I got lucky in the rain
One day when I had
nothing to do for an hour
I walked around in a shower
I had reason to complain
One moment I was
sadly in need of a song
Next moment you came along
Then the heavens smiled at me
My heart said,
"How lucky can you be!"
Things like these you can't explain
I only know that I met
the love of my life
When I got lucky in the rain
This is Yardley.
Which is supposed to be
a very good liberal art school.
Definitely tonguey
enough for my mother.
With its beautiful rural campus.
Which is total bullshit, because
you get ticks, walking in the grass.
Yardley is more structured
than the first college I went to.
I lasted a few months at one of those
serious Ivy League sudo intellectual joints,
which my mother thought would
give me an "appropriate" education.
She says I have a high IQ, and
I'm not living up to my potential.
Even though last weekend I
made 20 grand playing poker.
But I'll get to that.
Yardley is where I met
Ashleigh, from a school paper.
That's my girlfriend - Ashleigh Enright.
My dad knew one of her
father's banks in Arizona.
And naturally, with
those family credentials,
my mother wants us to
get married, sight unseen.
It's the one area I
agree on with my mother.
Because even though we've
only been going out for a few months.
I'm hopelessly in
love with Ashleigh.
I got an interview
with Roland Pollard.
Oh my Gosh, that is amazing.
How did you land that?
He has a new movie
coming out this fall.
And the assignment originally
went to Priscilla McCain,
but she's totally got
mono, so I'm doing it.
Mono's like a two
credit chores at the school.
Listen Ash, I think
this is great for you.
When is it?
It's the 28th of this month.
A Saturday.
And it's on campus?
- It's in Manhattan.
- It's in Manhattan, are you serious?
This is fantastic, we were always talking
about going into Manhattan for a special weekend.
Look, I'm going to make a
reservation at the Carlyle.
It's the place I'm
always telling you about,
with the piano player at the bar,
he sings his old Broadway tunes.
I'll take you up for lunch and
dinner, how does that sound?
We go see around city.
- Yeah.
- Yeah?
I mean, it will cost a fortune.
Relax, I'm loaded, I scored
20 big ones last Sunday.
- Not another crap game?
- No, stud poker this time.
Sitting there with 3 tens, and some
guy with aces up keeps raising me.
How did you get all the money
to play in such a big poker game?
My horse came in this weekend.
I'm telling you this is
why I have to go to Vegas.
I'm a gambler and I don't
know how else to put it.
I've always wanted you to
have to show me around Manhattan.
This is going to be
absolutely fantastic.
I'm going to, maybe, get in
touch with my dad's ticket brocker.
He'll get us tickets to
Hamilton, how does that sound?
Actually, I don't want all my
parents know I'm in town that weekend.
Why not?
My mother is having
her big annual fall gala,
and she's apoplectic
I'm not coming.
I told her I have a major paper due,
otherwise I have to put an appearence.
It's like death.
It's like having ...
Drinks with a hundred
bullshit people,
not one of which has ever
been turned down by a co-op.
I can't believe it.
An interview with the
director of "Winter Memories".
Didn't we see "Winter Memories"
together on our first date?
I think so.
I'm just so excited.
You have to help me come up with
the list of profound questions to ask him.
I don't want to come
off like a twit.
You are not going
to come off like a twit.
Actually, now that
I'm thinking about it.
We can't stay at the Carlyle,
it's too close to my parents house.
But I want you to have a park view.
You know what?
We going to stay at the Pierre.
That way you can have a park view,
it's a safe distance from my parents house.
Then after dinner we're going
to go to the Carlyle, we go to bar,
and spend some time there.
It's very old New York. I really love it.
The murals are by Ludwig Bemelmans.
I've only been to Manhattan
twice, you know.
Once when I was 2, and
then once when I was 12.
All I remember is we
got incredible bargains.
My parents could not
believe that you could buy
a Birkin bag and a Rolex
on the blanket off the street.
For only 200 dollars.
Are there any other questions
you can think of that I can ask him?
Find out who influenced
him more on love.
Denis de Rougemont
or Ortega y Gasset.
How do you always
know all that stuff?
I read, I just don't read
what they give us at school.
Do I really care who wins between
Beowulf & Grendel, no I don't.
Maybe if I had a
little money on it.
I don't know why I'm so nervous.
No college reporters
won a Pulitzer, right?
I do not think so.
You are going to be fine, don't
put so much pressure on yourself.
I think it's going to be great.
Listen, I want to see the
Weegee photos at MoMA,
and I booked us a
dinner at Daniel's.
It's kind of a nice place, we can
dress up for it. It would be really nice.
And I splurged on
the suite at the Pierre.
What the hell, right? It's poker
winnings, it's not even real money.
Gatsby, it's beautiful!
I wanted to do something special.
The flowers.
- That's not me, I don't know what that is.
- Champagne.
Look at that view.
I wanted it to be high enough
so you could see Central Park.
Central Park.
Exciting.
Thank you so much, sir.
I really appreciate that.
Thank you.
Later maybe we could
take a carriage ride?
Yeah.
If it doesn't rain.
We could ride in the rain, it's very moody.
It's very romantic.
I prefer it.
What time is it?
Yeah we should go,
this is hotel at downtown.
It might be a
little bit of a traffic.
- It is far?
- It's in Soho.
You are going to like Soho.
It's filled with creative people.
Then it got commercially expensive, so all
the creative people moved to Tribeka.
And that got expensive,
so they all moved to Brooklyn.
Next move is back in
with their parents.
He's only giving me an hour.
It's good, we have a
01:30 lunch reservation.
What are you going
to do while I'm upstairs?
I do not know.
Just roam around Soho,
maybe visit my brother.
I can't say how nice it is that
you're back in the city.
If it weren't for you I don't know if I
would ever find my way back to Yardley.
- What would you do?
- Find some brilliant way to ruin my life.
Hi, I'm here for
Mr. Roland Pollard.
Roland, this is Ashleigh
Enright from Yardley.
- How do you do?
- Ashleigh, this is Roland.
The screening is all set up.
We are running on a really tight schedule.
First of all, I'd just like to say that
what an honor this is for me.
I just want to say you're by far the most
interesting american director.
Thank you.
I write in the arts for a paper
and I always put you right
in the class with Renoir and De Sica.
I'm surprised to hear that
someone your age is
familiar with
Renoir and De Sica.
Film is my total thing.
I've seen all the american classics.
Particularly the europeans.
Kurosawa is my favourite.
Technically, he is not european,
technically, he's, obviously, japanese.
But you really
speak to my soul.
What college are you from?
Yardley. It's small.
I know it well, my first
wife went there.
- Really?
- Yes.
Brilliant woman, long blonde hair
and a state of the art overbite.
Very sexy.
A philosophy major.
To tell you the truth I
didn't deserve her, and
I didn't end up with
her either, so ...
Well, that's a...
Neither, either, nor yawn.
I imagine.
I guess, it's probably
more yawn that either.
Are you from New York?
Tucson, Arizona.
What does your family do?
I was afraid you'd ask.
My father owns banks.
Is that bad?
I know what you are thinking.
"Republicans, the one percent".
But we are not.
We're just, totally Episcopalians,
who happen to just be rich.
That's how my Ashley was.
Who's your Ashley?
My first wife.
The one with a long blonde hair
and a state of the art overbite.
Her name was Ashley?
A-S-H-L-E-Y.
Mine is A-S-H-L-E-I-G-H.
You use a Forbes 500 spelling.
Since this is your first meaningful
assignment, would you like a scoop?
Of?
Inside information.
You've heard what the term is.
Oh, a scoop!
I'd rather share this with you, than
some slick gossip-hungry newspaper.
Oh my God.
You keep going, I'm liable to have my
famous psychological hiccup fits.
When I'm nervous I stammer.
Is this the scoop?
No, that's not the scoop.
The worst, of course, is
when I'm sexually conflicted.
Then I'll hiccup indefinitely.
The scoop is -
I am not happy
with this film.
You're not?
I am thinking of quitting, actually.
