All language subtitles for Alex.and.Emma.2003.1080p. English

[DeSYLVA, BROWN AND HENDERSON'S
"IT ALL DEPENDS ON YOU" PLAYING]

* I can be happy,
I can be sad *

* I can be good
Or I can be bad *

* It all depends on you *

* I can be lonely,
Out in a crowd *

* I can be humble,
I can be proud *

* It all depends *

* On you *

* I can save money,
Or spend it *

* Go right on living,
Or end it *

* You're to blame, honey *

* For what I do *

* I know that
I can be beggar *

* Or I can be king *

* I can be almost
Any old thing *

* It all depends *

* On you *

* Let me tell ya *

* I can save money,
Or I could spend it *

* Go right on living,
Or end it *

* You're to blame, honey *

* For what I do *

* Oh-dodee-oh,
I can be beggar *

* Or I can be king *

* I can be almost
Any old thing *

* It all depends *

* On you *

* I don't mean mostly *

* It all depends *

* On you *

* Don't mean your sister *

* It all *

* Depends on *

[CLUNKING]

* You *

* Oh, God! *

[COMPUTER KEYBOARD CLACKING]

[TYPING]

It is and that stinks.

[MEN YELLING]

BOBBY:
What happened
to all the money?

BOBBY:
You'd be lucky
for looking like me.

TONY:
I can't afford to look like...

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

BOBBY:
Mr. Sheldon?

TONY:
Maybe he's not here.

Mr. Sheldon?

Aren't you home?

Help me, lord.

How are you doing?

[ALEX GASPING]

I was just looking
for a sweater.

Oh, here it is.

We'll teach you. When was the
last time you take a bath, huh?

Ah...

What you think, Tony?
Maybe we should open a window.

Si.
No, no, wait! Wait!

As soon as I finish the book,
you get the money!

BOBBY:
You say that last time.
And the time before.

Wait! Wait! Wait!

[YELLING]

There's nothing but pavement.
There's not an awning in sight.

Wait! Wait! I swear
I'm almost finished! I swear!

How close?

Close. Very close.
Insanely close.

Okay. Okay. Okay.

[SCREAMING]

Yeah, you know, it was a little
slow going at the start,

but I'm really
cooking along now.

Show us.

Show you?

Show us.

[PANTING]

Have you guys
been working out together?

I mean,
how do I get that look?

You know, see, I think I've been
doing too much cardio.

You write on this?

Yeah, it's all right there.
Just a couple of chapters to go.

It's good, though.
It's good.

Show us.

Well, an author doesn't really
like to show what he's--

Show us the book,
Mr. Sheldon.

I can't. I'm blocked.
I-- I haven't started.

You lie?

Yeah. Yeah.

Well, that's bad.

I know. I know.

Very, very bad.

What do we do?

Well, I'll tell you what
we're going to do.

We're gonna do
a little science experiment.

Wha-what are you doing?

Sit down.

Curious what it's like to be
"cooking along" on a computer.

Oh, come on, please
don't do that!

How do you expect me to write
if I don't have a computer?

We don't expect you to write,
Mr. Sheldon.

We expect you to fly.

ALEX:
Wait, wait!
Please don't do this.

Let's rethink this.
Come on, guys. Let's rethink it.

[SCREAMING]

I'll double what I owe you!
A hundred grand! Hundred grand!

In 30 days.

Okay! Okay!
Thirty days, that's good!

I'll do it in 30 days. You'll
have your money in 30 days.

I gave you 75.
Where did that go?

Florida Gaming Commission.

What?

Hialeah dog track.

You gambled away
$75,000 on dogs?

Well,
a little more than that.

See, I borrowed from some Cuban
gentlemen down Miami way.

You know, Alex,
you have a major talent,

but you're pissing it away.

Now, you get $125,000
when I get the manuscript.

That's the deal we made.

I've given you a year.
What have you been doing?

I fell in love.
It didn't work out.

Perfect!

A love affair gone bad,
gambling, criminal types.

All the elements
of a bestseller.

You see,
they're gonna kill me

if I don't get
the money in 30 days.

Then you'd better get to work.

Hi.

Hi. Sorry, um...

is there possibly
another Cambridge Street?

I'm looking for the law offices
of Polk, Taylor, Fillmore,

Pierce and Van Buren.

That's us.

Miss...

Dinsmore.
Emma Dinsmore.

Alex Sheldon.
Won't you come in?

No, I don't believe I will.

This doesn't look
like a law office.

Doesn't even look
like a nice place to live.

Yeah, I know.

Our office is
in the Prudential Tower,

which by the way,
are very impressive,

you know, law books,
conference tables, leather,

they're being redecorated,

but there's been
a holdup with the marble.

Something about
the cutters in Carrara

wanting better
health benefits.

[CREAKING]

[CRASHING]

Mr. Sheldon.

Mr. Sheldon,
I'm going to leave now.

How can I leave

if I have a dead lawyer
lying on my foot?

How can I do that?

What kind of person
would I be, huh, Mr. Sheldon?

Not a good one.
Not a very good one.

Okay, come on.

I'll get you out of the door,

put you in the

reception area.

Better yet,

let's put you
in your conference room.

This way, if you're preparing
for your big case,

you can just do it here.

Mr. Sheldon.

Mr. Sheldon?

Yeah, I'm fine.

[EXHALING]

This-- This has only happened
to me, uh, one time before.

Little league,
championship game.

I was up with the bases
loaded in the bottom of the 9th.

I hadn't eaten lunch that--

I have to go.

Please, wait a second.
I need your help.

Unhand me!

Did you say, "unhand me"?

I won't be taken
advantage of.

Miss Dinsmore,
I had no intention--

Oh, no, then why did you ask
my company to send me up here?

Because you're not
fooling anyone, Mr. Sheldon,

if that's even
your real name.

This is clearly
not the law office

of Polk, Taylor, Fillmore,
Pierce, and Van Buren,

who just so happen to have been
presidents of the United States.

Y-y-you're right.
This isn't a law office,

and yes, indeed,
they were presidents.

So what other conclusion can we
draw from this, Mr. Sheldon,

except that you're trying
to take advantage of me?

Well, w--we could
also conclude that I'm a liar.

Yes, we could,
and in fact, we have.

I-I-I'm sorry.

It's just that I-- I really
need your help, Miss Dinsmore.

You see,
I'm a brilliant novelist--

Yeah, and I invented
nuclear energy.

If you'll excuse me,
I have to split some atoms.

Wait! Wait! Wait!

Miss Dinsmore!

Miss Dinsmore!

Miss Dinsmore!

Could we please try
to put this behind us.

I just want your stenography
services. That's all.

I assure you,
I'm a desperate man.

Well, I don't intend
on spending my time

in the personal apartment
of a desperate man.

You want sex, Mr. Sheldon. You
are barking up the wrong body.

Miss Dinsmore,
I know my veracity

has been called
into question,

but I swear to God
that barking up your body

is absolutely the furthest thing
from my mind.

Well,
I don't believe you.

Right now, I-I can't think
of any woman

I'm less interested
in going to bed with.

Nice meeting you.

What was that
supposed to mean?

Well, I only meant that, uh,

while I'm sure
there are many men

who'd be thrilled
to find themselves in bed

with such a forthright woman
as yourself,

I just have different tastes,
that's all.

I prefer women
that are more...

less forthright.

Mr. Sheldon, didn't you expect
that whoever showed up

would immediately find out
that you weren't a law office?

Miss Dinsmore,

I owe some guys a hundred grand

and I got to get it
to them in 30 days.

The only way I can do that
is by finishing my next book,

and the only way
I can do that

is by dictating it
to a stenographer.

How much do you have left?

All of it.

You want to dictate
an entire book to me?

That's right.

In 30 days?

Correct.

I get $15 an hour,

and I expect to be paid
at the conclusion of each day.

And I'd really like to do that,
but unfortunately, I can't.

At the end of each week.

At the end of the job.

I get paid when I turn in
the manuscript.

