The Last Tycoon (2016) s01e07 Episode Script
A More Perfect Union
1 Fore! Pat.
Good to see you taking some time off to relax.
You obviously haven't seen my golf.
Ah, I've been watching the box office numbers on Angels.
Looks like your boy genius has done it again.
It's a Brady-American Picture, Louis, and it has allowed me this.
Your loan.
$2 million, paid in full, plus interest.
What's this about? Let's just say I don't like being in debt.
To me.
I know what Angels made, Pat, and I know what your operating costs are.
A check this big leaves you with nothing in the bank.
And yet, somehow I walk away, feeling richer than I was before.
I thought we talked about you watching me sleep.
I'm just thinking too much.
Well, don't do that.
I've kept something from you, and I don't want it between us.
Minna, um she wasn't what the public saw.
Nobody is.
She could be very up, and then she would spiral into a place where she just couldn't be reached.
There was drinking, pills.
The day my doctor told me about my condition, I came home to tell her I was scared and lost.
But she couldn't She relied on me for so much, she just came apart, started screaming, saying I was going to abandon her, that I was going to die and leave her alone.
So I put her in bed, and, uh and I gave her some sleeping pills and, uh, I went out and I hit every bar in town.
And when I got home the house was on fire.
She, uh she'd fallen asleep with a lit cigarette.
Oh I left her.
I left her, and No.
- It was an accident.
- No.
We've all done things we regret.
It doesn't make us bad people.
- Maybe it does.
- No, sweetheart, it doesn't.
Monroe.
What are you doing here? I was hoping to catch you alone.
I thought we weren't doing that anymore.
What can I do for you, Mr.
Stahr? I didn't want you to hear it from someone else.
We've known each other for a long time.
Out with it, Monroe.
I proposed to Kathleen.
We're getting married.
I see.
It's not something I ever thought would happen for me.
I'm happy for you.
I think I need to be happy for you.
Not quite the same.
It's close enough.
For the moment.
I don't want us to be You know, I used to spend summers with my cousin Margaret.
Her family loved to travel.
They'd always bring us somewhere different.
That was the gift.
Every summer a clean slate.
It didn't matter what happened the summer before who you'd kissed, who you'd cried over, what you'd been punished for.
You just got to start over, fresh.
That's what I want for the both of us.
Pat doesn't really know you, does he? Maybe not.
But he chose me.
I think that counts for something.
I would have run away with you.
In another life.
I would have run away with you, too.
Maybe next summer.
Celia.
Celia.
Celia! Go back to sleep.
But it's morning.
That's not possible.
It's light outside.
We need breakfast.
Nathan, why do you have to be so loud? And lunch.
For school.
What time is school? Never.
Darla I told your brother I would look out for you.
You have to go to school.
Fine.
Okay, breakfast and lunch.
Maybe we'll go out for breakfast.
This is Valentina.
This is Chanel.
This is Schiaparelli, - like Wallis Simpson wore.
- Hmm.
This one we love.
Very Carole Lombard.
- Well, she might need them all.
- Oh.
Yeah, full wardrobe.
There'll be press events, interviews, premieres.
So, day dresses, evening gowns.
This is Adrian.
Mona Bismarck just wore it.
I loathe Mona Bismarck.
Who doesn't? Any of them appeal to you? I can pick anything? Anything.
Who do you want to be? Five, six, seven, eight.
So this is the city I guess I've arrived It's scary and pretty And, oh, so alive The buildings are climbing 100 miles high Back home there's just Clouds, some birds - Some sky - Sally? I'm new in town Time for me to put my suitcase down Cut on rehearsal! I'll be all right - Once I see my name in lights.
-Sally? Honey, what, what's the matter? - Why is it scary? - Huh? The city.
Why is it scary? Everyone's dancing, and I hated Iowa.
Uh What if, before you left home, your ma warns Aunt Sue to be careful of pickpockets? And you say, "That's a funny word.
" And your ma says, "It's not a funny thing.
" And what if, in this scene, you see a pickpocket steal another man's wallet and run off? Uh, we could add something like that, - couldn't we, John? - Yeah, sure.
Would that help? You see, John? That's called writing.
Rehearsal's up! And, by the way, there aren't any buildings a hundred miles high.
That's way too tall.
All right, everyone, back to the top.
Places, people.
Places! Quiet on the set.
I told Nathan a roast beef sandwich wasn't really breakfast food, but he really wanted it, so What's this? I had some groceries sent over this morning.
The kids didn't have much to take to school.
Thought I'd set up a weekly delivery for you, just until you got back on your feet.
- Max? - Thank you.
We can't accept this.
Come on.
You needed food, I got you food.
And, and I'm happy to help.
This week? Next week? Every week? If that's what you need.
I'm an office boy with two kids to feed.
Until that changes, I'm always gonna need something.
I want you, not your money.
And as soon as you start thinking of me as some charity case That's not how I see you.
This is why people like us don't end up together.
Except in the pictures.
Because in real life, you end up with the son of a banker or a shipping magnate or Monroe Stahr.
That's not what I want.
I have to go.
Look magazine just launched.
They need a fresh face for their next cover.
I've got a friend there, I can put in a call.
Well, with a pitch that good, how could they say no? Well, we all think she's gonna be great in the picture, but we can't pretend anybody knows who she is.
That's your job, isn't it? I want Kathleen to be a household name before the first poster goes up for An Enemy Among Us.
Morning, sunshine.
Did we wake you? Sorry, I was in a script meeting.
