The Bad and the Beautiful Page #4

to a chimpanzee. I've tried to find...

I've been trying to find

one decent foot of film on you.

- Is there any?

- Yes.

That one line I did yesterday.

That was good.

But it's not enough to go by.

I want you to make a test for me.

All right, Mr. Shields.

Isn't this scene supposed

to go something like this?

I'll make a test for you, and you'll

be good to me, and I'll be good to you.

Who's kidding who?

It's 4 in the morning.

The test, I don't want it.

I wouldn't be any good anyway.

Just a waste of good film.

But you're a nice-Iooking guy,

and you did go to a lot of trouble.

And it's getting late,

so shall I turn out the light?

You're very generous.

Too generous.

You're a Lorrison, all right.

The Queen, my lord, is dead.

She should have died hereafter. There

would have been a time for such a word.

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow...

... creeps in this petty pace

from day to day...

... to the last syllable of recorded time.

And all our yesterdays have lighted

fools the way to dusty death.

Out, out, brief candle.

Life's but a walking shadow...

... a poor player that struts and frets

his hour upon the stage...

Turn that off and get out!

I wanna get some sleep.

It is a tale told by an idiot.

Full of sound and fury,

signifying nothing.

Turn it off! I don't wanna hear it!

I hate him!

Make up your mind. You hate him,

and you build this shrine.

He died 10 years ago, and you've

been holding a wake since.

You can't be a star in a cemetery.

Stop pitching! I'm one girl

who doesn't wanna be a star.

Because he was a drunk, you are!

He loved girls, so you're a tramp!

You forget one thing.

He did it with style.

And you...

- Put that down.

- Suicide, how many times?

Twice. Put that pipe down!

Too sacred to touch?

Don't waste any sleep over me,

Mr. Shields.

The last time I tried to commit suicide

was six months ago.

- There won't be any next time.

- Won't there?

No.

People who knew my father

give me extra work now and then.

I drink what I want and see who I want.

Who knows?

Someday I may even get married...

...to a nice upright assistant assistant.

And make him miserable

for the rest of his life...

...because you're a Lorrison:

Haunted, living by make-believe.

You're acting now, playing the doomed

daughter of the great man.

The acting isn't good enough.

The cheap performance

of a bit player, not a star.

That's all, until you pull

yourself from this tomb!

Until you can see people as they are,

yourself as you are!

Until you can do this

to your father's picture...

...and laugh as he would have!

That's not a god talking, Georgia,

that's only a man!

You!

Miss Lorrison! Miss Lorrison!

You better tell her it's all right.

It's all right, Mrs. Curry.

Good night, Georgia.

Good night.

It takes two hours

to get ready for a screen test.

Two very-early-in-the-morning hours.

Hello, honey. Here you are.

- Let's run the scene again.

- Thanks, Gus.

"I think you understand."

You mean you're through with me.

This is the end.

- "To put it that bluntly..."

- It means that little to you?

"Look, my dear.

We are two civilized people.

Let us act like civilized people."

They told me about you.

I didn't believe them. You hear...

- "But you're everything..."

- Oh, yeah.

But you're everything they said.

You hear evil.

You see evil. You speak evil.

You are evil.

- Fine. Let's run it again.

- Okay.

... to put it bluntly.

It means that little to you?

Look, my dear.

We're two civilized people.

Let us act like civilized people.

They told me about you.

I didn't believe them.

But you're everything they said.

You hear evil. You see evil.

You speak evil.

You are evil!

What do you think?

Dear Jonathan, since you've paid me

$100,000 to direct this picture...

...a lot of pound sterling...

...presumably

you want my kind of picture.

With this girl, I tell you,

it won't be my kind of picture.

- She's impossible.

- Quite.

She's wooden, gauche, artificial.

- Completely out of the question.

- Quite.

Syd?

Jonathan, since you hire me

partly to yes you...

- You're fired.

- She stinks.

- You're hired. Harry?

- I know we can get her for nothing.

For nothing you get nothing.

She's nothing.

There were few agents in town

with fewer clients than Gus...

... but the few he had he knew well.

I told you not to waste your film.

Gus, check with Harry Pebbel.

He's drawing up the contracts.

- She's in it?

- Of course.

You mean you're gonna give her a part?

The part.

Georgia!

Mr. Shields,

you're a very stubborn man.

Very, when I'm right.

I know I'm right about you.

I gave you no help. The test was

atrocious, but it proved one thing.

When you're on the screen,

the audience is looking at you.

That's star quality...

...Lorrison quality.

Careful, Mr. Shields. You're looking

at me, but you see my father.

He gave me his name, but that's all.

Don't make a mistake.

Georgia...

...no more doomed daughter, no more

whimpering, no more drinking...

- And no more men?

- By and by.

Gus, pull yourself together!

I can't help it, Mr. Shields.

I'm a very emotional man.

The picture was to start in six weeks.

And six weeks seemed like forever.

Then, suddenly, with fittings,

hairdressing and makeup tests...

... five of them were gone.

I don't know what to do. The waist

has to be tight. The train, long...

Evelyn, will you tell me

what's worrying you?

Would you walk over there, please?

Now, turn.

Mr. Shields, I'm afraid Miss Lorrison

can't carry a dress like this.

It takes an enormous amount of poise.

You have to walk like a grand duchess

or hold yourself like Lilly Langtree.

Miss Lorrison will hold herself

like Miss Lorrison.

Miss Lorrison happens to be

an actress.

Make a wider turn, Georgia.

That's it.

Now, come over here.

You're all right.

Come here.

Sit down. Can you sit down?

- No.

- Perfect.

Everybody out now, please.

I wanna talk to my star.

- One week to go. Nervous?

- A little.

- Tired?

- Very.

You work very hard,

you're a good girl.

How good?

I'm sending you away.

Palm Springs for the rest of the week.

- Must I?

- Absolutely.

Till you're on set next week,

I want you to sleep...

...relax, and not think about a thing.

Not even you?

- You said no drinking.

- One drink.

To Georgia, my star.

- You said no men.

- So I did.

- We'd agreed.

- You agreed all by yourself.

- Don't put words in my mouth.

- Well, they sure come flapping out.

My pavilion for the garden party,

it was to be three feet off the ground.

That three feet will cost,

with charges and extra shooting time...

...$25,000, more or less,

and with you, more.

I can't shoot without it.

I won't shoot without it.

I'm building an entire sequence

to that one moment.

- So move the camera up!

- I will not cheat the shot!

- That's not the way I function.

- I'm not asking you to change...

Jonathan!

I have something to show you.

This is wonderful.

Rate this script:5.0 / 3 votes