mornin'.
nice place.
boone. clayton boone.
just that i was in the marines.
yeah. i better get on with my work.
no thanks. i got another job to get to this afternoon.
i'm on my way.
fuck off!
i'm up. thanks.
hey, um. rose --
huh?
time to go, daisy.
don't you have to be somewhere? like high school maybe.
right. time to hit the road, kid.
just got away from me. sorry to disturb you.
i stink to high heaven right now.
no. iced tea's fine.
these are your paintings?
excuse me, but -- are you famous?
i'm just a hick who cuts lawns. but some of these look familiar.
they're just copies then. gotcha.
sure, everybody does. when i was a kid i'd go with my sister twice a week. why? were you an actor or something?
yeah? what were some of your movies?
really?
"frankenstein" and "bride of" and "son of" and all the rest?
still. you must be rich. making a couple of famous movies like those.
what did she mean by going flooey?
what was wrong?
huh?
you mean, like posed for pictures?
what's to sketch?
broke is more like it.
football in college.
just a year. i dropped out to join the marines.
you mean -- you really want to draw me?
but why?
and it's just my head you want? nothing else?
you don't want to draw pictures of me in my birthday suit, right?
all right then. sure. i could use the extra dough.
don't worry, you already paid me. i'm here because --
it's your job, lady, not mine. i'm here so he can draw my picture.
what're you talking about?
yeah, i'm a good man. something make you think i'm not?
gimme a break. i'm going to sit on my ass while he draws pictures. is that going to hurt him?
you do that.
did you see this? they're showing one of your movies tomorrow night.
"bride of frankenstein."
ready when you are.
it's new.
i'm not wearing an undershirt.
but it's just my face you want to draw.
all right already. i'll take it off. kind of warm in here anyway.
take a picture, it lasts longer.
no. i'm fine.
sounds like something you feed the dog.
your family ate dripping?
what?
we weren't rich. but we weren't poor either.
i guess you'd say we lived on the wrong side of the tracks.
mr. whale?
i don't mind. i'm not crazy about my old man either.
i liked it. you learn stuff listening to old-timers.
if you don't believe me, let's watch this movie. see if his name's on it. how about it, harry? can i watch my damn movie?
thanks, doll.
why is everybody giving me crap tonight?
this kisser wasn't so bad you couldn't lay under it a few times.
what makes you say that?
yeah, well keep your filthy thoughts to yourself.
fuck you.
we're watching the movie, harry. you got that! we are watching my fucking movie.
good. fine.
right there. what did i tell you? james whale.
go wash glasses if you don't like it.
maybe it's supposed to be funny.
hey! some of us are watching a movie!
i just want to watch it, okay?
the monster's lonely and he wants a friend, a girlfriend, somebody. what sick about that?
so what did you think?
i think i'll hang around.
i thought i'd give you a hand since i kept you open.
you know what? i think you guys are all jealous.
i've gotten to know someone who's famous.
if he were that famous, he probably wouldn't give me the time of day. this way, he's like my famous person. yeah, my own personal famous person. who treats me like i'm somebody worth talking to.
you want to go for a swim?
what's that mean?
i wasn't going to try anything.
let's go for a walk at least. walk and talk. i really feel like talking tonight.
this old guy -- he's the kind of person i expected to meet when i moved out here. someone who's done things with his life.
it's different. he's a man. and by the way you have no business calling him a homo.
he's an artist. anyway, he's too old to think about sex.
c'mon. what's eating you tonight?
hey, no strings, right? that's what you always said. just good pals who have the hots for each other.
i didn't mean to.
you liked it too.
if you enjoy it, you should do it.
you mean us?
i'm not a kid.
i like my life. i'm a free man.
so you don't want to fuck. that's what you're telling me?
damn straight. i'm sick of playing games.
betty, look. this is coming out all wrong --
it's all shit! shit on by women! shit on by the marines. shit on by the world! fuck!
fuuuck!
just go to sleep.
i told you to sleep.
something i can do for you?
got a lawn this afternoon, but i'm free until then.
tea is fine.
that's okay, hanna. i'm more comfortable in here. it is hanna, isn't it?
how long you worked for mr. whale?
i bet you've seen a lot of famous people come and go? movie stars?
you mean family? all in joplin, missouri.
i'm not married.
oh, i don't know. because no girl in her right mind will have me?
you proposing what i think you're proposing? don't you think i'm a little young for you?
you ever been married, hanna?
yeah? what's your husband do?
then you're as single as i am.
you're sure of that?
sins of the flesh? everybody has those.
a homo?
you're telling me mr. whale is a homo.
well. no, not really --
no!
i'm not going to hurt anyone.
all right, i guess.
go ahead.
this david's a friend?
saw your movie the other night. watched it with some friends.
i liked it. we all did.
no.
why? was it supposed to be funny?
i don't like to talk about that.
proud? any jerk with a gun can kill someone.
no. i could have, though.
full up. i got the hedges to do here, then another lawn out by la cienega.
can't today.
sorry. i don't feel like sitting still today.
you ever been married, mr. whale?
so you had a wife?
no, i -- you're a homosexual.
i'm not, you know.
you don't think of me that way, do you?
you know. look at me like -- like i look at women.
what you do is no business of mine. live and let live, i say.
no. i --
can i see what you did so far?
sorry. not today.
i just feel more comfortable keeping it on. you just said you didn't want me self-conscious.
i'm fine. i'd just rather keep it on.