And what happens
if you don't finish in 30 days?

I'll finish in 30 days.

But if you don't finish
in 30 days, then what happens?

I get killed.

[SIGHING]

[KNOCKING AT DOOR]

EMMA:
I forgot my scarf.

I forgot my scarf.

Mr. Sheldon,
I forgot my scarf.

What's your book about?

It's the story of a man
who's frightened of commitment,

yet so desperately
in love with a woman,

he's afraid it might kill him.

It's a comedy.

Does it kill him?

You'll have to read the book.

What are you doing?

I want to see if he dies.

You can't read
the end first.

Then tell me how it ends.

You have to read the book.

This is how I read books.

If I like the ending then I'll
know I'll like getting to it.

If I don't like the ending, then
I know not to waste my time.

[PAGES RUSTLING]

See? Now I want
to read this.

[SIGHING]

What's your new book about?

It's about the powerlessness
of being in love,

and how it devours the insides
of a person like a deadly virus.

Another comedy?

Yeah.

Will you have another fit
if I ask you how it ends?

I don't know how it ends.

How can you write a story
if you don't know how it ends?

Because I know the characters,

and they tell me
where the story goes.

Interesting.

You're going to do it?

Yes.

Great!

Okay.

ALEX:
Okay.

Read me back
what we've got so far.

The summer of Adam Shipley's
sabbatical from Andover.

Maybe if you add
a year, you know.

The summer of Adam Shipley's
sabbatical

from Andover was in...

and then any four-digit number
gets you a complete sentence.

Yeah, but not
a particularly good one.

How about

the summer of Adam Shipley's
sabbatical from Andover

was really hot?

What's that noise?
What noise?

That high-pitched
ringing sound.

Kind of like "eee."

I-- I think I may be getting
a brain tumor,

because that's
one of the early signs.

Okay.
How about you shorten it?

Adam Shipley took
a sabbatical. Period.

No, no, see, look. You want the
first sentence to set the tone,

to grab the reader
and take him into the story.

"Call me Ishmael."
Right?

"It was the best of times,
it was the worst of times."

"In the beginning God created
the heavens and the earth."

Do you see why I can't begin?

The giants that have gone
before me.

Does it seem foggy in here?

Th-There's this haze that...

I-I-I think the tumor could be
spreading in my occipital lobe.

I have to go.

It's only 7:00.

I know. These last 5 hours
have just flown by.

Will you be back
tomorrow morning?

I can't see why.

What do you mean?

Okay, well.

Here's what
I've been figuring.

You've got exactly

eight words so far?

Since a typed page
is 350 words,

that's roughly 6 weeks
per page.

With one week off for Christmas,
two weeks summer vacation,

300 pages would take
approximately 37 years,

which, quite frankly,
is a little more

than I'm willing to allocate
to this project.

Uh, Miss Dinsmore,

I think you're underestimating
the process.

I mean, this isn't
a comic book, it's a novel.

There's character development.
Symbolism. Subtext.

Which do you prefer,
Mr. Sheldon,

the pepper spray
or the stun gun?

Adam Shipley
had given up on love.

Art was to be his mistress.

And so it was
that in the summer of 1924...

We're rolling.
We just got started.

Okay?

Adam Shipley
had given up on love.

Art was to be his mistress.

And so it was
that in the summer of 1924,

he took a sabbatical
from Andover to write,

if not
the great American novel,

then certainly one
that would make the world

sit up and take notice.

To support himself
while he worked,

he accepted a position
as an English tutor

for a French family
vacationing on the island of...

Saint Charles.

Never heard of an island
called Saint Charles.

It's off the coast of Maine,
northeast of Nantucket.

Beautiful.

Still never heard of it.

I made it up.

You got a second paragraph?

A what?

If it's gonna be 300 pages

you're gonna need more
than one paragraph.

Oh, that ringing sound.

I have to go.

Uh, Adam boarded
a train in Boston,

headed for the ferry
at Saint Charles.

And then?

Saint Charles
was an exclusive island,

known for palatial mansions,

manicured lawns, and an
exquisite gambling casino.

There was also an especially
large French contingent

who had claimed the island
after it was discovered by

Jacques Cartier in
the 16th century.

Wait a minute.
What, I'm going too fast?

I thought you said
you made up the island.

I-I did.

But you just said it was
discovered by Jacques Cartier

in the 16th century.

Yeah?

Jacques Cartier
was a real guy.

You can't have a real guy
discover a fake place.

I can't?

No. It's a perversion
of history.

If you have a fake place, you
have to have a fake explorer.

Now, if you have
a real place, then you--

Miss Dinsmore.
Miss Dinsmore.

[CHUCKLING]

I mean, I'm laughing,
but I'm not laughing.

If you could type
and I could write,

that would be really terrific.

[SIGHING]

I thought that's
what we were doing.

Adam found himself seated
next to a man named John Shaw.

ALEX:
A man who had
the uncanny ability

to make a two-hour train ride
seem like 10.

I've been summering in
Saint Charles since I was a boy.

It would be my second home
if I didn't own three others.

ALEX:
Shaw was a short,
round man in his 50s.

And the word "second"
was said with a whistle

as his breath escaped
between the space

which separated
his two front teeth.

EMMA:
I hate it when they do that.

Who? What?

You. Authors.

You use a name like John Shaw,
and I picture in my mind, thin,

with a stylish mustache.

And when you finally
get around to describing him,

he's this fat old fart
with a hole in his teeth.

You remember the part
about you type and I write?

We really have to adhere
to that, Miss Dinsmore.

You're the author.
You're God.

You can create whatever comes
into your head.

Characters we like
or characters who make us

want to shut the book
and never open it again.

Shaw was a slight man
with a thick blond--

EMMA:
Thin black.

ALEX:
Thin, black moustache.

So, who's this family
you're to tutor?

Saint Charles is a small island.
I'm sure I know them.

They're from Paris.
A divorcee and her two children,

an 8-year-old boy, Andre,

and a 6-year-old girl,
Michele.

The mother's name is--
Polina Delacroix?

Why, yes.

Would you care to join me
for some tea in the dining car?

All right.

[TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWING]

ADAM:
Madame Delacroix seemed very
charming in her correspondence.

Oh, she is. And quite
the little trooper too,

putting on such a brave face
under the circumstances.

The circumstances?

The family is in
desperate financial straits.

If it weren't for
a wealthy grandmother

in Paris who's dying,

they'd have no hope at all.

Are you absolutely certain?
Because from their

correspondence
they seemed like--

It's a facade.
It's all a facade.

But don't worry,
she has enough to pay you.

How can you be so sure?

Because I am returning
just now

with a bank draft from
my personal account

which will provide
Polina with enough

to cover her expenses
through the summer.

She asked you for a loan?

Well, we're calling it a loan,
but it really doesn't matter.

I intend to ask her
to marry me by summer's end.

EMMA:
Now, why did you do that?

What?
Why did I do what?

Don't you think
it's kind of coincidental

that Adam just happens
to plop down

next to his
employer's fiancé?

Well, if it makes
you feel any better,

I didn't know Shaw was
the fiancé when Adam plopped.

What do you mean you didn't
know? How could you not know?

[SIGHING]

Okay.

I wanted Adam
to learn from Shaw

that the Delacroix family
was almost broke

and desperately waiting
for the grandmother to die.

Then I realized,
as soon as Adam heard this,

he'd be worried
about his wages.

This was a problem I hadn't
anticipated till I got there.

Then I had the idea...

what if Shaw agreed
to loan Polina the money

to cover her expenses?

But why would he do that?
Perhaps he's in love with her.

Shall we continue?

You started having absolutely no
idea what was going to happen,

and then, by pure luck,
it just worked out?

Well, I-I-I like to think
it's more than luck,

but every writer does depend

on the muses smiling down
on him occasionally.

And if the muses don't smile?

My head starts ringing
and my eyes fog over.

So, is there smiling now

or are we heading back into
the fog with the ringing sounds?

