Original subtitles

My name is Thomas Vail, or at least it was.

I'm a photographer.

I had it all. A wife, a husband, a friend, a career.

And in one moment, it was taken away.

All because of a single photograph.

I have it.

They want it.

And they will do anything to get the negative.

I am keeping this diary as proof that these events are real.

I know they are.

They have to be.

When my life was taken, I was incarcerated at Callaway Psychiatric

There was one person who seemed to know something about the nightmare that

awaited me. His name was Dave Powers.

Called himself Eddie.

For the last two months, I've been trying to find some connection to him,

is, where he came from, family and friends.

And what I've come up with is an old military record and phone book listings

more than 100 Dave Powers in two dozen cities.

The first 14 have been dead ends.

This is the fifth city in the 15th name.

I'm hoping, I'm always hoping, that my luck's about to change.

Excuse me.

Excuse me.

20 bucks for an overnighter. 10 if you can finish your business in under an

hour.

Yeah?

What about it?

Do you know this man?

I know a lot of people.

Don't know that I know what I know, though.

Well, maybe this will help.

I know him. He's a head case.

Always walking around with two eyes behind his head and looking over his

shoulders as if maybe somebody's about to jump on him.

Were they?

You ever see anybody following him?

I mean, anyone asking questions?

Not until you showed up.

This is almost getting to be more of a problem to keep him than to throw him

on his ear.

So why didn't you?

How many people you know pay a year's tab in advance?

And he paid you a year in advance?

Only thing kept him out of the hatch, as far as I'm concerned.

How long ago was this?

About nine months.

I want the key to his room.

Raul, did Nancy change tables?

Excuse me?

Nancy, as in my wife?

Good smile, great legs, lousy tipper.

She's not at our table.

I'm sorry, sir.

I don't know who you're talking about.

Sir? What, are you kidding?

We were at that table over there.

Two of the people there.

Mr. and Mrs. Charney have said that booth's reserved.

Every Thursday.

For the last ten years.

So where is she? Sir, perhaps if you'd come to the front desk?

The joke's over.

So where is she? The joke's over, Raoul. Where is she?

I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave the restaurant.

I'm not leaving the restaurant, Raoul, until I find my wife, Nancy.

Nancy, it's me.

Open up.

Conversation's over, friend. You either turn and leave, or we'll carry you out

of here.

We have speed.

Rolling.

Take two. Marker.

B mark.

And action.

All right.

Talk to me.

I don't know what you want me to say.

Come on, Nancy.

What are the rules of the game here?

Who put you up to this?

I don't know what you're talking about. Cut the crap, okay?

It's about the photograph, isn't it?

There's no way you could have gotten into my bank account and changed the

all by yourself.

Who are they, Allison?

All right.

They told me that if I said anything, they'd kill you.

But who?

Who are they?

I don't know. Some men.

But who?

Government? Military? What did they say? I didn't want to put you in this

situation. Them.

I'm sorry. Did he have to grab me like that? Because I spent a long time on my

hair, and that just totally ruins it.

Angie, this scene is crucial to the plot, okay?

No, no, no, no. Just think about it.

The night before, Lenny's just seen you with another man posing as your husband.

He's got to get you alone to try to get some answers. He's desperate.

I don't think he's worrying about your hair.

Okay, fine. I will just look like crap for the rest of the show.

And look, forget about her hair.

I got a problem with this whole damn scene.

Popping up out of the backseat of a car.

How predictable can you get?

You got a problem with predictable, is that it? Yeah. Yeah, I do.

Oh, to hell with you, Robert. You're fired.

Get off of my set. Get out of the building.

Hey, you don't have the power to fire me.

This isn't even your show.

You get this straight, Phil.

I am Lenny Little.

You toss me, you toss the whole series. Okay, okay, that's it.

That's it. That's predictable.

You know why? Because it's real.

Because when something somebody wants very much is suddenly taken away,

going to fight like hell to get it back.

Even to the point of popping up in the backseat of a car.

You got it?

