Pollock

Who's the greatest drummer in the world?

Krupa.

- You got it. - That guy cooks.

Damn right I got it.

Fuck Picasso.

That fuckin' guy.

Fuckin' guy...

Fuckin' guy's done it all.

- You're doing good work. - No, I'm not.

I'm not worth shit.

- It's not worth shit, Sande. - Get on your feet.

We're having a child, Sande.

He's my brother.

I'm not going to put up with it anymore.

... stated yesterday that his patience with Japan was nearly exhausted.

After nearly two weeks of negotiations...

in Washington between Japanese and American officials...

Secretary of State Hull declared...

that another Japanese military move into Thailand or elsewhere...

would not be tolerated.

The effect of the statement...

It's hot.

In other news, the first complete...

Jackson Pollock?

I'm Lee Krasner.

We're in John Graham's show together.

You working?

Pretty big-time stuff, to be hanging with Picasso and Braque and that kind.

I thought I knew all the abstract artists in New York...

and I don't know Jackson Pollock.

Here's a name I've never heard of.

So, being cheeky, I just hoofed it over here.

I could come back another time.

No, it's okay.

Could I see your work?

I don't know what I expected, but my God.

- Who do you study with? - Nobody.

Did you ever?

Thom Benton.

You don't paint anything like Benton.

Carl Jung and John Graham helped me get over Benton.

Which one are you showing?

That one.

I'm not sure I'm finished with it.

I don't think you should touch it.

I'd like it if you would come to my studio. Would you?

Yeah. Sure.

- I'm just around the corner. Would you? - Yeah.

Thanks.

It's 23.

Twenty-three East Ninth.

Really, yes.

You don't have to give me a "when." Just pop on over.

When you said you'd come by, I didn't think it would take three weeks.

It hasn't been three weeks.

To the day.

It's not mine. I didn't do it.

Ex-lover.

That one I did... ten years ago.

Interesting.

"To whom shall I hire myself out?

What beast must I adore?

What holy image is attacked?

What hearts must I break?

What lie must I maintain? In what blood tread?"

Part of Rimbaud's Season in Hell.

That's the one I'm putting in the Graham show.

That's a damn good picture.

That works. You're a damn good woman painter.

- You want coffee? - Yeah, sure. Thanks.

- Let's go. - What?

You don't think I make it here?

I met you before, you know.

It was maybe five years ago.

A loft dance.

You were six sheets to the wind.

You cut in. You stepped all over my feet.

Oh, yeah.

Got it. Right.

You were falling all over me.

I'm sorry.

You were overseas, you know? It's kind of vivid in my memory.

I thought if you remembered...

to let you know it was okay.

Thanks.

Really.

When did you study with Benton?

'31.

The Art Students League?

My brother Charles was studying with Benton...

and so I came out and...

joined him.

Where are you from?

Arizona. Actually, California.

I'm from Brooklyn.

I was just gonna ask you where you were from.

My parents came over from Russia.

I'm from right here.

Russia.

Potatoes.

Thanks.

Did you people eat like this all the time?

How long will you be in the city, Mrs. Pollock?

For a spell.

We've asked Mother to come live with us in Connecticut.

Sande found out they're thinking of drafting married men with children...

who aren't involved in war production.

I took a job in Connecticut.

Deep River.

Making gliders for the army.

That's great, Sande.

That's swell. Congratulations.

Not everyone can arrange to be 4-F, Jack.

Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa... No one greater.

- Harry James on trumpet. - The apartment will be all yours, Jack.

You'll have lots of space.

Is this the best hotel you could find?

- What's she doing here? - Lee's going to take you home.

- What's she doing here? - You need to get cleaned up.

Give him some milk and some eggs.

- Okay. - Come on.

Thank you.

You've got to see his work.

No one is doing what Pollock is doing.

Yes, of course.

It would be just great if you could stop by.

Wonderful. We'll look forward to it. Bye.

Jackson, breakfast is on the table.

Lee!

Reuben.

Hello.

Lee Krasner, Howard Putzel.

How nice to meet you.

Howard's been working with Peggy Guggenheim.

Howard. Of course.

Reuben's here with Howard Putzel.

He works with Peggy Guggenheim.

When did you get back?

What the hell. Thought you were in Los Angeles.

- They got me stationed in Brooklyn. - Look at you!

Jackson, this is Howard Putzel.

I am so very pleased to meet you.

I've known this guy since high school.

I met Howard in Los Angeles before he hooked up with Peggy in Paris.

- Please, right this way. - We ran into each other yesterday.

How are Barbara and the kids?

They're good. They're coming out in a couple of weeks.

- How long you here for? - I don't know.

They say they're gonna ship me out to India, but who knows.

- What about you? - 4-F.

Too neurotic.

You dog.

Genius.

Peggy must see this.

How are you?

I'm so glad you made it.

Lee Krasner, Jackson Pollock...

- James Johnson Sweeney from the Modern. - Nice to meet you.

- Miss Peggy Guggenheim. - Hello.

Mr. Pollock, Howard has been talking about you.

Thank you, Howard.

- You must see Jackson's work. - Yes. Well, enjoy yourselves.

- I like those earrings. - Thank you.

It's great, Howard.

But there's not one American painter in the whole goddamn show.

What's this?

I see the head...

the body...

This isn't cubism, Jackson...

because you're not really breaking down the figure...

into multiple views.

You're just showing us one side.

What is this? Free association? Automatism?

I'm just painting, Lee.

But what you're doing, Jackson...

Don't tell me you don't know what you're doing.

Are you experimenting with surrealism?

Is this a dream?

Even if it's a dream, it's still what you see.

It's life.

You're not just randomly putting paint on the canvas.

You're painting something.

You can't abstract from nothing.

You can only abstract from life... from nature.

I am nature.

If you only work from inside yourself, you'll repeat yourself.

Why don't you paint the fucking thing.

"The moon shone bright on Mrs. Porter and on her daughter.

Washed their feet in soda water."

What the hell's that?

Eliot. T.S. Eliot.

Gentlemen, T.S. Eliot.

Did you hear Gorky sold to the Modern?

Gorky's a cow.

They forage and eat and come back in the stable and they're still chewing.

He'll go look at a Picasso for hours...

go back to his studio and spit it out.

- Fuck him. - But he's so good at it.

Yeah, he's good at it, but we gotta break through that shit.

- What do you think of Kline? - Kline's a whore.