Pollock Page #2

of stairs to nobody home.

Not l.

I do not climb up

five flights of stairs.

We're sorry.

Sorry is not the word for it.

I have weak ankles.

My fault.

My God. And you're drunk!

You're drunk.

Are you drunk?

" L.K."?

Who the hell is L.K.?

I didn't come here

to look at L.K.

Peggy, this way.

Now, these show something.

This is better.

The most powerful work

to come around the pike.

There's no three ways about it.

You're not really a surrealist...

and, well,

my few Americans are.

What's most impressed Jackson

about the European moderns...

is their concept that the source

of art comes from the unconscious.

Yes, yes. I'm sure.

Jackson, Howard's here.

Do you want coffee?

You've got your first one-man show.

Art of This Century,

November seventh.

- Bravo, Jackson.

- Congratulations.

Here. Have a seat.

Peggy will give you a stipend

of$1 50 a month.

"If at year's end the artist does not

sell equivalent to the advance...

plus one-third commission, he will

make up the difference in paintings."

In other words, my dears...

if you don't sell $2,400 worth,

Peggy owns all the work. So sell.

In addition, Peggy has

commissioned you to paint...

a mural for the entrance hall to her

new town house on 61st and Lexington.

It's big, Jackson--

eight feet by twenty feet.

You have total artistic license.

You can paint anything you like.

You will be the sensation

of the season.

This is my new painter,

Jackson Pollock.

This is my new painter,

Jackson Pollock.

They just donated one of their

paintings to the Whitney Museum.

And of course, you know James Johnson.

Please, enjoy.

Tony, you know Peggy Guggenheim,

don't you?

Tony Smith.

He's a wonderful architect.

- Mom.

- Oh, my, my.

God is good.

How are you, Mom?

- I'm fine.

- Who is this?

I want to introduce you

to Peggy Guggenheim. This is my mother.

- How do you do?

- So lovely to meet you.

- This is James Johnson Sweeney.

- Mrs. Pollock.

- You must be very proud.

- Of all my boys.

Jack, it looks great.

- Well, enjoy.

- Yes, I will.

This isn't painting.

Are you leaving?

Yes. I don't think

it's so hot.

Well, go back and look again.

Oh, Lee. He's original.

He's ambitious.

But there's a lot of mud...

and the titles are...

pretentious.

Muddiness.

Mud abounds.

Go back, Clem,

and look again.

- Read it. Read it.

- Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

"Jackson Pollock is participating

at his first one-man show...

at the Art of This Century gallery.

Being young and full of energy,

he takes orders he can't fill."

- Oh, thanks a lot, Clem.

- Listen to the rest of it, Jackson.

" Pollock has gone through

the influences of Miro...

Picasso, Mexican painting

and whatnot...

and has come out

on the other side...

painting mostly

with his own brush."

- Not bad.

- " Mostly with his own brush"?

The man is saying

you're an original.

- Not one sale.

- Rome wasn't built in one day.

What do you see there, Pollock?

You've been looking at it

for weeks.

Peggy's threatening

to reconsider.

Oh, God.

Sorry.

Happy New Year, everyone.

That the mural goes on and on,

Clem says...

is what makes it so good.

He thinks it's a great painting.

I think you've

found yourself a champion.

It's all bullshit anyway.

Do you like it?

I love it.

You've had a lot of lovers.

My share.

You want to talk about that?

You want to go to bed.

- I had something like that in mind.

- I'll take you up on it.

I don't think you realize

how hard I work...

to get people interested in you--

to get you into the right hands.

And then you act so badly.

You remind me

of a trapped animal.

You have to promise me--

do not rip up my bedroom.

All right, wait a minute.

Wait. Wait!

Sh*t.

Oh, sh*t.

I went out looking for you.

- What are you doing to yourself?

- Nothing.

You're doing more than that.

It's like a storm.

It'll pass.

You hear about Howard?

- Putzel?

- Yeah. He's dead.

Heart attack.

I liked Howard.

To Howard.

Yeah.

Here's to you, Howard.

Barb and I and the kids...

we're gonna rent a house

on Long Island this summer.

We want you and Lee

to come out there with us.

You gotta get out of the city

for a while.

I ain't doing no harm here.

Come on, Jack.

Let me take you home.

Lee's gonna be worried sick.

I'm doing no harm.

Take it easy.

I've had enough.

Take me in.

Deck of cards.

Binoculars.

I got it.

I want to get married, Pollock.

I suddenly want to.

So, either we marry

or we split, I think.

I love you.

I think you're a great artist.

I want you to paint.

I want...

very much to keep living

with you...

but I want that commitment

from you too.

You'll have to make the decision.

Who was that girl

you were so gaga over?

You know, the one

that played the banjo.

Becky.

Becky Tarwater.

You were so crazy for her.

I asked her to marry me.

- What'd she say?

- No.

You know that part of our lives...

that's supposed to be

so special--

that growing up part?

It was damn hell for me.

I think it's supposed to be lousy

so the rest is gonna seem easier.

Yeah. Only it isn't.

Daddy, Uncle Jackson,

come play with us.

- What are you doing?

- Where are you going?

Jackson, you want a sandwich?

We could move out here.

Leave New York?

It would be good for us.

Church wedding.

-Jackson, there's no need--

- Church wedding or nothing.

No family, please.

No family.

We'll need a witness.

May Rosenberg.

- And Harold.

- No Harold.

What church?

That's a good question.

- Come here.

- I'm coming.

You're gonna break your back,

Jackson.

Here. Hold this for me.

You can't find the keys?

Oh, come on.

Be careful.

Look at that.

This is good.

Come on.

I don't think I've ever

seen a fox before.

He was beautiful, wasn't he?

His coat was gorgeous.

I bet there's deer

around here too.

Guess I'll paint in the house.

- You're all set. See you next time.

- Thank you.

Howdy.

You're the fella

moved into the old Quinn place.

Morning.

You moved out from the city?

I don't blame you.

In a world where

they can split a tiny atom...

and blow up hundreds

of thousands of people...

there's no telling

where it's all gonna lead.

Best to find a quiet place...

do what you have to do.

You don't have to pay me now.

What's your name?

Jackson Pollock.

Thank you.

Well, we finally made it.

How are you braving the winter?

No coal, no hot water,

no bathroom.

It's like Jack to want

others to share the misery.

- He loves it.

- How's he doing?

It's good for him

to be away from the city.

I guess you're here

to get Jackson drunk again.

Lee.

Well, let me think.

I never actually got Jack drunk.

He never really needed any help.

- He wrote us to spend the weekend.

- Rube--

I'm sure you understand.

Come on.

How you doin', fella?

Are you lost?

I'm gonna have to

find me more space.

How'd it go in there today?

Thought you might

make a table or something.

Get yourself working again.

Hello, bub.

Let's make a baby.

Am I missing something here?

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