That's the scoop.
If I could speak
frankly, Mr. Pollard.
You've never had mass appeal.
You're too original.
And you've never once made
one single commercial concession.
You are a free creative spirit.
Like Van Gogh, or
Rothko, or Virginia Woolf.
Of course, they
all committed suicide.
It's a very sweet
thing to say, actually.
You should read me on you.
I wrote that your
best work is yet to come.
It's only in, Yardley Argus,
but we have a good circulation.
You think that my best
work is yet to come?
I do.
And I haven't seen your
new film, but I'm willing to bet...
Would you like to?
I'd love to.
I know how secretive you are.
Which I, totally, respect.
What are you doing now?
Now?
Yes now. I'm screening it
for Ted Davidoff, who did the script.
I know who he is, he writes
all your movies, he's a genious.
The screening has
some last minute changes.
Face saving changes.
How long does it run?
I guess I could shift
my lunch plans.
One thing about New York City -
you are here or you are nowhere.
You cannot achieve this level of anxiety,
hostility and paranoia anywhere else.
It's really exhilarating.
Anyhow, I decided to treat
myself to a cigarette holder,
which makes me look dapper
and serves the double duty
of delaying the inevitable onset
of cancer or emphysema.
I smoke too much.
So then who do I meet,
but one of the most obnoxious
and revolting characters
from my high school.
Welles?
Hey.
Troller.
I heard that you
flanked out of freshman year.
No, I didn't flunk out,
I transferred up to Yardley,
because the first place
I tried was too unstructured.
They word around is flunked.
No.
Where the hell is Yardley,
Afghanistan?
Upstate.
- Have you heard about Finletter?
- No.
He got thrown out of Princeton
for passing bed checks.
- No, I didn't hear about that.
- The big deal.
Because of his father he's
got like the all-time golden parachute.
He could commit mass murder and he'd
still have a cushy job waiting for him.
- It's a weird way to put it.
- And Millstein is marrying Carol Durand.
Which, I'll never understand,
because she resembles Yasser Arafat.
Not to mention she's an Ice Queen.
You can't believe everything.
What are you doing in town?
It's my girlfriend, I'm just showing
her around for the weekend.
- Who is your girlfriend?
- You wouldn't know her.
But she's got a
name, hasn't she?
Ashleigh.
Like Ashley Wilkes
in "Gone with the Wind"?
That whimp.
What about Josh Loomis?
I just saw Josh.
He's shooting a movie at Minetta.
- A movie?
- It's his student film.
NYU project, it looked
completely stupid to me.
You should stop by.
He's with Evans
and the younger Tyrell.
You've always liked Josh.
That turned into a classic whimp.
Did you say Amy's younger sister is there?
Is Amy there?
Amy is at Vassar.
Big deal. I'm impressed.
Flat-chested.
Like two dimes on a hanging board.
- Amy was beautiful.
- Yeah, if you like Grace Kelly.
What are you in town for?
My girlfriend, she has an interview
with Roland Pollard for the school paper.
Who's that?
It's a director. He did
"Winter Memories", "Moonlight".
Oh yeah!
I can't stand his flicks.
All that whimpy emotional probing,
and never a single decent toilet joke.
You should go and watch them shoot.
You could be in it.
They're looking for volunteers.
With that cigarette holder you
could be the perfect milk toast nerd.
I'm running a little bit late.
I wouldn't trust my girl with
a big time Hollywood director.
Good to know.
- You didn't ask me what I am doing.
- What are you doing?
I'm only pre-med.
We have paw at
the boarding of Grenada.
I can't make lunch.
What? Why not?
- I have to see his film.
- You do?
It's an unbelievable opportunity.
And then we're going to
discuss it after and everything.
How did this develop?
I though you just had an hour with him.
So did I, but then he
started opening up to me.
He did?
He is going through
this real artistic crisis.
There's a real story here.
We have a lunch reservation.
You wouldn't want me to
say no to the screening?
I am here for work.
We'll have plenty of time.
When? The film's going
to take a couple of hours.
I mean.
It's 1 now, the movie
will probably be over around 3
and then I'll have all afternoon.
How did you get friendly so fast?
He's going through this
whole self-sabotage trip.
It's a scoop.
Is that him?
Yes.
He's a little older
looking than I thought.
It's a good look though,
don't you think?
He is a sufferer.
So what, what's so great
about suffering?
You should hear him talk
about the arts, he's so passionate.
I can see how all of his leading
ladies fall in love with him.
Do you want me
to meet him?
- I wouldn't want you to spook him.
- It's okay.
No, he's a very private person.
And distraught.
I'll see you later and
I'll meet you back at Carlyle at 3.
It's the Pierre.
The Carlyle is tonight.
What the hell is it about older guys
that seem so appealing to women.
All they are is decrepit.
What is sexy about short-term memory loss?
I never want to get old.
Of course, with my smoking
habit, I'll be spitting blood at 40.
If she's going to get
some big inside news story,
she has to put in
time with this guy.
Meanwhile, it's going to rain soon.
Gatsby!
Josh.
How are you man?
- It's nice to see you.
- It's good to see you.
I just ran into Alman Troller.
He told me you were
shooting a short film down here,
I thought I'd stop
by and say hi.
It's just my mid-term project,
it's nothing big actually.
How's Yardley,
is that where you are?
It's okay, I'm not really
liking it too much,
I'd rather be going
to school in the city, but...
You know my mother.
If it's not the perfect image,
she bites down that cyanide capsule
she keeps for special emergencies.
I didn't know that.
The only thing I remember
about them is
that they had that
fundraiser for Jeb Bush, right?
- Right.
- Right.
So listen, how are you?
How's life?
What's going on here?
What are you doing here?
You know, just out here trying
to create modern film-noir classic.
Okay, alright.
- Do you want to be in it?
- No.
- Come on, man.
- No.
We're just light on extras, we
have all those people who never showed.
You wouldn't have
to talk or anything.
Seriously, you just
get in the car,
and then on action you
let the girl out, that's it.
- Okay, I don't have to talk?
- None. Zero words.
- I can handle that.
- Okay, there you go.
You remember Chan, don't you?
- Chan Tyrell.
- Hi.
- You're Amy's little sister, right?
- Good to see you.
- Should we do this?
- Yeah, go in there.
I like that coat, actually,
no, keep that on.
Listen, I hear your older
sister's at Vassar now, right?
Yeah, political science major.
Can you believe it?
I mean Amy never heard
the news that Lincoln was shot.
Chan Tyrell.
This is insane.
You were a little girl, and now
you are, actually, a young woman.
You are not going to
start singing Gigi, are you?
- I'm not going to start singing...
- So here's the story.
She is totally mad with
loss and she can't let go off you.
She kisses you and then
she bursts away.
Chan Tyrell.
Incidentally, I apologise in
advance for ruining your scene.
- I'm not an actor.
- I'm not an actress either.
I'm just helping out a friend.
And we kiss?
Yeah, that's why I never
wanted to be an actress.
You have to fake passion
with all kinds of weirdos.
- Thank you.
- Nevermind.
Just kiss me so I can
really feel it in my toes.
I used to kiss your older sister, did
she ever say anything about that or no?
I don't know, I don't recall.
I think maybe she said you were a 4.
- A 4? She said I was a 4?
- I don't know, maybe a 6.
Maybe a 6, I can't recall.
Just this kiss, I want it to be hot.
If we are going to do it,
let's do it right.
- Good work ethic.
- Thank you.
Action.
Cut.
Are you going to
keep your mouth closed?
I have a girlfriend, Chan.
I don't think I can do this.
I'm sorry, I think I froze.
You have a girlfriend?
Who's your girlfriend?
Her name is Ashleigh,
she's from Yardley.
She's from Tuscon originally.
Tuscon? You are dating
a girl from Arizona?
Do I have your permission?
What do you guys
talk about, cactuses?
Rattlesnakes.
Arizona? That would be
great for your asthma.
I don't have asthma.
When we were kissing, I
thought I heard you wheezing.