There's smiling.

Good.

What happens next?

Adam falls in love.

ALEX:
There's no accounting for love

or why one look,
one casual touch,

one breath of perfumed air

can ignite feelings so strong,
it's almost painful.

EMMA:
Mmm, he seems awfully shallow.

What are you talking about?

He just looks at her
and he's in love?

So, you've never heard
of love at first sight?

Right. That must be it.

Continuing on.

Polina Delacroix.

It's a great pleasure
to meet you, Mr. Shipley.

You, as well,
Madame Delacroix.

Oh, please, call me Polina.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

Um, this is John Shaw.

We've met.
We've met.

This is Andre
and Michele.

[SPEAKING IN FRENCH]

We are very pleased to be
meeting you, Mr. Shipley.

Very pleased
to be meeting you too.

Allow me to introduce
the others. This is my father.

And this is Madame Blanche,
a close friend of my father's.

Enchanté, monsieur.

Oh, uh...

[LAUGHING]

Well, let's be off.

Claude, could you please fetch
Mr. Shipley's belongings?

Oh, that's okay. I can fetch.
I don't mind fetching.

I love to fetch.

POLINA:
Don't be silly, Mr. Shipley.

[GRUNTING]

I wouldn't want to be silly.

I think it's going to be
a very special summer.

Oh, yeah.

[GRUNTING]

[EMMA LAUGHING]

You like that?

It's very funny.

Thank you.

He's like a fool.

What? No.

He's smitten.
He's blinded by love.

Oh, right.

Because I didn't see
the attraction at first.

But then when she said
those intoxicating words:

"Claude, could you fetch
his belongings,"

who could resist that?

All right. Good.

Uh, what do you say
we call it a day?

Okay.

Good, because I have to type
all this stuff up tonight.

How many pages we got?

I'd say about 8.

That's not bad.

Considering the somewhat
awkward beginning.

So,

I guess I'll see you tomorrow.

I'll be here around 9?

Great.

Thanks for a good first day.

You're welcome.

Bye.

Bye.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

ALEX:
Saint Charles
seemed almost unreal,

like a magical playground
for the well-to-do.

There was, however,

something besides the affluence
and beauty of Saint Charles

which filled Adam's brain
until he could barely breathe.

It was Polina's perfume

and the application thereof
upon her ample bosom.

EMMA:
Oh, please!

ALEX:
What?

"Ample bosom"?

What's wrong with that?
It's literary.

Oh, well,

in that case,
you forgot the heaving.

The what?

In every book
I've ever read,

whenever there's an ample bosom
there's always heaving.

Do we have to talk
about this right now?

You're the one
who introduced the bosoms.

I'm simply asking
if you'd like them to heave.

Fine, let them heave.

ALEX:
Though he had
always considered himself

a member in good standing

of that great army
of destitute artists,

upon arriving
at the Delacroix estate,

Adam began to consider that
he may have been a bit hasty

in condemning the acquisition
of large sums of money.

Mr. Shipley,
Ylva will help you

get settled
in the guest cottage.

EMMA:
Ylva? What kind of name
is Ylva?

ALEX:
It's Swedish.

That's not a real name.

Who made that one up?
Jacques Cartier?

It's her name, okay?

Okay,
how do you spell it?

Just like it sounds.

I-L-V-A.

No, it's Y-L-V-A.

Y-L-V-A?
That's not how it sounds.

Well, that's how
she spells it!

Okay, you want Y-L-V-A,
it's Y-L-V-A.

Good.
Fine.

Just so you know,
it's not how it sounds.

EMMA:
Who is she, anyway?

ALEX:
She's this
pain-in-the-ass au pair.

[IN SWEDISH ACCENT]
Well, here we are.

Thanks, uh...

Ylva.

Ylva, now that's a beautiful
name. How do you spell that?

Y-L-V-A.
Uh-huh.

Just like it sounds.

EMMA:
Very funny.

ALEX:
What? I take from life.

I am to unpack for you.

Madame told me
to unpack for you.

All right.

So, uh,

she seems very nice, madame.

Has she been keeping company
with Mr. Shaw very long?

She does not love him.

Really?

But she will marry him.

Why?

She is desperate
for the money.

I thought she was
supposed to receive

a large inheritance
from her grandmother.

Yeah, but grandmother,

she takes a very long time
to die.

So if Polina had money,

she wouldn't
have to marry Shaw.

I see what you're doing.
You've got the triangle.

We already know Adam and Shaw
both like Polina.

Now we find out
they both have obstacles.

Yeah. It's called a plot.

And the reason you're being
sarcastic with me is?

Because if I don't finish
this book in 28 days,

two very large Cuban gentlemen
are going to see to it

that I'm not around
to enjoy a 29th.

Fine.

Except for the typing,
I'm not here.

Why do I think that will
never be altogether true?

ALEX:
As Adam settled
into his routine

at the Delacroix estate,

he knew he had a job to do.

Teach those children English

like they'd never
been taught before.

Focus. Focus.
He had to focus.

[GROANING]

Ah, who was he kidding?

There'd be no focusing
with Polina on the premises.

On Tuesday, he caught
a glimpse of her ankle

and was forced back to his room
for prayer and reflection.

Adam wondered:
was it possible?

Could a woman like Polina
actually be interested

in an ordinary man
like himself?

Why not?

This wasn't India.
There was no caste system here.

This was America,

where everybody had a shot
with everybody.

There was no denying it.

Her feelings for Adam
were as real

as the egg salad in his lap.

It was another glorious day
in Saint Charles

as Adam chased
Andre and Michele

who giggled as they conjugated
the verb "to run."

I run.

ANDRE:
You run! He run!

No, "run."
We run. You run.

They run.

[SPEAKING IN FRENCH]

No, you do not run.
You go wash your hands.

Ah, Elsa.

I have finished
mit der strudel.

EMMA:
Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
Who's she?

Elsa, the au pair.

I thought Ylva
was the au pair.

Yeah, I didn't have
a real fix on the character.

The Swedish wasn't working
for me. She needs more edge.

Swedes have no edge?

No. It's common knowledge.
They got that light blue flag.

It's better if she's German.

Of course,
because all Germans have edge.

No, not all.

But some, certainly.

I mean, Hitler
springs to mind.

Fine, she's German.

POLINA:
Thank you, Elsa.

Would you be so kind
as to take the children?

I must speak
with Mr. Shipley.

Yes, of course.

Let's go! Wash hands.
On to the house!

Our family is in something
of a crisis, Mr. Shipley.

Yes, I've heard.

Oh, Adam,

what a disaster
it all is.

ALEX:
Hearing his name from
her lips for the first time

was almost more
than he could bear.

Children shouldn't have to
deal with burdens like this.

I'll do my best
to see that they're protected.

I want to see
them happy.

I'll make sure
they're happy.

All I want is a simple life,

and a man to share it with.

A man who will
truly love me for me.

Is that too much to ask?

I think that's
very reasonable.

Would you kill for me?

I beg your pardon?

Would you kill Shaw for me?

You want me to--

[LAUGHS]

--kill Shaw?

I owe him so much money.

And if he lives,
I will have to marry him.

Yes.

Well, I'd kill him
in a second,

you understand.

It's just that, uh...

when you're a tutor,

and people see the word
"murderer" on your resume,

sometimes they have a tough time
getting past that.

[LAUGHING]

I'm teasing, of course.

ALEX:
It was at this moment
that Adam realized

that all that
stood between him

and the perfection
of Polina's arms

was inexhaustible wealth.

What is it with
guys like Adam?

What do you mean?

Do they really like being driven
crazy by women like Polina?

They're like lemmings
running into the sea.

They can't wait to be drowning
in their own misery.

If they're not in agony,

then it can't be love!

Why do men want
women like that?

Maybe you're not
picturing Polina

the way I'm picturing her.

What?

Gorgeous, exciting,
incredibly sexy?

[TOILET FLUSHING]

Maybe you are.