We were just discussing how to make the world fall in love with Kathleen.
Should be easy enough.
What made you fall in love with her? Yeah, Monroe, tell us what made you pop the question.
Engaged? Wow.
Congratulations, Monroe.
She is the studio tour guide who finally made it.
No, most people think being a tour guide is making it.
She's Cinderella, the poor ingénue transformed by the magic of movies.
I'm not sure that would make me want to buy a magazine.
The thing about Kathleen is she's your closest friend, the girl next door, the waitress you leave an extra nickel for because she's got a sweet smile.
We do the interview at the Foxhole.
Where she started.
I want people to see her, the real Kathleen.
- Yes? - Yes.
Let's set it up.
Hello there.
We have to keep looking.
I mean, he could be anywhere.
- Who? - He could be here.
You're here with me.
You're safe.
Some water.
Thank you.
Can you lie with me? Of course.
"Let us pretend that we can make out a plain and logical story," "so that when one matter is dispatched, love for instance," "we go on, in an orderly manner, to the next" So this is where it all started.
How quaint.
Were you secretly dreaming of stardom while you served up banana cream pie? My goodness, no.
I think I spent most of my time trying to remember Nick's specials.
Tell me about your family.
Brothers? Sisters? No, just me.
And your parents? My father died when I was young.
My mother got a job in the sugar factory.
We didn't have much, but it was enough.
Well, she must be very proud.
Will she come over for the premiere? Oh, no, no.
Um, my mother doesn't like to make a fuss.
- Ah.
- She thinks Hollywood is folderol.
Well we can't put that in the article.
We'd all be out of work.
You know, this doesn't happen very often, going from waiting tables to starring in a big picture.
Does it all feel too good to be true? Yes.
Sometimes it does.
You were wonderful in the interview today.
Was I? Yes.
They're gonna love you.
What does it matter if people love me? They don't even know me.
Come on.
You're a natural.
They'll adore you.
Oh, people believe anything you write in those silly magazines.
It's all just a story.
It doesn't actually mean anything.
Well, you're not just a story to me.
What if I were? What do you mean? Take off your shirt.
I said take off your shirt.
What? Your accent.
- Kathleen, I'm impressed.
- Kathleen? Never heard of her.
Okay.
You think you know me, but you don't.
We've never met before.
We are strangers.
You may hear some things tomorrow.
About me.
I'm gonna do something that's gonna make a lot of people angry.
Can it be helped? No.
Then do it.
And forgive yourself.
That's right.
Thank you.
You always forgive me, don't you? I know you love me.
And our daughter.
That I do.
And I know if there was something I really needed, you would kill to get it for me.
That I would.
I am suddenly reminded of a time when I used to sneak into your parents' house at the age of 30 to see you.
Your mother would never leave us alone.
Hmm, she knew a wolf when she saw one.
Then we'd go outside and kiss in the snow.
- Doesn't seem so long ago, does it? - Hmm.
What happened to us? The normal things.
Life.
Hmm.
I still love you, you know.
I do.
And I would do anything for you.
Good.
Let us in.
He doesn't want to be disturbed.
Come on, we know he's in there.
Mr.
Brady happens to be on a very important phone call at the moment.
I'm sure he'll see you as soon as he's through.
Well, we're not going anywhere until he does see us.
Hey, hey, hey, hey.
What's going on? - You don't know? - No.
Our feudal lord in there just slashed every salary on the lot by 30%.
- What? - No warning, no reason, just some big, weepy office memo in everyone's mailbox this morning.
"Dear valued employee, "I know this will be difficult, blah, blah, blah.
"The bank failed, blah, blah, blah.
We're all in this together.
" I need to see him.
He's not seeing anyone right now.
I'm not anyone.
I wonder how long I'm gonna live before I hear you knock before charging in here.
Sorry, but they're out there with pitchforks and torches.
I didn't have a choice.
Why didn't you talk to me about this? Angels is a smash; We're fine.
Now we're fine.
Yesterday we were in debt to a conniving, manipulative enemy of this studio.
Oh, Jesus.
You paid Mayer off.
He sat behind this desk like it was nothing, needling me.
Didn't bother you the way it bothered me.
So now you feel better and the whole lot has to suffer? It isn't gonna last forever.
He stole Margo Taft right out from under us! He was trying to steal you! A studio has gates for a reason, Monroe.
You can't treat people this way and expect them to do good work, Pat.
No, but you can.
They love you.
They trust you.
You're a sun god around here.
Now, go out there and explain it to 'em till they understand.
Did you cut my salary, too? I had to.
Would've looked awful.
Take all of it.
I'll work without pay until this is resolved.
There you have it; Why they love you.
Go do your job.
I want out.
And I want a pony.
Look, we're partners, which means, if I get nothing, you get nothing.
He proposed.
We're getting married.
Great.
I'll buy you a set of coasters.
But I have an investment in you and I want my return.
I'm gonna tell him.
You'll be out on your ass.
He'll understand.
He loves me.
You're a fake and a gold digger.
What is there to love about you? You don't own me! Do you love him? Then picture this: Everyone in town finding out that Monroe Stahr got conned by an actress from Wisconsin.
A thing like that is hard to come back from, especially after you've broken his heart, or what's left of it.
What, y-you want to confess? Get rid of your guilt? Fine.
But it'll destroy him.
It's not a very nice thing to do to someone that you love.
Congrats on your engagement.
Once I get finished, nobody'll be any the wiser, dear.
Don't worry.
Thank you.
That's quite a mark.
