Z: The Beginning of Everything (2015–2017): Season 1, Episode 5 - The It Girl - full transcript

Thank you.

Mr. Fitzgerald,
I'm your very biggest fan
America has.

It's such an exciting voice
you have.

I read it from cover to cover.

Greatest book I've read in ages.

A masterpiece.

It's as if you're writing
about me.

Oh.

No empty glasses

No empty glasses.
This is from my personal stock.

Good evening, everyone.
I'm Harold Ober.



The greatest literary agent
an an author could ask for.

It's easy when you represent
such remarkable authors.

And on the subject
of remarkable,

it's quite something
when a novel sells its way

through a 5,000-copy printing.

Now meet the wonder boy
of the year,

Mr. F. Scott Fitzgerald,

who has sold his way through
a whopping 20,000 copies

in two weeks.

Bravo.

From H.L. Mencken,
who, as is to be expected,

says it better
than the rest of us,

"Just read 'Paradise.'
Stop.

"Then best American novel
I've seen of late.



"Stop.

"I pity the next book I pick up.

End. Stop."

It's a rare author that
debuts to universal praise.

- Bravo!
- Nearly universal.

Now, now, no more
about Heywood Broun.

Nobody reads
the "Tribune" anyway.

To Scott Fitzgerald.

To all of you

for your infinite good taste.

- Cheers!
- Well done!

Scott, there's someone
I want you to meet.

You know Jerry, this is nephew,

went to Princeton, class of '16?

Oh, of course...

Dutch!

- Quite the occasion.
- Oh, isn't it?

I'm so happy for Scott,
I'm grinning like a possum.

Look at you, Zelda.

You certainly know how
to stand out in a room.
Don't you think, sister?

Nothing makes me homesick
like a well placed ruffle.

We're having tea at
the Ritz tomorrow, darling.

- Do say you'll come.
- Oh.

- Vincent!
- Miss Millay!

Edna St. Vincent Millay,
the poet.

Hello, darling.
Who is this?

Zelda Fitzgerald.
How do you do?

- The wife.
- That's right. Mrs. Fitzgerald.

Vincent Millay.

I thought there was an Edna
or Saint in there someplace.

Oh, I've never been
much of an Edna.

And no one
would call me a saint.

Well, I've read all your poetry.

I'm sure I'm one
of your biggest fans.

"My candle burns at both ends;

"It will not last the night;

"But ah, my foes,
and oh, my friends...

It gives a lovely light!"

Oh, it's just gorgeous.

How lovely,
you memorized all four lines.

Well, I've always wanted
to meet you,

and now I certainly have.

Oh, I don't know what
she thought would happen,

waltzing around the Algonquin
in that fucking frock.

- Girl reeks of antebellum.
- Mm-hmm.

- Zelda, there you are.
- Here I am.

I need more time with you.

We are going to have to make
a date to go shopping.

Oh.

That way I get you
all to myself.

Yes. Let's do that.

The Bankheads lost
their accents.

You'd never know
they were from Montgomery.

- Tallulah's an actress.
- Oh, is she, darling?

I love your drawl, darling girl.

Don't you ever lose it.

Lose it?
I wouldn't know how.

You are a genuine marvel.

Someone should kiss you.

Someone should.

The priority, my dear boy,
is your next novel.

The entire country
is waiting to see

what F. Scott Fitzgerald
will think of next.

Absolutely.

You're a fine artist,
Fitzgerald.

The literary world awaits.

However,
the Biltmore also awaits.

Payment for a certain room?

1815?

So perhaps a story for, say,

"Collier's" or "McCall's."

Every magazine is clamoring
for your next short story.

It's your bread and butter.

Who's bread and butter?

Submit a story that
they've already rejected.

See if the name Fitzgerald
means something to them now.

And as to the advance,

you realize that
it's meetings like this

that take up
all my writing time.

Well, let's not worry, shall we?

The book reading today
will benefit all of us.

What book reading.

At the National Arts Club.

I didn't agree to that, did I?

As I recall, a couple Martinis,

and you thought
it was a marvelous idea.

You can't take
my drunken word for it.

What else have we?

It'll be grand.
Fans, critics.

H.L. Mencken.

Burton Rascoe.
Heywood Broun.

But Broun hates me.

Only until he hears you read.

Well, they just keep
coming and going.

Isn't it wonderful?

Anything you ladies
would like to try on,

we're at your service.

Zelda?

No, no.

Now, this.

What do you think?

Now, Zelda, where would you
wear at thing like that?

Well, that's the fun.

you put the gown on,
and then you're practically
obligated

to find an occasion worthy
of the thing.

Shall I try it on?

If you'd like.

I'm just afraid
that a dress like that

would end up wearing you.

But I would love to see you
in a number like this.

Oh, I don't know.

A Jean Patou suit makes
you look like you were
born in the city.