Yeah, that's great
for a weekend,

but what do you think
will happen in the long run?

What do you mean,
like the next weekend?

No. Like when it's time
for the first laundry.

I know. I know.

In great romantic novels,
there's no laundry.

There's people like
Ylva or Elsa to do it.

Maybe that's why
I like them.

They can wash
their own clothes.

[SIGHS]

EMMA:
Oh, yes. Adam needs a fortune

so he can live happily
ever after with his true love.

ELSA:
Who is it?

Elsa, it's me, Adam.

Oh, Mr. Shipley,
I'll be right there.

Oh, I'm sorry.
Am I inconveniencing you?

No, I was just washing
mein hair.

Come in.

Won't you sit down?

I can't stay long.
Sit down!

All right.

I'll make you tea.

EMMA:
Oh, this is good.

ALEX:
What?

You're creating another
triangle: Polina, Adam, Elsa.

No, she's just someone
he can talk to.

He feels comfortable
with her.

You know,
now that she's German.

I hear there's
a casino on the island.

Yeah?

The general goes there often
with Madame Blanche.

Where is this casino?

Right off the boardwalk,
next to the regency.

But, Mr. Shipley,
you're not thinking--

Elsa, do you believe
in destiny?

Destiny?

That a man and a woman
are meant to be together?

Yeah.

But only if they
are both ready.

With love,
one must be patient.

You must not eat the fruit
until it is ripe.

The baby must crawl
before he can walk.

The farmer must sow
before he can reap.

The butcher must
kill before he can--

Elsa, you struck oil.
Stop drilling.

I'm talking about
fate here.

When feelings are so powerful,

it's as if some force
beyond your control

is guiding you to someone
who can make you happy

beyond your wildest dreams.

I never thought I could
experience feelings

such as these,
until now.

I thought they only existed
in story books.

But now I know
it can be real.

It can?

Yes, Elsa. Yes.

Oh, Adam.

And once I have money,
my destiny,

Polina shall be mine.

ADAM:
Oh!

Oh!

I am so sorry!

Maybe if you blow on it!

Will you ever forgive me?

EMMA:
Why should she ask
for forgiveness?

Are you kidding?

She poured scalding hot water
on his crotch.

He led her on. He made her think
that he wanted her.

She misinterpreted.

No, I don't think so.

And don't tell me that
Elsa winds up getting hurt,

because that
would be so unfair.

I don't know.

Can't always control
what happens to characters.

Sometimes they take you
to unexpected places.

People get hurt in books.
People get hurt in real life.

Adam left a disappointed,
but resilient Elsa, like a--

Adam left a disappointed,
but resilient Elsa,

like a man on a mission.

A man on a mission
with hot, wet balls.

Alex...

Okay, lose the balls.

ALEX:
Adam entered the edifice

that he hoped
would transform his life.

Two hundred dollars was
all he had to his name.

It was enough to get him
through the summer

but certainly not enough
to win a woman like Polina.

CROUPIER:
Place your bets,
ladies and gentlemen.

ALEX:
The atmosphere
was intoxicating.

There was more money than
he had ever seen in his life.

MAN:
No more bets.

[SPEAKING IN FRENCH]

Seventeen, black.

How do I, uh...

Merci, monsieur.

[SPEAKING IN FRENCH]

Place your bets,
ladies and gentlemen.

[SPEAKING IN FRENCH]

ALEX:
His heart beat like a drum.

He understood instantly
that this wasn't just a game

he would play
for his amusement.

It meant a lifetime
of love with Polina.

Every roll, every bounce
of that little ivory ball

would bring him
one step closer to paradise.

CROUPIER: Zero! Zero!
Zero? That's green.

I thought there was only
red and black. There's green?

Oui, monsieur.

So what is that,
like a do-over?

No, monsieur,
you lost.

I lost?

You lost.

ALEX:
He lost.

Adam would have to find another
route to Polina's heart.

And what is so wrong
with poverty?

Ah! The voice
of the common man.

No, really.

Th-the proletariat
are not as miserable

as they're
made out to be.

Wealth does not
make for happiness, Mr. Shaw.

It is love
which sustains us.

The joy of family.
The wonders of nature!

The supreme pleasure
of spending

a life with someone
devoted to you!

And no amount of money will ever
give us these! No amount!

I see you found
the casino.

Very interesting concept,
Mr. Shipley.

Poverty as
an aphrodisiac.

[ALL SNIGGERING]

Pay no attention to him.
He's jealous of your purity.

Yes, I long for insolvency.

Oh, please, John.

[CLAUDE SPEAKING IN FRENCH]

Oui, Claude.

She's dead.

"Grandmother is gone. Stop.

"we have closed up
the house. Stop.

Details to follow.
Stop."

ALEX:
Could it be?

Money was no longer
an obstacle?

Polina found herself
with feelings

she never knew she had.

What she assumed would be
the answer to all her problems,

left her with
unexpected sorrow.

Her grandmother
had been a kind soul.

And Polina was filled
with the loss of the woman

who had so often
held her in her arms

and comforted her
with her warmth and wisdom.

[RAIN PATTERING]

That's beautiful.

You don't like it?

No, I'm saying
it's beautiful.

Well, thank you.

You're welcome.

I think that about
does it for today.

Okay.

You know,

you're not at all
like you seemed at first.

How's that?

Well...

at first you
seemed kind of like...

What?

Well, kind of a mess.

A mess.

Yeah. You live like a slob.
You're a hypochondriac.

You're extremely insecure,
and you lie.

Thank you.

It's true.

But...

somehow all those qualities
combine to make something...

I don't know. Nice.

I think your qualities
combine nice too.

What do you say we get an early
start tomorrow?

Okay, great. Early.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Okay.

Oh-oh!

[GASPS]

Oh, my God!

Wait! Wait!

BUS DRIVER:
All right, honey! It's all
right. Take your time.

Oh, my God!

Oh, my God!
Oh, my God!

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

Hi!

You said you wanted
to get an early start.

My alarm didn't go off.

What time is it?

EMMA:
Quarter to seven.

No wonder
it didn't go off.

What time
did you get up?

Around 5.
I'm an early person.

Some people are early people,
other people are late people.

What kind of person
would you say you are?

Are you moving in?

No, I just bought some groceries
for us, that's all.

For us?

Well, for me, really.

I can't keep working without
eating something normal,

but you're more
than welcome to them.

I mean, don't get me wrong.

I like fish sticks and Cap'n
Crunch as much as the next guy.

Sorry,
I just got caught up--

Oh, you don't
have to apologize.

I understand.
You're a creative genius.

You shouldn't have to worry

about things like food
or eating.

Why don't you go take a shower

and I'll make you some
breakfast?

No, no.
We don't have time.

We still need
at least 150 pages.

We'll eat as we work.

Let's see what we have
from yesterday.

Yesterday?

Yeah. Let's go over yesterday
to see where we are.

You know,
why don't we just keep going?

Like you said,
we don't have a lot of time.

If we keep going over and over
what we've already done,

then we won't get

finished.

"Adam walks through the casino

"and sees lots of people
sitting around and doing stuff

like playing roulette and
drinking booze and yakking."

I thought that Adam...

"Adam liked Polina, but he also
knew she was kind of weird.

"so, even though sometimes
he thought it was love,

all it really was that
he was hot for her."

Well, Alex, it's true.

No, it's not!

He's madly in love with her

from the first minute
he sees her!

And where's what I wrote?

I was getting on the bus.

[SOBS]

And there was rain

and a huge puddle.

And my feet just tripped.

And it just spilled.

And I'm sorry. And I tried.

I tried to fix it!

It's not your fault.

Yeah, it is.

I'll fix it.

I've lost pages before.
It'll be okay.

It will?

Yeah, it will be fine.
How many pages got wrecked?

Eighteen.

Eighteen.

[ALARM RINGING]

[SIGHS]

Time to get up.

ALEX:
As Polina mourned
for her beloved grandmother

and tended to family matters,

Adam struggled to keep his
feelings for Polina in check.

