"Why Emmet Ray?" "Because he was interesting." "He was a fascinating character." "I was a big fan when I was young." "I thought he was a great guitar player." "And he was funny, yknow?" "Or if funnys the wrong word, then, y'know, sort of pathetic." "He was flamboyant and he was... boorish and obnoxious." "The problem is that little is known about him." "But we do know he was a great guitarist." "I'd say the second greatest guitarist in the world." "Django Reinhardt was the best and Emmet idolised him." "He was in awe of him." "They say that when he saw him playing in France, he fainted." "He saw Django again at a restaurant in Germany... and fainted again." "It seems that Django always made him faint or cry." "His relationship with Hattie is what's known most about him." "There are a few Emmet Ray stories before that... but I don't know if they're true or not." "The first time he was heard of was in Chicago." "At this roadside joint." "Good to see you." "Where the hell is he?" "l don't know." "Lying drunk somewhere." "Hes probably in the poolroom." "Every night its something else." "He's late, hes a no-show, he's drunk, he falls over." "I told you not to hire the guy." "You think this crowd are here to see me?" "Relax, lll find him." "I'll have to hold the show again." "iii kill him, I dont care if hes an artist." "Take care of business." "Relax, lll find him." "Good to see you again." "You owe me fifty more." "Alright, I won't leave town." "Another one?" "I think you got visitors." "I'll be back." "What did we get?" "Heres your end." "$30 is all you bring me?" "It's almost midnight." "Its half." "Thats all we made." "I cant live on that." "I got car payments, new shirts." "Sorry, but business was slow." "Its a Jewish holiday." "And last night it rained and the night before you were ill." "Cause I drank that booze of yours." "I dont know how to say this, but... while I was in bed with one of those johns... he got excited and... he got a heart attack, and dropped dead." "Which one?" "The salesman from Detroit." "Whatd you do?" "Nothing. I took my clothes and left." "So they cant trace back it to us." "Then I thought maybe he had one of your business cards." "A pimp doesn't need business cards!" "You always try to be too fancy!" "You should be on stage now." "Youre either late, drunk, or you dont show up." "What's up with you?" "lm on right now." "Thanks for coming." "iii pay their tab." "lm sorry, but the boss said no more advances." "Dont give me that." "Put their tab on my bill." "It's always full there." "We always have fun at Don's." "Donald!" "Watch out, man." "l got this." "You take care of that." "We caught him a couple times." "Dont let him know." "Caught what?" "Mind your business." "Watch the road." "What you got there?" "A 45?" "45 what?" "Emmet, put that shit away." "Wanna go to the dump, shoot some rats?" "Shoot some what, man?" "Rats." "I do it all the time." "Its a lot of fun." "A hepcat shooting rats." "You don't need no more of this." "There should be no guns in my car besides mine." "Whered you learn to play like that?" "I never heard guitar sound so good." "I'm the greatest in the world." "Well, in France theres Django." "Django?" "He's coming to America this summer to record." "Oh yeah?" "Ever meet him?" "I could've once, in Europe." "Our styles are just different." "Nate Drummond prefers me." "He says I'm miraculous." "Come here anytime." "We play here all the time." "And I make great chili." "Thanks." "We gotta hit it." "Can we drop you anywhere?" "No, lll walk." "You sure?" "Yeah, thanks." "I heard he was a kleptomaniac." "And that he once stole Hoagy Carmichael's alarm clock." "And Hoagy overslept and missed a record date." "The only other story, apart from the Hattie thing... was this moon idea he had." "He had this idea about a crescent moon." "He wanted to make an entrance on a big crescent moon." "They say it came to him, apparently, in a dream... that hed build the moon with his own money... because he thought a star of his stature and genius... ought to be able to make a really big entrance with a moon." "Imagine it, you look up and there it is." "Gold, beautiful moon." "And I'm coming down and youre all playing." "What dyou think?" "I told you, it's a stupid idea." "Let me take the shot!" "I didn't ask your opinion." "I'm telling you how it'll go." "And my jacket would match the moon." "Against a black velvet backdrop." "What dyou think?" "Sounds okay to me." "It's fancy." "lm considered the best guitarist... maybe ever lived." "Certainly in this country." "Theres this gypsy in France... who's the most beautiful thing I ever heard." "Tonights the night." "What's important is that youre happy." "It's