Of course, it's up to you, dear.
Try it on.

- All right.
- Mm-hmm.

- Shall I come with you?
- Please do.

Thank you.

Your dear husband is
just going to lose his mind

when he sees you
in your new suit.

- Ladies?
- Waldorf salad, thank you.

Could the kitchen make me
some tomato finger sandwiches?

- Of course.
- Thank you.

Well, what's the point
of a dress

if it doesn't send a man
straight to the asylum?

God bless Scott for knowing
something clothing.

I swear,
I could wear a burlap sack

and Harold wouldn't even blink.

When did you and Scott
talk about fashion?

Last night at the party.

Scott told me
that you came to town

with a trunk full of clothes
from Montgomery, that's all.

And when he suggested
that you might want
to pick up a few new things,

I jumped at the chance
to take you on your
first trip to Ladies Mile.

How sweet of you.

Not half as sweet as Scott.

You should have heard him go on
about what styles would suit
you best.

He must have said a dozen times
the suit had to be a Jen Patou.

If you asked Harold,
"What's a Patou?"

He'd probably say,
"Gesundheit."

He's just gonna die
when he sees you.

What about the part where Amory
is trying time kiss Eleanor

and he calls her stupid?

Am I the muse?

It's a favorite of mine as well.

It's possibly too callow
for this crowd.

You. Callow.

Immature perhaps.

This... This crowd
will be filled with

high-brow literati.

I have to choose
the perfect passage.

I'll ask Zelda.
She'll know.

Darling girl, I need your help.

Is that so?
I thought it was
the other way around.

What does that mean?

I suppose there's some reason
you sent that woman

to pick out my clothes
like I was a child,

but I can't for the life
of me imagine what it is.

I was trying to help.

I just wanted to make you feel
that you belonged here.

The women in this city,
they have a uniform.

I don't care
what the women wear.

And I have no idea
why you're so worried about it.

Zelda, I love you.
I just want people to see you
the way that I see you.

No one can see you
under a thousand ruffles.

I like ruffles.
And how is this dress
any different

than the ones I wore
in Montgomery

when you were telling me
how beautiful I was?

We're not in Montgomery
any more.

I'm well aware.

Zelda, this is our time to soar!

We need to put
our best foot forward.

You were at the party.
You saw how they were dressed.

- We need to ma...
- That Heywood Broun
is right about you.

You're just as phony
and juvenile and pretentious
as they say.

I know you don't mean that.

Oh, I mean it.

I mean it with all my heart.

You're ashamed of me,
Scott Fitzgerald?

Well, I'm ashamed of you.

I thought I married a man.

And here I am standing
in front of an insecure
little boy.

Darling, can we just talk?

I'm about to leave
for the Arts Club.

This is my first reading.

You have to come.

I need you there with me.

I don't care what you wear.

You're always the most
beautiful woman in the room.

Please?

I was trying to help.

There you are.

I can't do this.

- Of course you can.
- No.

Harold, I really can't.

You can, Scott, and you will.

Look over my shoulder.
There. To the left.

Henry? Might we borrow you?

My dear Fitzgerald,
it's a pleasure.

Mr. Mencken,
the pleasure is all mine.

I've read nearly every piece
that you've ever published.

I'm honored to...
to have been included.

The honor's all mine.

It's not every day we find
the fresh voice of a new
generation.

Hell of a book, Fitzgerald.

Hell of a book!

I'd always believed
I was a woman of adventure.

someone ready to experiment

and experience
all life could offer.

But it seems after all,

I may be nothing but
an impediment

to the man I love.

Fitzgerald,
have you met Heywood Broun?

- We should probably move along.
- Oh, but we've only just met.

Mr. Broun.
It's a pleasure.

I read the "Tribune," of course.

And I read your little
debut novel, of course

It was quite an interesting,
let's see, what did I call it?

We all know what
you called it, Heywood.

and we all know you were wrong.

But then, you're
so often wrong...

so difficult to take
your words seriously.

Thankfully people read
the paper for other reasons.

Door was open.

You're missing the reading.

And so are you.

There'll be others.
Drink?

"Youth is like having
a big plate of candy."

"Sentimentalists...

"...think that they want to be
in the pure, simple state

"they were in...

before they"...

Uh...

"They were in before
they ate the candy."

- "They don't"...
- Could you speak up lease?

Pardon me? What was that?

We can't hear you in the back.

I think it might be best if I

started from the beginning.

"Youth is like having
a big plate of candy."

"Sentimentalists think
they want to be

in the pure, simple state
they were in before they
ate the candy."

I still think it was
a cowardly thing to do,

If he didn't like
the way I dressed,
he could have told me.

And how would that
have gone exactly?

Couldn't have gone worse.

Give me that bottle.

Zelda, you're not like
his other women.

You're a challenge.

You're smart
and witty and fearless.

He might not always know
how to deal with that.

