The Majestic

-What about the kid who rings the bell?

-What kid? What bell?

The kid. After the mine caves in,

he rings the bell to alert the town.

-Is that in the script?

-What if we gave the kid a disease?

-A disease?

-Braces on the leg, that sort of thing.

-But he runs.

-He could hobble.

A How Green Was My Valley thing.

Is that McDowall kid available?

-Too old. Plus, hes English.

-So?

-The scripts set in Tennessee.

-Did I get that page?

Forget the disease. Nobody wants it.

Its depressing.

-Boss is right. Who needs disease?

-Its horrible.

-I hate disease.

-Box-office poison.

Hold on. I think I got a "what if."

What if we give the character--

Whats his name?

-Floyd.

-Terrible name. Change it.

-Say we give no-name a dog.

-A dog?

A dog. No-names faithful companion.

Toils at his masters side

in the coal mine.

Cave-in happens,

only the dog gets out.

Cause dogs are smaller, usually.

And its the dog that runs

up the hill and rings the bell.

Holy crap, thats beautiful.

-Im choked up.

-I got goose bumps.

Lassie pictures always gross high.

Instead of a disease,

we give the kid a dog?

-There is no kid. The kids a dog.

-Could be just what the movie needs.

Lets ask the writer.

What do you think, Pete?

Wow. Thats just...

...amazing.

Of course, its not

like the postcards say it is.

Its not glamour everywhere you look.

I should know. I live here.

This is my town.

It seems like everyone heres

from someplace else.

The reason? Movies.

Everybody loves the movies...

... which makes Hollywood

everybodys town.

They come here by the busload.

The next show will be starting

in five minutes.

Please step up

to purchase your tickets....

Candy.

Treats.

-Bonbons.

-There you go.

For most, Graumans Chinese Theater...

...is the most exciting place

on the planet.

For me, its that and more.

Its the theater playing

my first film credit.

No, not that one.

I wish.

No, Im the B movie tonight.

Sand Pirates of the Sahara.

Not a bad picture, if I say so myself.

You gotta start somewhere.

God, I love seeing my name

on a poster.

Four years ago, in film lands

darkest hour...

...the so-called Hollywood 10...

...testified before the House Committee

on Un-American Activities...

...investigating the Communist menace

in Hollywood.

Have you ever been a member

of the Communist Party?

Communism is not related to this.

Refusing to answer questions...

...the 10 writers dared

Congress to come after them.

After years of wrangling,

its time to pay the piper.

Its off to jail.

The charge:
contempt of Congress.

A new round of hearings

begins this fall.

The mandate:
Get the Reds

out of Hollywood!

-Miss me?

-Every second.

Thats my girlfriend, Sandra Sinclair.

This is her town too.

Shes from Cleveland.

She came out here to be an actress.

And thats what shes doing.

The first picture

she ever appeared in...

... was the first picture I ever wrote.

The lovely Emily. My desert dove.

Did you think you could

just fly away from me?

-Hands off, Khalid!

-Roland!

-You! I thought you were dead.

-You thought wrong.

-Let her go.

-I find your persistence tiresome.

I get that a lot.

Roland, look out!

This time Ill make sure

youre dead.

Taste my steel, you dog.

Taste my steel, you dog.

We were young, we were in love...

...and we were working

in the pictures. Life was good.

Louise, what gives?

They gave everyone the day off.

-What about my pages? Are they typed?

-Pages?

Im on a deadline, I need my pages.

-Those men took them.

-What men? Those pages arent ready.

Pete, Im not even supposed

to be talking to you.

They say you attended those meetings

while in college.

Whos they?

Congress, FBI, Red Channels.

It doesnt matter.

They know who they are,

thats enough. Answer the question.

Meetings, meetings.

How the hell should I know?

It was a long time ago.

I went to college on the G.I. Bill.

The Bread Instead of Bullets Club.

They were Communists?

What do I know?

I couldnt figure out

what they were saying.

-Why did you go, Peter?

-There was this girl.

You consorted with Communists

for a girl?

I went to poetry readings too.

That doesnt make me Carl Sandburg.

Leo, you know me. Im non-political.

Republicans, Democrats, Communists.

They all look alike to me.

As legal counsel for this studio...

...I strongly advise you

to watch what you say.

Leo, put your agent hat on.

-There must be an angle you can work.

-Im out of angles.

Were in the middle of negotiating

my new contract.

The studio suspended

negotiations this morning.

Ive been blacklisted?

Ive been goddamn blacklisted?

-There is no blacklist.

-Right. No blacklist.

Studio just doesnt wanna know you

with this hanging over your head.

I cant leave.

Were shooting in three weeks.

Ashes to Ashes has been pulled.

-You believe it?

-Im sorry, Peter.

So, what does this mean?

I have to testify?

Assuming they let you.

The least they can do

is let me defend myself.

The studio will lobby on your behalf.

Thats all I can promise you.

No guarantees.

-You up for testifying?

-What choice do I have?

They feed on names.

Youll have to give them some.

Im a writer.

Ill make up names if I have to.

Were talking about my career,

my life.

Christ, Ill give them anything

they want.

Come on, toast with me.

To the land of the free

and the home of the brave.

Hey, Pete.

Think maybe youve had enough?

Tell me something, Jerry.

You tight with J. Edgar Hoover?

I wouldnt know Hoover if he walked

in here wearing a dress.

Too bad. He says Im a Communist.

In fact, at this very moment

some grey little FBI guy...

...in a grey little FBI suit...

...is hunched over my screenplay,

checking it, line by line...

...for the poisonous Marxist

propaganda which surely lurks therein.

Hope they check for spelling.

-I can always use help with that.

-Youre babbling.

Ashes to Ashes, my movie!

Couldve been good.

Even with the stupid dog.

My Grapes of Wrath.

My shot at doing something

really good, something....

Something.

-Whats it about?

-Pain, nobility.

The human condition.

Truth.

It was my chance to get out

of B movies and onto the A list.

Go home. Why dont I call

that gal of yours, Sandy?

Cant, she dumped me.

Dont you worry about me.

Hey, Im gonna give you

a little extra something...

...because you took a big chance

talking to me.

Pete, youre not gonna drive

in this condition, are you?

I cant take this constant nagging.

Im leaving you, Jerry.

Im leaving, and Im taking

the monkey with me.

Hey, I got a "what if."

What if you and me

just drive up the coast...

...till the sun comes up

or the gas runs out?

We change our names,

start new lives...

...never come back.

Sound good?

Oh, youre just saying that.

Im talking to the monkey.

Oh, my God! Okay. Okay, come on.

Its okay. Itll be fine.

Its gonna be fine.

Its gonna be fine.

Its gonna be...

...fine. Oh, sh*t!

Come on. Come on!

We got it. We got it.

Jesus, no! God! Oh, God!

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