It was silly, I was, uh, putting my suitcase on, on the shelf in the closet.
Fell and hit my face.
Clumsy of me.
Well, take care, Miss Moore.
That face belongs to Pat Brady now.
- I'll be more careful.
- Mm.
And again.
Don't hold back this time, sweetheart.
Smile with your eyes.
Kathleen, can you, uh, turn towards camera more and, and pull your shoulders back? And again.
Maybe I'm just not photogenic.
Will you give us a minute? I'm sorry.
For what? What are you sorry for? You're doing great.
Listen to me.
Stay there.
Don't move.
Kiss her again.
- Barry.
- No, wait, wait, wait.
Celia, I go behind the camera.
Uh-huh.
It's a romance.
That's the story.
People are going to love her because they see how much you love her.
Well, how much I love her is my business.
Not anymore.
Kiss her again.
- You okay with it? - Of course she's okay with it.
- Barry.
- Just a couple, Barry.
Hey.
Can I talk to you for a minute? Sure, I guess.
In private? Okay.
Just, uh, follow me this way, everybody.
All right.
Oh, my.
- I have to tell you something.
- No, I was wrong and ungrateful.
Monroe was That was a little girl's fantasy.
Silly.
And whatever it was, it's over.
I want you.
And you were right.
I know how it feels to be handed things, to have people think that you can't do it on your own.
Want me how? What are my options? All my life I've been waiting for you My wonderful one has begun Living all my life All my life Hold me close to your heart But all else above, hold my love Darling, all my life, yes I've never done this before.
Neither have I.
But all else above, hold my love, darling All my life, yes, sir.
You didn't have to wait up for me.
I'm your mother, Celia.
I'll always be waiting up for you one way or another.
Oh I haven't seen these in so long.
When you were a baby, you couldn't stand to be away from me, even for a minute.
You'd cry every time I left the room.
Why aren't there any pictures of you? Well, once you have children, the pictures are always of them.
You know, I saw you at the hospital the other day, taking that Max Miner home.
Yep.
That Max Miner.
Careful.
You're blushing.
It took a little while, but we've gotten close.
Are you happy when you're with him? - Yes.
- Mm.
Are you "you" when you're with him? Definitely.
Is that how you knew with Daddy? Yes.
That's how I knew.
All right.
Well, I'm off to bed.
- I'm very tired.
- Hmm.
Good night.
Hey.
What gives? You know the rules, George.
Everyone gets 30% less.
We have to do something.
Somebody bashes in your windshield, you bash in theirs.
This isn't a street fight, Aubrey.
What? I need to talk to you.
Where is she? - She won't come out.
- Sally? Sally, please.
I'm not coming out! All right, what's her problem? We were supposed to receive Bernadette's script revisions to rehearse this morning, but they didn't arrive.
- So find Bernadette.
- No one knows where she is.
- Find another goddamn writer.
- There are none.
They all called in sick.
Of course.
The lefties.
Broca! Yes, Mr.
Brady.
Can you write? Yes, yes, I-I can write.
I-I'm sure I can.
Yeah.
Good.
Then do that.
Sally? It's Uncle Pat.
May I come in? No! Now, we know that you're upset, but we've worked it all out.
John's gonna do the revisions.
What? - He can't write, he can barely talk! - Sally.
Aunt Bernadette is the only person who can write for me.
She's the only person who understands this movie.
- There's a whole crew of people here - I want Aunt Bernadette! - You can't just arbitrarily decide.
- Would you just listen - to yourself, Monroe? - I need you to meet me halfway.
Perhaps if you compensated them in a manner commensurate to their worth, then you wouldn't have - these difficulties.
- We do compensate them in a manner Who's this? Mark Brimmer, executive director of the Screen Writers Guild of America.
Nice to meet you, Brimmer.
Now get the hell out.
This is not a union lot.
Your writers have every right to organize, Mr.
Brady.
Yeah, they just organized me out of a day of rehearsal.
It was a protest.
We don't believe you have the right to arbitrarily cut the incomes of your employees like that.
It wasn't arbitrary.
It's what the studio can afford to pay right now.
Meanwhile, you're jeopardizing the jobs of people who can't afford to be out of work like you can.
The grips, costumers, drivers.
That's who we're standing up for.
Aubrey, please, allow me.
No, allow me, Mr.
Brimmer.
We do compensate our writers, better than any other shop in town.
Right? No? See, my problem with you is, a walkout wouldn't cost you a dime, but it would hurt their careers immeasurably and shut down this lot.
And for what? You just robbed your entire workforce of a living wage.
What are you gonna do about it? I'm going to make pictures, and they're going to make money.
And then everyone will be restored to their rightful salary and all this will be forgotten.
Until then, we'll just have to weather this, like every other struggling corporation in America.
I hope you're ashamed of yourself.
Well, shame never got a picture made.
It's no time to be glib, Monroe! That's enough! You want our board of directors to yank the studio out from under us? Put this whole place into receivership? They're coming here tomorrow, and they're gonna see this place as it's meant to be.
Productive.
Get back to work.
Go! You Max Miner? Thank you.
Next.
This is terrible.
Hello, princess.
Oh, Daddy.
Christ, you, too.
I was never ashamed of my name before today.
That's a bit grand, don't you think? How are the stagehands supposed to survive on 30% less? Or the stitchers? Or Max? Better than getting fired, isn't it? Nobody put a gun to your head and made you pay Mayer back.
Wouldn't be a bad idea to mind your tone, darling.
I am still your father.
