marksman-
I think Carol was actually Adam's ex-wife in the back story. Although their dialogue appears to be flirty banter, look more closely. She says, "my manager is going to be bugging you day and night" (manager = lawyer) and "you just show me where to sign" (divorce papers).
I do think that Adam was bribed with a call girl. "This one comes highly recommended." Well not so much bribed, it was a gift to him from the Castig bros who wanted something from him.
I do not think it was Adam who was being told to say "this is the girl" in a police lineup. That is just one of the things being depicted. That was most likely Dan, who seems to have seen something he shouldn't have seen because he was curious. The Winkie's scene opens with the sound of a police car and it appears as if Dan is beginning to describe something he saw to police.
The judge (Forester) may also have been bribed (or attempted to) and then forced by the Castig bros to rule in favor of someone in court.

I'm paraphrasing but film actresses have complained that there are only three roles for women in film: 'saint, whore or mother or combinations of the above.'

So, you see a meeting of only men ... and a coffee represents a prostitute? So, when Herb has his coffee at Winkie's is he satisfied with his coffee? Or did he drink/eat his entire breakfast and just not have a coffee? Or is he just a satisfied prostitute's customer?

Excuse me, got to get my morning cup of prostitute ...

So when Diane makes a pot of coffee, pours a cup, carries this cup to her coffee table and sets it down it could be like a prostitute who turns her light on to let customers know she's open for business.

But she waits all day and no one comes...no one wants her. "The director doesn't want her."

vicster111 wrote:So when Diane makes a pot of coffee, pours a cup, carries this cup to her coffee table and sets it down it could be like a prostitute who turns her light on to let customers know she's open for business.

But she waits all day and no one comes...no one wants her. "The director doesn't want her."

And the coffee maker has a decidedly red light on it - thus (obviously) she is a red-light district whore.

Wait, time for my second cup of whore ...

I actually like this 'coffee' metaphor.

Look at the scene where Coco finds Rita in Ruth's apartment. Rita is sipping a cup of coffee. Betty is 'elsewhere'. After Betty talks to Coco, she tells Rita that she has to 'finish making that sandwich'. 'Making a sandwich' is a metaphor for a sexual act. A metaphor that DL used in 'Wild at Heart'. Dale stayed up all night 'making sandwiches'.

So Rita is on the couch, ready for the next customer and Betty is with a client.