The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) - full transcript

Stage 5.

Well, Mr. amiel is on the camera
boom rehearsin' right now.

Very nice.

Say, honey, could you put
that other hand up

around your throat? That's good.

- That's better.
- Telephone, Mr. amiel.

Transatlantic, Paris.
Jonathan shields callin' you.

Who? = Jonathan shields.

- Number one!
- Bring the boom back to one.

I'm sorry, Mr. amiel just left.

Hello? Yes. Yes!



Who? One moment, please.

- Miss Georgia!
- Yes, ilda.

It's Paris, France. It's him!

I can't hear you.

It's Mr. Jonathan!
Jonathan shields.

I still can't hear you.

Miss lorrison is out.

No, I don't know.

Uh-uh, no. I don't know where.

No, I don't know who...

Nor where, nor what.

Out is out!

Hello.

What?



Talk a little louder, please.
This is a bad connection.

Yes, this is James Lee bartlow.

Paris?

Mr. shields?

Oh. Is Mr. shields
paying for this call?

Put him on.

Hello, Jonathan?

Drop dead.

Wonderful.

Hello, hello, hello.

- Hi, Harry.
- Harry, how are you?

- Well, Georgia.
- Harry.

You know, the five years
since my 60th birthday

I've been kissed by
more beautiful women

than in all the years before.

That's something you youngsters
wouldn't know

anything about, isn't it?

Well, nice to see you.

That waistline is down
where was years ago.

I see you're still
keeping the same long hours.

A little bit of that,
you know, uh, midnight oil.

Good to see you, Jim.

You know, you can always
tell a successful author

by a cashmere jacket.

Well, I'm trying to develop
a wardrobe like yours, Harry.

After all, you're known as
the bull brown of the pictures.

Georgia, darling.
Come over and sit down.

Freddie, take this chair, huh.

Jim, congratulations on your,
uh, pulitzer,

pulitzer,
whatever they call it, prize.

Thanks, Harry.

Caught your picture
the other night, Fred.

- Great as usual.
- Thank you, Harry.

And you, my pretty one,
you really made me cry.

Well, then have I
flattered you enough?

And so here is why I asked you

to come here
in the middle of the night.

Why, uh,
Jonathan called you today.

Jim he told me
that you told him to drop dead.

Is that pulitzer,
pulitzer language?

James Lee never
wrote a better line.

Well, here it is.

After two years Jonathan's
ready to produce a picture.

He wants you to write it,
you to direct and you to star.

Now, on the name
Jonathan shields

it's impossible
to raise five cents.

But on Fred amiel

Georgia lorrison,
James Lee bartlow

I can raise two million dollars
by tomorrow noon.

I'm not going to
beg you to say "yes,"

I've had two years
of begging for Jonathan

and that's enough.

I know you'll never
work with him again.

But he can't seem
to get it through his head.

Please.
A favor to me, not to him.

Will you give me your answer
while I get him on the phone?

Good.

Get me
the transatlantic operator.

Tell him we're ready to talk
with Jonathan shields in Paris

as soon a she can get him.

- Yes, sir.
- Thank you.

I know you'll never
work with him again.

And I don't blame you.
Why should you?

You've done
enough for him already...

And vice versa maybe.

Fred, you knew him first.

You must have known him
for what, 15 or 16...

Eighteen years.

Eighteen years
ago at that funeral.

That guy standing next to me.

How was I supposed to know
who he was?

We are met, my
friends, on a solemn occasion.

This man, Hugo shields,

whose memory
we all Cherish in our hearts,

whose loss we mourn so deeply.

Hugo shields,
one of the pioneers

who built our great
motion-picture industry.

One of the madmen
who almost wrecked it.

A man of vision.

An artist, who created
in a new medium.

A butcher who sold everything
but the pig's whistle.

Hugo shields brought
entertainment to millions.

He will never be forgotten.

Stay in line and take it easy.
You'll get your dough.

Take it easy.

Thank you, Mr. shields.

You're shields?

You were hired
to give a performance.

Eleven dollars
to act like a mourner.

You didn't do your job,
you don't get paid. Next.

Next!

That afternoon I drove
into the Hollywood Hills.

I just had to, I guess.

It's me, big mouth.

Did you come for a fight
or for your 11 bucks?

The things I said at the funeral
they were childish and cheap.

I'm sorry.

- Wait a minute.
- Huh, what is it?

Are you in the business? = yeah.

What do you do?

Um, little bit of everything,
assistant director

on poverty row,
four-day quickies

sold a couple of story ideas.

To eat, I work as an extra.
I do a little stunt work.

What I aim to be, is a director.

What's stopping you?

Well, I know I can direct better

than most of the hacks
that I work for.

The trouble is when it comes
to selling myself

you know, telling people
how good I am

I, uh, I get tongue-tied.

I'm not that tongue-tied
with you.

You are looking for a job?
= yeah.

So aml.

Come on in.

If my father had died last year,
I'd be a millionaire.

A year from now,
he'd have put up a new studio

for me to inherit but

this was the year,
so I don't have a dime.

Who paid the crowd
at the funeral?

That was the last of the cash.

He lived in a crowd. I couldn't
let him be buried alone.

Thanks.

Oh, the, uh, best legal counsel
advised me to change my name.

Because the town thought
your father was a heel?

He wasn't a heel.

He was the heel.

Ah, we couldn't stand living
in the same town together

but I liked him a lot.

He made great pictures.
So will I.

You haven't
got much to begin with.

No, he brought me up
to start at the top.

Say, uh..
How do you start at the bottom?

Are you, uh,
gonna change your name?

- Change it?
- Hmm.

I'm gonna ram the name
of shields down their throats.

Where are you living?

Until they kick me
out, this is my bed and board.

Come on.

Oh, by the way,
my name is Fred amiel.

Eighteen years ago,
living was cheap in this town

but jobs were sky-high.

Particularly if your name
was shields.

Some days we'd hit
with a quickie

or a western on poverty row
and eat well.

Okay, boys. Let's go.

Grab that one.

And some nights we played.

We crashed
only the very best parties.

If the actor counts five between
each word, he is a good actor.

If he counts ten, he's great!
As for directing?

Ha! When you film it like that,
you do it in the cutting room.

Some man is in love,
cut into a cactus.

The women goes crazy,
fade into a wheel.

Montage, montage, montage!
But where is your story?

Alright, alright, so I
won't argue with you, but look.

I'm taking off my agent's hat

and puttin' on
my friendship hat.

And as friend to friend,
I tell you that this boy

can be the biggest explosion
that ever hit this town.

He could be your next
Victor ribera.

Im that moon above jj

jm makes me need j'j

jy someone like you jj

jm to love jj

jj blame your kiss jj

I as sweet as a kiss can be jj

j& and blame all your charms jj

jj that melt in my arms jj

im butdon't blame me... jj

now I've got a full house and
you can't have four of a kind.

No, that could never happen.

Not even
in one of your b pictures!

Harry, I think you're bluffin'.

Put up or shut up.

Money talks, and I've got money.
I raise you 500.

Right back at you.

Five, and five more.

Call.

Four fours? = mm-mm.

Harry, when did you
begin to tell the truth?

Don't tell me today.
What time today?

J& and blame all your charms jj

jj that melt in my arms jj

jm butdon't blame me j'j

You know, that Harry pebbel's
a great poker player.

Yeah.

But my father
could beat him every time

and I could always
beat my father.

Now to get in a game like that,
all I need is a...

- You're crazy!
- No, I mean it.

All I need
is a few hundred dollars

for my first stack of chips.

What's a few
hundred dollars fo raise

when four substantial citizens
pool their resources?

Came the dawn.

- Goodnight, gentlemen.
- Goodnight.

- Jonathan!
- How much did you win?

- Five hundred?
- Seven fifty.

A thousand?
= more than that. Six thousand.

- Jonathan!
- I lost.

To be exact, I lost $6,351.

- Who won?
- Harry pebbel.

Harry pebbel.

Harry, I admit it. I
lost the money and I owe it to you.

I wish I could pay you, Harry.

I know it's breaking your heart.

I could give you an iou.

Yeah, what would I do with it?

