Bullets Over Broadway Page #6

- I don't care.

You wanna get slapped here or do

you want me to take you outside

and we'll straighten this out?

It's up to you.

[ David ] Warner Purcell remains

good-spirited and a joy to work with.

And what discipline. Although,

I notice he no longer has just

a cup of hot water and lemon.

[ Eden ] lf you start it off

at that level--

Well, what are we going to do

about that canine-loving ingenue?

- Did you cast her because

you thought she was attractive?

- She's pretty...

but more importantly, she has a certain

perkiness that the character requires.

She's perky. She makes you

wanna sneak up behind her with

a pillow and suffocate her.

- It's a beautiful apartment.

- Josette.

- My beaker of martinis.

- Your taste is exquisite.

My taste is superb.

My eyes are exquisite.

What justifiable confidence.

- I think at some point you're

going to have to fire Olive.

- I'm afraid that's not possible.

Oh, how can you take her butchering

your poetry? I know I couldn't stand it.

No one in his right mind is

going to believe she's a doctor,

not even a veterinarian.

- [ Chuckles ]

- I understand, but it's a compromise

I have to live with...

and if I want the play to open,

I have to find a way to live with it.

I plan on reducing the scope of her role

if her bodyguard will let me.

Can you believe

that character?

Imagine, traveling with

your own private Neanderthal.

- I wasn't aware that you opened

The Master Builder.

- Oh, well.

I had forgotten that

you won that drama award.

- Here's to your play.

- Oh, thank you. Our play.

To an ideal world

with no compromise.

Oh, my gosh,

look at this view!

A million blinking lights.

A million broken hearts.

- You know what's down there?

- What?

- Broadway.

- Ah. That's your street.

Mm-hmm. Yes, that's my street,

but I'd like to give it to you.

- That is, if you want it.

- Who wouldn't want it?

I want you to write a play for me.

Oh, I mean when all this is over.

- Really?

- Your next play, I want you to create

a vehicle for Helen Sinclair.

- I'm honored.

- But it must have size...

an important woman.

- A Borgia. A Curie. You name it.

- Yes!

- I'll dedicate myself to it.

- Oh, and while you're at it...

if you could just have

a look at that scene in Act ll.

If she succeeds in seducing

the Lieutenant instead of

being rejected a second time...

- it could add some variation

to the character.

- Yes, that's a wonderful idea.

The heart is "labyrinthinine..."

a maze beset with brutal pitfalls

and mean obstacles.

David, I can't say that line. It doesn't

make sense. It's stupid. I don't get it.

- It's just a stylish way

of expressing a particular idea.

- Idea? What idea?

The agony of love.

The difficulty of relating.

- Why do you have to make it

so hard to say?

- Just say the line.

- No, I can't say it.

It's a mouthful of "ghibberish."

- Gibberish!

- I can't say it, and I will not say it.

- Just do the line.

No! I'm not making

a fool of myself.

[ Cheech ]

She's right, it stinks.

Oh-ho, Jesus,

another party heard from.

It's a stupid way of talkin',

and nobody talks like that.

- I don't believe this is happening.

- Frankenstein is right.

When I want your opinion,

I will ask for it.

I can't stand to listen to this

garbage. Every day I sit back there...

and I hear the same bullshit

over and over again.

Then leave.

No one asked you here.

[ Helen ]

Oh, David, take it easy.

Where did you study play writing?

Was it Sing Sing?

"A maze beset

by brutal pitfalls--"

Hey, Olive, I memorized it,

and I'm tellin' ya...

it comes to me all the time,

and it stinks on f***in' hot ice!

- That's it. I quit. This is crazy.

- [ Warner ] David.

- Oh, please, I have a little hangover!

- I am famished.

Everyone, everyone,

why don't we take lunch? An hour?

- [ Mr. Woofles Barking ]

- You don't wanna

say the goddamned line...

- don't say the goddamned line!

- Oh, look at you, Mr. Temperamental.

[ Helen ] lf that rat on a leash

barks one more time--

-He sounds melancholy. Is he melancholy?

-You can trim the line.

- Because she can't handle it?

- Because you said yourself

you were having trouble with it.

- So you agree with the gorilla?

- David, for Christ sake! It's one line!

- It's not going to wreck the scene.

- That's not the point!

Suddenly I'm taking suggestions from a

strong-arm man with an I.Q. of minus 50.

I've had it!

- David, for goodness' sake. Come on.

- Look who's here.

Oh, God!

Get my rifle!

I guess I'm just hypersensitive because

maybe deep down, I agree with the goon.

- Maybe it is a turgid line.

I don't know. My nerves are shot.

- No. Just calm yourself.

Helen, the play is not working.

It's not working, and it's in my

writing. It's not just Olive.

That's the reason we have rehearsal.

That's the reason we go out of town.

You have such a wonderful attitude.

I'm so lucky.

The best part of this project every day

is that I get to come to work...

and see you and be with you

and work with you.

- I don't mean to spoil the day.

- Then let's not.

Sit down here.

I'm going to show you something.

Okay.

This is my favorite spot

in the park.

And in winter,

when it's covered with snow...

at about 4:
30 in the afternoon,

when it's just getting dark

and the lights come on...

it's all misty.

And you can just see the silhouettes of

the Manhattan skyline through the trees.

And it's magical.

It's magical.

Helen, I think I'm falling

in love with you.

Don't.

- I don't know if I can help it.

- David, please, we must be strong.

I've kept a check on my feelings

for so long, but there's

so much that I want to say.

- What are words?

- Oh, gosh.

David, everything meaningful

is in some unexplainable form.

It's-- It's more primordial

than mere language.

- I'm not sure I follow that one.

- Oh, be silent.

- Be silent.

- Helen--

No, let's just sit here

holding our thoughts.

Not revealing them.

Be still.

Let the birds have their song.

Let ours for now remain unsung.

You're amazing.

[ "Ain't Misbehavin"' ]

Stop it.

Stop it.

- I'm not in the mood!

- What do you mean

you're not in the mood?

Honey, you better get in the mood,

'cause he's payin' the rent.

Shut up, Venus!

Just what I said: I'm not in the mood.

- Do I have to be in the mood

every time you are?

- Stop puttin' on the airs.

- I'm not puttin' on airs.

- I never knew you when you wasn't

ready for a little action.

Well, today, I'm not ready for action.

I'm tired. Rehearsal is hard.

- Get your motor goin'.

- No!

- Hey, I brought you somethin'.

- What?

- Huh?

- Hmm.

What do ya say?

Come on.

- Nickie.

- Oh, I got a great bottle

of French wine.

Joey Foster

made it himself.

Pasadena. I'm pooped.

Let's misbehave

There's something wild

about you, child--

[ David ] Today, Ellen came

to watch rehearsal.

She was very excited to meet the cast,

especially Warner Purcell.

- Warner, Warner, Warner.

This is Ellen. My girlfriend.

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