The Bad and the Beautiful Page #5

we can do it on a Harry Pebbel budget.

- For a guy who's tongue-tied...

- I could always talk to you.

You really wanna do this one, Fred.

I wanna direct it so much

I can taste it.

All right, let's do it.

Let's do it!

I've said 100 times

I don't wanna win awards.

Give me pictures that end with a kiss

and ink on the books.

I make this picture, or I quit.

This is my baby.

I found it, and I licked it.

I wanna produce it so much I can taste it!

I'm handing it to you,

father of The Son of the Cat Men.

Do I produce The Faraway Mountain

or don't I?

All right, Genius Boy.

You've got it coming to you.

Make it and hang yourself.

Why don't you fire me

and get it over with?

I know the talk around the studio.

They say I need you, that you do

the work and I get the credit.

You think I don't know anything.

Well, I know one thing:

Every studio in town turned

this stinker down. Go ahead, make it.

It'll lay such a bomb you'll never get

another job in this industry.

Will I let you produce it?

You're on suspension if you don't!

I thought my Faraway Mountain

outline was perfect.

After three weeks with Jonathan,

it was twice as good.

We worked day and night.

Kay kept the coffee hot and handy.

As Jonathan shaped our material,

I saw what Hollywood...

... later came to call

the "Shields touch," Jonathan's magic.

Our toughest problem

was a leading man.

On a Harry Pebbel budget,

a top star was out of the question.

So, I directed tests, a dozen tests.

Action.

So you are Theresa.

I find you as your brother told me,

alone in the great house...

... silent, proud and beautiful.

What is it?

Are you afraid of me?

Switch over to the next one.

Action.

So you are Theresa. I find you

as your brother told me I would...

... alone in the great house,

proud, silent and beautiful.

- Who's the girl?

- Douvane said she could test with him.

What did she promise?

Who is she?

George Lorrison's daughter.

Why didn't you shoot her face?

She was drunk.

This is murder, Syd.

Let's have that list again.

You're the director, pick your poison.

Jonathan.

- What about Victor Ribera?

- Gaucho?

- Why not?

- Sure you'd like him. Who wouldn't?

- Why can't we get Gaucho?

- The whole town's after Latin lovers.

- You wouldn't stand a chance.

- How do we know till we've tried?

Maybe you could talk him

into it, Jonathan.

Syd, what would appeal

to a guy like that?

Gaucho? Well, if I know Gaucho...

I'll drive.

Jonathan forgot one thing.

He forgot he couldn't drink.

Nice boy. But does he always

take on so much altitude?

He's been working

night and day for three weeks.

Besides which, he hardly ever drinks.

- He wants me to make a picture?

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