always go with a coat, a scarf, a hat... the problem is in summer... the doctor told me that more or less, as I drink... no alcohol, that's for sure... only in wounds... uh... when... I met a friend... that I hadn't seen in a long time... it had been a long time since I had seen him... well, actually he hadn't seen me either, which compensates in some way... and then we had a drink there in Carlos Pellegrini, at a time... with Carlos Pellegrini... and then, poor thing, worried because... uh... a sister of his, he tells me, who is deteriorating... I thought how would she be? she was never great... do you... do you know her, my friend's sister? (Daniel shakes his head) and then, why are you telling me all this? look, I'm going to get you out of this uncomfortable situation you've gotten into. I have a scoop for you: I'm writing a book.

Daniel Rabinovich: What's the title?

Marcos Mundstock: What thing?

Daniel Rabinovich: The book.

Marcos Mundstock: What book?

Daniel Rabinovich: We know you're writing a book...

Marcos Mundstock: Ah, yes, excuse me, I know what you mean. No, since I have several books written... yes, yes, I already buy them written... yes, you see, for me a book if it's not written... it's like it's missing something...

Daniel Rabinovich: We know you're writing a book...

Marcos Mundstock: And you keep talking about the book... look, let's change the subject; you know something? I'm writing a book.

Daniel Rabinovich: What's it called?

Marcos Mundstock: José Duval, at your service.

Daniel Rabinovich: What's the title?

Marcos Mundstock: And... it will be called: 'Boooook!!'

Daniel Rabinovich: No, what's the title?

Marcos Mundstock: Ah, the title! 'Memories'

Daniel Rabinovich: And you must have written quite a few things about the beautiful Deborah Duncan...

Marcos Mundstock: Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha...

Daniel Rabinovich: Are you laughing or crying?

Marcos Mundstock: I'm coughing! Deborah Duncan, what a beautiful woman... and she still is, right? These days I read in the newspaper that, even older, she was chosen as 'Miss Anniversary'.

Daniel Rabinovich: No, what you read was 'Anniversary Mass'.

(Carlos Núñez gestures that Deborah went to heaven, and Marcos, overwhelmed, tries to recover and hits his head with the microphone)

Marcos Mundstock: Deborah Duncan... look, I just remembered... just like that... I met Deborah at the beginning of my career, I met her in the mmm... in the mmmm...

Daniel Rabinovich: In the twenties, thirties...

Marcos Mundstock: No, in the music hall!

(Marcos turns back to mock Daniel with the others. When he approaches the microphone again, Carlos Núñez warns Daniel to avoid another blow to the head. When Marcos stands up straight, Daniel puts the microphone in front of him, and Marcos hits his head against it)

Daniel Rabinovich: We all remember that beautiful rumba you composed especially for Deborah Duncan, that guaracha...

Marcos Mundstock: No, no, no. Be careful what you say, young man, huh?

Daniel Rabinovich: That rumba titled 'Move, girl'. So we finish with 'Move, girl'.

(Daniel raises Marcos' arms up and he dances moving them from side to side)

Marcos and Daniel:
Move, girl,
Move, my love.
Let's dance without stopping,
Let's dance without rest
To this exhausting rhythm.

(Marcos loses his balance and Daniel holds him from behind by the waist. Jorge also goes to help and holds Daniel by the waist. The three form a conga line and leave the stage dancing)