as he comes down the stairs, checking the front of his trousers. he and karen spot each other. both look uncomfortable for a fraction of a second, then martin hurries over to her . . .
karen. wow. look at you . . .
mmmmm. you smell terrific. she always smelled so good.
chili is it?
i'm sitting here, i'm looking at you and i'm having these flashes. you know, flashbacks, of memories. of us.
yeah and i'm wondering, how did it go wrong? how did it all . . . slip away?
yeah. that was a good party.
martin. it was a beautiful role. all i had to do was find the character's center, the stem i'd used to wind him up and he'd play, man, he'd play.
a few weeks before shooting, i went back to bensonhurst, just to listen to you guys. see, i'm italian, but i grew up in tarzana. so i wanted to pick up your rhythms of speech.
it's more like your attitude. your tone, your speech patterns demonstrate a certain confidence in yourselves, in your opinions, your indifference to conventional views.
yeah. kinda. anyway, once i have the authentic sounds of speech, the rhythms, man, the patois, i can actually begin to think the way those guys do, get inside their heads.
don't get me wrong, i'm not saying an actual metamorphosis takes place. that wouldn't be acting.
no, i don't. though i have to say i'm curious.
if you'd like to tell me, yeah.
one of mine?
with what? wiseguy money?
what happened? the pressure got to you?
i know. i'm doing shylock instead of a shylock. okay, what's my motivation? the acquisition of money. to collect. inflict pain if i have to.
guy owes me fifteen large and takes off, i go after him. the fuck you think i do?
i'm looking at you.
like this?
wait. how about this?
how about this?
that's what i think of you, asshole. nothing.
i turn it on when i confront the guy.
how do i know that?
the wife sues the airline. this is a gutsy babe.
so when do i meet up with the husband and give him the look?
okay. i'm listening.
you're not going to tell me the rest?
refresh my memory . . .
lemme talk to buddy, set up a meeting.
yeah, karen knows him.
i'm intrigued, yeah. you know what might help you, take a look at the cylone again, the way a visual fabric is maintained even while the metaphor plays on different levels. hey -- this your ride, chili?
very nice . . .
what's that?
wow. mind if i take it for a spin?
chill. harry.
hi, sweetface. you look great. and mmmmm, you smell good, too.
would you guys mind terribly not smoking?
so. harry. i hear you had quite an experience.
well, i'm glad you're okay. and you know what else?
i'm glad you rejected me ten years ago when i auditioned for eddie solomon, the pedophile clown in birthday boy. had i gotten the part. i might've gotten typecast.
you all ready to order? i kind've have another thing after this . . .
you know, i feel like an omelette. you think i could have a cheese omelette with shallots, but with the shallots only slightly browned . . .
i think the romance angle in your story is critically important, that isn't simply a jump in the sack for either of them. these two become deeply in love.
once their lives are in danger and you have the mob guy coming after them, it not only heightens the tension, it adds a wistful element to their love.
i have to consider, i mean, as the mob guy, this is another man's wife i'm sleeping with.
i have to run. but what i hope to see, they begin to have misgivings about wanting the money. it becomes their moral dilemma and they try to rationalize keeping it, but in the end they can't. can they?
the three hundred large. what other money is there? i should keep quiet, i know, till i've read the script, but i've got a feeling about this one. i'm that shylock.
look at me, harry.
whatta you think, chill?
really, it scares me how well i know him. i could do this one tomorrow, no further preparation. bye darlin' . . . you really should think about acting again. i mean, maybe we could even do something together.
dammit . . . not again . . .