:01:34
You know who would be
perfect to direct this...
:01:37
and it kills me to say it,
because I don't relish
the idea of working with him...
:01:40
- but... my ex-husband.
- Val?
:01:43
Val's perfect.
He's perfect,
given this material.
:01:46
She's right.
This is his kinda story.
:01:48
Look, I love Val. I love him.
But with all due respect...
:01:51
- he's a raving,
incompetent psychotic.
- He's not incompetent.
:01:55
They should lock him up
and throw away the key.
Don't take that the wrong way.
:01:58
Forget it. We're gonna wind up
$20 million over budget,
and maybe no picture to boot.
:02:02
That's right. I did
a picture with him
when I was at Firestone.
:02:04
- He didn't even finish the movie.
- I was there at Firestone.
:02:06
- He had a nervous breakdown.
- He was under a lot of stress.
We had just broken up...
:02:10
Honey, he was fired off
a picture here at Galaxie
just before I took over.
:02:14
- They said his demands
were outrageous.
- He's a perfectionist.
:02:17
- The light had to be perfect.
The sun had to be just right.
- [Scoffs]
:02:20
He demanded that they
replace the leading lady.
:02:22
He wanted to reshoot
the dailies every other day.
He fired the cameraman.
:02:26
Finally, he came down
with shingles.
:02:29
They shut down the picture
and found another director
to finish it...
:02:31
You-You don't have to tell me
about that. I was
married to him at the time.
:02:34
- You should remember.
- That was ten years ago, Hal.
:02:36
His best pictures
were ten years ago.
Then he became a real artiste.
:02:41
Look, look.
I am the last person
to defend that craziness...
:02:44
because it drove me nuts.
:02:45
But Val cares about movies,
and he was born
to do this material.
:02:49
- [All protesting]
- Ellie, what are we
discussing here?
:02:51
- Shingles, headaches.
Why open a can of worms?
- But he's mellowed.
:02:56
I'm telling you.
Who better to direct this?
:02:58
- The streets of New York
are in his marrow.
- Let me just say this: Ruth.