American Taboo (1983) - full transcript
Paul, a shy photographer of 30 years, avoids relationships in favor of the safety landscape photography. He is drawn into intimacy by a teenage youth who moves in next door and insinuates herself into his life.
[intense synth music]
[dramatic orchestral music]
[gentle piano music]
[ominous music]
[gentle piano music]
[bright synth music]
[gentle piano music]
[bright synth music]
- Meow! Meow!
Ah, cheep! Meow!
Arch up! Bluh, meow, ah!
Long neck. Now up, up!
Okay.
[women squawking]
Rabbit.
Wrap it tight. Shake your head.
[woman squawking]
Meow!
You're not making any noise.
Meow!
- Meow!
Louder, both!
- Meow!
- Cheep, cheep!
- Meow!
- Meow!
- Tweet, tweet, tweet!
[shutter clicking]
- Now right here!
[woman squawking]
Right here, right here!
Eyes here. Big eyes.
[woman squawking]
- Meow!
Good.
That's exactly right.
Oh, shit. This is good.
[shutter clicking]
Okay, make any noises.
[squawking] Meow!
Meow! Noise, noise!
- Meow!
[woman meowing]
[shutter clicking]
- Good.
Now start crawling.
[shutter clicking]
Now let me see that.
Nice! Oh, shit, nice.
[shutter clicking]
Okay, great.
Nice, keep going!
Excellent. Excellent
angle there.
[shutter clicking]
Okay, grab her!
Oh shit. This is excellent.
Good, grab the chain.
[shutter clicking]
Ooh, that's, that's just
absolutely fabulous.
Okay. Now get on her
and we'll do it.
You ready?
[shutter clicking]
Good! Good!
And arch up. And
bring in the fan!
[shutter clicking]
Fan!
Paul, fan!
[shutter clicking]
Good. Perfect!
Shit! Okay, that's the roll.
One more roll here.
Don't move. Close your eyes.
Just hold it. Now don't
lose this move.
This is absolutely perfect.
Goddammit, this is great.
Need the film!
Where's the film?
- I think it was the last one.
- What do you mean that
was the last one?
How many did you roll up?
- Well, I've been making
the prints since I got here.
- Oh shit, we need film,
not prints.
Okay. That's it.
[sighs] Shit.
- I'm sorry. I can roll
you another one quick.
- The mood is gone.
The models are in the
dressing room.
The shoot is over.
When I'm shooting, I've
gotta have film.
Very important. I don't
know what to do.
- [Model] Michael, is
there anything to drink?
- Paul will get you a drink.
Go in the dressing room.
[fridge door slams]
[bottle slams]
[cups tapping]
- God, I'm dying of thirst.
What's he got to drink?
- Inglebrook.
- That's sounds terrible.
Why doesn't he get
anything worth drinking?
- I don't know.
[cork pops]
[wine pouring]
[phone ringing]
[soft rock music]
Michael's? Yeah, just sec.
It's your wife.
- Oh, tell her I'm not here.
- I'd really rather
not lie to her.
- Well I'll make it easy on ya.
I'm gone already. Come on,
girls.
We're going to the BC.
Pack it up.
- I'd love to, are you buying?
- Okay, of course.
Pack up. Goodbye.
[door closes]
Hello? I guess he's not here.
[cart clattering]
[customers chattering]
[cart clattering]
- Lisa.
I'm finished. Let's go.
[women chattering]
[gentle music]
[truck rumbling on TV]
[bag crinkling]
[glass breaks]
[melancholy music]
[doorbell rings]
- Oh, you're still here.
- Yeah, I'm running a
little late.
- Well, I thought you'd
be gone by now for sure.
Otherwise, I would have
come up later.
Don't worry about it.
We'd really like if
you could stay with us.
- Well, I'm just leaving.
Excuse me.
- Come on in.
It's cold today, isn't it?
- It sure is.
You're gonna love
the light here.
Interesting fireplace, isn't it?
- Mm.
- It certainly is.
- Mm-hmm.
- Excuse me.
- He really is very nice.
Well, why don't we start
upstairs with the master
bedroom?
- All right.
- You're gonna love the view
from up here.
[liquid trickling]
[soft rock music]
- I finished up those
prints and your wife called.
I thought you were Michael.
Pardon me. I heard the music,
I thought Michael was back.
- I thought Michael was
in the darkroom.
- No, he left about 3:30.
♪ It's time for change ♪
- Just my luck.
Well, no great loss, I suppose.
When is he coming back,
do you know?
- Well, he said something
about being by later
but I don't know when.
- You don't mind if I hang
around, do you?
- No.
♪ Forgive my soul ♪
- I've been on my feet all day.
It would be nice just
to sit down for awhile.
- Well, I guess I better
get back to my prints.
- You look a little tired.
Would you like to drink too?
- I really think I oughta
get back to my work.
- Oh, come on. Just one.
[wine pouring]
♪ I gotta get away babe ♪
Besides, I don't like
to drink alone.
♪ To get away from you ♪
[soft rock music continues]
- Thanks.
♪ Laying down all our
conditions ♪
♪ But baby it's all new ♪
- Sit down. Relax.
♪ All alone with all
our conditions ♪
So you've been working
for Michael for what?
About a month now?
- Yeah, about that.
- How do you like it?
Just between us.
♪ You know I love you ♪
- It's all right. I guess.
[woman chuckles]
- Oh, cute. Loaded day?
[chuckles]
♪ I saw you smile ♪
Oh.
Ooh, it looks like Michael's
been getting rather kinky.
[woman giggles]
Were you here for this session?
- No.
♪ I've got to get away, baby ♪
♪ Get away from you ♪
- What about this one?
- No.
- This one?
- Mm-mm.
Well, standard
operating procedure.
[smooth jazz music]
- So what have you been up to?
