I think Diane's limo ride and the events afterward pretty much sum up what this movie is about.

Diane is on a long and winding road to becoming a star. But it's more important for her to be known as a great actress. She hopes to be both.

This trip is interrupted by Camilla. Camilla wants to show her a shortcut. This is what the trip up the path, and everything we see at the party, represents.

When they reach the top, Adam presents the both of them a glass of wine. He declares his love for Camilla. Diane does the same. Camilla remains silent. This silence speaks volumes. She is using them both. She uses everyone. As a 'shortcut'. She also loves to have others take on any guilt she should feel. "Sorry I was late." Once inside, someone brought up Camilla's relationship with Luigi, a powerful man in Hollywood. Camilla denies it. She receives a kiss from a star. She's using her, too. She helps Camilla get some parts in some of her films.

All of the events before the party are supposed to show Diane a fast-track to the top. The party itself reveals the fruit of Camilla's labor. But it's not what Diane wants for herself. She knows that stars can fall.

Diane has a dream where she teaches Camilla that being known as a great actress is much more fulfilling. And that stomping on people, on the way to the top, will leave no one to 'cry over you' when you're gone.

In the first half of the film, the box represents real success (through hard work), and the key represents real talent.

Notice that Camilla/Rita has a key, money and a handbag. Diane only has a key. Rita/Camilla has real talent and assets that could 'buy' her way to the top. But they are hidden (in the handbag). Diane only has real talent, and it's out there for everyone to see. She's a 'slam dunk', just like Woody said.

The scene with Diane and Joe shows Diane what could happen to her (who she could become) if she follows Camilla's 'shortcut'. She would become a person who would destroy anyone, even the one she loves, to get to the top. She would become the bum. The key Joe shows her can open many things, depending on how she chooses to use it. There is no keyhole in the box (real success) that the bum (who Diane would become) can use to open it. Meaning there's no chance for real success if she becomes the bum.

Diane's 'death' represents her choosing to work hard and not sacrifice who she really is. It represents her choice.

Diane is in apartment 16. Apartment 17 represents who she could become by taking shortcuts - dead inside.

In the first half of the film, Diane's trying to teach Camilla who she's becoming. She shows her Apartment 17.

Irene and her companion represent the nurturing childhood figures that Diane had/has in her life. They are the ones who taught Diane her values.

They will gladly 'take out' the Diane who is becoming the bum. She has no place here.

Unlike Diane's limo ride (where Camilla shows Diane a shortcut to the top), Camilla's limo ride is interrupted and followed by a trip down. In Diane's dream of teaching Camilla 'the way her life should be', she first needs to bring Camilla all the way down. To the beginning. To start the trip over with a different attitude. To change her attitude, Camilla must forget who she was.

Lol, Marksman!

Can Camilla find anything to use Diane for? Actually, she can. Firstly, she knows that Diane loves her. It's a boost to her morale to have a 'fan'. Notice how Diane imagines herself with no one in her life but an old fan to be one of her 'fans'? Secondly, as I said before, Diane has a key. This represents that Diane has real talent. Camilla can get coaching from Diane, when she allows it, to bring out her real talent. That scene with Diane and Camilla on the couch? They're practicing lines. Like we see Betty and Rita do in the kitchen at Aunt Ruth's. I know this for a few reasons. Firstly, they are dressed similar (like the robes before). Diane has a drink in her hand instead of a knife. Lastly, listen to what Adam coaches his actor to do. "When she starts to cry, let her fall into you." I'm sure this was what was to happen next if we hadn't cut to the convertible scene. And by the way, this is why we cut to the convertible scene. It's a 'continuation of that movement'. Just like we thought, for a few seconds, that Betty was curtly telling Rita "You're still here" for real, we also think this scene on the couch is real.

The first part of the film is a dream of Diane. A dream where she tries to get Camilla to work hard and not take shortcuts. To show her that the hard work will pay off when you have real talent.

