Hollywood

Hollywood, California. Tinseltown is boomtown.

During the war, Los Angeles grew as a hub of wartime industry,

producing all manner of aircraft and ammunition

to support our fighting men overseas.

The war now over,

many of these starry-eyed dreamers hope to make it in moving pictures,

swarming like so many locusts outside the studio gates,

hoping to score a role as an extra

and become the next Paul Muni or Hedy Lamarr.

The studio system is king,

and if you make all the right moves, you too could be living in Beverly Hills,

splashing in your private pool with invitations to all the right parties.

You might even become immortalized at Grauman's Chinese Theatre.

The rewards for ambition are bountiful here

in the beautiful Southern California sun.

Pardon me. Beg your pardon.

Sorry, excuse me.

Excuse me, pardon me.

Excuse me, coming through. Sorry.

-Hiya, Lou! -Hey, Jackie. Get over here, kid.

-Say, what time'd you get here? -About an hour ago,

-early birds getting worms and such. -Sure.

They're still lensing the John Farrow picture with Alan Ladd and Donna Reed.

-"Lensing"? -Lensing.

It's how you say "filmmaking" in Hollywood-ese. You gotta learn the lingo.

Billy Wilder is helming a picture with Emperor Franz--

-"Helming"? -Directing.

Bing Crosby, Joan Fontaine, it's gonna be boffo BO.

And she thinks we're gonna start the day on the big ballroom scene.

Lots of extras. People standing by the punch bowl,

folks crossing the hallway when they enter the big door.

I think I got a real shot at that one.

What about a western or war picture? Something like that.

They making any of those?

You don't say "making a movie," Jack. You produce a movie, "produce."

You gotta know this stuff if you wanna make it big time.

Shh, shh, shh! Here she comes, the old gorgon herself.

Okay, listen up. I'm only gonna say this once.

Rule number one, do not look at the camera.

Rule number two, do not talk to the director.

In fact, a good rule of thumb is to not talk at all.

Rule number three, if you see a platter of food on the sound stage, do not eat it.

That is not for you. That is for the actors and the crew.

If you see food on the set, do not eat that. That is a prop.

Now we have that out of the way.

Today, we're lensing a scene from a war pic.

-Lensing. - Seven were saved

where the plane goes down,

and a bunch of passengers flail around in the water and then die, okay?

- -All right, uh, you,

-and you... - Thanks!

You, you and you...

you...

uh, you...

and...

-you. -

Okay, thank you very much. That's it for today. See y'all tomorrow.

Excuse me, Ms. Roswell. Beg your pardon, Jack Castello.

I think I'd be great in your war picture.

The drowning scene? You see, I fought at Anzio.

-Oh, you have training? -Sure, Fort Benning, Georgia.

Mm, I mean acting training.

-You got any of that? -Well, no.

Good-looking kid like you, you think you just gotta show up and poof,

you're a movie star, huh? Well, that ain't how it works.

Pretty face, but no training.

Kid, you're a dime a dozen.

Look, first breaks are tough in this town.

Don't beat yourself up.

No, no, no, no.

Already taken care of.

-What does he want? -Don't know.

Maybe he thought you looked thirsty.

- -

Now, you're looking for a loan of about $20,000?

Yes, that's right. Just enough for a modest home.

Swell, let's take a look at your application.

I see you're a veteran, Mr. Castello. Thank you for your service.

And Mrs. Castello, you are a waitress.

Yes, and I intend to keep working until the baby arrives.

So, you're expecting?

Well, congratulations.

And Mr. Castello,

it says here you're a film actor. Any pictures I might know you from?

Ah, probably not.

Uh, to me, it's not about the notoriety, it's about the craft.

It's about showing up to work every day, you know.

-And for a super, that can mean-- -I'm sorry, a what?

Oh, a supernumerary. A supernumerary.

-It means "extra." -It means "background actor."

That's the proper term.

In many ways, we contribute to the reality of the scene

even more so than the principal actors.

But I don't see any income here.

Uh, no, presently not, but, uh...

But hey! I've got a casting tomorrow,

and if they pick me, that's ten dollars in my pocket!

Very well. Uh...

Unfortunately, Mr. and Mrs. Castello,

we would be unable to provide a loan of the size that you're seeking

based on your current income.

Listen, thank you for your time, sir.

One of those days, huh?

Bartender, two more, please.

-Why are you buying me drinks? -To thank you for your service.

You served, didn't you? Where'd you fight?

-Anzio. -Anzio!

Anzio was rough.

Ernie.

-Jack. -Nice to meet you.

I wanted to fight. Tried to enlist and everything, but they wouldn't take me.

-Said my cock was too big. -

Yeah, surprised me too. I mean, it's big.

Twelve inches, soup to nuts, and not floppy either.

I get hard as a fucking rock.

Are you for real? What are you talking about?

-I got a very big dick. - No, I...

I heard you when you said that. I'm wondering why. Why are you...

coming up to a stranger in a bar, talking about how big your cock is?

-Because you asked me. -Did I? Does not sound like me.

Look, all I'm saying is I know a hard-luck fella when I sees one.

I used to be right where you are.

I used to worry about my wife and kids... They're grown now.

She's dead, God bless her.

Good woman.

But I've been where you are, wondering what my life was gonna mean.

-What do you want? -I run a service station.

And business is booming!

I could use a good-looking fella like yourself pumping gas.

Why do you need someone good-looking to pump gas?

My gas station specializes in good-looking attendants.

It's my corner of the market, it's why we do good business. This is Hollywood, kid!

It's what people want.

It's why they left their cow towns where they grew up.

They don't want some fatso looking under their hood,

just reeking of sweat, grease under their fingernails.

It's an intimate act, if you think about it,

and, get this...

They'll tip big for it.

This is for you.

Thanks.

What I offer is a vision of a new America.

The America that you fought for.

You're very kind, but no.

Okay.

Citrus and Normandy, if you change your mind.

Golden Tip Gas.

["Catch a Falling Star" by Perry Como playing]

It's not our anniversary, is it?

They cut our electricity, Jack.

Oh.

Well...

sure is romantic, baby, huh?

Don't bother. You already knocked me up.

Cold wieners are on the table for you.

That looks good.

Kid, I gotta tell you, you look fantastic.

Handsome, young, brimming with optimism.

And, oh, by the way, you're clean, right? No venereal disease?

Okay, what is-- What do you mean? What are you talking about?

Look, kid, this town is all about dreams, right?

You know that.

And some of my customers don't just come here for gas.

They have, uh, fantasies and desires.

And for them, it ain't enough to watch a fantasy up on the big screen.

They want it for themselves, and I provide that for them.

In a way, I'm no different than Louis B. Mayer, you know what I mean?

No, Ernie, I have no idea what you mean.

You see, some of them say a secret code word.

You get in the car with them. Have a drink maybe, or sometimes...

sometimes you have to service 'em.

You gotta... you gotta be kidding me.

What? You don't like women?

Sure, I like women, that's why I married one.

All right, so let me ask you...

-You never cheated on her? -No.

Okay, I'm going to ask you again.

You never cheated on her?

Oh, Jack.

-Sierre! -

No, uh... One time. One time, I was... I was on leave, I was drunk.

Then you're good!

First time's always the hardest, and you got that outta the way.