You don't run this studio,
Harry,

but you are
an executive producer.

- B pictures, it's true.
- They make money.

You have four producers
in your unit, why not five?

If you put me on,
say at $300 a week

I could pay you off, slowly,
but surely.

Six thousand three hundred
and fifty one dollars.

- Alright, you got the job.
- I thought so.

Oh, so you're a genius boy, huh?

You think you blackmailed me!

Harry, that's a horrid word.

Well, get this. My unit
turns out 18 pictures a year.

I cry for ideas.
If you'd have sweat out a story

for me the way you sweat out
losing that $6,351 dollars

I'd have hired you anyway.

Why didn't you come to me
in the first place?

What are you, proud?

I tried to see you, Harry.
I couldn't get in.

Do you know who gave me
my first job?

- My father.
- Yes, and you're just like him.

Got to angle everything
the cute way.

Look, I'll pay you off
a hundred a week.

I wouldn't take a dime.

Just bring me a picture
I can shoot, genius boy.

You're alright, Harry.
One day, you'll work for me.

Get me, uh, get me
Joe clareton in publicity.

And meanwhile, I need an office
with a desk for my assistant.

"Shields. Amiel."

That's a big dream, Jonathan.

If you dream, dream big.

Meanwhile, children,
beginning this week

you'll be drawing a modest check
each and every Thursday.

It's time you two made it legal.

Tell him he's crazy, Kay.

You're crazy.
= tell him I'm not.

He's not.

Oh, I just happen
to have a ring with me.

Uh, Syd Murphy knows a friend
who knows a jeweler.

Shall we?

Tell him yes, Kay.

He said to tell me yes.

Hey, she says "yes" very nicely.

The next few
years, Jonathan shields

produced a 11 pictures
for Harry pebbel.

B pictures.

I directed the third
and five more after that.

We weren't really picturemakers

we were, uh,
second-hand dealers.

But we learned our trade.

Then, one cloudy day,
Harry pebbel

assigned us
a little horror called

the doom of the cat men.

This the sort of thing
you had in mind?

Of course,
they need freshening up

they've been hanging
for quite a while.

- I can't get into this thing.
- Don't worry about it.

If they don't
turn around too much

a little muslin here
will cover it up fine.

This is a matter of fitting.
We take care of that.

We have a whole department
for that.

This, this may be a problem
unless you get a thinner man.

You see,
this material is imported.

We can't get it anymore. But
don't let that be an obstacle.

Here, the perfect fit.

This will give you
the full effect.

You see, lots of character
and detail. Plenty of fright.

Need a little puffing up,
but it'll be alright.

Of course, you got to
visualize it in the lights,

you got to use your imagination.

Shoulder pads
will straighten it right out.

This will give you the effect.
It'll be good.

- What if...
- Suppose we...

Look, put five men dressed

like cats on the screen,
what do they look like?

Like five men dressed like cats.

When an audience pays to see
a picture like this

what do they pay for?

Well, to get the pants
scared off 'em.

And what scares the human race

more than
any other single thing?

- The dark.
- Of course, and why?

Because the dark
has a life of its own.

In the dark,
all sorts of things come alive.

Suppose, suppose we never do
show the cat men.

- Is that what you're thinking?
- Exactly.

No cat men!

Alright.

Now, what'll we put
on the screen that'll make

the backs of their necks crawl?

Two eyes shining in the dark.

A dog frightened,
growling, showing its fangs.

A bird, its neck broken,
feathers torn from its throat.

A little girl screaming,
claw marks down her cheeks.

Ah, cut!

Okay, boys, new deal.
Wrap it up!

Come on, get that boom light...

This is my first star!
I want to give you...

The night of the sneak preview

Harry pebbel
still hadn't seen the picture.

Jonathan and I
had made sure of that.

- Hurry, hurry.
- Now, sir.

It stinks, one. Fair, eight.

Good, 24. Very good, 47.

See, we've never had
cards like this before.

Give us more like this one.

Excellent, 34. Outstanding, 17.

Ooh, boy, wait till
I place these around

the executive dining room.
That'll show 'em.

What Harry pebbel can do.

Be at my office at 10:00
in the morning sharp,

I'll give you
your next assignment.

You did alright on this one,
genius boy.

Look, I did better than alright,
I did a great job at producing.

Tell 'em that
in the executive dining.

Oh, when you do
remember the name "shields"

is not spelled p-e-b-b-e-l.

I don't want to give you
too much credit.

Just enough to make you
hungry for more.

See, by the way, my name
is spelled a-m-i-e-l.

Huh?

I was thinking
of taking a small bow myself.

A small bow!
That never helped anybody.

Get this straight, Fred,
we're building the name shields.

Shields productions,
that's the name

we're gonna ram down
their throats,

and it's big enough
for both of us.

Yeah, I know, Jonathan.
= look what we did on this one.

We took a five-cent story,
a ten-cent budget

on a two-cent leading man,
and we put it over.

Yes, sir, we're gettin' to
know our business, son.

- Yes, mother.
- Come on.

Let's go back
and get my car, huh.

You know, Fred,
when I work on a picture

it's like romancing a girl.

You see her, you want her,
you go after her.

The big moment.
Then, the letdown.

Every time, every picture,
the after-picture blues.

Don't worry. Someday, you'll
learn to love 'em and leave 'em.

You think so?

Hey.

Where are you goin'?
Why are you turning off here?

This you got to see.

"Crow's nest."

George lorrison built this.

This is where he died.

I wouldn't have missed it for
anything. Can we go home now?

Come on.

So this is how
actors used to live, huh.

Cheerful little place, isn't it?

Now, if we can just find out
where he keeps the boiling oil.

Mm, the rumpus room.

Jonathan.

Jonathan, will you please
tell me what we're doing here?

Are you scouting a location?

Yeah, sure, that's it, for our
next Harry pebbel production.

It could be, uh,
the bat men fly again

or how about mama vampire and
her three little bloodsuckers.

We don't even have to
show the little...

Hold this.

Lorrison's idea of my old man.

Lorrison's last three pictures
were for my father.

He gave me my first drink
when I was 13.

My first cigar at 14.

And when I was 15...

He taught me the facts of life.

Ah.

He was a great actor.

And a great man.

He was a rat and a drunk.

- Who are you?
- His daughter.

I didn't know he had one.

Neither did he, half the time.

- What are you doing up there?
- Oh, get out.

"A rat and a drunk,”
what kind of a way is that

to talk about your father?

Well, he was my father.

Now, will you
shut up and leave me alone?

Go on, blow.

Somebody ought to tan your rear!

You wanna try it?

I changed my mind.

Now, will you get outta here?

Go on, get out!

The next morning,
Jonathan received the news

of our next assignment.

Did you see Harry?

Uh huh.

Well, what's our next picture?

Get a good grip on yourself.

You ready? = uh-huh.

Our next picture will be
the son of the cat men.

That settles it.

The time has come.

The faraway mountain.
It's a great book.

Three studios tried to lick it
and couldn't.

Well, I can!

Here's my outline,
scene for scene.

Right, you know what
Harry pebble will say.

Yeah. "Look, I've told you
a hundred times, genius boy.

"I don't want to win
awards, I want to make pictures

that end with a kiss
and black ink on the books."

Jonathan...
Jonathan, this is my baby.

I found it and I licked it.

I've been nursing it along
till I was sure

that we could handle it.
Well, now I'm sure.

Remember what you said
last night?

We've practiced long enough.
It's time we made one for real.

Of course, it should be made
on a million dollar budget

and it cries to be shot
on location down in veracruz.

But you producing
and me directing

we can make it on a Harry pebbel
budget and still do it right.

You know, for a guy
who's tongue-tied

when he tries to sell himself...

Oh, I could always talk to you.

You really want to do this one,
don't you, Fred?

I want to direct it so much,
I can taste it.

Alright, let's do it.

Let's do it.

I've told you a 100 times,
I don't want to win awards.

Give me pictures
that end with a kiss

and black ink in the books.

I'll make this picture, Harry,
or I'll quit.

This is my baby.
I found it, and I licked it.

I want to produce it so much
I can taste it!

