Catch a Falling Star (2000) - full transcript
Sydney Clarke is a spoiled famous actress who is shooting a film when she suddenly gets angry and storms off. She wakes up in the middle of nowhere and gets a ride to a small New England town. There she meets and develops a friendship with Joyce, a waitress at a bowling alley. There she meets Ben, a steel mill owner, and later when she goes to get a job in that small town, she meets Ben again. Sydney becomes a nurse at the mill. All the men adore her. There they have many great times together, and Sydney realizes how important real friends are and that small towns are better than big name Hollywood.
Constance, you're still here.
I couldn't leave you, Daniel.
He'll wonder where you were.
He doesn't care about me.
He's your husband.
He's your brother.
I have nothing else in my life.
I can't lose you, Daniel.
What are we?
This is so wrong.
I know.
Can we cut?!
Cut!
That's a cut.
Back to first positions.
What is this?
His lips?
The lips are fine.
They're fine.
Could somebody
please mop her down?
It's not the lips, Harry.
It's my face.
I powdered it, Harry, I swear.
The lights, Harry.
You got a million watts
all focused on my face.
What are you, the lighting
director now, Sydney?
Harry, fix the light.
I'll be in my trailer.
Sydney!
Brenda, call lunch,
will you please?
We already took lunch, Harry.
Then, call dinner, call five,
just get me a tranquilizer.
That's a five, everybody.
Let's not wander
away from the set.
Tell the actors to take five!
Kill the fire!
Give me a playback.
She's killing me, Victor.
It's the Pinocchio
factor, Harry.
What?
The Pino-- never mind.
The light?
I checked the bridge.
We were missing a gel.
It was like a floodlight
on Sydney's nose.
What the hell is
the Pinocchio factor?
Her nose, Harry.
She thinks her
knows is too long.
Code word-- Pinocchio factor.
What about pain
in the butt factor?
You'd have to reshoot
if she hadn't caught it.
Well, fix it.
Whatever you do, don't let
her know she was right.
Brenda, aspirin, fruit basket
to Sydney's trailer, asap.
Done.
Excuse me.
Excuse me.
Hey, Ms. Clarke!
I'm in Mississippi.
I'm from Mississippi, too.
I know, I know, me, too.
Pushmataha.
- Pushmataha.
Sydney, we have to go inside.
The editor's waiting for us.
Um, I want to talk to you.
Wait, I want to talk to her.
I know she's from
Mississippi, but she'll
be there when you get out.
OK, now, I'm going
to go find McAndrew.
You wait right here, OK?
Just talked to the
guys from studio.
Yeah?
They're ready to greenlight
the script I wrote for us.
All you have to do is say yes.
I told you, I
don't like the role.
Sweetheart, this is a chance
for us to work together again.
They're willing to
hold up the start
date till after the honeymoon.
Ryan, I've played a psychopath
in two of my last three movies.
He's I'm beginning to worry
what that says about me.
Just read it one more time.
Ryan.
Fine.
Sydney, I found him.
Come on.
Ryan, you stay.
The curator's name
is McAndrew, and I've
just talked him into going
national for this spot.
The art gallery
spot is beautiful.
And here is the wedding
spread the "Puree."
Ugh.
Fran, we don't need
any more publicity.
This wedding is going to
be a media circus as it is.
The event, darling--
the event of the century.
Wish we could just elope.
Elope?
Sydney, you're a star.
You're royalty.
People want to
know every detail,
and we are not going
to disappoint them.
What's the matter, honey?
I don't know.
Maybe just jitters.
But everyone
gets that jitters.
I don't know why we're getting
married in the first place.
You're a great couple.
The press loves you.
Now, Harry says he's
found the perfect location
for the cabin scene,
and there's a four
star hotel right on the lake.
I don't know why we have
to go to location, Fran.
It's a colossal pain.
It's almost May.
There's not going to be any
snow in New England in May.
He's just looking
for authenticity.
That's not so bad.
They're expecting a freak storm.
Yeah, well, they'll get
their freak storm when Harry
gets there, that's for sure.
Oh, stop pouting.
Harry's film means a
shot at a nomination--
Right, Ginger?
Oh, absolutely.
--better parts, better money.
I already got an offer from
the studio at double your fee.
A comedy?
Another psychopath,
but Sydney, who cares?
It's double the money.
Double the money!
And as your best friend,
I advise you to take it.
Oh, how many best friends
do you know get 10%?
All right, as your manager,
I advise you to stay on track.
Just look through these
tonight, so I can at least
get the agents off my back.
Oh, flight at
7:00, limo at 5:00.
And don't worry about
the snow in New England.
You'll have snow
up to your wazoo,
and it will be the real stuff.
Yeah.
Action on the snow!
Action on the camera!
[crying]
Don't cry, mother.
Oh, I can't help it, Miles.
If I don't marry Nathaniel, I--
oops, Daniel.
Cut!
Cut!
Miles!
I didn't screw up.
She did.
Camera, you call
that a dolly movement?
It was pathetic.
OK, cut the machines.
I said turn off
the machines now.
Doesn't look like
a snowstorm, Harry.
It looks like a
dandruff commercial.
Didn't your weather man
call for snow today?
Yes, he did.
He called for it yesterday,
he's calling for it tomorrow.
The guy is a liar.
- We're into overtime, Harry.
- Get me a Valium.
None left.
Is there an aspirin?
- We're out.
- That's it.
Let's wrap.
We're going back to LA.
That's a wrap, people!
Thank you!
Harry, you're
kidding me, right?
Don't start with me, Sydney.
You're flying me 3,500 miles
to wait for snow when we could
have gone 60 miles to Big
Bear or Arrowhead or the 10
other mountains in California.
Now, you want to turn
around and fly back to LA?
I can't make it snow, Sydney.
I'm not god.
Have you ever heard
of snow blowers, Harry?
They make snow, real
snow, not potato chips.
Of course, it's 82 degrees.
We can't make snow
now, can we, Harry?
Give it a rest, Sydney.
We will shoot the snow
after the next location.
You want to shoot the
snow, you do it without me.
Call Glenn Close.
That's who you wanted
in the first place.
Sydney, come back, darling.
Please come back.
Look, try and keep it together.
We'll find the snow.
The writer will make
the adjustments.
It will turn out fine.
It will turn out fine.
What's it, Harry?
Another pointless film
that no one will remember?
Sydney, the public
buys tickets to see you.
We film this, we film that.
In the end, it doesn't matter.
Oh, god, nothing ever matters.
When will it matter?
I keep waiting to see
what that feels like.
Sydney, come back, darling.
Sydney, please come back.
Syd?
Oh, we were rehearsing.
She's your stand-in.
It makes sense, Sydney.
Sydney!
Sydney.
Sydney, your coat.
It's raining.
She's going into the woods.
Should I go after her?
The hotel's 500 yards away.
Let her go.
If we're lucky, there'll be
some big, hairy, hungry thing
in there.
Brenda, do you
not have anything?
Midol?
Sold.
I'm watching it right now.
It's fabulous.
Oh, Quentin, she's perfect.
Fran, it's Harry's office.
I'm busy.
- You should take it.
- I'll call them back.
Comprende?
Sydney's walked again.
Quentin, I'll call you back.
Harry, how's my
favorite director?
You did what?
Oh, my god.
They've lost Sydney
in the woods.
They sent out a search party.
Harry, are you crazy?
Bigfoot's probably
eaten her by now.
Find her!
Sydney, you're such an idiot.
Idiot, idiot, idiot!
To be or not to be an idiot!
OK, OK.
You can do this.
You can do this.
Oh, oh.
Which way is up, and
which way is down?
Oh, god, I think I'm losing it.
Oh, I don't believe
you did this, Sydney.
You're an idiot.
You walk off a
movie in Manhattan.
Walk off a movie
in Beverly Hills.
You can't walk off a movie in
a god forsaken mountainside
in the middle of nowhere.
Oh, oh, oh.
Wait until the Actors
Guild hears about this.
Oh.
Ooh.
Oh, oh, oh.
[truck horn honking]
[car sounds]
Oh, hello?
Hello?
Hello!
Hello!
Help!
Hello!
Stop!
Help!
Stop!
Help me, please!
Stop!
Lady with a baby!
Help!
No, wait.
[grunting and screaming]
Oh, oh.
This one's mine!
You take the next one!
Where you headed?
What's the name of that town?
Deerfield?
Deerfield?
Lady, that's back
over the mouth.
I'm headed to Lincoln,
about two hours away.
Take it or leave it.
What, I can't even ride
in the back of the truck?
No honor among
hitchhikers anymore.
Might as well take the damn bus.
What's that over there?
That's the Lincoln steel mill.
We're coming into town now.
Thanks a lot.
Oh, dear.
Mommy, is that a bag lady?
Good morning.
Morning.
He picked up his spare.
Ooh, Joycee, he's on fire.
What's he at?
He's gonna nail a
650 series, for sure.
Who's this?
She could bowl in
our bag lady league.
Answering machine.
It's 4:00 in the morning in LA.
Fran, it's me.
Don't call out the National
Guard, I'm all right.
But don't tell Harry or Ryan.
Tell them that I am
lost and feared dead.
Actually, don't tell--
don't tell Harry that.
He'll get Glenn Close.
I'm coming home.
I've got to, um--
actually, I can't come home.
I need to get money.
You've got to get Fred
to wire me some money.
I'm in, um--
I don't know what the
hell this place is.
I can't read the number
on the telephone.
So I'll call you back.
Never mind.
Bye.
Get the money up front.
Coffee?
- Yes, please.
- Cream and sugar?
Just a little cream.
It's 7:00 in the
morning, who's bowling?
That's the Midnight Humpers
versus the Dawn Patrol.
The Midnight Humpers?
Yeah.
It's the guys coming
off the midnight
shift at the mill
against the guys
coming on the 8 o'clock shift.
They've got an hour
off, and they're bowling?
Are you kidding?
These guys bowl in their sleep.
They bowl for their
wedding receptions.
We've got a bar mitzvah bowl.
I'm in bowl hell.
Can I ask you a question?
Shoot.
What are these weird
things behind me?
You mean the bowlers?
No, I mean the skinny
pins and the tiny balls.
Oh.
Candlepin.
It's an east coast thing.
It's English.
Can I get you anything else?
A plane ticket out of here.
Did I mention that
I have no money?
The coffee I can
get you on the house,
but you're on your own
for the plane ticket.
Thank you.
You in some kind of trouble?
Now, why would you think that?
You want to talk about it.
No.
OK.
You can use the phone
in the office for free.
I don't know who I'd call.
That's trouble, all right.
Look, um, for starters, how
about I loan you some clothes?
You would loan me clothes?
Why would you loan me clothes?
Because you need them.
Joycee.
Get rid of her.
She's a bag lady.
She's not a bag lady.
She's broke.
She's wearing baggy clothes.
She's a bag lady.
It's a new look.
It's that Elizabethan thing.
OK, we are RSVPed yes to
the Streisand-Lockett party--
Fran.
--no to the
Thanksgiving Day Parade?
Who were they kidding?
Fran, listen--
And a maybe to the Ozone
Replenishment Benefit.
- Fran, Sydney called.
- What?
Yeah, she left a message.
She doesn't know the name
of the town she's in.
She doesn't have any money.
And she didn't know the number
that she was calling from.
But she's going to call back.
- Oh, that's insane.
- So what's new?
- OK, zip it.
Get me Harry on the phone,
and then get me the studio.
No, no, Harry already called.
He knew she was there, was
because some gas station
attendant saw her
with a truck driver.
A truck driver?
For her?
- I'll call the studio.
Yeah.
Anyone ever tell you, you
look like Sandra Bullock?
I don't think I look
anything like Sandra Bullock.
Hmm.
Well, her, or a little bit like
that actress, Sydney Clarke.
Except for the blond hair
and those poofy lips.
She had them injected
with sheep fat, you know?
Oh, she did not.
I read it in a magazine.
It's true.
So what is your name?
Uh, Cheryl.
Cheryl Belson.
Well, it's nice
to meet you, Cheryl.
I'm Joyce McMurphy.
You, too.
Cheryl, promise me one thing.
What?
That one day you'll
tell me about that dress,
and the last couple of days.
It's a long story, but I will.
WALTER: I don't know what
you're doing in there, Joycee,
but we're backed up out here!
Come on.
Only cook it once, kiddo.
I know, I know.
All cooks are the same.
A persnickety group of people.
Cheryl, hold your arm up.
Palms up.
Thank you.
Well, what--
what are you doing?
Do me a favor, run
this down to lane three.
Me?
Oh, I don't think so.
What's your problem?
You're asking
me to wait tables?
No, I'm asking you
to do me a favor.
How's a person supposed
to carry all this?
Haven't you ever
heard of a tray?
Yeah, sure.
There you go.
- OK.
Go, lane three.
Lose the attitude,
you might get a tip.
Yes!
Ha ha, see ya later.
See ya later, buddy.
Can somebody give
me a hand, please?
Save my drink!
Save my--
Hang on, we got them.
We got them.
Oh, thank you.
How much we owe you?
I don't know.
I'm not a waitress.
Well, that's apparent.
Hey, Joyce!
How much?
Uh, $10.50.
Ten, fifty.
Ah, the Bill Gates of bowling.
Tipping is not a city
in China, you know?
That's good.
Thank you, Peaches.
Cheryl, and I'm
leaving tomorrow.
- I wasn't asking.
- Yes, you were.
What's your hurry?
Hard to make a living here.
You're telling me.
Maybe you're in the
wrong line of work.
You got that right.
So stick around anyway.
Now, why would
I want to do that?
Because I'm here.
That's why I'm leaving.
Youch!
Chewed him up and spit him out.
That hurt.
Total annihilation, brother.
Yeah, you want
to know something?
She really likes me.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Lot of houses for sale.
Well, people are scared.
Every time there's another
rumor about the mill
closing, somebody leaves
- Lock up, will you, Joycee?
- Sure, no problem.
Good night, Walter.
