The Dying Gaul

Jeffrey Tishop is one of Hollywood’s most influential studio managers. He lives in a sedate residence high up in the Malibu Hills. His wife, Elaine, once wrote screenplays. She and her husband have now moved up to the upper echelons of Hollywood society. Having given up writing, Elaine now tends to the running of the villa, the household staff and their two well-turned-out children. One day, a screenplay lands on Jeffrey’s desk from Hollywood. Jeffrey can smell a hit straight off. All at once, the script’s moving love story – a second TERMS OF ENDEARMENT – begins to take shape before his eyes. Except, that is, for one small problem that can be easily rectified: the lovers are both male. One simple correction of the screenplay is all that stands between him and the sure-fire success of THE DYING GAUL. Robert Sandrich is the screenwriter Jeffrey has to convince to make the required script change. Robert hasn’t sold a thing in a very long time. His current screenplay is clearly an autobiographical work, since it revolves around Robert’s own lover’s death. His is a poignant love story with a tragic end. As far as Robert is concerned – a re-write is out of the question. But how long will he be able to withstand Hollywood’s powerful lure of money, power and sex? Meanwhile, Elaine decides to take her writing colleague under her wing. Impressed by his obvious talent, she also senses Robert’s grief, of which he attempts to purge himself in online chatrooms. But then, Elaine also starts surfing the net and this leads to a chain reaction.