really beautiful." "It is beautiful." "Like jewelry." "I wanna be alone with the moon for a minute, okay?" "You wanna be alone with the moon?" "Okay." "Know what you are?" "A genius." "She's a knockout, ain't she?" "Hope its safe." "Of course it's safe." "Why wouldnt it be safe?" "Its a hell of a drop." "A man can break his neck." "Really?" "Its starts to build in Emmets mind." "And by showtime... hes numb with fear." "He's petrified." "And the audience is waiting, and he's backstage... drinking and drinking." "When it's time to play, he's stiff as a board." "Snazzy there!" "is it off-the-rack?" "Blind me!" "Look, the Big Dipper!" "Emmet, your gun is bulging." "Ya think?" "Why do you need it onstage?" "I don't feel right without it." "Come on, boys." "Showtime!" "Good luck." "Break a leg." "Thank you." "Emmet, need a boost?" "Ready?" "Come on." "I'm okay." "No, I'm alright." "You alright?" "Emmet, be careful!" "Want me to hold it?" "Alright." "You're on?" "Need a hand?" "Alright, lets do it." "Sooner or later... all our dreams go up in smoke." "What about my dreams, Emmet?" "I cant settle down, Ann." "We don't have to marry." "I cant!" "I got to be free." "lm an artist." "I thought you liked me." "We have fun." "I took you to the dump." "I let you shoot at some rats." "Shooting rats isn't my idea of a good time." "Why not?" "We brought sandwiches." "Sitting watching trains is pretty strange, too." "See?" "Thats what I mean." "What I like and what you like aint the same." "No, thats not it, Emmet." "It's that you lock up your feelings and feel nothing for anyone else." "You say it like it's a bad thing." "Terrible things happen to people in love." "I enjoy being with women. I love them." "Its just I... I don't need them." "That's the way it is when you're a true artist." "But it doesn't mean we can't fool around." "Oh, right." "Or shoot rats or watch trains." "You lock up your feelings." "I let my feelings come out in my music." "If you let them out in real life, the music might be even better." "Dont talk." "Emmet met Hattie in New Jersey." "They were playing at a hotel, and on a day off..." "Emmet and his drummer, Bill Shields... were doing their version of charm." "Trying to pick up girls on the boardwalk." "Heaven on earth!" "Cotton candy, 8 o'clock." "Watch me work." "Mary!" "Drop dead, jerk!" "I thought I knew you." "Sometimes I hit it." "Tina!" "Mary Ann!" "Marge!" "Kate!" "Kate?" "Excuse me, I'm a photography buff myself." "I thought maybe my friend could take our picture." "Wait a minute." "Time out." "You see this?" "She looked at me." "She smiled." "That was a smile." "We got a chance." "Which one you want?" "The short one with the silly hat." "She's more my size." "I saw her first!" "You want the little one?" "Take the little one." "Okay, I'll take the redhead." "Come on, theyre going." "The little ones okay." "The redheads got nice legs and a nice chest." "lll take the redhead." "The little ones cute." "Nice face and cupid-bow lips, but ill take the redhead." "You wanted the little one." "Changed my mind." "iii flip you." "Call." "Tails." "l got the little one." "Now they got to agree." "Come on." "Well go on the ferris wheel." "Theyre going." "Remember you wanted to go last year?" "Excuse me!" "Excuse me." "You from around here?" "Yes." "We work near here." "lm Billy Shields, a musician." "He's with my quintet." "lm Emmet Ray." "The Emmet Ray Hot Quintet, at the Lakeside Ballroom." "Its our day off." "Could you show us the sights?" "You wanna watch some trains?" "What?" "He's kidding." "Lets have a drink." "Ask him." "I liked you instantly." "We flipped, and I got you." "I'm Gracie MacRae." "Billy Shields." "You have the most beautiful blue eyes ive ever seen." "This is my friend Hattie." "lm Emmet Ray." "I got the quintet." "You like jazz, baby?" "How about a boat ride?" "Sure." "We'd love to." "A ride round the lake." "Great." "What's your name?" "Don't be shy." "Hattie dont talk." "Shes mute." "Wanna take a boat ride?" "Thanks for sticking me with the dummy." "Don't whine." "You wanted her." "I changed my mind." "She seems like a nice girl." "Nice girl?" "She doesn't talk!" "It's my day off." "I want a talking girl." "I think she's a bit of a half-wit." "What d'you mean?" "Gracie says shes not all there." "Great!" "A man like me, whos got ideas..." "Try to have a good time." "Wanna go for a walk on the pier?" "You hungry?" "is that a yes or a no?" "Yeah, me too." "What?" "Cant read it. its like Chinese." "What do you want?" "D'you know how to write?" "Did you go to school?" "What is that?" "A yes or a no?" "You're a hard-luck case." "You an orphan?" "You don't know?" "Oh, this is great, great." "I get a goddam