- Thanks.
You don't mind if I hang here
until the rain stops, do you?
No, not at all.
Um, but can you give
me a hand, or are you
going to stand there
like the Queen of England
and watch me drop this stuff?
- Sure.
What do you need me to do.
I'm just kidding ya.
Here, take this,
push A1 on the jukebox.
Ooh, I can handle that.
Good.
So where are you from, Cheryl.
Mississippi.
Pushmataha.
I thought I heard an accent.
How did you wind up here?
Sort of walked off a job.
That's a hell of a long walk.
[music from jukebox]
Oh!
I used to love this song!
Yeah, me, too.
Every time we heard this song,
we had to jitterbug to this.
- Oh, yeah?
- Ooh, come dance with me.
- Cut it out.
- Oh, come on.
Put that down.
Whoo!
I don't do this very well.
BOTH: [singing] I'll always
love you, always love you.
- Get ready now.
- What?
Whoo!
Ah!
[crashing sounds]
I'll get my crutches.
Hang on!
Wait, wait, wait,
don't move without me.
- I'm fine.
- Just a second.
I'm fine.
Ow!
- Oh, Joyce, I'm so sorry.
- It's OK.
I just bumped it.
- Are you OK?
Yes, yes, yes, yes.
Just grab my bag.
Thank you.
All right, take it easy.
Slow!
Joyce, wait a second.
I've got it.
I've got it.
Have you got it?
I can't remember when
I've had so much fun.
I'm so sorry.
If you say you're
sorry one more time,
I will whack you, OK?
Easy.
So where you going
to stay tonight?
I haven't figured
that out yet.
Well, you're welcome
to stay on my couch.
Joyce, you're
such a nice person.
I don't know what to make of it.
Are you sure you're
not southern?
If that means thank
you, you're welcome.
Door's unlocked.
No, we don't lock it.
Oh, small town.
I love it.
How do you feel?
I'll live.
Can I see that?
- Sure.
Thanks.
That is so good.
Thank you.
Is that what you do
back in Pushmahooha?
Pushmataha.
No.
Worked at a tropical fish store.
That's the job
you walked out on?
The guppies got to you, huh?
No, the piranhas, not to
mention a cheating fiance.
Ouch.
So now what'll you do?
I mean, what would you like
to do if you had your choice?
Ooh, what a question.
If I could do anything,
what would I do?
36 years old, and I don't
know the answer to that.
Can I give you
a little advice?
Sure.
I don't think you're quite
cut out to wait tables.
No kidding.
I like my food brought to
me, thank you very much.
What about you?
You gonna hang out with
the Midnight Humpers
the rest of your life?
- No, actually.
Someday I'd like to open up a
little cafe down by the lake,
own my own business.
What a wonderful idea.
Why don't you do that?
Risky.
Mill closes down, so
does everything else.
Well, risks are meant
to be taken, right?
Well, one step at
a time, if I'm lucky.
First, I gotta figure
out how to wait
tables walking on my hands.
I gotta figure out how to
get out of here, no offense.
Where is the
nearest big airport?
Boston.
OK, I have friends in Boston.
How do I get to Boston?
Do I take a train, bus?
What?
We got a train station.
Train leaves tonight, I
think around 8 o'clock.
Oh, I just have
one little problem.
Oh.
Joyce, I don't know
how to thank you.
Would you stop it?
Just keep it.
I practically
break your foot off,
and you lend me a
week's worth of tips.
Cheryl, the way I was
raised, somebody needs
help, you give it to them.
You'll pay me back.
You've got my address.
- Sure.
Thank you.
I'll get your clothes
back to you right away.
Promise.
Did I mention the
interest payments?
I gotta get back to work.
Thank you so much.
I'll be in touch.
You take care.
Yeah, you, too.
See ya.
Bye.
This train should
be here any minute.
Where you heading?
Not me.
My daughter's coming home.
Oh, that's nice.
Yeah.
Yeah, she's 33 now.
I haven't seen her
for almost four years.
Nothing's better
than coming home.
She must have
traveled a lot, huh?
Oh, there's been
a place or two.
Greece, the island of
Crete, Italy, Switzerland.
Well, most of Europe, really.
England, as far up as Norway.
Oh, that's not counting the
Arctics, both up and down.
It sounds adventurous.
She went everywhere.
But the best place is home,
where people love you,
where they care about you.
Well, she's home.
Enjoy the visit.
Oh, my god.
Otis and Kirby, order's up!
Come get it!
There you go.
Tell you what, Kirby.
I'll carry yours,
you carry mine.
That way, it'll still feel
like someone brung it to us.
Good idea.
Very funny, boys.
Two Stooges of bowling.
She's back.
Fran, you're never there.
It's Sydney.
Listen, I'm not going
to come back right away.
I gotta-- I gotta--
I don't know what I gotta do.
Something.
I'll-- I'll call
you in a few days.
Bye.
Hey.
Hey.
You all right?
I don't know.
I thought you were going home.
Right now, here seems
better than there.
OK.
Well, what are we going
to do with you, then?
Besides fish food,
what have you done?
What have I done?
You mean work?
Yeah, work.
I think we've exhausted
the waitress thing.
Yeah.
Well, I've-- I've
done a lot of things.
When I was a teenager,
I flipped burgers.
Mm-hmm.
I was a nurse's
aid once, sort of.
That's how you knew
to put ice on my foot.
Yeah.
I tell you what, my
friend, Darlene, is
the nurse at the
mill, and she is dying
to visit her sister in Florida.
Oh, I don't know.
You could cover for
her during her vacation.
The pay's pretty good.
I can't do that.
Just till she gets back.
Look, it'll put
money in your pocket,
get your confidence back.
I'm going to set
it up right now.
All you gotta do is
turn on the boss.
Gonna get along great.
I know we have to
make this shipment,
but I can't speed it up
without slacking on safety,
and I'm not going to do that.
Mr. Cameron?
Peaches.
Well, I thought you
were leaving town.
- You're the boss?
- Yeah.
Ben, remember?
Yeah.
Wow, a waitress, now a nurse.
If this keeps up, you'll be
mayor by the end of the week.
Huh, Belson.
Mississippi.
Pushma--
Pushmataha.
You know, I never actually met
anyone from Mississippi before.
Yeah?
Well, most of us are
wearing shoes now.
We got indoor plumbing, too.
You look very familiar.
Huh.
Let's see.
Work history.
Sold tropical fish supplies.
Gourmet chef.
Part time nurse.
Well, actually, it was
more like a nurse's aide.
Well, how are
you with splinters?
That's about as serious
as it gets around here.
Of course, there was that
one time that Guy Helier got
decapitated with
a hydraulic drill.
You're kidding, right?
Yeah.
Very funny.
Steel mill humor?
You're hired.
Just like that?
Steel mill intuition.
You got a certain big
city something about you.
But not entirely.
I like it.
I thought you were leaving town.
I thought so, too.
Well, lucky for us.
Come on, Peaches,
I'll show you around.
The mill has six divisions,
deploying over 1,000 men.
This division makes
steel products,
bridges, stuff like that.
Mm-hmm.
My grandfather helped
build this place in the '20s.
- Did he really?
- Yeah.
The town was really
prosperous then.
Well, it seems
busy enough now.
Well, what you're
seeing are guys
working double shifts in order
to keep the mill in the black.
It's what everybody
has to do these days
to compete with foreign steel.
The nurse's station and the
lunch room are up there.
Dick, this is Cheryl Belson.
She'll be taking over for
Darlene until she comes back.
Hi.
Nice to meet you.
Very nice to meet you.
Welcome.
- Can you give us a second?
- Oh, sure.
No problem.
Thank you.
Ben, did you, uh-- did you send
in that report to New York yet?
No, I was hoping the output
would improve this week,
so I can send something
more optimistic.
Why?
- Good.
Because I wanted to go to
the accounts receivable
and see if I can shake loose
a few dollars from some
of these guys that owe to us,
you know, and tip the numbers
in our favor a little bit?
- OK.
- Good.
Great.
Hey, Dick, everything OK?
I just got a call.
Elaine fell again.
That's my wife.
She's been pretty sick.
- Is she all right?
- Well, nothing's broke.
But I can't say she's OK.
It's been a pretty tough
go for the last two years.
She's getting tired.
Well, what are you doing here?
Go be with her.
Oh, I can't do that.
You know what's on my desk.
Look, If I need
you, I'll call you.
Go ahead.
Go!
Thanks, Ben.
That was a nice thing to do.
Well, I'm a nice guy.
A lot of people I know
who wouldn't have done that.
It sounds like you're hanging
out with the wrong crowd.
Here's your office.
What do you think?
Looks like home to me.
SYDNEY CLARKE [ON
ANSWERING MACHINE]:
I don't know what I got to do.
Something.
I'll call you in a few days.
Bye.
In a few days.
Get me the studio.
Executives are going to be
hemorrhaging all over the lot.
Ryan's on two, and
your mom's still on hold.
Mom, hold on.
Ryan?
Oh, of course, she's coming.
I talked to Sydney this morning.
Everything will be fine.
You, too.
Kiss, kiss.
I don't see any
splinters, Otis.
I don't know,
I felt something.
A metal filing, maybe?
Let me get some aspirin.
You can go back to work now.
Well, what about checking
out that splinter in my butt?
Sit on a mirror and
check it yourself.
Sit on a mirror the
check it yourself?
What kind of nurse is that?
Yeah!
Ow.
Come on in.
Hey.
You think about my idea?
Ben, it doesn't work.
Guys doing these jobs, they
don't make enough money
to buy back the plant.
Hey, John, I need that
mig gun by tomorrow!
Where do you come up with
these Wall Street strategies?
Well, we got to do something.
Relax, brother, they've been
threatening to close this place
down since we were kids.
Yeah, well, this
time it might happen.
Look, just because they shut
down Ithaca doesn't mean we're
going down, too.
Hey, you saved New Bedford,
you'll save us as well.
Stop worrying.
Yeah.
Hey, Ben, hit me long.
Nice hands, Jimmy!
Nice arm.
You must have played.
What, in college?
A little bit.
Where did he play?
As a nurse, what would
you prescribe for him?
Stick to bowling.
So uh, how is your
first day going so far?
Lot of aches and
pains, twisted ankle.
Drew the line at
checking for hernias.
Smart.
So what are you going
to do to celebrate?
Celebrate?
Yeah, you got a new job.
A person gets a new job,
they ought to celebrate.
I don't have anything
planned, really.
Well, in that case, how
about dinner at my house?
You don't quit, do you?
Well, I haven't
heard you say no.
And if I did?
I'd be perfectly fine with it.
Nah, I don't think so.
Come on!
You just got a new job!
Ah, it's very sweet of
you, I just don't think so.
Oh, how do you say
I don't think so.
It's impossible.
Just say yes.
Come on, just yes.
A simple yes.
What else you gonna do?
Who do-- what else you gonna do?
Who do you know in town?
OK.
All right, already.
As long as I don't have to carry
more than one plate at a time.
Actually, I was
hoping you'd cook.
I have to cook?
Well, your resume says
you're a gourmet chef.
Besides, I got a couple of
trout I caught yesterday.
It needs a little loving
hand, a little imagination,
culinary skill.
Where do you live?
I'm staying at Joyce's.
Really?
Well, uh, I'll pick
you up at 7:00.
OK.
See ya at 7:00.
Great.
I just don't understand how
you could tell him you were
a chef when you really weren't.
Well, I wasn't lying.
I just didn't stick
with it for very long.
Oh.
You like him, don't you?
Maybe.
You want to try
this-- ravishing red?
Sure, I guess.
I mean, I've never
done them before.
You've never done
your nails before?
In this color.
Oh.
Hey, this one might work--
flambe the trout.
Simplemente to flambe.
Ooh-la-la.
And for your nails, I have
the perfect color sweater.
[doorbell ringing]
Oh, that's probably Carter.
Here you go.
Hi.
Hi.
- How are you?
- Good.
How are you?
I'm OK.
Ah, the boyfriend.
Carter, this is Cheryl Belson.
She's visiting from
somewhere in Mississippi.
This is Carter.
Yes, the boyfriend.
It's so nice to
meet you, Carter.
Likewise.
She is a bit like
Sidney Clarke, but, uh,
Sydney is a little more zaftig.
Zaftig?
It means chunky.
I know what it means.
Carter's the director
of our community theater.
Oh, how nice.
Mmm, I'm holding
auditions next week,
"A Midsummer Night's Dream."
Why don't you pop along?
We'll see if we can fit you in?
Oh, I don't know.
I'm not much of an actress.
Neither is Sydney Clarke.
Never stopped her.
I'll be there.
I'm going to
audition, too, and maybe
this year I'll get something.
We'll see you later, Cheryl.
Don't wait up.
I'm very impressed.
You should be.
It's a highly skilled operation.
I just can't tell whether
you know what you're doing,
or you're the best con
artist I've ever seen.
If the con is done
well enough, who's to say
it isn't the truth?
And what if you
don't pull it off?
The spell was broken.
We're having a conversation,
and I don't know what
the hell we're talking about.
You're driving me crazy.
I have to check the trout.
No, wait, the trout is fine.
I have never seen such
beautiful brown eyes in my life.
On me, or the trout?
Speaking of the
trout, watch out.
All right.
Ooh-la-la.
All right, very good.
Hey, a bit of cognac.
For medicinal purposes?
And voila!
Oh, here we go.
[coughing]
Oh!
Is this what's
supposed to happen?
Oh!
Oh, yeah, that's much better.
You are the worst.
What, you never
had a smoked trout?
Oh, my god.
You OK?
I'm fine.
Really.
A little humiliated, but fine.
I'm sorry about the trout.
I know you two were just
starting to hit it off.
I just feel lucky we're alive.
I still have my home.
Not worried about the trout.
You like fudge?
Love fudge.
Do you have fudge?
Do I have fudge?
I made this.
It happens to be the only
thing I know how to cook.
Is it good?
Well, it beats the
hell out of your trout.
