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'Charlie, in the white trench coat, is a film producer.

'He makes short and documentary films.

'His companion, Neville, is a scriptwriter.

'He's established a reputation as a writer in television.

'Together, they have developed a script called "Gulf and Western".

'A producer, a writer and a script are the usual beginnings of a movie,

'and so it is with ours.

'Once a script has been written, it is then rewritten again and again

'until everyone is satisfied.

'Charlie lives in Glasgow, but comes to London when necessary

'to work on "Gulf and Western".

'He stays with his cousin, Hamish,

'whose wife, Margo, has given him food for thought.'

What are you going to do about the script, then, Charlie?

The character of the woman is a collection of clichés.

Oh, come on.

She's too shallow, too facile. She's not real.

Of course she isn't real. She's made up. She was written down.

People will build sets to put around her.

32 technicians will stand in the wings. It's all made up.

Yes, but the men are real. She's not real. I can't believe in her.

Why can't you have a thinking woman that's normal? Why does he have to...?

How can you photograph somebody thinking?

I mean, what's it all for, Charlie?

What do you mean, "what's it all for"? Look...

I believe that a film script is a sort of machine.

It's designed to intrigue, to excite, to frighten.

It has all these ingredients built into it, like a machine. They all click up.

When the audience is watching it, they respond. That's what it's for.

But if the machine doesn't fit,

it's like putting a typewriter ribbon in a Gestetner machine.

If it doesn't fit it's not going to work.

OK, well you tell me what she should be. What's wrong with her?

Well, she's not real, Charlie.

You mean she's not complex enough?

Right.

If she was more complex and more real,

- women would appreciate it better? - Mm-hm.

- That's what they'd like to see? - Yes!

That's fine by me. It's a bigger audience!

- Miss Beck? - Yes.

Charlie Gormley, the "Gulf and Western" script?

Oh, sure. Have you your deposit, please?

- My office didn't send it? - No.

- Well, I'll make out a personal cheque. - Great.

It's Neville Smith's rewrites I want.

- I promised him I'd look at them. - Ah! Oh, yes. Um...

There are one or two rather bewildering bits.

Could you sort this out, please?

It's conflicting direction.

- Indirection? - Yes.

No problem. I'll handle all that. No problem.

I'll tell you what, just give me all of his rewrites, will you?

- I'll just check them all through. - Sure.

Have you involved yourself in this kind of thing before, David?

Oh, yeah. A few people have come along

and I've able to put the thing together for them. Yeah.

Especially if it's a good project,

so that's why I think this shouldn't be very difficult.

I didn't think it'd be this easy.

Well, you two guys are the guys that should go out and do it.

That's really what should be done around here.

There's no young people making any films,

so I think you and Neville should go out and do it.

That's great. Look, I told you I can raise some money around and about Scotland.

There's even a chance I can get some money from the Benelux countries.

Where are you going to raise your end?

Most of the money is going to come from Germany.

There's tax shelter money there and it's very straight and legitimate.

- Cash money? - It's cash, absolutely.

No question about that.

And what they want is a named director for that kind of money.

You said Fuller's going to do it. That's OK.

They want the picture in by spring.

It's got to be up on the screen and look good.

Possibly, if we need a little more money,

some of the distributors will advance small sums from Scandinavian countries.

There are small circuits that will do that up there.

Well, Fuller's the reason for bringing it in on time. He's also a name.

We can do it. I'm going to Edinburgh to see him.

I'll take Neville with me. We'll do the rewrite there.

We should have a shooting script for... September, ready to roll.

'The Edinburgh Film Festival

'is the oldest continuous running festival in the world.

'It has a tradition for acknowledging unrecognised masters of the past

'and spotting promising young Turks hammering at the gates.

'One of its rediscoveries was Sam Fuller, the veteran American director.

'This year, he's expected to make a guest appearance at the festival.'

I've been chasing around looking for Sam.

And he hasn't pitched up as yet and...

Well, that always happens, but it's not a sweat for me.

What I'm going to do is this. I'm still trying to get him.

Nev's working like mad. He's got a nice first draft out.

I mean, he hates making changes, but...

Well, there's a couple of changes needed.

No, if I find Sam, I'll give him the script and say to him,

"There it is. We can do it in three weeks. Are you interested?"

You know, all the usual stuff. "Like in the old days," and all that stuff.

No, I'm not making the changes because I'm nervous. I'm not scared that Sam...

The story's good. I'm not scared for the story. It's not that.

It's just if I get Sam, I can get money. If I get money, I can back it up.

Well, you've always got to rewrite, even if it's right!

I'll find Sam and if I don't, I'll find somebody else.

It's the only reason to be at the festival.

- Hello, Linda. - Hi.

Do you know when Sam arrives?

Erm, not exactly. He'll show up.

- I think Robin knows. - When?

- I think Robin knows when. - Robin knows?

- Yeah. - He hasn't phoned?

- I phoned him last week. - I heard a rumour he was in Yugoslavia.

- Is he going to be there? - He's back in LA, but he's coming over.

But Robin knows?

Entschuldigen Sie.Sam Fuller, do you know when he arrives?

Erm, Rosie?

Sam. Have you any idea when Sam's turning up?

Sam Fuller? Is he press?

He's been at this a long time. He's a filmmaker.

- Oh, he's directing a film? - No, he's in a picture.

"The American Friend", it should be there somewhere.

- What was the name of the movie, sorry? - "The American Friend".

- Wim Wender. - And what's it you want to know?

I want to know when Sam Fuller's coming here.

- Linda, could you tell this guy when...? - She doesn't know.

Oh. She doesn't know. You want to ask Maggie.

- Where's Maggie? OK. - Over there.

- Maggie? - Yeah.

- Sam Fuller, when does he arrive? - I don't know.

- He's supposed to come on the 25th. - On the 25th?

But the way things are going...

Where will he come when he comes here? Where's he going to be?

He could be in The Caledonian, but there again,

if he doesn't come on the 25th, he'll have to go somewhere else.

- Can't even get a room for Sam Fuller? - No.

You can't get a room for the Duke of Edinburgh, if he comes.

- He's not coming, though. - No, he's not coming.

What am I going to do?

If I went and had a drink and came back, would it be OK?

- You're in contact with him? - We're not in contact with him.

- He's probably up in the air somewhere. - That's if he's got a flight.

- OK.

You've got a great character.

There he is, coming back into Aberdeen, so let's show where he's coming from,

let's show the oil thing, let's show the money thing.