mute, orphan half-wit." "The jackpot." "Were you born like this, or were you dropped on your head?" "Come on, Gracies hungry." "Let's go get some clams." "Can we switch for a while?" "No!" "Whats up with you?" "I was amazing the second I picked up the instrument." "Its in me, like a gift of God." "They say I'd be great whatever instrument I chose." "But on guitar, no-one can touch me." "Except this gypsy in France." "But mostly lm untouchable." "They want me to record." "They do, but I dont know." "Once you record, they can all copy your stuff." "They steal your ideas." "Why make something beautiful for some jerk to copy it?" "You wanna hear the show?" "My guest!" "Yeah, both of you." "You'd appreciate it." "You would. I possess a great talent." "You might be mute, but not deaf, right?" "You dont have to be bright." "Musics for everyone." "The smart or the dumb." "Howd you lose your voice?" "She don't know." "When she was a kid, a fever or something." "She don't remember." "is she...?" "Yes, but shes a good laundress." "lve shot guys." "Thats right." "I had to, you know?" "It was them or me." "I could tell you stories." "Hey, shall we go to the dump and shoot some rats?" "What?" "ltll be a ball." "You kidding?" "Emmet, please, not now." "Its my car." "Were stopping at the dump for 10 minutes." "Squeeze it, don't jerk it." "This is fun?" "Its disgusting." "Your friends nuts." "iii take care of it." "Emmet,let's go!" "In a minute." "Go ahead." "Do what I say." "Will you leave her alone?" "Let's keep it civil." "See how I got him?" "Call this civil?" "What are you doing?" "No more cheese for this one!" "Don't pick it up!" "Theyre diseased." "Put it down!" "You know rats attack babies?" "Thought youd enjoy this." "Are you crazy?" "Want to come to my room and hear me play?" "D'you think we could go out alone sometime?" "Good." "Come on." "Come on in." "That's my guitar." "iii play it for you soon." "Like a drink?" "I know that... we only just met, but... I had a wonderful evening." "I dont need a genius to have a good time." "I know I'm a fast worker..." "Jeez!" "You dont put up much resistance." "Lots of girls do... on a first date." "Hold on." "Hold it." "Time out." "I'm getting razzled by your pace." "You like me?" "I expected more of a fight." "Like shooting fish in a barrel." "You like that?" "I knew you would." "They say lm a wonderful lover." "You got a terrific body." "You really do." "Round." "I like round." "I don't mean fat." "You got heft." "Makes a fella feel hes been someplace." "Now get dressed." "lm tired." "I gotta sleep." "If I don't sleep, I get cranky." "I'd give you the cab fare, but its not far to walk home." "First time I had sex, seven years old." "The guitar." "Right." "Thats why we came here." "Get dressed. I'm exhausted." "Any favourite song?" "Look who im asking!" "I've lived in Detroit, Canada..." "New York St Louis." "My father was in the army." "I never got along with him." "Used to hit me with a belt." "Hes dead now." "Got asphyxiated." "I'm pretty sure my mother's dead too." "She used to get spells." "I don't know if the family put her away... or if she's dead." "She used to foam at the mouth." "She sang beautifully." "The most beautiful music I heard." "Except for this... gypsy guitarist in France." "You know I cant listen to him without crying?" "Give us a shot." "iii be busy later." "Something came up." "You go home by yourself." "No, wait." "What's that look for?" "What did I do?" "I got business." "We got to be together every minute?" "Go get yourself a cab... and ill see you tomorrow." "Where the hell am I?" "Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania?" "I take a puff in Jersey, and I end up in Pennsylvania." "I gotta get a cab." "I gotta get a cab." "I need a taxi!" "Can I get a cab?" "Sorry, Emmet." "I had no choice." "We got a contract." "l run a first-class hotel." "lt was an emergency." "An emergency." "What kind?" "My father died." "Again?" "How many times is that?" "Okay, lll come clean." "I was abducted and threatened." "Missing for 4 days." "We had the police out." "I'm tired of waiting to see if you'll show or not." "Its over!" "Look, I got to borrow a few bucks for cab fare." "Youre kidding." "How much?" "900 dollars." "Whats the matter?" "I know this routine." "lm free. I do as I please." "I might as well tell you, I quit the job." "I told him to take the job and stick it." "So the bands off to Hollywood sooner than I thought." "I didn't tell you about Hollywood." "We're making a movie." "A little short one." "Couple of minutes of us playing "All of Me." "You know?" "Good." "Why'd you look at me like that?" "Look, I met some guys, we had a few drinks... one thing led to