Wouldn't be hard.
Mm-hmm.
Your fish tank's not healthy.
- Really?
- Yep.
Bringing up the fish tank
at this particular moment
is, uh, slightly frustrating.
Well, I think we
hardly know each other,
and I don't fool around
on the first date.
Well, it's early.
Come on, let's have
our second date.
Come on.
You really love
this town, don't you?
Well, I grew up here.
There's four generations
of Camerons buried here.
My mother and father
are right over there.
You loved them, too, huh?
My parents?
Yeah, well, they
were my parents.
What, you don't have warm
feelings about Pushmata--
hari?
Pushmataha.
Would you guys give me a break?
Just because you live
in cliche-ville Lincoln.
Jeez.
Pushmawhatchacallit
was wonderful.
I loved it.
I can't say the same thing
about my father, unfortunately.
He left when I was nine.
Hmm, I guess I lived
the American dream.
You know what's
great about you, Ben?
Yeah.
My broad shoulders
and irresistible grin?
No.
You are who you are.
Rock solid, genuine,
straight forward.
That sounds so boring.
You know what I like about you?
It's just the opposite.
See, I-- I look at you
and I see something more.
I know there's something more.
You got me curious.
Is that something new for you,
a woman who makes you curious?
Well, maybe there was one or
two when I lived in New York.
You lived in New York?
Yeah.
You surprised?
Yeah, I am a little.
You didn't like the big city?
No, it was all right.
I just moved back
when I had the chance.
Never really felt
right anywhere else.
Whoa, do you see
that falling star?
Oh, yeah, you don't
see those too often.
Where I come from, you
see them all the time.
You cold?
Yeah, I am a little bit.
Thank you.
So uh, what's your
policy on third dates?
Hi.
Two, please.
Enjoy the show.
Yep.
You want anything to eat?
No, I'm OK right now.
OK.
Let's sit up on the stage.
No, I like to sit
right in the middle.
Right here.
Wow, such a control freak.
Ah.
What are you so happy about?
Oh, I love this.
It's just a movie theater.
Ordinary and wonderful.
Oh, well, you
know, if it makes
you so happy going
to the movies,
we should do it more often.
I think this date is
going really well.
I'm having fun.
So am I.
NARRATOR [ON FILM]:
Now, in the role
you've been waiting
for her to play--
Frankly, I need some help.
NARRATOR [ON FILM]:
--Sydney Clarke.
I need someone
who knows the game,
and can point the way for me.
NARRATOR [ON FILM]: Sydney
Clarke, more beautiful
and more dangerous than ever.
SYDNEY CLARKE, AS CHERYL
BELSON [VOICEOVER]: If the con
is done well enough--
- Oh, my god.
SYDNEY CLARKE, AS CHERYL
BELSON [VOICEOVER]:
--who's to say it
isn't the truth?
I could use a real
friend right now.
And I know that I
can't just ask you to--
You're--
--drop everything
and run up here, but.
NARRATOR [ON FILM]: First,
you see her, then you don't.
And what happens in
between will have
you screaming bloody murder.
Ben.
NARRATOR [ON FILM]: No matter
how many nightmares you've had,
you'll never have
ones like this.
Ben.
Well, I guess the
joke's on me, huh?
- Ben, come on.
- Wow.
Am I going to make
the fan mags now?
- Let me explain at least.
- No, you got me.
That was a good one.
I mean, you really--
I got to hand it to
you, you really did.
- It's not like that.
- Really?
What is it like?
What is it?
Oh, it's an acting experiment.
Is that what it is?
Like, uh, research?
You know, let's hang out
with the little people?
That's not what this is about.
Then, what is it about?
I just wanted to
know what it felt
like to be Cheryl Belson again.
Oh.
Oh, I see.
So you, uh, what?
You show up in some
little hick town
and look for the
biggest sap in it?
Is that what it is?
Thanks for the date.
Good morning.
Good morning.
Oh.
You don't mind if
I butt in, do you?
Were you telling me something?
My time card's gone.
Yeah, I figured you had
bigger and better things to do.
OK.
All right.
But for the record, I
didn't mean to hurt anyone,
and I didn't mean to hurt you.
I was doing my job here.
I think I was doing it well.
That was the idea, right?
One more thing-- actors may
get paid to play emotions,
but they've got real ones, too.
Don't slam that door.
Here you go.
Wow, that's amazing.
Listen, I don't think
Joyce is going to be
back for at least 30 minutes.
So if you want to
wait, I'll make
you a grilled cheese sandwich.
Yeah, I'm not hungry.
Thank you, though.
Thank you.
Good morning.
Hey, Todd.
Good morning.
How ya doing, buddy?
Ronnie.
Mark.
How you guys doing?
I can see how this is going.
Good morning, Kevin.
Maybe I should try
those wussy balls.
Yeah, maybe you should.
You waiting for this lane?
The guys at the
mill want you back.
There you go.
I have never had trouble
at the box office.
Yeah, they're actually
threatening to go
on strike unless you come back.
Oh.
Really?
I am so flattered.
Well, they are the
only reason I'm here.
So what do you say?
You didn't tell them
who I am, did you?
How could I?
How could I tell
them that they're
laying their jobs on the line
for some Hollywood movie star?
It's a joke.
Thank you so much
for stopping by.
Yeah, my pleasure.
Hey, can I just show you
something for a second?
Come here.
Hold the ball like this.
Now, you want to take
four clean steps,
and end up with enough room to
slide up to the finish line,
and end up with your
thumb up by your nose.
All right?
Your right thumb.
OK, go ahead.
Yeah!
Ha!
That was really good.
So what do you say?
You coming back?
Who's asking, you or the men?
What's the difference?
Tell me the
answer and find out.
Why is my fish tank so sick?
You're such a coward.
I know.
So Sydney Clarke, huh?
All right, you happy?
- Yeah!
- Yeah!
Whoo!
All right, let's get
the worst over first.
Come on, Otis.
Yeah, I've already seen these.
And if we show
these to Remsberg,
they're definitely
going to shut us down.
Well, that's why we don't
show those to Remsberg.
We show Remsberg these.
What are these?
Ever since the
Ithaca plant closing,
I've been inflating the numbers.
Just enough, you know?
Dick, if-- if they see
these, you'll lose your job.
Well, if they see these,
we will all lose our jobs.
You think those guys in New
York care about this town, Ben?
We're numbers.
Look, I'm not proud
of this, but I
got 1,000 guys to worry about.
Welcome home, pal.
I don't know, Dick.
Oh, yeah.
How long you
been married, Otis?
Do we have to talk about that?
I'm just wondering.
17 long years.
You love each other?
Oh-oh-oh.
I know.
I haven't figured it out either.
It always starts out so
good, and then ends up awful.
Men and women, huh?
What a mix.
I wouldn't know
where to start.
Even if I did, I don't
think she'd care.
Well, I guess life's
a gamble that way, huh?
I suppose I could try.
Start out small, bring
her a little something,
little present maybe.
I used to do that.
Yeah?
Yeah.
Back in the days when she'd
rub away your aches and pains?
OK, there you go.
How's that shoulder now?
It's better.
Oh, uh, thank you for, you
know, putting up with me.
Friends?
Yeah, as long as you do
the splinter checks yourself.
I'm gonna have to nominate
her for nurse of the year.
Hello.
Hi.
What's that?
Special fish food.
I used to that stuff, remember?
Oh, yeah.
Come on in.
Can I ask you a question?
Yeah.
What, uh, exactly
brings you to town anyway?
I was shooting a movie.
I walked off the set and blah,
blah, blah, I ended up here.
I'll tell you later,
but your fish need me.
Mm-hmm.
They have ich.
Ich?
Fish disease.
See, look, you have to
raise the temperature
and treat the water
every time you change it.
I brought the medicine, too, so.
When do we start?
Now.
They're suffering.
I'll show you.
- I meant us.
Well, you asked me
who I thought I was,
and I'm looking for an
answer to that, too.
Wish I had something profound
to say, but I got a problem.
I'm lost without a script.
You asked me when do we
start, and I'm asking you how.
Well, it may be
crazy, but I'd say now.
And after giving your second
question a considerable amount
of thought, here's how.
How happy some o'er
other some can be.
How happy some o'er
other some can be!
Through Athens, I am
thought as fair as she.
But what of that?
Demetrius thinks not so.
What a person does for love.
I can help you with that.
Oh, I don't think
anybody could help me.
First, you have to
answer the big question--
what does Helena want?
- Want?
- Not just want.
Want, want, want!
Because when you're working
on a character in a play,
you have to know what it is they
want, so that you can want it,
too.
Otherwise, the lines you
speak have no meaning.
So you have to want it so much
that you could just burst.
Sounds like a lot of work.
Well, yeah, it is.
But I'll tell you a secret,
Joyce, everybody in the world
envies this, knowing
what you want.
Because they wish
they knew, too.
That's why they sit in an
audience and watch, why they
cannot take their eyes off you.
We're talking
community theater here.
I love you, Joyce.
Come here.
I love you.
OK.
Ay, in the temple, in
the town, in the field.
You do me mischief.
Fie, Demetrius!
Your wrongs do set a
scandal upon my sex.
She's not very good.
She's had the lead
every year since Carter
started directing here.
What about you?
I have never been cast.
You're sleeping
with the director
and you've never been cast?
Please.
We cannot fight for
love as men may do.
We should be wooed, and
we're not made to woo.
I'll follow thee and
make a heaven of hell
to die upon the
hand I love so well.
CARTER HALE: Wonderful!
Thank you.
- He loved it.
Go figure.
I feel sorry for poor sucker
who has to follow that.
Uh, Joyce McMurphy.
Break a leg.
You prefer to take care of
that, thank you very much.
And you are?
Carter.
Joyce McMurphy.
Began when ready.
O, I am out of breath
in this fond chase.
The more my prayer,
the lesser is my grace.
Happy is Hermia, wheresoe'er
she lies, for she hath--
Thank you.
That's very good.
--blessed and--
Let her play the first fairy.
How was I?
Oh, very convincing.
I wasn't too la-ti-da?
Regal, no la-ti-da.
Next, Cheryl Belson.
OK, big shot.
You get up there and
don't pee your pants,
I'll buy you a beer.
Cheryl Belson, are you here?
Well, listen, buster,
you think I'm afraid
of a 26-year-old executive?
Yeah, well, that goes for
28-year-old lawyers, too.
Well, you're just
going to have to shoot
around for a couple of days.
What about reciprocity?
She's had three hits in a row!
Oh, they're going to sue
the pantaloons off us.
Sydney, wherever you are, I
hope you're enjoying this!
I just, uh, need
a moment, please.
What's here?
A cup, closed around
my true love's hand?
Poison, I see, hath been
his-- what kind of end?--
Timeless.
--timeless end.
O churl, drunk all, and left no
friendly drop to help me after.
I will kiss thy
lips Haply some--
what?--
Poison.
--Haply some poison
yet doth hang on them.
Thy lips are warm.
Yea, noise?
Then, I will be brief.
O happy dagger--
Give me thy sheath.
--this is thy sheath.
There rust and let me die.
I hope she doesn't
give up the day job.
Thank you.
That's very good.
Thank you.
Next!
Horace!
Carter looks less
than impressed.
Well, I thought
you were wonderful.
- Thank you.
- But he's the pro.
CARTER HALE: Horace!
Waitressing, no.
Acting, no.
Oh, I--
I didn't quite pee in my pants,
but I owe you a beer anyway.
Come on.
Oh.
Ah, ah!
Sweeney's down!
Hey, get over
here, we need help!
Somebody call the paramedics!
Get a stretcher!
Cheryl!
What?
Sweeney, he's having a
heart attack or something!
It's no joke!
Come on!
Pete, call the paramedics.
Already did.
Excuse me.
Excuse me, excuse me.
OK, he stopped breathing.
Hang on, there's no pulse.
Somebody help me.
What do I do?
Hands right here, and pump
five times for breath I do.
Hand me that.
OK, thank you.
Ready?
He's breathing.
He's breathing.
Come on, guys!
Hang on, Sweeney,
here they come.
He wasn't breathing
and he had no pulse.
We've now got him breathing.
All right, I got a good pulse.
I want the cardiac monitor.
I'm going to start
an IV right away.
I'm going to need the
portable oxygen tank.
No problem.
Oh, bring me
the nitroglycerin.
Could
Is he going to be all right?
He was a goner.
Cheryl brought him back.
His vitals are looking good.
Advise the hospital we
have a coronary coming.
Hey.
Hey.
You did great.
I hope he makes it.
You sure you're OK?
Yeah.
Wow.
There was no mistaking that.
What?
Something that mattered.
I did something that mattered.
Ooh.
Sweeney?
Don't quit on me, Sweeney.
I've got a lot riding on you.
OK?
I don't think
he's going to die.
It's just not like him to die.
No, he's a fighter.
That's what got him here.
That's what'll get him out.
I'll tell him you came by.
I know he'd like that.
And, uh, thank you.
Yeah.
[doorbell ringing]
- Come on in.
- Hey, Pete.
Hey.
Wow, Cheryl, you
look beautiful.
Aw, Pete.
Thank you.
What's she doing with you?
Yeah, you are beautiful.
[clearing throat]
Are you two, having a moment
here, because I could leave?
That would be great, Pete.
Yeah.
Come on, I'll show you
the joys of fatherhood.
Cheryl, CeeCee's in the kitchen.
OK, I'll give her a hand.
Don't cook.
Whatever you do, do not cook.
Oh, very funny.
CeeCee, don't let
her near the stove!
Oh, supper's all ready!
I don't need any help!
I can let you stir, that's it.
Oh, give me that.
Hey, buddy.
Come on, want to
get a diaper change?
Yeah, let's go.
Oh, my god, he's gotten big.
Yeah, he's getting big.
Hey.
CeeCee feeling OK?
Yeah, she's holding up.
It's been tough,
though, especially
with me pulling double
shifts three days a week.
Listen, Ben, um, I know
things are tight around town
right now for everybody.