Do that first and then straight into your story.

It's just a better production.

It's better than getting on a helicopter and flying back to the mainland.

- He rows back. - Come on!

Let's give him four or five minutes on the rig.

Let's see him do the big, big job -

sending the production platform down, four or five tugs.

He's a real guy.

It's not John Wayne playing a roustabout, he's a real guy!

He's a strong guy. He's bright, he's intelligent.

He's only handling £200 million worth of equipment.

Then we take him back. Then we do your story,

just the way you wrote it, the way it's here.

It'll be great. It'll be really tremendous. It'll really help your story.

It'll be great, I'm telling you. It'll be good.

It'll give you something you didn't have before.

We really build him up.

- We've got him doing his job, right? - Yeah.

- Then back to the mainland? - Yeah.

- Then Thornton and the girl, sure. - Right.

Your story, the way you want it.

- But what do you want on the rig? - Well, look...

You saw "Blackmail". 30 minutes of introduction, right?

30 minutes of police procedure, then when the girl gets taken away

we know the problem she's going to face, we know what police procedure is.

I just want to establish money, oil, out there...

- You want 30 minutes on the rig? - No! I want four minutes, five minutes.

- Look, just... Charlie! - That's all, five minutes on the rig.

- Just tell me what you want clearly. - OK.

I'm the writer. You're paying me. Tell me what you want.

- I want exactly what you've got. - Better still, write it down.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah. - Yeah.

You'll love it.

We get him on a helicopter, fly him back into Aberdeen.

Then we've got everything - frontier town,

red lamp district, saloons, bars, country & western music.

All the nice stuff you wanted, all the good stuff.

- Just like you wanted it. - Hm.

- It's there already. - Yeah. OK.

The audience is not going to sit still for five minutes of the rig.

No way.

They'll watch it on the news, never mind at a movie.

But that's the news! This is...

Look, you see him doing his job, right?

Cut. You're back to the mainland. Right?

- He hears about Thornton, right? - Right.

- He meets the girl. We're into the story. - Right.

Don't want to fuck about with the rig. You've established him.

- He does the job. You're in, you're out. - He's a great guy. He's a real guy.

He's a real guy already.

Freeze, Charlie.

Charlie?

Can't take no chances with the bounty hunters, ma'am.

- Charlie's out. You've just missed him. - And Johnny?

Last I heard of Johnny was in Durango. Want some coffee?

- Yeah. Where did you say he was? - Durango, Mexico.

- Mexico? Must be another Johnny. - Two Johnnies!

- Your name's Johnny? - Three Johnnies!

Johnny in the middle. That's me.

- I'm Annie. - Hello, Annie.

OK?

You got a tape recorder? Notebook?

Photographic memory! Have a seat.

Right, thoughts of Chairman Neville.

The only people in films deserving of the name auteurs are technicians.

- I am one of those technicians. Now... - Hang on. I will.

Have you got a pen and paper?

Producers, directors, editors, sound, camera

are those technicians brought together

for the purpose of making a single film.

In exactly the same way that a goalkeeper, defenders, midfield players, strikers

come together for the purpose of playing a match.

- All right? I'm not going too fast? - No, no.

You're not going too fast at all. I'll read you what I've got.

"Neville, where is Johnny? Annie is looking for him.

"If you know where he is, please divulge. Yours gratefully, Annie."

So there really is a genuine Johnny and you're really looking for him?

And you're not from "Sight & Sound"

or "Scottish Screen" or "Films In The North"?

So you must think you're in the clutches of a real nutter?

Neville nutter!

- Annie's moved in. - Who's Annie?

- A friend of Johnny's. - Who's Johnny?

Annie's friend.

You must be Charlie. Come in.

- Is Sue here? - That's me. Can you put it over there?

- Yoga? - Hm?

Kung fu?

Dancing.

- Let's see you dance, kid. - Are you serious?

Nobody wants to break into movies anymore.

I do.

- You're a hoofer. Hoof! - Cue music.

I want to try.

- Can you show me? - You mean the box step?

Sure, that's easy. Right? Think of a box.

Step on the corners.

Across.

Back.

Side.

And front.

Take your coat off.

Right?

That's good. Try this one.

Cross step. I cross you to the right. You cross me to the left. And...

Good.

Do you want double spacing?

- Like it is. It's only rewrites. - Two-inch margin?

Yup.

- Names in caps? - Right.

And do you want the scenes numbered?

We'll mark them in later.

- When will it be ready? - Tomorrow. Morning.

- For a typist you hoof good. - For dancer, I type good!

Excuse me, are you a film actress?

Er, why? Why do you want to know?

Well, you just look like...

I make movies.

Listen, I've got to talk to you. Could you have a drink with me at the hotel?

No. I want to know why you want to know.

Because I have some projects in mind I'd like to talk to you about.

- What kind? - Some film projects. Are you interested?

- Come on, I'll tell you about them. - OK.

- Good. What's your name? - Annie.

- What is it? - Annie.

Annie anything? Just Annie, huh? Let's go across, quick.

Annie Zelda.

Annie Zelda? That's funny. My aunt's name's Zelda.

- Your what? - My aunt. I call her Aunt Zelda.

- That's the truth. - As long as you don't call me Aunt Zelda.

You don't look like my aunt.

But then she's not a movie star, either.

- So what kind of movies do you make? - Well, I, er...

I sort of make independent productions of various kinds.

- Uh-huh? - Nothing risqué.

It's a film I'm making about this man who sort of finds himself...

- Who's producing it? - I am.

- Are you directing it as well? - Yeah.

I'm putting the whole thing together.

- Right now, I'm in the writing stage... - So how do you get your money?

Well, the only way you can.

I go around, I find people that are interested.

- What? You hustle? - Yeah. Exactly.

But I'm really struck by how you resemble

one of the characters that I modelled one of the parts after.

- And, er... - What? Do you mean in life?

Yeah.

You see, there are these five women that this guy sort of finds himself through.

He goes through five affairs.

- And, er, each one is different... - Is that you?

Well, isn't everything?

- Carry on. - Yeah. It's me.

Everything I do is me, you know.

- Isn't everything you do you, basically? - Uh-uh. No.

Well, you're an actress, you can do that.

I'm interested in you as a person, in what you can do,

what your feelings are and what your potential is.

- Um... - So, like, what have you been doing?

What kind of films have you been in? Have I seen you in anything?

- Have I seen anything you've done? - Do you go to French movies?