And your goddamn boss.
What you, and everybody else around here, seem to be forgetting is that I didn't ask for this.
The bank failed.
So I turned to Mayer.
And then I watched him pick it apart piece by piece.
If I didn't do something, eventually there'd be nothing left.
And not that it matters this company, this thing that I seem to be the only one around here protecting will one day belong to you.
And I am not leaving my daughter an empty shell.
When you're 60, you'll understand! Hey, I'm not done yet.
You left me so sad You hear me? I'm not done yet.
Yes, you are.
We all are.
Face it, Aubrey, we lost.
We didn't lose, we just didn't think big enough.
You could never settle down.
There must be some mistake.
Sorry, I seem to have the wrong stage.
Damn secretaries can't keep anything straight.
You're gonna love this Sally Sweet number, though.
That kid was born to sing.
We hear she's quite something.
And wait till you see the circus dog we got her.
An amazingly capable animal.
Damn thing could probably do your taxes for you.
Blow Ill wind - Hmm.
- Blow away Let me rest Today You're blowin' me no good No good No Good.
Quiet out there.
Like a ghost town.
Just dropping by, L.
B.
? I guess I picked the wrong day.
A walkout on the very day the Gang of Ten was visiting.
You certainly are well-informed.
Well, people tell me things now and then.
Honestly, I don't know how you do it, working so hard while he runs the studio into the ground, constant fear of going under.
Must be terrible.
- We manage.
- By the skin of your teeth.
That's beneath you.
What do you want? I need to replace Irving.
Let's stop dancing.
Come work for me, Monroe.
Minor disruption? The lot is deserted.
They'll come around.
Believe me.
If they don't Fix it, Pat.
They're just children, throwing a tantrum to embarrass me.
Well, it worked.
We have a bankable hit with Angels on the Avenue.
- It's a huge windfall.
- Yes.
After Monroe saved it.
And yet the studio somehow still is a disaster.
You need to get your house in order or we'll find someone who will.
I run this studio.
That's not what the town thinks, and neither do we.
Now, your name might be over the gates, Pat, but you know as well as I do: Monroe Stahr is Brady-American.
Pat's not a storyteller.
You and I both know that.
Think about the pictures that we could make.
Wizard of Oz.
That script was made for you.
Don't you want to make things that'll last? Pictures that people will watch long after we're gone? You sure know how to flatter a girl, L.
B.
Well, you make it easy.
And he's an anchor at your feet.
Yeah, sometimes that's true.
But before there was Brady-American, or even Monroe Stahr, this lot was a couple of run-down stages, weeds coming up through the floor.
Pat and I built this place together.
He made me who I am.
With me you could win Oscars.
You deserve that.
No, L.
B.
When I win one for Brady-American, then I'll deserve it.
Mr.
Stahr called.
He's coming in to see you.
Is he? Since when does Stahr decide what goes on in this office? Is he running the studio now? Mr.
Brady, I, uh No! From now on, I decide when we meet.
You hear me?! Mr.
Stahr wants to see me, he makes an appointment and then he sits and he waits like everybody else! Yes, Mr.
Brady.
My apologies, BIRDY, I Congratulations, Aubrey.
For what? Well, Pat just decided.
Everyone back on full salary.
Well, what do you know.
Sit.
We'll drink to it.
To solidarity.
To working stiffs.
- Hear, hear.
- No, thanks.
To the drink or the solidarity.
Look, now Pat Brady knows: A movie lot without people on it may as well be an airfield.
I know you think you won something today, but you don't see what you lost.
Where'd he find the money? Under a mattress? No.
We'll just have less operating capital.
So we'll make two less movies next year, or develop a few less scripts, or Enemy gets a few less shooting days, or less money for sets, or maybe all of it.
Hard to say.
Doesn't matter where he found the money, Mr.
Stahr, just that he adequately paid his workforce.
News of this will spread to other studios, across the city, the whole nation, maybe the world, until people see that it's the working men and women who ought to be in charge.
You really believe that? You think you can start a revolution? No.
But I think someone like you very well might.
And you say "Okay" Say then we'll be married In the month of May.
Skies will clear up.
She's doing well.
Where will she go when she's better? A long-term facility.
We usually send them to County.
What if she came home with me? Sorry? I mean, when she's ready.
Be a lot to take on, ma'am.
She'd be completely dependent.
That makes two of us.
I'll be back in an hour.
There you are.
I have something for you.
It was my mother's.
She gave it to me when I left New York.
"If you find a nice girl.
" When I proposed to Minna, I went to Brock's and bought the biggest diamond I could find.
No, she needed something showy, more than Milton Sternberg could give her.
I was gonna do the same for you, but, I don't know, this ring is Monroe.
It's beautiful.
It's me.
Minna thought that I could do anything, fix everything.
If that's who you think you're marrying, please, trust me.
I come up short all the time.
I come up short, too.
I guess I've been practicing too much.
All mixed up.
That's all right.
Wouldn't that be funny? If I talked like this all the time.
Just be yourself.
I love you exactly the way you are.
Here, try it on.
My heart's humming See? It fits you perfectly.
Have a little Faith in me Skies will clear up Just to make you cheer up Have a little Faith in me In the distance There's a silver lining I see it shining And that just means success and happiness Oh, I'll come through, dear With the help of you, dear Have a little faith in me My heart's humming Better times are coming Have a little Faith in me Skies will clear up Just to make you cheer up Have a little Faith in me In the distance There's a silver lining I see it shining And that just means success and happiness Oh, I'll come through, dear With the help of you, dear Have a little faith in me.