I don't got to tell you that.
And I don't want to set myself
apart from everybody else.
But the truth is I just
don't see how CeeCee
and I are going to make it.
Listen, Pete--
No, please, Ben, I gotta ask.
I need a raise.
Well, you're not going
to get a raise, Pete.
Nobody is.
Yeah, well, you know,
I just thought I'd ask.
I owe it to CeeCee and the kids.
I'm sorry.
Look, I got to ask,
if you really had to,
what else would you do?
What, you mean not
work at the mill?
Yeah.
I don't know.
You know, it's all
I've ever done.
You remember when
dad used to say
how steel gets in your
blood, I think he was right.
Hey, buddy, all done.
There you go.
You have to use a little
imagination, all right?
OK.
I want to show you this.
Come look right here.
First of all, you clean up this
whole area here for drinks.
Come, follow me over here.
That would be so beautiful.
You have this porch that
goes all the way around.
I don't think we
can get in here.
It's probably locked.
Ah, it's open.
Look how charming this is.
Look at the view people
would have eating.
I hate it when
somebody calls my bluff.
Well?
So it would work fine.
A counter over here, deli
case, a few tables and chairs,
near the lake, some
guaranteed business
from the hunters and fishermen.
Well?
Well what?
Well, what do you think?
I don't know.
I don't know if
I'm ready for this.
Oh.
What would happen if
it doesn't work out?
But it will work out.
Easy for you to say.
I got that feeling again, like
right before I danced with you.
Oh, well, maybe we'll
just do a waltz next time.
Hey.
Well, hi.
Were you going to leave
without saying goodbye?
No, I was just coming
in to wake you up.
Where you going?
Going on a little
business trip.
OK.
Mm-hmm, no big deal.
Just something I
gotta take care of,
and I'll tell you all
about when I get back.
Fair enough.
Will you feed my fish?
I'd love to feed your fish.
In the temple, in the town, in
the field, you do me mischief.
- I do.
- Fie, Demetrius!
Your wrongs do set a
scandal upon my sex.
We cannot fight for
love as men may do.
We should be wooed, and
we're not made to woo.
I'll follow thee, and
make a heaven of hell,
to die upon the
hand I love so well.
O'er hill, o'er dale, o'er
bush, o'er briar, o'er park,
o'er pale, through a
flood, through a fire,
I do wander everywhere swifter
than the moon's sphere.
So good night unto you all.
Give me your hands
if we be friends,
and Robin shall restore amends.
Cheryl.
Hey.
Oh, you were so wonderful.
Oh, get out.
Oh, you're too much.
Let's go celebrate,
get a beer.
OK.
Good idea.
Oh, I should have
used my crutches.
My foot is killing me.
Yeah, you weren't
even limping.
Hey, did you see
Carter anywhere?
Yeah, I did actually.
Joyce, how well do
you know Carter?
Pretty well.
How come your face is
saying not well enough?
Well, when a bad actress
gets the lead role,
don't you wonder?
Allison?
Yeah.
Don't you wonder?
You are really something,
Cheryl Belson from Mississippi.
You sure stir up a pot.
Oh, no, Joyce, I didn't mean--
Dance up a storm, Joyce.
Open up that restaurant, Joyce.
Figure out that Shakespeare,
get up on that stage, Joyce.
Look at your boyfriend,
see who he is, Joyce.
Know what you want, know
what you really want!
God, you ask a
lot out of people!
Joyce, that's not--
ugh.
Ben, it's been over
a half a year now.
It only took three
months to make the call
on Ithaca and New Bedford.
Are you sure you're not
letting a little hometown
sentiment cloud your vision?
Richard, I don't know
if it's clouding my vision
or giving it clarity.
Look, I want to
reinvest in Lincoln.
Modernize.
I think if we put enough
money into this plant,
it can turn a
profit in 18 months.
Why would I want to risk that
kind of financial exposure?
Because I know the
people who work in Lincoln.
They are literally giving their
lives to keep this place open.
I think we should match
that effort with our own,
give them a fighting chance.
You close that place,
that town will die.
And the people will
get severance, extended
health, job placement programs.
Ben, it's the numbers.
No, it's not numbers.
It's lives.
It's people's lives,
thousands of people.
Look maybe it was
a little unfair of me
to send you back into your own
home town with this mission,
but Lincoln's failure
was not my doing.
Economics is second only
to a force of nature.
My decision to
close that plant is
only a reaction to
something that has
already happened on its own.
[phone ringing]
BEN CAMERON [ON ANSWERING
MACHINE]: Hi, this is Ben.
Leave a message, and I'll call
you back as soon as I can.
Thank you.
[beep]
BEN CAMERON [ON
ANSWERING MACHINE]:
Ben, you understood
going in that we
probably were going to have
to close the Lincoln plant.
Now, accounting is telling
us we have to shut down
more abruptly than we thought.
We're rerouting orders.
As of now, Lincoln is a
liability every moment
it stays in operation.
Don't disappoint me, Ben.
Ben, you understood
going in that we
probably were going to have
to close the Lincoln plant.
Now, accounting is telling
us we have to shut down
more abruptly than we thought.
[car door shutting]
[house door being unlocked]
Hey.
Hey.
This is a surprise
RICHARD [ON ANSWERING MACHINE]:
Ben, you understood going in
that we probably
were going to have
to close the Lincoln plant.
Now, accounting is telling us
we have to shut down more--
I asked you to feed the fish,
not to listen to my messages.
I was not listening
to your messages.
I was cleaning your
tank, and I happened
to overhear that message.
Who are you?
- What?
Are you the prodigal son that
comes back to save the town--
What are you talking about?
--and has a secret agenda
held to the last second?
You know, wait a second.
I don't know how you
could be party to this.
All these people
are your friends,
not to mention your family.
I know that!
Don't you think I know that?
You think this is easy for me?
I close this place down, that's
1,000 people out of work.
There are only 6,000
people in this town.
Well, then, don't do it.
Just quit.
It won't do any good.
Quit.
And do what,
express my sympathy
by living in a ghost town?
Quit!
You don't know anything!
You know, you come
here, you think this
is some charming little place!
- Oh.
Fine.
How charming is it going
to be when everyone in it
is out of work,
and on food stamps?
How charming will it be when
you have to hire a steel
worker as your gardener?
You know, why don't you
stick your little telethons,
and you won't get
your hands dirty?
If that's who you think I am,
then I guess that's who I am.
I got it.
Be with you in a sec.
Joyce.
We got a meat loaf special
tonight. $4.99 with super
salad.
Joyce.
Beverage included.
So what'll be?
I don't have all night.
I didn't mean to hurt you.
God, I say that a lot.
I don't know what
you're talking about.
OK.
I need to make a call.
Do you mind if I use your phone?
Fran, it's me.
And what was in that
horrible little town
that you can't find here?
Nothing.
Fran, I'm going to tell you
something, and then let's
not talk about it anymore, OK?
I suppose.
I caught Ryan
with my stand-in.
Caught?
As in the biblical sense caught?
That's right.
Well, the guy's a pig anyway.
You want me to dump him?
No.
Is there a guy in Hicksville?
No.
Then, what did you
do for two weeks?
Got a job at a steel mill.
You're yanking
my chain, right?
No, I was a nurse.
And when I tried out for
a play, didn't get cast.
We, uh, pushed back
the Vanity Fair shoot,
but the Albert Brooks film
isn't going to happen for us.
They went with
Michelle Pfeiffer.
Ah.
I said they went
with Michelle Pfeiffer.
I heard you.
Instead of you.
I know.
Don't worry about it.
You know, Sydney,
you might want
to schedule another
session with that shrink.
And I probably made the
biggest mistake of my life.
Boy, this is going
to be a doozie.
What?
Oh, never mind.
[phone ringing]
BEN CAMERON [ON ANSWERING
MACHINE]: Hi, this is Ben.
Leave a message, and I'll call
you back as soon as I can.
Thank you.
RICHARD [ON ANSWERING
MACHINE]: Ben,
I've left two messages already.
They say you're not at the
plant, and we need to talk.
Ben, I repeat, we need to talk.
No.
Yeah, I understand--
- Sydney!
- --Dick.
That's what I thought.
If you could put that
information together for me,
that would be great.
I'll call you back.
You have no idea what
you put us through.
We've been worried sick.
Yeah, well, I just
needed some time to think.
Don't ever do a thing
like that to us again.
I want you to promise me that.
I missed you so much.
You missed me.
You kidding?
It was agony.
Fran and I are hosting
this party just to show you
happy we are that you're back.
I, uh-- I made some changes I
thought you'd be happy with.
We can look at that later.
Right now, we have
a wedding to plan,
and this will play in decisions,
and you know me, [inaudible].
Ryan, there's not
going to be a wedding.
What do you mean?
This is not easy to say.
I don't love you.
Actually, that was
pretty easy to say.
Yeah.
Sydney, our plans.
Oh, this isn't about me
and your stand-in, is it?
Because that was nothing.
Sydney, we have a wedding, OK?
There are 1,000 guests.
Ryan, I don't love you.
What else can I say?
You mean it?
Yeah.
OK, fine.
How do you want the publicist to
handle the spin on this thing?
We'll tell them you dumped me.
We will?
Great!
But I guess you won't
be doing my script now?
We'll see.
Oh, yeah!
What was I thinking?
- How did he take it?
- He was crushed.
What a truly
sensitive human being.
Sydney!
Snappers!
OK, the trades are here.
They just want to
take a few pictures.
Oh, this is nice.
This is a nice background.
Gentlemen, shoot the star.
Well, uh, it's
been about six months
since I came back home
to run this place.
I jumped at the chance.
I grew up here.
You guys are my friends,
my father's friends.
I knew that, together, we'd
put up a hell of a fight,
because I know what
you're made of.
Well, I haven't been
totally honest with you.
You see, uh, this plant was
slated to be closed down
long before I ever got here.
I know that's true,
because it was my job
to close it, not to run it--
to shut it down.
I just thought that, uh, if
we had a little more time,
I could straighten
things out, but that's
not what they pay me for.
You see, New York pays me a lot
of money to shut down plants.
You all did the best you could.
It's not your fault. It's
my fault. I thought I
could save it, but I couldn't.
And I'm sorry.
Uh, Dick and I will be getting
to the various departments
about the shutdown.
That's it.
You did your best, Ben.
They'll figure that
out eventually.
Sydney, darling, I'm so
sorry about what happened.
We sent out search parties.
No, no, no, no, it's OK.
I was out of line.
- You're joking with me, right?
- No.
I'm really sorry.
Listen, Monday, I have a
very important meeting.
Can we have a later call?
Yes.
We're in the studio.
Make it a 5 o'clock call.
I love you.
I'll be on my toes for
the Geppetto factor, Sydney.
It was the Geppetto
factor, I think.
Yes.
It doesn't look
anything like her.
How we supposed to know?
I'm telling you, she
stood right in my kitchen.
Yeah, well, she kissed me.
That was artificial
respiration, you idiot.
You're just jealous.
Of what?
She pulled a splinter
out of my butt.
Yeah, well, in Hollywood,
I'll bet that's one thing she'd
have used her stunt double for.
Yeah, they would have
used a stunt butt for Otis.
Otis is a stump butt.
What's that supposed to mean?
Hey, Ben.
Get my lawyers and
accountants on the phone.
I want a meeting this weekend.
Lawyers, this weekend?
Yeah, this weekend.
Yeah, right.
Dooley's.
Joyce?
Don't hang up on me.
I won't hang up on you.
How are you?
Well, we're knee deep,
to tell you the truth.
The plant closed down today.
Yeah, I know.
Damn it, Cheryl--
Sydney, whatever-- why
didn't you just tell me?
I would have gotten you on
the phone with My mother.
It would have made her day.
Because I liked Cheryl Belson
better than Sydney Clarke, OK?
Well, we like them both.
Who cares if you're famous?
Well, for starters, the
600 people in my living room.
Is Matt Damon there?
As a matter of fact, yes.
Oh!
Why didn't you just tell me?
I could have called my sister.
She's a Sydney Clarke freak.
OK.
OK, so I'm the last one to know.
Big deal.
You OK?
I think I knew about
Carter all along.
I just-- I just didn't
want to believe it.
We never do.
Well, it, uh, made me
do a lot of thinking.
About what?
About want.
No, sorry.
Want!
Is that better?
That a girl.
I've been doing a lot
of thinking myself.
About Ben?
Yeah.
I messed up, Joyce.
Well, yeah, you know, Ben
kept the plant going a while
after the death sentence.
Have you seen him?
Yeah, I'm looking
at him right now.
Well, I've got to tell
you, he looks like hell.
Sydney, Fran says you
have a houseful of guys.
She'd like you to
come right away.
Joyce, I've got
to go, but I'll
call you back real soon, OK?
OK.
Bye.
Bye.
Ben, you ever wonder why
people sit in an audience?
Well, I'll tell you why.
Because a character's
got a big want, right?
You know, like you and me?
So you gotta decide what it
is you want, and how much.
And that's all I got to say.
OK?
OK.
Did I make any sense at all?
Yeah.
Good.
Cut!
Sydney, where are you going?
Aren't you supposed to
be shutting down the mill?
I quit.
Big risk.
It's worth it.
I'll do anything
for what I want.
What do you want, Ben?
I want my fish to get better.
I want you.
I want you, too.
Sydney, we have
a movie to make.
Do you mind?
If you quit again--
Can't quit, Harry.
I need the money.
I bought a steel mill.
You what?
Me, and about 20 other people.
I'm looking for the
right guy to run it.
Cut!
Never thought I'd see that.
We're back!
Bump-ba-da-da!
Da-da-da-da-da.
Rah!
Rah!
It's officially yours.
Da-da-dum!
Yum-bum-bum!
ALL: Da!
Whoo!
Yes!
Look after the old
homestead, buddy.
[music playing]
I love my new house!
I love New England!
Oh, I hate my cell phone.
Hello?
FRAN [ON PHONE]: Syd, it's me.