And I'm handing it to you,
Harry pebble,

father of
the son of the cat men.

Do I produce the faraway
mountain or don't 1?

Alright, genius boy.

You've got it coming to you.

Make it and hang yourself.

You feel that way about it
why don't you fire me

and get it over with?

Oh, no, I know the talk
around the studio.

They say that I need you...
That you do all the work

and I get all the credit.

You think I don't know anything.

Well I know one thing...

Every studio in town
turned this stinker down.

Go ahead, make it.

It'll lay such a bomb
that you'll never

get another job
in this industry.

Will I let you produce it?

You're on suspension
if you don't.

I had thought
my "faraway mountain”

outline was perfect. After
three weeks with Jonathan

it was twice as good.

We worked day and night. Kay
kept the coffee hot and handy.

And as Jonathan
shaped our material

I saw the birth of what
Hollywood later came to call

"the shields touch,
Jonathan's magic."

Our toughest problem
was a leading man.

On a Harry pebbel budget, a top
star was out of the question.

So I directed tests,
a dozen tests.

Action.

So you are Theresa.

And I find you just as your
brother told me I would,

alone in the great house

silent, proud, and beautiful.

What is it?
Are you afraid of me?

Since I don't wear
a stiff suit and tight collar...

Switch over to the next one.

Action.

So you are Theresa.

And I find you just as
your brother told me I would,

alone in the great house,
proud, silent, and beautiful.

Who's the girl?

Douvane promised that
she could make a test with him.

What did she promise?
Who is she?

George lorrison's daughter.

Oh.
Why didn't you shoot her face?

She was drunk.

Cut.

This is murder.
Syd, let's have that list again.

You're the director,
pick your poison.

- Jonathan...
- Hmm?

What about Victor ribera? = oh.

- Gaucho?
- Mm. Why not?

Sure you'd like him.
= who wouldn't?

- Let's have that list, now.
- Why can't we get gaucho?

Because he's a Latin lover, and
this is the year for Latin love.

The whole town's
crying to get him.

You wouldn't stand a chance.

How do we know
until we've tried?

Maybe you could talk him
into it, Jonathan.

Syd, what would appeal
to a guy like that?

- Gaucho?
- Yeah.

Well, if I know gaucho...

I'll drive.

Im you smile jj

jj luring me on jj

js my heart was gone jj

jy you were temptation jj

jj if you were willing ;'7

im if it can never be jj

jj pity me... jj

Jonathan forgot one thing.

He forgot he couldn't drink.

Nice boy.

But does he always take on
so much altitude?

Well, he's been working
night and day for three weeks.

Besides which,
he hardly ever drinks.

Mm.

He wants me to make a picture?
= yeah.

Then why does he go to
all this lovely trouble?

I'm a very simple man.

I read, what I like, I act.

What I do not like,
I do not act.

Very simple.

A conference was being
held in Harry pebbel's office

to discuss production plans
for the faraway mountain.

The suspense was killing me.

Don't worry so much.

- Yes, Mr. pebbel?
- You can go to lunch now.

Thank you.

Why don't you
take a look in there?

I'm sure it doesn't matter.

No, I think I'll stay out here
and be a nervous character.

- Well, good luck.
- Thanks, honey.

Jonathan...

What happened?
Didn't he go for gaucho?

Go for him? He had a hemorrhage!

The first time a star
ever said he'd

shine in
a Harry pebbel picture...

I'll say this for Harry.
He went to bat for us.

He slugged it out
with the front office!

Fred, the faraway mountain
is gonna be done

just the way we want it,
a million-dollar budget.

Location in veracruz.
Von ellstein to direct.

Uh, gaucho. Wendy for the girl.

Lance Chapman for my cameraman.

- Von ellstein to direct?
- Well, you're taken care of.

Harry agreed, it-it won't be
a separate panel

but your name
will be on the screen

assistant to the producer.

- Thanks.
- Oh, Fred.

You know this story
better than anyone else.

It's your baby. Look, I want you
with me on the set all the time.

You don't have to talk
to Von ellstein.

Any ideas you have,
you tell me and I'll tell him.

Thanks again.
Von ellstein to direct?

You always said
he was the best in the business.

Sure he is.

Fred, I'd rather hurt you now
than kill you off forever.

You're just not ready to direct
a million-dollar picture.

But you're ready to produce
a million-dollar picture?

With Von ellstein, I am.

You're stealing my picture. It
was my idea. I gave it to you.

Without me,
it would have stayed an idea.

Alright, Jonathan,
let's put it this way.

You gave me your word.

So I did.

Jonathan, just got the starting
date from the front office

two weeks from Monday
you leave for veracruz.

Mr. Von elistein, I'll get you
a reservation a week early.

Right. Mr. shields,
I'll tell you a secret.

I don't like producers,

but for a man
who hands me such a script, eh

for him it'll be a pleasure
to break my rule.

Today, I shall buy a producer
lunch, Mr. shields, eh?

- Am I included?
- By all means, no.

Mr. shields, today, I see what
I thought I would never see.

A script prepared by a producer
who thinks like a director.

For 13 years,
I've been making pictures...

Goodbye, Jonathan.
= oh, Fred, I...

So long, Fred.

And this is the first time
I've found a script

I can direct exactly as it is.

Shot by shot. Shot by shot.

I always said the boy
was a genius.

What are you looking
at, the Oscar he got

for the faraway mountain?

Oh, I know what you have
against Jonathan,

and no wonder.

Look what he did to you, Fred.

He brushed you off his coat-tail

so you had to stand
on your own two feet.

And all you've got
in the world is one wife

six kids, two academy awards

and every studio in town
after you.

Why, Jonathan ruined you!

Look what he did to me.

I gave him his chance
to do the faraway mountain.

And what does he do, four months
later, his contract's up

and he walks out of the studio.

And I go right with him.

I know how you feel about him,
Georgia.

After all, you're a woman
and an actress.

The first time I saw Jonathan,

I wasn't a woman,
I wasn't an actress.

The next time I saw him,
five years later,

I wasn't an actress,
I was a nothing.

We're through for today.
If you step outside

we'll sign you off.
Nine o'clock people,

please remain,
we'll need you in the background

for this next close-up.

Following people, on your way
out, please report to wardrobe.

- Uh, Mr. amiel?
- Yeah, what is it, Georgia?

I'm sorry to bother you

but I'd like to sign out early
if I could.

They're casting a bit
at shields.

If I could get there by 3:00...

Uh, go ahead,
you haven't got much time.

- Good luck.
- Thanks, Mr. amiel.

Gus drove me over.
He waited while I changed.

There were few agents in town
with fewer clients than Gus.

He was the kind of agent
who handled only bit players

and who never could get into
a major producer's office.

Gus is still my agent.

Alright, girls,
will you come in, please?

Let's line up right across here.
That's right.

You stand here, you over here.

Honey, will you come down here?

Thank you.

Now, Mr. shields, these are
the girls for the drugstore bit.

- How about the newborn baby?
- Four here at 3:45.

Well, girls, uh, Mr. shields
Mr. pebbel, and Mr. mcdill.

How do you do?

You're the director. The girl
on the end alright with you?

Georgia?

Yeah, sure.

- You're it.
- Thank you.

Alright, girls,
will you come with me, please?

My call came two days later.

By then,
I'd memorized my one line.

I'll wait.

Read any... good books lately?

- Cut.
- How was it?

- Is that alright with you?
- Take it again?

Alright, once again, boys!
Here we go!

How's the makeup?

- Alright. Here we go.
- Try it again.

Alright, roll 'em.

Speed. = action.

I'll wait.

Read any good books lately?

- Cut!
- How was it?

Okay.

Print that. Let's have a test.

- Move in for a close-up.
- Alright, new deal, boys.

Your door was unlocked.

For a one day bit, you sure
expect a lot of company.

For the kind of company
you're talking about,

I don't have to trot over here
at 4:00 in the morning.

All I have to do
is pick up a phone.

Well, pick one up!

You were under contract
to al cope.

- Can you hear me?
- Yes.

You were under contract,
weren't you?

Three years ago, for six months.

Until they found out they had
another cluck on their hands.

Did you ever play
a real part in a picture?