- [chuckles] Well, not
much of anything right now.
- Well, I guess that can
be real relaxing.
- Mm-hmm.
♪ How to have you love ♪
♪ It's all I know, baby ♪
♪ We can't go on side by side ♪
- Well, I guess I better
get back to work.
It's been nice seeing you.
♪ 'Cause I want you
and me to be ♪
[woman chuckles]
- You don't mind if I watch,
do you?
- Well, it's not very exciting.
You'd probably be
bored to death.
- Not with such a
fascinating subject matter.
[light switch clicks]
[machinery whirring]
Mm. [chuckles]
[liquid spraying]
[woman chuckling]
- Come on, cut it out.
I need that stuff to
clean my negatives.
Come on, give it back.
- [laughs] No.
- Please? Please?
[liquid spraying]
Thank you.
- What are you doing tonight?
- Tonight?
- Mm-hmm.
[phone ringing]
Michael's?
Oh, hi.
Yeah.
Yeah. I got all the prints done.
It'll be about
another 30 minutes.
- No, she hasn't been by
as far as I know,
but I have been in here
for about two hours.
All right. Sure.
Okay.
He's on his way over.
- You never answered
my question.
- What am I doing tonight?
Um, well after here,
I'm going home.
- Would you like to meet me
for a drink at the Hilton?
- I don't think that'd
be a very good idea.
- You know, Michael and I have
what you might call a
flexible marriage.
- So I've heard, but I guess
I'm just not that flexible.
- [chuckles] No, I
guess you're not.
Well, I better be going.
Can I open the door now?
- It's safe.
[projector clattering]
[traffic whirring]
[projector clattering]
[doorbell ringing]
- Hi, um, my name is Lisa Welch.
I live next door to you.
And I'm selling these
delicious chocolate mints
for a ski trip at school.
Guess I was wondering if
you wanted to buy some?
- How much are they?
- Three bucks a box.
- Three bucks a box?
- Yeah.
- Are they really delicious?
- Really delicious.
- All right. I'll get
three boxes.
- Three boxes? Really?
- Really.
- Well, that'd be $9.
- If I don't have $9,
will you take a Visa or
Master Charge?
- Mm, the management
accepts only cash. Sorry.
- I don't. I got six.
I'll go in and get the rest.
You can come in and
wait if you want.
- Okay.
[coins jangling]
- It looks like I
gotta go upstairs.
I'll check my dresser.
[traffic whirring]
[projector clattering]
[Lisa chuckles]
- You kind of like to
spy on people
with your camera, huh?
- Well, it's not exactly spying.
I was trying out a new lens.
- It isn't exactly asking
my permission, is it?
- No.
- Well I like it anyways.
Can I have a print?
- Sure. If you want.
- I do.
- Okay.
- Thanks.
Well, here we are
your chocolates.
- And here's your money.
- Thanks. Goodnight.
- Goodnight.
- What was your name?
- Paul.
- Paul.
I'm, I told you already.
Night.
- Night.
[traffic whirring]
- [Man On Microphone]
[indistinct] Ladies night...
[upbeat music]
Everyone who comes in
drag gets in free.
[indistinct chattering]
- One, two, three, four.
[drumsticks clicking]
[upbeat rock music]
[traffic whirring]
[upbeat rock music]
[men laughing]
[man belches]
[customers chattering]
- [Man] Oh yeah? I'm
with these guys.
[customers chattering]
[door opens]
[door closes]
[wind rustling]
[dog barks]
[car approaching]
[dogs barking]
[door opens]
[footsteps thudding]
[dogs continue barking]
[Paul retching and
vomiting violently]
[water dripping]
- What are you looking at?
[traffic whirring]
[shutter clicking]
- Excuse me? Hi.
- Oh, hi.
- I was wondering if you
could do me a big favor.
- What?
- I missed the bus. I
need a ride to school.
- How far is it?
- Not too far,
but it'd be really
late if I walk.
- Okay.
- Great!
[traffic whirring]
So what year do you think I am?
- Year?
- Yeah, we're, oh yeah,
we're supposed to pick a
year for school
and come dressed as someone
from that time period
and talk about it and
all that crap, you know?
- Oh, I get it. Uh, 1968.
- That's real close. Actually,
it's 69.
I wanted to do the last
year of the 60's.
- That sounds like a good idea.
- It's my mom's skirt.
Do you like it?
- Yeah.
- She wore it in high
school and got sent home.
Can you believe that?
- Uh-huh.
[horn honks]
- The light's green,
you know.
[engine revving]
We better hurry.
- Don't worry. We'll make it.
[plane whirring]
[train horn blaring]
[car jack clattering]
[traffic whirring]
[trunk slams]
[door slams]
- I'm gonna be late
for history now.
- I'm sorry.
- It's not your fault.
But if I go now I'll
get another detention.
- You want me to take you home?
- You know what we could do?
- What?
- We could go to the beach.
What time do you have
to be at work?
- Well, not till 2:30,
but that's a long drive.
By the time we got there,
we'd have to come back.
- Well, it's worth it.
Besides, we could go fast.
We could speed.
- Speed?
- Sure, why not?
[bright music]
Come on!
- Hey, Nancy Sinatra! Lisa?
- What?
- Want a sweater?
[bright music continues]
[waves crashing]
- It's beautiful, isn't it?
- It's nice.
- I love it.
And wish we could stay forever.
- Well, I hate to ruin
your good time,
but we gotta get going back.
- Don't you love it here?
- It's beautiful.
- Why don't we stay then?
- Because I'm one of
the lucky few
who are employed and I'd
like to keep it that way.
I have to be at work by 2:30.
- Well, you can always
call in sick, couldn't you?
- But I'm not sick.
- Well, call and say,
"I'm having a nice time at
the beach today
and I won't be in, thank you."
- No good. Not a good idea.