no! look. what you told me at lunch is still very weird for me. so either you sketch me like i am or i'll say forget it and go do your hedges.
i don't mean to be a prick, but that's how i feel.
not at the moment.
you know how it is. you have to kiss ass just to get a piece of it.
the world is just one kiss-ass game after another. a man has to make up his own life, alone.
thoreau with a lawnmower.
is that why you and your friend split up? because you wanted to be free?
what happened?
do you miss it?
you've done a helluva lot more than most people.
how long were you?
cut it out!
fuck it. i can't do this anymore.
isn't it enough you told me you're a fairy? do you have to rub my nose in it?
from now on, mr. whale, i cut your grass and that's it. understand?
you first.
do you mind turning on a light? it's getting pretty soupy out here.
you're lucky i even squeezed you in today.
will you just turn on the porch light? sir?
where's betty?
thanks a lot, pal.
dwight!
have a drink?
i'd like to sit for you again. but only if you ease up on the locker room talk. okay?
i don't know. i guess i like your stories.
not me.
i told you. i don't like to talk about that.
not fear. more like disgust.
there's no people like you in my crowd.
you must think the whole world is queer. well it's not. war sure isn't.
you're talking through your hat now.
you were a soldier?
this was world war i?
something happened to him?
i didn't --
you're the one who started it.
you asked me to model. remember?
mr. whale? are you okay?
i don't get it. first you creep me out with homo shit. then you hit me with war stories. and now you're upset because i listen? what do you want?
no harm done.
you don't want me to sit for you anymore?
i thought you weren't going.
i'm game. sure.
clayton is fine.
mom? yeah, it's me.
no, i'm not in jail. i don't want any money, no.  look, is sis there? i want to tell her about this movie person i met out here. she'll get a kick out of it.
no, i still. i'd give you my phone number if i had a phone --
how's the old man?
right.
time's up. i better go.
do i look okay?
if that's okay?
i don't hear anything.
pleased to meet you.
what was that about?
who's that?
no. the girl.
is that really her?
clay boone.
i think i'll go look at elizabeth taylor.
you okay?
actually, no. i feel a little out of place.
must have been funny for you. seeing your monsters again.
oh fuck. and we left the top down. you want to run for it?
can't you see? it's raining!
here.
mr. whale?
you don't want to wait it out? rain should let up soon.
i better get you home before you catch your death from pneumonia.
you all right, mr. whale?
just a night out. sounds like she can't say no to her daughter.
good. let's get dry.
mr. whale?
where's those clothes you promised?
mr. whale? jimmy?
mr. whale?
ten minutes ago. didn't you hear me calling?
no. definitely not.
you don't have any baggy shorts? pajama bottoms?
do i have any other choice?
is that --?
i thought you'd given up on my picture.
why not? give us something to do while we wait.
never gave it much thought.
i never went.
i never made it to korea.
-- that i was a marine. which is true. you filled in the rest.
my old man was a marine. he enlisted the day he turned seventeen.
by the time he was ready to ship out, the fighting was over. he missed out.
that's not the way he saw it. to him, it was like his life never got started. nothing else really mattered. definitely not his family.
the morning after pearl harbor, he drove down to st. louis to reenlist. he was so damn excited. world war ii was going to be his second chance. they told him he was too old. fat . nearsighted. said he'd be more use to his country if he stayed home and looked after his family.
i figured he'd think, you know -- it was the next best thing. hey, i loved it too. a chance to be a part of something important. something bigger than yourself.
i didn't have the guts for it.
i mean, literally. my body screwed me up. burst appendix. they gave me a medical discharge. all i thought about was, how am i going to tell the old man.
you know what he did when i called him? he laughed. he laughed so hard he practically burst a blood vessel. said it was a good lesson for me. not to try to fill his shoes.
them's the breaks, right? no war stories for this pup.
do you mind?
storm's getting worse.
that's from your movie, right? "the only monsters are here."
james whale. this afternoon at the party.
i said it must be weird seeing your monsters again, and you said, "the only monsters are here." i was wondering which here you meant.
but that was so long ago. it can't still bother you.
you're planning a trip?
your friend?
you survived it. it can't hurt you now. it's no good to dig it up.
you wanted to draw me like a greek statue. all right, then.
there. not so bad.
what'd you say?
what won't do?
what did you expect? bronze?
why?
i don't know.
it's from the first world war, isn't it?
now what?
all right. let's take it off now.
it's too tight.
just take off the fucking mask!
get the fuck off!
i'm not that way. get it through your fucking head. i don't want to mess with you.
i haven't done a damn thing with you!
what the hell do you want from me?!
you're crazy.
look, if you want to die do it yourself!
i am not your monster.
you okay?
did i hurt you?
need some help?
all right.
you'll feel better tomorrow.
it's not what you think.
i need to talk to you about mr. whale.
maybe. but i still need to talk. do i have time for a cup of coffee before i go?
thanks. why do you do it?
take care of mr. whale like he was your flesh and blood.
i put him to bed. he's not there?
no.
almost there. almost there.
son of a bitch. you crazy son of a bitch.
i didn't do it. this wasn't me.
he wanted me to kill him, but i didn't. he did it himself.
but i didn't do this!
we have his note.
but how're you going to explain this? how did you get him out of the pool?
time for bed, sport.
what'd you think of the movie?
i knew the guy who made it.
here.
it's his original sketch of the monster.
okay.
off to bed.