Thirtysomething (1987) s03e22 Episode Script
Going Limp
[theme.]
[horns honking.]
[people shouting.]
[honking continues.]
[steady drone of honking.]
[jackhammer clattering.]
[honking.]
[pills rattle.]
- [Elliot.]
Hi.
- Mm.
I got the car washed, and I picked up Ethan's shoes.
Where's the grocery list? Oh, it's okay.
I'll get the groceries.
No, I've got nothing special to do today.
- You can rest.
- Mm, I feel better.
That's because you're not trying to do too much.
Just rest, okay? - You sure? - Totally.
Did you finish the orange juice this morning? Did you finish the orange juice this morning? [Angel.]
Yo, Elliot.
Angelique, I love that face.
What's up? Michael wants to see you in his office.
Don't you have a secretary or something, Wasserman? Ellyn Warren just left him.
She wants us to do a PSA for the city about Philadelphia youth.
You mean Ellyn wants to use us again after "Yo, it's your arts center"? Yeah, we were in a slump.
Plus, her people are probably impressed that she can deliver DAA.
Even DAA can't get people to believe in public education again.
Yeah, and the business community, too, they have the big corporate bucks for this.
Yeah, like all those wonderful banks that stopped giving out college loans because they weren't profitable enough, or news programs for schools complete with commercials.
Come on, corporations give big bucks.
- That's good PR.
- That's why we get them.
Yeah, good citizens of the great collapsing City of Brotherly Love.
Philadelphia we sell them Philadelphia.
The future of Philadelphia the toilet.
Actually, that's good.
- Actually, it is.
- It's very good.
- Yeah.
- Yes, listen.
- This is exactly what we do.
- Right.
TV spots selling them their own city, which is going to die if they don't act now.
Right, right, right, right the city in peril, right? - It's a thriller.
It's all kinetic.
- Yes, yes, not talking heads.
No, no, no, but it's not just a thriller, either.
It's Glory.
It's an epic.
There's no money for this.
Drentell's generous impulses have distinct limits.
Right, so that's why we do it in house, which is which is why, Mikey, this is the one I direct.
I mean, I'm perfect for this.
I'm cheap.
I'm very cheap.
Have to think about it.
No, don't think.
Just listen.
Charles Barkley is a role model.
- Elliot - No, no, no, Mike, listen to me.
Think of big stars, right? Don't Just listen.
Big stars people who pulled themselves up, made something of themselves, right, like movies, music, sports.
This is one step above a public service announcement, Elliot.
I know, Mike.
Look at the underdogs, Mikey, the underdogs, like the Phillies in '80.
Remember that? What about '64, when they blew it in '64? I didn't talk for ten days.
- You didn't? - No, I didn't.
Look, Ruben Amaro's a much better shortstop than Maury Wills.
We'll get him to talk about graduating from high school.
No money, cheap, low budget.
Mikey, I see it.
I see it, man.
Philadelphia's singing.
Frankie Avalon, Patti LaBelle Mike, Mike, this is my big chance, isn't it? Isn't it? - Yes.
- Yeah.
- Yes, it is.
- Okay, all right,.
You're going to need a DP who knows what he's doing.
- Jimmy D.
- Jimmy D.
- Walt Whitman.
- Walt Whitman? He lived in Camden, Elliot, and he was a lousy DP.
- Seriously, Mike, though, okay? - What? Promise me one thing.
We don't have to use the Liberty Bell.
I hate the Liberty Bell.
It's boring.
You hate the Liberty Bell? Yeah, it's cracked.
Big deal.
- This is perfect for you.
- Oh, it is.
It's perfect.
It's exactly what I've always wanted.
You know, I thought I'd open with this sort of, um this sort of this drunken swirl camera move of the skyline, you know? Cool, like in a helicopter? Yeah.
No, exactly like a helicopter.
No, wait.
Explain to me what that has to do with people graduating from high school? You see, what I'm selling is the youth of Philadelphia, and so I thought I'd do it with pictures.
I thought I'd sell it with pictures, like, think of John Ford.
Think of David Lean.
If you love it, I love it.
Hey, sweetie, where's your math workbook? - [Ethan.]
Mom - Get it.
You see, Nance, you know, I'm not 23 anymore.
I want to do this right.
It's time for me to stop being promising.
What? Nothing.
So what are we going to wear to the Oscars? - Ooh.
- [chuckles.]
- I see a strapless.
- Oh.
I see your hair bunched up on one side of your head.
I see tacky jewelry.
I see you backlit.
- Oh.
- I see some eye light, just a little bit.
The hero, he moves into frame, almost blocking the arch.
Their eyes meet, and we move in.
Is there music yet? - Oh, music's already started.
- Good.
He unbuttons her shirt, revealing her neck and collarbone.
[Ethan.]
Dad, when you direct the commercial, can I come watch? - Cut.
- [Nancy laughs.]
Okay, for those of you who didn't get a scorecard, at the closed end of the stadium we have the team from DAA.
We have Terry Marco, the account executive.
Michael Steadman, the creative director, Elliot Weston, art director.
Who's also agreed to direct the first TV spot for us.
Yes.
Then we have Elizabeth May, Angel Wasserman, who are both the creative team, me you know and love already.
Wendy Berman, Special Assistant to the Mayor, and Harlan Merrill, Commissioner of Cultural Affairs.
Okay, so [chuckles.]
We need a massive infusion of energy and commitment from the people in this city who have been sitting on their butts too long while the educational system and the kids suffer The things of the mind.
The Founding Fathers were men of towering intellect and wide cultural interests.
That's the tradition we have to foster and preserve Elliot, I think you wanted to give us your take on all this? Yeah, yeah.
[clears throat.]
The engine of this campaign should be the dramatic tension between the history of Philadelphia, the boring stuff that everybody knows, and the iconoclastic, fragmented modern city that's barely working anymore.
We want the kinetic excitement of kids on the street, hungry for a chance, their heat, their energy, their demand for the future that's their birthright.
All right, so my idea is that we should rough out some ideas.
We'll set a preliminary trajectory.
Then we'll reconvene in a few days to see where we are - Mr.
Steadman.
- Uh, yeah.
You have a phone call outside.
Excuse me.
Yeah.
Mr.
Weston, are you from Philadelphia originally? Are you kidding me? I was the president of the Ruben Amaro Fan Club.
You're the telephone call? I thought I was getting DAA, and here I am back with the Michael and Elliot company.
- What is going on? - Look, he's the right guy for this campaign.
- Has he ever directed before? - No, but he's produced.
He's never directed before, and you're putting him in my project? I mean, I'm on the line here.
Ellyn, Elliot is not like you and me.
He's gifted.
Michael, these are down-the-middle people.
Elliot is not a down-the-middle guy.
Well, he's perfect for this, and he's hungry.
That makes him more perfect.
Can't believe you're doing this to me.
I'm not doing anything to you.
You made the right decision coming here, so let me do my job now.
I just know that Elliot is right for this.
And you know what else? Let's set Philadelphia free of the Liberty Bell.
- What? - I mean, it's cracked.
So what? Yes, Elliot, a helicopter is out of the question.
May I have the listing for a Ruben Amaro, A-M-A-R-O? You studied film at RISD? No, I majored in design.
Oh, Elliot, I've been reading this great book Directors On Directing.
- Thanks, Ellyn.
- Sure.
Well, the crane, maybe, but not a panaglide, too.
Hi, did you get a chance to read that book? You just gave it to me.
Right.
What's with the hat? - Spielberg.
- Oh.
Even your carrots? Yeah, I want you to eat your carrots.
[crowd chattering.]
[big band.]
Mr.
Weston, what do you think your chances are of winning for your very first feature? Wow.
It's just so much more than I ever dreamed of, you know, to be nominated beside directors of the stature of Woody Allen and David Lean, Bernardo Bertolucci, Martin Scorsese.
I just It's just, you know, I'm speechless.
This is my wife Nancy.
Hello.
[Woman on phone.]
Creative Artists.
- Is this CAA? - Yes, it is.