I always remembered
you as a very snotty kid.
Ready?
What are you up to now?
- I am studying design at a fashion Institute.
- That's unique.
Rolling.
Scene 19, take 2.
Action.
Cut.
That's better.
Josh, he's way too uptight
to open up his mouth.
Are you still
seeing that shrink?
Give me a break, alright?
I was just taking a walk.
He asked me to help out, alright?
I've never acted before.
- Scene 19, take 3.
- Action.
Josh, it's starting to rain.
And cut. Great.
See, I knew you could do it.
And I won't tell your girlfriend.
Josh, you like it, you
want a different version?
- I can...
- No, we go with that version.
That's the version,
we're sticking with that.
Alright, well, have
fun in Arizona.
And whatever you do, don't
get lost in a desert and die of thirst.
I'll be sure to
bring a canteen.
Don't fall in the Grand Canyon
too, it's really deep.
She's always been the
pain in the ass, kid sister.
How could she not be?
Amy was gorgeous, and so
sexually advanced.
Word on Amy was she performed
an oral sex at the bar mitzvah.
Maybe they should make that
a part of every jewish holiday.
Certainly beats fasting.
It's also a great way to celebrate the
Jewish New Year, what a great Hanukah gift.
I wonder what's
been bothering Hunter.
Something was definitely
on his mind when I called him.
- Gatsby!
- Surprise.
- I told you I might drop in.
- That's crazy!
Listen, if you have something
to do I can come back...
- No, I have nothing to do.
- Good to see you.
How are you?
- I'm good, you?
- Good.
Are you coming
for Mom's party?
No, you can't tell
her I'm here, okay?
It's okay, Hunter,
you can pull it off.
You are engaged and
not in the house now,
she's not going to
take your phone away.
- If Mom finds out she'll die.
- No, she won't, she'll live.
And she's not going to find out.
Well, count me in.
It's Ashleigh, my girlfriend, she has
to do an interview with Roland Pollard,
the film director
for the school paper.
It's a big coup.
Ashleigh?
Someone the mom's high on?
- She's never even met her.
- Hunter, your parents want to ...
- Gatsby, It's so good to see you!
- It's good to see you, how are you?
I'm good, what are
you doing in town?
His girlfriend is
interviewing Roland ...
Pollard, the film director, but,
do me a favor don't tell my mom
I'm here, it's going to be a big party ...
He hates parties, Mr. Anti-social.
You always hated
Mom's literary salons.
It's rich housewifes who have
the leisure to pursue esoteric culture.
The out of work,
discussing the out of print.
She just wanted to make sure
that we are exposed to great literature.
What about Jimmy Cannon then?
Or what Tom Adair?
It's not all giant insects
and model maids.
You are not going to
duck out of our wedding, huh?
How can he?
He's the best man.
He cries at weddings.
He's not as tough as he makes out.
He cries at weddings and funerals.
Same reason.
I'm going to go take a shower.
But there's coffee.
- I'm so glad you're here.
- It's nice being here.
I've always liked her.
Gatsby.
- What's the matter?
- Gatsby.
I don't want to go
through with this wedding.
What?
I can't do it.
I can't, and I can't
pull out now.
It would kill her, it's two hundred
guests invited, they booked ...
the Century Club, they
booked an orchestra!
God, save me!
Okay, alright.
What happened?
You'll think I'm so stupid.
I'm not going to think you're stupid,
just tell me what happened?
I can't, it's too stupid.
You're making me anxious, I want to hear
this fascinating piece of stupidity.
She's ... bright.
Gatsby, she's nice, she's kind.
So?
I can't stand the way she laughs.
What?
Yeah, I can't take her laugh.
- Her laugh?
- Yes.
Yeah, her laugh.
Hunter, that's probably the most
idiotic thing I've heard in my life.
I told you'd think it's stupid.
What's wrong with her laugh?
Listen to it, it's
a total turn-off.
How much do you love her?
I do, I love her, I love
her, it's just her laugh.
If you love her
then get over it.
I can't. I've tried.
I've tried.
Last night, we were talking
in bed and she laughed
and I couldn't
make love to her.
- What?
- I couldn't, I was impotent.
From her laugh?
- It's happened before.
- Hunter, you have to see a shrink.
- I'm serious.
- I don't need a shrink.
I know what the problem
is - she has a fatal laugh.
A cross between Dad's sister Betty
and Lennie in "Of Mice and Men".
I've never heard of a
problem like that before.
You are young, Gatsby.
The world is full of
tragic little dealbreakers.
Haven't you been
seeing Lily for over a year?
Why is this coming up now?
Have you talked
to her about it?
I brought it up, tactfully, but
I don't think she realises
how serious it's gotten.
I love her, but I can't
marry her, Gatsby.
I won't be able to
have sex with her.
No, you mean you
don't want to marry her
so you're focusing
on this laugh insanity?
Spare me the fruits of your Upper East
Side talking, listen to her laugh.
When she comes down,
we'll get her to laugh.
You'll see what I mean.
I can't.
- I can't do this, I'm sorry.
- Rollie.
I know, I'm sorry, Ted.
- Rollie, come on.
- It's actually, it's physcially...
- Don't do this.
- making me sick.
Don't do this.
- It's humiliating.
- It's a process, Rollie.
- Your changes are shit.
- Rollie, sit down.
- Everything that I did is shit.
- Not shit, different, different.
Mr. Pollard.
- It's not different.
- Not all the changes work, but some are good.
Thank you for coming, Ashleigh,
I need to get a little air.
- It's a process.
- I need some space.
- Come and sit down.
- I need to get out.
Don't do this.
- I need to think about.
- Don't! No booze.
- Please, no booze.
- What?
Come on.
You just watched 2 hours of
an existential steaming shit pile
and that's all that
you can say to me?
- It's a process, we do this every time.
- Ted, Ted.
Rollie, come on, back.
Don't drink.
Oh, God.
- Shouldn't we go afer him?
- That's the sure sign he is going to drink.
You go, you can go.
I have to watch it all
to be able to talk
to him intelligently about it.
I love the movie so far.
- You do?
- I do.
Let's go back.
There's a high-stakes card
game later at a Fremont Hotel.
I can't make it, but I know
you love that kind of thing.
You want me to call Joe Cohen,
and say you'll take my chair?
I would love a high-stakes card game,
I'm loaded right now, but
Ashleigh and I, we
have plans for tonight.
I'm dying to meet Ashleigh.
I know, I don't know
where she is right now.
- I was supposed to show her city today.
- You better take an umbrella.
Watch, I'll make her laugh.
I was just telling Gatsby...
Larry Nash told me a great joke.
Two cannibals are eating
a comedian and one says:
"Hey, do you taste
something funny?"
That is so ufunny.
Okay, that's my que, Hunter,
lovely to see you as always.
Lily, thank you
for the coffee.
- I heard one more.
- Sure.
A homeless man stopped a Jewish
mother on the street and said:
"Lady, I haven't eaten in 3 days.
And she said: "Force yourself".
Hello, Ashleigh, what's going on?
You said you were going
to call me 30 minutes ago.
I know, but the film got delayed.
I'm up at this screening room place.
It's fine, just meet me at the
Museum of Modern Art on 53rd Street.
We'll grab a bite to eat there and
then we are going to go see the Weegee's.
- I can't. I can't.
- What do yo mean, why not?
Because I'm onto a
real story here.
This is a 70 million dollar movie
and Rollie is very unhappy with it.
You call him Rollie?
Yeah, and Ted and I,
we have to find him.
We have to find
him and talk with him.
Before he adds one of his crazy fits,
and then re-edits the whole thing and ruins it.
Who is Ted?
Gatsby, I can't talk right now.
But I'll call you as soon as I'm through.
And if I'm running late, I'll
just meet you back at the Plaza.
It's not the Plaz...
It's the Carlyle!
It's a bar and the
piano for tonight.
He's not at the hotel and he didn't show
up for the press interview, so
he's wallowing in self-loathing
somehere, drinking Courvoisier,
thinking of new ways
to screw up our work.