It's heating up.
I've sent you a script.
I want you to read
it over the weekend.
It's a comedy.
It's a comedy.
That's great.
I'll read it right away.
And Fran, after today, I won't
have a cell phone anymore.
ALL: What?
Now, where were we?
Remind me.
[music playing]
I couldn't leave you, Daniel.
He'll wonder where you were.
He doesn't care about me.
He's your husband.
He's your brother.
I have nothing else in my life.
I can't lose you, Daniel.
What are we?
This is so wrong.
I know.
Can we cut?!
Cut!
That's a cut.
Back to first positions.
What is this?
His lips?
The lips are fine.
They're fine.
Could somebody
please mop her down?
It's not the lips, Harry.
It's my face.
I powdered it, Harry, I swear.
The lights, Harry.
You got a million watts
all focused on my face.
What are you, the lighting
director now, Sydney?
Harry, fix the light.
I'll be in my trailer.
Sydney!
Brenda, call lunch,
will you please?
We already took lunch, Harry.
Then, call dinner, call five,
just get me a tranquilizer.
That's a five, everybody.
Let's not wander
away from the set.
Tell the actors to take five!
Kill the fire!
Give me a playback.
She's killing me, Victor.
It's the Pinocchio
factor, Harry.
What?
The Pino-- never mind.
The light?
I checked the bridge.
We were missing a gel.
It was like a floodlight
on Sydney's nose.
What the hell is
the Pinocchio factor?
Her nose, Harry.
She thinks her
knows is too long.
Code word-- Pinocchio factor.
What about pain
in the butt factor?
You'd have to reshoot
if she hadn't caught it.
Well, fix it.
Whatever you do, don't let
her know she was right.
Brenda, aspirin, fruit basket
to Sydney's trailer, asap.
Done.
Excuse me.
Excuse me.
Hey, Ms. Clarke!
I'm in Mississippi.
I'm from Mississippi, too.
I know, I know, me, too.
Pushmataha.
- Pushmataha.
Sydney, we have to go inside.
The editor's waiting for us.
Um, I want to talk to you.
Wait, I want to talk to her.
I know she's from
Mississippi, but she'll
be there when you get out.
OK, now, I'm going
to go find McAndrew.
You wait right here, OK?
Just talked to the
guys from studio.
Yeah?
They're ready to greenlight
the script I wrote for us.
All you have to do is say yes.
I told you, I
don't like the role.
Sweetheart, this is a chance
for us to work together again.
They're willing to
hold up the start
date till after the honeymoon.
Ryan, I've played a psychopath
in two of my last three movies.
He's I'm beginning to worry
what that says about me.
Just read it one more time.
Ryan.
Fine.
Sydney, I found him.
Come on.
Ryan, you stay.
The curator's name
is McAndrew, and I've
just talked him into going
national for this spot.
The art gallery
spot is beautiful.
And here is the wedding
spread the "Puree."
Ugh.
Fran, we don't need
any more publicity.
This wedding is going to
be a media circus as it is.
The event, darling--
the event of the century.
Wish we could just elope.
Elope?
Sydney, you're a star.
You're royalty.
People want to
know every detail,
and we are not going
to disappoint them.
What's the matter, honey?
I don't know.
Maybe just jitters.
But everyone
gets that jitters.
I don't know why we're getting
married in the first place.
You're a great couple.
The press loves you.
Now, Harry says he's
found the perfect location
for the cabin scene,
and there's a four
star hotel right on the lake.
I don't know why we have
to go to location, Fran.
It's a colossal pain.
It's almost May.
There's not going to be any
snow in New England in May.
He's just looking
for authenticity.
That's not so bad.
They're expecting a freak storm.
Yeah, well, they'll get
their freak storm when Harry
gets there, that's for sure.
Oh, stop pouting.
Harry's film means a
shot at a nomination--
Right, Ginger?
Oh, absolutely.
--better parts, better money.
I already got an offer from
the studio at double your fee.
A comedy?
Another psychopath,
but Sydney, who cares?
It's double the money.
Double the money!
And as your best friend,
I advise you to take it.
Oh, how many best friends
do you know get 10%?
All right, as your manager,
I advise you to stay on track.
Just look through these
tonight, so I can at least
get the agents off my back.
Oh, flight at
7:00, limo at 5:00.
And don't worry about
the snow in New England.
You'll have snow
up to your wazoo,
and it will be the real stuff.
Yeah.
Action on the snow!
Action on the camera!
[crying]
Don't cry, mother.
Oh, I can't help it, Miles.
If I don't marry Nathaniel, I--
oops, Daniel.
Cut!
Cut!
Miles!
I didn't screw up.
She did.
Camera, you call
that a dolly movement?
It was pathetic.
OK, cut the machines.
I said turn off
the machines now.
Doesn't look like
a snowstorm, Harry.
It looks like a
dandruff commercial.
Didn't your weather man
call for snow today?
Yes, he did.
He called for it yesterday,
he's calling for it tomorrow.
The guy is a liar.
- We're into overtime, Harry.
- Get me a Valium.
None left.
Is there an aspirin?
- We're out.
- That's it.
Let's wrap.
We're going back to LA.
That's a wrap, people!
Thank you!
Harry, you're
kidding me, right?
Don't start with me, Sydney.
You're flying me 3,500 miles
to wait for snow when we could
have gone 60 miles to Big
Bear or Arrowhead or the 10
other mountains in California.
Now, you want to turn
around and fly back to LA?
I can't make it snow, Sydney.
I'm not god.
Have you ever heard
of snow blowers, Harry?
They make snow, real
snow, not potato chips.
Of course, it's 82 degrees.
We can't make snow
now, can we, Harry?
Give it a rest, Sydney.
We will shoot the snow
after the next location.
You want to shoot the
snow, you do it without me.
Call Glenn Close.
That's who you wanted
in the first place.
Sydney, come back, darling.
Please come back.
Look, try and keep it together.
We'll find the snow.
The writer will make
the adjustments.
It will turn out fine.
It will turn out fine.
What's it, Harry?
Another pointless film
that no one will remember?
Sydney, the public
buys tickets to see you.
We film this, we film that.
In the end, it doesn't matter.
Oh, god, nothing ever matters.
When will it matter?
I keep waiting to see
what that feels like.
Sydney, come back, darling.
Sydney, please come back.
Syd?
Oh, we were rehearsing.
She's your stand-in.
It makes sense, Sydney.
Sydney!
Sydney.
Sydney, your coat.
It's raining.
She's going into the woods.
Should I go after her?
The hotel's 500 yards away.
Let her go.
If we're lucky, there'll be
some big, hairy, hungry thing
in there.
Brenda, do you
not have anything?
Midol?
Sold.
I'm watching it right now.
It's fabulous.
Oh, Quentin, she's perfect.
Fran, it's Harry's office.
I'm busy.
- You should take it.
- I'll call them back.
Comprende?
Sydney's walked again.
Quentin, I'll call you back.
Harry, how's my
favorite director?
You did what?
Oh, my god.
They've lost Sydney
in the woods.
They sent out a search party.
Harry, are you crazy?
Bigfoot's probably
eaten her by now.
Find her!
Sydney, you're such an idiot.
Idiot, idiot, idiot!
To be or not to be an idiot!
OK, OK.
You can do this.
You can do this.
Oh, oh.
Which way is up, and
which way is down?
Oh, god, I think I'm losing it.
Oh, I don't believe
you did this, Sydney.
You're an idiot.
You walk off a
movie in Manhattan.
Walk off a movie
in Beverly Hills.
You can't walk off a movie in
a god forsaken mountainside
in the middle of nowhere.
Oh, oh, oh.
Wait until the Actors
Guild hears about this.
Oh.
Ooh.
Oh, oh, oh.
[truck horn honking]
[car sounds]
Oh, hello?
Hello?
Hello!
Hello!
Help!
Hello!
Stop!
Help!
Stop!
Help me, please!
Stop!
Lady with a baby!
Help!
No, wait.
[grunting and screaming]
Oh, oh.
This one's mine!
You take the next one!
Where you headed?
What's the name of that town?
Deerfield?
Deerfield?
Lady, that's back
over the mouth.
I'm headed to Lincoln,
about two hours away.
Take it or leave it.
What, I can't even ride
in the back of the truck?
No honor among
hitchhikers anymore.
Might as well take the damn bus.
What's that over there?
That's the Lincoln steel mill.
We're coming into town now.
Thanks a lot.
Oh, dear.
Mommy, is that a bag lady?
Good morning.
Morning.
He picked up his spare.
Ooh, Joycee, he's on fire.
What's he at?
He's gonna nail a
650 series, for sure.
Who's this?
She could bowl in
our bag lady league.
Answering machine.
It's 4:00 in the morning in LA.
Fran, it's me.
Don't call out the National
Guard, I'm all right.
But don't tell Harry or Ryan.
Tell them that I am
lost and feared dead.
Actually, don't tell--
don't tell Harry that.
He'll get Glenn Close.
I'm coming home.
I've got to, um--
actually, I can't come home.
I need to get money.
You've got to get Fred
to wire me some money.
I'm in, um--
I don't know what the
hell this place is.
I can't read the number
on the telephone.
So I'll call you back.
Never mind.
Bye.
Get the money up front.
Coffee?
- Yes, please.
- Cream and sugar?
Just a little cream.
It's 7:00 in the
morning, who's bowling?
That's the Midnight Humpers
versus the Dawn Patrol.
The Midnight Humpers?
Yeah.
It's the guys coming
off the midnight
shift at the mill
against the guys
coming on the 8 o'clock shift.
They've got an hour
off, and they're bowling?
Are you kidding?
These guys bowl in their sleep.
They bowl for their
wedding receptions.
We've got a bar mitzvah bowl.
I'm in bowl hell.
Can I ask you a question?
Shoot.
What are these weird
things behind me?
You mean the bowlers?
No, I mean the skinny
pins and the tiny balls.
Oh.
Candlepin.
It's an east coast thing.
It's English.
Can I get you anything else?
A plane ticket out of here.
Did I mention that
I have no money?
The coffee I can
get you on the house,
but you're on your own
for the plane ticket.
Thank you.
You in some kind of trouble?
Now, why would you think that?
You want to talk about it.
No.
OK.
You can use the phone
in the office for free.
I don't know who I'd call.
That's trouble, all right.
Look, um, for starters, how
about I loan you some clothes?
You would loan me clothes?
Why would you loan me clothes?
Because you need them.
Joycee.
Get rid of her.
She's a bag lady.
She's not a bag lady.
She's broke.
She's wearing baggy clothes.
She's a bag lady.
It's a new look.
It's that Elizabethan thing.
OK, we are RSVPed yes to
the Streisand-Lockett party--
Fran.
--no to the
Thanksgiving Day Parade?
Who were they kidding?
Fran, listen--
And a maybe to the Ozone
Replenishment Benefit.
- Fran, Sydney called.
- What?
Yeah, she left a message.
She doesn't know the name
of the town she's in.
She doesn't have any money.
And she didn't know the number
that she was calling from.
But she's going to call back.
- Oh, that's insane.
- So what's new?
- OK, zip it.
Get me Harry on the phone,
and then get me the studio.
No, no, Harry already called.
He knew she was there, was
because some gas station
attendant saw her
with a truck driver.
A truck driver?
For her?
- I'll call the studio.
Yeah.
Anyone ever tell you, you
look like Sandra Bullock?
I don't think I look
anything like Sandra Bullock.
Hmm.
Well, her, or a little bit like
that actress, Sydney Clarke.
Except for the blond hair
and those poofy lips.
She had them injected
with sheep fat, you know?
Oh, she did not.
I read it in a magazine.
It's true.
So what is your name?
Uh, Cheryl.
Cheryl Belson.
Well, it's nice
to meet you, Cheryl.
I'm Joyce McMurphy.
You, too.
Cheryl, promise me one thing.
What?
That one day you'll
tell me about that dress,
and the last couple of days.
It's a long story, but I will.
WALTER: I don't know what
you're doing in there, Joycee,
but we're backed up out here!
Come on.
Only cook it once, kiddo.
I know, I know.
All cooks are the same.
A persnickety group of people.
Cheryl, hold your arm up.
Palms up.
Thank you.
Well, what--
what are you doing?
Do me a favor, run
this down to lane three.
Me?
Oh, I don't think so.
What's your problem?
You're asking
me to wait tables?
No, I'm asking you
to do me a favor.
How's a person supposed
to carry all this?
Haven't you ever
heard of a tray?
Yeah, sure.
There you go.
- OK.
Go, lane three.
Lose the attitude,
you might get a tip.
Yes!
Ha ha, see ya later.
See ya later, buddy.
Can somebody give
me a hand, please?
Save my drink!
Save my--
Hang on, we got them.
We got them.
Oh, thank you.
How much we owe you?
I don't know.
I'm not a waitress.
Well, that's apparent.
Hey, Joyce!
How much?
Uh, $10.50.
Ten, fifty.
Ah, the Bill Gates of bowling.
Tipping is not a city
in China, you know?
That's good.
Thank you, Peaches.
Cheryl, and I'm
leaving tomorrow.
- I wasn't asking.
- Yes, you were.
What's your hurry?
Hard to make a living here.
You're telling me.
Maybe you're in the
wrong line of work.
You got that right.
So stick around anyway.
Now, why would
I want to do that?
Because I'm here.
That's why I'm leaving.
Youch!
Chewed him up and spit him out.
That hurt.
Total annihilation, brother.
Yeah, you want
to know something?
She really likes me.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Lot of houses for sale.
Well, people are scared.
Every time there's another
rumor about the mill
closing, somebody leaves
- Lock up, will you, Joycee?
- Sure, no problem.
Good night, Walter.
- Thanks.
You don't mind if I hang here
until the rain stops, do you?
No, not at all.
Um, but can you give
me a hand, or are you
going to stand there
like the Queen of England
and watch me drop this stuff?
- Sure.
What do you need me to do.
I'm just kidding ya.