Adam's friendship with Elsa
continued to grow.

Unaware of the deeper feelings
she held for him,

he regaled her with stories
of the exciting life

that he would share
with Polina.

Adam's passions continued
to rage out of control.

With his beloved Red Sox
well out of contention

for the American
League pennant,

baseball no longer provided
a viable diversion.

Shaw was not to
be underestimated.

Despite the
insubstantial mustache,

he'd proven himself
to be a formidable foe.

Adam knew
that all too well.

He had to make
his move. But when?

Can I?

Yeah, sure. Go ahead.

I'm formulating.

I don't like tomato skins.

Who are you?

What?

We've been in this room
for over three weeks.

A-and besides the fact
that you have an opinion

for just about
everything that I do,

and a rather odd way
of eating pizza,

I don't know
anything about you.

Like,
where are you from?

What have you been doing
with your life?

Do you have any friends?
A boyfriend? Parents?

It's my personal life, Alex.

I know. I know.

And if you don't feel
like sharing,

I completely understand.

I live in Jamaica Plain.

Both my parents
are dead, I think.

My mother died six years ago.

My father left when
we were very young,

and I heard he drank
himself to death.

Like I said, if you
don't feel like sharing...

Did you mention whether
or not you have a boyfriend?

I didn't.

Do you think you
will mention it?

Maybe.

Do you think
you'll mention it now?

I do have a boyfriend.

And I met him last year

at a hockey game.

Oh.

Now, is it serious or is it just
one of those hockey romances?

We're planning on getting
married next June.

Oh.

Well, I think I'm about
done formulating.

Where was I?

Uh, Adam was deciding
when to make his move.

Yes.

ALEX:
Adam could wait no longer.

He felt like a kid
who had just finished counting

in hide-and-go-seek.

It was now,
"ready or not, here I come."

Yet still,
his overture must not appear

insensitive or indelicate.

[MOANING]

EMMA:
Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
What are they doing?

ALEX:
What does it look like
they're doing?

Just like that?

Why not?

Her grandmother just died.

Exactly.

She's looking for comfort.

I thought you said Adam was
going to be sensitive to her.

You're right. I did.

I am so sorry that
your grandmother died.

EMMA:
Alex, it just isn't
right like this.

Are you nuts?
It's fabulous like this.

No, it's not.

Yes, it is.

No, it's not.

Look, I'm the writer,
okay?

And I'm saying it is.

And I'm the reader, okay?

And I'm saying this
is really bothering me.

I am trying very
hard to like Adam,

and you're making it
extremely difficult.

You know what?

This isn't about Adam.

You've had it in for Polina
since the very beginning.

Oh, please!
You have.

I do not have it in for
a fictional character.

Okay.
She's flighty.

She's flirty.
She's a flawed character.

Oh, of course! The three fluhs:
flighty, flirty and flawed.

Yes. And clearly,

if he's chasing
after someone like her,

he's sitting on some
pretty major issues.

Oh, really?

She's the hottest girl
on the island by a factor of 10!

So, uh, maybe he's not
the one with the issues.

What is that
supposed to mean?

He's not the one who values
propriety over passion.

Are you saying
I don't believe in passion?

No. I-I'm sure you do,

just so long as
the laundry's done first.

Adam and Polina tumbled
passionately into bed.

Adam and Polina tumbled
passionately into bed.

Oh, boy! Now you're talking!

[MOANING]

[MOANING]

This-- This is a great island!

What?

Whoo!

[ADAM GROANING]

[YELLING]

What?

Whoo!
[MOANING]

[BOTH SIGHING]

I'm exhausted.

I bet you are.

Okay, so now what?

What do you mean?

Grandmother is dead.

Everything's worked out
for our lovebirds.

Polina has her money.
Adam has Polina. Shaw goes away.

Now what happens?

I have to vomit.

[ALEX GROANING]

You have no place
to go from here, do you?

You've written
yourself into a corner.

[ALEX CONTINUES GROANING]

You're supposed to put
your head over the toilet.

Yeah, I-- I've been vomiting
since I was 6.

I believe I can handle it.

I think I'm dying.

You're not dying.

No, really. I'm burning up.
I feel real bad.

[PANTING]

You're not that warm.

Why does everyone
just tacitly accept

the-hand-to-the-forehead test

as being medically reliable?

You're fine.

I've got a pain in my chest.
This could be serious.

Okay.

Listen,
if these symptoms persist

and you really think
you're having a heart attack,

now this is important,

I want you to
call me immediately.

Because there's no point
in my wasting bus fare

if you're just
going to be dead.

Have a nice evening.

[DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING]

EMMA:
So, what are you saying?
You're still blocked?

ALEX:
Totally.

I mean, who said it
better than you?

Grandmother's dead.
Polina's got the money.

Adam's got Polina,
and I've got nowhere to go.

You're not going to
vomit again, are you?

I've got to
get out of here.

Where are you going?

We don't have much time left.
Shouldn't we keep working?

This is working.
It is?

Yeah. When I get stuck,

I need to get my mind off
things for a while.

I need to look at birds, trees,
people doing things

like throwing Frisbees,
rollerblading,

that kind of thing.

Good. Maybe once
you clear your mind,

he should have never jumped
into bed with her like that.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

ALEX:
I wanted to be a writer
for as long as I can remember.

My parents got divorced
when I was 8.

I started writing stories
as a place to put my feelings.

I-- I found it
was a lot easier

to have characters
say things

than it was to say them myself.

That's the beauty of writing.
You can have things work out

the way they never
seem to in real life.

Sometimes things
work out in life.

Hey, I'm all for it.

Have you ever been married?

In real life? No.

Let me guess.

You just haven't
met the right woman.

Exactly.

And I know what
you're going to say:

you have to be
the right man

in order to meet
the right woman.

But I-I know in my heart
that I am the right man,

and I know that
the perfect woman is out there.

Someone who's smart,
funny, and beautiful.

And here's the tricky part:
interested in me.

I know she's out there.
I just can't seem to...

it's like...

I-I feel like one of those
greyhounds at the dog track.

You know, chasing the mechanical
rabbit? I get so close,

but I can never quite
seem to catch it.

They never do.

I know.

Maybe you don't
want to catch it.

* What did you say? *

* I know I saw you singing *

* My ears won't stop ringing *

* Long enough to hear
Those sweet words *

* What did you say? *

* All your love *

* Is a lost balloon *

* Rising up through *

* The afternoon *

* Till it could fit on
The head of a pin *

* What did you say? *

* I know I saw you singing *

I hope today helped.

It did.

Things are starting
to percolate.

I had a great time.

Me too.

Oh, this is it.

Oh.

Well...

* I just wanna
Hear those sweet words *

I got it! I got it!

What?

I never should have had
the grandmother die.

This is great!

Thank you! Thank you!

I love you!

You know
what I mean, right?

Yeah.

This is great.
Great.

All right. I'll see you
tomorrow. The grandmother lives!

Look who is alive!

The telegram
said you were gone.

Well, of course I was gone.

If I was not gone from there,
how could I be here?

Weren't you worried
taking such an arduous trip

considering your health?

My health is fine.

Those stupid doctors,
all idiots.

They should have
their licenses revoked.

Every last one of them!

First, they gave me
a year to live,

then it became six months.

Then less than a month.

To listen to them,

I'd be dead 10 minutes
after I got here!

[LAUGHING]

EMMA:
What are you doing?

The dead grandmother's what got
you stuck in the first place.

Now she's dead again?

No money at all?

Oh, your mother had acquired
one of the most extraordinary

collections of rare perfumes
in the history of France.

Worth a fortune.

As you know, your mother, God
rest her soul, made it to 90.

Sadly,
the perfumes did not.

What?
They all evaporated.

The last of it, during her
brief struggle with scurvy.

Your mother's
fortune has evaporated?

Every penny of it?

She had scurvy?

ALEX:
Upon hearing
grandmother's money

had gone the way
of all Chanel,

Adam pondered his fate.