Yeah, Miss Pippa Fallow, please.
One moment, please.
[Man.]
Pippa Fallow's office.
Yes, this is Elliot Weston calling for Miss Pippa Fallow.
Who? Elliot Weston, DAA Philadelphia.
"B" as in boy, A-A? No, "D" as in Dracula, D-A-A.
You got Ron DeLisle? Wait a minute.
He gets a million dollars for brushing his teeth.
- 7,500 bucks.
- This isn't funny.
Yeah, I know it isn't funny.
It's epic.
- It's not possible.
- Anything's possible.
I faxed him a letter.
Fax isn't that a horrible word? You faxed him a letter? - Yeah, about Philly.
- About Philly? Yeah, you know, the old hometown, Ruben Amaro, soft pretzels, future renter city of Dick Clark.
- And he said he'd do it? - He said he'd love to do it.
- For 7,500? - Yeah, and a promise that the city would declare Ron DeLisle Day.
I ran it by Wendy Berman.
She said done and done.
No sweat.
Hey.
Nice.
Very nice.
No sweat.
Okay, okay, here it is.
Philadelphia, where it all began.
Philadelphia, where it can begin again today.
I like that.
That's great.
Yeah, that's much better than the other one.
Well, it's very good, but I'm still not sure I understand what Ron DeLisle has to do with all this.
Well, he's a Philly boy made good.
I mean, he's hot.
He's a hook, a subliminal hook.
See, public service announcements, they have no heat.
My spot will.
Uh, I want to make the camera a character here.
I want it to move, and we're not talking about objective filmmaking.
We're not talking about objective storytelling.
Advocacy.
That's why I want DeLisle.
Manipulation.
Manipulation.
I don't know I'm worrying about it becoming inaccessible.
Ellyn, all filmmaking is manipulation.
All advertising is manipulation.
That's why they make such a natural marriage.
Now, I know what you're getting at, Elliot, but there's an implicit message in the approach, and there's a lot to be said for simplicity.
Talking heads? No, not talking heads, but simplicity and maybe sincerity.
- Excuse me.
- Yeah, Cath.
- Ron DeLisle's here.
- Oh, good.
Terrific, Thank you.
Uh, if you'll excuse me, Ron DeLisle's here to see me.
- A bottle? - Yes.
- One? Would you like anything, nothing? - No.
- Oh, here he is.
Okay.
- Okay, thanks.
- I'll see you.
- Thanks, Catherine.
Hi.
Elliot Weston.
- Hi.
- This is a real pleasure for me.
- Ron DeLisle, Pippa Fallow.
- Hi, Pippa, thank you very much.
- Marisa Barnbury.
- Hi, welcome, Marisa.
Is there a phone? I have to call L.
A.
- Yeah, there's one right here.
Help yourself.
- Thank you.
- Nice artwork here.
- Yeah, it's pretty good stuff.
- Is that a Calder? - Yeah, yeah, that's a Calder over there.
- Original? - Well, no, it's a print.
It's a signed print.
- [Pippa.]
Yes.
- Nice place.
Thanks.
We call it home.
So is the hotel okay? Was that all right? Actually, from what I remember of downtown Philly, I thought it was going to be a dump, but it was pretty nice.
Come on.
We even got indoor plumbing nowadays.
[both laugh.]
So when and where do you want me? Oh, oh, listen, would it be okay You'd make a lot of little people really happy if you'd step over here and say hi.
- Is that okay? - Okay.
Okay, great.
Come on.
And then I made us reservations for lunch.
Philadelphia has some pretty spectacular restaurants.
Oh, yeah, yeah, Coz told me to check out the new place on Front Street.
Oh, that place is great.
That's not where I made reservations.
- Is that where you want to go? - Can we go there? Oh, absolutely.
That's no problem at all.
- No trouble? - Catherine? Uh, we'll worry about that later Michael, Angel, everybody, Ellyn.
Ron DeLisle, Pippa Fallow, Marisa.
- [DeLisle.]
Nice meeting you.
- [Marisa.]
Nice to meet you.
[Elliot.]
Terry Marco, Jimmy D.
- This is Elizabeth.
- Nice to meet you.
- Hi.
Angel Wasserman.
- How are you? Word is that your friend is already planning a Weston retrospective.
Elliot's bringing a lot of energy to this project.
Energy wasn't the word Harlan Merrill used when he stopped by my office today.
You know, Miles, I'm not good at these serpentine conversations.
- Was he unhappy? - He expressed a certain lack of confidence.
Well, then, I'll have to reassure him.
Harlan Merrill, drone that he is, matters in this city.
If Weston's delusions that he is Ingmar Bergman cost me the opportunity to turn down Merrill's invitations to important but incredibly boring dinners, I'll be unhappy.
I'm never unhappy alone.
Miles, in simple, declarative sentences.
Weston is clever.
Clever won't get the job done.
It's your responsibility to get the job done brilliantly, the way we do things here.
Elliot is more than clever, and I'm well aware of my responsibilities.
Then we have no problem.
None at all.
I must say I'm delighted.
- Hey.
- Hey, hey, come here, look at this.
Look at this.
What do you think? Kids up against the chain link, black and white, 500mm lens.
- Yeah.
Uh, Elliot.
- Yeah.
Listen, um, your ideas for this campaign are brilliant, you know.
Landing Ron DeLisle was better than brilliant.
Now you can turn it down a notch.
Meaning? Meaning don't overreach yourself, meaning use Jimmy D, meaning don't antagonize Merrill, and most especially meaning from now on, introduce Miles first to any celebrity who walks through the door.
Oops.
Listen, you've upped the ante big here.
I mean, the first actor you're ever going to direct is Ron DeLisle.
The first scene in your first commercial's inspired by Apocalypse Now.
Come on, don't turn into Michael The Meek on me, okay? I'm just telling you.
And I'm telling you I've got it under control.
All right? Look at these.
Yeah, they're beautiful.
I love the colors.
Work with Jimmy D, Ell.
He can always bail you out.
I don't need bailing out.
Okay.
Just tell me this isn't a train wreck.
It's not a train wreck.
You saw his cards.
He's ready.
All right, just tell me that you'll be there holding Elliot's hand the whole time.
I'm going to be there holding Elliot's hand the whole time.
- Okay.
- Okay.
You know, maybe I better call him.
You should definitely not call him.
It's going to be fine.
- Okay.
- All right.
You know what? I'm going to call him.
No.
It's not your responsibility anymore.
- Of course it's my responsibility.
- No, it's not.
It's mine and Elliot's now, mostly Elliot's.
Now, you just show up in the morning and enjoy yourself.
You've got to be kidding me.
No, come on, you'll like it.
It's just like the movies.
Oh, yeah, right.
- Good-bye, Ellyn.
- Good-bye.
- It's a train wreck.
- It's a train wreck.
[phone rings.]
- Hello.
- Elliot, it's Ellyn.
Hey, Ellyn, what's up? Um, well, nothing.
I just um I just called to, you know, find out if you're all ready for tomorrow.
What do you mean? Do I have my pencil sharpened and do I have an eraser? I don't know.
I feel responsible, so so I'm just calling to see if you're comfortable.
Are you comfortable? Yeah, I feel very comfortable.
Oh, good, good.
- Bye.
- Bye.
[sighs.]
Get your jammies on, sweetie.
What, does everybody think I'm an irresponsible clown? - [Ethan.]
Where's Dad? - Of course not.
He's in here, Ethan.
But I mean, I know that you can do anything that you want to do.
It's not that, but Well, you're thinking very big on this.
I know.
That's the idea.
That's the only reason to do it.
Okay.
- Dad? - Hey, buddy, what's up? What does the director do? The director? - Yeah.
- Well.
Well, he's the boss of the set.
So does he tell the actors what to say? No, no, no, no, there's a writer who writes the script.
Does the director work the camera? No, no, there's a special camera operator who does that.
So what the hell does the director do? Don't swear.
- Sorry.
- Okay.
Uh, well, he he, uh You know, there's a lot of girl directors, too.
- Mm-hm.