The second part of the film is Diane either having a separate dream or reflecting on how her life would be if she considered Camilla's path of taking shortcuts. None of the stuff at the party really happened. It only hints to things Camilla did to get where she is. The scene with Diane and Joe did not happen. It is something that she fears would happen if she took Camilla's path. Most of the events we see in the second half of the film are 'how her life would be'. She would wind up alone, alone with her key. And her key would be useless.

Dan talks about there being two dreams. Both the same except for the light. This reflects two choices. Camilla leads Diane in one and Diane leads Camilla in the other. But they are both products of Diane's mind. Didn't really happen. The only scene that was real was Diane's head falling to a pillow.

Was the entire first half all a dream? It's possible that it's not. When we see Betty kicked back on Aunt Ruth's couch (twice) and laying in bed staring at the ceiling, these could have been moments Diane was actually doing these things while reflecting on/imagining what we see.

Another clue to the real good life that Diane wishes Camilla would turn to:

The apartment at Havenhurst is full of photos. Family, friends, fond memories of people you love and who love you.

The apartment at Sierra Bonita has no photos. Even the neighbor is sure to leave nothing behind to remind Diane that they even knew each other. If Diane chooses Camilla's path, she will wind up being alone. No one was ever a true friend and family will probably keep their distance.

And while I'm on the 'neighbor' subject...

Diane has been switching apartments for a little while. She switched with 13 first. Then she switched with 14. Then 15. Now she's in 16. This is why her boxes are never unpacked. What the apartment switching represents is Diane's getting ever closer to Apartment 17. When she's dead inside.

Where the couch scene has a mirror in the audition scene could the same be said of the following scene in each case? The audition is followed by a visit to a studio set and meaningful glances with Adam. The couch scene is followed by a visit to a studio set and meaningful glances with Camilla.

I think that maybe every scene in the 2nd part(after Diane wakes up) has a mirror in the first part. Not mirrors like the idea that the conversation at the dinner party fuelled the dream but maybe more like they are both dreams... maybe... maybe, maybe.

EDIT: Silly me - the scene Vicster is referring to is the rehearsal with Rita and Betty and not the audition itself.

Somethingbad, You are right to see mirrors of scenes between 'Part 1' and 'Part 2'. They're there. Each part of the film is showing the same road being taken, but by different routes. In other words the road leads to the same place but the route taken determines if you wind up living a true good life or living alone. Diane takes the harder road and shows Camilla the way. Camilla takes the easier road and shows Diane the way. Will there be anyone waiting for them on the other side of the rainbow? Will anyone 'cry over them' when they're gone?

I also think that the yellow cabs are a sort of tribute to Wizard of Oz. They signify traveling along the yellow brick road.

Another example of scenes that mirror one another is the love scene between Betty and Rita. During this scene Betty declares her love for Rita twice. By the pool, Camilla twice hears a declaration of love for her.

I wonder what this means regarding Adam, if anything? During the auditions, two songs about being in love are played. In one song a person is telling someone all the reasons why they love them. In the other song a person is wondering why they haven't told the person they love that they love them.

Who is the Cowboy? You can figure it out quickly once you figure out if Adam did 'good' or 'bad'.

"So I got the poule and she got the poule man."

Poule - a french word, meaning 'hen', that is slang for 'prostitute'.

I posted this on my 'fun' thread, but I want to post it here as well as it's relevant.

So the above statement could mean "So I got the prostitute and she got the male prostitute."

He's not talking about Lorraine. He's talking about Camilla and himself. Remember that these scenes are the product of Diane's imagination/dream. Diane sees them as prostitutes. Adam 'sold himself out' like a two-dollar prostitute when he chose blonde Camilla so that he could have 'the good life'. Brunette Camilla sells herself out all the time, uses her 'assets', to get what she wants - her slice of 'the good life'.

"If it is Diane Selwyn, she can tell you who you are."
"Maybe."
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Maybe, if Camilla could hear Diane's thoughts.