Dress Rehearsal

Paramount Studios
Los Angeles, CA

"Look, Tim. Try to be more...menacing. This girl...she's at your mercy. Make her do what you want, command her." The director sighed, shook his head and then turned his frustration on the young actress. "As far as you go...you need more shaking...I don't buy for a second that you're scared to death...act it up...tremble...whimper...ad lib a bit."

Ron Howard had a headache...well, two of them, he corrected, as he stared at his two hapless stars. This was his first foray into suspense and now he understood why he had never ventured there before. He turned to his assistant. "Frank...what the hell was our casting director thinking? Did she pick these two out or did the studio send them over?"

Frank lifted a brow and gazed nonchalantly at the two minor actors. He shrugged. "I really don't know. But they need a lot of help and it's not likely that they'll see much work if this is the best they can do."

Ron scowled, lifted his megaphone and barked, "Ok. From the top. Put some feeling behind it."

A pause...and then..."Action!"

Tim brandished a 9mm pistol in the air, waving it, he hoped, more "menacingly" than before. He squinted at the quaking female before him. "Strip, I said. Dammit. Now!" He snarled and took a threatening step forward.

Beth lifted a hand, her head tucked low to her chest, sniffling, and toyed with the top button of her sweater.

"Get moving, missy!" The gun waved again, in synch with the villain's curt nod.

Beth whimpered softly, jumped a bit and slowly released the first button. A tantalizing triangle of her pale, young flesh was exposed. Her painted nails, a fire engine red to match her fuzzy sweater, hovered over the second button, trembling and fumbling to undo it. Another coarse snarl from her captor drew her frightened eyes to his and motivated her fingers; the second button was undone. The third followed in close pursuit leaving the shady hollow between her plump breasts visible. Beth paused to wring her hands nervously.

"Cut, cut, cut!" Ron jumped out of his seat and approached the stage. He stooped low and glared into Beth's blue eyes. "Look. You're not supposed to be nervous. You are supposed to be scared as hell!"

Beth narrowed her eyes. This was not as easy as it looked from the other side of the screen. She didn't know what more Mr. Howard could possibly. She was doing the best she could. She turned helpless eyes at her costar.

"Don't look at him. He can't help you. Hell," Ron looked at Tim in disgust, "he can barely help himself. That was better," Ron directed at Tim, not looking at all satisfied, "but not nearly up to par."

Ron turned back to Beth. "Button that back up! We're gonna be here all night unless you two start acting. And I mean acting! You both are wasting our time. It's not enough to know the lines or to know the role. You have to feel it. Become it. Live it. Breath it." Ron waved an arm flagrantly through the air as he turned around and stalked back to his chair. "Not a word, Frank...I'm in no mood."

Ron didn't even spare his assistant a glance, just picked up the megaphone and barked again. "Action!"

This time Beth trembled and quaked appropriately, her shaking fingers responding to her fear of losing this, her first acting gig.