Here, take this,
push A1 on the jukebox.
Ooh, I can handle that.
Good.
So where are you from, Cheryl.
Mississippi.
Pushmataha.
I thought I heard an accent.
How did you wind up here?
Sort of walked off a job.
That's a hell of a long walk.
[music from jukebox]
Oh!
I used to love this song!
Yeah, me, too.
Every time we heard this song,
we had to jitterbug to this.
- Oh, yeah?
- Ooh, come dance with me.
- Cut it out.
- Oh, come on.
Put that down.
Whoo!
I don't do this very well.
BOTH: [singing] I'll always
love you, always love you.
- Get ready now.
- What?
Whoo!
Ah!
[crashing sounds]
I'll get my crutches.
Hang on!
Wait, wait, wait,
don't move without me.
- I'm fine.
- Just a second.
I'm fine.
Ow!
- Oh, Joyce, I'm so sorry.
- It's OK.
I just bumped it.
- Are you OK?
Yes, yes, yes, yes.
Just grab my bag.
Thank you.
All right, take it easy.
Slow!
Joyce, wait a second.
I've got it.
I've got it.
Have you got it?
I can't remember when
I've had so much fun.
I'm so sorry.
If you say you're
sorry one more time,
I will whack you, OK?
Easy.
So where you going
to stay tonight?
I haven't figured
that out yet.
Well, you're welcome
to stay on my couch.
Joyce, you're
such a nice person.
I don't know what to make of it.
Are you sure you're
not southern?
If that means thank
you, you're welcome.
Door's unlocked.
No, we don't lock it.
Oh, small town.
I love it.
How do you feel?
I'll live.
Can I see that?
- Sure.
Thanks.
That is so good.
Thank you.
Is that what you do
back in Pushmahooha?
Pushmataha.
No.
Worked at a tropical fish store.
That's the job
you walked out on?
The guppies got to you, huh?
No, the piranhas, not to
mention a cheating fiance.
Ouch.
So now what'll you do?
I mean, what would you like
to do if you had your choice?
Ooh, what a question.
If I could do anything,
what would I do?
36 years old, and I don't
know the answer to that.
Can I give you
a little advice?
Sure.
I don't think you're quite
cut out to wait tables.
No kidding.
I like my food brought to
me, thank you very much.
What about you?
You gonna hang out with
the Midnight Humpers
the rest of your life?
- No, actually.
Someday I'd like to open up a
little cafe down by the lake,
own my own business.
What a wonderful idea.
Why don't you do that?
Risky.
Mill closes down, so
does everything else.
Well, risks are meant
to be taken, right?
Well, one step at
a time, if I'm lucky.
First, I gotta figure
out how to wait
tables walking on my hands.
I gotta figure out how to
get out of here, no offense.
Where is the
nearest big airport?
Boston.
OK, I have friends in Boston.
How do I get to Boston?
Do I take a train, bus?
What?
We got a train station.
Train leaves tonight, I
think around 8 o'clock.
Oh, I just have
one little problem.
Oh.
Joyce, I don't know
how to thank you.
Would you stop it?
Just keep it.
I practically
break your foot off,
and you lend me a
week's worth of tips.
Cheryl, the way I was
raised, somebody needs
help, you give it to them.
You'll pay me back.
You've got my address.
- Sure.
Thank you.
I'll get your clothes
back to you right away.
Promise.
Did I mention the
interest payments?
I gotta get back to work.
Thank you so much.
I'll be in touch.
You take care.
Yeah, you, too.
See ya.
Bye.
This train should
be here any minute.
Where you heading?
Not me.
My daughter's coming home.
Oh, that's nice.
Yeah.
Yeah, she's 33 now.
I haven't seen her
for almost four years.
Nothing's better
than coming home.
She must have
traveled a lot, huh?
Oh, there's been
a place or two.
Greece, the island of
Crete, Italy, Switzerland.
Well, most of Europe, really.
England, as far up as Norway.
Oh, that's not counting the
Arctics, both up and down.
It sounds adventurous.
She went everywhere.
But the best place is home,
where people love you,
where they care about you.
Well, she's home.
Enjoy the visit.
Oh, my god.
Otis and Kirby, order's up!
Come get it!
There you go.
Tell you what, Kirby.
I'll carry yours,
you carry mine.
That way, it'll still feel
like someone brung it to us.
Good idea.
Very funny, boys.
Two Stooges of bowling.
She's back.
Fran, you're never there.
It's Sydney.
Listen, I'm not going
to come back right away.
I gotta-- I gotta--
I don't know what I gotta do.
Something.
I'll-- I'll call
you in a few days.
Bye.
Hey.
Hey.
You all right?
I don't know.
I thought you were going home.
Right now, here seems
better than there.
OK.
Well, what are we going
to do with you, then?
Besides fish food,
what have you done?
What have I done?
You mean work?
Yeah, work.
I think we've exhausted
the waitress thing.
Yeah.
Well, I've-- I've
done a lot of things.
When I was a teenager,
I flipped burgers.
Mm-hmm.
I was a nurse's
aid once, sort of.
That's how you knew
to put ice on my foot.
Yeah.
I tell you what, my
friend, Darlene, is
the nurse at the
mill, and she is dying
to visit her sister in Florida.
Oh, I don't know.
You could cover for
her during her vacation.
The pay's pretty good.
I can't do that.
Just till she gets back.
Look, it'll put
money in your pocket,
get your confidence back.
I'm going to set
it up right now.
All you gotta do is
turn on the boss.
Gonna get along great.
I know we have to
make this shipment,
but I can't speed it up
without slacking on safety,
and I'm not going to do that.
Mr. Cameron?
Peaches.
Well, I thought you
were leaving town.
- You're the boss?
- Yeah.
Ben, remember?
Yeah.
Wow, a waitress, now a nurse.
If this keeps up, you'll be
mayor by the end of the week.
Huh, Belson.
Mississippi.
Pushma--
Pushmataha.
You know, I never actually met
anyone from Mississippi before.
Yeah?
Well, most of us are
wearing shoes now.
We got indoor plumbing, too.
You look very familiar.
Huh.
Let's see.
Work history.
Sold tropical fish supplies.
Gourmet chef.
Part time nurse.
Well, actually, it was
more like a nurse's aide.
Well, how are
you with splinters?
That's about as serious
as it gets around here.
Of course, there was that
one time that Guy Helier got
decapitated with
a hydraulic drill.
You're kidding, right?
Yeah.
Very funny.
Steel mill humor?
You're hired.
Just like that?
Steel mill intuition.
You got a certain big
city something about you.
But not entirely.
I like it.
I thought you were leaving town.
I thought so, too.
Well, lucky for us.
Come on, Peaches,
I'll show you around.
The mill has six divisions,
deploying over 1,000 men.
This division makes
steel products,
bridges, stuff like that.
Mm-hmm.
My grandfather helped
build this place in the '20s.
- Did he really?
- Yeah.
The town was really
prosperous then.
Well, it seems
busy enough now.
Well, what you're
seeing are guys
working double shifts in order
to keep the mill in the black.
It's what everybody
has to do these days
to compete with foreign steel.
The nurse's station and the
lunch room are up there.
Dick, this is Cheryl Belson.
She'll be taking over for
Darlene until she comes back.
Hi.
Nice to meet you.
Very nice to meet you.
Welcome.
- Can you give us a second?
- Oh, sure.
No problem.
Thank you.
Ben, did you, uh-- did you send
in that report to New York yet?
No, I was hoping the output
would improve this week,
so I can send something
more optimistic.
Why?
- Good.
Because I wanted to go to
the accounts receivable
and see if I can shake loose
a few dollars from some
of these guys that owe to us,
you know, and tip the numbers
in our favor a little bit?
- OK.
- Good.
Great.
Hey, Dick, everything OK?
I just got a call.
Elaine fell again.
That's my wife.
She's been pretty sick.
- Is she all right?
- Well, nothing's broke.
But I can't say she's OK.
It's been a pretty tough
go for the last two years.
She's getting tired.
Well, what are you doing here?
Go be with her.
Oh, I can't do that.
You know what's on my desk.
Look, If I need
you, I'll call you.
Go ahead.
Go!
Thanks, Ben.
That was a nice thing to do.
Well, I'm a nice guy.
A lot of people I know
who wouldn't have done that.
It sounds like you're hanging
out with the wrong crowd.
Here's your office.
What do you think?
Looks like home to me.
SYDNEY CLARKE [ON
ANSWERING MACHINE]:
I don't know what I got to do.
Something.
I'll call you in a few days.
Bye.
In a few days.
Get me the studio.
Executives are going to be
hemorrhaging all over the lot.
Ryan's on two, and
your mom's still on hold.
Mom, hold on.
Ryan?
Oh, of course, she's coming.
I talked to Sydney this morning.
Everything will be fine.
You, too.
Kiss, kiss.
I don't see any
splinters, Otis.
I don't know,
I felt something.
A metal filing, maybe?
Let me get some aspirin.
You can go back to work now.
Well, what about checking
out that splinter in my butt?
Sit on a mirror and
check it yourself.
Sit on a mirror the
check it yourself?
What kind of nurse is that?
Yeah!
Ow.
Come on in.
Hey.
You think about my idea?
Ben, it doesn't work.
Guys doing these jobs, they
don't make enough money
to buy back the plant.
Hey, John, I need that
mig gun by tomorrow!
Where do you come up with
these Wall Street strategies?
Well, we got to do something.
Relax, brother, they've been
threatening to close this place
down since we were kids.
Yeah, well, this
time it might happen.
Look, just because they shut
down Ithaca doesn't mean we're
going down, too.
Hey, you saved New Bedford,
you'll save us as well.
Stop worrying.
Yeah.
Hey, Ben, hit me long.
Nice hands, Jimmy!
Nice arm.
You must have played.
What, in college?
A little bit.
Where did he play?
As a nurse, what would
you prescribe for him?
Stick to bowling.
So uh, how is your
first day going so far?
Lot of aches and
pains, twisted ankle.
Drew the line at
checking for hernias.
Smart.
So what are you going
to do to celebrate?
Celebrate?
Yeah, you got a new job.
A person gets a new job,
they ought to celebrate.
I don't have anything
planned, really.
Well, in that case, how
about dinner at my house?
You don't quit, do you?
Well, I haven't
heard you say no.
And if I did?
I'd be perfectly fine with it.
Nah, I don't think so.
Come on!
You just got a new job!
Ah, it's very sweet of
you, I just don't think so.
Oh, how do you say
I don't think so.
It's impossible.
Just say yes.
Come on, just yes.
A simple yes.
What else you gonna do?
Who do-- what else you gonna do?
Who do you know in town?
OK.
All right, already.
As long as I don't have to carry
more than one plate at a time.
Actually, I was
hoping you'd cook.
I have to cook?
Well, your resume says
you're a gourmet chef.
Besides, I got a couple of
trout I caught yesterday.
It needs a little loving
hand, a little imagination,
culinary skill.
Where do you live?
I'm staying at Joyce's.
Really?
Well, uh, I'll pick
you up at 7:00.
OK.
See ya at 7:00.
Great.
I just don't understand how
you could tell him you were
a chef when you really weren't.
Well, I wasn't lying.
I just didn't stick
with it for very long.
Oh.
You like him, don't you?
Maybe.
You want to try
this-- ravishing red?
Sure, I guess.
I mean, I've never
done them before.
You've never done
your nails before?
In this color.
Oh.
Hey, this one might work--
flambe the trout.
Simplemente to flambe.
Ooh-la-la.
And for your nails, I have
the perfect color sweater.
[doorbell ringing]
Oh, that's probably Carter.
Here you go.
Hi.
Hi.
- How are you?
- Good.
How are you?
I'm OK.
Ah, the boyfriend.
Carter, this is Cheryl Belson.
She's visiting from
somewhere in Mississippi.
This is Carter.
Yes, the boyfriend.
It's so nice to
meet you, Carter.
Likewise.
She is a bit like
Sidney Clarke, but, uh,
Sydney is a little more zaftig.
Zaftig?
It means chunky.
I know what it means.
Carter's the director
of our community theater.
Oh, how nice.
Mmm, I'm holding
auditions next week,
"A Midsummer Night's Dream."
Why don't you pop along?
We'll see if we can fit you in?
Oh, I don't know.
I'm not much of an actress.
Neither is Sydney Clarke.
Never stopped her.
I'll be there.
I'm going to
audition, too, and maybe
this year I'll get something.
We'll see you later, Cheryl.
Don't wait up.
I'm very impressed.
You should be.
It's a highly skilled operation.
I just can't tell whether
you know what you're doing,
or you're the best con
artist I've ever seen.
If the con is done
well enough, who's to say
it isn't the truth?
And what if you
don't pull it off?
The spell was broken.
We're having a conversation,
and I don't know what
the hell we're talking about.
You're driving me crazy.
I have to check the trout.
No, wait, the trout is fine.
I have never seen such
beautiful brown eyes in my life.
On me, or the trout?
Speaking of the
trout, watch out.
All right.
Ooh-la-la.
All right, very good.
Hey, a bit of cognac.
For medicinal purposes?
And voila!
Oh, here we go.
[coughing]
Oh!
Is this what's
supposed to happen?
Oh!
Oh, yeah, that's much better.
You are the worst.
What, you never
had a smoked trout?
Oh, my god.
You OK?
I'm fine.
Really.
A little humiliated, but fine.
I'm sorry about the trout.
I know you two were just
starting to hit it off.
I just feel lucky we're alive.
I still have my home.
Not worried about the trout.
You like fudge?
Love fudge.
Do you have fudge?
Do I have fudge?
I made this.
It happens to be the only
thing I know how to cook.
Is it good?
Well, it beats the
hell out of your trout.
Wouldn't be hard.
Mm-hmm.
Your fish tank's not healthy.
- Really?
- Yep.
Bringing up the fish tank
at this particular moment
is, uh, slightly frustrating.
Well, I think we
hardly know each other,
and I don't fool around
on the first date.
Well, it's early.