Last year I played the
lead in a little epic

called jungle tigress.

I ran it. You played
straight man to a chimpanzee.

I've been trying to find...

I've been tryin' to find
one decent foot of film on you.

- Is there any?
- Yes.

That one line
I did for you yesterday.

That was good.

But it's not enough to go by.

I want you to make
a test for me.

Alright, Mr. shields.

Isn't this scene supposed
to go something like this?

I'll make a test for you,
and you'll be good to me

and I'll be good to you.

Oh, who's kidding who?
It's 4:00 in the morning.

As for the test,
I don't want it.

I wouldn't be any good anyway.

Just a waste of good film.

But... you're a nice-looking guy

and you did go
to a lot of trouble.

And it's getting late,
so shall I turn out the light?

You're very generous.

Too generous.

You're a lorrison, alright.

The queen, my lord, is dead.

She should have died hereafter.

There would have been a time
for such a word.

Tomorrow and tomorrow
and tomorrow

creeps in this petty pace
from day to day

to the last syllable
of recorded time.

And all our yesterdays
have lighted fools

the way to dusty death.

Out, out, brief candle.

Life's but a walking shadow.

A poor player
that struts and frets

his hour upon the stage...

Oh, will you turn that off
and get out!

I wanna get some sleep.

It is a tale told by an idiot.

Full of sound and fury,
signifying...

Nothing.

I said "turn it off!" I don't
wanna hear it! I hate him!

Make up your mind, you hate him

and you build
this shrine to him.

He died over ten years ago

and you've been holding your own
private wake ever since.

You can't be a star
in a cemetery.

Oh, stop pitching!

Can't you get it through your
head I'm one girl

who doesn't wanna be a star?

Because he was a drunk,
you're a drunk!

'Cause he loved women,
you're a tramp!

But you forget one thing...

He did it with style.

And you...

Put that down.

How many times did you try
to commit suicide?

Twice. I told you
to put that pipe down!

Too sacred to touch?

Don't waste any sleep over me,
Mr. shields.

The last time
I tried to commit suicide

was six months ago.

There won't be any next time.
= won't there?

No.

People who knew
my father give me...

Give me extra work
and a line to say now and then.

I drink what I want...

And see who I want.

Who knows?

Someday I may even get married.

To a nice upright
assistant assistant.

And make him miserable
for the rest of his life...

Because you're a lorrison.

Haunted, born to live
by make-believe.

Look at you, you're acting now.

Playing the doomed daughter
of the great man.

Well, let me tell you something,

the acting isn't good enough.

It's a cheap performance
of a bit player, not a star.

And that's all it'll ever be,
until you can

pull yourself out of this tomb!

Until you can see people
as they really are.

Yourself as you really are!

Until you can do this
to your father's picture.

And laugh the way
he would have laughed!

That's not a god talking,
Georgia, that's only a man!

Out!

You!

Ugh!

Miss lorrison! Miss lorrison!

You better tell her
it's alright.

It's alright, Mrs. curry.

Goodnight, Georgia.

Goodnight.

It takes two hours to
get ready for a screen test.

Two very early
in the morning hours.

Hello, honey. Here you are.

- Let's run the scene again.
- Thanks, Gus.

"Li think you understand.”

You mean you're through with me.
This is the end.

"To put it, bluntly...”

It means that little to you?

"Look, my dear. We are two...

"Look, my dear.
We are two civilized people.

Let us act
like civilized people.”

They told me about you.

I didn't believe them.
You hear...

- "But you're everything.”
- Oh, yeah.

Uh, uh, but you're everything
they said.

You hear evil. You see evil.

You speak evil. You are evil.

Fine. Fine.

Let's run it again, honey.
Here..

- Okay.
- Alright.

To put it bluntly.

It means that little to you?

Look, my dear.
We're two civilized people.

Let us act
like civilized people.

They told me
about you. I didn't believe them.

But you're everything they said.

You hear evil. You see evil.
You speak evil.

You are evil!

What do you think?

Well?

My dear
Jonathan, since you've paid me

a hundred thousand dollars
to direct this picture,

quite a lot of pound Sterling,

presumably, you want
my kind of picture.

With this girl,
I tell you, flatly

it will not
be my kind of picture.

- She's impossible.
- Quite.

She's wooden, gauche,
artificial.

Completely out of the question.

Quite.

Syd?

Jonathan, since you hired me,
partly to "yes" you...

You're fired. = she stinks.

You're hired.

Harry?

I know we can get her
for nothing.

For nothing you get nothing.
She's nothing.

There were few agents in town

with fewer clients than Gus...

But the few he had he knew well.

Well, I told you
not to waste your film.

Gus, check with Harry pebbel.
He's drawing up the contracts.

She's in? = of course.

You mean you're gonna give
her a part?

The part.

Georgia! Georgia!

Mr. shields,
you're a very stubborn man.

Very, when I'm right.

And I know I'm right about you.

I gave you no help,
the test was atrocious,

but bad as it was,
it proved one thing.

When you're on the screen,
no matter who you're with,

what you're doing,
the audience is looking at you.

That's star quality.

Lorrison quality.

Careful, Mr. shields.

You're looking at me,
but you see my father.

He gave me his name,
but that's all he gave me.

Don't make a mistake.

Georgia...

No more doomed daughter.

No more whimpering,
no more drinking...

- And no more men?
- By and by.

Gus, pull yourself together!

I can't help it, Mr. shields.
I'm... a very emotional man.

The picture was
to start in six weeks.

And six weeks
seemed like forever.

Then, suddenly, with fittings
and hairdressing

and makeup tests...

Tive of them were gone.

I don't know what to do.

The waist has to be that tight
and the train has to be long...

Evelyn, will you tell me
what it is that's worrying you?

Would you walk over there,
please?

Now, turn.

Mr. shields,
I'm afraid miss lorrison

can't carry a dress like this.

It-it takes an enormous
amount of poise.

And for this type
of the thing, you

have to walk with the assurance

of a grand duchess or

hold yourself
like Lilly langtree, but...

Miss lorrison will hold
herself like miss lorrison.

Miss lorrison happens
to be an actress.

Make a wider turn, Georgia.

That's it. Now, come over here.

You're alright. Come here.

Now, sit down. Can you sit down?

- No.
- That's perfect.

Alright, now,
everybody out now, please.

I wanna talk to my star.

You have one week to go.
Nervous?

A little. = tired?

Oh, very.

You work very hard,
you've been a good girl.

How good?

I'm sending you away.

Palm Springs
for the rest of the week.

- Must I?
- Absolutely.

You get on that set
a week from Wednesday

I want you to sleep, relax

and not think about a thing.

Not even you?

You said no drinking.
= one drink.

To Georgia, my star.

You said no men. = so I did.

Mr. Jonathan,
I thought we had agreed.

- You agreed all by yourself.
- Don't put words in my mouth.

I don't know who puts
the words in your mouth

but they sure come flapping out.

My pavilion for the garden party

it was understood it was to be
three feet off the ground.

It was discussed,
digested and determined.

Look to build that three feet
will cost

with operation charges
and additional shooting time

at least $25,000, more or less,
and with you, more.

I cannot shoot without it.
I will not shoot without it.

I'm building an entire sequence
to that one moment.

- I must have the height.
- So move your camera up!

I will not cheat the shot!
That's not the way I function.

My dear man,
I'm not asking you to change..

Jonathan!

I've got something to show you.
Come here. I wanna show you.

It's just wonderful.

Look. My new car.

I don't care
where you put the camera.

The point I'm making
is to put your camera there.

You know, the boom
costs me $150 a day.

We talked
about boom three weeks ago.

How would you like
to drive it around the block?

I'm busy.

A smoother drive
you will never have.

Gaucho, I'm busy.

How long would
a quick ride take?

Gaucho, I'm busy.

Ah! You're always busy!

Why don't you live
a little, hombre? Adios.

Well, 25,000 pounds Sterling,
I wanna tell you this...

No, it's seven or eight
thousand. Pounds.

Seven or eight thousand pounds
and I'm the one who's got to...

I can't be
shooting up their noses!

Nobody's asking you
to shoot up their noses or...