He'd better learn.

He basically married
the heroine of his stories.

This city doesn't make
a lick of sense to me.

I don't know
what I'm doing here.

No one does.

Somewhere to be?

The Bankheads invited me
to tea at the Ritz
and I accepted,

although I can't,
for the life of me,
think why.

Because one says "no"
to the Bankheads.

- I don't want to go.
- Then don't.

If I don't go, they'll think
I can't keep up.

I have to go.

What?

I don't have anything
to wear, Luddy.

Just these Montgomery dresses

and that godforsaken suit.

If you wore this...

you'd be the snazziest bird
at the Ritz.

I wouldn't worry too much.

I know you're an author,
not an actor.

Good God, Ober,
is that the best you got.

In this case, yes.

It will no doubt
be immortalized by...

There's the little prick now.

Goddamn bottom feeder.

Fitzgerald,
I don't think this is the time.

Mr. Broun.

I think I understand
why you became a critic.

You understand everything,
I imagine.

I can smell it on your breath.

People like you don't have
to sweat and toil

to create something
for the ages.

Come on, Fitzgerald, let's go.

Yes.
Why don't you run along?

No. All you do is you sit
around and you wait

for a man braver than yourself
to attempt greatness,

and then you rip him to shreds.

There's no need to take this to
a personal place Mr. Fitzgerald.

I reviewed your book, not you.

Lucky for you, I wrote one.

'Cause without it,
all you'd do is sit around
and fiddle with your dick.

Scott!

I can see you're upset,
Mr. Fitzgerald.

I'll say adieu.

I have written a great book.

I am a great writer.

A writer that people
will remember.

And you know what they will
remember you for?

Nothing.

So off you go,
Mr. Heywood Broun.

Off into the great abyss
of the forgotten.

That's exactly why
I didn't like your writing.

You have such a gift for cliché.

Good afternoon.

Hello, madam.

Hello.
I'm meeting the Bankheads.

They're in the back.

- Oh, thank you.
- Of course.

- Will you look at that?
- Gorgeous.

Darling.

I love your suit.

Je l'aime bien!

I'm shocked she got
out of bed this morning.

I would have slept
till I was dead.

What are you two going on about?

Her man's got another girl.
Everyone knew. Now she does too.

- Vincent, you showed.
- Sometimes I do.

Oh, look at you in your Patou.

- My darling.
- You heard.

I imagine you have.

- Well, of course, we hate her.
- We've always hated her.

I'm sure there are women
who can wear lipstick and rouge

without looking like a Jezebel,

but Eleanor Boardman
is not one of them.

Her hemlines don't help.

The real crime is her hair.
Who let her cut it all off?

She says she did it
to be "modern."

I heard it was a nasty
case of ringworm.

She rarely bathes.

Is that why
she's been wearing a turban?

A happy accident.

At least the turban
gives her a look.

Mrs. Fitzgerald,
do you have a thought?

Surely we have better things
to do than tear a woman

to pieces over a matter
of fashion.

Well, darling, it's not
like the lady is here.

And it's not like
the lady's a lady.

Maybe she is dreadful.
I don't know.

I'm sorry she stole your beau,
Vincent.

You seem terribly
broken up over it.

If you'll excuse me,
I'm finding it hard to breathe.

Miss! No! Your hair!

What are you doing?

Is there a barber in the hotel?

Zelda?

I haven't been married
in months.

I feel like the whole thing's
over and done with.

Marriage is a wonderful
institution, my boy.

But as I always say,

who wants to live
in an institution?

That's the truth.

It's all I speak.

The trouble is, I do.

I want to be in that institution
if she's there, too.

That is a problem.

Yes, ma'am.

Don't I know it.

Zelda?

Good God.

You look incredible.

I'm sorry that
I was so thoughtless.

I tried the group out.

I really did, but...

I just can't be
like everybody else.

Well, thank God.

'Cause you are the only one
that I want.

Mr. Fitzgerald.

Who's the lady?

What's your name, honey?

What's your name?

Gentlemen, may I introduce...

Mrs. Scott Fitzgerald?

You can call me Zelda.

- Zelda!
- Zelda!
- Right here!

♫ Ain't she sweet? ♫

♫ See her coming down
the street ♫

♫ Now I ask you
very confidentially ♫

♫ Ain't she sweet? ♫

♫ Ain't she nice? ♫

♫ Look her over
once or twice ♫

♫ Now I ask you
very confidentially ♫

♫ Ain't she nice? ♫

♫ Just cast an eye
in her direction ♫

♫ Oh me, oh my ♫

♫ Ain't that perfection? ♫

♫ I repeat ♫

♫ Don't you think
that's kind of neat? ♫

♫ And I ask you
very confidentially ♫

♫ Ain't she sweet? ♫

.srt Extracted and Resynced
by Dan4Jem, AD.MMXVII.I