another... and next thing I knew... I woke up out of town." "Look, I dont have to account to you." "Alright?" "Were not married." "I'm not the marrying kind." "I cant settle." "Whole idea leaves me cold." "So I thought I'd... buy you some lunch... and say goodbye." "iii come through here again, I'm sure... sometime." "Youre a spoiled dope, you know?" "I buy you things or we go to the movies, youre fine." "But if things dont go your way... I gotta go, and there's no way youre coming." "You got responsibilities." "You got a job." "You got... underwear and socks to wash." "And I can't have my life cluttered. lm a great artist." "I need to be free." "So it's goodbye." "Okay?" "How many fingers I got?" "Ten, right?" "Ten...nine...eight seven...six..." "Thats eleven, see?" "Look, if you come, its not a free ride." "lm not a charity." "I don't know what I'm doing here." "If you come, you work." "Whats up?" "No-one said it'd be a picnic." "And I can't risk my hands." "AMATEUR TALENT CONTEST $100 first prize" "Might not be a bad idea." "And now, Chester Weems... a painter, will play the saw." "The tanager." "The barn owl." "And you are?" "Homer P. Risley." "Whats your profession, Homer?" "My profession... I'm a birdseed salesman." "A travelling salesman." "You got it." "I see your instrument is the guitar." "Yes, ive had a few lessons." "Dont be nervous, Homer." "This is a wonderful audience." "Birdseed salesman..." "Homer Risley." "Boy, they were ready to break out the tar and feathers." "Next time you hustle, don't play so great." "I forget the tunes if I play badly." "I wonder if Django ever hustled any suckers." "Look at her frown." "She doesn't like it." "They deserved it, theyre jerks." "She's too goodhearted." "A truly sweet person." "I like that. I respect it." "But it wont get you anywhere." "I had a dream last night." "I dreamt we all went to Hollywood... and I became a major star." "You?" "A major star?" "You were dreaming." "Why not?" "I got a good face." "Were in a short subject." "We're the backup band." "Were in the background, Emmet." "Were lucky to be in focus." "You can get attention if you know how." "In the dream, I was surrounded by gorgeous actresses." "See?" "That she doesnt like." "Relax." "I'm with you now." "I dont get my head turned every time a dame walks by." "I've had plenty of beautiful women." "And I always put them in their place." ""Love em and leave 'em", that's me." "Love 'em and dont look back." "And not one time did I regret dumping a beautiful dame." "You gotta keep your guard up, or they get their worms in you... then youre done." "Especially if you're an artist." "No, I seen too many guys crying in their beer." "Me?" "lm gonna be a star." "Emmet hated Hollywood so much... because Hattie was discovered there, not him." "That was the truth." "She was watching him film... and every day she'd hang out on the set." "And one day, for some crazy reason... a director working there noticed her." "And the director thought..." ""She's a dead ringerfor May Talmadge."" "He was filming with May Talmadge, a big star." "And Hattie was perfect to play her kid sister." "It wasjust a 30-second part." "When he found out Hattie was mute, it didn't matter... as there was no dialogue." "Hejust knew Hattie had to play the part." "Well, Emmet hated the idea." "I cant believe you said yes." "Did you nod your dopey face?" "Do they know you cant speak?" "I don't understand it." "Suddenly youre a film actress." "Dont make me laugh." "As the story goes..." "Hattie played a love scene with W.Weston, a handsome older man... who always kissed actresses, they said, with an open mouth." "And he was kissing her, take after take... kissing her over and over with an open mouth." "After 30 takes of being kissed by this gorgeous actor..." "Hattie went into a small coma." "And that was the last time Emmet set foot in Hollywood." "I remember Emmet and Hattie went back East at that time." "He had a good manager, a cat named Sid Bishop." "Sid got him a lot of gigs." "Emmet was doing very well." "That wasnt easy." "Many musicians were hurting from the Depression... and there wasnt much work at that time." "Emmet even agreed to record a couple of songs on Victor." "Melancholy Baby, and ill see you in my dreams." "What dyou mean, broke?" "You give it away." "You drink it, you pick up checks... you lose at pool and you always buy Hattie presents." "She's like a kid." "Loves opening the boxes." "You gotta go on a budget." "iii go on a budget if someone organises me." "A budgets not easy for a guy like you." "When I decide to do something..." "You fight every good idea I have for you." "iii go on a budget. I'll be good." "How much do you spend on