Not very often. I've seen a few things - Truffaut, Godard, you know, the run.

- The run? - Whatever comes to the United States.

- You haven't seen any Malache? - No. Were you in something?

- Mm. - What kind of part did you play?

Um...

About a girl.

That seems appropriate.

What kind of girl?

I don't know, a mysterious girl...

This woman in this part's pretty mysterious, too.

She's so mysterious I gave up looking.

The particular part you play, or would play, is a woman that...

...that I lived with once for a while.

And, er... for some reason, we never seemed to really connect.

She laughed a lot.

And she also didn't trust me. For instance...

I'd like you to try a line.

I'd like you to say, "You're full of shit."

- I'm full of shit. - No, no, no! Say I'm full of shit!

Say, "You're full of shit" meaning me.

You're full of shit.

Well, could you say it a little more passionately?

- Um... - It's OK.

The people in the hotel won't mind.

You're full of shit!

That was great!

That's perfect.

But, well, it's a little loud.

Yeah. But that was good. That was great.

Yeah. That's the way she would have said it.

- Can we have some coffee? - Yes.

I'm not sure you should shout out like that.

No, I'm sorry. It was just... He's a film director and he was...

- That's OK. - I'm very enamoured of my new actress.

- It won't happen again. - I see.

It's just that I'm of a nervous disposition!

Who's your cameraman?

Well, I haven't got the project together yet.

Who do you normally use? Er, you have made films before?

Oh, yeah. I have a film showing Sunday night, that I'd like you to come and see.

- What is it? - It's called "Suckalo".

- I'll give you my card. - It's called what?

'I was convinced I was like everybody else from High Point-

'untalented, inept and needed everybody else.

'And we leaned upon one another.

'We sucked on one another.

'We never saw your pictures of home.

'Your mother just called it "Today's My Last Mother's Day".'

"I've seen bees sucking out maple trees on Christmas Day"?

That's a quote from the movie.

"Dazzling, inspired, dynamic"!

- That's it. - "Engrossing"...

♪ And we all lose our charm in the end

♪ But pear shape or square cut Those rocks don't lose their shape

♪ Diamonds are a girl's best friend

That's just the chorus.

♪ The French are glad to die for love

♪ They delight in fighting duels

- ♪ But I like a man who... something... - Uh-uh. Two the same.

♪...and gives expensive jew-els.

♪ I've heard of affairs that are strictly platonic ♪

She's got the part!

So, tell me about Johnny.

- Johnny's OK. - Is it Johnny or Jean?

- It's Johnny! - Or is it Johnny?

Welcome, Johnny. I've liberated Paris.

- Charlie, can you go or not? - I'm thinking.

- You're not thinking. - Yeah, I can go.

Watch this - real style and class.

Leaving three behind and building, gaily, three Jacks.

You can't hold them right. You can't get a nice even thing. They're all scruffy!

Go on! Put them out so you can see them all.

♪ I'll go my way by myself

- ♪ This is the end of... - ♪ Of romance

- ♪ Of romance - ♪ I'll go my way by myself

♪ Love is only a dance

♪ I'll face the unknown

♪ I'll have a life on my own

♪ No one knows better than I myself

- ♪ I'm by myself alone ♪ - Come on!

Yeah? My go, is it?

'...laboratory difficulties and with the airline strike,

'it proved to be impossible.

'So I'd like to welcome now Wim Wenders and Lisa Kreuzer.'

'Thank you.'

I'm afraid there's not very much to say for the director before the film.

Even less after the film.

And I'm afraid to say it's not 90% in English. It's only 60.

I'm very proud of having all of my films being shown in Edinburgh.

I didn't know that there were so many Scotch whiskies I didn't know.

So I hope you are going to enjoy the two hours, and thank you.

Yeah, the problem is Wim wants to be in Paris by ten

and the first flight straight from Edinburgh doesn't get there till 12.

So the other thing is to take this one from London.

Can I butt in? It's about the tickets for tonight's performance.

- They'll be at the box office. - At the box office?

Yeah. Under your name.

There's an urgent message for you downstairs.

Oh, right. Um... Christ! Do you mind if I leave this for a minute?

- No. - This is Charles Gormley.

He's making a movie with Sam Fuller. This is Wim Wenders.

- Hello. How are you? - OK. I'll see you later.

Cheers.

Can I sit down?

This is Annie Zelda, an actress and big admirer.

How do you do?

So, how did you like directing another director?

- It wasn't... It was easy. - Yeah?

- You know Sam? - Yeah, I know Sam.

I've been chasing around finding out if he's coming here. What do you figure?

- Do you think he'll arrive? - You never know.

We waited for him for two weeks in New York, desperately, the whole team.

Everything was there, but Sam wasn't.

On the last day, the day before we had to leave, he showed up.

We shot in one day.

He arrived after a 12-hour flight in Hamburg from Los Angeles.

We shot 12 hours and he didn't sleep.

And we shot till midnight- even longer.

And then we went to eat, and then he took me to his hotel room.

He didn't have any sleep for two days then.

And he started talking. I fell asleep and he kept talking till the morning.

So, you know what you're looking up to.

What do you want to ask Sam about?

Well, first I came to get Sam to see if he'll direct a film for me.

Then if I get Sam, I'll raise the balance of the money.

If he doesn't show up, maybe you'd like to direct the film?

- You have it ready? - I've got a writer working on it.

- I've got a good writer. - What's the title?

Well, it's only got a professional title. We're calling it "Gulf and Western".

- "Gulf and Western"? - Mm. It's set in Aberdeen.

Which is a sort of oil-boom town, country & western music, fishing boats,

guys in Stetson hats, big American cars on the streets.

It's about the oil business.

It's all the old stuff- hate, murder and revenge.

- "Gulf and Western", it's a good title. - I think it's strong.

Wim, are you obsessed with America?

It always comes through in the films.

- America is there! - All right, it's there, but it's...

It's a very... What's the word for that?

It's a very...

love and hate thing.

- Ambiguous? - Ambiguous, that's right.

It's very ambiguous - love or hate.

I'm going to meet Gene Clark, have you ever heard of him?

He's an original member of "The Byrds".

Yes.

I'm going to meet him and he may be doing the music for the next film.

- Really? - Yeah.

We're just maybe going to deal more explicitly with the...

...with the American fascination of...

Well, we're just going to deal more explicitly with music.

Uh-huh. The obsession is so universal.

I mean, we have it here. I used to sing with a group and we were always...

...um, chasing, chasing, chasing after the American image.