- Spoilsport.
What's that?
- What?
- Over there.
[shutter clicking]
- Lisa?
- I'm over here!
- How the hell did you
get up there?
- What do they call these?
- Call what?
- You know.
The women on the front of ships.
- A maidenhead.
- No, not maidenheads.
- Okay. A woman in
front of a ship.
Come on. Let's get going.
I'll be late for work.
- Wait, didn't hear
that fairytale
about the woman on the
front of the ship-
- Lisa, I-
- Just wait!
There was this woman.
She fell in love with a sailor
and she like did him
wrong or something.
So this witch turned
into one of those women
on the front of ships.
She had to spend the
rest of her life,
looking out to sea.
- That's tragic. Come on,
let's go.
- I don't want to.
- I'll lose my job!
- Well we're already
late. Let's just stay.
- Lisa, I'm leaving.
Come on!
- Well go ahead then.
- How are you gonna get back?
- I can always get a ride.
- Okay. Fine.
- Fine.
[waves crashing]
- Shit, I didn't need
to come out here anyway.
[birds squawking]
[keys jangling]
[engine starting]
[engine revving]
[birds squawking]
[coins clattering]
[footsteps shuffling]
[body bangs]
- Will you let me...
Michael, yeah, this is Paul.
Sorry, I'm at the coast.
My car busted and they think
it might be the fuel pump.
I can't help it. It's
not my fault.
- How'd it go?
- He's pissed.
- Well, he'll forget
about it tomorrow.
- I don't like lying to him.
- Well you could do
penance by buying me lunch.
[customers chattering]
- Where'd you get that?
- Someone bought it for me.
- Great. Drink it down quick
before somebody sees you.
[customers chattering]
[shutter clicking]
- Did you get it?
- I got something.
- You take a lot of pictures,
don't you?
- Yeah, I guess so.
- Is that what you do
for a living?
- Well, not exactly. I work
with this fashion photographer.
Set up his lights for him
and I fill up his film.
I sweep his floors so his models
don't get little feetsies dirty.
I guess I'm sort of a
part-time janitor.
[customers chattering]
- You know the slides
at your house?
- Yeah.
- Well, I think they were
pretty good. You know?
- You did?
- You could probably sell them
to magazines or something.
- I don't know. It's a pretty
tough market out there.
Nowadays everybody thinks
they're a photographer.
[gentle music]
- Hi.
- Hi.
Pretty big.
- Watch it.
What was this place?
- It was an old fort.
There were the
gunning placements.
[shutter clicking]
- You don't take pictures
of people very much, do you?
- No, not very much.
- Why not?
- I don't know. People are
too unpredictable, I guess.
- So? Excuse me.
- So I just never really got
into that kind of photography.
- You took my picture.
- That was from a distance.
- Does that make it easier
using your telescopic lens?
- Telephoto.
- Whatever.
Does it make it easier?
- Yeah, I suppose it does.
- Have you been doing
this very long?
- I suppose so.
I don't really remember
when I started.
- There must have been
a first time.
One picture that was different.
- I tell ya, I can't remember.
Oh, maybe in high
school sometime.
- Mm, you must
remember something.
What?
- Well, there was sort
of a first time.
- Really, when?
- In 1959.
- 1959. How old were you?
- Eight.
It was Halloween.
And at school, we all
had to get dressed up
in these Halloween costumes.
Did you ever have to do that?
- Mm, well, once I was a
fairy princess
but my wings got stuck
in the car door
and it was all over fast.
- Anyway, I didn't feel
like wearing a costume.
So I took our Brownie
camera and I put it on
and I said that I was "Man
with a Camera."
- What's that?
- I'm sorry. It's a TV
show we had back then.
I got to school, the
teacher says to me,
"Paul, where's your costume?"
I said, I'm "Man with a Camera."
She goes, "No, Paul, you
have to have a costume."
So the teacher and the
rest of the class,
they got these newspapers
and they stapled it
to my arms and they
stapled it to my legs.
Hmm, God, it was awful.
I felt so ridiculous.
And then, then we had to
go out to the playground
and parade around in
these things.
I took my camera and I
started taking pictures
of all the kids and their
silly costumes.
And the last picture on the roll
was of a girl I had a
man crush on.
She was too close to the
lens and it was out of focus.
I wonder whatever happened
to those pictures.
Anyway, to answer your question,
I've been doing this
about 22 years.
- That's a long time.
- It is. Very long time.
[shutter clicking]
[waves crashing]
[waves crashing]
[shutter clicking]
Lisa?
Lisa?
[waves crashing]
Hey! Get up here!
[waves crashing]
- Hey, look. There's a ship.
- Where?
- Look near that island.
You see?
- Yeah.
- It's a really dangerous spot.
Ship's get stuck there
all the time.
I bet it takes a lot of
courage to drive them.
- A lot of rum.
[waves crashing]
[foghorn blaring]
[footsteps thudding]
- Well, I think we got
a live when this time.
- Yeah?
- Remember that couple from
San Francisco with the baby?
- No, not really.
- Well, they made an offer.
Get this 63.5. Can
you believe it?
Basically fell in love
with the house.
- I'm asking 65.
- Well, that's only $1,500
less than the original offer.
- I know, but I was
kind of counting on 65.
- Paul, let's be realistic.
You've had this house on the
market for over a year now.
- I have faith in you.
- I'll tell you what.
We'll make a counter-offer.
$500 more, we'll try.
- Betsy, I'm sorry, I realize
how hard you've been
working for me.
I don't want to seem
like a hard nose,
but I really would
like to have 65.
- Are you rejecting this offer?
- Yes.
- Here, sign.
- Yes.
What is it?
- It simply states that
you have considered
the 63.5 and you're
formally rejecting it.
Are you sure?
- Yes, I'm sure.
Here?