Gentlemen, there seems to be an honest
difference of opinion. =t here is.

It looks as though we have
to make a compromise.

You bet we will.

The compromise,
gentlemen, is this.

Harry, shut your
penny-pinching mouth

and build him his platform!

The night before
we started shooting

I came back from palm Springs.

I tried to sleep... I couldn't.

I don't know what drew me
to the empty stage.

I guess I was scared.

"To my new star, who will make
me very proud of her.

Jonathan.”

It was cold on the set.

And suddenly, my throat was dry.

So dry I, I knew
I had to have a drink.

The papers know all about it,
I asked the boys to lay off.

But with this one, she'll burn
up every column in the country.

I wanted to make
a picture with her.

Make a star out of someone this
town tossed in the ash heap.

Cross her off, Jonathan.

Let me contact the agents
and see who's available.

Alright, Harry, cast it
and get it over with.

I'll tell Whitfield
to shoot around the part.

Sorry I'm late.
= get out a release.

We're signing Anne gavery
for the part tomorrow morning.

Every time I go to the morgue,
I get the heebie jeebies.

Forget her.

I've covered everything,
waterfront, jails, hospitals.

Scraped through
the main street booze parlors.

- I told you to forget her.
- I have my professional pride.

I thought I knew
every rat-hole in town.

Either she's found a new one

or she's far, far away.

Janitor says
when she goes off on a bat

she locks her door
and leaves for days at a time.

Where would I go
for days at a time?

I tried to put myself
in her place.

Hello, Georgia.

You-you forgot...

You forgot to tie your tie.

You're sorry, aren't you?

What do you want me to do,
wash out your mouth with soap

and send you to bed
without your supper?

Why did you do it, Georgia?

Do you know why?

Why?

Because I...

I was afraid I'd
louse things up for you.

Because I love you.

I do, you know.

It's cold sitting on the ground.

Georgia, come here.

Sit down.

Georgia, love is for
the very young.

"For the very young.”
I like that.

Would you marry me, Jonathan?

Not even a little bit.

- That's too bad.
- Why?

Because I would make
you a good wife.

Well, right now,
I don't need a wife.

I need a star.

It's cold not sittin'
on the ground.

Alright, let's go near the fire,
shall we?

We're, uh, we're signing
Anne gavery for the part.

Oh? She'll be good.

I think she will.

Why, that big ham,
she, she couldn't...

Uh, well, she...

Here.

You know, Jonathan,
if we were married

I wouldn't take up much room.

Oh, Georgia, hey,
go on put those things on.

Your clothes
will be dry in a minute.

Hello.

Jonathan, where have you been?

I've been trying to reach you.

Oh, Harry. Uh...

You may have forgotten but you
have a picture in production.

- I know.
- We have to get a new star.

- Harry...
- Jonathan.

Will you just listen to me for
one minute and don't interrupt.

Ha... - Hello?

Hello? Jonathan, are you there?

Hey! Hello? Hello?

- Harry?
- Oh, yeah.

Uh, Harry, forget
about Anne gavery.

Jonathan, have you gone crazy?
Are you drunk?

I said forget about her.
Georgia is right here.

- Georgia?
- Everything's fine.

- We're going to use her.
- Oh, no, listen to me.

I don't know what you've
got in your mind.

But I'm not going to let
you make a fool of yourself.

I'll take that chance, Harry.

- It'll happen again...
- We'll see ab...

I know. Harry, listen to me.

And I'm not going
to let that happen.

Harry, shut up and listen to me!

These are my instructions.
Georgia's in.

We'll shoot our
first scene in the morning.

You call Whitfield and tell him.

If I were to go to the bank with
this, they'd laugh in my face.

Hello? Jonathan, are you there?

- Hello?
- Harry.

Everybody knows about this girl.

No studio is going
to touch her with the...

Harry, shut up and listen to me!

Don't worry.

Everything's gonna be alright.

I know just how
to handle her now.

You know how to handle her...

They're, uh...

They're blue.

Blue is my...

My lucky...

Color.

We were 14 weeks
shooting the picture.

The most wonderful
14 weeks I'd ever known.

- Mmm...
- Lady of darkness all the way.

Change that, change that
line right there.

You see him. Up!

Aah! I mean, they'll throw
pennies at us. It's ridiculous.

This is a dramatic moment. The
guy that you love is onstage.

You suddenly see him, and you
know somebody's gonna kill him.

Not me. If you take it.
I-if you're gonna joke about...

Alright, alright, do it.
I mean, if you know...

No, you don't want to take
the thing seriously.

Alright, I'll try
once more and that's all.

That's great.
What's all of this mumbo jumbo?

It doesn't make any sense.
Look, try it again.

And make love while you're
lighting the cigarette.

Make it mean something.
Go ahead. Take it.

Alright.

Lighten up. Look up.

That's it. Now, light it all
the time thinking, thinking.

That's it.

Yeah. That's a lot better.

Yeah, isn't that
much better, huh?

Jonathan was a perfectionist.

When he was in love with a scene

money meant nothing to him.

Fatigue, even less,
his or anyone else's.

We did it over and over and over

till we could hardly stand.

Alright, cut! How was that?

Try it again.

Jonathan! For heaven's sake!
Fun is fun!

- Jonathan, you've got...
- Did they get it?

I don't know.
They're still arguing up there.

Oh, brother!

This is amateur night in Dixie!

Oh, they better make up
their minds soon

or they're gonna lose baby.

How are you, baby?

You were going to
get me into pictures.

It takes a little while, baby.

I worked extra for three years.

- This is good experience.
- This is experience?

- Um-hmm.
- Ha!

By the time they get me
a speaking part

they're going to have to
carry me off and on the set.

You look awful pretty
when you're mad.

- Thanks a lot.
- Alright, folks, wrap it up!

Get extra people outside!

Stage setup, the first thing
in the morning!

- Goodnight, miss lorrison.
- Goodnight, George.

- Goodnight, John.
- Goodnight, miss lorrison.

I thought that take was good.

It was pretty good, but I wanna
get a little more out of gaucho.

- Happy?
- Very.

- Are you, Jonathan?
- Very.

- May I buy you dinner tonight?
- And tomorrow night.

That's the look I want
on that wedding scene.

Can you give me that?

I'll try.

Mr. shields,
we're five over budget.

Today I need to have to have
your signature on these sheets

before I can send
out the checks.

Goodnight, jimmie.
Hurry up, baby. Hurry up!

Be an angel,
bring my car around, will you?

Si, senor. Si, senor.

You want me to wash it
for you, too?

Oh, Georgia.

You were wonderful
in that scene.

- Very lovely.
- Thank you.

Every day I watch you grow
more and more an actress.

To give truth to a performance...

There's nothing like love.

Love is for the very young.

Ha, love is for the birds!

- Goodnight, Georgia.
- Goodnight, gaucho.

Lila, that wasn't nice!

I guess it all depends on
who a girl has dinner with

around here, doesn't it?

Shh! Baby.

She gets to be a star.

I get to park a convertible.

Don't talk like that
about Georgia... or Jonathan.

He is a great man.

Ha ha.

There are no great men, buster.

There's only men.

The last two weeks of the
picture, I was in a dream.

A bad dream.

Alright, Jonathan! Jonathan!

Action!

They're ready, miss lorrison.

She'll be right there.

Uh, ida.

I don't know what to do.

I feel sick and frightened.

You're tired, honey.
You've been tryin' so hard.

Yeah, but they think
I'm such a fool,

or temperamental
or something, I...

It's alright.
It's only a few more days.

Yeah, but I feel like I'm gonna
scream and I can't help myself.

Hurry, miss lorrison.
Please, they're all waiting.

Oh.

We were on the last scene.

We finished a little
before dawn.

We're alone now.

And I can talk to you.

Now I can tell you what I...

What I never
could tell you before.

You must forgive me, my darling.

You mustn't mind my crying.

Now, that it's too late.

Now, at last, I can tell you.

I love you, Gregory.

I love you. I love you so.

After the
opening, there was a party.

It was a lovely, happy,
top-of-the-world party.

It was my party and
everybody was there.

And everybody made
a fuss over me.

Everybody... but Jonathan.