clothes a year?" "I dont know." "Want me to look like a bum?" "What about rent?" "Dont know. its all hotels." "And what you spend on food?" "The booze gratis?" "Help yourself." "Do you know what you spend on food and entertainment?" "Any investments?" "To throw off inland revenue?" "Some savings, from Hattie taking in laundry." "We got to look for ways to cut down." "I burned 100 dollars once." "A guy dared me." "He burned $50, me $100." "He burned $20, me another $100." "I could cut that out." "You wanna end up in the poorhouse?" "You ever see a poorhouse?" "From now on, I run your accounts and youll be on an allowance." "Okay, thats it." "The party's over." "You spend too much, so we gotta go on a budget." "Aside from food, what are your expenses?" "Doctor bills!" "You got a doctor?" "iii get you a veterinarian." "Its cheaper." "And put this out." "Are we the electric company?" "We got to save every penny." "What is that?" "You remembered my birthday?" "We cant afford presents." "Its got to go back." "The kid gloves I really wanted!" "These... are exactly the gloves I wanted." "Know what ill do?" "I'll cut you a break." "It's my birthday... so I'll let you give me them." "You made this yourself?" "The writing looks like a chicken." "'lts been almost a year weve been together," "A year." "Thats scary." "What's this word?" "is that "love'?" "Dont get any big ideas here." "Jesus!" "Mustve ate something bad." "lm gonna be sick." "Something for me, Mr Ray?" "l dont." "Mr Ray, its me, Charlie." "I'm all tapped out." "You never let me down." "Id like to help, but I'm on a budget." "I aint even had a plate of soup." "You want me to feel bad?" "Just something." "Thats all." "Thats it." "Thanks, Mr Ray." "Whats the hurry?" "I came as quick as I could." "Look at this!" "You made me run to see this?" "He only wants 4 thousand." "Does it fit the budget?" "Are you kidding?" "We just sold one of your cars." "I'm trying to unload the other one, not buy one." "lf l cut down?" "Where'll you get 4,000?" "I'll borrow it." "No-one will lend you that." "You'll have lots of payments." "l want the car." "No, Emmet." "Hattiell give up dessert." "l want the car." "Out of the question." "l got to have it." "You have the money." "l want this car!" "No way!" "We can't afford it!" "What d'you mean, we'?" "If I want it, lll get it." "Someday when it's in your budget." "lm suffocating with this budget." "Don't buy champagne if you can only afford beer." "lm the best guitarist, and if I want it, I should have it." "He said it, but didnt believe it." "In his soul, he worshipped..." "Django Reinhardt." "Even more, he was frozen by him." "Django was a god to him." "In one of these Emmet Ray stories..." "Sid Bishop helped him to get ajob in a club." "And one night, before the show... one of the backstage guys played a trick on him... and told him this lie." "Emmet, guess whos sitting at the front table?" "Django Reinhardt." "Are you kidding?" "We should get him onstage." "Reinhardt." "I'm going to..." "Come on!" "We can get him onstage with us." "Django Reinhardt's here." "Really?" "Djangos not here." "It was a joke." "Lets see if he's got the nerve to come down." "Harry, lets go." "Come on, Emmet." "We're on!" "Emmet, come down!" "iii wait." "iii take you to his table, and introduce you to Django." "As the story goes..." "Emmet was pathologically phobic about Django... and tried to escape over the roof." "Thinking "to hell with thejob"." "Remember, this guy had fainted twice... when he was face-to-face with Django in Europe." "So he decides tojump onto the next building." "But he hits a weak spot in the roof... and crashes through into an apartment... which was being used by counterfeiters... who thought it was a raid, and ran out." "Eddie Durham met Emmet in Chicago in the 1930s... and in his book he said... I met Emmet in Chicago at the height of the Depression." "Work was scarce." "Lots of guys gave music classes." "Emmet refused." "At that time, he was married to a woman named Blanche."" "What are you doing?" "What?" "Nothing." "Excuse me, darling." "You were stealing that box." "No." "You were, I saw you." "Why?" "I dont know." "You're a genius, you know." "Eubie Blake said I was better than Django." "Truly?" "lm Blanche Williams." "You gonna squeal on me?" "Squeal on you?" "No." "Gosh, youre not only vain and egotistical... but you have genuine crudeness." "Didn't even want the goddam thing." "I won't squeal if you take me for a drive in your sublime car." "Drive?" "Where?" "To the ends of the earth." "Astonish me." "Fun, isnt it?" "Well, its definitely different." "Make sure you don't pull it." "Just squeeze the trigger." "You do this often?" "Every chance I