- They weren't called "Them", were they? - They weren't called "Them", no.

They were called "Us".

If Sam doesn't do the film we're setting up, maybe you'd like to try it on.

- Where is it playing again? - It's set in Aberdeen.

- In Aberdeen? - Yeah.

I'm going to the Highlands tomorrow.

- Maybe that gives me an idea. - Sure. I think you'd like it.

- Get that, will you, Annie? - I'm in the bathroom!

- The telephone! - I'm in the bathroom!

Hello?

Neville.

We did, yeah! We met at Film House.

Hm?

When?

Ah! Hang on a minute, will you, man?

- Hey, Annie? - Mm?

- Did Charlie say where he was going? - Mm.

- Do you know where he's gone? - Mm.

- I can't hear you! - No, I don't.

- Where's he gone? - I don't know!

Hello, Ian.

Do us a favour, will you, man? If he gets there, keep him there. Right?

Yeah, well, we'll try and find him.

Come on!

- Come on! We've got to go! - Where to?

Listen, Samuel Fuller's in town, right?

We've got to see him. We've got to find Charlie.

Where is he?

That's what I don't know. That's what I'm going to try and find out.

- So, get your coat on will you? - OK. Get your coat.

Your brush!

Maybe Film House first.

Yes. Taxi?

- It's taken. - Shit! Taxi!

It's occupied, Neville!

I'm fine. Ooh!

Frightfully sorry! Are you all right?

Yeah! Honestly, it was my fault.

- You just backed into me. - I had the windscreen wipers on.

- I think you ought to sit down.

- Well... - Couldn't he sit in the car?

All right.

All right? Here you are.

We've got to get to Randolph Crescent. It's terribly urgent.

If you look in there, I've a first-class first-aid manual.

No, the bloke we're gonna see is a doctor.

It's Randolph Crescent. It's really incredibly urgent.

All right.

- I think we're in now. - Right.

- All right? - Yeah, I'm fine.

This bloke we're going to see is a doctor. He'll look at it.

If you could just get a move on.

Well, the traffic is holding me up. I'm awfully sorry.

You get a lot of people in for the festival.

- Is that what you're here for? - Partly, yeah.

- What, doing the Fringe? - No.

- Doing the theatres? - No.

Well, what do you mean, then?

- We're selling a script. - Good Lord!

I think you've come to the wrong place for that. What about?

- Oil. - Oil?

You ought to be in Aberdeen, shouldn't you?

- The film's set in Aberdeen. - Really?

- On an oil rig? - Partly.

- Smashing idea. - What do you do?

- Well, I'm in biscuits. - Ah.

Tell me some films you've written.

"Dangerous Friendships".

- Never saw that. - Googie Withers was in it.

Really? Now, my wife was a great fan of Googie Withers.

- She's from Australia. - Your wife?

No, Googie Withers.

I'll tell you what it's like working in films.

- You write a script for six months. - Yes?

You schlep up here with it.

Yes?

And the bugger you're writing for gets you sitting down

and changing everything about it that he wanted in the first place.

- That's what it's like. - That's not enjoyable.

Well, it's a bit like that in biscuits.

Hello, Stevie?

You're not working? I don't hear a typewriter.

I need to talk to you for a couple of minutes, OK?

Listen, your decision was fantastic. Neville's doing a great job!

He's really something. You were dead right.

It's a wonderful, wonderful script. Really great.

Uh-huh?

What do you mean why am I calling you, then?

Listen, it's not even a favour I want. It's something much smaller.

Listen, I've spoken to Nev about this. Now, this is the story.

He's English, so sometimes he gets the Scots dialogue a little wrong. OK?

You understand? It's quite simple. It's not his fault. It's not my fault.

All I want... No, I'm not going behind his back.

Don't get stroppy on me. I'm not going behind Nev's back.

All I'm trying to say is will you read it for me?

I mean, just, you know, look it through, see that the dialogue's OK?

And I've told Nev.

I told him yesterday that I was going to ask you.

You know how he respects you.

Would you do it for me?

What I'll do is I'll Xerox it and then I'll mail you a copy.

- Will you hang on for us? - Well, all right. Don't be long.

Excuse me, have you seen Charlie?

No. I haven't seen him all day. Maybe he's at the airport?

- Oh, no! - Why?

I don't know. Apparently, Sam's here and we can't find him.

- Maybe he looks for Sam. - We never met the other day. I'm Neville.

- I'm writing the script for Charlie. - Oh. He told me about you.

- When I meet him, what can I...? - Tell him... Where do we go?

Tell him just to ring the flat.

- The flat? - Tell him Sam's here. Ring the flat.

Sam is here?

- Because I'm leaving now for London. - You're going now?

If you see him, well, tell him I love him!

- Oh, great. - Bye-bye.

Bye.

- Did Charlie leave any message for us? - Charlie?

- Charlie Gormley. - Charlie, yeah. He's gone to the Beeb.

- You got a number? - Yeah, it's 225-3131.

- Did you go to the club? - Yeah. I live in Paris now.

- You got a car? - Yeah. You want to go someplace?

- Yeah. - It's engaged. Come on.

- He's got a car. - He's going to give us a lift?

- Where you going? - BBC.

- Is that Queen Street? - Yes.

What are you doing in Edinburgh?

We're looking for a guy about a movie.

What kind of movie? What are you doing?

Oh, I'm not doing it.

- A movie about oil. - A movie about oil?

- Well, what I mean... - You should be in the Middle East.

Oh, that's right. There's oil in Scotland, isn't there?

- I used to have a theatre in Edinburgh. - Oh, really?

- What was that? - It's called the Traverse Theatre.

- It's in the Grassmarket, if you go. - What do you do for a living?

I teach a course in sexual politics at the University of Paris.

- In what? - Sexual politics, hugging and kissing.

Why people hug and why others don't hug.

They do a course in that?

Well, this is the second half of the 20th century now! We're moving along.

Actually, I'm very fortunate because I'm here in Edinburgh with two ladies

who both like to hug and kiss each other as well as me, so it's quite nice.

What's your scene? Are you two living together? Hugging, fucking?

No, we're just trying to get the film going.

I thought all people made films in order to hug and kiss each other.

The last thing you want to do with Charlie Gormley is hug and kiss him.

- Yeah? Does he like girls or boys? - Oh, he's quite straight.

Can I drop you here, BBC Queen Street?

- Are you in a hurry? - I'm in a hurry, actually.

Can't you hang on?