Well, you wouldn't
come to my party

so, I brought my party to you.

Jonathan, it was so wonderful.

And everything you wanted
for me. Just as you promised.

They applauded, and cheered,
and they ooh-ed and aah-ed...

Georgia, go back and enjoy it.

But there's no one
to enjoy it with.

Why, that's silly.

Everybody in town
is fighting with each other

to be near the new star.

You know what I mean, Jonathan.

Georgia, I have
to be alone tonight.

After a picture's finished,
something happens to me.

It's a feeling of letdown

of... emptiness.

It's bad. It gets worse.
I can't help it.

I know. Syd and Harry
have told me about that.

- Oh, but tonight...
- I'd only depress you.

I want you to go back, now.

You've got bows to take.
Take them!

Darling...

I was afraid you might be angry
or resent my coming here

but, but I had to
take that chance.

Why, right in
the middle of everything

suddenly, I knew
one thing so clearly.

The party is where you are.

Depressed or gay or angry

or tender or in
any of your moods.

- I know them all.
- Georgia...

Oh, let's have our party,
darling.

We've got so much to celebrate.

We'll, we'll ice the champagne.

We'll light the fire.

We'll put on
the records and dance

and... and I'll help you pull
yourself out of this

the way you helped me.

Oh, give me that chance,
darling. Please?

Please don't shut me out.
Please.

I thought you said you were
gonna get rid of her quick.

Now, you go back to your party.

The picture's finished, Georgia.

You're business, I'm company.

Shut up!

Shut up, and get back upstairs!

Oh, I forgot to tell you,
Georgia.

I saw the picture.

I thought you were swell.

Goodnight, Georgia.

Stop looking like that.

Remember, I didn't ask you here.

You couldn't stay
where you belong, could you?

You couldn't enjoy what
I made possible for you, no.

You'd rather have this.

Well, congratulations!

You've got it
all laid out for you

so you can wallow
in pity for yourself.

A betrayed woman, the wounded
Doe with all the dribble that

goes with it, going through
your mind right now.

"Oh, he doesn't love me at all.
He was lying.

"All those lovely moments,
those tender words.

"He's lying.
He's cheap and cruel!

That low woman Lila!"

Well, maybe I like lilas.

Maybe I like to be cheap
once in a while.

Maybe everybody does.

Or don't you remember?

Get that look off your face!

Who gave you the right
to dig into me

and turn me inside out
and decide what I'm like?

How do you know how I feel
about you? How deep it goes?

Maybe I don't want anybody
to own me, you or anybody.

Get out! Get out!

Get out!

Aah!

I told you I'd never work for
him again, and I never will.

I don't blame you, Georgia.
Jonathan certainly ruined you.

You were a drunk and a tramp
playing bit parts around town

and he made a star out of you.

You had an ironclad contract
with shields productions.

Iron, I know,
because I drew it myself.

Starting at $100 a week,
we owned you body and soul.

And the next morning you walked
right into this office

and you stood right here with
that same look you've got on

your face now, and you threw
the bits of your contract

into my face. Jonathan laughed
and let you get away with it.

I wanted to take you to court.

But he said "no".
So you signed with anl.

And made them the millions
that we should have made.

For the last seven years,
you've been in the top ten

in every popularity poll
in this country.

Oh, yes, Jonathan
sure fouled you up.

You and your
poolutzer, pulitzer.

"To James Lee bartlow,
whose first book”

so-and-so, so-and-so...

"Graduate of Harvard
and the sorbonne," uh...

"In the year 1949, found him
professor of medieval history

at one of our leading
Southern universities.”

Summer is the
quietest time of the year

in a college town,
and the loveliest.

I was outlining what I hoped
would be my second novel.

My first, on which I'd labored
seven years, was just out.

Surprisingly, for a scholarly
work about early Virginia

my book was enjoying
a brisk nationwide sale.

Possibly because it was
liberally peppered with sex.

Because, after all,
early Virginia

was liberally peppered with sex.

Could that have been why
Hollywood had bought it?

Why did I stay away
from home that afternoon?

Because Rosemary, my wife,
was entertaining the symposium.

A group of factory wives
who met bimonthly to enjoy

a little culture
and a lot of gossip.

Rosemary had the floor.

She was reading
an anthropological paper

on the island of St. Daniels

which we visited
the summer before.

"The techniques of
courtship, marriage and consummation.

"These are the concern
of the anthropologist

"rather than of the sociologist.

They are certainly
not for the drawing room."

"The longhorns.

"Dating back to the misty past

of the first
Spanish explorers..."

Her paper seemed to
be getting a good reception.

Possibly, because it was
liberally peppered with sex.

Because, after all,
the island of St. Daniels

is liberally peppered with sex.

I started to work.

James Lee doesn't mind one bit.
Do you, darling?

He never minds.

Autograph, miss rosser?

Dear miss rosser,
isn't this just like a man?

I just fixed his study
with everything

a successful author could want

and there he will sit
in a dreary old rocker,

clickety-clack on that
dilapidated old portable.

I suppose we'll be losing
you to Hollywood now,

professor bartiow.

Oh, the James Lee bartlows
in Hollywood.

Isn't that a ridiculous idea?

Besides which, what could
Hollywood possibly offer us?

Besides which, Hollywood
hasn't, uh, asked us.

- Oh.
- What did he write?

Oh, professor!
You-you shouldn't have!

Ha ha ha.

Ladies, look what
Mr. bartlow wrote!

James Lee, you have
a very naughty mind.

I'm happy to say.

James Lee, no. There are
ladies out there. I can't.

No, James Lee...

I started to work.

Mrs. bartlow says eat.
It'll do you good.

Thanks, Milly.

I started to work.

Hello.

Yes, this is professor bartlow.

Who?

Where?

Oh! Oh, yes, put him on.

Hello, Mr. shields.

Fine, thanks.

I heard on the extension.
Hollywood! Jonathan shields.

Sure, I'm glad
you bought the book.

I hope your movie of it makes
me as happy as your check did.

Umm, no.

No, I'm sorry.
I don't see how I can.

Tell him you're working on your
new novel. Now, go on, tell him.

I need all summer to
work on my new book.

No, no, don't tell him
what it's about.

If you get your hand away.

I'd rather not discuss it
until it's finished.

My, just listen
to that man talk!

All expenses paid?

You just tell him
you'll think it over.

No, it's impossible.
I can't come out now.

Say something
charming for goodbye.

Goodbye, Mr. shields.

James Lee,
that was not charming.

He has enough charm
for all three of us.

He surely rubbed you
the wrong way.

He surely did.

Darling.

I don't want you
ever to feel sorry

you didn't say "yes"
to Mr. shields.

What if we do spend
the whole hot summer here?

It doesn't matter.

Because some day, I just
know we'll get to travel

and see all those
wonderful places.

So don't you ever feel
one bit sorry

you didn't say "yes," James Lee.

Does a trip to Hollywood mean
that much to you, Rosemary?

Me?

After all, it was only for
two weeks, all expenses paid.

It wasn't as though
Mr. shields wanted me

to write a screenplay for him.

All he wanted was to talk,
to get my ideas on his ideas.

- Is this everything?
- Yeah, that's all ours.

Good. Here.

How about it, Mrs. bartlow? Is
this bungalow alright with you?

- It's completely enchanting!
- Yeah, good.

Oh, and the studio car is yours
as long as you're here.

- Thank you.
- I've gotta run along now.

I have to meet a fellow
from the syndicate.

He's a nice guy, but he hated
our last two pictures.

He has sinus. Bye.

- When do I see the great man?
- Jonathan?

Oh, drop around the
studio tomorrow morning.

Not too early, not too late.

Bye, Mrs. bartlow.

James Lee, come here!

Hurry up!

Hurry up!

Come on.

It's Georgia lorrison!

Living in the
very next bungalow.

Now, what do you know?

That night Rosemary
wrote 32 postcards.

Next morning, I mailed them
and we went to the studio.

Oh! What!

Well, look here, James Lee.

The dining room at roanoke.

Just the way we saw it
when you wrote it.

Just the way I saw
it when I read it.

Look at that chandelier.