Yeah. Yeah, okay.

Maybe you have a point.

Thank you.

Now, you think we can do this scene?

Maybe make our air date?

Actors.

All right, take five, everybody.

Back to one.

Was that a line Lee Strasberg had in The Godfather? This is a profession we have

chosen.

You're one of Angie's guys, right?

How do you know all this? You all look alike. You're about that tall, good

-looking. No, no, I mean about the show.

How do you know about all this?

Who are you people?

Look, buddy, this is a closed set. If you're not with... Listen, I asked you a

question. What the hell are you people doing here? How do you know all this?

I mean, Allison in the car, the scene in the restaurant.

It's called a script.

Lots of pages full of little words to tell the actors what to say. Look, pal,

I'm just a director. I just interpret.

You got a problem with the script, you take it up with Max Webb.

Who's Max Webb?

He's the writer -producer of this extravaganza.

Are we through with the emotion here? I got a future to dream about again.

Hey, that's my script.

So, Lenny is sitting there in a straightjacket opposite Dr.

Landers. Now, Landers is one of those friendly, benign types.

I've got a buzzer.

I used it.

Look, this is a really bad time. If this is about my ex... Who do you work for?

Who the hell are you? I said, who do you work for?

I work for the government.

Two ex -wives and the bank. It's the American dream.

What are you, a fan?

You know damn well who I am.

Just what point do you think you're trying to make? I don't know.

Okay, I think it has something to do with identity.

You know, the individual against the oppressive, faceless society. But I

know whether I'm making my point very well.

Cut the crap, Webb.

You're replaying scenes from my life. I want to know why.

I suppose I'll take that as a compliment.

Wasn't that his one?

Well, I've obviously struck a nerve somewhere.

I mean, if you identify with Lenny, I've done a good job.

If you identify with Lenny enough to find out where I live, break into my

well, hell, I'm a writer. Sue me, I'm flattered.

I just want to know what you think you're trying to prove.

See, I don't know.

I don't know. Okay.

I think that what I'm trying to prove is that Lenny doesn't have a choice.

You sure about that?

Hey, I'm the writer.

Okay, okay.

Take this week's episode, for example.

Lenny actually thinks that he's going to find all of the answers to all of his

questions. You know, I mean, he's traveled 1 ,200 miles actually believing

he's going to get to the bottom of things. And then, by the time that he

there, whammo!

You know, they're already one step ahead of him.

I'm telling you, he's becoming predictable.

Maybe he's doing it on purpose.

To give the opposition a false sense of confidence.

Hey, hey, ooh, ooh, ooh, that's a good idea. Ooh, that's good.

Ooh, that's good. Okay, note.

Idea for a way around Lenny's predictability.

Maybe he's doing this on purpose.

No.

No, because, you see, okay, the thing is, you see, I've made the heavies too

good.

Downright brilliant, actually.

They're just not that easily fooled.

Neither is he.

Yeah, but Lenny is Lenny's one guy. He's one guy. The opposition, they've got

the means, they've got the money.

Well, maybe you underestimate your leading man.

No, I know exactly who Lenny is and what he's capable of.

Lenny's in hell until he gives them what they want.

And there's nothing he can do about it.

Yeah, okay, sure.

Yeah, okay, yeah, I will.

Mmm.

Oh, this stuff's got legs.

I'm gonna go get a fresh batch.

with a thousand questions.

Who are you? What do you want?

You know, he gets answers, but none of them are satisfying.

So the writer gets up, he walks into the kitchen, and he takes a beat, thinks

over his alternatives, but he can't resist.

He's got to know what the guy is up to, so he crosses to the dictaphone, and he

plays back a section of the tape.

This is over.

Not that I don't appreciate the occasional interruption, but I've got

do.

I wrote the scene, my friend. I know how it ends.

Oh, and don't overestimate your value. I will use this.

Now, get up.

Hey, enjoy the show.

You might learn something.

Simmons?

It's Max.

Yeah, he was just here.

No, no, no, no. Everything went according to plan.