I can hang on just a minute, if he's not there,

but don't be too long because I'm supposed to be meeting some people.

Right. OK.

OK. Hurry, now?

- Sorry, man. - Hurry. Make it quick.

- Have you seen Charlie Gormley? - Charlie Gormley?

Policy and Positions, just gone.

- Don't go. - Hurry up, huh? Come on!

- You need another ride someplace? - Yeah, the Botanical Gardens.

- God! I haven't got all day. - Please, man?

But I'm not a taxi. I'm just a friend of Annie's.

- I met her once in London. - OK. Are you in a real hurry?

Yeah, I want to go out on the street and sell my book.

I made a book and I want to street-sell it.

Look, there's a drink in it for you, all right?

Buy my book! I don't drink. I'm a sober, upright citizen.

OK, we'll buy the book and we get a drink as well.

- Here you are, my dears. - Thanks, man.

- Botanical Gardens. - Can you just hold on a minute?

- No, I can't hold on. I'm sorry. - Please, man. Just if he's there.

There's a garage there. Good luck with the film. It's been nice seeing you, Annie.

- Are you going to wait? - No, but I hope I see you again in life.

I love you both. Good luck. I gotta go.

Excuse me. Have you see a fella about my size, brown hair, Scottish accent?

- About my age? - Yes, he was in a few minutes ago.

He bought some postcards and some slides and he's just gone.

You don't know where he's gone, do you?

He said he was going to order a minicab for Calton Studios.

- Have you got a telephone I could use? - There's a telephone over here, sir.

Thanks a lot.

Charlie's gone up to his studio so I've called a cab.

It'll be here in a quarter of an hour.

- Do you like Matisse? - Mm.

Have you ever written a novel or is it just films?

"Just films"? Sacrilege!

- Sorry! - "Just films"! That's what I want to do.

- You get on OK, don't you? - Yeah. We're a good team. Yeah.

He's a good guy, Charlie.

I mean, when I find him, I'll kill him, but he's a good guy.

Do you trust him?

Yeah, I trust Charlie.

Yeah. Yeah, I trust him.

So what's the difference between films and television?

Well, mostly people who work in TV still treat it like radio with pictures.

They forget there is a picture there.

It's about the image, but in movies it's a bigger image, you know?

It's just like that power when you look at a screen and you see an image

and you say, "I did it. I wrote that image!"

It's a paradox, really, but you can't have a movie

without someone writing a scene on a piece of paper with an image.

The image begins on paper, gets onto the screen

and you sit there and think, "I did that shot of the oil rig -

"at night, the lights!"

Does Charlie feel the same as you?

Yeah. No, the difference with Charlie is, Charlie wants to see,

"Produced by Charles Gormley".

- We're looking for Charlie Gormley. - He was here a few minutes ago.

- He's gone to Fife. - Fife?

- Yeah, he's just left. - I'll try and catch that cab.

- It's in the Highlands, isn't it? - No, across the bridge, an hour away.

- You got a car? - Yes.

You got an hour?

Did Charlie say where he's going in Fife?

No. Don't you know?

No. Is it a big place?

It's pretty big! Have you not been there?

No. I thought it was a musical instrument.

I thought when I said it was Fife that you knew where he was going.

- No. - So we've got to hurry, yeah?

- He's got to cross the Forth Bridge? - Yes.

Well, maybe we can beat him to it. How long have you been up in Scotland?

Not that long. Just over a couple of months.

Has Charlie ever been married?

Yes. He is. He is now.

- Oh, is he? - Are you, by the way?

- Yes. - Do you have children?

Yeah, I've got two. He's got two.

- Did he say what he was doing in Fife? - He was going to look at some place.

Great! Film set in Aberdeen and he's gone to Fife.

I thought he was doing one in Fife. Which film are you doing?

- The one about the oil rig. - Oh, really?

- He's doing another one? - I thought so.

What film do you think he's doing?

I thought it was about sheep.

- May I be frank with you? - Come on, Maurice!

It looks like a second rate Hollywood film.

- I'm wondering where...? - First rate Hollywood, maybe?

You think second rate? What do you mean?

- You've seen the story, yeah? - Yeah, well, I think that you have more...

You have other things to say

than the usual clichés that are coming out in this thing here.

Do you mean politics?

Well, I think the type of film that you want to make

is sort of getting to... you know, saying things and going away from them,

but I don't think that you really get into the real political implications of it.

I think you're sort of skating away from the real... the real involvement

that you should be getting into.

Look, I think I've got a nice story, Maurice, right?

I've got a very political writer, a very nice guy,

Neville Smith, and I think he's going to bring that dimension in.

I'm the guy that's keeping the politics out of it.

I'm the guy that has to sell it. He's making me a nice treatment.

It's quite straightforward, I said to him, "Please, we can build all that in later."

Don't worry about that aspect of it.

What I want to know is this - take a nice story like that,

a little entertainment value, that can't be all that bad.

Good jokes, good humour - good-humoured jokes.

And if we do that, if we have that kind of goal,

can I, Charlie Gormley from Britain, go to you, Maurice Bulbulian in Québec,

and can we find a little co-production money, is it possible?

Well, we've got involved in co-production in the last years

and this is killing the cinema in Québec.

We were making ten films a year about five years ago.

Now we're at the point where we're making one or two films.

Yeah, but try and think of this as a nice story.

If we put something into it- a little politics, a little writing from Nev.

We need direction from a guy like you, what about then?

Can't we still think about it in a co-production sense?

Well, you want to have a national cinema here?

You want to say things with the film that you're making?

You have to find a way right here to do these things.

You don't have to rely on others to make cinema.

- You have to rely first on yourself. - I think we can say things.

You don't have to beat them in the head and a guy like you,

with a bit of sensitivity, could look at it and say,

"It looks a bit heavy up front." Fine!

But working with Neville, you know, and working yourself on the script.

Maybe there's a guy in Canada wants to work on the script, too. It's easy.

You can take it and you can do things with it, as long as you hold my story.

All right, it's English language, but that's all I'm asking.

I mean, who do I talk to? Is there somebody you can line me up with?

All I want to do is make a picture. I don't want to make a political...

I can go broke on my own. If I make a political picture I'm finished.

I mean, if I make a nice picture that says something,

some important things, but people can go and enjoy it, then fine.

Well, you should go and see some people from Hollywood,

if you want to do this kind of thing.

'Chaos and confusion reign supreme in all festivals.

'Charlie had not been across to Fife and Sam Fuller never arrived in Edinburgh.

