Bullets Over Broadway Page #2

at the Cotton Club. I ran into him.

- And no hitches?

- Well, uh--

We'll meet tomorrow and discuss it,

all right? Luxor Baths. Noon.

Are you nuts? You think I'm gonna let

some amateur play the lead in my play?

Did I say "lead"?

Did I say "lead," Mr. Genius?

- Some guy's girlfriend 'cause

he's puttin' up the money?

- Did I say "lead"?

I said a part, a role.

I thought maybe Dr. Philips.

- The psychiatrist? It's a key role.

- What key role?

- It's a small part. Key role!

- Who is this woman anyway?

Olive Neal? I don't even know what

she looks like, much less can she act.

He says she's the stuff

that stars are made of.

That's 'cause he's in love with her.

And who is he anyway?

- His name is Nick Valenti.

- How-How-- How do I know

that name? What's he do?

- Ah, he's got his finger

in a number of pies.

- I don't like the sound of this.

- Look, you wanna

get your play on or not?

- I gotta meet her first.

- So you'll meet her.

- I'm conflicted.

-You'll meet her. That's all I'm saying.

-The psychiatrist is not small.

It's not the lead. It's-- It's a

small part. Who do you see in the lead?

- I don't know.

- What about Helen Sinclair?

Oh, sure. I mean, she'd be great.

But can we get her?

Why can't we get her? She's been in

nothin' but flops the past three years.

Yeah, but she's

a major actress.

[ Chuckles ]

Was.

She'd be great.

I mean, really, she's brilliant.

- She possess the necessary fire.

For the part, she'd be great.

- You really think so?

- I'm glad you think so.

- Think we can get her?

- I sent the script

to her agent, Sidney Loomis.

- You did?

- Did I do wrong? Did I do wrong?

- No, no.

- Did I do wrong not checking

with you first?

- Not at all.

- If so, I stand corrected. I mean that.

- No, really.

- Helen Sinclair... really.

- Get it out.

- She's great.

- Well, all we can do

is hope for the best.

You must be joking!

You want me to play some frumpy

housewife who gets dumped for a flapper?

Don't you remember who I am?

Don't you know who you represent?

- I'm Helen Sinclair!

- Definitely! You are

definitely Helen Sinclair.

I look at you and I say Helen Sinclair!

But who better to play that role?

- Under whose direction? Some novice!

- He's the author.

- Of two flops.

- Julian says it was the directors

that messed up those projects.

Julian Marx! I do plays put on

by Belasco or Sam Harris.

Not some Yiddish pants salesman

turned producer.

My ex-husband used to say,

"lf you're gonna go down,

go down with the best of them."

- Which ex-husband?

- Oh, I don't know which ex-husband.

The one with the moustache.

Listen to me. Authors are very often

the best directors of their own works.

She's dowdy! Sid, the ingenue

has all the hot lines.

Even the female psychiatrist

is a better role.

But the role of Sylvia Poston

is the lead.

Sylvia Poston.

Even the name reeks of Orbach's!

I do Electra!

I do Lady Macbeth!

I do plays by Noel and Phil Barry

or at least Max Anderson.

Helen, listen to me. This is

a major part in a serious play.

And let's face it, Helen. You have

not been in a hit in a long time.

- In a long, long, long time.

- I'm still a star!

I never play

frumps or virgins.

You're a star because you're great,

and you are a great star.

- But let me tell you somethin'.

- [ Bell Rings ]

In the last couple of years...

you're better known as an adulteress and

a drunk-- I say this in all due respect.

I haven't had a drink

since New Year's Eve.

- We're talkin' Chinese New Year's.

- Naturally.

Still, that's two days, Sid.

You know how long that is for me?

- What is it, Josette?

- [ Woman ] Some flowers.

Well, bring them here,

will you?

The offers are not pourin' in

like they used to.

They're from David Shayne.

"As a small artist to a greater one.

That you merely consider my play...

is all the fulfillment

I require.

Hmm.

- What's he like?

- I hear he's terrific.

A genius ready to emerge.

- I have to be billed over the title.

- Where else?

- Approval of the leading man.

The star's dressing room.

- This is not even a question.

Approval of

all photos of me.

Oh, it's still not

a very glamorous role.

But maybe I could meet with David.

Maybe we could go over the script.

Maybe there's a few ways

we could find to brighten her up. Hmm?

Why am I nervous?

- That was sad. Clara Bow had it rough.

- She's a doll.

- I'd do anything to be in a movie.

- You're pretty enough.

Do you think you could

ever speak to Mr. Valenti?

- Mr. Valenti knows everybody.

He'll do the right thing.

- That's right.

I hear he's gonna make Olive Neal

a Broadway star. [ Screams ]

[ Gunshots ]

Go, go, go!

Where'd it happen?

Who'd they get?

Oh, Jesus!

All right, I'm gonna be

at Olive's for about an hour.

You get some more guys downstairs

and call me back on the Masucci thing.

-This is for Leo Kustabeck, you hear me?

-[ Olive ] Hey!

- You said this was the lead.

It's a smaller part.

- All right.

- I got no time now.

- It's a smaller part.

I don't believe it.

- They just got Vinny and Sal

outside a movie house.

- I counted the lines.

- Sylvia Poston is the lead.

I'm just backing her up.

- You hear what I said?

- I'm tired of backing people up.

I wanna be the lead.

- Julian says you're a doctor.

- A doctor. I don't wanna be

a doctor. I wanna be the lead.

- A head doctor. It's a big part.

A head doctor,

but it ain't the lead.

- So don't try and snow me.

- You'd squawk if they

hung you with a new rope.

- I know a lead when I see a lead,

and this ain't the lead.

- [ Phone Ringing ]

- A lead is on every single page.

A lead has lots of scenes.

- Hello? Oh, Vito.

- Ya heard? Get everybody

together at the garage.

- I don't get to kiss nobody.

- No, I want it done today!

What is it with you?

- Hey!

- You wanna take your business

outta here? We got guests!

- Call me back.

- I got trouble here.

- I don't care about your trouble.

- What am I supposed to do?

Just foot the bills around here?

- I don't care.

- And I want my say with

this Broadway big shot too.

- Okay, just don't embarrass me.

- I'm lookin' out

for your interests, okay?

- [ Woman ] Miss Olive?

- There's a Mr. Marx and--

- I know, I know. Send 'em in, Venus.

- Listen. When they get here...

- What?

- charm 'em a little, baby.

- You're the one that

needs charm lessons.

- I told them you're a great actress.

- I am a great actress.

Nick Valenti!

Say hello to David Shayne.

- [ Valenti ] David, how are you?

- Hello. I'm Olive.

- This is Olive Neal.

- Charmed, charmed, charmed.

- Come on in. Come on.

- Come on in.

- Hey, Dave, she read your play.

She thinks it's great.

- Yes, I read your play.

It's thrilling, turbulent,

a page turner.

Charmed, charmed,

charmed, charmed.

She's a great little actress.

Just needs a break.

- What have you been in, Miss, uh--

- Olive. Olive. Olive.

- Call me Olive, honey.

- You smoke?

- No.

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