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Hey, ya' know, if that uh' story of yours doesn't go over with the guy, tell him I got a couple a' projects he might be interested in. Real commercial. Full a suspense. True-to-life stuff.

Lee's increasing infringement upon Austin's life at the end of Scene Two continues to include Austin's career. Lee promises a real-life western to the producer Saul Kimmer. Writing has been Austin's game, and Lee's presence does not merely carry with it the threat of theft but also genuine trouble for his brother. The myth of the West has long preoccupied the American mind, the distinction between historical fact and fancy sometimes unclear. In this light, Shepard uses the West to explore the exploitation of the authentic for the sake of money and Hollywood acceptance. Hollywood is one of the ultimate curses for Shepard. It is a very convenient metaphor with which to explore the nature of art versus business. How can there be a True Western? The stories in and of themselves have created the myth of the American West. Through the lens of Hollywood, Shepard cleverly explores the crooked line between myth and the truth.

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