Synopsis
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A former child TV star attempts a career comeback as an adult with the help of an elderly, sex-starved TV producer. Curson Beeley gets a call for an audition. This former child star juggles looking for guest shots with a real job delivering pizza. Sometimes the pizza has to take precedence. Like now: dressed for his audition, he wheels through Hollywood and Sunset Blvd to a Bel Air Mansion's gated driveway. While a butler, Morgan, emerges and inspects the pizza, an older woman, Agnes Fuchs, sits at a window, observing the transaction. Curson, feeling he's being watched, spots the woman. At last, the servant pays for the pizza and Curson hurries off, swearing under his breath about the creepy rich people.Curson arrives as the casting agents are leaving and tries to talk them into staying just five minutes. No luck! HeÕll do his lines right there on the street! The casting agents raise their eyebrows intrigued more by his desperation than anything, then they decline and walk away. He rattles off some lines. He tries to sing and tap dance to get their attention. He tells them he was the kid star of It Takes One to Know One and Make Room for Malcolm. They all leave but for one, who sidles up to him and gives him some advice, all while practically sneering at CursonÕs aged duds, 'Look, Curson, everyone knows who you are. That's your problem. Maybe you should pretend you're someone else. And get some clothes. You dress like my grandad.'
Later Curson meets his girlfriend, Sarah. She tells him he has to give a little if they want any chance of growing together. Frustrated, Curson heads for a bar. A sitcom plays on the TV above the bar. The bartender greets Curson by name and puts his drink on the bar before Curson can ask for it. People at the end of the bar confer in a whisper. Curson, seated at the bar, glances up at the TV, which plays an episode of What's Your Problem? A young Curson is giving lip to his t.v. sister. The people from the other end of the bar approach to ask if he's really Curson Beeley. What happened to his career? Can't he get some work on Hollywood Squares?
Pinnacle Pizza is where Curson works. Rusty, the boss, sees Curson and berates him for not being in uniform. Rusty informs him that the Bel Air address wants another pizza but only if Curson delivers it. Curson doesn't like the smell of it. Rusty upbraids Curson for living in such a small world, tells him to go out there and make a buck. Curson pulls his foreign compact into the driveway of the Bel Air estate. This time, however, the immense iron gate slowly opens. Curson meekly lets off the brake and eases in past the gate and onto the wondrously landscaped grounds. Morgan the butler greets him and invites him in. Curson follows the butler down a long hallway and a flight of stairs and into a foyer, which leads to French doors, opening onto a patio beyond which sprawls a pool and deck furniture. There, as Curson heads toward the pool, he notices a woman in one of the chaise-lounges. Though her legs are bare, she wears furry white slippers. She tells him to sit. He says he's on duty. She asks that he indulge her for a moment. After all, she points out, she's an old woman, and old women must always be indulged. Although sheÕs at least sheÕs in her 70's, she doesnÕt look that bad. She certainly possesses an obvious wealth of energy and conviction in her own powers. She tells him he looks familiar to her; she thinks she knows who he is, but Curson doesnÕt reveal his identity. Then she recognizes him and realizes what a fall he's endured to be delivering pizza. She offers to help him out, use her contacts as a former producer, and she bluntly invites him to move in with her. He is unsure, but takes her card and a large cash tip.
On his way out, Curson notices some Emmy awards and, oddly, a tomahawk over a mantel. Back at Pinnacle Pizza, Curson tells Rusty he's quitting his job. RustyÕs not happy, wants to know what all went down at the Bel Air address. Curson: 'Let's just say it's not pizza she's after.'
Curson lies to Sarah and tells her he has a part in a t.v. show thatÕs shooting in Hawaii. He even lets Sarah drive him to the airport to catch an imaginary flight, then he catches a cab and returns home to pack his bags and move in with Agnes. Soon Agnes is buying him clothes and jewelry and lending him her Bentley. Curson spurns his friends at Pinnacle Pizza by driving by in the Bentley to crow about his change in fortune.
At a fancy restaurant, Curson meets an Agent, a Manager, and a Lawyer. His clothes and fancy car and childhood fame interest them. They make a pact to put him back into the spotlight. Curson eagerly makes a deal with them. Later that night, Agnes insists on sexual favors from Curson. He is mortified, but complies. Then Agnes explains the tomahawk. She tells him how Morgan murdered his parents and that the tomahawk is there to show her faith in Morgan, that he will never again do anything so violent. She reveals that Morgan is her grandson. The next evening, Curson takes Agnes to meet the Agent, Manager and Lawyer to discuss a comeback show for Curson. Later, after more sex with Agnes, Curson tries to purge himself: he picks up two women outside a nightclub and takes them for a romp on the beach.
Curson starts to break out in horrible rashes on his face. Curson's new reps soon have him booked on a network talk show and Morgan works hard to conceal his rash with make-up. Agnes worries that Curson will now dump her and she begs him to stay. He refuses. He drives to Sarah's house to attempt a reconciliation, but Sarah shuts her door on him. When Curson returns to Bel Air, Agnes really unleashes on him, berating him, insulting him, telling him he has no talent. HeÕs pizza delivery man, for chris sakes, and she only used him for sex. Curson snaps. He yanks the tomahawk from the wall. Her taunts continue. He kills her. Morgan comes running and drops in utter shock to his knees at AgnesÕ side, just as the Agent, Manager and Lawyer arrive. They see Morgan by the body, taking the blame, and find Curson by the pool. He has Agnes' gun. The Agent, Manager and Lawyer find out what happened and suggest that Curson let Morgan take the fall, afterall he's about to have a big career comeback. Curson turns the gun on them, fires rapidly and sends them toppling backwards into the pool. Police sirens become audible in the distance.