- So it's not all boys.
Um, uh That's a good question.
Uh Here's what he does.
He takes the pictures, right? He decides what pictures you're going to take, like if you're going to have a close-up of the Joker, like an overhead shot of the Batmobile? Cool.
So how do you start? What do you mean? - What do you do first? - First? What do you do first thing tomorrow morning when all the cameras and lights and people and everything are there? First First, uh [thunder booms.]
[rain pattering.]
[groans.]
I can't do it.
What do you mean? Of course you can do it.
Uh-uh, no, I was an idiot to think I could do this.
I have no idea what to do.
Your cards, Elliot, what about all your cards? Cards, big deal, cards, Mike.
The cops are going to stop the traffic.
They're going to stop the automobiles, and all the people, they're going to stop.
They're going to look at me, and there's going to be a silence, and they're going to know I don't know what I'm doing.
Elliot, this is what you've always wanted to do.
Uh-uh, you do it, Mike.
You do it, okay? - What? - Come on, you do it.
Mike, you do it.
You can do this commercial, Mike.
Elliot, come on, now.
Settle down.
You know everything I know about this commercial.
- It's going to be - Look, I can't Ow! Ow! Look, I can't even drink a cup of coffee.
Okay, I'm going to get you a napkin.
- What do I do? - Just stay here.
I've got a temperature.
Your friend's a little upset this morning.
Yeah, you're going to have to excuse him.
He's directing a commercial with Ron DeLisle today, so he's a little nervous.
Is Ronnie in town? Yeah, you know him? Here you go.
Just easy, now.
That's good.
You got it.
We used to hang out together down at Avalon when we were kids.
- Really? - He's the one who chipped this tooth.
Claims it was an accident.
Listen, you tell him to call Brenda, or he's dead meat.
- Sure.
- Here.
Just give him this.
He's going to know who Brenda is? He'll know.
Just tell your friend to give him that.
Okay.
Here you go.
[sighs.]
- We've got to go.
- I'm dead.
Jimmy D.
Jimmy D'll get you through.
- Jimmy D? - Yeah, it's going to be great.
Jimmy D.
- [Elliot.]
Jimmy D, Jimmy D, Jimmy D.
- Jimmy D, yeah, yeah.
All right.
This is what you always wanted.
[people chattering.]
[hammering.]
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
You're early.
- Yes, well - Let's go, cowboy.
Now, where do you want me? - Anywhere.
- Okay.
It's going to be great.
Okay.
Okay.
All right, here's the first shot.
Okay, there's three people over there, and we'll start with a 50mm lens, and the camera will start on the crane here.
We'll go up, and we'll pull back, and that'll be it.
Okay.
["Colonel Bogey March".]
[no audible dialogue.]
Action! Okay, I don't think you guys are getting what I'm saying.
This shot right here's an incredibly wide shot, and you guys don't fight.
You guys exit the shot.
I've got to see animation.
Animation! - [Man.]
Quiet on the set.
- [sighs.]
- Quiet, please.
- Action! Cut.
Let's go once again right away.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Hi.
Hi, how are you? It's just a simple hand off, you know, Ted? - You grab the - All right, that's lunch! - What? - [Man.]
All right.
[chattering.]
All right, so how are we doing right now? I mean, what do you think? Well, we didn't get anything this morning, nothing.
Michael, is everything okay? Yeah, everything's fine.
We're running a little behind, which is perfectly normal.
I mean, is it okay, the stuff he's getting? It looks a little ragged.
Ellyn, it's great.
You're going to get your commercial.
Now, why don't you go do some urban renewal somewhere or something, all right? Damn it, Michael.
I came to you because I trust you.
Don't pretend there's not a problem.
Okay.
Look, I'm sorry, really.
There's a little problem, but I've got it under control.
I appreciate the fact that you trust me, and I will not let you down, all right? - Okay.
- Please let me handle this.
Okay, go and eat some lunch or something, all right? Go on.
Go on.
Go on.
Elliot, let's eat.
Mike, listen, I know we're behind, but I'll make it up this afternoon.
I think we're getting really great stuff.
Yeah, listen.
You know that we have to be out of here by 2:00? Yeah, yeah, we'll be out of here.
It's no problem.
I think I can go handheld with that shot this afternoon.
Wish I had a Steadicam or some kind of dolly track or something.
No, it's going to be great.
It's going to be great.
Let's go eat some lunch.
- Are you sure? - Yeah, I'm sure.
Come on, now.
Where's DeLisle? I don't Ron? - Yeah.
- Ron? Ron I don't know.
It's We got no dol We got no dolly tracks.
We got no Steadicam.
- We don't need dolly tracks or a Steadicam.
- I got the crane.
No, I love all the hand-held stuff.
It's all hand-held.
[Elliot.]
Action! Cut.
Print.
Okay, one more time right away.
Absolutely, I realize that.
It's done, okay? It's done.
Okay, thank you.
All right.
[Elliot.]
And cut.
[Michael.]
Okay, come here.
Come here.
Listen to me.
The permit expired at 2:00, Elliot.
It's 3:15.
- I almost got this, Mike.
- We've got to move.
I think you've already got it.
- No I don't.
No, I don't.
- I think you got it.
We've got to move.
How many balloons do you want the guy to be holding? - What? - Tomorrow, how many balloons? Uhten.
Ten, okay.
What colors? - What? - What colors? All right, uh Red, blue, yellow.
- Right, you got it.
- All right.
Here we go! One more time.
No, one more time.
Here we go, everybody now.
- I'm going to go.
- Okay.
- I'll see you.
- Bye.
Okay.
Okay, we're going to be there, I promise you 50 minutes, give me a chance, okay? We're out of here.
Bye.
Hey, wait.
Wait, wait a minute, Pippa.
Pippa.
Pippa.
- You knew the rules.
- Pippa, come on.
It's only 4:00.
We can get these shots and be out of here.
It's 4:25, and we are out of here already.
Now, we'll have him here tomorrow on location if I can convince him to come back.
- Pippa, we're really sorry.
- I'm sure you are.
Now, if you'll excuse me, gentlemen, there's a gallery opening in New York at 6:00.
- See you tomorrow.
- Pippa, Pippa.
Don't push your luck.
Do we have a problem here? Uh, yeah, listen.
We lost DeLisle for the day, but we can pick up what we need on location tomorrow.
Plus we have some more work to finish.
Tell me I was wrong about Weston.
- You were wrong about Weston.
- Reassure me, Steadman.
Everything's going to be fine, Miles.
Yes, it will be fine.
It will be fine because you are going to keep him under control.
I don't want him scratching his nose without clearing it with you first.
[sighs.]
- Nancy.
- Where have you been? What's the matter? I had to go to the office to get over some things.
Listen, get the kids dressed, okay? We've got to leave town.
We'll worry about new identities when we get to Spain.
It didn't go well? Nance, the Dukakis campaign didn't go well.
Denver in the Super Bowl didn't go well.
This was way beyond didn't go well.
I didn't think it was so bad.
I've got to finish tomorrow, and I've got nothing.
Nothing.
Oh, come on to bed.
You'll feel better about it in the morning.
No, I won't.
It's too hard, Nance.
Everybody knows I'm screwing up.
Michael knows.
Michael also knows that you're very talented.
He knows it was your first time.
I'm an imposter.
Oh, everybody's an imposter.
That's the fun of it.
What am I going to do, honey? You're going to go in there tomorrow, and you're going to finish up.
It's going to be great.
Oh.
Now you need to get some sleep.
Okay.
You feel good.
By the way, who is Ruben Amaro? [chuckles.]
[dog barking outside.]
Hey, Dad.
What are you doing awake? Tried to be up for you last night, but I fell asleep.
Did you have fun? Yeah, it was a riot.
Mom's bringing me to see you today, right? Um, gee, I don't know, Ethe.
It's kind of boring.
You might be real disappointed.
I won't be bored.
Yeah, you're right.
You'll have a great time.
I've got to go, okay? - Okay.
Dad? - Yeah.
Just don't put that dumb Liberty Bell in the commercial.
