1 Why would you want my autograph?
You`re Lori Parks.
l`ve seen all your movies.
Movies?
Don`t you know?
She`s a star.
You`re drunk.
l`m sober for a change and it feels good.
Come on Jonathan.
Let`s go home.
Really beautiful, isn`t it?
We are officially on vacation, right?
Right.
- Once more with feeling.
Right.
And no assignment from the Boss.
Just two weeks of sun and surf.
You got it.
Absolutely.
Why is it when you say `absolutely` it sounds like `maybe`?
He has been known to change his mind a few times, you know.
He can`t do that!
- You tell him that.
All right l will.
Never mind.
Are you trying to get k*lled?
l have to get away.
That man`s chasing me.
Maybe l should talk with that gentleman.
l think he has a g*n.
- Let`s get away.
Who was that guy?
l don`t know.
l never saw him before.
What`s your name?
- Lori l`m Jonathan, this is Mark.
- Hi.
There`s a police station ahead.
We`ll stop there.
Oh no! l can`t.
You can`t let a guy like that run around loose.
He`s right.
- l can`t go to the police.
Why not?
All right, l`ll be honest with you.
l`m an orphan and had to visit my grandmother in the hospital.
They sent that man to find me and take me back.
But l can`t go back.
lt`s an awful place.
They don`t feed us, there`s no heat.
They probably spent all their money on shoes.
What?
The $60 running shoes you`ve got on.
Oh, l found these.
l`m sure you did.
You don`t believe me, just like the rest of the grownups.
lf you think l`m lying, you can let me out here.
Stop the car! Calm down.
lf you ran away, we have to take you back.
lt`s either there or the police station.
All right, l`ll go back.
First can we get an ice cream?
There`s a great place on the left.
l think we can manage that.
What do you mean no vanilla?
We have vanilla
-apple
-brandy, Swiss almond vanilla Ok, hold on.
What about plain chocolate?
We have chocolate mousse chip, Bavarian Alpine chocolate Forget it.
How much for the little girl`s order?
$2.
75.
Two dollars and seventy
-five cents?
- That`s correct Good job she didn`t order a banana split, l`d have to take out a Gl loan.
l hope you`re enjoying that.
- lt`s great, thanks.
You guys don`t have to drive me, it`s just up the road.
lf it`s just up the road, it will be a cinch to drive.
Excuse me, can l have your autograph?
Me?
Why would you want my autograph?
You`re Lori Parks.
l`ve seen all your movies.
Movies?
- Sure, don`t you know?
She`s a star.
What do you mean you lost her?
Did you look in her usual places?
Yeah, but You`re paid money to make sure this doesn`t happen.
l`m paid by the studio, not you.
lf she`s so easy to control, why can`t you do it?
You`re supposed to be her mother.
Would it be possible for a man to get some sleep in his own daughter`s house?
lt`s 3 o`clock in the afternoon.
Mr Parks didn`t sleep well last night.
l slept like a log.
lt`s this hangover that`s k*lling me.
Hello, Mr Parks.
- Martha.
Hello.
- Carla.
Get me some soda water.
- Sure.
Bless you.
l love that kid.
Henry, it`s Lori.
She`s done it again.
She hitched a ride with a couple of characters.
She what?
We`re going to have to call the cops on this one.
That won`t be necessary.
Some orphanage! Lori Parks, what do you think you`re doing?
Not now mum, l don`t want to hear it.
Do you realise the studio had to reschedule everything today?
l said l don`t want to hear it.
l was worried you.
- About me or the sh**ting schedule?
That`s not fair.
Tell me about it mum.
Give these guys some money, l`ll be out back.
Let me know when you want some dinner.
l have to get back to the studio.
You don`t think you were a little too hard on her, dear?
She only disappeared and led them on a wild goose chase, and you ask the little darling when she wants her din
-din?
lt`s more than you do.
Well at least l know the whole thing is rotten so l do the only thing a decent man can do l drink.
Thank you for bringing her back.
Please accept this.
That`s not necessary.
Don`t be silly, the kid has a lot of money, enough to support her father and mother.
Take a little.
No really, it was our pleasure.
Are you guys millionaires or something?
