The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz

Duddy learns from his father and grandfather that his aunt Ida has left Uncle Benjy, apparently for good this time. Feeling that it is his obligation to his family, Duddy travels to New York City, where Ida is rumored to be staying with a much younger man. Duddy successfully tracks her down to a hotel room where she is dressed and packed for a trip abroad. It takes a lot of work, but Duddy is able to get her to board a train back home with him. En route, Ida cries and rants. She tells Duddy that she thinks Benjy did this on purpose, gave himself cancer to make her suffer. She confesses that it was she who was physically unable to have children, not Benjy. She argues that Benjy told everyone he was impotent not to protect her but to make her feel guilty. Ida tells Duddy that Benjy is a coward, that he is afraid of his domineering father, and that he spent his life wanting to be a child and not have one. Duddy doesn’t know what to make of any of this and repeatedly attempts to change the topic, especially when his aunt psychoanalyzes him.

Later, after Aunt Ida is settled back at home, Duddy goes to see Uncle Benjy, who tells him that he is leaving his business to Duddy in his will. Duddy tells him thanks, but no thanks. He isn’t interested in taking over where his uncle left off but instead wants to make his own way. Benjy is hurt and says so, complaining that he and Duddy have always had a poor relationship and he doesn’t understand why. Duddy informs him that he is still resentful of the way his uncle treated him when he worked for him and he knows that his uncle always expected big things of Lennie and nothing good to come of him. They part ways somewhat tensely, with Duddy saying that he never asked his uncle for anything and Benjy ought to appreciate that. Benjy is frustrated that Duddy won’t take over the business and do as he asks. On Duddy’s way out the door, the doctor appears, and Duddy becomes suddenly emotional, pleading with the doctor to save his uncle’s life.

Virgil has a massive seizure while performing a delivery job Duddy gave him knowing full well that Virgil shouldn’t be operating heavy machinery given his epileptic condition. The truck is wrecked, and it takes a heroic effort to get Virgil out of the vehicle. The doctors inform Yvette that his spinal cord has been severed and that he will never walk again. He remains in critical condition, unable to speak but able to recognize Duddy and Yvette and to smile at them.

Yvette blames Duddy for the accident and tells him so. She thinks that Duddy should admit his guilt, but Duddy refuses. Instead, Duddy repeatedly states that Virgil will be okay, that he will make sure that Virgil is set up for life and never wants for anything. This isn’t good enough for Yvette, who feels that Duddy is being too callous toward their friend’s new disability. Yvette stays at Virgil’s bedside while Duddy returns to business. He goes to inspect the camera and film that were in the truck and is glad to see that not everything has been destroyed. His lawyer tells him the Virgil could sue him for making driving a part of his job duties despite his known condition, but Duddy waves away his attorney’s warnings. Duddy wants life to return to normal, but Yvette refuses to comply. They fight, and Duddy hits her. She stays away for several days but reappears when Duddy calls and reminds her that she better show up, since she is still drawing a salary. When she reappears, it is to resign from the company and to tell Duddy that she is moving back to the countryside near the hotel where they first met. She is taking Virgil with her and will be his caregiver from now on. Duddy laughs and tells her that she can go, that she is replaceable. He screams that he wishes Virgil were dead and tells her to get out, right away.

After Yvette leaves, Duddy’s life quickly unravels. He hires four different secretaries, sleeps with two of them, and ends up firing them all. His clients become incensed when he doesn’t return their calls or fulfill their orders. He fires his cameraman just because he is sick of talking to him.

Relationships with old contacts become tense, too. He fights with his father when Max points out that he hasn’t shaved or put on clean clothes, that he generally looks a mess. When Duddy runs into Cuckoo, he insults his old friend, calling him a hack who will never amount to anything. Cuckoo shrugs off the unkindness, but when he informs Duddy that Yvette is in town, taking care of Virgil and talking with Irwin, Duddy punches him in the face.

Duddy confides in his friend Hersh about how miserable he is. They go out together, and Duddy can’t stop crying. Hersh offers to take Duddy with him on his upcoming trip to Paris, but Duddy begs off, saying that Hersh’s friends will all be intellectuals and he will likely be embarrassed to have Duddy in his company. Duddy then confesses that he prank called their teacher Mr. MacPherson’s house the night that MacPherson’s wife died. Tearful, Duddy pleads that he didn’t know, that he never would’ve guessed that his wife would struggle out of bed to get the phone and die in the process. Hersh says it was long ago and that maybe Duddy needs to get help or some rest to get back on his feet again.

Duddy runs out of money and options and is forced to declare bankruptcy. He is ashamed and keeps his failure to himself, avoiding people he previously knew or did business with. He borrows his father’s taxi on Max’s time off and earns whatever he can as a cab driver. One day he picks up Mr. Cohen, who is shocked to see that Duddy drives a taxi. He asks Duddy to drive him home and come in for a drink. Duddy tries to refuse, but Mr. Cohen is persistent. Bit by bit, Duddy tells Mr. Cohen his story. Mr. Cohen is sympathetic and says he admires Duddy despite his losses, that he appreciates Duddy’s spirit and determination. Mr. Cohen offers to give Duddy seed money for whatever his next venture turns out to be. He tells Duddy not to be too hard on himself about Virgil, that Virgil is a goy and that Jews need to stick together and look out for one another because the system is stacked against them.

Duddy goes home to find that he’s gotten a letter in the mail. Though he hopes it is from Yvette, it is instead from Virgil, who pleads with Duddy to come visit them or at least get in touch. In his letter, Virgil encloses two copies of a new magazine he’s starting to advocate for the rights and improved treatment of those suffering from epilepsy.

Duddy goes to visit Virgil and Yvette in their new home by the lake. At first, Duddy finds it painful and awkward to see Virgil wheelchair bound, but eventually he becomes more comfortable, taking Virgil out for walks and spending more and more time with him. He also reconnects with Yvette, who has a good job in a lawyer’s office. She confesses to missing Duddy and wants him to say the same, but he won’t. He does soften toward her over time, though.

Duddy spends most of his time with Virgil and Yvette again, with Yvette acting as the breadwinner and Duddy making what he can driving a cab. One day, Yvette hears that the rest of the lakeside land is up for sale. The asking price feels astronomical to Duddy, so he tells her he’s not interested. He finally makes time to read a letter he’s been avoiding, one from his uncle Benjy, who passed away quietly in his sleep. Uncle Benjy apologizes for not seeing more in Duddy when he was young. He tells Duddy he left him nothing except his house where he’d like him to take up residence. Benjy warns Duddy that a man has many selves but only one can ultimately win and Duddy needs to put his money-scheming self to rest and take the high road. Thinking of this, Duddy tells Yvette that he wants the three of them to move into his uncle’s home. But then a newspaper article catches his eye. The Boy Wonder has been arrested for drug smuggling. Duddy calls Lennie to confirm what heroin looks and smells like. He tells Yvette he has an idea to pursue and he’ll be in touch as soon as he can.