June 22, 1987
I finished the rewrite and sent it to Virginia and Curtis Hanson this morning.
Virginia says she showed the first draft to a lot of people and everybody is all excited. “The word ‘genius’ has been thrown around,” she said. (In what context, I wonder: “Who’s the GENIUS who made me waste my time reading this #$@#! crap?!?”)
But the big news is that Larry Turman, big-name producer (The Graduate; more recently, Short Circuit) wants to make Birthstone. We talked for about an hour Saturday about the changes he’d like to see. He’s going to Europe for three weeks. I told him I’d do another rewrite while he’s away, then we can talk when he gets back.
Virginia apologized for not getting me any money to do the rewrites.
I told her not to worry, I don’t feel like I’m being exploited. “The way I see it, I’m getting the benefit of these guys’ talent and experience for free. And even if nothing happens, I end up with a better script for my trouble.”
There was a long pause, then she said: “I think you’re going to do very well here.”