Yeah.

All Springwood residents, there's been an unauthorized entry in building one.

Lock the door. Stay inside.

Security has been dispatched.

Come on, come on.

Allegra International. Good morning. Can I help you? Where are you located?

Who's calling, please?

Max Webb.

Please hold, sir.

Attention all Springwood residents.

There's been an unauthorized movement in building one.

Lock your doors and stay silent.

Yes.

Okay, I can have him return your call.

Can I help you?

Yeah, I'm here to see Mr. Simmons.

Do you have an appointment?

No. It's going to take a minute. I'm sorry, but Mr. Simmons can only be seen

appointment.

Right there. Mr. Simmons. All right, well, how do I make it?

Mr. Simmons? Yeah.

If you'd like to leave your name and number, I can have someone get back to

All right, okay.

Thank you.

You're at 3 o 'clock tomorrow. You have to be moving.

I want to get this all ramped up. I want every project on my desk by six. I

won't be back, but I want it back.

Got a four o 'clock haircut.

Somebody tell Sally to confirm with Oscar.

I'll take care of it, Mr. Simmons.

Oh, my God.

Hey,

mister, are you... Are you okay, man? I didn't even...

Frank!

What the... Who are you? What do you

want? Who are you, what is Allegra, and what is your connection to Max Webb?

That's a lot of questions.

Talk to me, Simmons.

Or watch you kill me.

You don't have it in you.

I didn't have it in me. Things happen. People change.

Who are you?

You know I can't tell you that.

We'll see.

You think if you kill me, it'll stop?

I don't know.

Maybe not.

Maybe it'll just give me some pleasure knowing I've taken one of you bastards

out.

Isn't that funny?

How do you know that killing me isn't exactly the move they want you to make?

You're in over your head.

Not for you, Pally.

What can I get you?

Oh, uh, some cold would be great.

Beer, iced tea, lemonade?

Lemonade's fine.

You okay, buddy?

Yeah, I'm fine.

What do you work for? What's your connection to Max Webb?

That's a lot of questions.

Talk to me, Reichardt. For what?

You gonna kill me?

You don't have it in you.

Yeah, I didn't have it in me.

Things happen. People change.

This thing again?

Where the hell did it come from? Some kind of a pirate broadcast.

I heard a rumor they do it down in Mexico.

Hey, leave it.

It's good.

Who are you?

You know I can't tell you that.

You think if you kill me it'll stop?

You're in over here. Just what they'd expect you to do.

I just don't get why he does what they expect him to do all the time. You ask

me, when he keeps up like this, he's one dead puppy.

I don't know what I expected to find when I came looking for pieces of

life.

What I found was as mysterious as the man himself.

I know those heartfelt lips.

I've been misdeaf -caught by these psychic groups.

Running from myself and the race is nipping tough. If love's a lady and love

is blind, for argument, what's blind love?

Can't wait for a plan to align.

Can't wait for me to reign.

I need someone to tell me.

Luck's about to change.

What the hell is this place, Eddie?

Sort of a shame, don't you think?

At one time or another, all this seemed really important.

Everyone here meant enough to someone to justify all this paperwork.

You take Dave Powers, for instance.

He put up a good fight.

He lost.

And now, he's done so much useless paper.

What do you want from me?

I thought we'd already been over that.

Well, I'm a slow learner.

I doubt that.

Where are the negatives?

Why are they so important?

They're not.

You are.

Maybe you can refresh my memory.

You see, it's an attitude like that that keeps getting you into trouble.

Don't you realize there's no future in running?

Well, I've done okay so far.

Oh, is that so?

What makes you so sure of that?

Well, uh...

I'm here where I want to be, not back in Calloway where you want me to be.

Then what am I doing here?

Did you really think we didn't know about Mr. Powers?

That we didn't know you'd come looking for him?

Like I said, predictable.

Unless I just walk away.

It doesn't matter now.

You've seen to that.

Yeah, but you can't walk away.

You never could.

You just gotta dig till you get all the answers, don't you?