I thought the film was
full of wonderful things.
Me too. Tell him, you ...
Tell him, tell Roland.
Because hearing that from
me won't mean anything.
I'm always at this end of the
argument, but you are fresh,
honest, new generation woman.
Especially a pretty one, maybe ...
You may...
Come on, let's find him.
Are you okay?
- Yeah.
- Come on.
He doesn't like her laugh?
No, Ashleigh's laugh is perfect.
Let's go, Ashleigh, we're blowing
the day and it's so moody out.
We could be on a ferry,
or the top of the Empire
State Building, black and white.
- Yeah, he was here.
- He was here?
He seemed very distraught.
He knocked back a couple of brandies.
Mumbled something about
heading out to the studio.
Okay. Let's take my car
and head out to Queens.
- Queens?
- Yeah, it's a big film studio.
Do you still want to come?
Definitely.
When Rollie gets
drunk and morose,
he likes to wander
around the sound stages
and pretend he's
Norma Desmond.
- Thanks.
- Sure.
Can I ask you a few questions?
Since I am on assignment.
Sure.
What's your favorite
film of Rollie's?
"Winter Memories",
the one in Venice.
When did you first see it?
It's with Gatsby, actually, it
was on our very first date.
Dialogue made
me want to kiss him.
That line about love and death,
being two sides of the same coin.
Did you understand it?
No.
I got confused, and felt insecure.
Like I wanted to, just,
be held and kissed.
Have you ever been to Venice?
No, but Gatsby has.
- Oh my God!
- What?
I knew it!
I knew it!
- Are you okay?
- Oh God!
You turned all white.
I knew it!
She was lying!
- Who?
- Connie, my wife!
- She's seeing Lipszyc!
- Who's Lipszyc?
She said she was going shopping
with her sister, in Connecticut.
But she's walking into
Lipszyc's building!
Is Lipszyc a spy?
What?
No, Larry Lipszyc.
My friend, my best friend.
My best friend. I can't believe it.
She must...
They're having an affair.
Oh God, are you okay?
You are clutching your heart.
Okay, here's what we do.
We sit here, we wait until she
comes out, and then I'll confront her.
I hope there's not a gun in here
in glove compartment, like in your movies.
You better go.
You go.
No, I can't leave you alone.
You are all white and shaky.
Breathe. Deeply breathe.
Deeply. Dr. Ross said breathe.
Deeply. Breathe deeply.
No, not you.
Me.
Oh God.
Taxi!
Taxi!
Oh my God, Chan.
What are you doing here?
What the hell,
you were shooting ...
- Hey, you take it, I'm getting out of this one.
- No, no, no, get in, Gatsby.
- Are you sure?
- I'll drop you.
- Hey, where are you going?
- You remember, the same 5th Avenue joint.
I remember your appartment
well for my days with Amy.
I remember you calling for her,
my parents kept warning her about you.
Warning? Why the hell
would they be warning her?
Because on the first date
you took her walking in the rain
and she got bronchial pneumonia.
For Christ's sake, I'm never
going to get over this.
You can't get it
from being wet!
Don't yell at me.
I thought it was romantic.
That's because it is romantic.
- It's a romatic gesture.
- That's what I'm saying.
You should tell that to Ashleigh.
She thinks I'm nuts.
Who's Ashleigh?
That rodeo queen you're dating?
She's not a cowgirl, she comes from one of
the biggest banking families in Tuscon.
She was a dead butone, actually.
She came out.
She came out?
Is she gay?
No, she's not gay, she's
charming and beautiful.
And we were
supposed to have this...
Goddamn weekend in the city
together, and suddenly she's...
Parked down with all these
interviews for the school paper.
She's ambitious, you should
find that admirable.
One, it was supposed to be one little ...
One tiny little, lousy, hour intervew.
Instead, you know.
Lost the whole, goddamn, weekend.
Would you just relax?
- I don't really know why?
- I'm having a hard time relaxing, Chan.
Because this was going
to be a special weekend.
Instead I'm out here in a ...
Wandering streets, like Hagar
in a goddamn desert or something.
Don't tell me, tell her.
Tell her to get her priorities straight.
You want to drink some wine, walk in
the rain and give her bronchitis.
Okay, look she's, apparently,
onto a very big story.
She takes her job
very seriously, alright?
Fine, then get over it.
I'm in the process of
getting over it.
Unless you are worried
somebody's hitting on her.
- What the hell does that mean?
- I don't know.
Is she interviewing attractive men?
I've never really thought about it.
I don't know.
Some might say they are interesting.
Then maybe you better
step in and assert yourself.
- Do you think I have to be more demanding?
- I would.
These are like movie big
shots she's hanging out with.
- Suits?
- Yes, a director and a screenwriter.
Artists, they are usually passionate.
Oh, Jesus Christ!
Okay, you're right,
I have to call her now.
The sooner the better.
- You think there's that much of a rush?
- I don't know.
Oh, Christ, alright.
It's your idea.
What do you think I should say?
- There's nothing you can say.
- What do you mean?
Without sounding possessive.
Christ, Chan, you just
encouraged me to call her.
Now I'm asking for your help
and you are telling me
there's nothing I can say?
You are so wishy washy.
Now that I see your M-O I
know exatly why Amy 86ed you.
No.
Amy didn't dump me,
I got sick of seeing her.
Yeah, because everytime you'd call,
and I'd say it was you on the phone,
she'd wave her arms and
say "I'm not in, I'm not in".
Hey, Gatsby?
Hey, Ashleigh.
Listen.
Look, I know you are very busy, and
that's why we came to New York, right?
And no one has more respect
for honest ambitions than I do.
Do I have to listen to this
without an airsick bag?
I can't talk to you right now.
I'm kind of involved in the situation.
We have a number of
things planned for today.
I'm very busy right now.
But, I really, I can't explain
it over the phone.
Ashleigh, we were talking
about one movie interview.
What could possible be so
secretive about that?
What's so CIA?
Unless there's some
funny business going on?
I'll talk to you later.
Bye, Gatsby.
Oh, these, goddamn,
cellphones are ...
I don't know, to me it sounds
dubious to the max.
It sounds dubious to you
because you have sinister mind.
- You must really love her.
- I do, she's a breath of fresh air.
She's charming and delightful.
She's pretty.
She's sexy and somehow
at the same she's witty.
She sings very nicely.
She plays the flute.
I don't know how to
break this to you.
But I'm sick of
hearing about her, okay?
Was that your boyfriend?
Gatsby.
Yeah.
- Are you still dizzy?
- No, I'm okay.
What's Gatsby do?
He goes to Yardley too.
Which he refers to as
"Forced law on University."
Is he a journalist too?
He's not really
focused professionally.
I think that in his wildest dreams
he'd like to be Sky Masterson.
- A Broadway bookie?
- He's a little eccentric.
In what way?
Eccentric?
I think it has to do with the fact that
he and his mom never really hit it off.
She was always forcing him to
read everything, and learn piano...
He is really smart.
He was one of those
students who...
He doesn't have to study for a
test and then he just aces it.
Sounds like me.
To tell you the truth.
Don't tell anybody, but I think
he has a touch of Asperger's.
- You know what Chan?
- Yeah?
I'm going to get out of here too.
- What are you doing now?
- Why?
Why, because I have a
little bit of time to kill.
And I thought about
going to Modern Museum.
Look at the WeeGee exhibit.
Oh, I see. You have nothing better to
do so you want me to keep you company?
You know what? Forget it.
I dated your older sister.
You've always had a little
bit of an attitude, okay?
I'm not looking for any trouble.
I have to check out some paintings
at the Mat's Profession Class.
If you want to
keep me company.
I don't know why
you couldn't have just...
Fine, it's going to be fun.
We can get on
each other's nervs.
Alright, let me change, I'm soaked.
Are you hungry?
I'd give you an Arizona lunch,
but we are all out of beef jerky.
Brings back a lot of memories.
My folks are in East
Hampton for the weekend.
How come you didn't go?
I've got a date tonight.
You?
