Hollywood Ending Page #4

to have to build it.

Build Central Park?

Forget what I said about mixing

real locations and sets.

Not to be amoney watchdog,

but if you build everything...

...I say this metaphorically...

it'll be over my dead body.

Okay, if not the whole park...

just the reservoir.

Buildthe reservoir?

Sure. You get a studio,

put in atank...

...fill it with a fewthousand gallons

of water. It'll work.

Wait! Trees behind it. New York

as a symphony in green.

Green I hate!

I never use green. No.

Tell Mother Nature.

Trees are green!

We can play it for the winter.

Use snow.

I buy that. A white background...

...to set off the two leads

in marvelous forties red!

What? What?

What is he saying?

No white. He cannot shoot

white background.

What have you gotten me into?

You know, I prefer green myself.

Green and red.

All I'm saying is, I think you're being

precipitous in firing him.

Look, I never wantedthis guy,

not from day one.

I beg your entire pardon.

May I offer for your consideration

a single concept...

Val, you don't have to lean

into the speaker.

He's out. I want him out before this

picture becomes a cost nightmare.

Hal, maybe if we had

atalk with him...

I said fromthe start

to use Harold Pappas!

Pappas is ahack! He's safe,

but uninspired. I can't work with him.

Then you should bow out now.

I said I can't work him.

I didn't say I wouldn't.

Val, Pappas has how many...

...nominations compared

to this Greenwich Village lunatic?

They spent more getting

those nominations...

...than he'd spend onthe reservoir.

What? I didn't get that.

Nothing, Hal.

I gave in onthe Chinese cameraman.

I've kept away from your picture.

I'm saying I'd feel more secure

with Pappas.

A wordto the wise.

Isthere anything about the part

of Benny I should know?

Only that he's a Broadway sharpie,

a gambler.

- Like Sky Masterson?

- Exactly.

Forgive me if this seems obvious...

...but he's a Runyonesque

bookmaker type...

...tough but softhearted

with his wife, whom he loves?

That's it onthe nose. Perfect.

Go.

Some guys were looking for you.

Seems you owe them some money.

I hope you didn't tellthem anything!

I could find myself in deep trouble!

Deep, deep trouble!

Thank you.

Hi.

Okay.

I'll wait for you.

If they give you 30 years...

...I'll be waiting.

If they give you 50 years...

...I'll be waiting.

If you get two consecutive

life sentences...

...I'll be waiting.

I thought that last girl

was interesting.

Really?

She read better thanthe others.

Yes, but Claire's supposed

to be classy.

Didn't youthink

she was abit cheap?

To be perfectly honest, I thought

she radiated stupidity.

I mean, her reading

was competent, but...

...my God, her persona,

it'strashy and dumb.

I think I'd like to use her.

She was interesting.

You're the director.

It's not that big apart.

But it's a featured role. Claire's

supposedto be a socialite.

This girl, Lori Fox, is a step

above trailer park.

I'd hardly call it trailer park.

I said a step above.

Well, I'd like to use her. I thought

she was perfect for the role.

Fine. It's your decision.

I'm just throwing out ideas.

Take 'em or leave 'em.

- Two for Yeager.

- They're clearing your table.

I'm so glad you could come in.

I really am.

I was here on business and wanted

an excuse to see you.

I know you. You're checking up on me.

Everything's going fine.

And Val?

Val's Val. He seems reasonably flexible

and most of his ideas are really good.

- I hope so.

- You'll see.

Right this way.

There's nothing making it

awkward personally?

No. I think he's acceptedthings

and moved on.

By the way, Andrea Ford's covering

the making of the film for Esquire.

Hey, Val! We were just talking

about you.

Ellie told me how wellthings

are going.

How are you? Everything okay?

- What are you doing here?

- What do you mean?

We usedto eat here allthe time.

Haljust came in on aplane.

That isthe best way to fly. What are

you doing inthis restaurant right now?

What? We came to get abite to eat.

Are you okay?

You're awfully fidgety.

Are you fine?

Are you okay?

I'm fine. You should go

to your table. It's crowded and...

I'm ready to go.

Oh, look! It'sthat woman

fromthe auditiontoday!

Hello, miss!

Very funny! Aren't you going

to introduce me?

Lori Fox, isn't it? Of course.

Yes, I think it was.

Val is such ariot. Stop kidding around.

Ijust wantedto put your mind

at ease that...

...eventhough I'mthe director's

significant other, I can still act.

Hi.

- Mort, I thought you were in Aspen.

- I wish.

You know Ellie, my fiance.

Fiance?

- Congratulations. When'sthe date?

- New Year's Eve.

Oh, my goodness! How romantic!

Congratulations on your new film.

- You know Val Waxman.

- Sure.

We sued him for failure

to complete apicture.

Great. That makes me feel secure.

I'll see youtomorrow, Val.

Hurry! I'll miss my flight.

This is abadtime for youto go.

I'm very vulnerable.

I have to get into shape for the movie.

The spa will give me the discipline.

You're not overweight.

My God, I'm ahorse!

I have to appear in lingerie.

What if we need you?

My scene isn't until

the end of shooting.

What if I need you?

You'll be fine. You're abig boy.

You know I'm afraid

to sleep alone.

I keep thinking people are breaking

in or I lay awake...

...thinking of death and blackness

andthe abyss.

Oh! Don't forget to water

my cactus.

Well, call me every day.

I can't. They don't have phones

at the Dolby Ranch...

...to discourage secret

eating schemes.

Oh! Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh!

I got to go!

And we want to see the earrings.

Profile.

Other profile, please.

And cut.

Is it true your cameraman

speaks only Chinese?

Yes, Mandarin.

It's so hardto find a good Cantonese

cameramanthese days.

The neighborhoods

don't have them anymore.

Hal Yeager's known

to be very hands on...

...very hot-tempered, quickto replace

people. Doesthat bother you?

No, because they agreedto leave me

alone during shooting.

I have complete freedom.

How about working so closely

with your ex-wife?

It's not so close.

She'lljust be up and back.

There must be some bitterness...

...especially nowthat she's going

to marry Hal Yeager...

...the man she left you for,

who's now your boss?

Who are you?

Andrea Ford. I'm doing a story

onthe making of the movie for Esquire.

Really?

Didn't they tell you?

I'll be observingthe whole time.

Because I don't usually like

when journalists...

...hang aroundthe set when I work.

Thentalkto the press department.

But I won't get in your way.

I am ahuge fan.

Oh, huge. I have loved all

of your movies.

And you'll be hanging around,

doing a story?

Yes. You know,

I've alwaysthought of you...

...as akind of unique American

artist, really.

Well, I'm sure you won't be

inthe way.

There's plenty of room, and...

Val, I'm so sorry...

can I steal him for aminute?

There's some things we have

to go over.

I'll get him right back.

I'm so sorry.

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