Life Page #2

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I got to get back to New York.

No one respects

a photographer in LA.

Do you realize how many

prima donnas I deal with every day?

I'm going to hold you directly

responsible if my mind gets poisoned.

OK.

Tell me what his name is, again.

His name is James Dean.

Alright. Who would you

like me to talk to?

I mean, who do you think?

You try "Life".

They'll know who he is.

I'll get back to you.

James Dean.

You know who James Dean is?

So you did theatre arts at UCLA.

You didn't graduate?

Why you asking me questions

you already got the answers to?

Well, I'm just confirming.

Oh, okay, so it's

like a... statement,

not a question.

Yes, I did one semester at UCLA.

But then I decided that acting

was better than studying, so...

here I am.

Like, uh... some people

might think that

writing novels is better than,

you know...

writing about them.

Or something like that.

Do you prefer film to theatre?

I mean, I've done

more theatre than film,

so the jury's still

out on that one.

But you think you'll move in the

general direction of film?

I mean...

I just want to do good acting.

Challenging roles.

I'll go wherever that takes me.

What kind of roles...

- would you not want to take?

- Bad roles.

I mean, what kind of films

are you not interested in?

Bad... bad films, I guess.

How about monster movies?

Monster movie...

Do I like monster movies?

Sure. Doesn't mean

I wanna act in them.

- And Westerns?

- What about Westerns?

Would you do Westerns?

Any recent ones you've liked?

"The Bounty Hunter"?

"The Boy From Oklahoma"?

Not "The Boy From Oklahoma".

And what is it about that film?

Well, did you see it?

Well, I'm asking you.

Did you see it?

Um... well, it was

a very popular film.

Hello?

Hey, did you get the cheque?

I got it.

It's all gone now.

I've had to buy him

new shoes twice in nine months.

I swear I can hear

his bones growing.

I'm on dinner shift

two nights a week now...

Ah, good . So it all

came to good use.

I'm sending you all I can.

So... how are you?

I'm fine.

I'm tired.

Can... can you put him on?

He's at school, Dennis.

Why can't you ever call

at the right time?

I'm sorry.

It's really not that

difficult to work out.

He misses you terribly.

I've still got to be

in LA for now.

I'm just here trying

to make a living.

I'll come to New York

when the reason's right.

Your son's not the right reason?

Come on, Norma.

How many times

do we have to go over this?

Well look, listen, I...

I might even be there next week.

There's a job I'm chasing.

I know you keep saying

you want to move back,

do more important work,

but I think you want

to stay out there,

taking pictures of spoiled

actors on film sets.

Norma. That's just not true,

and you know it.

Hey.

Why are you sad?

One more orgasm behind you

and one step closer to death.

Sometimes I think

you're an idiot.

The rest of the time, I know it.

Well, like they say...

He who knows he is a fool,

is not a great fool.

Why haven't I heard

about "Rebel" yet?

You will.

You will hear.

Good stuff is so elusive.

They want to fly me to

Algeria in the summer.

I mean, Algeria!

Yeah, I read that script.

What are you going

to do that for?

What are you talking about?

You know what I'm talking about.

I've gotta pack for New York.

Oh . Back to cry poor with

the starving artists.

Well, something like that.

And I miss my friends.

You don't make friends here.

What about me?

Ah, you're my lover,

not my friend.

But I can be both.

I'm serious.

Come to New York with me.

I have to go.

No... no...

No, don't go.

I have to.

I have to get ready

for Judy's Premiere.

Takes me seven hours just

to get ready for these things.

Hello?

Hello? Hey, Jimmy?

It's Dennis. Dennis Stock.

Oh, Dennis.

Hey.

What do we have to do exactly?

I mean, what do you mean,

"What do we have to do"?

We have to take some pictures.

It's like a photo essay.

Photo essay...

We tell a story with images, like you do

in movies, except this time it's about you,

and it's not a character.

Do I like the sound of that?

Jimmy, man, it's "Life"!

Come on.

That means no studio shots,

no lighting, none of that crap.

I know, I wanna help you.

Well, I'm helping you, man.

Yeah, I get that.

But I... I admit, I want to get them first.

That's exactly what I just told "Life".

The public, they gotta

get to know you a bit.

Yeah, I... I know. I'm just not sure how

much I want to speed up that process.

Well you just gotta trust my intentions.

Jimmy?

Ah... Dennis...

Look, I'm... I'm just lazy is all.

Man... I've got to go.

I'll call you.

Mr. Warner will be

with you in just a minute.

Mr Warner's office.

He's not available.

Oh, sh*t.

That's Warner Brothers?

You didn't know?

And this is, uh...

what, this is always here?

An exhibition

just for you, I'd say.

Oh, I thought this was

gonna be good news.

Jimmy.

It's so good to see you.

It's all beginning to happen.

We're very excited

with the final cut.

Yeah, looks good, right?

Roger here has got a

ton of stuff lined up for you.

Oh, a ton!

Sounds heavy.

We don't have any time, so there's

probably some ground rules

we need to go through.

Things that should've been clearer

from the start.

You're an intelligent boy, right?

It's a question.

Oh, uh...

Well, I think so.

I'm intelligent, right, Roger?

Huh... Hm.

John Barrymore,

Douglas Fairbanks,

Cagney, Bogart.

These were my actors,

you understand.

They followed certain rules.

Basic rules

for intelligent people.

Then I made all the decisions

that made them what they became.

I cleared the path,

you understand.

I hear Nicky Ray is

thinking of you for "Rebel".

Course, he's thinking

about a couple of others too.

I'm not sure we should emphasize

the rebel in you, Jimmy.

Whatever's gonna happen to you...

doesn't just happen by accident.

I had to work to get this.

Um, I'm going to get

better at interviews.

It's not about speaking

your mind, Jimmy.

If you're not a good boy...

I'm going to f*** you.

Till it hurts very much.

So do you wanna be working

back at the CBS parking garage?

So, what have we got

for Jimmy, Roger?

Uh...

How would you like to be a judge

at a bikini contest at Santa Monica?

Picks are gonna cover it,

six-page spread, lots of flesh.

We just want to see you out

and about for the next month.

Different situations.

Here, there.

High, low.

A lot to do before the Premiere.

Uh, well... I was thinking of

going back to New York to...

catch up with some friends

before it all gets busy.

When you're Humphrey Bogart,

you can catch up

with some friends.

On your favourite yacht,

for all I care.

Right now, we need

all hands on deck.

The film could go

this way or that.

We just want it to succeed

for you, Jimmy.

Come on, Jimmy, let's go. Mm?

Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Judy Garland!

Here we are.

Hey, tell me again.

Keep breathing,

drop your shoulder,

and smile.

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