get." "Every chance I get." "But whats the thrill?" "lm not sure, really." "There's one!" "You got him!" "You got him!" "Do you get a bigger kick with this, or stealing?" "Know what?" "I could use a drink." "I stop here every time I come through Chicago." "She makes great chili." "You like chili?" "What dyou think of when you play?" "What goes through your mind?" "What are your real feelings?" "I dont know." "That lm underpaid." "I think that sometimes." "What about the girl you lived with?" "I told her not to fall in love with me. lt was one-sided." "She was nice, but I cut out one night." "She was asleep. I left her $500, got my stuff... and got out at 4 a.m. I didnt want a scene." "She mustve really loved you." "It wasnt an easy decision... but I needed more than her." "Do you miss her?" "Not a bit." "I did the right thing." "I wouldnt have met you." "Come and join us, man." "You know you want to." "Please." "Come." "Youll enjoy it. lm great. I really am." "After-hours jam session." "Chicago's South Side." "He's like a cat." "Feline with his guitar, which is his only, deepest love." "No, his only." "The sound, the beat, the ideas... where do they come from?" "Any woman would be second to his music." "He wouldn't miss me any more than the woman he left." "He'd only feel pain for his music." "Such is the ego of genius." "Must get used to it." "I had a stable of girls in this town." "I made some money, but... whores are unpredictable." "Theyre nuts." "Really?" "Yeah, but moneys money." "So you pimped and you procured?" "Incredible." "Just too perfect." "I dont like that word." "Which?" "Pimp." "I was a manager." "What's too perfect?" "That whole seamy world." "I came out with whores, only we called them debutantes." "I lived in a whorehouse when I was 18 for 6 months." "Didnt have a job or money." "The madam put me up." "A friend of my mother's." "lm sure you learned a lot there." "No, it's like being a cook." "Youre in the kitchen all day, you get sick of food." "Id love to be a whore for a year." "Just a year." "Well, if you need a manager..." "Look, thats a beauty." "Whats this fascination with trains?" "What d'you mean?" "is it an urge to ride off to unknown places?" "What for?" "To recapture some intangible childhood feeling... when you dreamt of cities just out of reach?" "I dont wanna recapture my childhood. lt stank." "Then it must be the power of the locomotive... the potent sexual energy that arouses your masculinity." "The wheels, the hot furnace the pistons pumping." "Sounds like you wanna go to bed with the train." "He's impulsive, hot-tempered... yet he listens to Django Reinhardt records and cries." "He doesn't ever want to meet the gypsy guitarist." "He doesn't want to learn that Django's mortal." "He sleeps with the light on, every night... he woke up screaming Hattie's name." "Then he asked me to marry him." "Get a load of those legs." "Take your hat off." "She grew up with a butler." "It was very impulsive." "And right from the start, their marriage... was very shaky." "Why'd they marry so suddenly?" "I dont know." "They only had one thing in common: clothes." "They were like two peacocks." "There was an unreal quality to the whole thing." "Talk about doomed relationships." "I feel like going out!" "Me too, Emmet, but we're broke." "He'll give me my job back!" "He said so." "If you show on time, and not drunk." "Something comes over me." "I get cold sweats." "Are you sorry we got married?" "Of course not!" "Youre beautiful." "Do you love me?" "What's this about?" "I want to analyse your feelings, to write about them." "lm your husband, not some book idea!" "Have you ever cried over losing someone?" "Your mother, or father?" "Not in me." "Let your insides get to you, and you're finished." "If you let your feelings out, you might play better!" "Richer." "They said that to me before." "Everyone knows everything!" "What separates your playing from Djangos... is that his feelings are richer." "He's not afraid to suffer in front of anyone." "Not all locked up like you." "Will you stop talking about Django?" "He haunts me." "Enough!" "I want to see Mr Bedloe." "Back in a minute." "Mind if I wait?" "Got an appointment?" "May I?" "Go ahead." "Nope." "Who are you?" "I work for him." "I've seen you around." "Youre his bodyguard." "He dont need no help." "I saw you beat someone up in the alley, last week." "The guitarists wife!" "Thats right." "l noticed you too." "You did?" "Lots of times." "So Bedloe needs a bodyguard?" "You come to ask for your husband's job back?" "is it true Mr Bedloe runs rackets?" "Joe loves your husbands playing." "Thinks hes a genius." "But be honest." "Either he comes in late, drunk, or he dont