Far from it.
We`re carpenters, stuff like that.
Carpenters?
lf you won`t take money, how about an honest day`s work?
What kind of work?
- Actually, we`re on vacation?
What kind of work?
l had a couple of guys working on this before, as soon as they found out Lori was a movie star they doubled their price, so l fired them.
We`ll do all the work for the price we agreed on.
Swear to God and hope to die?
Swear to God.
- So get to work.
What are we doing here?
- Doing a little work for the man.
That`s not what l mean.
- l didn`t think that`s what you meant.
The little girl ran away, we brought her home.
Why don`t we hit the beach?
- There`s more to it than that.
The kid`s got everything she could want.
You`re right, she`s got everything she could want.
The problem is she hasn`t got what she needs.
And what does she need?
She needs to be a kid, Mark.
She`s already a kid.
l want to stay out here! lt`s a nice day, l`ll come in when l feel like it.
But your mother said you should learn your lines for tomorrow.
Not now!
- But Lori, mother said l earn the money in this house, l give the orders.
l`m not going to say that to your mother.
You`ll do as you`re told.
Now tell her! Does that sound like a kid to you?
No it doesn`t.
Good morning.
- Hi.
l`m Mark, this is Jonathan.
- Yes, l know.
Mine`s Carla.
My mother`s a maid for the Parks family.
Looks like you`ve got your work cut out for you.
A little rust.
lt wasn`t ready for the trash.
The trash?
Lori wants a new one, so she threw this one away.
What are you doing?
! l asked you a question.
- Cleaning up your bike.
lt just needs a little work and it will be good as new.
Did l say you could do that?
No, but it was in the trash so
- So put it back in the trash.
Read my lips.
Put it back in the trash.
Hey wait a minute, you think that`s fair?
Hey smarty pants, l asked you a question! lf you`re a director l have to talk to you, otherwise l don`t.
Have a nice day! l`m proud of you! Let`s get back to work.
The boss says you got to look for the good in people, with that kid you need a microscope.
Patience my friend.
That`s easy for you to say.
- Hey you! Were you talking to me?
Mum says you got to drive me and dad to the studio.
l`ve got some painting l`d like to finish first.
The studio driver`s sick so now you`re a driver or you`re out of a job.
Don`t stand there like a dummy, let`s go, l`m late! l`m proud of you.
l`m really proud of you.
Well l didn`t do it.
Patience, Boss.
Patience.
Cut right on this street here and you`ll miss all this traffic.
Right here?
- Right.
Neat trick.
- l know this city backwards.
He used to drive a cab.
- That`s right.
For 1 2 years l drove a cab in this city and l liked it too.
Nobody knew these streets like l did.
Hard to imagine isn`t it, Lori?
You`re old man made an honest living for 1 2 years.
And l didn`t even have an agent.
What made you give it up?
l didn`t give it up.
l was told to give it up.
The studio and Lori`s mother said it didn`t look good to have her old man driving a hack.
Said l was hurting her career.
Now l get to go to the studio every day.
Lucky me, huh?
Here`s some money for lunch.
- l don`t want any.
Go ahead, take it.
You`ll get thirsty later.
Tada!
- Carla, that`s Lori`s dress.
l`m not hurting it.
How does it look on me?
Very pretty.
Do you ever wish you could be Lori?
No.
Never?
- Sometimes, she has so many pretty things.
Dresses, dolls, bicycles, jewellery.
And she`s in movies.
With all of those things, is she happy?
No.
She must be crazy.
Do you wish you could trade places with Mrs Parks?
No.
- Never?
Well, maybe sometimes.
When l see a pretty dress for you in the store Who needs it?
lt would be nice, but who needs it, right?
Right.
l love you.
Good morning Lori.
Good morning Miss Parks.
Good morning Miss Parks.
Good morning Lori.
So this is where they make the magic, huh?
The Dream Factory.
lsn`t that what they call it?
And more than the occasional nightmare or two.
Everybody seems to like Lori.
They can`t stand her.
She`s a rude snot nose, my kid.
Why is everybody so nice to her?
- She`s the big movie star.
Excuse me one second.
Care for one?