Come on, let's have
our second date.
Come on.
You really love
this town, don't you?
Well, I grew up here.
There's four generations
of Camerons buried here.
My mother and father
are right over there.
You loved them, too, huh?
My parents?
Yeah, well, they
were my parents.
What, you don't have warm
feelings about Pushmata--
hari?
Pushmataha.
Would you guys give me a break?
Just because you live
in cliche-ville Lincoln.
Jeez.
Pushmawhatchacallit
was wonderful.
I loved it.
I can't say the same thing
about my father, unfortunately.
He left when I was nine.
Hmm, I guess I lived
the American dream.
You know what's
great about you, Ben?
Yeah.
My broad shoulders
and irresistible grin?
No.
You are who you are.
Rock solid, genuine,
straight forward.
That sounds so boring.
You know what I like about you?
It's just the opposite.
See, I-- I look at you
and I see something more.
I know there's something more.
You got me curious.
Is that something new for you,
a woman who makes you curious?
Well, maybe there was one or
two when I lived in New York.
You lived in New York?
Yeah.
You surprised?
Yeah, I am a little.
You didn't like the big city?
No, it was all right.
I just moved back
when I had the chance.
Never really felt
right anywhere else.
Whoa, do you see
that falling star?
Oh, yeah, you don't
see those too often.
Where I come from, you
see them all the time.
You cold?
Yeah, I am a little bit.
Thank you.
So uh, what's your
policy on third dates?
Hi.
Two, please.
Enjoy the show.
Yep.
You want anything to eat?
No, I'm OK right now.
OK.
Let's sit up on the stage.
No, I like to sit
right in the middle.
Right here.
Wow, such a control freak.
Ah.
What are you so happy about?
Oh, I love this.
It's just a movie theater.
Ordinary and wonderful.
Oh, well, you
know, if it makes
you so happy going
to the movies,
we should do it more often.
I think this date is
going really well.
I'm having fun.
So am I.
NARRATOR [ON FILM]:
Now, in the role
you've been waiting
for her to play--
Frankly, I need some help.
NARRATOR [ON FILM]:
--Sydney Clarke.
I need someone
who knows the game,
and can point the way for me.
NARRATOR [ON FILM]: Sydney
Clarke, more beautiful
and more dangerous than ever.
SYDNEY CLARKE, AS CHERYL
BELSON [VOICEOVER]: If the con
is done well enough--
- Oh, my god.
SYDNEY CLARKE, AS CHERYL
BELSON [VOICEOVER]:
--who's to say it
isn't the truth?
I could use a real
friend right now.
And I know that I
can't just ask you to--
You're--
--drop everything
and run up here, but.
NARRATOR [ON FILM]: First,
you see her, then you don't.
And what happens in
between will have
you screaming bloody murder.
Ben.
NARRATOR [ON FILM]: No matter
how many nightmares you've had,
you'll never have
ones like this.
Ben.
Well, I guess the
joke's on me, huh?
- Ben, come on.
- Wow.
Am I going to make
the fan mags now?
- Let me explain at least.
- No, you got me.
That was a good one.
I mean, you really--
I got to hand it to
you, you really did.
- It's not like that.
- Really?
What is it like?
What is it?
Oh, it's an acting experiment.
Is that what it is?
Like, uh, research?
You know, let's hang out
with the little people?
That's not what this is about.
Then, what is it about?
I just wanted to
know what it felt
like to be Cheryl Belson again.
Oh.
Oh, I see.
So you, uh, what?
You show up in some
little hick town
and look for the
biggest sap in it?
Is that what it is?
Thanks for the date.
Good morning.
Good morning.
Oh.
You don't mind if
I butt in, do you?
Were you telling me something?
My time card's gone.
Yeah, I figured you had
bigger and better things to do.
OK.
All right.
But for the record, I
didn't mean to hurt anyone,
and I didn't mean to hurt you.
I was doing my job here.
I think I was doing it well.
That was the idea, right?
One more thing-- actors may
get paid to play emotions,
but they've got real ones, too.
Don't slam that door.
Here you go.
Wow, that's amazing.
Listen, I don't think
Joyce is going to be
back for at least 30 minutes.
So if you want to
wait, I'll make
you a grilled cheese sandwich.
Yeah, I'm not hungry.
Thank you, though.
Thank you.
Good morning.
Hey, Todd.
Good morning.
How ya doing, buddy?
Ronnie.
Mark.
How you guys doing?
I can see how this is going.
Good morning, Kevin.
Maybe I should try
those wussy balls.
Yeah, maybe you should.
You waiting for this lane?
The guys at the
mill want you back.
There you go.
I have never had trouble
at the box office.
Yeah, they're actually
threatening to go
on strike unless you come back.
Oh.
Really?
I am so flattered.
Well, they are the
only reason I'm here.
So what do you say?
You didn't tell them
who I am, did you?
How could I?
How could I tell
them that they're
laying their jobs on the line
for some Hollywood movie star?
It's a joke.
Thank you so much
for stopping by.
Yeah, my pleasure.
Hey, can I just show you
something for a second?
Come here.
Hold the ball like this.
Now, you want to take
four clean steps,
and end up with enough room to
slide up to the finish line,
and end up with your
thumb up by your nose.
All right?
Your right thumb.
OK, go ahead.
Yeah!
Ha!
That was really good.
So what do you say?
You coming back?
Who's asking, you or the men?
What's the difference?
Tell me the
answer and find out.
Why is my fish tank so sick?
You're such a coward.
I know.
So Sydney Clarke, huh?
All right, you happy?
- Yeah!
- Yeah!
Whoo!
All right, let's get
the worst over first.
Come on, Otis.
Yeah, I've already seen these.
And if we show
these to Remsberg,
they're definitely
going to shut us down.
Well, that's why we don't
show those to Remsberg.
We show Remsberg these.
What are these?
Ever since the
Ithaca plant closing,
I've been inflating the numbers.
Just enough, you know?
Dick, if-- if they see
these, you'll lose your job.
Well, if they see these,
we will all lose our jobs.
You think those guys in New
York care about this town, Ben?
We're numbers.
Look, I'm not proud
of this, but I
got 1,000 guys to worry about.
Welcome home, pal.
I don't know, Dick.
Oh, yeah.
How long you
been married, Otis?
Do we have to talk about that?
I'm just wondering.
17 long years.
You love each other?
Oh-oh-oh.
I know.
I haven't figured it out either.
It always starts out so
good, and then ends up awful.
Men and women, huh?
What a mix.
I wouldn't know
where to start.
Even if I did, I don't
think she'd care.
Well, I guess life's
a gamble that way, huh?
I suppose I could try.
Start out small, bring
her a little something,
little present maybe.
I used to do that.
Yeah?
Yeah.
Back in the days when she'd
rub away your aches and pains?
OK, there you go.
How's that shoulder now?
It's better.
Oh, uh, thank you for, you
know, putting up with me.
Friends?
Yeah, as long as you do
the splinter checks yourself.
I'm gonna have to nominate
her for nurse of the year.
Hello.
Hi.
What's that?
Special fish food.
I used to that stuff, remember?
Oh, yeah.
Come on in.
Can I ask you a question?
Yeah.
What, uh, exactly
brings you to town anyway?
I was shooting a movie.
I walked off the set and blah,
blah, blah, I ended up here.
I'll tell you later,
but your fish need me.
Mm-hmm.
They have ich.
Ich?
Fish disease.
See, look, you have to
raise the temperature
and treat the water
every time you change it.
I brought the medicine, too, so.
When do we start?
Now.
They're suffering.
I'll show you.
- I meant us.
Well, you asked me
who I thought I was,
and I'm looking for an
answer to that, too.
Wish I had something profound
to say, but I got a problem.
I'm lost without a script.
You asked me when do we
start, and I'm asking you how.
Well, it may be
crazy, but I'd say now.
And after giving your second
question a considerable amount
of thought, here's how.
How happy some o'er
other some can be.
How happy some o'er
other some can be!
Through Athens, I am
thought as fair as she.
But what of that?
Demetrius thinks not so.
What a person does for love.
I can help you with that.
Oh, I don't think
anybody could help me.
First, you have to
answer the big question--
what does Helena want?
- Want?
- Not just want.
Want, want, want!
Because when you're working
on a character in a play,
you have to know what it is they
want, so that you can want it,
too.
Otherwise, the lines you
speak have no meaning.
So you have to want it so much
that you could just burst.
Sounds like a lot of work.
Well, yeah, it is.
But I'll tell you a secret,
Joyce, everybody in the world
envies this, knowing
what you want.
Because they wish
they knew, too.
That's why they sit in an
audience and watch, why they
cannot take their eyes off you.
We're talking
community theater here.
I love you, Joyce.
Come here.
I love you.
OK.
Ay, in the temple, in
the town, in the field.
You do me mischief.
Fie, Demetrius!
Your wrongs do set a
scandal upon my sex.
She's not very good.
She's had the lead
every year since Carter
started directing here.
What about you?
I have never been cast.
You're sleeping
with the director
and you've never been cast?
Please.
We cannot fight for
love as men may do.
We should be wooed, and
we're not made to woo.
I'll follow thee and
make a heaven of hell
to die upon the
hand I love so well.
CARTER HALE: Wonderful!
Thank you.
- He loved it.
Go figure.
I feel sorry for poor sucker
who has to follow that.
Uh, Joyce McMurphy.
Break a leg.
You prefer to take care of
that, thank you very much.
And you are?
Carter.
Joyce McMurphy.
Began when ready.
O, I am out of breath
in this fond chase.
The more my prayer,
the lesser is my grace.
Happy is Hermia, wheresoe'er
she lies, for she hath--
Thank you.
That's very good.
--blessed and--
Let her play the first fairy.
How was I?
Oh, very convincing.
I wasn't too la-ti-da?
Regal, no la-ti-da.
Next, Cheryl Belson.
OK, big shot.
You get up there and
don't pee your pants,
I'll buy you a beer.
Cheryl Belson, are you here?
Well, listen, buster,
you think I'm afraid
of a 26-year-old executive?
Yeah, well, that goes for
28-year-old lawyers, too.
Well, you're just
going to have to shoot
around for a couple of days.
What about reciprocity?
She's had three hits in a row!
Oh, they're going to sue
the pantaloons off us.
Sydney, wherever you are, I
hope you're enjoying this!
I just, uh, need
a moment, please.
What's here?
A cup, closed around
my true love's hand?
Poison, I see, hath been
his-- what kind of end?--
Timeless.
--timeless end.
O churl, drunk all, and left no
friendly drop to help me after.
I will kiss thy
lips Haply some--
what?--
Poison.
--Haply some poison
yet doth hang on them.
Thy lips are warm.
Yea, noise?
Then, I will be brief.
O happy dagger--
Give me thy sheath.
--this is thy sheath.
There rust and let me die.
I hope she doesn't
give up the day job.
Thank you.
That's very good.
Thank you.
Next!
Horace!
Carter looks less
than impressed.
Well, I thought
you were wonderful.
- Thank you.
- But he's the pro.
CARTER HALE: Horace!
Waitressing, no.
Acting, no.
Oh, I--
I didn't quite pee in my pants,
but I owe you a beer anyway.
Come on.
Oh.
Ah, ah!
Sweeney's down!
Hey, get over
here, we need help!
Somebody call the paramedics!
Get a stretcher!
Cheryl!
What?
Sweeney, he's having a
heart attack or something!
It's no joke!
Come on!
Pete, call the paramedics.
Already did.
Excuse me.
Excuse me, excuse me.
OK, he stopped breathing.
Hang on, there's no pulse.
Somebody help me.
What do I do?
Hands right here, and pump
five times for breath I do.
Hand me that.
OK, thank you.
Ready?
He's breathing.
He's breathing.
Come on, guys!
Hang on, Sweeney,
here they come.
He wasn't breathing
and he had no pulse.
We've now got him breathing.
All right, I got a good pulse.
I want the cardiac monitor.
I'm going to start
an IV right away.
I'm going to need the
portable oxygen tank.
No problem.
Oh, bring me
the nitroglycerin.
Could
Is he going to be all right?
He was a goner.
Cheryl brought him back.
His vitals are looking good.
Advise the hospital we
have a coronary coming.
Hey.
Hey.
You did great.
I hope he makes it.
You sure you're OK?
Yeah.
Wow.
There was no mistaking that.
What?
Something that mattered.
I did something that mattered.
Ooh.
Sweeney?
Don't quit on me, Sweeney.
I've got a lot riding on you.
OK?
I don't think
he's going to die.
It's just not like him to die.
No, he's a fighter.
That's what got him here.
That's what'll get him out.
I'll tell him you came by.
I know he'd like that.
And, uh, thank you.
Yeah.
[doorbell ringing]
- Come on in.
- Hey, Pete.
Hey.
Wow, Cheryl, you
look beautiful.
Aw, Pete.
Thank you.
What's she doing with you?
Yeah, you are beautiful.
[clearing throat]
Are you two, having a moment
here, because I could leave?
That would be great, Pete.
Yeah.
Come on, I'll show you
the joys of fatherhood.
Cheryl, CeeCee's in the kitchen.
OK, I'll give her a hand.
Don't cook.
Whatever you do, do not cook.
Oh, very funny.
CeeCee, don't let
her near the stove!
Oh, supper's all ready!
I don't need any help!
I can let you stir, that's it.
Oh, give me that.
Hey, buddy.
Come on, want to
get a diaper change?
Yeah, let's go.
Oh, my god, he's gotten big.
Yeah, he's getting big.
Hey.
CeeCee feeling OK?
Yeah, she's holding up.
It's been tough,
though, especially
with me pulling double
shifts three days a week.
Listen, Ben, um, I know
things are tight around town
right now for everybody.
I don't got to tell you that.
And I don't want to set myself
apart from everybody else.
But the truth is I just
don't see how CeeCee
and I are going to make it.
Listen, Pete--
No, please, Ben, I gotta ask.
I need a raise.
Well, you're not going
to get a raise, Pete.