No, sir.

No. I'm afraid what I said before was the truth.

When a person is driven, when something is so desperately important to him,

he becomes predictable.

And that's your basic problem.

And your basic problem is thinking you can get everybody to play your game.

Well, most people.

Well, we all make our choices.

So if I were to tell you that right now, right at your feet, was the last

episode of The Lenny Little Show, you're telling me you could just walk away,

huh?

What difference does it make to me?

You're my biggest fan.

No one else watches with your enthusiasm.

See, this is the episode where Lenny finds out all the answers to all of his

questions.

The where.

The why.

The who.

It's the moment of truth.

Hey!

Hey, hi!

Come here.

You're the guy I saw the other day on the set. Come on over.

Come on, sit down.

Hi.

Hey,

have you read this?

Uh, no, no, not yet.

It's a total bummer, trust me. They got Lenny with this gas that, like, makes

him docile and helpless.

It's like a chemical lobotomy. I mean, just read the end. I just can't believe

that Lenny fell for it.

What happened?

Okay, he breaks into this big corporate place, a leg or electric something.

Allegra? Yes.

That's it. That's it.

Wait, I thought you said you didn't read it.

Okay. Well, anyway. Okay, so there's Lenny with all these ropes, and he's,

scaling up the outside of this building, which is totally out of character

because he's a photographer.

He's a photojournalist. He's seen a lot of military action, and it's completely

out of character.

Wow, you totally, like, know this show.

I don't know. I just thought Lenny was a little smarter than that. I mean, he

just walked right into their trap.

Maybe he had no choice.

Everyone has a choice.

Maybe what's in that building is too important to him.

Yeah, maybe. Would you like something?

No, thank you.

You know what? I'm kind of glad it's over because that Nancy character is a

backbuster.

Yeah, she's complex.

Her emotions are never very easy to understand.

Yes, exactly.

I mean, I could never figure out whether or not she was on Lenny's side.

One day I'm convinced that she's doing it just to protect him, and then the

I'm, like, convinced that she's in on it.

It's so hard to play a scene, you know, when you don't know where you're coming

from. Does that make sense?

Yeah.

Maybe she just loves him.

I mean, maybe you just have to assume that from the beginning, and then things

fall into place from there.

Yeah, maybe.

Do you work for Mac?

In a way, yeah.

Don't tell him what I said about, like, the rope and climbing the building and

everything because Max has a fit if we don't just bow down to everything that

writes. I won't say a word.

I still don't buy it, though. I mean, I never would have gone into that

building. It was just such an obvious setup.

That's good, Robert. Keep looking.

Robert, anybody could be coming.

Can't afford to get caught now.

That's good.

That's good. A little more.

Keep going.

So much for being predictable.

I made it up the rope.

Hey, I was doing fine.

Sorry, Phil.

Last minute changes.

Oh, by the way, we're going live.

You're in it, guys.

Max, you gotta be kidding.

The name of the game, Phil.

I had a better idea at the last minute. Even if it gives me apoplexy. Hey, I

don't want to spend any more time on that rope than I have to.

I look like a clod.

Rope's gone, kiddo.

I like the rope.

With Lenny's background, he can do this kind of stuff.

Where can the man upstairs go? No more rope. How the hell does he get inside,

then? He uses the card key he got from the Allegra executive. Walks right

through the front door.

And right up to room 302.

The rope is so much better.

I think she's right, Max.

Trust me.

It needed a new ending.

Come on, Lenny, it's a trap. What are you doing?

That's a bonehead. He shouldn't even be up there.

Well, he's got to get the file.

Ten bucks says the file's not even in there. Yeah?

You're on.

I can't see a thing.

Turn on the damned light, Bale.

Switch to the infrared channel.

Check his body.

Be sure the gas will be clear. After 60 seconds, the exhaust fans will pull out

the residual gas, no problem.

All clear.

Where the hell is he?

He got out. What about the file?

Son of a bitch, it's Tokyo.

Ah, no!

Move it or lose it.