- Mm-hmm.
[pen scratching]
[papers crinkling]
Well I won't turn this in
till tomorrow.
- Okay.
- If you change your mind,
call me.
- I will.
[door sliding]
Here it is.
- It's a little stark, isn't it?
- Yeah. We need a lot of space.
This is Mike's new set.
Don't go out there or
it's my ass.
- Okay.
- Over here, got a makeup room.
He's got a changing room.
Come on, I'll show it to you.
And over here, this is
our makeup room.
- Oh, can I?
- Please.
- Oh.
You have a lot of
stuff back here.
- Yeah, they use a lot of stuff.
Well, I got about a
half hour's work
to do in the dark room.
So if you'll excuse me.
- Okay.
- There's a bunch of
magazines and stuff
in the can, if you want.
- I'll find something.
- Oh, make sure you don't
open this door.
- Okay.
[door closes]
Hmm.
[ambient music]
[machinery whirring]
- Lisa?
Lisa, you're in here,
aren't you?
[heart beating]
[tense music]
[footsteps tapping]
[door opens]
- Aren't you coming in?
- Well, what about your mother?
- She won't be home till
late. She's a dancer.
Come on.
Paul.
- Thanks.
- Mm-hmm.
- So your mom is an actress?
- She thinks so. [chuckles]
You wanna see my album?
- Sure.
- It's in my room.
It's okay.
Now you're sure you wanna
go through with this?
- I have braced myself.
Is this your mom?
- Yeah, that's my mother.
Don't look too much. She
might put an evil eye on you.
[Lisa chuckles]
- How old were you when
this one was taken?
- 11.
School photographer took it.
And I think it's pretty good,
considering he probably
took pictures
of 500 kids that day.
- It is?
- Do you notice anything
different about her?
- Her?
- Me?
- I don't know.
Something in the eyes.
The quality, I don't know.
- I was love with a boy
when it was taken.
- Really?
- Mm-hmm.
- Who?
- He was in my class.
His name was Grant Huntington.
We used to take these
long winter walks.
We would walk and walk and walk
till our noses
turned bright red,
And then we'd get to his house
and play checkers.
He never laid a hand
on me though.
- Did you want him to?
- I was only 11.
- Yeah, I guess that is
pretty young.
- Maybe I wanted him to.
I know I wanted him to kiss me.
Well, how old were
you when you had
your first romantic burst?
- I think I was 12.
Yeah.
- Did you take longer
winter walks?
- No, but she tried to kiss me.
- What happened?
- But I got away.
- Oh. Didn't you wanna kiss her?
- I don't know, I...
I think I was just scared.
- So what happened?
- Well, I went on this two
week vacation with my parents.
And for my birthday,
they gave me
this Brownie Fiesta camera.
When I came back, I guess I
wanted to take her picture
'cause I went to her
house to see her.
She wasn't home.
So I went to one of these
public swimming pools
and there she was, rubbing the
shoulders of some life guard.
So I took her
picture and I swore
I was gonna tell her parents.
- Did you?
- No, I ran out of film.
[Lisa laughs]
- You know,
you have, um, very
elegant hands for a man.
- [chuckles] I do?
- Mm-hmm. Let me see you palms.
You don't have a very
long lifeline.
- So I've been told.
- You know, I remember
that day at the coast.
It was very wet and your
hair kept coming down
and clinging to your forehead
into little threads.
- I don't think that-
- Don't think, don't think.
[intense music]
[Lisa crying]
- Hey.
Got 30 bucks?
- No.
- What's the matter? Don't
you like girls?
[traffic whirring]
[horn honking]
[man whistling]
[traffic whirring]
[birds chirping]
- It's so fucking ugly.
[phone ringing]
Hello?
No, I don't. I don't use it.
I don't use the stuff.
Please leave me alone.
[phone clacks]
Shit!
Dammit!
What's this shit?
This is garbage.
Garbage!
[bags crinkling]
[glass clinking]
Look, it's just garbage!
[glass shattering]
[Paul breathes heavily]
[Paul muttering]
[doorbell ringing]
[door opens and closes]
- What are you doing?
- I got locked out.
- Got locked out.
- Mm-hmm.
- You wanna come in?
- Okay.
[fire crackling]
You know something?
- What?
- I didn't really
get locked out.
I really wanted to come over,
but I felt weird about it.
You know what I mean?
- Yeah. I think I do.
- I came over before, but
you weren't in.
- Yes, I was.
- Why didn't you answer?
- Well, because I didn't
think I could face you.
I'm really sorry about what
happened. I, I didn't mean-
- What's to be sorry for?
It's not like you raped me.
I wanted to.
- Still, I shouldn't
have done it.
- Why not?
- Well, because,
because you're just not really
emotionally mature enough.
- And you are?
- Paul, I don't say
this to hurt you,
but you're not the first
man I've slept with.
[fire crackling]
You know, the other
night when we made love,
I had this moment when I
thought I knew you better
than you know yourself.
It was like you said,
you lost control.
And in that moment,
it was like this shield
splitting apart in you.
But I could see straight
through to your soul.
- Really? What could you see?
- How terribly hurt
you are inside.
Like a beautiful doll.
You can shake it,
and then all the little-bitty
pieces rattle around inside.
- How very poetic.
- Do you go out with anyone?
- No.
- Well, why not?
- I don't know.
It's just, I guess it's
too complicated.
- Hmm, somehow, I thought
you were gonna tell
that you had a wife and kid.
Why did I think that?
- You're not too far off.
- Are you married?
- No, but I have a daughter.
- No you don't.
- I do.
- Where is she?
- I don't know.
- You never see her?
- I saw a picture of her
once after she was born,
but she was adopted right away.
- How old were you?
- 17.
- How old was the mother?
- 15.
It was hard to get an
abortion in those days.
[Lisa sobbing]
What's the matter.