- No, nothing for me thanks.
Stick around here for a while, you may change your mind.
You always drink that stuff when you come here?
Always.
lt`s the only way l can stand it.
l don`t get it.
lt doesn`t seem to do the trick today.
l`m as sober as you are.
Well, he turned water into wine, why not the other way around?
How`s that?
- Nothing.
it`s a long story.
Why don`t we get some breakfast?
l never eat breakfast.
l drink breakfast.
Maybe it`s a good time for a change.
You know something?
l am hungry this morning.
Would you mind?
Oh boy, oh boy.
So, she decided to show up, did she?
Aren`t we all lucky.
Now, now.
Mustn`t bite the hand that feeds.
There are other actresses in the world, David.
Some of them are even human beings.
But this one`s hot.
She`s box office.
You know it and l know it.
We`re stuck with it.
One of these days she`s going to push me too far and it`ll be my sweet pleasure to fire her.
But not today, Gil.
- No, not today.
There you go Sir, anything else?
No we`re fine.
Care for something else?
l ate already, thank you.
- Enjoy yourself.
Steak and eggs.
l love them.
l used to eat every morning for breakfast when driving a cab.
Work makes you hungry.
- Yup.
How come you stopped?
Like l said, they decided it didn`t look good.
What about you?
- What?
You said `they` decided.
Yeah, the studio, my wife, my kid.
You didn`t want to work then?
l did.
lt was a big deal and they decided.
Come on, that`s a cop out and you know it.
lf you had said no, what were they going to do?
What were they going to do?
l don`t know.
You know something, l don`t know.
l thought her career was more important than my driving a cab.
Because she would have made more money than you?
l suppose.
You believe one person`s life is more important than another`s because of how much more money they make?
No.
l don`t
- Get Gil! Yes princess?
- Did you see these new scenes?
Yes princess, l wrote them myself.
l can`t do these scenes.
- What seems to be the problem?
The peasant has all the good lines.
We asked you to play the peasant girl, remember?
But you wanted to play the pretty one with nice clothes and the nice hair.
You promised that you`d fix it.
The scene doesn`t make sense if your character has those lines.
That`s why you have writers, isn`t it?
Make it make sense or l won`t do it.
lf l give you the lines about the picnic, will you do the scene?
Yes.
- Thanks, you`re a doll.
And you`re a wimp.
An 11 year
-old girl says jump and you say how high.
Daddy! What is it with this place?
She`s a kid, for goodness sake.
You`re so busy bowing, she`s becoming a pain in the behind.
l`m warning you.
- Be quiet! l`m your father, you don`t warn me about anything.
You`re drunk.
No, l`m sober for a change and it feels good.
Come on Jonathan, let`s go home.
You said what?
l said what was on my mind for the first time in a long time.
l want Lori out of this movie star business and l mean now! You`ve lost your mind!
- lt`s better than losing my daughter.
She`s under contract to finish this picture and there`s an option for 5 more so you can forget it.
Then l`m leaving.
What do you mean, leaving?
- You heard me, leaving.
You`re acting like a fool.
- l`m not acting, Lori does the acting.
She makes the money, she runs the show.
We created a monster, you know that?
We sat back and let it happen.
l don`t have to live like this.
Do you realise what will happen if the press finds out you`ve left?
lt could ruin her career.
That`s all you care about?
Yes! l care about my daughter`s future.
Ah bull! How do you think you`ll support yourself?
The old fashioned way.
l`ll get a job driving a cab.
You`ll hate it.
- l`ll love it.
l remember the fun we used to have, all of us.
There wasn`t a lot of money but we had fun.
l couldn`t go back to that.
l just couldn`t.
You don`t have to.
Tell Lori l`ll call her.
l can be a better father to her if l`m not here.
How are you doing this morning?
- Oh, fine.
lt seems a waste throwing away a good bicycle.
Hey, you know what?
We could paint that bike and nobody would know it`s Lori`s.
.
What do you think?
l wish we could, but But what?
- lf Lori ever found out.
Are you going to tell her?
- No.
There goes the `but what`.
l got to drop something off at the studio then l can take you to the store and you can pick the paints you want.