- Why, it's waterford, isn't it?
- Yes, Mrs. bartlow it is.

You know, you write in motion
picture terms. You like movies?

The good ones.

How would you like to stay on
and write the script?

- No.
- Why not?

You look much younger
than I thought you would.

Must take pretty good care
of yourself.

- I do.
- Well, so do I.

I'm here for two weeks only, get
your money's worth out of that.

James Lee, there's
never been such silver.

Not even in Richmond.

I wouldn't have missed
this for anything.

You know, Mr. shields,
James Lee didn't think it proper

for me to come along
this morning.

Professor's a man
of rigid ideas.

However, we're delighted to have
you with us, Mrs. bartlow.

See, darling? I knew
it was just plain sociable

for me to come and say "hello."

And don't you worry, Mr. shields

I won't be a nuisance.

When James Lee
is busy with you, well

I'll be busy with my own work.

What kind of work
is that, Mrs. bartlow?

Well, it's nothing, really.

But I did promise the symposium

I'd do a paper
for them on Hollywood.

Of course, I realized
that in two weeks I can't

do more than just barely
scratch the surface.

Professor, take time
to get the feel of things

then we'll get together, huh.

- Shall I phone you?
- No, no, let me phone you.

Thank you, Mr. shields.
It was wonderful fun.

I like being a successful
author's wife.

It took me a long time
to learn the secret.

His work comes first.

- Visit us again, won't you?
- Thank you. Goodbye.

"His work comes first."

Yeah, she's the kind
that buys dark glasses

with his first salary check.

No wonder it took him
seven years to write a book.

Do you have to have him
to write your script?

Mmm-hmm.

Do you think you can
keep him in Hollywood?

Mmm-hmm.

He kept me, alright.

Two weeks later,
I found I'd signed

with shields productions

to write
a treatment of the proud land.

- So you like my ideas?
- Yes.

All of them? = no.

Who is that? You have his
picture is all over the studio.

- That's my father.
- Angry little man, wasn't he?

I may as well warn you I don't
know how I'll work in an office.

I'm used to an old portable
and a soft rocker.

Superstitious mind? = no.

Supersensitive rear.

I had them flown out.
I thought it'd make you happy.

I gather I failed.

Hmmm, you were pretty
sure of yourself.

- Pretty sure I'd stay.
- Yes, I was.

I know the legend,
Jonathan shields,

the man will do anything
to get what he wants.

Ohh, thanks.

Shields pictures incorporated.

Well, I'm flattered you want me
and bitter you got me.

Where do I start?

Just read these scripts.
See how it's done.

Rough out a storyline,
and then we'll get to work.

And, don't worry, some
of the best movies are made

by people working together
who hate each other's guts.

Then we should make
a great movie.

- I usually do.
- What about your last two?

I liked them.

I started to work.

Look!

How do you like it?

I'll be right down.

I started to work.

Hello.

What is it, Rosemary?

But, dear, I told you I can't.

I know it's Sunday,
but I've only

written half a page all week.

Alright, alright, Rosemary.
Where is it?

Yes.

And? Not so fast.

Walking out that way.
Well, you were rude.

I don't care how you feel about
Jonathan shields, if you are

a gentleman, there is no
justification for boorishness!

He asked me
how my work was going.

What was I supposed
to say? Great?

Incidentally, who was that
overgrown bullfighter

you danced with all night?

You mean Victor ribera? Gaucho?

Why, I only danced
with him twice.

An hour each time.

My, you do get nasty
when you're jealous.

Like the time you carried
on in St. Daniels

over that charming
young governor's aide.

He was too charmin...

Why, he meant nothin',
nothin' at all!

You were even jealous
at that Swiss exchange professor

just because he was polite!

He was too polite.

Now, Rosemary, let's
get some sleep.

Oh, James Lee bartlow,
you take a good look

at yourself in that mirror.

You've changed since
you've come to Hollywood

and I don't mind tellin' you,
it's no change for the better.

Have I changed, too?

I dare say I am getting a...

Little too big for my britches.

They're pretty britches.

James Lee, you have
a very naughty mind...

I'm happy to say.

Get me gaucho.

Harry?

Oh, uh, call arrowhead.

Long distance, please.
Lake arrowhead, California.

Well, Harry I'm going up
the lake with James Lee.

Just the two of us, we're gonna
get this treatment written.

When are you leaving?
«ln an hour.

The bank called,
they want to talk to you.

Oh, tell them I said
you could talk to them.

- They're getting tough.
- You're getting too old.

You got something there.

Hello, gaucho?
Oh, just a minute.

Harry, you take care of it,
will you? You can handle it.

Alright, I'll see what I can do.

Gaucho. Que tal?

Muy bien.

Hey, how are you
booked for social life?

Well, get yourself un-booked.

How would you like to squire
a genuine Virginia dame?

I said "squire."

Mrs. James Lee bartlow.

Yeah, mister is going
up the lake with me.

Keep her... keep her occupied,
will you, gaucho

so she doesn't get in our hair.

I started to work.

I worked all day from 7:00
till noon, from 2:00 to 5:00.

There were no interruptions.

In the evenings,
we worked together.

Jonathan, that's my best scene!

You've cut it down
to three lines!

Look... look, Jonathan
I don't think you understand.

The boy's going away,
probably to be killed!

- So when the mother speaks...
- She doesn't speak.

We move the camera
in close on her.

She opens her mouth
to talk but she can't.

She's too emotional
to be able to speak.

And what she's feeling,
we'll leave

for the audience to imagine.

Believe me, Jim,
they'll imagine it better

than any words
you and I could ever write.

Alright with you?

Yes, professor.

Now for that last scene.

Proud of yourself? = a little.

Should be, not a weak scene
in the whole treatment.

I'm proud of Rosemary too,
she didn't interrupt once

the whole time we were up there.

Pleasant, wasn't it?

I'll tell you the truth,
I-l missed her interruptions.

Even when she's a bother,
she does it in a gay

naive, Southern belle kind
of a way that tickles me.

Say, Jim, how come you
never tried to get her down

on paper as one
of the women in your book?

- 1 did try.
- Just wouldn't write, eh?

No, funny.

Maybe you just don't know her
well enough.

- Good evening.
- Fill her up. Do you mind?

Yes, sir.

Mac, you gotta check
the radiator, too, will you?

Okay.

What's her story?
Was gaucho a friend of his?

- Ah that's ridiculous.
- Was she gonna marry gaucho?

Were they going
to Mexico to get a divorce?

How about it, were they flying
for a Mexican divorce?

I just told you
that's ridiculous.

How long was she
in love with him?

When was the last time
he saw her?

This is it, boys. Gaucho was
a close friend of the bartlows.

He was flying her to the lake
to join the professor.

- His flight plan said acapulco.
- What flight plan?

What's the matter, don't you
wanna play ball with the press?

I just told you, gaucho was
a close friend of the bartlows.

He was flying her to the lake
to join the professor.

Alright, let Mr. bartlow through
to identify the body, come on.

- Just a minute, Mr. bartlow.
- Will you shut up!

You stay out of it.
What're you trying to do?

I wish...
Oh, I wish an awful lot.

Maybe if I'd been here...

You didn't know
about them, did you?

Sorry, Jonathan.
Of course, you didn't know.

Look, Jim, I'm not gonna
let you brood about her.

She's dead, and you're alive.

You can't do anything about it.
Neither can I.

Let's get to work, you and I.

Without Jonathan,
I don't know what

I'd have done
those next few months.

He put me to work
and kept me working.

And when the shooting script of
the proud land was finished,

he asked me to stay with him for

production meetings and casting.

If you see miss ronley
as the star of the proud land,

then, that is what you see.

It was my impression
this was a woman of sex, eh?

To me, miss ronley has
the sex appeal of an angleworm.

- How about that, Jonathan?
- Hmm, how about what? Oh?

I like Linda ronley.

- I wonder, uh...
- Yes, Jim?

Though I know
it's not my department.

No, go ahead,
you're among friends.

All the time we were writing the
script, I had one girl in mind.

She lives right next to my
bungalow. I think she'd be fine.

- Who?
- Georgia lorrison.