[Lisa continues sobbing]
[fire crackling]
[Lisa sighs]
[dramatic music]
[dramatic orchestral music]
[gentle piano music]
[ominous music]
[gentle piano music]
[bright synth music]
[gentle piano music]
[bright synth music]
- Meow! Meow!
Ah, cheep! Meow!
Arch up! Bluh, meow, ah!
Long neck. Now up, up!
Okay.
[women squawking]
Rabbit.
Wrap it tight. Shake your head.
[woman squawking]
Meow!
You're not making any noise.
Meow!
- Meow!
Louder, both!
- Meow!
- Cheep, cheep!
- Meow!
- Meow!
- Tweet, tweet, tweet!
[shutter clicking]
- Now right here!
[woman squawking]
Right here, right here!
Eyes here. Big eyes.
[woman squawking]
- Meow!
Good.
That's exactly right.
Oh, shit. This is good.
[shutter clicking]
Okay, make any noises.
[squawking] Meow!
Meow! Noise, noise!
- Meow!
[woman meowing]
[shutter clicking]
- Good.
Now start crawling.
[shutter clicking]
Now let me see that.
Nice! Oh, shit, nice.
[shutter clicking]
Okay, great.
Nice, keep going!
Excellent. Excellent
angle there.
[shutter clicking]
Okay, grab her!
Oh shit. This is excellent.
Good, grab the chain.
[shutter clicking]
Ooh, that's, that's just
absolutely fabulous.
Okay. Now get on her
and we'll do it.
You ready?
[shutter clicking]
Good! Good!
And arch up. And
bring in the fan!
[shutter clicking]
Fan!
Paul, fan!
[shutter clicking]
Good. Perfect!
Shit! Okay, that's the roll.
One more roll here.
Don't move. Close your eyes.
Just hold it. Now don't
lose this move.
This is absolutely perfect.
Goddammit, this is great.
Need the film!
Where's the film?
- I think it was the last one.
- What do you mean that
was the last one?
How many did you roll up?
- Well, I've been making
the prints since I got here.
- Oh shit, we need film,
not prints.
Okay. That's it.
[sighs] Shit.
- I'm sorry. I can roll
you another one quick.
- The mood is gone.
The models are in the
dressing room.
The shoot is over.
When I'm shooting, I've
gotta have film.
Very important. I don't
know what to do.
- [Model] Michael, is
there anything to drink?
- Paul will get you a drink.
Go in the dressing room.
[fridge door slams]
[bottle slams]
[cups tapping]
- God, I'm dying of thirst.
What's he got to drink?
- Inglebrook.
- That's sounds terrible.
Why doesn't he get
anything worth drinking?
- I don't know.
[cork pops]
[wine pouring]
[phone ringing]
[soft rock music]
Michael's? Yeah, just sec.
It's your wife.
- Oh, tell her I'm not here.
- I'd really rather
not lie to her.
- Well I'll make it easy on ya.
I'm gone already. Come on,
girls.
We're going to the BC.
Pack it up.
- I'd love to, are you buying?
- Okay, of course.
Pack up. Goodbye.
[door closes]
Hello? I guess he's not here.
[cart clattering]
[customers chattering]
[cart clattering]
- Lisa.
I'm finished. Let's go.
[women chattering]
[gentle music]
[truck rumbling on TV]
[bag crinkling]
[glass breaks]
[melancholy music]
[doorbell rings]
- Oh, you're still here.
- Yeah, I'm running a
little late.
- Well, I thought you'd
be gone by now for sure.
Otherwise, I would have
come up later.
Don't worry about it.
We'd really like if
you could stay with us.
- Well, I'm just leaving.
Excuse me.
- Come on in.
It's cold today, isn't it?
- It sure is.
You're gonna love
the light here.
Interesting fireplace, isn't it?
- Mm.
- It certainly is.
- Mm-hmm.
- Excuse me.
- He really is very nice.
Well, why don't we start
upstairs with the master
bedroom?
- All right.
- You're gonna love the view
from up here.
[liquid trickling]
[soft rock music]
- I finished up those
prints and your wife called.
I thought you were Michael.
Pardon me. I heard the music,
I thought Michael was back.
- I thought Michael was
in the darkroom.
- No, he left about 3:30.
♪ It's time for change ♪
- Just my luck.
Well, no great loss, I suppose.
When is he coming back,
do you know?
- Well, he said something
about being by later
but I don't know when.
- You don't mind if I hang
around, do you?
- No.
♪ Forgive my soul ♪
- I've been on my feet all day.
It would be nice just
to sit down for awhile.
- Well, I guess I better
get back to my prints.
- You look a little tired.
Would you like to drink too?
- I really think I oughta
get back to my work.
- Oh, come on. Just one.
[wine pouring]
♪ I gotta get away babe ♪
Besides, I don't like
to drink alone.
♪ To get away from you ♪
[soft rock music continues]
- Thanks.
♪ Laying down all our
conditions ♪
♪ But baby it's all new ♪
- Sit down. Relax.
♪ All alone with all
our conditions ♪
So you've been working
for Michael for what?
About a month now?
- Yeah, about that.
- How do you like it?
Just between us.
♪ You know I love you ♪
- It's all right. I guess.
[woman chuckles]
- Oh, cute. Loaded day?
[chuckles]
♪ I saw you smile ♪
Oh.
Ooh, it looks like Michael's
been getting rather kinky.
[woman giggles]
Were you here for this session?
- No.
♪ I've got to get away, baby ♪
♪ Get away from you ♪
- What about this one?
- No.
- This one?
- Mm-mm.
Well, standard
operating procedure.
[smooth jazz music]
- So what have you been up to?
- [chuckles] Well, not
much of anything right now.
- Well, I guess that can
be real relaxing.
- Mm-hmm.