show... and thats no way to run a nightclub." "Joe's cooled down." "He was furious the other night." "I hope you dont mind, but... you've got a gun, right?" "Not me." "Ever kill anyone?" "Don't tell me you never noticed me staring at you." "You come in here and I can't take my eyes off you." "Really?" "I love the blue silk dress you wear." "Oh, that." "Its warm in here." "Morning, Mr Bedloe." "Youre a smart girl, from a good home." "Whyd you marry a drunken guitarist?" "Hes brilliant, but who can live with him?" "Not me. I bet its no picnic for you." "He's learned his lesson." "I wasnt born yesterday." "I know you think hes great." "Great?" "His playing makes me cry." "Does he bring customers?" "Some." "Mostly aficionados." "When he shows up." "At 9 the other night we found him staring at trains." "He's gonna change." "Hes through drinking." "I'm a soft touch, but I dont like to be made a fool." "Out of respect for you, I'll give him another shot." "But believe me, no genius is worth too much heartache." "How'd you do?" "Hes such a nice man." "You wanna celebrate?" "Celebrate?" "Have a drink with me." "Come on." "Well, I guess." "Theres some things ld like to find out." "lm a writer, and extreme characters fascinate me." "I aint so extreme." "The ones I rubbed out deserved it." "Rubbed out?" "How colourful and..." "What do you think about when you rub someone out?" "What do I think about?" "When you pull the trigger." "I dont know." "Yet youre able to kill someone." "I dont wanna shock you, but... it always came natural to me." "Really?" "Since I was 15 and first picked up a gun... I found I had a knack for it." "Fascinating." "What are you doing?" "You have very soft hair." "Don't." "Why?" "lm scared." "Because I kill for a living?" "No." "Because I find you attractive." "Blanche was a writer." "Of some kind." "She wasn't famous, but she was published." "In fact she wrote a story called..." ""Strutting and Fretting"... about some of the stormy times she and Emmet were having." "Why am I bored with my husband?" "It's all so complicated." "I married for the wrong reasons." "And why Emmet married me is a mystery." "Five in the corner." "Thats all." "Lucky shot." "You couldnt do it again." "Dont give me that." "Hand it over." "I'm one of the 3 top pool players." "Dont be ashamed." "I wanna talk to you." "We know each other." "I dont wanna cause problems." "I want to give you a tip." "On a horse?" "Two beers." "Not on a horse, Emmet." "It's a tip." "Keep an eye on your wife." "What dyou mean?" "Keep an eye on her." "Why?" "Because she spends a lot of time with Al Torrio." "Who?" "Al Torrio, Bedloes hood." "The bodyguard and Blanche?" "Are you nuts?" "That's whats they say." "What kind of mind you got?" "Blanche would never go with some strong-arm stooge." "Whered you hear this?" "Here and there." "I didn't think youd want people laughing at you." "Laughing at me?" "You know how rumours start." "This happens when everyone's envious of your wife." "They try to knock you down." "Hope you're right." "lve heard stories from musicians, and read things... but I don't really know." "But apparently Emmet followed Blanche one day." "I think she said she was going to the dentist... and he followed her." "You got to go home?" "Emmets at the poolroom." "Then lets go for a drive." "I didnt care too much for that movie." "I like Cagney." "Guns, bullets, shooting and action." "How does it feel when you kill?" "What do you think about?" "Why do you keep asking questions?" "Because I want to know." "Emmets violent side turns to passion in his music." "With you there's not a shred of sublimation. incredible." "One question, who makes love to you better, me or him?" "Emmets an artist, and so he needs no-one." "Even making love, he seems to be in a world of his own." "With you, it's like looking into the heart of darkness." "I go crazy when you touch me." "So now Emmet is fuming." "He found that Torrio and Blanche had slept together... and that theyre lovers, and he's consumed by rage." "Then, Torrio decides to pull off the road... to buy tobacco in a gas station." "There's Emmet, in the back of the car... trying to decide who to shoot." "Should he shoot Blanche?" "Should he shoot Torrio?" "Or both of them?" "While hes thinking, they go into the store... and at that moment, a hold-ups taking place." "And two guys run out of the gas station." "They dont know what to do, and all hells breaking loose." "Instead of taking their car..." "Torrio's is bigger, so they take that." "Calling all cars!" "I'm Emmet Ray, the best guitarist in the world." "Except maybe this gypsy." "Perhaps you heard my record, You Were Meant For Me, RCA." "You were meant for me." "Thats