Don't be startled,
it turnes out I'm desirable.
Who's the unfortunate victim?
You wouldn't know him,
he's a girlfriend's dermatologist.
It's romantic.
Don't forget to show him those three
irregular black moles on your back.
I'm sure they're nothing.
I really hope I won't regret
not going to the Hamilton's.
The beach is so pretty
in the rain too.
- Would you have to be with your parents.
- So what? I love my parents.
You know them, they are fun.
Don't you have fun with your parents?
No, fun is not the
word I would use.
Alright, I'll be right back.
- Hey, listen, can I play your piano?
- Yeah, go ahead, it's a family heirloom.
I make a date for golf
And you can bet
your life it rains
I try to give a party
And the guy upstairs complains
I guess I'll go through life
Just catchin' colds
and missin' trains
Everything happens to me
I never miss a thing
I've had the measles
and the mumps
And every time I lay an ace
My partner always trumps
I guess I'm just a fool who
never looks before he jumps
Everything happens to me
At first I thought that you
could break this jinx for me
That love would turn
the trick to end despair
But know I just can't fool
this head that thinks for me
So I've mortgaged
all my castles in the air
I've telegraphed and phoned
Send an 'Airmail Special' too
Your answer was 'Goodbye'
There was even postage due
I fell in love just once
And then it had
to be with you
Everything happens to me
That's pretty.
I love a "cocktail lounge" piano.
Outside it drizzles, grey.
New York City, enveloped
in the light mist.
Two lovers have a date
to meet at 6 o'clock.
At Grand Central Station, under
the clock, like in the movie.
I love that movie,
but I see it outside.
At the East River?
With the tugboats around the water?
- I love tugboats.
- Almost, you're in the Rainbow Park.
I know! I know!
Under the clock.
Which clock?
The Delacorte clock, where all the
animals go around in Central Park.
I love it, it's very old movie.
My Mom and I used to watch
old movies together all the time.
She would study the decor.
They are so fabulously escapist.
In my version he's
waiting, the music plays.
And she never comes.
Or she's waiting and he
chooses the other woman.
Can't they just kiss in the rain?
That sounds pretty good
to me, even if it is commercial.
- Picture yourself.
- Okay.
It's four minutes to six.
You're pacing up and down,
rain drops have just started to fall.
You're at your Delacorte clock
in Central Park.
Expecting your ...
Dermatologist.
But he just diagnosed a
carcinoma in his own limp.
It's metastasizing as you wait.
Would you give me a break?
In my version, everything's fine.
He meets me, holds me,
kisses me.
It's lovely.
Nobody needs a biopsy.
Connie!
- Connie!
- Ted.
Is this how you are shopping
with Judy in Connecticut?
What are you doing here?
I happen to see you out
the window, from the car.
By sheer chance.
- Really? That's awkward, isn't it?
- Awkward, awkward?
You've been sleeping with
him for months, haven't you?
- We were going to tell you.
- When?
- When we moved to London?
- No.
Your dream?
That we had moved to London?
It just happened, Ted.
We both fought it.
I'm sure you fought it, in every hotel
room, on every matress, in a backseat.
This isn't about sex.
It's always about sex.
Everything is about sex.
The economies are about sex.
I can't have this
outburst with you on the street.
You, with my best friend.
It's such a clich, I can't believe it.
Don't get down on
Larry, he adores you.
He identifies with you.
I know, he uses my
aftershave, and my wife.
Who is she?
- Ted, is everything okay?
- What does that have to do with anything?
- Who is she?
- No, everything is fine, stay there Ashleigh.
Keep dry.
- I'm with the Yardley Argus.
- The what?
- The Yardley Argus.
- She's a reporter, doing a piece on Rollie.
On Rollie? Then what is she doing
with you, following me?
- Don't try and turn this around.
- I'm not turning...
Don't try and turn this around.
You've been caught. You're caught.
You, who make a fool of yourself
over every young, ambitious starlet model.
What are you talking about?
What are you talking about?
You've been having an
affair with Larry Lipszyc.
And you are spying on me with who?
Your 15-year-old concubine?
She's a journalist.
- I'm 21.
- She's 21.
She's 21?
- She's a journalist.
- I have a proof of age, actually.
- No, you don't need this.
This always happens in bars.
- You've been caight.
- You know what, as long as you are a reporter.
I would like to make a
press release about my husband.
- Really?
- Can I write this down?
- Sure, go ahead.
- Ashleigh, please.
Ask him how many times
he has been unfaithful to me?
She's demented.
You're demented.
- His secretary, the actresses, the poetess.
- Wrong, wrong.
- The poetess?
- The poetess?
Were all these women for
a pleasure or for some project?
Stop filling her head with lies.
Ashleigh, come here.
Take this address to the studio, okay?
Find Rollie, come on.
- Find Rollie.
- I don't know my way around New York.
It's okay, tell the cab driver...
- Find Rollie. Stop.
- Ask him if he ever slep with Samantha Leroy.
- The Argus is not a tabloid.
- There are no papers that are not tabloid.
Encourage him about the movie,
so he doesn't mangle it and ruin it, okay?
Please, don't print any of this.
- Don't worry, we always protect there from naughty.
- I'm sure.
Connie!
Connie!
The first time I kissed your
sister was in this museum.
I know, she told me.
She said that you were
looking at a Hieronymus Bosch
and it made you feel romantic.
So that you kissed her.
As of she knew your
shrink wasn't helping you.
Don't tell she got
the kiss of the 4.
If she'd quoted you a figure
higher I'd have her audited.
There's something charming
about that elegance.
My mother would've liked Sargent
to have painted her in just that pose.
The dressed so beautifully
in Paris back then.
I could see moving to Paris.
I never really asked you.
What are you future plans, Gatsby?
I don't know, I'm floundering.
What does that mean?
I don't know
who I want to be.
I just know what I don't
want to be, is that terrible?
So you have no game plan?
I know I don't
want to be a test pilot,
or clergyman
or proctologist, so...
Ruled those out.
I get it, you don't fit in.
That's why I always had a crush
on you when you dated Amy.
- You had a crush on me?
- I did, isn't it weird?
I don't know, maybe it's because
you took her to do oddball things.
You took her to one
of those divey piano bars,
where no one
else ever took her.
I did take her to her
first crap game.
I know and I loved that.
I loved hearing every detail.
I was hoping she would
get serious with you,
because you were not like
all the other idiots she dated.
I thought you
were a special idiot.
I'm glad I impressed you, Chan.
I remember Amy came home and
she told me that you took her to
Ballbay scene at Central Park
and made love to her.
- She told you about that?
- Every moist detail.
Now I embarrassed.
Don't be, that night
she gave you a 6.
She gave me a 6?
Amy.
With a asterix.
She said you
were a little tense.
Yeah, Central Park can be a
little dangerous at 2 AM.
- But very romantic.
- Okay.
And then it started to rain.
That was the best part.
Her hair got wet, her clothes
started to cling to her body.
- She started sneezing.
- I don't really remember that part.
Now that I think of it, Chan.
You always were around,
giving me the fish eye.
You are just realising this now?
That's all you have to say?
You didn't think I was
cute or attractive, anything?
You seemed fine.
You mean I had no
physical deformities.
I didn't have acromegaly
or a hunchback.
You know what, Chan, I wasn't
really paying attention,
because I was a little tense
in front of your parents.
Amy would make her entrance,
like a, goddamn, Miss America.
I'm sure Ashleigh is
a beauty queen type.
She is, she was an actual first-place
winner at her high school in Tuscon.
4H, right?
Yes, how did you guess?
Ink it in.
Let's get out of here.
These crazy egyptians, they
put all their money on an afterlife.
Listen, Gatsby, let me tell you,
you only look once.
But once is enough if
you find the right person.
You think she's giving me
a runaround today?
I'm struggling to
keep my spirits up.
You really are hooked
on her, aren't you?
Oh my God!
That's my aunt and uncle!
They're here for my mother's party.
What party?
They remembered the date -
my mother's party tonight,
They going to
tell her I'm here.
