The Unattainable Story

[ding]

[serene instrumental music

playing]

[woman]

Just put all of us

into your work.

That's all that counts,

isn't it?

[man] Alma, calm down.

I have no choice.

You know this.

[Skene] Opening night.

Alma, don't go.

You just told me to.

I need to work, but...

not with you turning on me

because of it.

[Skene]

Sorry if I sound tense.

The experience of

directing my play

really got under my skin.

What does a director do?

They teach characters

how to walk,

and tell them where to go

on the stage.

They become obsessed

with the author.

Jacqueline, the writer.

Tonight, critics and audiences

will give it their own meaning.

Other people who always think

they know us better

than we know ourselves.

It is all I have.

To make sense

of any of this.

[Skene] But just now

something emerged to me.

I did miss something,

didn't I?

[soothing instrumental music]

[Skene] Four months earlier,

I don't remember who first

gave me her book to read.

But I read it.

I didn't understand

most of it. Who did?

But I couldn't resist

meeting the woman

who on one hand is

writing about one thing,

and then it turns out

she's writing about

another thing entirely.

Hello.

Are you Jacqueline?

Oh, hi.

-You must be Skene?

-I am.

That is, uh...

quite a pile.

Yes, I'm sorry...

about the mess.

Let's just say

I'm prolific.

So it would seem.

[Jacqueline chuckles]

Well, I've read the outline.

It's...

It's curious.

I've never heard of anybody

writing an early 20th century

historical play

based on their own

21st century experiences.

You know, as I said,

it's not all my experiences.

In some cases,

I was just filling

in the blanks.

Exploring. What if?

It's surprising

how real it can get.

I like how things

mirror each other.

I'm so happy you're here.

I, I really...

I could use a dedicated

director.

I've written books,

but I'm new to plays.

Well, I...

I feel like...

in order to do it justice,

I'd need to know

a little bit more

about the concept.

So maybe you can

walk me through?

Okay.

Here's your tea.

Thank you.

-Hey, you have to go.

-I'm going.

You go out and

you conquer Goliath.

Do your job as a man.

Don't remind me.

Mm. I know.

I really appreciate it.

Bye, sweetheart.

Have a good day.

-Thanks.

-Okay?

[chuckles]

[Jacqueline]

I still love him.

But he wants to be in

that little sea town,

and I want to be successful

in the city.

[David]

Just go with your heart.

[Jacqueline] My heart...

plays tricks on me.

How about yours?

[David] My heart?

[laughs]

You know, women are always

wanting to visit me in here,

but,

I only wanna see you.

I don't wanna waste any time.

[Jacqueline]

Do you miss sex?

[David laughs]

Everybody asks that.

What, are people crazy?

Do you think about it

all the time?

I think more

about food.

Lobster tails.

Champagne.

I have pictures of food

on my wall, not women.

You are Italian.

You have no choice.

No.

You don't miss sex.

You can have sex

with yourself.

I miss tenderness.

Hey.

[Peter] Hey.

Was it horrible?

Yup.

Why is it you get

to play?

I'm actually working.

You know that.

Don't hurt yourself.

You're supposed to be

the caretaker,

the warrior, all that,

and I'm...

I'm thatching the hut.

I don't see much of that

going on around here.

[melancholy music playing]

[Jacqueline] What a weird

location you picked

for our assignation.

Ten years and no candlelight.

[David] Oh, baby, I do

appreciate your coming

to visit me all this time.

I'll make it up to you.

You'll see.

How's the husband?

[sighs deeply]

[scoffs]

You're never gonna

stay married.

[Jacqueline] You might be

talking about yourself.

No, honey,

I'm talking about you.

You're into freedom.

Just listen to yourself.

You sound like

a French existentialist,

instead of a marijuana

factory owner.

-[buzzer buzzes]

-[guard] One minute to go.

Let's go, folks.

I never went back.

He is different.

A nomad, you could say.

But with a creative spark.

An air of passion

beneath the gruff exterior.

Is David like

Elma's lover?

In a way.

But Peter doesn't strike

me as a Mahler type.

Oh, but no.

They're not

direct parallels.

Um, they're all different

from each other, but

integral to her,

she needs them.

Okay, tell me more

about the writing.

-Peter.

-What?

Can I read

something to you?

Come on, honey,

I'm having fun.

Later.

[Skene]

She was like all of us.

Someone who chooses one thing

thinking she should have

chosen another.

Then maybe she was

right in the first place.

Players, levels.

Thanks, sweetheart.

[Skene] Isn't that

the essence of life?

I've got to get back

to the halfway house.

It's time for the bus.

I know.

I'm so happy you came.

It was a long f***ing wait,

I'll tell you that.

I hate to leave you.

It depresses me.

[Skene] Only now,

for the first time,

I can tell this story

in its full context.

But it's by no means what

I thought it was

at our first meeting.

I was drawn in.

Hey, what a beautiful day.

I don't know how

the weather will hold, huh.

I think it's gonna rain.

Oh, come on.

Let's go.

Why are you hesitating?

I wanted to do some things

this afternoon.

You are always

at your office.

The theater world

can wait.

No doubt they can wait,

and to infinity it seems.

Do not worry.

Your time will come.

Be patient.

In the meantime,

consider something...

bizarre.

Like what?

Pleasing me.

Let's do it.

Really?

I don't know what it's about,

but you've inspired me.

Fantastic.

I'm... I'm really glad.

So you have

a first draft?

Yes.

This is very important.

You have to trust me.

[Skene] Her play is about

the composer Gustav Mahler

and his wife, Alma.

Alma was a composer herself.

But when she married Gustav,

he told her there could

only be one composer

in the house.

And she made the choice to

devote her life to his music

and not her own.

His passion for his work

only grew stronger,

and Alma's desire

to be loved

made her stray

to an architect,

a man named Gropius.

Gustav loved her,

but he never expected

her to have her own mind.

[Jacqueline]

What are these books?

People trying to break out

of themselves.

I go to my therapist

for that.

Well, books are more honest.

They show us

how you can't...

You know what.

Um, are you kidding me?

You have equal amounts

of non-fiction and fiction.

[laughter]

Really non-fiction

tells me how to

live my life,

and I appreciate it.

And fiction

shows me how to

relive my own life

more deeply.

[Steve]

All I'm saying is...

this is clever.

It's quick.

It's energetic.

But the fact that you refuse

to put in any insight

is really,

you think about it,

it's a form of anger.

Guys, I don't think

it's always that

deeply psychological.

Okay.

What do you think's

going on?

[Annette] I think

some people sing, or...

or they play a musical

instrument for their

creative outlet.

But what's rare

is the willingness

or the ability

to put yourself

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