The Bad and the Beautiful

In Hollywood, film director Fred Amiel, movie star Georgia Lorrison, and screenwriter James Lee Bartlow, at the top of their respective professions, each receives a telephone call from Paris from movie producer Jonathan Shields, who they either refuse to speak to or for who they only have nasty, curt words if they do in their estrangement from him. Jonathan, the son of a now deceased but generally disliked head of his own studio, worked his way up the movie business to prominence despite his father, only to fall out of favor eventually to where his name now means nothing in the business. Although he understands each of their justified feelings toward Jonathan, Harry Pebbel, an associate of Jonathan's and still his friend, convenes Fred, Georgia and James together in his office to plead Jonathan's case: he has a new film idea which he cannot get financed on his own, but for which he can get easy financing with Fred, Georgia and James' direct involvement. As Harry gets Jonathan on the phone for him to plead his case directly if the three will listen, Fred, Georgia and James recollect their respective relationships with Jonathan: not only the reason they cut ties with him, but also their professional and in most cases personal friendships with him before those falling outs. The question becomes whether in remembering their entire histories and knowing the reason for Jonathan calling them, Fred, Georgia and/or James will at least listen to Jonathan when Harry gets him on the phone this time around.