- Okay.
- I can't discuss this, I have to hide.
Why don't you duck into the
mummy case, I'll get some white tape.
Hello?
Gatsby, I finally got alone.
Where are you?
Let me put is this way.
Have you heard of King Tut?
You are where?
What are you doing?
Hello?
Gatsby, hello?
Gatsby, what a surprise!
I was about to
call your mother.
Hi, can I help you?
I'm looking for Roland Pollard.
Roland Pollard?
Right, he was here earlier.
I'm not sure
if he's still back there.
Mom, it was all planned, okay?
Ashleigh and I wanted
to surprise you tonight.
I happen to run into uncle
Tyler and aunt Grace, okay?
But don't worry, we are
going to be there for dinner,
it's going to be a
great time, I just...
I thought it would be a
fun surprise.
Oh, we spoiled your surprise.
Mr. Pollard?
Rollie?
Hello.
Can I help you?
Have you seen Mr. Pollard?
Rollie's gone.
He left an hour ago.
Did he seem okay?
To be honest, he seemed
a little drunk to me.
Are you two friends?
Oh my God!
You're Francisco Vega.
Is that good or bad?
If my roommate was here,
she'd hemorrhage.
She thinks you are the greatest thing to
come along since the morning-after pill.
Me too.
I can't believe I'm talking
to Francisco Vega.
Look at me, I'm a journalist
and I'm reduced to total adolescence.
- You're Francisco Vega!
- I know that.
I guess the key question
here is - who are you?
Who am I? Is that what
you're asking who I am?
- My identity?
- Yeah, is it coming to you?
I can't believe I'm blanking on it.
Check your driver's license.
Right.
Yeah, right.
Okay.
I'm Ashleigh Enright.
I knew it would be on there.
I work for the Yardley Argus.
I write for them.
And I'm here in New York, because
I'm interviewing Mr. Pollard.
Wow, you look exatly the
same but better.
Let me tell you something.
You look more beautiful than
any journalist I've ever met.
You can make a very
sexy anchorwoman.
How can you say that when
you're in the papers every week
with those die-models
and actresses?
- Get in, get in.
- Where are we going?
Not now guys, not now.
Come on, give us a break!
Come on! No!
Should I be in here?
Make yourself at home.
- Would you like to sit down?
- No, no, no.
- Would you like a drink?
- No thanks.
Would you like to
have dinner with me?
Would I like to
have what with you?
I have no plans, but to
get an early bite and then.
You and I can go
to a party together.
Party?
Dinner?
What about Tiffany Griffin?
I though...
- I don't want to talk about her.
- You two were twosome.
No, we just broke up.
I'm going to change
into my street clothes.
While you think about it, okay?
Oh, Gosh.
Great, now I have to take Ashleigh
to my Mom's, goddamn, party.
Why is that so bad?
Why is that so bad, Chan?
Because I wanted to spend the night
with Ashleigh alone in New York,
not with forego of wasp plutocrats.
A forego of wasp plutocrats?
Sounds like something on
the menu out of a fusion restaurant.
I'm not interested in the euro, or
how many Basquiats somebody owns,
or whether they prefer a
falcon to a gulfstream.
These things have no
meaning to me.
I noticed you haven't
renounced your family's money.
What does that mean?
That means you could move out.
Get a job, put
yourself through college.
Oh yeah, as of what?
Piano player in the dive.
Or, maybe a poker player?
Dice hustler?
You're bad, Chan.
You are going straight to hell.
There is something romantic
about gamblers.
And old songs.
Meeting under the clock.
Yeah, maybe in movies,
but this is real life.
Real life is fine for people
who can't do any better.
It's been fun killing time with you.
Have fun with blue neves tonight.
- Who?
- Your skin doctor.
At least he knows enough not to
wind up in the egyptian tomb.
- Vega!
- Francisco!
- Thanks for being here.
- It is always like this?
This is nothing.
I'm just signing one.
Thank you, thank you for being here.
Sorry, we have to go.
Sorry.
- Francisco, who is the young lady?
- I'm no one.
- What do you do?
- I'm no one really.
I was Miss Amiability in Scottsdale.
Not really a big deal.
Where did you guys meet?
Let's go, come on.
No story here.
Okay, thank you.
Thank you for being here.
Ciao, ciao, ciao.
That's it, that's it.
Alright, thank you for coming, thank you.
There is so much the public
wants to know about you.
Is it true that you were born on the
Orient Express right outside of Budapest.
Are your 2 sisters as
beautiful as you are?
Please be honest,
but be modest.
They are, yeah.
They are actually even pretier.
Taylor especially.
She looks a little bit like
your girlfriend Tiffany Griffin.
- Could be worse.
- Yeah.
Are you seriously considering
making remake of "White Heat"?
- Do you have a boyfriend?
- Me?
Yeah. Sorry I shouldn't
have asked that.
Sorry, I've been drinking.
The candle lights are coloring
your face in quite an amazing way.
I'm sorry, you have a very
affective smile, you know?
I couldn't help but ask
if you have a boyfriend or not.
Do I have a boyfriend.
Is that what you're asking?
Yes and, technically, no.
There's this boy at Yardley.
But he's just a boy.
He's a mere youth.
We dated a few times.
You must be crazy about him.
Is he the captain
of the football team?
Football?
Gatsby? No.
No, he doesn't play football.
He likes to figure
out the point spread.
So the mathematician.
Not exactly.
Gatsby is a...
Gatsby is very dear.
Very amusing.
He's unusual.
Quaint.
That's the world I would
use to describe Gatsby - quaint.
He's exotic.
Searching, shall we say, for his
romantic dream from a vanished age.
- What is this wine?
- It's Chateau Meyney.
I shouldn't imbibe so copiously.
Alcohol plays havoc on
my cerebral neurons.
And how?
I lose my sensor.
I become loose, uninhibited.
passionate, aggressive, wicked.
Absurd.
Hello.
Is this where the poker game is?
- Who are you?
- My name is Gatsby Welles.
- Who?
- He's okay, that's Hunter's brother.
I'm just going to take
Hunter's chair if that's alright.
Yeah, Hunter called and
said you might sit in.
You sure you want
to play this game?
He's alright.
Hunter says he's a shark.
- Better watch out for him.
- Like a guppy.
If you guys are worried,
I have a little something.
- This kid is loaded.
- Have a seat then, my friend.
I will call that.
This is crazy.
Maybe something's happened to her?
Maybe she's in
some kind of trouble.
Raise, two thousand.
Maybe the story
led her into danger.
Maybe she was
kidnapped or murdered.
Should I call the police?
Of course, it would be so
embarrassing if she turn up alive.
Hey kid, do you going to call or not?
That's two thousand dollars.
I raise you.
I reraise you.
All-in.
With temperature's in the 60s,
rain is predicted this evening.
It will be heavy at times.
And more of it tomorrow,
mostly cloudy
with the chance of showers
in the late afternoon.
On a brighter note:
Francisco Vega is in town
with his new
main-squeeze on his own.
All our spies could
find out is that she's
Ashleigh Enright, a beauty queen,
from Tuscon, Arizona.
They were spotted later having
drinks over candle light, and
apparently exchaging
sweet nothings.
I was Miss Amiability in Scottsdale.
Not really a big deal.
- How did you guys meet?
- Who's the girl?
Good luck, Francisco,
we are all rooting for you.
That gorgeous couple,
as if they need out help.
Jesus, I need a drink.
I need a drink.
I need a cigarette.
What I really need
is a Berlin ballad.
May I get you another?
Yeah, why don't you
make it a double.
You want a double?
It's okay, I won't be operating
any form of machinery.
Hello.
Mom, you have to give me a chance.
I said I was going to be there tonight.
Ashleigh's fine.
Yes, I'll wear a tie and I'll
be there on time, okay?
I can't really talk right now.
Francisco Vega.
A bullshit actor.
This guy is incapable
of a real moment.
All those manured gestures and all
that phony self-promoting liberal politics.
When he offered to set himself
on fire to protest climate change,
they should've let him.