Okay.
- See you later, buddy.
- Okay.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Oh, you scared me, man.
What are you doing here? I'm driving you in so we can go over your shots for today.
- The hell you are.
- Hey, Elliot.
Don't fight me on this, all right? You're putting everybody on the line here.
I'm not putting anybody on the line.
I'm getting the job done.
I've got to make sure of that.
- Elliot.
- Listen, Michael.
Why don't you tell Miles you tried to rein me in? That way your conscience will be clear, and he won't fire you when he fires me.
Oh, come on, Elliot.
Take a hike, Michael.
[Elliot.]
Oh, come on, Jimmy.
This is insane.
I don't see why you're fighting me on this.
You've got to be able to pan down this thing.
- What's going - Pan down here? Yes, why can't you pan down You want a shot from Mars! [Elliot.]
No.
Jimmy, that's insane.
Oh, come on, Jimmy.
You go over here.
You pan down the Oh, forget it.
We'll talk about it later.
All right, we'll talk about it.
Ronnie, uh, um, you know what I'd really like? I don't know if it's possible.
I want this thing Can't find an outlet for this.
- Listen to me.
- Yeah.
You're aware that if we're here one minute past noon, it's $10,000? - Fine.
- I will pull the plug at noon, Elliot.
- I will do it.
- All All right.
- We got a problem.
- What? No red balloons.
They didn't deliver any red balloons.
We got blue, yellow, pink.
What should we do? Blue, yellow, pink.
That'll be fine.
- Thanks.
- No problem.
- Elliot.
- Ronnie! Yeah.
Okay, um See, I'm going to be at Frankie's at 52nd Street tonight at 7:00 sharp, and I mean I'm going to be looking pretty.
I'm going to be relaxed.
I'm going to be rested, so can we get this Mickey Mouse crap over with right away? - Sure, sure.
- Elliot.
There's not going to be a problem.
We'll be all right.
You'll make it.
As a matter of fact, we're ready.
I think we're ready.
Hi, Dad.
Hey, hey, Eth.
Buddy.
["Tequila".]
Get this shot.
[Man.]
Rolling.
Speed.
[clapper claps.]
[Michael sniffs.]
- Say action.
- Action! [DeLisle.]
Philadelphia, where it all began.
Philadelphia, where it can all begin again today.
[Elliot.]
Cut.
cut.
Action! [DeLisle.]
Philadelphia, where it all began.
Philadelphia, where it can all begin again today.
Where it can all begin again today.
begin again today.
today.
today.
- [Man.]
Cut it.
- [Elliot.]
All right, all right.
Forget the tilt down.
[Man.]
51, take 12, speed.
Mark.
[Elliot.]
Okay, move your head left a little bit.
Left Yeah, left, Ron.
No, up a little bit.
Okay, and action! - Philadelphia, where - Cut! Lose the lady with the poodle, please! [Man.]
Speed.
Mark.
Right here, just like that.
That's great.
And action.
Philadelphia, where it all began.
Philadelphia, where it can began again.
[Elliot.]
Cut.
- [Man.]
51, take 24.
- [Man #2.]
Speed.
Okay, just relax into it, okay? Just, like, real conversational, like somebody asks you how you're doing.
That's it.
Okay.
And action.
Philadelphia, where it all began.
Philadelphia, where it can all begin again today.
Cut.
Let's put a hold on that one.
[DeLisle.]
What was wrong with that one? [phone crashes.]
I'm outta here.
See you guys.
[whispers.]
No problem, no problem.
Here we go.
Ready.
[Man.]
51, take 32.
Speed.
Action.
Philadelphia, where it all began.
Philadelphia, where it can all begin again today.
Cut.
Let's put a hold on that.
- [Man.]
What? - Uh, let's go one more time.
No, that's it.
I'm out of here.
Wait a second.
Wait, wait.
Wait.
Listen, listen.
Who are you? I'm the director, okay? I'm the director.
In a pig's eye.
- Wait, Ronnie.
- Don't ever call me Ronnie again.
No, please, please, come on.
What? Who Who did you say you were again? What? Who? What am I? I'm listening.
Who are you? - Who are you? - Who am I? Yes, please.
I don't hear anything.
- You know what? - What? We don't need to know who I am.
All we need to know is that you are a rude, arrogant, semi-literate son of a bitch who gave us his word he was going to do a job, and now you're not doing it because you're a little bored, and you're too stupid to know how to deal with being bored.
You bet your ass I'm bored.
I'm bored with your amateur hour.
I'm bored with your crane.
I'm bored with this doofus thing you have hanging around your neck.
I mean, you are in so far over that little pin head of yours that you can't even see the garbage on the beach.
- W-Wait, wait wait - Wait for what? All I've been doing is waiting for you for two days now! That's all I do! Wait! [murmuring.]
Hey.
Hey! Hey? Hey, what? Brenda.
You got a note from Brenda.
Y-You know Brenda? No, I don't know who the hell Brenda is.
All I know is I was having a nervous breakdown at her truck yesterday trying to figure out how to direct this thing, and it turns out, what, you chipped her tooth in Avalon in 1973.
It's a small world.
Yeah, well, that was an accident because, you know, her tooth was up against Well, she was - Anyway - Look Brenda.
I'm no director, okay? You know way more about this than I do, and I'm about to lose my job in two minutes, so don't ask me who I am, okay? Because I don't know.
So what do you want from me, huh? Uh [sighs.]
A break, maybe.
A break.
All right, here's how it's going to work, okay? You can say three things to me.
You can say action, you can say cut, and you can say print.
That's it.
You so much as say anything else, I'll smash your face in.
Works for me.
All right, here we go.
Right away, one more time.
One more time.
That's it.
One more time.
One more time.
Here we go.
This is it.
- [Man.]
Okay, all right.
- Okay, we gotta go.
All right, settle, please.
- And rolling.
- [Man.]
Speed.
[Man.]
51, take 33.
Action.
Philadelphia, where it all began.
Philadelphia, where it can begin again today.
Cut.
Print.
All right.
[Angel.]
Hey.
We're waiting for you.
No, go ahead.
I've seen it.
You're nuts.
We're not starting without you.
["Thus Spoke Zarathustra".]
[Elliot sighs.]
[Man.]
Laid the music track on just to give you an idea.
- It's real rough.
- [breathes deeply.]
[exhales.]
[soft 1980s rock on monitor.]
[DeLisle.]
It began in Philadelphia.
Are you going to let it end here? [dialogue fades under ambiance music.]
[DeLisle.]
It's your city.
They're your kids.
Philadelphia, where it all began.
Philadelphia, where it can begin again today.
[Angel sighs.]
All right.
- [Woman.]
Nice.
- [Man.]
Looks good.
Looks good.
Hey, looks nice.
[Man.]
Elliot, does that tugboat still work? I can't wait to see the look on Harlan Merrill's face when he checks out that woman with the roller skates, huh? [whispering.]
[clears throat.]
Well, these are Mr.
Drentell's exact words.
He asked me to repeat them because he's too moved to speak.
"Perhaps I misjudged Weston.
That is a superior though deeply flawed piece of work.
" - [others chuckle.]
- "And it's nice to see Ruben Amaro again.
" Yeah.
Thank you.
Good.
Thanks.
Way to go.
Thank you.
[Woman.]
Way to go, Elliot.
Thanks.
[horns honking.]
[jackhammer clattering.]
- Do you know what I liked best about the whole thing? - Huh.
When you woke me up in the middle of the night, and you were scared and drunk.
I wasn't drunk.
You were going to move the whole family to Barcelona, Elliot.
I was a little drunk.
[chuckles.]
It was the first time since I got sick that you weren't afraid to need me for something.
I am almost unbearably proud of you.
You did it.
- You know what I like best? - Mm.
- It's over.
- [chuckles.]
Until you do it again.
- Never.
- Of course you're going to do it again.
Everybody's going to demand you to do it again, and you're going to want to do it again.
- No way.
- [chuckles.]
What? Closed-Captioned By J.
R.
Media Services, Inc.