What do you say?
l say yes.
You promised her! And l kept my promise.
l re
-wrote the scenes so Lori`s character gets the big line.
But now my line`s different.
Your character`s different, so the words are different.
l want it the way it was.
- lmpossible.
Nothing is impossible.
Wrong! Your daughter is impossible.
We`ll be in the dressing room when you change your mind.
That`s it, l`m gonna fire her!
- No, you`re not.
l am.
- Really?
No, but it felt good just to say it.
Let sh**t the peasant girl scenes until we figure out what to do.
Easier said than done.
BJ changed his mind about the girl we liked.
When did this happen?
- Called me at 6am.
Casting`s sending over some more kids at 4pm.
Great, another day behind.
Look at this.
- She looks right.
Very right.
- lf only she can act.
Let`s find out.
You`re early.
Didn`t casting send you over?
No.
We`re just here to drop this off for Mrs Parks.
You are an actress, aren`t you?
l like to play pretend but l`m not a real actress.
Would you like to be?
Are you kidding?
l`d love to.
Let`s sit down and read through the scene and see how you do.
Do you think it will be okay?
- l don`t see why not.
Are you her father?
- No, just a friend.
l could call her mum, l`m sure it will be okay.
All right, let`s go sit down and read it.
Go get `em actress! Hello.
- Elaine?
Henry?
- How are you?
We`re doing fine.
- Who is it?
lt`s just the press, l`ll handle it.
Have you come to your senses, Henry?
Yeah, 100º/º
- And?
l`m doing fine.
Tips are better than they used to be.
l guess we have nothing to talk about then.
That`s up to you.
l`d like to speak to Lori.
She doesn`t want to talk to you.
She`s my daughter too.
You should have thought about that before you ran out on us.
lt was Daddy, wasn`t it?
- Yes Was he drunk?
- No.
l`m glad.
- Leaving was his idea.
He only ever thinks of himself.
Don`t we all?
What?
- Never mind.
What`s taking that director so long?
Mr Scot!
- Shhh! Please God, please.
- And cut it.
[CLAPPlNG]
She did very well.
lt was just a small scene, nothing requiring acting ability.
Jonathan said the crew applauded.
Whatever you do, don`t let it go to her head.
lt was just a fluke.
Don`t worry.
Carla`s got her feet on the ground.
lt was fun for her today though.
Pretending.
Remember how much fun it was at first, Lori?
Not too heavy, it will run.
Further back with the can, that`s it.
What are you doing?
We`re painting.
lsn`t that my bike?
l know you didn`t want me to keep it but lt was my idea.
l told her to take it.
Why do you want that old bike anyway?
With the money you made you could buy a new one.
l don`t need a new one, this one`s just fine.
We got all the rust off.
ls it all right if l keep it?
Sure, what do l care?
- Thanks.
Why thank me?
Why`s she so unhappy?
Because being famous isn`t all it`s cracked up to be.
Especially if you believe you`re as important as people think you are.
Make sure that never happens to you.
l`m never going to be famous.
You never can tell.
And if you ever get famous, remember it`s just as fun fixing an old bike than buying a new one.
l know.
- All right, let`s get back to painting.
``Please God.
Please``.
That`s it for now, thanks.
You thinking what l`m thinking?
- She`s wonderful.
She`s a star and you know it.
Plus she`s a nice kid.
Let`s hope she stays that way.
What do we do?
Put it back as it was, with the peasant girl in the lead.
Starring That`s right.
Lori`s not going to like this.
Her part will be down to nothing.
What part?
Drop her completely?
- She`s nothing but trouble.
Fine with me, if it`s okay with BJ.
Let`s go talk to him.
lf he okays it, l get to call the mother.
l had to suffer the tantrums, l get to make the call.
No, l`m the producer, l get to make the call.
You can`t do this.
l know, but l don`t think you can contractually.
We didn`t mean to slow down production, we were trying to do what`s right for Lori.
l`m sure we can work out an arrangement.
You`re being unreasonable, l`ll talk to Lori and l see.
l understand.
Who was that?
The studio.
- What did they want?
They told us not to come in tomorrow, or the next day.
What are you talking about?