♪ How to have you love ♪
♪ It's all I know, baby ♪
♪ We can't go on side by side ♪
- Well, I guess I better
get back to work.
It's been nice seeing you.
♪ 'Cause I want you
and me to be ♪
[woman chuckles]
- You don't mind if I watch,
do you?
- Well, it's not very exciting.
You'd probably be
bored to death.
- Not with such a
fascinating subject matter.
[light switch clicks]
[machinery whirring]
Mm. [chuckles]
[liquid spraying]
[woman chuckling]
- Come on, cut it out.
I need that stuff to
clean my negatives.
Come on, give it back.
- [laughs] No.
- Please? Please?
[liquid spraying]
Thank you.
- What are you doing tonight?
- Tonight?
- Mm-hmm.
[phone ringing]
Michael's?
Oh, hi.
Yeah.
Yeah. I got all the prints done.
It'll be about
another 30 minutes.
- No, she hasn't been by
as far as I know,
but I have been in here
for about two hours.
All right. Sure.
Okay.
He's on his way over.
- You never answered
my question.
- What am I doing tonight?
Um, well after here,
I'm going home.
- Would you like to meet me
for a drink at the Hilton?
- I don't think that'd
be a very good idea.
- You know, Michael and I have
what you might call a
flexible marriage.
- So I've heard, but I guess
I'm just not that flexible.
- [chuckles] No, I
guess you're not.
Well, I better be going.
Can I open the door now?
- It's safe.
[projector clattering]
[traffic whirring]
[projector clattering]
[doorbell ringing]
- Hi, um, my name is Lisa Welch.
I live next door to you.
And I'm selling these
delicious chocolate mints
for a ski trip at school.
Guess I was wondering if
you wanted to buy some?
- How much are they?
- Three bucks a box.
- Three bucks a box?
- Yeah.
- Are they really delicious?
- Really delicious.
- All right. I'll get
three boxes.
- Three boxes? Really?
- Really.
- Well, that'd be $9.
- If I don't have $9,
will you take a Visa or
Master Charge?
- Mm, the management
accepts only cash. Sorry.
- I don't. I got six.
I'll go in and get the rest.
You can come in and
wait if you want.
- Okay.
[coins jangling]
- It looks like I
gotta go upstairs.
I'll check my dresser.
[traffic whirring]
[projector clattering]
[Lisa chuckles]
- You kind of like to
spy on people
with your camera, huh?
- Well, it's not exactly spying.
I was trying out a new lens.
- It isn't exactly asking
my permission, is it?
- No.
- Well I like it anyways.
Can I have a print?
- Sure. If you want.
- I do.
- Okay.
- Thanks.
Well, here we are
your chocolates.
- And here's your money.
- Thanks. Goodnight.
- Goodnight.
- What was your name?
- Paul.
- Paul.
I'm, I told you already.
Night.
- Night.
[traffic whirring]
- [Man On Microphone]
[indistinct] Ladies night...
[upbeat music]
Everyone who comes in
drag gets in free.
[indistinct chattering]
- One, two, three, four.
[drumsticks clicking]
[upbeat rock music]
[traffic whirring]
[upbeat rock music]
[men laughing]
[man belches]
[customers chattering]
- [Man] Oh yeah? I'm
with these guys.
[customers chattering]
[door opens]
[door closes]
[wind rustling]
[dog barks]
[car approaching]
[dogs barking]
[door opens]
[footsteps thudding]
[dogs continue barking]
[Paul retching and
vomiting violently]
[water dripping]
- What are you looking at?
[traffic whirring]
[shutter clicking]
- Excuse me? Hi.
- Oh, hi.
- I was wondering if you
could do me a big favor.
- What?
- I missed the bus. I
need a ride to school.
- How far is it?
- Not too far,
but it'd be really
late if I walk.
- Okay.
- Great!
[traffic whirring]
So what year do you think I am?
- Year?
- Yeah, we're, oh yeah,
we're supposed to pick a
year for school
and come dressed as someone
from that time period
and talk about it and
all that crap, you know?
- Oh, I get it. Uh, 1968.
- That's real close. Actually,
it's 69.
I wanted to do the last
year of the 60's.
- That sounds like a good idea.
- It's my mom's skirt.
Do you like it?
- Yeah.
- She wore it in high
school and got sent home.
Can you believe that?
- Uh-huh.
[horn honks]
- The light's green,
you know.
[engine revving]
We better hurry.
- Don't worry. We'll make it.
[plane whirring]
[train horn blaring]
[car jack clattering]
[traffic whirring]
[trunk slams]
[door slams]
- I'm gonna be late
for history now.
- I'm sorry.
- It's not your fault.
But if I go now I'll
get another detention.
- You want me to take you home?
- You know what we could do?
- What?
- We could go to the beach.
What time do you have
to be at work?
- Well, not till 2:30,
but that's a long drive.
By the time we got there,
we'd have to come back.
- Well, it's worth it.
Besides, we could go fast.
We could speed.
- Speed?
- Sure, why not?
[bright music]
Come on!
- Hey, Nancy Sinatra! Lisa?
- What?
- Want a sweater?
[bright music continues]
[waves crashing]
- It's beautiful, isn't it?
- It's nice.
- I love it.
And wish we could stay forever.
- Well, I hate to ruin
your good time,
but we gotta get going back.
- Don't you love it here?
- It's beautiful.
- Why don't we stay then?
- Because I'm one of
the lucky few
who are employed and I'd
like to keep it that way.
I have to be at work by 2:30.
- Well, you can always
call in sick, couldn't you?
- But I'm not sick.
- Well, call and say,
"I'm having a nice time at
the beach today
and I won't be in, thank you."
- No good. Not a good idea.
- Spoilsport.
What's that?
- What?
- Over there.
[shutter clicking]
- Lisa?
- I'm over here!
