Crazy Sunday

"Crazy Sunday" is a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, originally published in the October 1932 issue of American Mercury.

Fitzgerald's story is set in the brutal life of the great studios of 1930s Hollywood, with their flocks of actors, writers and directors seething with interpersonal and sexual politics.

Stella, Calman's neglected wife, presses highballs on Joel — he had promised himself not to drink, especially as the director is loudly opposed to alcoholism — and flirts with him.

His buddy Nat Keogh — the archetypal heavy drinker of Hollywood — tries to laugh him out of it, but it is not until next morning he gets a kind telegram from Stella Calman inviting him to a buffet supper that he is comforted.

"Crazy Sunday again", and Joel lunches alone on "trout, avocado salad and a pint of California wine" before dressing carefully for Mrs Calman's sister's supper.

Back in the studio during the week, Joel phones Miles but Stella answers; she invites him to a dinner and theatre party because her husband will be flying to a big Notre Dame game.

Self-conscious in his silk hat against the unemployment, he waited for the others in front of the Hollywood Theatre and watched the evening parade: obscure replicas of bright, particular picture stars, spavined men in polo coats…" Stella appears, stunning in a sparkling ice-blue dress; Miles had decided to fly to the game after all, and she's just got a telegram to say he's starting back.

The story's plot may have been inspired by the March 31, 1931 inflight breakup of a Transcontinental & Western Air airliner, en route from Kansas City to Wichita, which killed Knute Rockne.