Burbank, CA And dance by the light of the moon
[horns honking.]
[people shouting.]
[honking continues.]
[steady drone of honking.]
[jackhammer clattering.]
[honking.]
[pills rattle.]
- [Elliot.]
Hi.
- Mm.
I got the car washed, and I picked up Ethan's shoes.
Where's the grocery list? Oh, it's okay.
I'll get the groceries.
No, I've got nothing special to do today.
- You can rest.
- Mm, I feel better.
That's because you're not trying to do too much.
Just rest, okay? - You sure? - Totally.
Did you finish the orange juice this morning? Did you finish the orange juice this morning? [Angel.]
Yo, Elliot.
Angelique, I love that face.
What's up? Michael wants to see you in his office.
Don't you have a secretary or something, Wasserman? Ellyn Warren just left him.
She wants us to do a PSA for the city about Philadelphia youth.
You mean Ellyn wants to use us again after "Yo, it's your arts center"? Yeah, we were in a slump.
Plus, her people are probably impressed that she can deliver DAA.
Even DAA can't get people to believe in public education again.
Yeah, and the business community, too, they have the big corporate bucks for this.
Yeah, like all those wonderful banks that stopped giving out college loans because they weren't profitable enough, or news programs for schools complete with commercials.
Come on, corporations give big bucks.
- That's good PR.
- That's why we get them.
Yeah, good citizens of the great collapsing City of Brotherly Love.
Philadelphia we sell them Philadelphia.
The future of Philadelphia the toilet.
Actually, that's good.
- Actually, it is.
- It's very good.
- Yeah.
- Yes, listen.
- This is exactly what we do.
- Right.
TV spots selling them their own city, which is going to die if they don't act now.
Right, right, right, right the city in peril, right? - It's a thriller.
It's all kinetic.
- Yes, yes, not talking heads.
No, no, no, but it's not just a thriller, either.
It's Glory.
It's an epic.
There's no money for this.
Drentell's generous impulses have distinct limits.
Right, so that's why we do it in house, which is which is why, Mikey, this is the one I direct.
I mean, I'm perfect for this.
I'm cheap.
I'm very cheap.
Have to think about it.
No, don't think.
Just listen.
Charles Barkley is a role model.
- Elliot - No, no, no, Mike, listen to me.
Think of big stars, right? Don't Just listen.
Big stars people who pulled themselves up, made something of themselves, right, like movies, music, sports.
This is one step above a public service announcement, Elliot.
I know, Mike.
Look at the underdogs, Mikey, the underdogs, like the Phillies in '80.
Remember that? What about '64, when they blew it in '64? I didn't talk for ten days.
- You didn't? - No, I didn't.
Look, Ruben Amaro's a much better shortstop than Maury Wills.
We'll get him to talk about graduating from high school.
No money, cheap, low budget.
Mikey, I see it.
I see it, man.
Philadelphia's singing.
Frankie Avalon, Patti LaBelle Mike, Mike, this is my big chance, isn't it? Isn't it? - Yes.
- Yeah.
- Yes, it is.
- Okay, all right,.
You're going to need a DP who knows what he's doing.
- Jimmy D.
- Jimmy D.
- Walt Whitman.
- Walt Whitman? He lived in Camden, Elliot, and he was a lousy DP.
- Seriously, Mike, though, okay? - What? Promise me one thing.
We don't have to use the Liberty Bell.
I hate the Liberty Bell.
It's boring.
You hate the Liberty Bell? Yeah, it's cracked.
Big deal.
- This is perfect for you.
- Oh, it is.
It's perfect.
It's exactly what I've always wanted.
You know, I thought I'd open with this sort of, um this sort of this drunken swirl camera move of the skyline, you know? Cool, like in a helicopter? Yeah.
No, exactly like a helicopter.
No, wait.
Explain to me what that has to do with people graduating from high school? You see, what I'm selling is the youth of Philadelphia, and so I thought I'd do it with pictures.
I thought I'd sell it with pictures, like, think of John Ford.
Think of David Lean.
If you love it, I love it.
Hey, sweetie, where's your math workbook? - [Ethan.]
Mom - Get it.
You see, Nance, you know, I'm not 23 anymore.
I want to do this right.
It's time for me to stop being promising.
What? Nothing.
So what are we going to wear to the Oscars? - Ooh.
- [chuckles.]
- I see a strapless.
- Oh.
I see your hair bunched up on one side of your head.
I see tacky jewelry.
I see you backlit.
- Oh.
- I see some eye light, just a little bit.
The hero, he moves into frame, almost blocking the arch.
Their eyes meet, and we move in.
Is there music yet? - Oh, music's already started.
- Good.
He unbuttons her shirt, revealing her neck and collarbone.
[Ethan.]
Dad, when you direct the commercial, can I come watch? - Cut.
- [Nancy laughs.]
Okay, for those of you who didn't get a scorecard, at the closed end of the stadium we have the team from DAA.
We have Terry Marco, the account executive.
Michael Steadman, the creative director, Elliot Weston, art director.
Who's also agreed to direct the first TV spot for us.
Yes.
Then we have Elizabeth May, Angel Wasserman, who are both the creative team, me you know and love already.
Wendy Berman, Special Assistant to the Mayor, and Harlan Merrill, Commissioner of Cultural Affairs.
Okay, so [chuckles.]
We need a massive infusion of energy and commitment from the people in this city who have been sitting on their butts too long while the educational system and the kids suffer The things of the mind.
The Founding Fathers were men of towering intellect and wide cultural interests.
That's the tradition we have to foster and preserve Elliot, I think you wanted to give us your take on all this? Yeah, yeah.
[clears throat.]
The engine of this campaign should be the dramatic tension between the history of Philadelphia, the boring stuff that everybody knows, and the iconoclastic, fragmented modern city that's barely working anymore.
We want the kinetic excitement of kids on the street, hungry for a chance, their heat, their energy, their demand for the future that's their birthright.
All right, so my idea is that we should rough out some ideas.
We'll set a preliminary trajectory.
Then we'll reconvene in a few days to see where we are - Mr.
Steadman.
- Uh, yeah.
You have a phone call outside.
Excuse me.
Yeah.
Mr.
Weston, are you from Philadelphia originally? Are you kidding me? I was the president of the Ruben Amaro Fan Club.
You're the telephone call? I thought I was getting DAA, and here I am back with the Michael and Elliot company.
- What is going on? - Look, he's the right guy for this campaign.
- Has he ever directed before? - No, but he's produced.
He's never directed before, and you're putting him in my project? I mean, I'm on the line here.
Ellyn, Elliot is not like you and me.
He's gifted.
Michael, these are down-the-middle people.
Elliot is not a down-the-middle guy.
Well, he's perfect for this, and he's hungry.
That makes him more perfect.
Can't believe you're doing this to me.
I'm not doing anything to you.
You made the right decision coming here, so let me do my job now.
I just know that Elliot is right for this.
And you know what else? Let's set Philadelphia free of the Liberty Bell.
- What? - I mean, it's cracked.
So what? Yes, Elliot, a helicopter is out of the question.
May I have the listing for a Ruben Amaro, A-M-A-R-O? You studied film at RISD? No, I majored in design.
Oh, Elliot, I've been reading this great book Directors On Directing.
- Thanks, Ellyn.
- Sure.
Well, the crane, maybe, but not a panaglide, too.
Hi, did you get a chance to read that book? You just gave it to me.
Right.
What's with the hat? - Spielberg.
- Oh.
Even your carrots? Yeah, I want you to eat your carrots.
[crowd chattering.]
[big band.]
Mr.
Weston, what do you think your chances are of winning for your very first feature? Wow.
It's just so much more than I ever dreamed of, you know, to be nominated beside directors of the stature of Woody Allen and David Lean, Bernardo Bertolucci, Martin Scorsese.
I just It's just, you know, I'm speechless.
This is my wife Nancy.
Hello.
[Woman on phone.]
Creative Artists.
- Is this CAA? - Yes, it is.
Yeah, Miss Pippa Fallow, please.
One moment, please.