- How the hell did you
get up there?
- What do they call these?
- Call what?
- You know.
The women on the front of ships.
- A maidenhead.
- No, not maidenheads.
- Okay. A woman in
front of a ship.
Come on. Let's get going.
I'll be late for work.
- Wait, didn't hear
that fairytale
about the woman on the
front of the ship-
- Lisa, I-
- Just wait!
There was this woman.
She fell in love with a sailor
and she like did him
wrong or something.
So this witch turned
into one of those women
on the front of ships.
She had to spend the
rest of her life,
looking out to sea.
- That's tragic. Come on,
let's go.
- I don't want to.
- I'll lose my job!
- Well we're already
late. Let's just stay.
- Lisa, I'm leaving.
Come on!
- Well go ahead then.
- How are you gonna get back?
- I can always get a ride.
- Okay. Fine.
- Fine.
[waves crashing]
- Shit, I didn't need
to come out here anyway.
[birds squawking]
[keys jangling]
[engine starting]
[engine revving]
[birds squawking]
[coins clattering]
[footsteps shuffling]
[body bangs]
- Will you let me...
Michael, yeah, this is Paul.
Sorry, I'm at the coast.
My car busted and they think
it might be the fuel pump.
I can't help it. It's
not my fault.
- How'd it go?
- He's pissed.
- Well, he'll forget
about it tomorrow.
- I don't like lying to him.
- Well you could do
penance by buying me lunch.
[customers chattering]
- Where'd you get that?
- Someone bought it for me.
- Great. Drink it down quick
before somebody sees you.
[customers chattering]
[shutter clicking]
- Did you get it?
- I got something.
- You take a lot of pictures,
don't you?
- Yeah, I guess so.
- Is that what you do
for a living?
- Well, not exactly. I work
with this fashion photographer.
Set up his lights for him
and I fill up his film.
I sweep his floors so his models
don't get little feetsies dirty.
I guess I'm sort of a
part-time janitor.
[customers chattering]
- You know the slides
at your house?
- Yeah.
- Well, I think they were
pretty good. You know?
- You did?
- You could probably sell them
to magazines or something.
- I don't know. It's a pretty
tough market out there.
Nowadays everybody thinks
they're a photographer.
[gentle music]
- Hi.
- Hi.
Pretty big.
- Watch it.
What was this place?
- It was an old fort.
There were the
gunning placements.
[shutter clicking]
- You don't take pictures
of people very much, do you?
- No, not very much.
- Why not?
- I don't know. People are
too unpredictable, I guess.
- So? Excuse me.
- So I just never really got
into that kind of photography.
- You took my picture.
- That was from a distance.
- Does that make it easier
using your telescopic lens?
- Telephoto.
- Whatever.
Does it make it easier?
- Yeah, I suppose it does.
- Have you been doing
this very long?
- I suppose so.
I don't really remember
when I started.
- There must have been
a first time.
One picture that was different.
- I tell ya, I can't remember.
Oh, maybe in high
school sometime.
- Mm, you must
remember something.
What?
- Well, there was sort
of a first time.
- Really, when?
- In 1959.
- 1959. How old were you?
- Eight.
It was Halloween.
And at school, we all
had to get dressed up
in these Halloween costumes.
Did you ever have to do that?
- Mm, well, once I was a
fairy princess
but my wings got stuck
in the car door
and it was all over fast.
- Anyway, I didn't feel
like wearing a costume.
So I took our Brownie
camera and I put it on
and I said that I was "Man
with a Camera."
- What's that?
- I'm sorry. It's a TV
show we had back then.
I got to school, the
teacher says to me,
"Paul, where's your costume?"
I said, I'm "Man with a Camera."
She goes, "No, Paul, you
have to have a costume."
So the teacher and the
rest of the class,
they got these newspapers
and they stapled it
to my arms and they
stapled it to my legs.
Hmm, God, it was awful.
I felt so ridiculous.
And then, then we had to
go out to the playground
and parade around in
these things.
I took my camera and I
started taking pictures
of all the kids and their
silly costumes.
And the last picture on the roll
was of a girl I had a
man crush on.
She was too close to the
lens and it was out of focus.
I wonder whatever happened
to those pictures.
Anyway, to answer your question,
I've been doing this
about 22 years.
- That's a long time.
- It is. Very long time.
[shutter clicking]
[waves crashing]
[waves crashing]
[shutter clicking]
Lisa?
Lisa?
[waves crashing]
Hey! Get up here!
[waves crashing]
- Hey, look. There's a ship.
- Where?
- Look near that island.
You see?
- Yeah.
- It's a really dangerous spot.
Ship's get stuck there
all the time.
I bet it takes a lot of
courage to drive them.
- A lot of rum.
[waves crashing]
[foghorn blaring]
[footsteps thudding]
- Well, I think we got
a live when this time.
- Yeah?
- Remember that couple from
San Francisco with the baby?
- No, not really.
- Well, they made an offer.
Get this 63.5. Can
you believe it?
Basically fell in love
with the house.
- I'm asking 65.
- Well, that's only $1,500
less than the original offer.
- I know, but I was
kind of counting on 65.
- Paul, let's be realistic.
You've had this house on the
market for over a year now.
- I have faith in you.
- I'll tell you what.
We'll make a counter-offer.
$500 more, we'll try.
- Betsy, I'm sorry, I realize
how hard you've been
working for me.
I don't want to seem
like a hard nose,
but I really would
like to have 65.
- Are you rejecting this offer?
- Yes.
- Here, sign.
- Yes.
What is it?
- It simply states that
you have considered
the 63.5 and you're
formally rejecting it.
Are you sure?
- Yes, I'm sure.
Here?
- Mm-hmm.
[pen scratching]
[papers crinkling]
Well I won't turn this in
till tomorrow.
- Okay.