He was no fool.

He was a tutor,
for God's sake.

He knew it was only
a matter of time

before Polina
would find herself

once again in
the arms of his rival,

the odious John Shaw.

He pondered the engagement.
He pondered the wedding.

And then he pondered
the wedding night.

It was at that
point he realized

maybe he should
stop pondering.

Eldora!

[SPEAKING IN SPANISH]

Oh, Senor Shipley,
you must try to forget her.

Here, have some paella.

EMMA:
Oh, whoa! Whoa!

What?
Eldora?

Eldora.

Eldora,
the Spanish au pair,

who was Elsa,
the German au pair,

who was Ylva,
the Swedish au pair?

Si.
No. Alex, absolutely not.

Even if Eldora was the greatest
character since Scarlet O'Hara,

which quite frankly
seems like a long shot,

we don't have time
to change everything.

I know, but--

Three days, Alex!
We have three days.

I know,
but something's missing.

Maybe he needs another obstacle
to keep him from Polina.

He's broke.
She's marrying another man,

and if you ask me,
she doesn't even love him.

I think he has
enough obstacles.

Wait. Wait. I got it.

It's not an obstacle,
it's the second triangle.

You were right about the second
triangle. This can work.

And the changes
will be easy.

She's an American
from Philadelphia,

and her name's Anna.

Hello, Adam.

What?

You seem different today,
Anna.

Did you do something
to your hair?

ALEX:
There was something in Anna's
eyes that Adam, until now,

blinded by his love
for Polina, hadn't seen.

A deep sadness,
combined with a quiet strength

that made her seem
incredibly beautiful.

EMMA:
Are you sure
you want to do this?

Absolutely.

It's not very attractive,
you know. He's just rebounding.

No, he's not.

Rebounding
like a wild man.

What are you
talking about?

This is the triangle
heating up.

Anna has feelings for him.
He has feelings for her.

But he also
has feelings for Polina.

This way, the reader doesn't
know who he'll wind up with.

You hook 'em in.

Who does he end up with?

See? Hooked.

What do you say
we head into town?

I have to--

You don't have to
do anything.

You're making stew.
That's why they call it stew.

You let it stew.

Come on. Live a little. I-I'll
buy you lunch. Are you hungry?

Not really.

Perfect.
I don't have any money.

Sounds good.

How did you come to work
for the Delacroix's?

I answered an ad
for a summer job five years ago.

I've been with
them ever since.

Summers in Saint Charles,
winters in Switzerland,

and the rest
of the year in Paris.

It sounds exciting.

Yeah.

Now that didn't
sound exciting.

I'm living their life,
not mine.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

Maybe we can do
something about that.

What?

Now, I'm just
spitballing here,

but how about this?

I like living my life.

ALEX:
While those of a more
cynical nature might think

that Adam
was merely on the rebound...

EMMA:
Cute.

ALEX:
...the truth is that
he found comfort in Anna.

And with each passing day, his
feelings for her grew stronger.

It's so interesting
watching this process unfold.

I-I didn't really understand
what you meant

when you said the characters
would lead you.

But now it's so clear
why Anna and Adam

would end up together
all this time.

They've been
so close to each other

without seeing
what they had.

Who says they're gonna
wind up together?

They're not?

I don't know.

How could they not
end up together

after they were
so romantic?

That's exactly the point.

See, if he's crazy
about one,

but only lukewarm
about the other,

where's your triangle?

But if he feels equally strong
about both women,

that's a real dilemma.
Yeah, but then you have--

No. Now we gotta
stir things up a little.

Shipley, how goes it,
my good man?

We're certainly in a good
mood today, old bean.

And why not?

Tonight, I shall ask Polina
for her hand in marriage

and by week's end,

we'll be off to Paris
to prepare for the wedding.

Tonight?

Congratulations.

And you're sure
she'll accept?

I have 500,000 reasons
that say she will.

Five hundred thousand.

That's a lot of reasons.

The lovely Polina
has expensive tastes.

[LAUGHING]

ALEX:
Adam thought he had
gotten over Polina.

But the imminence
of her betrothal

made one thing
abundantly clear.

It was time to start
pondering again.

How does one choose
between two women

that one loves so dearly?

One pulls one's head
out of one's ass

and realizes the obvious.

What we have
is substantial.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

When you lie in bed
at night,

is that
what you dream of,

something substantial?

Or do you
dream of glamour,

excitement,

a life of adventure?

Dreams are often only that.
Excuse me?

I'm just saying our love
is based on something real.

It's based on caring,

understanding,
mutual respect.

You left out
that you gave him

the wildest,
most passionate sex

he's ever experienced.

Oh, wait. That was me.

ALEX:
He was wracked
with confusion.

For the first time in his life

he understood the true meaning
of the expressions,

"horns of a dilemma"

and "between a rock
and a hard place."

Although the concept

of "paying through the nose"
had always tormented him.

How does the money get in
the nose in the first place?

Once in,
is it pulled out by hand

or is a sneeze involved?

And who would accept
such a transaction?

Burning questions all,
but he had bigger fish to fry.

What do you
have to think about?

I'm here.

I'm in love with you
and she's not even available.

I could be.

Yes, for $500,000,

which you don't have.

A small obstacle
for a great man.

A small obstacle
for a great life.

I need money.

EMMA:
Oh, no!

Good. That's exactly
the reaction I want.

I want the reader
to be surprised.

Do you want the reader to hit
you over the head with the book?

Think like a writer.
There's more to play with here.

Where does he get the money?

You got the ticking clock
with Shaw's proposal,

and you still don't know who
he's going to wind up with.

If he makes a play
for Polina and loses,

Anna would have to be
an idiot to take him back.

I don't know.

The human heart,

it's an ethereal web of
contradicting emotions. Hmm,

impossible to decipher
in all its complexity.

Yeah, an idiot.

Okay, good. Can we, uh...

Although his feelings
for Anna were undeniable,

his feelings for Polina
were slightly more undeniable.

[BAND PLAYING]

ALEX:
In the course of the summer
on Saint Charles,

he had made
many acquaintances,

some more savory
than others.

Do you dance the flamenco?

Well, I, uh...

because real men
dance the flamenco.

Are we loaning money
to a real man?

I have been known to flick
a castanet on occasion, yeah.

ALL:
Prove it!

[SHOES SQUEAKING]

Stay with me, boys.

He's good.

The interest
is 200 percent.

We give you 5,000.

In one year,
you pay us 15,000.

Two hundred percent?
That's outrageous!

Senor, you are
a desperate man.

You're dancing the flamenco
to get money.

This is not a strong
bargaining position.

Two hundred percent.
I can't!

Two hundred percent.
You're thieves.

Take it or leave it.

Okay, 200 percent.

Fine.

You pay us back in one year
or we kill you.

I have $5,000.

Will the casino remove
its limit for me tonight?

[WHISPERING]

As you wish, monsieur.

[SPEAKING IN FRENCH]

Place your bets,
ladies and gentlemen.

ALEX:
For Adam, the moment had come.

He knew this time
it would be different,

and it was.

[CROUPIER SPEAKING IN FRENCH]

Yes!

[PEOPLE CHEERING]

Yeah!

[PEOPLE CHEERING]

[CROUPIER SPEAKING IN FRENCH]

[PEOPLE CHEERING]

[CROUPIER SPEAKING IN FRENCH]

[ALL CHATTERING]

[WHISPERING]

The management has asked me
whether you might be willing

to retire for the evening?

One more bet.

My entire stake, 320,000,

on black.

[ALL EXCLAIMING]

Okay.

Very well, monsieur.

ALEX:
One more win
and Polina would be his.

There are times in life
when for no apparent reason

an unexplained sense
of well-being comes over you.

You're at one
with the universe.

You know exactly who you are,

and your place
in the world is secure.

For Adam, that sense
of ultimate bliss

was destroyed by two words.