Good to see you taking some time off to relax.
You obviously haven't seen my golf.
Ah, I've been watching the box office numbers on Angels.
Looks like your boy genius has done it again.
It's a Brady-American Picture, Louis, and it has allowed me this.
Your loan.
$2 million, paid in full, plus interest.
What's this about? Let's just say I don't like being in debt.
To me.
I know what Angels made, Pat, and I know what your operating costs are.
A check this big leaves you with nothing in the bank.
And yet, somehow I walk away, feeling richer than I was before.
I thought we talked about you watching me sleep.
I'm just thinking too much.
Well, don't do that.
I've kept something from you, and I don't want it between us.
Minna, um she wasn't what the public saw.
Nobody is.
She could be very up, and then she would spiral into a place where she just couldn't be reached.
There was drinking, pills.
The day my doctor told me about my condition, I came home to tell her I was scared and lost.
But she couldn't She relied on me for so much, she just came apart, started screaming, saying I was going to abandon her, that I was going to die and leave her alone.
So I put her in bed, and, uh and I gave her some sleeping pills and, uh, I went out and I hit every bar in town.
And when I got home the house was on fire.
She, uh she'd fallen asleep with a lit cigarette.
Oh I left her.
I left her, and No.
- It was an accident.
- No.
We've all done things we regret.
It doesn't make us bad people.
- Maybe it does.
- No, sweetheart, it doesn't.
Monroe.
What are you doing here? I was hoping to catch you alone.
I thought we weren't doing that anymore.
What can I do for you, Mr.
Stahr? I didn't want you to hear it from someone else.
We've known each other for a long time.
Out with it, Monroe.
I proposed to Kathleen.
We're getting married.
I see.
It's not something I ever thought would happen for me.
I'm happy for you.
I think I need to be happy for you.
Not quite the same.
It's close enough.
For the moment.
I don't want us to be You know, I used to spend summers with my cousin Margaret.
Her family loved to travel.
They'd always bring us somewhere different.
That was the gift.
Every summer a clean slate.
It didn't matter what happened the summer before who you'd kissed, who you'd cried over, what you'd been punished for.
You just got to start over, fresh.
That's what I want for the both of us.
Pat doesn't really know you, does he? Maybe not.
But he chose me.
I think that counts for something.
I would have run away with you.
In another life.
I would have run away with you, too.
Maybe next summer.
Celia.
Celia.
Celia! Go back to sleep.
But it's morning.
That's not possible.
It's light outside.
We need breakfast.
Nathan, why do you have to be so loud? And lunch.
For school.
What time is school? Never.
Darla I told your brother I would look out for you.
You have to go to school.
Fine.
Okay, breakfast and lunch.
Maybe we'll go out for breakfast.
This is Valentina.
This is Chanel.
This is Schiaparelli, - like Wallis Simpson wore.
- Hmm.
This one we love.
Very Carole Lombard.
- Well, she might need them all.
- Oh.
Yeah, full wardrobe.
There'll be press events, interviews, premieres.
So, day dresses, evening gowns.
This is Adrian.
Mona Bismarck just wore it.
I loathe Mona Bismarck.
Who doesn't? Any of them appeal to you? I can pick anything? Anything.
Who do you want to be? Five, six, seven, eight.
So this is the city I guess I've arrived It's scary and pretty And, oh, so alive The buildings are climbing 100 miles high Back home there's just Clouds, some birds - Some sky - Sally? I'm new in town Time for me to put my suitcase down Cut on rehearsal! I'll be all right - Once I see my name in lights.
-Sally? Honey, what, what's the matter? - Why is it scary? - Huh? The city.
Why is it scary? Everyone's dancing, and I hated Iowa.
Uh What if, before you left home, your ma warns Aunt Sue to be careful of pickpockets? And you say, "That's a funny word.
" And your ma says, "It's not a funny thing.
" And what if, in this scene, you see a pickpocket steal another man's wallet and run off? Uh, we could add something like that, - couldn't we, John? - Yeah, sure.
Would that help? You see, John? That's called writing.
Rehearsal's up! And, by the way, there aren't any buildings a hundred miles high.
That's way too tall.
All right, everyone, back to the top.
Places, people.
Places! Quiet on the set.
I told Nathan a roast beef sandwich wasn't really breakfast food, but he really wanted it, so What's this? I had some groceries sent over this morning.
The kids didn't have much to take to school.
Thought I'd set up a weekly delivery for you, just until you got back on your feet.
- Max? - Thank you.
We can't accept this.
Come on.
You needed food, I got you food.
And, and I'm happy to help.
This week? Next week? Every week? If that's what you need.
I'm an office boy with two kids to feed.
Until that changes, I'm always gonna need something.
I want you, not your money.
And as soon as you start thinking of me as some charity case That's not how I see you.
This is why people like us don't end up together.
Except in the pictures.
Because in real life, you end up with the son of a banker or a shipping magnate or Monroe Stahr.
That's not what I want.
I have to go.
Look magazine just launched.
They need a fresh face for their next cover.
I've got a friend there, I can put in a call.
Well, with a pitch that good, how could they say no? Well, we all think she's gonna be great in the picture, but we can't pretend anybody knows who she is.
That's your job, isn't it? I want Kathleen to be a household name before the first poster goes up for An Enemy Among Us.
Morning, sunshine.
Did we wake you? Sorry, I was in a script meeting.
We were just discussing how to make the world fall in love with Kathleen.
