Genius Page #4

and Eugene in Paris.

Exactly!

As if you're skipping

across the Atlantic.

"Matching

Eugene's disorientation."

He didn't know

that she would never

see him,

that her love

would never be his.

How could he know that?

Hold on, he did.

How?

"The subtle

grapy bloom of dusk."

Tom, we discussed

a transition line.

One line to bridge the cut.

You've given me

50 new pages

on the doctor.

You've given me his whole

life story and his father's

whole life story.

I like the doctor.

Well, so do I.

I adore the doctor.

But by god, 50 pages?

Some books are

supposed to be long,

you know?

Thank Christ

tolstoy never met you.

We'd have that great novel

war and nothing.

To be a novelist,

you have to select.

You have to

shape and sculpt.

Why?

Because we've been working

for two years and the book's

only 100 pages shorter.

Five goddamn seconds

of peace is all I ask!

Can't you give me

five goddamn seconds?

God damn!

It's the tip of the iceberg,

tom. You're giving me

the full iceberg.

So you're saying

this is trash,

this is trash...

You knew this

was gonna happen.

Why are you playing

all dewy-eyed ingenue?

Because I did not imagine,

even taking you at

your absolute worst,

you could be so selfish.

I can't turn my

back on the work.

Aline!

It's what I do.

It's my job.

And this is my job.

When will you ever learn

how much an opening

night means to me?

Is this all right?

Yes, you look lovely.

Could you please put

the scarf on your downstage

shoulder when you enter?

Thank you.

It's an important

night for me.

I need you here.

I have to work tonight.

You've been working

every single night

for the past two years.

Do you have any

idea what it's like

coming home to

an empty apartment

every night?

Look, I'm not saying

your work's not important.

Of course you are!

I ask for one night.

One night of your precious

time to be at my side

and support me.

You don't understand.

You don't understand.

We are at a moment

of radical crisis

with my book!

Stop it. Stop it!

I've never known you

not to be at a point

of radical crisis about

something. You really ought

to be on the stage.

Max says

if we push through...

There we go.

"Max says! Max suggests!

Max instructs!"

He can have you

every other day of the week

but I need you tonight.

So, please,

would you get off

my set, go home

and put on your blue suit

and I will pick

you up at 7:
00.

I won't be there.

Make your choice, tom.

Right now.

There's no call

for this, honey.

Right now.

Look what you

have done to me.

He's under

a lot of pressure.

If we don't keep

going now, I don't know

what'll happen to him.

You want

the big hamper?

And the thermoses.

Thanks.

You have to think

what it's like for him.

His first book comes out,

everyone calls him a genius.

Expectations on

the second book

are mighty big.

He's scared.

That's why he

won't stop writing.

Why don't you explain that

to your daughters?

Louise.

They want

their father back.

It's my job,

it's what I do.

Every minute

of every day?

And if it takes years,

it takes years.

You're never

going to get

this time back.

It's one damn vacation,

for Christ's sake!

Louise, a writer like tom,

i get one in a lifetime.

You get your daughters

for the same lifetime.

I'm sorry.

Wave to the girls.

All right, ladies!

Are you ready for

our great adventure?

Close your door, darling.

You gotta

stop worrying about

Louise so much,

they'll be back

before you know it.

Tom,

where are we going?

Ah, you'll see.

We're supposed

to be working.

This is work.

I decided you can

never appreciate

the music of my book,

the tonality

and Cadence,

without experiencing

the dark rhythms

that inspire me.

Bourbon!

In a big ol' tumbler.

You?

Martini, please.

Very dry.

He'll have a bourbon.

You got it.

You hear it, Max?

I don't care much

for music.

There's a savage indictment

of your grim, puritan soul.

Come on!

There must be

one song you like.

Flow gently, sweet afton.

I'm partial to

flow gently, sweet afton.

You got it, sir.

Two bourbons,

gentlemen.

The whole thing about jazz

is that these fellas

are artists.

They interpret the song,

letting the music

pour on out,

riff upon riff,

just like I do

with words.

To hell with

standard forms.

To hell with

flaubert and Henry James.

Be original. Hmm?

Blaze new trails.

That's the whole

ugly gorilla.

Ugly gorilla.

Of course.

There.

That's Henry James

for you.

It's comfortable

and familiar, isn't it?

Uh-oh.

What's that?

Sounds like an ugly gorilla

coming our way, don't it?

That's tom wolfe!

Feel it, Max!

I see your feet moving.

I see your knees moving.

Come on, Max!

Feel it!

Nice.

You see those two

fine ladies over there?

Subtle.

Max, be subtle.

At the bar?

Mmm-hmm.

Let's go over there,

say hello.

Come on!

Let's have some fun.

I can't. I can't.

They're working girls, Max.

It doesn't count.

Yes, tom, it does.

Well, you don't mind

if I...

No.

Hell, I never know

when to stop, do I?

- Three bourbons!

- You got it.

One, two, three.

And you, too.

I saw you looking at me.

Don't worry,

i ain't gonna

leave you out.

I'm gonna want

the both of you.

All right?

Let's have a drink.

I'll tell you

one thing, my friend.

You wouldn't do

this to Hemingway.

You wouldn't do this

to Fitzgerald, not to your

two goddamn sacred cows!

Every word they write

is golden genius!

Stop it!

I bring you stuff

wrenched right

from my guts

and you tell me

it doesn't fit.

That's enough.

Go home.

What?

Go home.

Go to sleep.

No. No, no.

I'm sorry.

Please, don't make me go home.

Let me come home with you.

We... we can still

make the 9:
02.

No, I'm exhausted

and you're drunk.

We'll pick up

tomorrow.

No.

You heard him, tom.

Come home.

I'll pay

for the taxi.

What the hell

are you doing here?

I can make you dinner.

I'll pay for that, too.

Get out of here.

I'm working.

Mr. Perkins has informed

you you're not working

anymore tonight

so come on, come with me.

Mrs. Bernstein...

- Don't touch me!

- For heaven's sake.

You stay there.

Jesus, aline!

- Come.

- Aline.

You don't want

to see me?

Fine!

Fine!

You will never

have to see me again.

Aline.

Hmm?

What are you doing?

What the hell

are you doing?

- Aline!

- No!

- Stop it.

- No!

- Spit 'em!

- No!

Spit 'em!

No.

You spit 'em out.

Spit 'em out.

Spit 'em out!

You spit it out.

Stop now, aline.

My love.

My love, my angel.

Stop now.

All right.

All right. All right.

Show me your

strength, darling.

Look at me. Look at me!

Show me your strength.

Hmm? Come on.

Come on.

All right. Come on.

Come on. That's it.

All right. All right.

Mr. Perkins...

I know things such as this

don't happen here

on the fifth floor.

I apologize.

That's not necessary.

If you'll excuse me.

Wait up, wait up.

I'll be right there.

No, tom, really!

Just give me

a second.

I'll see you at home.

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