[CROUPIER SPEAKING IN FRENCH]

CROUPIER:
Thirty-six, red.

ALEX:
Just like that,
it was all gone.

His money,
his future with Polina,

and, Adam was convinced,
his life.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

[KETTLE WHISTLING]
Please don't tell me

he's gonna go
running back to Anna.

I don't know.

Again, you don't know.

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

I'll get it.

ALEX:
Who the hell could that be?

It's a lady.

[SPEAKING IN SPANISH]

I hope we're not
disturbing you, baby.

As a matter of fact,
you are.

Oh!

It's a figure of speech.

How are you doing, boys?
I like those shirts.

You've got a bat.

We're here
for a reminder.

Wait a second. I got
one more day. I'm almost done.

No-- No, it's good.
We help you to finish.

What are you doing?

[YELLS]
Jesus!

[GASPING]

No distractions.

Come on, that's my TV!
What-- What are you guys--

[SPEAKING IN SPANISH]

This is...

It's good.
You finish the book.

You get the money.
You buy a flat screen.

Better picture, man.

Twenty-four hours, chico.

Not 25.

[SPEAKING IN SPANISH]

Bye, lady.

Oh, my God.

Are you okay?

Oh, my God!
Are you all right?

Oh, my God!
Should we call the cops?

I-I don't think
that's a very good idea.

L-let's just finish the book.
They'll get their money.

Everything will be fine.

Wait a minute.

Those are the flamenco
dancers, aren't they?

You borrowed money to gamble?
Are you out of your mind?

Yeah, at the time, yes.

So is everything
in this book true?

No. I mean, there are
things I take from real life

that work for the story.

Who else is gonna show up? Do
you have some sick grandmother

who'll come rolling
in here and drop dead?

No.
Is there really a Polina?

Look, Emma,

the next time dimwit
and lowboy come back here,

they're not just gonna be
smashing

telephones and TV's,
you know.

So, please,

l-let's just
try and finish.

There are banks, you know.

Yes, I know.

If you want to take
a break, I understand.

No, I'm fine.
Okay.

You're the one
they want to kill.

Way to bounce back.
Here we go.

As Adam walked to-- No.

As Adam wandered
the streets of Saint Charles

like a man who had
not only lost all his money,

but all sense of who he was...

He found himself lying

under the boardwalk,
next to an old seagull.

He stared vacantly
into the gull's eyes

and finally drifted off...

Alex?

Alex?

How you doing?

Were you sleeping
or just thinking?

I was sleep-thinking.

Maybe we should take a break.

No. We've got
to keep going.

Alex, if we just get
a couple hours of sleep,

then we can make
the final push.

Okay. Two hours.

I'm gonna sleep
here on the couch.

You take the bed. Set the alarm
while you're up there.

No, you should
sleep in the bed.

I'll be fine on the couch.

Look at you. You can't
get any rest like that.

Well, neither would you, so...

All right, we'll both
sleep in the bed.

You sure?
Yeah.

Okay.

So you want
to sleep together.

You're right.

You should
sleep on the couch.

No, I'm saying it's a rarely
used meaning of the term

"sleep together",

where there's
actual sleep involved

with snoring, and REM cycles
and all that.

That's all I meant.

I'm setting the alarm.

Good night.

Can you say good night

if you're only sleeping
for two hours?

Good night.

Apparently you can.

[SIGHS]

Good night.

[EXHALES]

So, what's his name?

What?

What's his name?

Who?

Your fiancé.

I thought we were
trying to get some sleep.

I just want to know
what his name is.

It's Art.

Art Greco.

Art Greco?

Mmm-hmm.

Art Greco,
the discount dentist?

What?

The guy on all the buses?

Oh.

Yeah.

Yeah.
Huh.

He must be good,

because you've got
excellent teeth.

Alex.

Wait a minute. I mean...

maybe I'm being
presumptuous here.

I mean, just because
he's your fiancé

and a dentist

doesn't automatically
make him your dentist.

Maybe it's one of those
conflict of interest things,

like a doctor that won't
operate on his own family.

On the other hand,

drilling a tooth
isn't exactly surgery,

although they do call it
oral surgery. So, I suppose--

All right, I lied!

I don't have a boyfriend,
I don't have a fiancé.

I'm not getting married.

But Art Greco
is your dentist.

I'm sorry.

But if you met you
the way I met you,

what would you have done?

I probably would have
turned around and walked out.

I'm glad you didn't,
though.

Me too.

I'm also glad
you don't have a boyfriend.

Me too.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

ALEX:
He awoke early
the next morning

to find the seagull
sitting on his chest.

As the early morning mist
on the beach

and the one in his mind
started to clear,

his thoughts turned
once more to Polina.

Alex.

Yes?

Is there a Polina?

What do you mean?

In real life.

[SIGHING]

No. Not really,
you know.

She's an amalgam.

An amalgam?

Yeah. She's a combination
of a lot of women I've known.

You've been with
a lot of women like her?

No. You know,

you meet people like that.
They run in a fast crowd.

You've been
in these fast crowds?

No. You know
what I mean. You...

you read about them.

They're always
running off to be with

that guy on a boat
or this guy

on a private plane.
And...

she's an amalgam.

ALEX:
Adam went to find Polina,

hoping against hope there was
still a chance for him.

How much did you lose?

Everything.
But I can win it back.

Would you be a dear
and hand me that pumice stone?

Look...

Ahem. Polina,

I know it's a cliché...

Ahem. A cliché to say

that the best things
in life are free

and that money
can't buy love,

but that's how
they become clichés,

because they're true.

I-I mean, shouldn't
love trump everything?

If only we lived
in a world of shoulds.

We can.

No, we should.
But we can't.

Polina.

Please don't deny yourself
real happiness.

I'll try not to.

Could you hand me
that robe over there?

[SIGHING]

Oh!

Adam,

there were times
I just adored you.

ALEX:
With the vacation
coming to a close

and with the pieces
of his heart scattered

by the summer winds
of Saint Charles,

Adam sought solace
in the one person

who had always
been there for him.

She was a modern woman.

She would understand
if he spoke from his heart.

He was certain
she would take him back.

I don't suppose there's
any chance you might--

No.

Because I went off--
Yeah.

So even if I was to come--
No.

Because I've
shown myself to be--

Exactly.
Okay. So I'll just go--

Yeah.

[SHIP HORN BLOWING]

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

ALEX:
For the first time in his life

he truly understood
the expression:

"hell hath no fury
like a woman scorned."

Not to mention,

"never bite off more
than you can chew."

"Paying through the nose,"
on the other hand,

continued to present problems.

[HORN BLOWING]

The end.

He ends up alone.

You think it's too sad?

It's the only way
it can be.

He obviously never had
a chance with Polina,

and Anna, who was
a real possible,

as soon as he felt himself
getting close to her,

he ran for the hills.

It's a classic case
of fear of intimacy.

Yeah.

Your other book was
about that too, wasn't it?

No, that was about
fear of commitment.

Oh.

Yeah. Right.

Okay.

Well, it's a funny book.

And it's sad.

And it makes me feel
for everyone in it,

and you did it in
29-and-a-half days.

You should feel very good.

Yeah.
So where are you going?

I have three days
of transcription to do.

And we only have six hours
until the Cuban invasion.

Do you really think
it's good?

I think it's very good.

Thank you, Emma.

You're welcome.

Emma?

[SIGHING]

I, uh...

you know...

I, uh...

I "uh" you too.

Bye.

Hey, taxi!

Hey!

Merci, monsieur.
Keep the change.

No.

[RINGING]

Hello.

[STATIC CRACKLING]

Hello?

Polina?

Hi.

Hi.

[CLEARS THROAT]

You look good.

You too.

Mmm.

So how you been?

[CHUCKLES]

I left John.

Really?

[SIGHS]

What can I say?

I shouldn't have gone with him
in the first place.

No, you were looking out
for your children.

That's my problem.

I never think
of my own happiness.

You should have
knocked me out, tied me up.

Taken me away with you.

