Midnight in Paris Page #6

Did you read my story?

What'd you think?

There was some fine writing in it,

but it was unfulfilled.

- I might've known you'd hate it.

- But darling, you're too sensitive.

You liked my story, but he hates me!

Please, old sport,

you make matters extremely difficult.

I'm jumpy. Suddenly I don't like

the atmosphere here any more.

Ah! Where're you going?

Para reunirse con mis amigos en Saint-Germain.

(To meet some friends on Saint-Germain.)

- He's going to Saint-Germain. I'm going with him.

- Zelda, sweetheart...

If you're going to stay here and drink

with him, I'm going with the toreador.

Would you bring her back

at a reasonable time?

- She'll drive you crazy, this woman.

- She's exciting,

and she has talent.

This month it's writing.

Last month it was something else.

You're a writer. You need time to write.

Not all this fooling around.

She's wasting you because she's

really a competitor. Don't you agree?

Me?

Speak up, for Christ's sake! I'm asking if

you think my friend is making a tragic mistake.

Actually, I don't know the Fitzgeralds that well.

You're a writer. You make observations.

You were with them all night!

Could we not discuss my personal life in public?

She's jealous of his gift,

and it's a fine gift. It's rare.

- You like his work? You can speak for it.

- Stop it! Stop it.

You like Mark Twain?

I'm going to find Zelda.

I don't like the thought

of her with that Spaniard.

May I?

Yeah, I'm actually a huge Mark Twain fan.

I think you can even make the case

that all modern American literature

comes from Huckleberry Finn.

- You box?

- No. Not really. No.

What're you writing?

- A novel.

- 'Bout what?

It's about a man who works

in a nostalgia shop.

What the hell is a nostalgia shop?

A place where they sell old things. Memorabilia.

and... Does that sound terrible?

No subject is terrible if the story is true.

If the prose is clean and honest,

and if it affirms grace and courage under pressure.

No good.

Can I ask you the biggest favor in the world?

- What is it?

- Would you read it?

- Your novel?

- Yeah, it's like

looking for, you know, an opinion.

My opinion is I hate it.

I mean, you haven't even read it.

If it's bad, I'll hate it

because I hate bad writing,

and if it's good, I'll be envious and hate it all the more.

You don't want the opinion of another writer.

Yeah. You know, it's just...

You know what it is?

I'm having a hard time,

you know, trusting somebody to evaluate it.

Writers are competitive.

I'm not gonna be competitive with you.

You're too self-effacing.

It's not manly.

If you're a writer,

declare yourself the best writer!

But you're not, as long as I'm around.

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