'But movies had been seen and contacts made.

'Then, with an eight-frame dissolve, the shedding of leaves and falling of snow,

'Charlie was to find himself in Ecuador, up to his arse in jungle mud.

'Fuller was directing his war movie "Big Red One",

'Wenders was well into scripting his American movie for Francis Ford Coppola.

'Annie, according to a postcard, was back in front of the cameras in France.

'And even as his latest TV play was being universally acclaimed,

'Neville was working on another draft of "Gulf and Western".'

'Many thousands of years ago,

'our ancestors were visited by beings from outer space.

'They descended into this forest in their flying machines,

'just like this expedition,

'picked out the most promising specimens

'and by special techniques of breeding or surgery,

'speeded up the development of human life on this planet.

'When they flew away,

'they left behind the first of the human beings they had helped to create.

'Those ancient visitors are the true missing link in our evolution,

'the real reason why we're still looking for our gods in the skies.'

Pretty good, isn't it?

Well, it's still got that problem. The story's fine,

but I still think that the images are that little bit behind the story.

They're fairly ordinary images

and we're saying these quite unusual things over them.

It just depends whether we're getting away with it or not.

I think the story's good. That's the point.

Is it the directing that's worrying? I think we've got to get it said.

Doesn't matter a damn what we do. That story's got to come across.

Is there anything else you shot? Is there anything else we could think about?

Sorry to interrupt. Can you give me that minute now, Ricky?

I'm about art galleries and it's bad enough trying to run an art gallery here.

- You're talking about a film, aren't you? - Yes, I am. That's the idea.

- It's a documentary? - No, it's a story film.

- A story film on Joan Eardley, with... - Wait a minute. Did I get this right?

A feature film on Joan Eardley? She's dead.

- Yes, I know she's dead. - You've got to have someone to play her.

I think I can get Vanessa Redgrave.

I really think I can get Vanessa Redgrave to play her.

I've a friend who knows Corin and he says she'd do it for a subject like Eardley.

The reason I wanted to talk to you was that I thought you're a well-known guy.

You're a well-known Joan Eardley fan. That's no bad thing to be.

Lots of other people like you. You know the people at the Arts Council.

I need a little front money to start the project.

Look, I'm into this. I'm into this at the moment.

It's bad enough trying to get this across as art.

You're not getting me to consider an idea which is about £50,000, possibly...

If you look at this, that's a whole lot of pictures all together.

I'm just putting a lot of pictures together.

Who do you expect me to know who'd...? I can't give you 50,000.

Only the Arts Council or like-minded people.

You must know some people who would... A small interest, that's all I'm asking.

I think I've got Miss Redgrave. If I've got Miss Redgrave I can raise money.

OK, what we'll do is, we'll make one call...

- We might even have to make 50 calls. - Make one right call, it'll suit me.

Hello, Mr Smith. How have you been feeling?

Fine, but I keep waking up in the middle of the night.

Oh, well, that's no problem.

Oh, I don't want pills.

You don 't want pills? Oh!

What do you want?

I thought hypnosis might help.

Hypnosis?

You want hypnosis?

Well, I don't know.

I mean, I know, you know, we all know the workings of the brain,

the central nervous system, are very mysterious.

I mean, I could wave my hands in front of your face, but...

I don't think that would improve your anxiety state, which is what it is.

I don't really see what the problem is. You've got your health.

You've got this writing job.

Explain to me about writing. I don't understand where the problem is.

You write a word, don't you? Then you write another word and another word.

Then, in due course, that's a sentence.

Then you write another sentence and it's a paragraph.

Then a few paragraphs, it's a page.

I don't see it.

Well...

It's just lonely.

It's lonely. Oh.

Well, um...

I know. I could get on to Meals On Wheels,

they could come round and it would be a bit of company.

- I think it's serious. - Oh, it's serious. I'm not saying that.

Of course it's serious. I mean, death's serious.

I get people coming in here all the time with, you know, quite serious conditions.

How is your sex life?

Is that all right?

Be better if you get me Meals On Wheels.

Oh! That's a joke, isn't it?

- Hey, Neville.

You too ill to carry your own briefcase?

Stick in there.

I don't want to hassle you, but even if you are dying, I've got a busy morning.

- Don't arse about, Charlie. - Well, what did he say to you?

What did the doctor say?

He said it's me heart.

What did he say exactly?

He said it's my heart. I've got to have tests.

Did he say it was your heart? Did he use those words?

- Did he say it was a heart condition? - Yes.

I think I'll go home.

- OK. I'll drive you back. - I'd rather you didn't.

I'll see you, eh?

I mean, the sort of subject... Look, I've got this smashing subject.

A strike, 1908, set in Sweden in the docks.

- We couldn't do that in the movies. - But I'm not Swedish.

There's all sorts of things you can do on television

which you can't do on the big screen.

They're just not interested in working class drama anymore.

But how do you know I am?

That's what you've always written.

No, not always.

Well, all your best work for television's been about working class subjects.

I don't know, I did a Jackanory that wasn't about working class subjects.

- What do you think? - Great.

It's terrific, Mel, it really is.

- Really good. - Yeah?

- Not too long? - No, it's not too long.

You sure? Because I wrote it in about three months.

If you think it's too long, I'll cut it.

No, I think it's a good length. What do you think?

Well...

I think what Mel's interested in is distribution.

- Scotland, do you think? - Distribution?

You don't think it's too sophisticated for Scotland?

No, they're pretty sophisticated up there. Maybe the nudity would bother them.

- The bit in the bed? - Yeah.

I could cut out the bed. That would take 30 seconds.

- It's only 90 seconds at the moment. - Are you serious? You want me to ask?

Seriously, yes. Why not?

I can ask up there. There's a couple of circuits.

You can do more than ask.

- Film circuits or dance...? - Yeah.

Well, sure. I'm willing. I'll take 3% of nothing.

Thistle are brilliant today.

'...the chip was beautifully weighted.

'McAdam's thundering drive was blocked,

'it falls to Craig, who's turned it back in...'

They're the second top of the table, Thistle.

Come on, Alfie.

Good ball.

Oh, what a header!

Who's speaking?

Oh, hello, Franz. Hold on.

Charlie?

Hi, Franz.

It's a good script.

I told you you'd like it. The writer's very solid.

Well, we'll talk principals first. Do you want to talk principals?

No English director.

I absolutely accept there will be no English director with this picture.

You know who I've been talking to? I've talked to Wenders.

