James Dean Page #2

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Just keep showing Daddy

your love and he'll love you back.

It's not Daddy's fault, Jimmy.

Now go to sleep.

I love you.

I was nine years old

when my mother died.

My grandmother Emma

came out to Los Angeles...

...to bring my mother's body

back to Indiana for the funeral.

I think it would be better

if you came with us now-

I can't do that, Mother.

- The boy is so upset.

- I can't leave work just now.

I really can't.

I'll be there at the funeral.

All aboard!

Take good care of your grandma, Jim.

Winton, you shouldn't

take this out on the boy.

Now, for God's sake, give him a kiss.

Say something encouraging.

I'll be coming out to Indiana

in a couple of days, Jim.

All aboard!

You gotta go, Jim.

All aboard, please.

Jimmy?

Jimmy.

No, thanks, Grandma.

I'll go sit with her.

I'm right here with you...

...so don't worry about nothing, okay?

Can you hear me?

Mama, can you hear me?

My father never came

to my mother's funeral.

In fact, he never came

to Indiana at all.

I moved in with my Aunt Hortense

and Uncle Marcus.

Son, you can't stay here.

You almost got me

that time, Mr. Walther.

Yeah, one of these days, James.

You got anything for me from California?

No, just the usual.

Want ads, circulars.

I'm sorry.

Yeah.

Our next graduate holds

the Grant County record...

...for the pole vault.

He is a four-letter man...

...an outstanding dramatic speaker...

...and as everybody knows,

a fine actor.

And he will soon be off

to study Business Administration...

...at Santa Monica

Community College in California.

James Byron Dean!

Jim, is that you?

Come on in.

Thank you for letting me

stay here with you.

You can stay here

a month or so, till you're on your feet.

It's fine with us.

This is Ethel.

Oh, hi.

Your dad's told me so much about

you. I'm glad to meet you.

Ethel's my wife, Jim. We're married.

You're married.

That- That's great.

Let me show you the guest room.

I mean, your room.

I hated business school.

Felt like I was wasting my time.

I'd done some acting in high school

and I loved it.

And more than anything,

I wanted to study acting.

Oh, Winnie. Oh, Winnie.

Acting?

Like in plays and movies?

Yes, sir.

How you planning on making a living?

Acting.

You are a dreamer.

Just like your mama.

That wasn't our understanding.

You stay in business school...

...and you can stay here.

But you study acting...

...you're on your own.

Next in is...

...Byron and/or James Dean?

Over here, kid.

Which is your real name?

Byron or James?

Well...

What do you think is better

for an actor?

Go with your real name. Less confusing.

What can I do for you?

I want to study here...

...in your professional acting class,

Mr. Whitmore.

Are you any good?

Well, I did a couple plays

in high school...

...and people said

I was pretty good, but I...

Sir, I don't want to be just good.

I want to be great.

Got any money?

No.

I sure don't.

Great ones never do.

All right, kid. You're in.

It's 12 a week, man. Cash, no checks.

I'll take it.

So how come you got a card

up at Whitmore's studio?

You an actor?

Next to Brando,

I'm the world's greatest actor.

Who's Brando?

Jimmy, Billy, up front.

Billy owns a watch repair shop.

Jimmy's picking up a watch

that he cleaned.

Billy, come here. Come here.

You know it's stolen,

you called the cops.

You gotta keep Jimmy here till they

arrive so you can collect the reward.

Don't let him go. Okay?

All right.

You have an appointment

in 15 minutes...

...to deliver this watch

across town to a buyer...

...for $2000 cash.

You want to get the watch fast.

You need the money, Jimmy.

- All right. You both got the setup?

- Yeah.

Whenever you're ready.

Hi.

I'm here to pick up that watch

right there in the case.

It's not ready yet.

Just give me a minute.

No, that's fine.

No, no, no. Stay cool.

Give me the watch, man!

Okay, give me a minute.

Hey!

- Hey! IKnock it off!

- Come on, you stinking black!

Jimmy, knock it off!

- IKnock it off, Jimmy!

- I'm gonna kill you!

Jimmy, knock it off. Jimmy!

Hey. Enough, enough.

Enough.

Stanislavski, you're next. Come on in.

You get into a lot of fights?

No, not a lot.

You will...

...if you let yourself go

over the edge like you just did.

Jimmy, acting is acting.

You can't get confused.

You gotta know where to draw the line.

Yeah, I know. I know.

I mean, it was good, right?

Yeah, yeah.

Yes, it was good.

Wait, Mr. Whitmore.

I want to ask you something.

Do you think I got the goods

to be a real actor?

Yes, I do, Jimmy.

Yes, I do.

I decided to move to New York.

Every actor I cared about,

Brando, Clift, even Whitmore...

...all worked in New York.

New York was big and lonely...

...and I loved it.

Being a struggling actor in New York

in the 1950s was the best.

The right place at the right time.

I stopped worrying about

my mother and father for a while.

I was dead broke.

It didn't matter.

I was home.

Off the stage! Off the stage!

Let's go!

Next five numbers. 120 through 124.

Shut up!

Shut up! I want to see those numbers!

I want to see them today!

123, 120, 124!

Today, today! Thank you.

Smoke?

Yeah.

- Thanks, man.

- No problem.

What's your name?

I can't decide.

What are your choices?

Well, I got James Dean, Jimmy Dean...

...or Byron Dean.

Which one's your real name?

James. Byron's my middle name.

Go with your real name.

- You think?

- I know.

Jimmy's an 8-year-old boy

and Byron's a dead poet with a clubfoot.

And James is king.

What's your name?

Martin Landau.

Where you from?

Why? You wanna come home

and meet my mom?

Yeah, can she cook?

- You like matzo ball soup?

- My favorite.

You're invited.

Where you living?

Some dirt-hole rented room.

Let's go, fellas.

125 through 129, you're up!

What number you got?

I'm 216.

Let's cut out, man.

Cattle calls are for losers.

Yeah?

Unless you got an agent sending you in,

you're kidding yourself.

All right.

Thanks.

You got an agent?

If I had an agent...

...would I be blowing my time

with a goof like you?

Come on.

Hey, who was Brando's agent

in New York?

Louis.

What?

I'll take him on.

I have a hunch I can sell him.

To who? To The Ringling Brothers?

Jane, he's too strange!

It's a "strange" people

won't get out of their minds.

I think he's a star.

Let me see what I can do with him.

All right. You do it on your own time,

not on my time.

What am I gonna do with you?

Bring your chair over.

You put "Leads only. "

You can't just audition for leads.

Why not?

For one thing, you've got to eat.

No, Miss Deacy...

Look, I only want to audition

for important parts.

I mean, parts that I care about.

Even if I have to starve.

Fine.

Thank you, Miss Deacy.

I'm a...

I'm a really lucky guy.

I've got the best agent in the world.

Get me those 8 x 10s.

Hi.

You work here?

I don't work here.

So...

...you're a writer or something?

You're an actor?

Jane Deacy just signed me.

Well, congratulations.

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