If that's Ashleigh's taste.
The world is full of
beautiful women.
Sorry, are you talking to me?
I'm sorry, I was actually
talking to myself.
I know the feeling.
Have you seen a movie
"Out of the Past"?
- Excuse me?
- Jane Greer and Robert Mitchum.
She was bad news.
It's the luck of the draw.
- Are you alone?
- I am.
Unless you want
some company.
Sure.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- I'm Terry Ford.
- My name is Gatsby Welles.
What's the matter, Gatsby?
You seem gloom.
My girlfriend dumped
me for a movie star.
You know what they say:
you can't fight charisma.
I didn't want to
drink in my room alone.
Are you staying here?
No, I've been coming here since they
used to only serve me ginger ales by law.
I love the piano players.
And now I'm old enough
to order gin and vermouth.
Time flies.
Yeah, unfortunately,
it flies, coach.
What's that supposed to mean?
It's not always a
comfortable trip.
Tell me about it.
What are you doing
here all alone?
Working.
What do you do?
I make dreams come true.
- How do you do that?
- Use your imaginion.
Do we go someplace where
we could be more alone?
Sure.
Why not.
Okay.
I get five hundred, sweetie.
Five hundred?
Right.
I know what's you are thinking.
Five hunderd seems pretty steep.
But it's New York.
How would you like
to make five thousand?
Five thousand?
To do what?
Just to be my date for a
few hours at the party.
Clothes stay on, no fondling,
no exhange of fluids.
Just a little role playing.
What kind of party?
Just my Mom's big fall,
bullshit blowout.
I won 15 G's in the poker game
and I need a date with me.
Classy item, who answers the
name of Ashleigh Enright.
- I hope I'm dressed okay.
- Absolutely.
It's a little fancy.
- You look perfrect.
- Okay.
These things can be a
little boring, alright?
Thank you for coming.
- Hey, Vega.
- How are you?
- Very good.
- Good to see you.
This guy is the best cook.
You have to make
on of those paella again.
- Hi, doll.
- Hey.
How are you?
I wondered if I could steal
you away for 2 minutes
to talk about your fall schedule
and project with your name on it.
- Right now?
- Yes now.
Okay, okay, do you mind?
Just 2 minutes.
- Are you going to be okay?
- Yeah.
Yeah? Sure?
I'll be fast.
Thank you.
- You're Gabriela Summers.
- Yes.
I have so many
questions for you.
- For my article.
- Okay.
It's not that much farther.
It's just up the corner here.
Great, I love to walk.
It's actually the
same house I grew up in.
I bet you went to one
of those fancy school?
Yeah, I did.
Is true that all the kids there
have charge accounts at Bergdorf and Prada
and spend lots of money
and do lots of drugs?
I wouldn't know, I didn't hang
out with the most of the kids.
I just liked to watch old
movies and play my violin.
It's kind of weird.
You were a bookworm?
Not really.
My mother is just...
Culture vulture, according to
her I must visit this museum.
Or I must attend this piano
recital, or see this opera.
I must read my Henry James, even if Henry
James puts me to sleep, you know?
I like Charlie Parker.
Who's that?
Forget it, that's alright.
You really are in a bad mood.
There you are.
Excuse me for the interruption.
- You're here.
- Yes, I am.
We've been looking
everywhere for you.
I had to get my
thoughts in line.
You vanished off the planet.
Mr. tortured artist.
Can I speak to you
alone for a minute?
Yeah.
I have actually been
dying to talk to you.
Your movie was so much better
than you let me to believe.
Yes?
And the climax was so moving.
It was very vintage Roland Pollard.
Sit.
I was afraid I wasn't
going to see you again.
Forgive me.
I'm a little drunk.
We were very
worried about you.
I spent the day, thinking,
reflecting about my work, my life.
I want for us to get to
know each other, Ashleigh.
You do?
Would you consider coming
with to the South of France?
The where of what?
Your voice is the only voice, that's
adding me clarity for me in ages.
The only voice that enouraged
me, what I actually believed in.
Like a muse.
I think you had too
much to drink today.
I know I have.
Come with me.
You can wake up every
morning, smelling orange trees.
I'll talk to you about
my new movie
and I can learn from your
own spoiled honesty.
You can smell the orange trees.
I think you are confusing me
with this like total, other Ashley.
L-E-Y spelling.
I thought that was you!
Ashleigh.
- You are here.
- I'm here.
Everybody's here.
Roland's here.
I came with him.
I was trying...
I was trying to figure
out a way to cantact you.
- I apologise for today.
- It's okay.
You were very very
understanding, thank you.
- I felt really bad for you.
- No, no, no, I'm fine.
I'm fine, I'm about as well
as it could be expected.
Yeah.
For a guy, that just
discovered that
- his wife is with his best friend.
- Yeah.
- You're at the party!
- I am at the party.
I got home, I got
to my appartment
and I was wondering
why Connie's infidelity
didn't wound me as
deeply as it should.
I kept thinking about, I remembered
what you said about my movies.
And I thought, my God,
why is Ashleigh's
approbation is so meanigful to me?
Really, it was.
And it strucked me, it stricked me.
You and I were
thrown together.
We were trying to find a wandering
rogue Roland Pollard.
We had an adventure together.
And in the movie version.
In my movie version, the guy
who looks up and he realises
he's fallen in
love with the girl.
- I've played that role so many times.
- Writers like this does not come along...
- Hi.
- Hey.
I'm going to call Sam if you
don't answer me by Friday.
Yes, alright, ciao.
- I'm sorry, it took me so long.
- It's so funny.
My father would always say when
drinking you should never mix
grain and grape together.
But I think they
go really good.
I think we should split.
We should split?
Gatsby, if you always intended to
come you should've told us.
You know I am
not fond of surprises.
Mother, Dad, this is
my girlfriend Ashleigh Enright.
Hi, how are you?
- How lovely to meet you, Ashleigh.
- You too.
- One's a pleasure.
- Hi, how are you?
- I'm well, thanks.
- Nice to meet you.
- I've done business with your father.
- Yes, he speaks very highly of you.
Actually, I've never
met him, it's his bank.
Yes, he's got so many banks.
How are things at Yardley?
It's very quiet, we get a lot of snow
in the winter, that sort of thing.
Very rural, but I chose
it because they have
a great Kurdish
studies program, yes.
Have you thought
more about the career?
Your father was bemoaning the fact
that you are still undecided.
I have, Leonard.
I want to go into nuclear physics
and maybe open a little
store and sell dark matter.
He's kidding you. No.
He likes to sit at the piano
and sing, and play blackjack.
And when you were a boy, your mother
wanted you to be a concert pianist.
She always had
big plans for me.
How about you, Ashleigh?
What are your plans?
- She wants to be a journalist, actually.
- TV or print?
- Political stuff, she'll report from all of the...
- TV, I'd like to do the weather.
Troubled spots.
On the weather.
Right.
You've been staring at Ashleigh all
night long, is there something wrong?
There is something
about that girl.
She's quite pretty.
And sophisticated for
a young girl.
Come on in.
- Look at this place.
- Nice, isn't it?
What was that all about with
Ted Davidoff and Rollie Pollard?
We were just talking.
Yeah? Alright.
Don't worry.
I'm sure they are very interested
in that story you are writing.
Today has been
quite a story.
And that's just the beginning.
Please, sit down.
Relax.
This is really amazing.
She's very charming.
And hot, you didn't
say Ashleigh was hot.
- I told you she was sexy.
- Is she older than you?
She looks older.
That's what you want,
a little experience.
You have to grow up
and have a profession.
You think a girl like that
wants to live hand to mouth.
Funny you should
put it that way.
Keep your hand on
the wheel, Ashleigh.
He obviously wants
to go to bed with you.
How do you feel about this?
You have a boyfriend.
Yes, but...
This is Francisco Vega.
Apart from him, being so sexy.
He's an international icon.
Mahatma Gandhi.
How can you say no?
This is the story you can
tell your grandchildren.
May I show you upstairs?
