The Bad and the Beautiful Page #5

You can't say that.

I have to look after the budget.

Look. My new car.

I don't care where you put the camera.

Put your camera there.

- A boom costs 150 dollars a day.

- We talked about that 3 weeks ago.

- Like to drive it around the block?

- I'm busy.

- As smooth a drive you'll never have.

- Gaucho, I'm busy.

- How long would a quick ride take?

- Gaucho, I'm busy.

You're always busy!

Why don't you live a little? Adis.

- 25,000, I wanna tell you this...

- No, it's 7-8000.

7-8000. I'm the one who's got to...

- I can't be shooting up their noses!

- Nobody's asking you to shoot up...

Gentlemen, there seems to be

an honest difference of opinion.

- We'll have to make a compromise.

- You bet.

The compromise, gentlemen, is this.

Harry, shut your penny-pinching

mouth and build him his platform!

The night before we started shooting,

I came back from Palm Springs.

I tried to sleep. I couldn't.

I don't know what drew me

to the empty stage.

I guess I was scared.

"To my new star, who will make me

very proud of her. Jonathan. "

It was cold on the set.

And suddenly, my throat was dry.

So dry I knew I had to have a drink.

The papers know,

but I asked them to lay off.

She'll burn up every column

in the country.

I wanted to do a picture with her, make

a star of someone this town discarded.

Cross her off. Let me contact

the agents and see who's available.

All right. Cast it and get it over with.

I'll tell Whitfield to shoot around the part.

- Sorry I'm late.

- Get out a release.

We're signing Anne Gavery

for the part tomorrow morning.

- The morgue gives me the jitters.

- Forget her.

I've covered everything:

Waterfront, jails, hospitals...

...scraped the Main Street booze parlors.

- I told you to forget her.

- I have professional pride.

I thought I knew every rathole in town.

She's found a new one, or she's left.

Janitor says she sometimes locks

her door and leaves for days at a time.

Where would I go for days at a time?

I try to put myself in her place...

Hello, Georgia.

You forgot...

...you forgot to tie your tie.

You're sorry, aren't you?

Should I wash your mouth with soap

and send you to bed without supper?

Why did you do it, Georgia?

Do you know why?

Why?

Because I was afraid

I'd louse things up for you...

...because I love you.

I do, you know.

It's cold sitting on the ground.

Georgia, come here.

Sit down.

Georgia, love is for the very young.

"For the very young." I like that.

Would you marry me, Jonathan?

Not even a little bit.

- That's too bad.

- Why?

Because I'd make you a good wife.

Well, right now I don't need a wife,

I need a star.

It's cold not sitting on the ground.

Let's go in by the fire, shall we?

We're signing Anne Gavery for the part.

- Oh? She'll be good.

- I think she will.

Why, that big ham, she couldn't...

Well, she...

Here.

Jonathan, if we were married,

I wouldn't take up much room.

Put those things on.

Your clothes will be dry soon.

- Hello.

- I've been trying to reach you.

- Oh, Harry...

- You have a picture in production.

- I know.

- We have to get a new star.

- Harry...

- Listen to me, and don't interrupt.

Jonathan, are you there?

- Hello. Hello.

- Harry, forget about Anne Gavery.

Have you gone crazy?

Are you drunk?

I said forget about her.

Georgia is right here.

Everything's fine. We'll use her.

I don't know what you've got

in your mind.

- You'll make a fool of yourself.

- I'll take that chance.

We'll see. I know.

Harry, listen to me...

Harry, shut up, and listen to me!

These are my instructions:

Georgia's in. We'll shoot in the morning.

- You call Whitfield and tell him.

- If I go to the bank, they'll laugh.

Everybody knows about this girl.

No studio will touch her...

Harry, shut up and listen to me.

Don't worry.

Everything's gonna be all right.

- I know just how to handle her now.

- You know how to handle her!

They're...

They're blue.

Blue is my, my lucky...

...color.

We were 14 weeks

shooting the picture.

The most wonderful 14 weeks

I'd ever known.

Change that line right there.

...see him. Up!

They'll throw pennies at us.

It's ridiculous.

This is a dramatic moment.

The guy you love is onstage.

You see him, and you know

somebody's gonna kill him.

If you're gonna joke about...

You're not taking this seriously.

I'll try once more, and that's all.

This mumbo jumbo

doesn't make any sense.

Try again. Make love

while you're lighting the cigarette.

Go ahead. Take it.

Light it.

Look up. That's it.

All the time thinking, thinking.

That's it.

That's a lot better.

Wasn't that much better?

Jonathan was a perfectionist.

When he loved a scene,

money meant nothing...

... fatigue even less,

his or anyone else's.

We did it over and over and over

till we could hardly stand.

- All right, cut. How was that?

- Try it again.

Jonathan! For heaven's sake!

Fun is fun!

- Did they get it?

- I don't know. They're still arguing.

Oh, brother!

This is amateur night in Dixie!

They'll make up their minds

or lose Baby.

- Hi, Baby.

- You were gonna get me into pictures.

It takes a little while, Baby.

I worked as an extra for three years.

- This is good experience.

- This is experience?

By the time I get a speaking part,

they'll have to carry me.

- You're pretty when you're mad.

- Thanks a lot.

Wrap it up!

Get these people outside!

Stage setup first thing in the morning!

- Good night, Miss Lorrison.

- Good night, George.

I thought that take was good.

Pretty good,

but I wanna get more out of Gaucho.

- Happy?

- Very.

- Are you, Jonathan?

- Very.

- May I buy you dinner tonight?

- And tomorrow night.

That's the look I want on that wedding

scene. Can you give me that?

I'll try.

Mr. Shields, we're five over budget.

I need you to sign these sheets

before I can send out the checks.

Good night.

Hurry up, Baby.

Be an angel, bring my car around.

S, seor. You want me

to wash it for you too?

Georgia.

- You were wonderful in that scene.

- Thank you.

Every day I watch you grow

more and more an actress.

To give truth to a performance,

there's nothing like love.

- Love is for the very young.

- Love is for the birds!

- Good night, Georgia.

- Good night, Gaucho.

Lila, that wasn't nice!

I guess it depends on

who a girl has dinner with.

Shh, Baby.

She gets to be a star,

I get to park a convertible.

Don't talk like that about Georgia,

or Jonathan. He is a great man.

There are no great men, buster.

There's only men.

The last two weeks of the picture,

I was in a dream...

... a bad dream.

All right, Jonathan!

Action!

- They're ready, Miss Lorrison.

- She'll be right there.

I don't know what to do.

I feel sick and frightened.

You're tired.

You've been trying so hard.

But they think I'm such a fool,

or temperamental...

It's only a few more days.

I feel like I'm gonna scream.

I can't help myself.

Hurry, Miss Lorrison.

Please, they're all waiting.

We were on the last scene.

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