| Richard Hudson is a used car salesman in love with himself and his ability to sell. His boss sends him to Los Angeles from San Francisco to start a new car dealership. Instead of getting a place of his own he takes up residence with his family. There's Mother; his mother, a gorgeously preserved woman and former ballerina. Leo, his stepfather, a once great director now out of work and only eight years older than Richard, and Leo's daughter.
One night while attending a social club meeting he has an epiphany. He's wasting his life in the empty pursuit of money; he has to make a statement before he dies. He will write and direct a movie. soon he snares Leo into his plan, and nabs a meeting with The Man to secure distribution and studio sources. He finances the movie by using the money entrusted to him by his boss for the new car lot. As production goes underway Richard grows obsessed. He punches his secretary and lover in the stomach when she informs him she's pregnant with his child; he becomes distant, cruel, and when The Man tells him he wants to cut the emotional content of Richard's movie to make it fit for television he blows his top. his vision has been compromised. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of book? - thoughtful Time/era of story - 1930's-1950's Life of a profession: Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Job/Profession/Status story Yes Main Character Gender - Male Profession/status: Age: - 20's-30's Ethnicity/Nationality Main Adversary Identity: - none Profession/status: Eccentric/Smart/Dumb: Yes Eccentric: How sensitive is this character? Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting How much descriptions of surroundings? - 4 () United States Yes Writing Style Sex in book? Yes What kind of sex: - impregnation/reproduction Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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