- If you change your mind,
call me.
- I will.
[door sliding]
Here it is.
- It's a little stark, isn't it?
- Yeah. We need a lot of space.
This is Mike's new set.
Don't go out there or
it's my ass.
- Okay.
- Over here, got a makeup room.
He's got a changing room.
Come on, I'll show it to you.
And over here, this is
our makeup room.
- Oh, can I?
- Please.
- Oh.
You have a lot of
stuff back here.
- Yeah, they use a lot of stuff.
Well, I got about a
half hour's work
to do in the dark room.
So if you'll excuse me.
- Okay.
- There's a bunch of
magazines and stuff
in the can, if you want.
- I'll find something.
- Oh, make sure you don't
open this door.
- Okay.
[door closes]
Hmm.
[ambient music]
[machinery whirring]
- Lisa?
Lisa, you're in here,
aren't you?
[heart beating]
[tense music]
[footsteps tapping]
[door opens]
- Aren't you coming in?
- Well, what about your mother?
- She won't be home till
late. She's a dancer.
Come on.
Paul.
- Thanks.
- Mm-hmm.
- So your mom is an actress?
- She thinks so. [chuckles]
You wanna see my album?
- Sure.
- It's in my room.
It's okay.
Now you're sure you wanna
go through with this?
- I have braced myself.
Is this your mom?
- Yeah, that's my mother.
Don't look too much. She
might put an evil eye on you.
[Lisa chuckles]
- How old were you when
this one was taken?
- 11.
School photographer took it.
And I think it's pretty good,
considering he probably
took pictures
of 500 kids that day.
- It is?
- Do you notice anything
different about her?
- Her?
- Me?
- I don't know.
Something in the eyes.
The quality, I don't know.
- I was love with a boy
when it was taken.
- Really?
- Mm-hmm.
- Who?
- He was in my class.
His name was Grant Huntington.
We used to take these
long winter walks.
We would walk and walk and walk
till our noses
turned bright red,
And then we'd get to his house
and play checkers.
He never laid a hand
on me though.
- Did you want him to?
- I was only 11.
- Yeah, I guess that is
pretty young.
- Maybe I wanted him to.
I know I wanted him to kiss me.
Well, how old were
you when you had
your first romantic burst?
- I think I was 12.
Yeah.
- Did you take longer
winter walks?
- No, but she tried to kiss me.
- What happened?
- But I got away.
- Oh. Didn't you wanna kiss her?
- I don't know, I...
I think I was just scared.
- So what happened?
- Well, I went on this two
week vacation with my parents.
And for my birthday,
they gave me
this Brownie Fiesta camera.
When I came back, I guess I
wanted to take her picture
'cause I went to her
house to see her.
She wasn't home.
So I went to one of these
public swimming pools
and there she was, rubbing the
shoulders of some life guard.
So I took her
picture and I swore
I was gonna tell her parents.
- Did you?
- No, I ran out of film.
[Lisa laughs]
- You know,
you have, um, very
elegant hands for a man.
- [chuckles] I do?
- Mm-hmm. Let me see you palms.
You don't have a very
long lifeline.
- So I've been told.
- You know, I remember
that day at the coast.
It was very wet and your
hair kept coming down
and clinging to your forehead
into little threads.
- I don't think that-
- Don't think, don't think.
[intense music]
[Lisa crying]
- Hey.
Got 30 bucks?
- No.
- What's the matter? Don't
you like girls?
[traffic whirring]
[horn honking]
[man whistling]
[traffic whirring]
[birds chirping]
- It's so fucking ugly.
[phone ringing]
Hello?
No, I don't. I don't use it.
I don't use the stuff.
Please leave me alone.
[phone clacks]
Shit!
Dammit!
What's this shit?
This is garbage.
Garbage!
[bags crinkling]
[glass clinking]
Look, it's just garbage!
[glass shattering]
[Paul breathes heavily]
[Paul muttering]
[doorbell ringing]
[door opens and closes]
- What are you doing?
- I got locked out.
- Got locked out.
- Mm-hmm.
- You wanna come in?
- Okay.
[fire crackling]
You know something?
- What?
- I didn't really
get locked out.
I really wanted to come over,
but I felt weird about it.
You know what I mean?
- Yeah. I think I do.
- I came over before, but
you weren't in.
- Yes, I was.
- Why didn't you answer?
- Well, because I didn't
think I could face you.
I'm really sorry about what
happened. I, I didn't mean-
- What's to be sorry for?
It's not like you raped me.
I wanted to.
- Still, I shouldn't
have done it.
- Why not?
- Well, because,
because you're just not really
emotionally mature enough.
- And you are?
- Paul, I don't say
this to hurt you,
but you're not the first
man I've slept with.
[fire crackling]
You know, the other
night when we made love,
I had this moment when I
thought I knew you better
than you know yourself.
It was like you said,
you lost control.
And in that moment,
it was like this shield
splitting apart in you.
But I could see straight
through to your soul.
- Really? What could you see?
- How terribly hurt
you are inside.
Like a beautiful doll.
You can shake it,
and then all the little-bitty
pieces rattle around inside.
- How very poetic.
- Do you go out with anyone?
- No.
- Well, why not?
- I don't know.
It's just, I guess it's
too complicated.
- Hmm, somehow, I thought
you were gonna tell
that you had a wife and kid.
Why did I think that?
- You're not too far off.
- Are you married?
- No, but I have a daughter.
- No you don't.
- I do.
- Where is she?
- I don't know.
- You never see her?
- I saw a picture of her
once after she was born,
but she was adopted right away.
- How old were you?
- 17.
- How old was the mother?
- 15.
It was hard to get an
abortion in those days.
[Lisa sobbing]
What's the matter.
[Lisa continues sobbing]
[fire crackling]
[Lisa sighs]
[dramatic music]