Should be easy enough.
What made you fall in love with her? Yeah, Monroe, tell us what made you pop the question.
Engaged? Wow.
Congratulations, Monroe.
She is the studio tour guide who finally made it.
No, most people think being a tour guide is making it.
She's Cinderella, the poor ingénue transformed by the magic of movies.
I'm not sure that would make me want to buy a magazine.
The thing about Kathleen is she's your closest friend, the girl next door, the waitress you leave an extra nickel for because she's got a sweet smile.
We do the interview at the Foxhole.
Where she started.
I want people to see her, the real Kathleen.
- Yes? - Yes.
Let's set it up.
Hello there.
We have to keep looking.
I mean, he could be anywhere.
- Who? - He could be here.
You're here with me.
You're safe.
Some water.
Thank you.
Can you lie with me? Of course.
"Let us pretend that we can make out a plain and logical story," "so that when one matter is dispatched, love for instance," "we go on, in an orderly manner, to the next" So this is where it all started.
How quaint.
Were you secretly dreaming of stardom while you served up banana cream pie? My goodness, no.
I think I spent most of my time trying to remember Nick's specials.
Tell me about your family.
Brothers? Sisters? No, just me.
And your parents? My father died when I was young.
My mother got a job in the sugar factory.
We didn't have much, but it was enough.
Well, she must be very proud.
Will she come over for the premiere? Oh, no, no.
Um, my mother doesn't like to make a fuss.
- Ah.
- She thinks Hollywood is folderol.
Well we can't put that in the article.
We'd all be out of work.
You know, this doesn't happen very often, going from waiting tables to starring in a big picture.
Does it all feel too good to be true? Yes.
Sometimes it does.
You were wonderful in the interview today.
Was I? Yes.
They're gonna love you.
What does it matter if people love me? They don't even know me.
Come on.
You're a natural.
They'll adore you.
Oh, people believe anything you write in those silly magazines.
It's all just a story.
It doesn't actually mean anything.
Well, you're not just a story to me.
What if I were? What do you mean? Take off your shirt.
I said take off your shirt.
What? Your accent.
- Kathleen, I'm impressed.
- Kathleen? Never heard of her.
Okay.
You think you know me, but you don't.
We've never met before.
We are strangers.
You may hear some things tomorrow.
About me.
I'm gonna do something that's gonna make a lot of people angry.
Can it be helped? No.
Then do it.
And forgive yourself.
That's right.
Thank you.
You always forgive me, don't you? I know you love me.
And our daughter.
That I do.
And I know if there was something I really needed, you would kill to get it for me.
That I would.
I am suddenly reminded of a time when I used to sneak into your parents' house at the age of 30 to see you.
Your mother would never leave us alone.
Hmm, she knew a wolf when she saw one.
Then we'd go outside and kiss in the snow.
- Doesn't seem so long ago, does it? - Hmm.
What happened to us? The normal things.
Life.
Hmm.
I still love you, you know.
I do.
And I would do anything for you.
Good.
Let us in.
He doesn't want to be disturbed.
Come on, we know he's in there.
Mr.
Brady happens to be on a very important phone call at the moment.
I'm sure he'll see you as soon as he's through.
Well, we're not going anywhere until he does see us.
Hey, hey, hey, hey.
What's going on? - You don't know? - No.
Our feudal lord in there just slashed every salary on the lot by 30%.
- What? - No warning, no reason, just some big, weepy office memo in everyone's mailbox this morning.
"Dear valued employee, "I know this will be difficult, blah, blah, blah.
"The bank failed, blah, blah, blah.
We're all in this together.
" I need to see him.
He's not seeing anyone right now.
I'm not anyone.
I wonder how long I'm gonna live before I hear you knock before charging in here.
Sorry, but they're out there with pitchforks and torches.
I didn't have a choice.
Why didn't you talk to me about this? Angels is a smash; We're fine.
Now we're fine.
Yesterday we were in debt to a conniving, manipulative enemy of this studio.
Oh, Jesus.
You paid Mayer off.
He sat behind this desk like it was nothing, needling me.
Didn't bother you the way it bothered me.
So now you feel better and the whole lot has to suffer? It isn't gonna last forever.
He stole Margo Taft right out from under us! He was trying to steal you! A studio has gates for a reason, Monroe.
You can't treat people this way and expect them to do good work, Pat.
No, but you can.
They love you.
They trust you.
You're a sun god around here.
Now, go out there and explain it to 'em till they understand.
Did you cut my salary, too? I had to.
Would've looked awful.
Take all of it.
I'll work without pay until this is resolved.
There you have it; Why they love you.
Go do your job.
I want out.
And I want a pony.
Look, we're partners, which means, if I get nothing, you get nothing.
He proposed.
We're getting married.
Great.
I'll buy you a set of coasters.
But I have an investment in you and I want my return.
I'm gonna tell him.
You'll be out on your ass.
He'll understand.
He loves me.
You're a fake and a gold digger.
What is there to love about you? You don't own me! Do you love him? Then picture this: Everyone in town finding out that Monroe Stahr got conned by an actress from Wisconsin.
A thing like that is hard to come back from, especially after you've broken his heart, or what's left of it.
What, y-you want to confess? Get rid of your guilt? Fine.
But it'll destroy him.
It's not a very nice thing to do to someone that you love.
Congrats on your engagement.
Once I get finished, nobody'll be any the wiser, dear.
Don't worry.
Thank you.
That's quite a mark.
It was silly, I was, uh, putting my suitcase on, on the shelf in the closet.