Nobody is.
Yeah, well, you know,
I just thought I'd ask.
I owe it to CeeCee and the kids.
I'm sorry.
Look, I got to ask,
if you really had to,
what else would you do?
What, you mean not
work at the mill?
Yeah.
I don't know.
You know, it's all
I've ever done.
You remember when
dad used to say
how steel gets in your
blood, I think he was right.
Hey, buddy, all done.
There you go.
You have to use a little
imagination, all right?
OK.
I want to show you this.
Come look right here.
First of all, you clean up this
whole area here for drinks.
Come, follow me over here.
That would be so beautiful.
You have this porch that
goes all the way around.
I don't think we
can get in here.
It's probably locked.
Ah, it's open.
Look how charming this is.
Look at the view people
would have eating.
I hate it when
somebody calls my bluff.
Well?
So it would work fine.
A counter over here, deli
case, a few tables and chairs,
near the lake, some
guaranteed business
from the hunters and fishermen.
Well?
Well what?
Well, what do you think?
I don't know.
I don't know if
I'm ready for this.
Oh.
What would happen if
it doesn't work out?
But it will work out.
Easy for you to say.
I got that feeling again, like
right before I danced with you.
Oh, well, maybe we'll
just do a waltz next time.
Hey.
Well, hi.
Were you going to leave
without saying goodbye?
No, I was just coming
in to wake you up.
Where you going?
Going on a little
business trip.
OK.
Mm-hmm, no big deal.
Just something I
gotta take care of,
and I'll tell you all
about when I get back.
Fair enough.
Will you feed my fish?
I'd love to feed your fish.
In the temple, in the town, in
the field, you do me mischief.
- I do.
- Fie, Demetrius!
Your wrongs do set a
scandal upon my sex.
We cannot fight for
love as men may do.
We should be wooed, and
we're not made to woo.
I'll follow thee, and
make a heaven of hell,
to die upon the
hand I love so well.
O'er hill, o'er dale, o'er
bush, o'er briar, o'er park,
o'er pale, through a
flood, through a fire,
I do wander everywhere swifter
than the moon's sphere.
So good night unto you all.
Give me your hands
if we be friends,
and Robin shall restore amends.
Cheryl.
Hey.
Oh, you were so wonderful.
Oh, get out.
Oh, you're too much.
Let's go celebrate,
get a beer.
OK.
Good idea.
Oh, I should have
used my crutches.
My foot is killing me.
Yeah, you weren't
even limping.
Hey, did you see
Carter anywhere?
Yeah, I did actually.
Joyce, how well do
you know Carter?
Pretty well.
How come your face is
saying not well enough?
Well, when a bad actress
gets the lead role,
don't you wonder?
Allison?
Yeah.
Don't you wonder?
You are really something,
Cheryl Belson from Mississippi.
You sure stir up a pot.
Oh, no, Joyce, I didn't mean--
Dance up a storm, Joyce.
Open up that restaurant, Joyce.
Figure out that Shakespeare,
get up on that stage, Joyce.
Look at your boyfriend,
see who he is, Joyce.
Know what you want, know
what you really want!
God, you ask a
lot out of people!
Joyce, that's not--
ugh.
Ben, it's been over
a half a year now.
It only took three
months to make the call
on Ithaca and New Bedford.
Are you sure you're not
letting a little hometown
sentiment cloud your vision?
Richard, I don't know
if it's clouding my vision
or giving it clarity.
Look, I want to
reinvest in Lincoln.
Modernize.
I think if we put enough
money into this plant,
it can turn a
profit in 18 months.
Why would I want to risk that
kind of financial exposure?
Because I know the
people who work in Lincoln.
They are literally giving their
lives to keep this place open.
I think we should match
that effort with our own,
give them a fighting chance.
You close that place,
that town will die.
And the people will
get severance, extended
health, job placement programs.
Ben, it's the numbers.
No, it's not numbers.
It's lives.
It's people's lives,
thousands of people.
Look maybe it was
a little unfair of me
to send you back into your own
home town with this mission,
but Lincoln's failure
was not my doing.
Economics is second only
to a force of nature.
My decision to
close that plant is
only a reaction to
something that has
already happened on its own.
[phone ringing]
BEN CAMERON [ON ANSWERING
MACHINE]: Hi, this is Ben.
Leave a message, and I'll call
you back as soon as I can.
Thank you.
[beep]
BEN CAMERON [ON
ANSWERING MACHINE]:
Ben, you understood
going in that we
probably were going to have
to close the Lincoln plant.
Now, accounting is telling
us we have to shut down
more abruptly than we thought.
We're rerouting orders.
As of now, Lincoln is a
liability every moment
it stays in operation.
Don't disappoint me, Ben.
Ben, you understood
going in that we
probably were going to have
to close the Lincoln plant.
Now, accounting is telling
us we have to shut down
more abruptly than we thought.
[car door shutting]
[house door being unlocked]
Hey.
Hey.
This is a surprise
RICHARD [ON ANSWERING MACHINE]:
Ben, you understood going in
that we probably
were going to have
to close the Lincoln plant.
Now, accounting is telling us
we have to shut down more--
I asked you to feed the fish,
not to listen to my messages.
I was not listening
to your messages.
I was cleaning your
tank, and I happened
to overhear that message.
Who are you?
- What?
Are you the prodigal son that
comes back to save the town--
What are you talking about?
--and has a secret agenda
held to the last second?
You know, wait a second.
I don't know how you
could be party to this.
All these people
are your friends,
not to mention your family.
I know that!
Don't you think I know that?
You think this is easy for me?
I close this place down, that's
1,000 people out of work.
There are only 6,000
people in this town.
Well, then, don't do it.
Just quit.
It won't do any good.
Quit.
And do what,
express my sympathy
by living in a ghost town?
Quit!
You don't know anything!
You know, you come
here, you think this
is some charming little place!
- Oh.
Fine.
How charming is it going
to be when everyone in it
is out of work,
and on food stamps?
How charming will it be when
you have to hire a steel
worker as your gardener?
You know, why don't you
stick your little telethons,
and you won't get
your hands dirty?
If that's who you think I am,
then I guess that's who I am.
I got it.
Be with you in a sec.
Joyce.
We got a meat loaf special
tonight. $4.99 with super
salad.
Joyce.
Beverage included.
So what'll be?
I don't have all night.
I didn't mean to hurt you.
God, I say that a lot.
I don't know what
you're talking about.
OK.
I need to make a call.
Do you mind if I use your phone?
Fran, it's me.
And what was in that
horrible little town
that you can't find here?
Nothing.
Fran, I'm going to tell you
something, and then let's
not talk about it anymore, OK?
I suppose.
I caught Ryan
with my stand-in.
Caught?
As in the biblical sense caught?
That's right.
Well, the guy's a pig anyway.
You want me to dump him?
No.
Is there a guy in Hicksville?
No.
Then, what did you
do for two weeks?
Got a job at a steel mill.
You're yanking
my chain, right?
No, I was a nurse.
And when I tried out for
a play, didn't get cast.
We, uh, pushed back
the Vanity Fair shoot,
but the Albert Brooks film
isn't going to happen for us.
They went with
Michelle Pfeiffer.
Ah.
I said they went
with Michelle Pfeiffer.
I heard you.
Instead of you.
I know.
Don't worry about it.
You know, Sydney,
you might want
to schedule another
session with that shrink.
And I probably made the
biggest mistake of my life.
Boy, this is going
to be a doozie.
What?
Oh, never mind.
[phone ringing]
BEN CAMERON [ON ANSWERING
MACHINE]: Hi, this is Ben.
Leave a message, and I'll call
you back as soon as I can.
Thank you.
RICHARD [ON ANSWERING
MACHINE]: Ben,
I've left two messages already.
They say you're not at the
plant, and we need to talk.
Ben, I repeat, we need to talk.
No.
Yeah, I understand--
- Sydney!
- --Dick.
That's what I thought.
If you could put that
information together for me,
that would be great.
I'll call you back.
You have no idea what
you put us through.
We've been worried sick.
Yeah, well, I just
needed some time to think.
Don't ever do a thing
like that to us again.
I want you to promise me that.
I missed you so much.
You missed me.
You kidding?
It was agony.
Fran and I are hosting
this party just to show you
happy we are that you're back.
I, uh-- I made some changes I
thought you'd be happy with.
We can look at that later.
Right now, we have
a wedding to plan,
and this will play in decisions,
and you know me, [inaudible].
Ryan, there's not
going to be a wedding.
What do you mean?
This is not easy to say.
I don't love you.
Actually, that was
pretty easy to say.
Yeah.
Sydney, our plans.
Oh, this isn't about me
and your stand-in, is it?
Because that was nothing.
Sydney, we have a wedding, OK?
There are 1,000 guests.
Ryan, I don't love you.
What else can I say?
You mean it?
Yeah.
OK, fine.
How do you want the publicist to
handle the spin on this thing?
We'll tell them you dumped me.
We will?
Great!
But I guess you won't
be doing my script now?
We'll see.
Oh, yeah!
What was I thinking?
- How did he take it?
- He was crushed.
What a truly
sensitive human being.
Sydney!
Snappers!
OK, the trades are here.
They just want to
take a few pictures.
Oh, this is nice.
This is a nice background.
Gentlemen, shoot the star.
Well, uh, it's
been about six months
since I came back home
to run this place.
I jumped at the chance.
I grew up here.
You guys are my friends,
my father's friends.
I knew that, together, we'd
put up a hell of a fight,
because I know what
you're made of.
Well, I haven't been
totally honest with you.
You see, uh, this plant was
slated to be closed down
long before I ever got here.
I know that's true,
because it was my job
to close it, not to run it--
to shut it down.
I just thought that, uh, if
we had a little more time,
I could straighten
things out, but that's
not what they pay me for.
You see, New York pays me a lot
of money to shut down plants.
You all did the best you could.
It's not your fault. It's
my fault. I thought I
could save it, but I couldn't.
And I'm sorry.
Uh, Dick and I will be getting
to the various departments
about the shutdown.
That's it.
You did your best, Ben.
They'll figure that
out eventually.
Sydney, darling, I'm so
sorry about what happened.
We sent out search parties.
No, no, no, no, it's OK.
I was out of line.
- You're joking with me, right?
- No.
I'm really sorry.
Listen, Monday, I have a
very important meeting.
Can we have a later call?
Yes.
We're in the studio.
Make it a 5 o'clock call.
I love you.
I'll be on my toes for
the Geppetto factor, Sydney.
It was the Geppetto
factor, I think.
Yes.
It doesn't look
anything like her.
How we supposed to know?
I'm telling you, she
stood right in my kitchen.
Yeah, well, she kissed me.
That was artificial
respiration, you idiot.
You're just jealous.
Of what?
She pulled a splinter
out of my butt.
Yeah, well, in Hollywood,
I'll bet that's one thing she'd
have used her stunt double for.
Yeah, they would have
used a stunt butt for Otis.
Otis is a stump butt.
What's that supposed to mean?
Hey, Ben.
Get my lawyers and
accountants on the phone.
I want a meeting this weekend.
Lawyers, this weekend?
Yeah, this weekend.
Yeah, right.
Dooley's.
Joyce?
Don't hang up on me.
I won't hang up on you.
How are you?
Well, we're knee deep,
to tell you the truth.
The plant closed down today.
Yeah, I know.
Damn it, Cheryl--
Sydney, whatever-- why
didn't you just tell me?
I would have gotten you on
the phone with My mother.
It would have made her day.
Because I liked Cheryl Belson
better than Sydney Clarke, OK?
Well, we like them both.
Who cares if you're famous?
Well, for starters, the
600 people in my living room.
Is Matt Damon there?
As a matter of fact, yes.
Oh!
Why didn't you just tell me?
I could have called my sister.
She's a Sydney Clarke freak.
OK.
OK, so I'm the last one to know.
Big deal.
You OK?
I think I knew about
Carter all along.
I just-- I just didn't
want to believe it.
We never do.
Well, it, uh, made me
do a lot of thinking.
About what?
About want.
No, sorry.
Want!
Is that better?
That a girl.
I've been doing a lot
of thinking myself.
About Ben?
Yeah.
I messed up, Joyce.
Well, yeah, you know, Ben
kept the plant going a while
after the death sentence.
Have you seen him?
Yeah, I'm looking
at him right now.
Well, I've got to tell
you, he looks like hell.
Sydney, Fran says you
have a houseful of guys.
She'd like you to
come right away.
Joyce, I've got
to go, but I'll
call you back real soon, OK?
OK.
Bye.
Bye.
Ben, you ever wonder why
people sit in an audience?
Well, I'll tell you why.
Because a character's
got a big want, right?
You know, like you and me?
So you gotta decide what it
is you want, and how much.
And that's all I got to say.
OK?
OK.
Did I make any sense at all?
Yeah.
Good.
Cut!
Sydney, where are you going?
Aren't you supposed to
be shutting down the mill?
I quit.
Big risk.
It's worth it.
I'll do anything
for what I want.
What do you want, Ben?
I want my fish to get better.
I want you.
I want you, too.
Sydney, we have
a movie to make.
Do you mind?
If you quit again--
Can't quit, Harry.
I need the money.
I bought a steel mill.
You what?
Me, and about 20 other people.
I'm looking for the
right guy to run it.
Cut!
Never thought I'd see that.
We're back!
Bump-ba-da-da!
Da-da-da-da-da.
Rah!
Rah!
It's officially yours.
Da-da-dum!
Yum-bum-bum!
ALL: Da!
Whoo!
Yes!
Look after the old
homestead, buddy.
[music playing]
I love my new house!
I love New England!
Oh, I hate my cell phone.
Hello?
FRAN [ON PHONE]: Syd, it's me.
It's heating up.
I've sent you a script.
I want you to read
it over the weekend.
It's a comedy.
It's a comedy.
That's great.
I'll read it right away.
And Fran, after today, I won't
have a cell phone anymore.
ALL: What?
Now, where were we?
Remind me.
[music playing]