[Man.]
Pippa Fallow's office.
Yes, this is Elliot Weston calling for Miss Pippa Fallow.
Who? Elliot Weston, DAA Philadelphia.
"B" as in boy, A-A? No, "D" as in Dracula, D-A-A.
You got Ron DeLisle? Wait a minute.
He gets a million dollars for brushing his teeth.
- 7,500 bucks.
- This isn't funny.
Yeah, I know it isn't funny.
It's epic.
- It's not possible.
- Anything's possible.
I faxed him a letter.
Fax isn't that a horrible word? You faxed him a letter? - Yeah, about Philly.
- About Philly? Yeah, you know, the old hometown, Ruben Amaro, soft pretzels, future renter city of Dick Clark.
- And he said he'd do it? - He said he'd love to do it.
- For 7,500? - Yeah, and a promise that the city would declare Ron DeLisle Day.
I ran it by Wendy Berman.
She said done and done.
No sweat.
Hey.
Nice.
Very nice.
No sweat.
Okay, okay, here it is.
Philadelphia, where it all began.
Philadelphia, where it can begin again today.
I like that.
That's great.
Yeah, that's much better than the other one.
Well, it's very good, but I'm still not sure I understand what Ron DeLisle has to do with all this.
Well, he's a Philly boy made good.
I mean, he's hot.
He's a hook, a subliminal hook.
See, public service announcements, they have no heat.
My spot will.
Uh, I want to make the camera a character here.
I want it to move, and we're not talking about objective filmmaking.
We're not talking about objective storytelling.
Advocacy.
That's why I want DeLisle.
Manipulation.
Manipulation.
I don't know I'm worrying about it becoming inaccessible.
Ellyn, all filmmaking is manipulation.
All advertising is manipulation.
That's why they make such a natural marriage.
Now, I know what you're getting at, Elliot, but there's an implicit message in the approach, and there's a lot to be said for simplicity.
Talking heads? No, not talking heads, but simplicity and maybe sincerity.
- Excuse me.
- Yeah, Cath.
- Ron DeLisle's here.
- Oh, good.
Terrific, Thank you.
Uh, if you'll excuse me, Ron DeLisle's here to see me.
- A bottle? - Yes.
- One? Would you like anything, nothing? - No.
- Oh, here he is.
Okay.
- Okay, thanks.
- I'll see you.
- Thanks, Catherine.
Hi.
Elliot Weston.
- Hi.
- This is a real pleasure for me.
- Ron DeLisle, Pippa Fallow.
- Hi, Pippa, thank you very much.
- Marisa Barnbury.
- Hi, welcome, Marisa.
Is there a phone? I have to call L.
A.
- Yeah, there's one right here.
Help yourself.
- Thank you.
- Nice artwork here.
- Yeah, it's pretty good stuff.
- Is that a Calder? - Yeah, yeah, that's a Calder over there.
- Original? - Well, no, it's a print.
It's a signed print.
- [Pippa.]
Yes.
- Nice place.
Thanks.
We call it home.
So is the hotel okay? Was that all right? Actually, from what I remember of downtown Philly, I thought it was going to be a dump, but it was pretty nice.
Come on.
We even got indoor plumbing nowadays.
[both laugh.]
So when and where do you want me? Oh, oh, listen, would it be okay You'd make a lot of little people really happy if you'd step over here and say hi.
- Is that okay? - Okay.
Okay, great.
Come on.
And then I made us reservations for lunch.
Philadelphia has some pretty spectacular restaurants.
Oh, yeah, yeah, Coz told me to check out the new place on Front Street.
Oh, that place is great.
That's not where I made reservations.
- Is that where you want to go? - Can we go there? Oh, absolutely.
That's no problem at all.
- No trouble? - Catherine? Uh, we'll worry about that later Michael, Angel, everybody, Ellyn.
Ron DeLisle, Pippa Fallow, Marisa.
- [DeLisle.]
Nice meeting you.
- [Marisa.]
Nice to meet you.
[Elliot.]
Terry Marco, Jimmy D.
- This is Elizabeth.
- Nice to meet you.
- Hi.
Angel Wasserman.
- How are you? Word is that your friend is already planning a Weston retrospective.
Elliot's bringing a lot of energy to this project.
Energy wasn't the word Harlan Merrill used when he stopped by my office today.
You know, Miles, I'm not good at these serpentine conversations.
- Was he unhappy? - He expressed a certain lack of confidence.
Well, then, I'll have to reassure him.
Harlan Merrill, drone that he is, matters in this city.
If Weston's delusions that he is Ingmar Bergman cost me the opportunity to turn down Merrill's invitations to important but incredibly boring dinners, I'll be unhappy.
I'm never unhappy alone.
Miles, in simple, declarative sentences.
Weston is clever.
Clever won't get the job done.
It's your responsibility to get the job done brilliantly, the way we do things here.
Elliot is more than clever, and I'm well aware of my responsibilities.
Then we have no problem.
None at all.
I must say I'm delighted.
- Hey.
- Hey, hey, come here, look at this.
Look at this.
What do you think? Kids up against the chain link, black and white, 500mm lens.
- Yeah.
Uh, Elliot.
- Yeah.
Listen, um, your ideas for this campaign are brilliant, you know.
Landing Ron DeLisle was better than brilliant.
Now you can turn it down a notch.
Meaning? Meaning don't overreach yourself, meaning use Jimmy D, meaning don't antagonize Merrill, and most especially meaning from now on, introduce Miles first to any celebrity who walks through the door.
Oops.
Listen, you've upped the ante big here.
I mean, the first actor you're ever going to direct is Ron DeLisle.
The first scene in your first commercial's inspired by Apocalypse Now.
Come on, don't turn into Michael The Meek on me, okay? I'm just telling you.
And I'm telling you I've got it under control.
All right? Look at these.
Yeah, they're beautiful.
I love the colors.
Work with Jimmy D, Ell.
He can always bail you out.
I don't need bailing out.
Okay.
Just tell me this isn't a train wreck.
It's not a train wreck.
You saw his cards.
He's ready.
All right, just tell me that you'll be there holding Elliot's hand the whole time.
I'm going to be there holding Elliot's hand the whole time.
- Okay.
- Okay.
You know, maybe I better call him.
You should definitely not call him.
It's going to be fine.
- Okay.
- All right.
You know what? I'm going to call him.
No.
It's not your responsibility anymore.
- Of course it's my responsibility.
- No, it's not.
It's mine and Elliot's now, mostly Elliot's.
Now, you just show up in the morning and enjoy yourself.
You've got to be kidding me.
No, come on, you'll like it.
It's just like the movies.
Oh, yeah, right.
- Good-bye, Ellyn.
- Good-bye.
- It's a train wreck.
- It's a train wreck.
[phone rings.]
- Hello.
- Elliot, it's Ellyn.
Hey, Ellyn, what's up? Um, well, nothing.
I just um I just called to, you know, find out if you're all ready for tomorrow.
What do you mean? Do I have my pencil sharpened and do I have an eraser? I don't know.
I feel responsible, so so I'm just calling to see if you're comfortable.
Are you comfortable? Yeah, I feel very comfortable.
Oh, good, good.
- Bye.
- Bye.
[sighs.]
Get your jammies on, sweetie.
What, does everybody think I'm an irresponsible clown? - [Ethan.]
Where's Dad? - Of course not.
He's in here, Ethan.
But I mean, I know that you can do anything that you want to do.
It's not that, but Well, you're thinking very big on this.
I know.
That's the idea.
That's the only reason to do it.
Okay.
- Dad? - Hey, buddy, what's up? What does the director do? The director? - Yeah.
- Well.
Well, he's the boss of the set.
So does he tell the actors what to say? No, no, no, no, there's a writer who writes the script.
Does the director work the camera? No, no, there's a special camera operator who does that.
So what the hell does the director do? Don't swear.
- Sorry.
- Okay.
Uh, well, he he, uh You know, there's a lot of girl directors, too.
- Mm-hm.
- So it's not all boys.
Um, uh That's a good question.