Fell and hit my face.
Clumsy of me.
Well, take care, Miss Moore.
That face belongs to Pat Brady now.
- I'll be more careful.
- Mm.
And again.
Don't hold back this time, sweetheart.
Smile with your eyes.
Kathleen, can you, uh, turn towards camera more and, and pull your shoulders back? And again.
Maybe I'm just not photogenic.
Will you give us a minute? I'm sorry.
For what? What are you sorry for? You're doing great.
Listen to me.
Stay there.
Don't move.
Kiss her again.
- Barry.
- No, wait, wait, wait.
Celia, I go behind the camera.
Uh-huh.
It's a romance.
That's the story.
People are going to love her because they see how much you love her.
Well, how much I love her is my business.
Not anymore.
Kiss her again.
- You okay with it? - Of course she's okay with it.
- Barry.
- Just a couple, Barry.
Hey.
Can I talk to you for a minute? Sure, I guess.
In private? Okay.
Just, uh, follow me this way, everybody.
All right.
Oh, my.
- I have to tell you something.
- No, I was wrong and ungrateful.
Monroe was That was a little girl's fantasy.
Silly.
And whatever it was, it's over.
I want you.
And you were right.
I know how it feels to be handed things, to have people think that you can't do it on your own.
Want me how? What are my options? All my life I've been waiting for you My wonderful one has begun Living all my life All my life Hold me close to your heart But all else above, hold my love Darling, all my life, yes I've never done this before.
Neither have I.
But all else above, hold my love, darling All my life, yes, sir.
You didn't have to wait up for me.
I'm your mother, Celia.
I'll always be waiting up for you one way or another.
Oh I haven't seen these in so long.
When you were a baby, you couldn't stand to be away from me, even for a minute.
You'd cry every time I left the room.
Why aren't there any pictures of you? Well, once you have children, the pictures are always of them.
You know, I saw you at the hospital the other day, taking that Max Miner home.
Yep.
That Max Miner.
Careful.
You're blushing.
It took a little while, but we've gotten close.
Are you happy when you're with him? - Yes.
- Mm.
Are you "you" when you're with him? Definitely.
Is that how you knew with Daddy? Yes.
That's how I knew.
All right.
Well, I'm off to bed.
- I'm very tired.
- Hmm.
Good night.
Hey.
What gives? You know the rules, George.
Everyone gets 30% less.
We have to do something.
Somebody bashes in your windshield, you bash in theirs.
This isn't a street fight, Aubrey.
What? I need to talk to you.
Where is she? - She won't come out.
- Sally? Sally, please.
I'm not coming out! All right, what's her problem? We were supposed to receive Bernadette's script revisions to rehearse this morning, but they didn't arrive.
- So find Bernadette.
- No one knows where she is.
- Find another goddamn writer.
- There are none.
They all called in sick.
Of course.
The lefties.
Broca! Yes, Mr.
Brady.
Can you write? Yes, yes, I-I can write.
I-I'm sure I can.
Yeah.
Good.
Then do that.
Sally? It's Uncle Pat.
May I come in? No! Now, we know that you're upset, but we've worked it all out.
John's gonna do the revisions.
What? - He can't write, he can barely talk! - Sally.
Aunt Bernadette is the only person who can write for me.
She's the only person who understands this movie.
- There's a whole crew of people here - I want Aunt Bernadette! - You can't just arbitrarily decide.
- Would you just listen - to yourself, Monroe? - I need you to meet me halfway.
Perhaps if you compensated them in a manner commensurate to their worth, then you wouldn't have - these difficulties.
- We do compensate them in a manner Who's this? Mark Brimmer, executive director of the Screen Writers Guild of America.
Nice to meet you, Brimmer.
Now get the hell out.
This is not a union lot.
Your writers have every right to organize, Mr.
Brady.
Yeah, they just organized me out of a day of rehearsal.
It was a protest.
We don't believe you have the right to arbitrarily cut the incomes of your employees like that.
It wasn't arbitrary.
It's what the studio can afford to pay right now.
Meanwhile, you're jeopardizing the jobs of people who can't afford to be out of work like you can.
The grips, costumers, drivers.
That's who we're standing up for.
Aubrey, please, allow me.
No, allow me, Mr.
Brimmer.
We do compensate our writers, better than any other shop in town.
Right? No? See, my problem with you is, a walkout wouldn't cost you a dime, but it would hurt their careers immeasurably and shut down this lot.
And for what? You just robbed your entire workforce of a living wage.
What are you gonna do about it? I'm going to make pictures, and they're going to make money.
And then everyone will be restored to their rightful salary and all this will be forgotten.
Until then, we'll just have to weather this, like every other struggling corporation in America.
I hope you're ashamed of yourself.
Well, shame never got a picture made.
It's no time to be glib, Monroe! That's enough! You want our board of directors to yank the studio out from under us? Put this whole place into receivership? They're coming here tomorrow, and they're gonna see this place as it's meant to be.
Productive.
Get back to work.
Go! You Max Miner? Thank you.
Next.
This is terrible.
Hello, princess.
Oh, Daddy.
Christ, you, too.
I was never ashamed of my name before today.
That's a bit grand, don't you think? How are the stagehands supposed to survive on 30% less? Or the stitchers? Or Max? Better than getting fired, isn't it? Nobody put a gun to your head and made you pay Mayer back.
Wouldn't be a bad idea to mind your tone, darling.
I am still your father.
And your goddamn boss.
What you, and everybody else around here, seem to be forgetting is that I didn't ask for this.