not what I heard." "But in all Emmet Ray stories you dont know whats true... or what's exaggerated." "You dont know what to believe." "What I heard was this." "They pulled into the gas station..." "Blanche gets out for cigarettes, and he confronts them." "How could you cheat on me with a bum like that?" "Emmet, dont!" "Making a fool of me!" "I was just researching a book!" "I loved you!" "Dont be crazy." "Do something!" "Sorry!" "My tyre blew out." "Believe me, Emmet never tried to kill himself, because... he had too much ego for anything like that." "Eddie Condon said... and he wasn't a reliable source himself..." "But the story Eddie Condon tells is that..." "Torrio knew the fact he was a gangster... turned Blanche on." "So he decided to pull into this gas station... and stick it up." "Can I help you?" "Hands in the air, Pops!" "Give me the money!" "Emmet was so panicked by the gunshots... that he got into the front seat and drove off." "He got no more than 50 feet when he crashed into a car." "It was a terrible crash." "Miraculously, no-one's hurt." "And who gets out the car but a group of musicians." "I can't remember who, like Buck Clayton..." "Coleman Hawkins, or Teddy Wilson." "But there, suddenly, in front of Emmet... is Django Reinhardt." "I think that same year Emmet turned up in Jersey... and recorded one of his own compositions, actually..." "Unfaithful Woman.'" "Very good, everyone." "Especially me." "Emmet, were going to New York." "New York." "The big money." "Can I get those cigarettes?" "Em, the music business really picked up, like you said." "We got some wild dancers lined up for tonight." "How are you?" "You look healthy." "I came to make a record." "I wrote a lovely tune." "A classic." "I'm sorry for cutting out on you." "It was time to move on." "I told you not to fall in love. its nothing personal." "lm an artist." "I like women, but they got to have their place." "You angry with me?" "You have a right to be." "I don't hold it against you." "I even thought of you a couple of times." "My wife said... I said your name in my sleep." "Mustve been some nightmare." "I had a wife." "Shes gone now, and I don't miss her." "I dont miss you either, but theres no bad feelings with you." "We got good contract in New York for a year." "Good dough." "Maybe youd like to come." "lm not making promises... but I think you might have fun." "Youd be in New York... with one of the two best guitarists in the world... and 6 best poker players." "Not counting that." "We leave tomorrow, if you want." "If not, I understand." "Then ltd be:" "It was nice seeing you... and good luck." "I never could get your writing." "Happily?" "Got kids?" "Boy or girl?" "Boy?" "Girl." "It's just as well." "You might get attached to me again... and you know I cant take entanglements." "I gotta go." "lm meeting some chorus girls." "lm leaving tomorrow." "Take it easy." "I'm the best guitar soloist you ever heard." "The public's just getting to know my name." "Next year, lll be rich." "Youre a looker." "A real looker." "And youre not bad." "l mean it!" "Thats why I get lots of tips when I dance." "You wanna watch trains?" "What?" "Come on." "Trains?" "Where are we going?" "Outta the way." "Let me get my stuff." "Jesus!" "My cigarettes!" "Where are you taking me?" "Where's my cigarettes?" "Leave them alone!" "Let's go watch trains." "You almost lost me there." "You see that?" "Jesus, what are we doing here?" "I like to sit... and watch the trains pass." "To each his own, though I don't understand it." "I can make my guitar sound like a train." "God!" "I'm a nice girl." "I don't see why you brought me here." "I can make my guitar sound... just like a train." "Look, I got a warm room we can go to." "Come on, I'll take care of you." "It's nice." "I don't know why you'd bring a nice girl like me out here." "I do requests." "You know "Sweet Sue?" "No." "Right, are you finished?" "Can we go now?" "I have to pee, y'know?" "I got to use the bathroom." "What's up with you?" "Go on." "Get outta here!" "What?" "Go on." "You dragged me here." "Leave me alone." "Leave me alone!" "I don't need anyone!" "I made a mistake!" "Yeah, lll say." "I made a mistake!" "I made a mistake!" "Don't know what happened to Emmet." "Hejust sort of disappeared." "But in the last two years... he made his best recordings." "Never played better, more movingly." "Something seemed to open up in him." "It was amazing, he was finally as good as Django Reinhardt." "Then he just faded away." "I mean, I have no idea." "Some say he went to Europe." "Others say he may have stopped playing forever." "But fortunately we do have those last recordings of his." "And they're great." "Absolutely beautiful."