“It’s a shame for that girl to have a baby,” Gloria said. “What’s the sense of having a baby unless you got dough enough to take care of it?”
“How do you know they haven’t?” I asked.
“If they have what’re they doing here? …That’s the trouble now,” she said. “Everybody is having babies – “
“Oh, not everybody,” I said.
“A hell of a lot you know about it. You’d been better off if you’d never been born – “
(Mc Coy, p. 119.)
Life is much easier when you have money. When you hit it big as a performer, the little economies that little people practice are forgotten…especially inHollywood. There are no leftovers to eat, no sweaters to mend, no real work – the only job you have is to dance the days and nights away for the personal amusement of others. Eating restaurant quality meals and wearing new store-bought clothes are an achievement and then default into a regular, passive act. Yet, what the hopeful performer Gloria and hopeful director Robert fail to realize prior to entering the dance contest, working long days and nights indenture the performer to the stage or screen, obliterates the comforts of home, relaxation and privacy.
Describing Gloria as hopeful is wrong. There is nothing hopeful about this doomed, viperous mess of a young lady. Gloria has nary a kind word for anyone or anything. She drags Robert into a dance contest where he does all the work, especially during theDerbysessions. Gloria complains constantly. She calls James a son of a bitch after telling his heavily pregnant, betrothed Ruby to get an abortion. Gloria’s feet hurt and she does not have a sponsor to buy her new shoes. Gloria is unable to put a positive spin on the dance marathon when asking Robert about his health. Gloria cannot function in this world and expects everyone else to pave her way. When misanthropic Gloria does not get her way, she would rather be dead. Gloria, darling, be careful what you wish.
Gloria’s misery spills upon Robert when she tells him it would be better if he had never been born. Gloria’s miserable nature seems to be pre-ordained and she reveals the intent to drag everyone down with her. Unfortunately, the result of playing with the mind of a young film maker can result in death. Gloria crows on about her devaluation of human life…her own. Robert is the man keeping her alive on the dance floor. Gloria tells Robert that he would be better off dead following the discussion of Ruby’s pregnancy. Yet, Robert appears happy and healthy enough, sporting future hopes and goals, scanning the dance hall stands for potential sponsors to win the contest and quell Gloria’s hopelessness.
The potential of Ruby’s unborn child symbolizes new hope, something Robert defends and Gloria derides. Robert is accommodating, dances himself to what he expects to be success and is an alive person. The indolent, morbid Gloria takes advantage of Robert’s ‘can-do’ personality, goading him to murder her.