The bank failed.
So I turned to Mayer.
And then I watched him pick it apart piece by piece.
If I didn't do something, eventually there'd be nothing left.
And not that it matters this company, this thing that I seem to be the only one around here protecting will one day belong to you.
And I am not leaving my daughter an empty shell.
When you're 60, you'll understand! Hey, I'm not done yet.
You left me so sad You hear me? I'm not done yet.
Yes, you are.
We all are.
Face it, Aubrey, we lost.
We didn't lose, we just didn't think big enough.
You could never settle down.
There must be some mistake.
Sorry, I seem to have the wrong stage.
Damn secretaries can't keep anything straight.
You're gonna love this Sally Sweet number, though.
That kid was born to sing.
We hear she's quite something.
And wait till you see the circus dog we got her.
An amazingly capable animal.
Damn thing could probably do your taxes for you.
Blow Ill wind - Hmm.
- Blow away Let me rest Today You're blowin' me no good No good No Good.
Quiet out there.
Like a ghost town.
Just dropping by, L.
B.
? I guess I picked the wrong day.
A walkout on the very day the Gang of Ten was visiting.
You certainly are well-informed.
Well, people tell me things now and then.
Honestly, I don't know how you do it, working so hard while he runs the studio into the ground, constant fear of going under.
Must be terrible.
- We manage.
- By the skin of your teeth.
That's beneath you.
What do you want? I need to replace Irving.
Let's stop dancing.
Come work for me, Monroe.
Minor disruption? The lot is deserted.
They'll come around.
Believe me.
If they don't Fix it, Pat.
They're just children, throwing a tantrum to embarrass me.
Well, it worked.
We have a bankable hit with Angels on the Avenue.
- It's a huge windfall.
- Yes.
After Monroe saved it.
And yet the studio somehow still is a disaster.
You need to get your house in order or we'll find someone who will.
I run this studio.
That's not what the town thinks, and neither do we.
Now, your name might be over the gates, Pat, but you know as well as I do: Monroe Stahr is Brady-American.
Pat's not a storyteller.
You and I both know that.
Think about the pictures that we could make.
Wizard of Oz.
That script was made for you.
Don't you want to make things that'll last? Pictures that people will watch long after we're gone? You sure know how to flatter a girl, L.
B.
Well, you make it easy.
And he's an anchor at your feet.
Yeah, sometimes that's true.
But before there was Brady-American, or even Monroe Stahr, this lot was a couple of run-down stages, weeds coming up through the floor.
Pat and I built this place together.
He made me who I am.
With me you could win Oscars.
You deserve that.
No, L.
B.
When I win one for Brady-American, then I'll deserve it.
Mr.
Stahr called.
He's coming in to see you.
Is he? Since when does Stahr decide what goes on in this office? Is he running the studio now? Mr.
Brady, I, uh No! From now on, I decide when we meet.
You hear me?! Mr.
Stahr wants to see me, he makes an appointment and then he sits and he waits like everybody else! Yes, Mr.
Brady.
My apologies, BIRDY, I Congratulations, Aubrey.
For what? Well, Pat just decided.
Everyone back on full salary.
Well, what do you know.
Sit.
We'll drink to it.
To solidarity.
To working stiffs.
- Hear, hear.
- No, thanks.
To the drink or the solidarity.
Look, now Pat Brady knows: A movie lot without people on it may as well be an airfield.
I know you think you won something today, but you don't see what you lost.
Where'd he find the money? Under a mattress? No.
We'll just have less operating capital.
So we'll make two less movies next year, or develop a few less scripts, or Enemy gets a few less shooting days, or less money for sets, or maybe all of it.
Hard to say.
Doesn't matter where he found the money, Mr.
Stahr, just that he adequately paid his workforce.
News of this will spread to other studios, across the city, the whole nation, maybe the world, until people see that it's the working men and women who ought to be in charge.
You really believe that? You think you can start a revolution? No.
But I think someone like you very well might.
And you say "Okay" Say then we'll be married In the month of May.
Skies will clear up.
She's doing well.
Where will she go when she's better? A long-term facility.
We usually send them to County.
What if she came home with me? Sorry? I mean, when she's ready.
Be a lot to take on, ma'am.
She'd be completely dependent.
That makes two of us.
I'll be back in an hour.
There you are.
I have something for you.
It was my mother's.
She gave it to me when I left New York.
"If you find a nice girl.
" When I proposed to Minna, I went to Brock's and bought the biggest diamond I could find.
No, she needed something showy, more than Milton Sternberg could give her.
I was gonna do the same for you, but, I don't know, this ring is Monroe.
It's beautiful.
It's me.
Minna thought that I could do anything, fix everything.
If that's who you think you're marrying, please, trust me.
I come up short all the time.
I come up short, too.
I guess I've been practicing too much.
All mixed up.
That's all right.
Wouldn't that be funny? If I talked like this all the time.
Just be yourself.
I love you exactly the way you are.
Here, try it on.
My heart's humming See? It fits you perfectly.
Have a little Faith in me Skies will clear up Just to make you cheer up Have a little Faith in me In the distance There's a silver lining I see it shining And that just means success and happiness Oh, I'll come through, dear With the help of you, dear Have a little faith in me My heart's humming Better times are coming Have a little Faith in me Skies will clear up Just to make you cheer up Have a little Faith in me In the distance There's a silver lining I see it shining And that just means success and happiness Oh, I'll come through, dear With the help of you, dear Have a little faith in me.