Sure.
If you liked it here, you're
going to love it over there.
Okay.
I got us some whiskey.
Is this where you sleep?
Yeah,
when I sleep.
You can see the whole apartment
from here, it's quite special.
- Nice.
- Yeah, I know.
I know.
Let me help you.
Look at you.
Who the hell is that?
Give me a sec.
- Yes?
- It's Tiffany! I'm home!
I thought you two
weren't together anymore.
No, we...
Oh no!
Wait a second.
It's going to be fine.
You said that you weren't
together anymore.
Yeah, I know...
You know what,
you have to hide there.
Go behind that door.
Go, she can't see you.
Go.
- Surprise! Hi!
- What are you doing here?
We wrapped 2 days early.
I'm so glad you are home
it's starting to pour.
I just got off the plane.
I bet you weren't
expecting me.
I'm loving this.
Fransciso, why are you...
What are you doing running around?
Getting ready for you.
Welcome back.
I just got off the plane.
We wrapped 2 days early.
I came right from airport.
I knew If I'm being surprise I'll arouse you.
Baby. I've missed you.
Yeah, me too.
I've missed you too.
What was that?
- I didn't hear anything.
- I'm sure I heard something.
- Baby.
- One sec.
Come back, that was nothing.
Excuse me, which
way the Waldorfl is?
What's on your mind, mother?
I want to have
a word with you.
No, no.
Please don't do this
to me tonight, mom.
I'm not really in the mood for one of
your tete-a-tete's where I come out
on the short end as always.
I really couldn't take it tonight.
Okay?
Where is Ashleigh?
- I asked her to leave.
- What? Why?
Don't give me that
Ashleigh bullshit.
I smelled hooker the second
she walked through the door.
Mother, do you
hear yourself?
Damn right I hear myself.
I'm shoked.
Okay, I apologise.
I met her in the bar at Carlyle
and I gave her five thousand bucks
to pretend she was Ashleigh,
who has dumped me.
Five thousand?!
It was worth that much for you
to make a fool of your father and me?
I was in a bad mood, it was
my idea of a joke.
So it was a bad joke, okay?
I won a lot in a card game, so...
It was an act of rebellion.
- It was an act of hostility.
- Hostility and rebellion.
Rebellion against what?
Private schools, a nice
home, summers in Europe?
Against a life of pretentious
appropriateness:
appropriate friends,
appropriate schools,
appropriate women, that you
may or may not approve of.
You resent me
because I set a high bar.
Mother, I don't resent you
because you set a high bar.
I just want you to see me.
I'm never going to be like Hunter.
I'm not going to roll off the assembly line
and make you proud.
You lied to me when you said that
you were too busy to come to my party.
That you were too busy at
work, snowed under at Yardley.
I did lie to you, because I didn't
want to come to your party, alright?
I wanted to spend the day with Ashleigh
in the city and have a great time.
Where is Ashleigh?
I told you she dumped me.
We became separated.
This city has its own agenda.
And your rage with
me is so great
that you express it by
bringing home a whore?
An escort, Mother.
Let's not split pubic hairs.
Anything to shake up that
collection of appropriate snobs.
So you bring her to my gala as
your girlfriend to make a fool of me?
I'm sorry.
I don't know why
I'm like this.
I don't know where I get this perverse
streak in my system from.
I don't know.
You get it from me.
I get it from you,
the queen of good taste?
Alright.
You're a big enough boy to hear
the whole inappropriate story.
I met your father,
in the exact same
line of work.
An escort service.
Or more to the point: hooking.
As that working girl you
tried to slip pass us as Ashleigh Enright.
What?
Lower your eyebrows.
I knocked on your
father's hotel room door
because that's how
I made my living.
Fresh from Gary, Indiana.
Providing the lonely male of the
species with a little casual recreation.
For a fee.
Except in you father's
case we fell in love.
And not only do we marry.
Winston used my hardened
nest egg to start the company
that has enabled us to
live a pretty privileged life.
You following?
Or am I going too fast?
And I put myself
through school,
so my brilliant young son
can laugh at my pretentious.
What I'm saying is that, if I have
been to over too far in my pursuit
of the finer things and
of cultivating an image.
If I have caused
you some discomfort.
It's only an overzealous
ex-professional hustler
from the mid west,
trying to erradicate
unsavory remnants of many hotel
rooms I still wake up screaming over.
And if you can't understand
where you get your
mysterious urge to consort
with a demi-monde.
You have my genes.
And I'm sorry to lay this X-rated tale
on my sweet college boy,
but something tells
me that the time is right.
Just put on the chairs and
then we done, alright?
- Hey, Gatsby.
- Hey, Johnny.
I saw you on television.
Nothing happened.
I'm really exhausted.
I've been walking forever.
And then I got
lost on the train.
Ashleigh, you were
with a famous movie star.
But nothing happened.
I'd love to believe you.
Just too many drinks,
too much weed.
I'm just a little
too tired to explain.
Tomorrow, I promise, but really
Gatsby, nothing happened.
Take off your rain coat, I'm going to
get you some black coffee.
I can't, I have no
clothes underneath.
So with Roland Pollard
it was like a spiritual thing.
I was his muse, some
inspiration because he's...
Really going through a
rough creative period.
And also, my name is totally
the same as his first wife's.
Who also went to Yardley.
Who he's never really gotten over.
And then Ted Davidoff.
He was just absolutely traumatized
by this affair his wife was having
with his best friend.
And there I was, you know.
Just a person there to talk to,
to hold his hand, during the crisis.
What about Francisco Vega?
Like James Dean,
minus the acting chops?
Francisco Vega was just after my body.
But I was onto him.
And I have a terrific
material for a hot story.
I dated a hunk.
What about you?
How was going to
your Mom's fahrey?
It was pretty nice, actually.
We got in a sort of a
crazy conversation.
For the first time in my life
she surprised me in a good way.
Now I feel closer to her.
Must have been a big talk.
What did you discuss?
The oldest profession.
Journalism?
That's the second oldest.
Let's put it in this way, she's a
lot more than I gave her credit for.
I sold her short.
What a shame we never
got to take that carriage ride.
We can still do it.
We have plenty of
time, we can get it in.
Said the John to my mom.
- What?
- Nothing.
We should probably leave
our luggage downstairs.
As you know I'd hate to
miss our bus back to Yardley.
New York on a misty day.
I can't tell why it means something
to me, but it means everything.
It's only one carriage ride
and the weather's gloomy.
I couldn't really sleep last night.
Did you hear all those fire engines?
I did.
The roaring traffic's boom.
Silence in my lonely room.
I know that! That's from
Shakespeare, right?
Sir, would you stop
for a second?
- Why are we stoping?
- Ashleigh, you go back to Yardley.
- I'm going to stay in New York.
- What?
I need a carbon
monoxide to survive.
- What are you talking about?
- We are two different creatures, right?
You like the sound of crickets
and I like the rattle of the taxies.
You blosom in
the sun and me...
I come into my
own under grey skies.
You were a big hit here, you
are a crackerjack reporter.
You were loved spiritually, emotionally and
physically by 3 gifted men, right?
- Yeah.
- You don't want to be with me.
You deserve better than I am.
Are you dropping
out of Yardley?
If I won't sound
to pretentious:
I want to review
my other options.
Excuse me, sir, do you think
it's possible to take her to Pierre hotel?
- Gatsby, I do not understand.
- You take this. Just take this.
Get your luggage
and return to Yardley.
So you're not
coming back to Yardley?
I don't know Ash, I have to
figure some stuff out of my life.
Have a great trip and you tell
everybody at Yardley I said goodbye.
So you're not
coming back to Yardley?
Gatsby.
Wait, sir, I'm...
Gatsby, I don't understand.
Could you hurry?
I think it's starting to rain.
How did I know you'd be here.
You didn't think I was going
to blow this moment, did you?
What about the skin doctor?
Very handsome, very rich
and very clever, but I'm here.
For a kiss that was a
maximum of an eight?
It's fall.
By spring I'll have you up to 10.