We`re fired.
Can they do that?
They`ve done it.
lt was a stupid picture anyway.
But there`s five more, right?
No, l`m afraid not.
They`re giving those pictures to somebody else.
Who?
They`re giving them to Carla.
You got everything?
Yes, my pencils, my school books and my script.
Make sure you study hard on set, just like in school.
l will! l promise.
l love you.
l love you too.
Have fun.
- l will.
l`ll call you at lunch time.
Mrs Parks, l didn`t know you were up.
l`d have brought you breakfast.
l thought you`d be gone by now.
l`m fired then?
l assumed after what happened with Carla at the studio you You mean, l can still work here then?
Yes.
But why would you want to?
She`s going to be doing very well.
l hope so.
But that`s my daughter.
She does her work, l do mine.
You got to be kidding?
The mother of a star working as a maid?
l`m good at what l do.
l`m proud of my work.
lf l didn`t work, what would l do?
Sit around?
l wouldn`t like that much.
Do you want me to put a croissant in the oven for you?
Yes, thank you.
You`re welcome.
You excited?
- You bet.
lt must feel good.
After all the nasty things Lori`s done to you now it`s your turn to be the star.
l know l shouldn`t be thinking anything bad about Lori but But you`re only human.
So it`s okay?
l said you were human, l didn`t say it was okay.
Lori`s done rotten things to you but she`s an unhappy little girl.
She wasn`t like that before everyone treated her like the Queen of Sheba.
Did you know her then?
- No, but a friend of mine did.
Said she was a good kid.
Then suddenly she wasn`t a kid.
She was a star.
Anything she wanted she got.
``Keep her happy``.
Not because people liked her.
Because of the money.
You`re going to find out.
lt not going to be easy.
lt wasn`t easy for Lori.
She could use a real friend.
You could be that friend.
Me?
- Yes, you.
Being kind to a friend is easy.
Being kind to an enemy takes a little effort.
Who knows, you might end up with another friend.
l don`t believe it! You want what?
l want Lori to play the other part.
Are you crazy?
The way the script is now it`s a very small part.
Are you crazy?
Lori is a terror.
She`ll be good.
l know she will.
Lori thinks she`s the Queen of Sheba.
Maybe other people make her think that.
Please, she`s my friend.
All right, l`ll go talk to BJ.
l`m proud of you.
Hi.
l`m sorry, l heard what happened with the studio.
lt was my fault.
- lt`s not the end of the world.
Plenty of studios will be calling you like crazy.
Afraid not.
My agent already called.
This is a small town and the word is out.
Lori Parks is a pain in the butt.
They don`t want to touch me with a 1 0ft poll.
Just give it some time.
l don`t care about it.
l like acting but l never really liked being a star.
``You can`t do that.
You gotta do this``.
They even picked the boy l was supposed to like.
You`re kidding?
- No, l`m not kidding.
l`d go to the premieres with him so we`d get photographed together.
He couldn`t get out of the car without looking in the mirror.
He was as bad as me.
l don`t miss it.
l miss my Dad.
l wish things could be the way they were.
l don`t blame him for leaving.
l took away his life.
But l got it back, honey.
Dad, l missed you.
Baby, l missed you too.
l want you to know something.
l gave it away.
Nobody tried to cram that booze down my throat.
Did mean what you said about not caring if you`re a star?
You bet l did.
l want our family together again.
The way we were.
Lori, the studio called! Hello Elaine.
- Henry.
The studio has offered you a part in the movie.
lt`s just a small part now but l said l`d ask you.
They`re waiting on the phone.
lt`s up to daddy.
Whatever you say.
Well, you said you like to act, so maybe you should.
l`ll tell them.
Would you like a ride to the studio?
- Yes.
My cab`s out front.
You can`t beat the price.
Vacation at last! The sun and the surf What are you thinking about?
Me?
Nothing.
The Boss hasn`t given us a new assignment has he?
Not that l know of.
- You promise?
l promise.
That`s not good enough.
l want you to swear to Come on, that`s silly!
- No it`s not silly, now come on! All right.
Jonathan, no!
- But Mark, she`s just a kid.
But you promised.
- l know that.