I've talked to Sam Fuller. With this script, I can have my choice of director.

We're talking a simple... Hey!

I'm on the phone to Amsterdam! Boys, come on!

Knock it off. It's OK. Just the kids.

What I'm looking for is a straightforward deal, as you know.

German-Dutch co-production money.

That is all. No percentages, nothing like that.

That is understood. Just territory.

You can have the outtakes as well as the master and my mix.

And the M&Es et cetera.

Sylvia Kristel?

Mm-hmm... that is not conditional.

I'm happy to ask Sylvia Kristel about availability.

I'd love to show her the script. She'd probably like it very much.

But these are details. We can fix that in time, Franz, you understand.

Let us now get on to business. When do we have our meeting?

We can't move forward until I have your commitment.

I will check with Sylvia Kristel. Just tell me how soon you'll be in London.

Then we can have a meeting and put the deal together on paper.

OK. You'll call me? I'll look forward to that call, Franz.

And I'll check availability. Yes, surely.

OK.

OK. Tot ziens. Tot ziens.

He wants to talk money.

Yeah. He likes the script.

Mr Gormley, I presume?

No, Neville Smith. Hi. Charlie couldn't get down in time.

We seem to have the same kind of problem.

I read your script.

- And...? - I like it.

But the woman's part's a bit underdeveloped.

So immediately they thought, "Susannah York!"

- Well, do you want to come and talk? - Yeah.

- OK, so what's the pitch? - Well, you say you liked it?

Yeah.

Yes, I did. Reminiscent of Howard Hawks.

Good.

- So why me, particularly? - Well, Charlie and I...

Oh! We... Thanks...thought why not you? Didn't he say anything?

On the phone, yeah. Yes, he did. He went on a lot about "Tunes Of Glory".

- He liked you in that. - It was 17 years ago.

Look... what he meant was he liked your accent.

Ah! The Scots accent.

Oh, well, just as long as he realises that I have done the occasional job since then.

Didn't he also mention "The Go-Between"?

- "The Go-Between"? - He liked you even better in that.

Yeah. Julie Christie.

- Julie Christie, yeah. She was terrific. - Oh, yeah.

Terrific. Great. Very good.

"Georgy Girl".

Lynn Redgrave.

You're not doing so well at this, are you?

- But you did like it? - Yeah.

Yeah, I did. I did like it.

- OK, well, you'd better see my agent. - Oh, yeah, sure. Yeah.

- Dates. Whereabouts... - Scotland.

Scotland.

And, er... I'm expensive.

Oh, natch, yeah.

Then, of course, there's the rewrites.

The rewrites.

- What budget are you thinking about? - Depends on the director.

You've got to have some areas to go on, from what to what?

- If it's low-budget, 300,000. - Pounds or dollars?

Pounds. And if it's a bigger name director, maybe closer to a million.

How about from a casting point of view? They can also put it up.

I don't think it's important. I really don't think it's important at this stage.

It's very important if you're talking about Robert Redford

or if you're talking about Jim Smith from television.

If I have a director who's a good director, he will have preferences.

He'll want to cast again, Susie.

But the casting does make a difference, the way you're going to sell the picture.

Have you got a distributor in mind or interested?

I've got some co-production money lined up, if it's low-budget,

with the Benelux.

I've talked to Fox.

- What reaction did you get from them? - They like the story.

- Everybody likes the story. - It's a great story.

They'll want to know who's in it, otherwise you'll never get a package.

What happened in the case of "Images"?

The case of "Images" was a different situation.

We discussed it with Bob Altman, who was the producer-director,

who also happened to be a client of this office.

And it was a situation where, in fact, the picture was set up

before we did a deal for Susannah.

Are we talking about the director or are we talking about the finance?

- Which comes first? - The chicken and the egg situation.

Unless you have a director, you can't really go to financers, distributors

without some form of package and therefore supply your money.

You can't get the money without the package.

You can't get the package without the money.

I've a simple situation. I have...

The simple situation is that you have an interest but no money.

Can I speak to John Boorman, please?

Can you hold the line a moment? I've got a call for you.

- Charlie, your call. - Hello? John Boorman?

- 'Speaking!' - Charlie Gormley here.

How are you? Hello.

We met before, did you know that? I met you a couple of years back.

- 'Yes, er...' - In Glasgow.

- Première of "Zardoz", do you remember? - 'Yes, the "Zardoz" opening.'

- That's right. - 'Yes, how are you?'

I'm fine. Did you get my script?

'Er, yes. I did, yes. Thank you.'

That's good. How did you like it? You got a chance to read it, I suppose?

'Yes... I haven't...

'I've just skimmed through it, really, because I haven't had a lot of time,

'but, um, I did have a chance to look at it, yes.'

- You liked the title, "Gulf and Western"? - 'Yes.

'Yes, that's marvellous. I hope that it can be as funny as the title.'

I think Neville's a good writer. I think there's a lot of solid stuff there.

I wanted to know, how do you feel about it, John?

- Could you be interested in this subject? - 'Well... I think you've got a...

- 'I think the subject is very good.' - It's strong.

'And you're treating it in an interesting way.

'Um... You know, it's intriguing.

'Uh... I have, really, some problems because I have other commitments.'

- Yes, indeed. Of course. - 'Um...'

But you understood this basic thing

that the whole oil background up in Aberdeen is just a background?

I just want the smell of money. It's, er...

It's not completely a book story.

There's room for the kind of sensitive direction that you can handle so well.

That's what I feel about the picture, there's a lot of small intimate scenes

and just that sense that everybody's suddenly becoming a millionaire up there.

That's, basically, the guts of this story.

- 'Yeah, which is a good story.' - It's a good story.

'That's something that nobody's really dealt with yet, have they,

'except in the most crass way on television.'

Well, I've got a very solid writer in Neville Smith. He's really a good writer.

I've had a little backup work done with another writer, just on the dialogue.

You may have comments to make, but how do we take this forward?

What would you like to do next, John?

- 'Well, I'll be in London next week.' - Next week. That sounds fine...

'I think the best thing's to meet and talk about it

'and that will give me a chance in the interval to look at it more thoroughly

'and make some notes and I'll discuss it with you.'

Well, I've got a production office at AKA, just off Wardour Street.

You know where I am? Broadwick Street.

'Yes.'

Perhaps we could meet there. We could have lunch or something like that.

But it's nice to know that you like the idea

because I think it's a subject that can really go.

I think it really has legs, if you give it a real chance.