Uh Here's what he does.
He takes the pictures, right? He decides what pictures you're going to take, like if you're going to have a close-up of the Joker, like an overhead shot of the Batmobile? Cool.
So how do you start? What do you mean? - What do you do first? - First? What do you do first thing tomorrow morning when all the cameras and lights and people and everything are there? First First, uh [thunder booms.]
[rain pattering.]
[groans.]
I can't do it.
What do you mean? Of course you can do it.
Uh-uh, no, I was an idiot to think I could do this.
I have no idea what to do.
Your cards, Elliot, what about all your cards? Cards, big deal, cards, Mike.
The cops are going to stop the traffic.
They're going to stop the automobiles, and all the people, they're going to stop.
They're going to look at me, and there's going to be a silence, and they're going to know I don't know what I'm doing.
Elliot, this is what you've always wanted to do.
Uh-uh, you do it, Mike.
You do it, okay? - What? - Come on, you do it.
Mike, you do it.
You can do this commercial, Mike.
Elliot, come on, now.
Settle down.
You know everything I know about this commercial.
- It's going to be - Look, I can't Ow! Ow! Look, I can't even drink a cup of coffee.
Okay, I'm going to get you a napkin.
- What do I do? - Just stay here.
I've got a temperature.
Your friend's a little upset this morning.
Yeah, you're going to have to excuse him.
He's directing a commercial with Ron DeLisle today, so he's a little nervous.
Is Ronnie in town? Yeah, you know him? Here you go.
Just easy, now.
That's good.
You got it.
We used to hang out together down at Avalon when we were kids.
- Really? - He's the one who chipped this tooth.
Claims it was an accident.
Listen, you tell him to call Brenda, or he's dead meat.
- Sure.
- Here.
Just give him this.
He's going to know who Brenda is? He'll know.
Just tell your friend to give him that.
Okay.
Here you go.
[sighs.]
- We've got to go.
- I'm dead.
Jimmy D.
Jimmy D'll get you through.
- Jimmy D? - Yeah, it's going to be great.
Jimmy D.
- [Elliot.]
Jimmy D, Jimmy D, Jimmy D.
- Jimmy D, yeah, yeah.
All right.
This is what you always wanted.
[people chattering.]
[hammering.]
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
You're early.
- Yes, well - Let's go, cowboy.
Now, where do you want me? - Anywhere.
- Okay.
It's going to be great.
Okay.
Okay.
All right, here's the first shot.
Okay, there's three people over there, and we'll start with a 50mm lens, and the camera will start on the crane here.
We'll go up, and we'll pull back, and that'll be it.
Okay.
["Colonel Bogey March".]
[no audible dialogue.]
Action! Okay, I don't think you guys are getting what I'm saying.
This shot right here's an incredibly wide shot, and you guys don't fight.
You guys exit the shot.
I've got to see animation.
Animation! - [Man.]
Quiet on the set.
- [sighs.]
- Quiet, please.
- Action! Cut.
Let's go once again right away.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Hi.
Hi, how are you? It's just a simple hand off, you know, Ted? - You grab the - All right, that's lunch! - What? - [Man.]
All right.
[chattering.]
All right, so how are we doing right now? I mean, what do you think? Well, we didn't get anything this morning, nothing.
Michael, is everything okay? Yeah, everything's fine.
We're running a little behind, which is perfectly normal.
I mean, is it okay, the stuff he's getting? It looks a little ragged.
Ellyn, it's great.
You're going to get your commercial.
Now, why don't you go do some urban renewal somewhere or something, all right? Damn it, Michael.
I came to you because I trust you.
Don't pretend there's not a problem.
Okay.
Look, I'm sorry, really.
There's a little problem, but I've got it under control.
I appreciate the fact that you trust me, and I will not let you down, all right? - Okay.
- Please let me handle this.
Okay, go and eat some lunch or something, all right? Go on.
Go on.
Go on.
Elliot, let's eat.
Mike, listen, I know we're behind, but I'll make it up this afternoon.
I think we're getting really great stuff.
Yeah, listen.
You know that we have to be out of here by 2:00? Yeah, yeah, we'll be out of here.
It's no problem.
I think I can go handheld with that shot this afternoon.
Wish I had a Steadicam or some kind of dolly track or something.
No, it's going to be great.
It's going to be great.
Let's go eat some lunch.
- Are you sure? - Yeah, I'm sure.
Come on, now.
Where's DeLisle? I don't Ron? - Yeah.
- Ron? Ron I don't know.
It's We got no dol We got no dolly tracks.
We got no Steadicam.
- We don't need dolly tracks or a Steadicam.
- I got the crane.
No, I love all the hand-held stuff.
It's all hand-held.
[Elliot.]
Action! Cut.
Print.
Okay, one more time right away.
Absolutely, I realize that.
It's done, okay? It's done.
Okay, thank you.
All right.
[Elliot.]
And cut.
[Michael.]
Okay, come here.
Come here.
Listen to me.
The permit expired at 2:00, Elliot.
It's 3:15.
- I almost got this, Mike.
- We've got to move.
I think you've already got it.
- No I don't.
No, I don't.
- I think you got it.
We've got to move.
How many balloons do you want the guy to be holding? - What? - Tomorrow, how many balloons? Uhten.
Ten, okay.
What colors? - What? - What colors? All right, uh Red, blue, yellow.
- Right, you got it.
- All right.
Here we go! One more time.
No, one more time.
Here we go, everybody now.
- I'm going to go.
- Okay.
- I'll see you.
- Bye.
Okay.
Okay, we're going to be there, I promise you 50 minutes, give me a chance, okay? We're out of here.
Bye.
Hey, wait.
Wait, wait a minute, Pippa.
Pippa.
Pippa.
- You knew the rules.
- Pippa, come on.
It's only 4:00.
We can get these shots and be out of here.
It's 4:25, and we are out of here already.
Now, we'll have him here tomorrow on location if I can convince him to come back.
- Pippa, we're really sorry.
- I'm sure you are.
Now, if you'll excuse me, gentlemen, there's a gallery opening in New York at 6:00.
- See you tomorrow.
- Pippa, Pippa.
Don't push your luck.
Do we have a problem here? Uh, yeah, listen.
We lost DeLisle for the day, but we can pick up what we need on location tomorrow.
Plus we have some more work to finish.
Tell me I was wrong about Weston.
- You were wrong about Weston.
- Reassure me, Steadman.
Everything's going to be fine, Miles.
Yes, it will be fine.
It will be fine because you are going to keep him under control.
I don't want him scratching his nose without clearing it with you first.
[sighs.]
- Nancy.
- Where have you been? What's the matter? I had to go to the office to get over some things.
Listen, get the kids dressed, okay? We've got to leave town.
We'll worry about new identities when we get to Spain.
It didn't go well? Nance, the Dukakis campaign didn't go well.
Denver in the Super Bowl didn't go well.
This was way beyond didn't go well.
I didn't think it was so bad.
I've got to finish tomorrow, and I've got nothing.
Nothing.
Oh, come on to bed.
You'll feel better about it in the morning.
No, I won't.
It's too hard, Nance.
Everybody knows I'm screwing up.
Michael knows.
Michael also knows that you're very talented.
He knows it was your first time.
I'm an imposter.
Oh, everybody's an imposter.
That's the fun of it.
What am I going to do, honey? You're going to go in there tomorrow, and you're going to finish up.
It's going to be great.
Oh.
Now you need to get some sleep.
Okay.
You feel good.
By the way, who is Ruben Amaro? [chuckles.]
[dog barking outside.]
Hey, Dad.
What are you doing awake? Tried to be up for you last night, but I fell asleep.
Did you have fun? Yeah, it was a riot.
Mom's bringing me to see you today, right? Um, gee, I don't know, Ethe.
It's kind of boring.
You might be real disappointed.
I won't be bored.
Yeah, you're right.
You'll have a great time.
I've got to go, okay? - Okay.
Dad? - Yeah.
Just don't put that dumb Liberty Bell in the commercial.
Okay.
- See you later, buddy.