Thank you.

Deep down,

I always knew
you were the one.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

Alex?

Alex?

Are you seeing anyone?

When I saw you
on that dock,

you were like something
out of a fairy tale.

Mmm, Alex.

No, really,
I became intoxicated,

like somebody had slipped
something into the air.

EMMA:
All done.

Emma?

Uh, I-I didn't know
you'd be finished so soon.

I mean, I was just
on my way back.

It's okay, I found you.

[CAR HONKING]

Emma, this is Polina.
Polina, this is Emma.

She's my stenographer.

I just finished dictating
my novel to her.

She did an amazing job.

I have to go.

It was very nice
to meet you, Polina.

I've heard so much
about you.

I'll be right back.

Ahem. Emma.

I didn't know
she was coming.

I thought she was--
Don't, Alex!

Please! 'Cause you know what
happens with these things.

Somebody always
says something

to try to make
the other person feel better,

but it never does, so if you
could just not say anything!

Your stenographer?

You introduced me
as your stenographer?

I-I didn't know
what to say.

I-I didn't want to hurt
either one of you.

No, Alex.

Who you didn't want
to hurt was you.

Emma.

Wait a sec.

You know what
I can't figure out?

What's it gonna be,
sweetheart?

Yeah, one second.

I can't figure out
what's worse,

having to know
every single detail

about your desperate love
for some other woman,

or having to know that you
obviously never came close

to feeling the same way
about me.

Goodbye, Alex.

[BUS PULLING AWAY]

She's not just
your stenographer.

No.

Is she your girlfriend?

Not anymore.

Come with me tonight.

There's a darling little
charity ball

at the Ritz.
Landmines, I think.

No, I don't think I can--

Hey, it's perfect.
You finished your novel.

We can leave for Paris
in the morning.

It's beautiful
this time of year,

and the kids would
love to see you.

I'll take you to Giverny.

Have you ever seen
the water lilies?

They're magical.

Polina,

have you ever done
your own laundry?

What?

Nothing.

WIRSCHAFTER:
You should have a gun
to your head more often.

You like it?
You kidding me?

Usually an author falls on his
ass with his second effort.

This is terrific.

Okay!

Here you go.
Just like you requested.

Twenty five thousand dollars
made out to you

and a hundred thousand dollars
made out to...

now, is it "Cuban mafia"

or "the Cuban mafia"?

I'm kidding, cash.

So...

what do you think
of the ending?

I like it. It's bittersweet.

Yeah.

[DOG BARKING]

[PHONE RINGING]

EMMA:
Hi, I can't come
to the phone right now.

Please leave a message.

[BEEPING]

ALEX:
Emma, it's me.

If you're there,
please pick up.

I'm not just calling
to make you feel better.

I really need to talk to you.

Please give me a call.

[CLICKING]

Can we talk?

Oh!

Did the fact that you called
17 times last night

with no response from me

send any kind
of signal to you?

Yeah. I mean,
I'm not an idiot.

I figured you wanted
to talk to me,

but your machine was broken.

Emma, w-wait a second.
Emma, wait.

Look, I--
I think I'm in love with you.

I think I couldn't care less.

Emma, please, just--

ANNOUNCER [ON TV]:
He screwed up big-time

with his wife's cousin!

I did not start
this whole thing.

ANNOUNCER:
He tells one version.

She was telling me
the whole time

that my wife
was cheating on me.

ANNOUNCER:
She tells another.

WOMAN:
That's not how it happened.
No. No, it's not.

Maybe my life's
not so bad.

[PHONE RINGING]

ANNOUNCER:
His wife--

Hello?

Emma?

Alex, if you keep this up--
I have your check.

I could bring it over
if you want.

Because you worked
so many extra hours

I added in up--
Send it to me.

I need to talk to you
about the book.

No.

Look, the ending is not right.
My editors think it's fine.

You're the only one
I can talk to about it.

I'm not gonna do this, Alex.

I think Adam should
end up with Anna.

I don't think so.

There are some things that are
nothing more than what they are.

They're not meant to last.

They just take their place
in your heart

and make you a little smarter
the next time.

Emma.

If you care for me
as much as you say you do,

then please
respect my feelings

and let's move on
with our lives, okay.

Okay?

Okay.

Good night, Emma.

Goodbye, Alex.

[PHONE CLICKS]

[DIAL TONE BUZZING]

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]

[KEYBOARD CLICKING]

[PHONE RINGING]

Can I help you?

Well, I'm here
for a deposition.

Is there a Mr. Taylor?

Ah, yes.

We've been expecting you.
If you could just take a seat.

Your stenographer is here.

Yes, I'll tell her.

Someone will be with you
in just a moment.

[DOOR OPENING]

MAN:
Good morning.

I'm Marty Van Buren.
Won't you come in?

Yes.

Just follow me.

Jenny, uh,
could you get me

that deposition
on the McKinley case?

Right away.
Great.

Okay, why don't you
just, uh,

go in here and set up,

and, uh, Zack Taylor will be
with you in a minute.

Thank you.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

[DOOR OPENING]

Oh, Jesus!

Welcome to Polk, Taylor,
Fillmore, Pierce & Van Buren.

I take it you met Marty.

What is this?

He's actually my publisher.
These are his offices.

He charged me an arm and a leg
for all the new lettering,

but the role-playing
was free.

What do you want from me?

I told you. I wanna change
the ending of the book

'cause, you know, some people,

they go to the last page.
It's important--

I think you should get
someone else to do this.

Look, there's
no one else that I trust.

You're the only one who'll know
if it's real, if it's honest.

Alex.

It's only a couple of pages.
Emma, please.

Oh.

[SIGHS]

Adam returned to Andover

filled with
the dizzying emotions

of the summer
on Saint Charles.

Emotions that he hoped
he could capture on paper.

When his thoughts
turned to Polina,

it was as if she were
some kind of dream.

I can't do this.

Please, Emma.
Just keep typing.

Please.

He remembered
her flawless skin,

her dark, intense eyes,

her captivating smile.

Then one day, that dream
walked back into his life.

Her beauty
was still undeniable.

Why are you
doing this to me?

Because I need you
to understand.

Just let me finish, Emma.
Then you can walk out the door,

and I swear I'll never
bother you again.

Her beauty
was still undeniable,

but it wasn't the same.

As she spoke
of her feelings for him,

all he could think
of was Anna.

Sweet, caring,
beautiful Anna,

and how his own failings
had driven her away.

Anna had become
part of him.

He had fallen so completely
in love with her

that it was hopeless to think

that he could ever be
with anyone else.

And so he said
goodbye to Polina

and set off to win back
the heart of his true love.

Yes, Polina
had been a dream,

like a creation
from one of his stories,

but Anna was real.

And for the first time
in his life

that felt more powerful

than anything
he could ever invent.

The end.

Nice last sentence.

I'm just a writer, Emma.

I don't know
what to do to show you

how much I love you.
I only have words.

That's all I have.

Maybe I was wrong.

About what?

Maybe you can
catch the rabbit.

* What did you say? *

* I know I saw you singing *

* My ears won't stop ringing *

* Long enough to hear
Those sweet words *

* What did you say? *

* Another day *

* The hour hand has spun *

* Before the night is done *

* I just have to hear
Those sweet words *

* Spoken like a melody *

* All your love *

* Is a lost balloon *

* Rising up through *

* The afternoon *

* Till if it could fit
On a head of a pin *

* Come on in *

* Did you have
A hard time sleeping? *

* 'Cause a heavy moon *

* Was keeping me awake *

* And all I know is *

* I'm just glad
To see you again *

* See, now love *

* Like a lost balloon *

* Rising up through *

* The afternoon *

* And then *

* You appear *

* What did you say? *

* I know I saw you singing *

* But my ears
Won't stop ringing *

* Long enough to hear
Those sweet words *

* And your simple melody *

* I just have to hear
Those sweet words *

* Spoken like a melody *

* I just wanna hear
Those sweet words *

[***]