- 'Well, we'll talk about it.' - Great stuff!

- 'Thanks for calling.' - OK. I look forward to seeing you.

- 'Indeed.' - OK. Lovely.

Bye-bye now, John. Bye-bye.

- Do you want a drink? - I'd love a drink.

Isabelle, would you mind getting Charlie whisky with a little water on the side?

- And water on the side. - Where do we go from here with Fox?

I'll read the script as soon as possible.

Then once I've done that, assuming I think it has potential for Fox,

we'll meet and discuss all the other details.

- You like my story? - Yes. I think the story's interesting.

I think the characters are interesting and the background's exciting.

It's quite an intimate picture, in many ways, and the rest is just background.

The first budget we came to was just under 300,000.

- Pounds? - Pounds.

This is a picture being made for Fox in Europe, if you decide to go with it?

- Yeah. - Nothing to do with Hollywood?

Well, it would depend upon the... Everything has to do with Hollywood

because there's a Board of Directors who approve all Fox film projects.

Therefore, it would have to be approved by that Board of Directors

and we generally work as a committee at Fox.

I'm interested in finance, of course, but distribution's my main interest.

- Distribution is? - That's my main interest.

No point in making films nobody sees.

We couldn't agree with you more, Charlie!

Boorman's read it. He likes the screenplay.

But what I'm coming down to is,

with Boorman directing, he may want to escalate in casting.

Yes.

Bigger people or more expensive people. What happens then?

Well, I think it probably would depend upon the actors

and, certainly, John Boorman, um...

did a brilliant piece of casting with Burt Reynolds in "Deliverance".

Where he was both perfect for the character

and had already an established name.

If you can get those two elements together, like Boorman did in the past,

by all means, cast him.

If it was right for, I don't know, Paul Newman, then use Paul Newman

or Sylvester Stallone or whoever it happened to be.

- But Boorman, of course, is acceptable? - Yes, he is.

We've worked with him in the past and respect him highly.

What happens if you decided this was a project for you and you come in?

What demands or restraints would you put on me,

or constraints would you put on me?

Well, I think the first thing is to make sure that you have sufficient help

to produce the film in the best possible way.

That means technicians, organisation,

so that you can spend your money and see it on the screen, as opposed to...

Would there be an executive producer on the picture with me?

We could only decide that after I knew more about your background,

your qualifications as a producer,

and also what the requirements were of the film.

Taking those two things in consideration,

we decide whether you need an executive producer.

I want to produce the film.

We could try and find the right person for you to work with,

who will support you in the area that you need it.

Yeah, I had a friend that happened to and he ended up going for the coffee!

- Going for the coffee? - Yeah.

Well, would you mind going for the coffee if the film was made?

- No, just kidding, Charlie! - I've got this far!

Yes, a lot of people get this far.

It's over the desk that's the tough one, yeah.

I like the idea. I don't know what the script is, really.

I mean, I like... I think you've got a terrific story. I find it very seductive.

But I don't think it really knows what it wants to be, this script, you know?

It's one of several things and, er...

It had a kind of air of desperation about it.

My feeling is that it's like a... It's a sort of a...

It's a script that desperately wants to be a movie.

And, er...

I think you've got to...

make a decision, really, about what kind of a film you want to make.

I mean, what is it? It's got elements of Cary Grant comedy.

Yet, it's got a kind of toughness and modernity about it. It wants to be that, too.

I mean, we're talking about what is a major rewrite.

Would you commit yourself to a week or two weeks, on that basis?

Yes. I wouldn't want to commit myself to anything else.

Because I think that if...

Well, you never know until you get into that sort of situation, till you try.

Because I've always found that if you're onto something good...

...and you work on a script, it gets better immediately.

The bad signs are when it starts to get longer.

When it starts to sprawl, it usually means there's something basically wrong with it.

The decision for you is, um... do you want to make that kind of exploration?

Yes.

- Do you sometimes produce yourself? - Yeah, I do.

I've produced by default, really.

Because I found that producers, while you're shooting the film,

the producers are stealing the money behind the scenes and, therefore...

What kind of arrangement would you want?

Well, what arrangement do you want?

- You're proposing it. - I want to produce the film.

Yeah, in effect, you know, I mean, in practice...

...I would be producing the picture, to a large extent.

Now, it's fine with me for you to have the credit.

You'll be the producer or we co-produce it, whatever you want, if it comes off.

That's fine. I don't mind.

But I think that you have to realise, going in,

that I'm going to have to take the major decisions.

- Er... - I don't mind that.

I've produced the script to this stage, so I see myself as a producer.

I want to get things straight before we get involved,

otherwise, I think, endless problems arise.

If you're saying to me, "Look, this is a modest film, low-budget picture,

"would you like to make a low-budget picture of this type,

"with no names and just keep it small and... going?"

Because that might be attractive to me.

You might prefer to make a bad film than no film at all.

Which I would understand. I've done it myself.

Well, that's the same with the low-budget.

Low-budget, I think, might make it a little more secure. You may think not.

At the same time, I have to also ask how much freedom do we lose

if it becomes a larger budgeted picture, if it becomes a big-budget picture?

- What do we lose? - Well...

I don't think you can ask those questions at this point,

because all we can do is work on the script and see how it comes out.

The same is true of casting.

I've always found that, if the role is really good, it can be played by anybody.

If you find yourself in a situation where you say,

"The only guy who can play this is Jack Nicholson.

"If we can't get him, we don't have a picture."

It usually means there's something wrong with the role.

In practical terms, John, what's the next move?

- I think we have to go up there. - To Aberdeen?

And hole up, the three of us, and see if we can thrash out a common ground.

- Could that be next month? - No. I'm on my way now to the States.

I'll be back in two to three weeks and I'll call you as soon as I get back.

Great. That's perfect.

'A jubilant Charlie went round to see Neville with a bottle of champagne.

'Unfortunately, Neville was out seeing his doctor

'about an extremely rare disease he'd seen on a television programme.

'All Charlie has to do is persuade Neville to collaborate on a few more rewrites

'and a few more changes.

'There will be meeting with John Boorman, the testing of the script

'and, if agreement can be reached between them, the raising of finance.

'Trying to set up a film is a gamble.

'Charlie has stayed the course, nursed his partner along

'and played his cards carefully.

'On the way, they have been forced to make sacrifices

'and raise the stakes to remain in the game.

'Their journey is a common one in the film industry

'and having come so far, Charlie, like many others,

'now believes that anything is possible.'