If you'd like me to give
her the script, I-i...

Uh, professor, you have just
broken a sacred taboo.

You've mentioned
the unmentionable.

- That's enough.
- That's alright, Syd.

Georgia is the best.

The best actress.
The best box office.

Her last three pictures for
Fred amiel grossed to... Harry?

Seven million,
six hundred thousand, domestic.

We try to get her,
we'll be wasting our time.

She hates my guts.

Uh, Jim, uh, if you wanna
show her the script

there's no way I can stop you.

What am I supposed to do?
Thank you for saying "no"?

Well, what are you trying to do?

Fight Jonathan shields'
battles for him?

- It happens to be my book.
- It happens to be his picture.

You're the first person
I ever knew who began

by hating him
and ended up liking him.

Do you always
do everything backwards?

Do you still love him?

Oh, excuse me. = Fred.

Do I still love Jonathan?

Oh, no, you don't
get me on that one.

That was a stupid question
for a writer.

Don't you know about first love?

You may grow out of it,
but you don't get over it.

Oh, I'm sorry,
that was stupid of me.

No, no. I wouldn't want
to get over

my first love either, quite.

Well, it's time you two met.
Fred amiel, James bartlow.

How are you? = Mr. bartlow?

Guess who
we were fighting about.

Jonathan is more than a man.
He's an experience.

And he's habit-forming, if they

bottled him,
he'd outsell ginger ale.

- Ready, Mr. amiel.
- Oh, thanks, Timmy.

Mr. bartlow, Georgia
let me read your script.

It's a beautiful job. I'd like
to talk about your next one.

- When you're ready.
- Thank you.

- Goodbye, Georgia.
- Goodbye.

- Nice to have met you.
- Bye.

Shooting started
on the proud land

and everything went well,

until the fourth day,
then something happened.

Cut!

Close-up of the girl, eh.

About there. Save all...

Mr. Von ellstein!
Would you come here, please?

Mr. Von ellstein,
am I to understand

that you consider
this scene complete?

- 1 do.
- Well, I don't.

You call that directing?

That is what I've been
calling it for 32 years.

Oh, there are
values and dimensions

in that scene you haven't
begun to hit!

Perhaps they're not the values
and dimensions I wish to hit.

I could make
this scene a climax.

I could make every scene
in this picture a climax.

If 1 did, I would
be a bad director.

And I like to think of myself
as ohe of the best.

A picture all climaxes
is like a necklace

without a string,
it falls apart.

You must build
to your big moments.

And sometimes you must
build slowly.

Look, when I want
a lecture on the aesthetics

of motion pictures, I'll ask for
it, and it won't be on my time.

It won't be a cover-up
for a shallow and

inept interpretation
of a great scene!

To be a director,
you must have imagination.

Whose imagination, Mr. shields,
yours or mine?

There is only
one answer to that.

You see this picture
one way and I another.

It will be done your way,
but not by me,

and not by any other director
who respects himself.

You know what
you must do, Mr. shields

so that you'll have it
exactly as you want it?

You must direct
this picture yourself.

To direct a picture,
a man needs humility.

Do you have humility,
Mr. shields?

Jonathan the
director was a new Jonathan.

He was Patience personified.

He was tolerant, even-tempered,
considerate and indulgent..

To his crew, his cast
and his writer.

Six months and four days
after he started shooting

we saw the picture put
together for the first time.

- Nice job at cutting, Tom.
- Thank you, Mr. shields.

- Nice work, Tom.
- Thanks.

Beautiful production.
Beautifully written, Jim.

Beautifully produced.

Harry, tell Chapman
his photography's perfect.

Wonderful wasn't it?

Congratulate Walter on his sets.
Lucien on her costumes.

- And Boris on his score.
- Yeah, I like the music.

Tell the director he should
have his head examined.

He shouldn't have
shot the picture

he should've shot himself.

Jonathan, it's not
as bad as all that...

I butchered it.

Von ellstein should have
been here, today.

He would have enjoyed this.

I have no tension, no timing

no pace, nothing.

I took a beautiful,
sensitive story

and turned it
into a turgid, boring movie.

For anyone else's direction
I'd never release a picture.

I'd shelve it.
Who's got a cigarette?

- Anybody got my pack?
- Here you are.

Thanks, Harry. I've made
pictures that lost money.

But they had something.
This is nothing.

Oh, Jonathan, you're
being drastic, I'm sure...

Look, all you've got to do
is cut the dead wood out...

Please.

- Harry, shelve the picture.
- Shelve it? - Shelve the picture?

Are you crazy?

- We can't do that.
- Why not?

Look Jonathan, we're in hock
to the bank up to our necks.

We went way over budget.
We've got to release it.

Harry, there's your
penny-pinching mind again.

Shelve it.

We shelve it, that's the end
of shields productions.

Goodbye to 17 years' work.

Goodbye to every
dime you've got.

How about the money in the sock?

There isn't any sock.

Your last two pictures
and this one took care of that.

I know.

And every dime of mine
is gone and...

Every dime of Syd's.

That I didn't know.

The, uh, banks turned us down
on money for the last retakes.

Syd and I... oh, well.

You were shooting,
and who could bother you then?

The hard-headed businessman.

The hard-boiled press agent.

I still won't release a picture
of mine that I know is bad.

But, Jonathan, other men do!

Their pictures don't say
"Jonathan shields presents.”

Okay, what story shall I break?

That's easy.
"Jonathan shields lays an egg!"

- What're you gonna do now?
- I'm tired, Jim.

- What are you gonna do now?
- You mind changing the subject?

I just played my big scene
in there, "the great man fails."

What do you want, an encore?

You sound like Sebastian.

Who? Oh, your new book.

You told me once to never
let a leading character

feel sorry for himself.

- Not for long.
- I was wrong.

It's very comforting
to feel sorry for yourself.

- You're coming with me.
- What?

I've taken a cabin up at Tahoe
I'm going to finish my new book

and you're coming along.

- Why?
- Why not?

Besides, I work better
when you're around.

Can you wait a while?

How long? = five minutes.

It'll take me that long to pack.

You know,
that Sebastian of yours

sounds like a great character.

You'll have trouble casting him.

- This is a book, not a movie.
- You'll sell it to pictures.

And they'll have trouble
casting him.

Gee, things gaucho could
have done with that part.

You know, he was Sebastian. The
guy with the world on a string.

Ahh, the big happy baboon.

I begged him, "don't take that
plane, gaucho."

But no, not him. He...

Today is my day for mistakes.

Jim...

I didn't kill Rosemary.

Gaucho didn't kill her.
She killed herself.

Whether you like it or not,
you're better off.

She was a fool.
She got in your way.

She interfered with your work.

She wasted your time.
She wasted you.

You're better off without her!

"A sensitive,
unforgettable portrait

"of a present-day
Southern belle.

"Gay and foolish, naive, shrewd

and heartbreaking all at once.”

Yes, Jim,
Jonathan sure destroyed you.

You came out of it with nothing.

Nothing but
a pulitzer prize novel...

And the highest salary
of any writer in Hollywood.

Look, folks, you've got
to give the devil his due.

We all owe him something,
and you know it.

And you've had plenty of years
to think it over.

- What do you owe him, Harry?
- Plenty.

All the times he told me

to shut my penny-pinching mouth.

To Jonathan I was always
just an overpaid bookkeeper.

But without him
I probably would still be

putting costumes on cat men.

You know, when they list the

10 best pictures ever made...

There are always two or
three of his on the list.

And I was with him
when he made them.

Excuse me. Yes?

Your call from Paris is ready.
= oh.

Hello!

Hello? Yes, Jonathan.

No, I can hear perfectly.

Yes, they're here, uh-huh,
all three of them.

Alright, I'll ask them.

Jonathan wants to know,

will you help him
get started again?

Will you work with him
just this once?

Will you do
this picture with him?

Georgia?

Sorry, Jonathan.

No, I can't.

I'm sorry, Jonathan.
They're gone.

I-I'm sure it's a great idea,
but, Jonathan...

Jonathan, this is costing
$4.80 a minute.

Don't tell me your idea,
write me. Jonathan, please.

Yeah. Yeah... uh-huh.