- Okay.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Oh, you scared me, man.
What are you doing here? I'm driving you in so we can go over your shots for today.
- The hell you are.
- Hey, Elliot.
Don't fight me on this, all right? You're putting everybody on the line here.
I'm not putting anybody on the line.
I'm getting the job done.
I've got to make sure of that.
- Elliot.
- Listen, Michael.
Why don't you tell Miles you tried to rein me in? That way your conscience will be clear, and he won't fire you when he fires me.
Oh, come on, Elliot.
Take a hike, Michael.
[Elliot.]
Oh, come on, Jimmy.
This is insane.
I don't see why you're fighting me on this.
You've got to be able to pan down this thing.
- What's going - Pan down here? Yes, why can't you pan down You want a shot from Mars! [Elliot.]
No.
Jimmy, that's insane.
Oh, come on, Jimmy.
You go over here.
You pan down the Oh, forget it.
We'll talk about it later.
All right, we'll talk about it.
Ronnie, uh, um, you know what I'd really like? I don't know if it's possible.
I want this thing Can't find an outlet for this.
- Listen to me.
- Yeah.
You're aware that if we're here one minute past noon, it's $10,000? - Fine.
- I will pull the plug at noon, Elliot.
- I will do it.
- All All right.
- We got a problem.
- What? No red balloons.
They didn't deliver any red balloons.
We got blue, yellow, pink.
What should we do? Blue, yellow, pink.
That'll be fine.
- Thanks.
- No problem.
- Elliot.
- Ronnie! Yeah.
Okay, um See, I'm going to be at Frankie's at 52nd Street tonight at 7:00 sharp, and I mean I'm going to be looking pretty.
I'm going to be relaxed.
I'm going to be rested, so can we get this Mickey Mouse crap over with right away? - Sure, sure.
- Elliot.
There's not going to be a problem.
We'll be all right.
You'll make it.
As a matter of fact, we're ready.
I think we're ready.
Hi, Dad.
Hey, hey, Eth.
Buddy.
["Tequila".]
Get this shot.
[Man.]
Rolling.
Speed.
[clapper claps.]
[Michael sniffs.]
- Say action.
- Action! [DeLisle.]
Philadelphia, where it all began.
Philadelphia, where it can all begin again today.
[Elliot.]
Cut.
cut.
Action! [DeLisle.]
Philadelphia, where it all began.
Philadelphia, where it can all begin again today.
Where it can all begin again today.
begin again today.
today.
today.
- [Man.]
Cut it.
- [Elliot.]
All right, all right.
Forget the tilt down.
[Man.]
51, take 12, speed.
Mark.
[Elliot.]
Okay, move your head left a little bit.
Left Yeah, left, Ron.
No, up a little bit.
Okay, and action! - Philadelphia, where - Cut! Lose the lady with the poodle, please! [Man.]
Speed.
Mark.
Right here, just like that.
That's great.
And action.
Philadelphia, where it all began.
Philadelphia, where it can began again.
[Elliot.]
Cut.
- [Man.]
51, take 24.
- [Man #2.]
Speed.
Okay, just relax into it, okay? Just, like, real conversational, like somebody asks you how you're doing.
That's it.
Okay.
And action.
Philadelphia, where it all began.
Philadelphia, where it can all begin again today.
Cut.
Let's put a hold on that one.
[DeLisle.]
What was wrong with that one? [phone crashes.]
I'm outta here.
See you guys.
[whispers.]
No problem, no problem.
Here we go.
Ready.
[Man.]
51, take 32.
Speed.
Action.
Philadelphia, where it all began.
Philadelphia, where it can all begin again today.
Cut.
Let's put a hold on that.
- [Man.]
What? - Uh, let's go one more time.
No, that's it.
I'm out of here.
Wait a second.
Wait, wait.
Wait.
Listen, listen.
Who are you? I'm the director, okay? I'm the director.
In a pig's eye.
- Wait, Ronnie.
- Don't ever call me Ronnie again.
No, please, please, come on.
What? Who Who did you say you were again? What? Who? What am I? I'm listening.
Who are you? - Who are you? - Who am I? Yes, please.
I don't hear anything.
- You know what? - What? We don't need to know who I am.
All we need to know is that you are a rude, arrogant, semi-literate son of a bitch who gave us his word he was going to do a job, and now you're not doing it because you're a little bored, and you're too stupid to know how to deal with being bored.
You bet your ass I'm bored.
I'm bored with your amateur hour.
I'm bored with your crane.
I'm bored with this doofus thing you have hanging around your neck.
I mean, you are in so far over that little pin head of yours that you can't even see the garbage on the beach.
- W-Wait, wait wait - Wait for what? All I've been doing is waiting for you for two days now! That's all I do! Wait! [murmuring.]
Hey.
Hey! Hey? Hey, what? Brenda.
You got a note from Brenda.
Y-You know Brenda? No, I don't know who the hell Brenda is.
All I know is I was having a nervous breakdown at her truck yesterday trying to figure out how to direct this thing, and it turns out, what, you chipped her tooth in Avalon in 1973.
It's a small world.
Yeah, well, that was an accident because, you know, her tooth was up against Well, she was - Anyway - Look Brenda.
I'm no director, okay? You know way more about this than I do, and I'm about to lose my job in two minutes, so don't ask me who I am, okay? Because I don't know.
So what do you want from me, huh? Uh [sighs.]
A break, maybe.
A break.
All right, here's how it's going to work, okay? You can say three things to me.
You can say action, you can say cut, and you can say print.
That's it.
You so much as say anything else, I'll smash your face in.
Works for me.
All right, here we go.
Right away, one more time.
One more time.
That's it.
One more time.
One more time.
Here we go.
This is it.
- [Man.]
Okay, all right.
- Okay, we gotta go.
All right, settle, please.
- And rolling.
- [Man.]
Speed.
[Man.]
51, take 33.
Action.
Philadelphia, where it all began.
Philadelphia, where it can begin again today.
Cut.
Print.
All right.
[Angel.]
Hey.
We're waiting for you.
No, go ahead.
I've seen it.
You're nuts.
We're not starting without you.
["Thus Spoke Zarathustra".]
[Elliot sighs.]
[Man.]
Laid the music track on just to give you an idea.
- It's real rough.
- [breathes deeply.]
[exhales.]
[soft 1980s rock on monitor.]
[DeLisle.]
It began in Philadelphia.
Are you going to let it end here? [dialogue fades under ambiance music.]
[DeLisle.]
It's your city.
They're your kids.
Philadelphia, where it all began.
Philadelphia, where it can begin again today.
[Angel sighs.]
All right.
- [Woman.]
Nice.
- [Man.]
Looks good.
Looks good.
Hey, looks nice.
[Man.]
Elliot, does that tugboat still work? I can't wait to see the look on Harlan Merrill's face when he checks out that woman with the roller skates, huh? [whispering.]
[clears throat.]
Well, these are Mr.
Drentell's exact words.
He asked me to repeat them because he's too moved to speak.
"Perhaps I misjudged Weston.
That is a superior though deeply flawed piece of work.
" - [others chuckle.]
- "And it's nice to see Ruben Amaro again.
" Yeah.
Thank you.
Good.
Thanks.
Way to go.
Thank you.
[Woman.]
Way to go, Elliot.
Thanks.
[horns honking.]
[jackhammer clattering.]
- Do you know what I liked best about the whole thing? - Huh.
When you woke me up in the middle of the night, and you were scared and drunk.
I wasn't drunk.
You were going to move the whole family to Barcelona, Elliot.
I was a little drunk.
[chuckles.]
It was the first time since I got sick that you weren't afraid to need me for something.
I am almost unbearably proud of you.
You did it.
- You know what I like best? - Mm.
- It's over.
- [chuckles.]
Until you do it again.
- Never.
- Of course you're going to do it again.
Everybody's going to demand you to do it again, and you're going to want to do it again.
- No way.
- [chuckles.]
What? Closed-Captioned By J.
R.
Media Services, Inc.
Burbank, CA And dance by the light of the moon