Something to Live For

Alan Miller, a recovering alcoholic, arrives at a Times Square hotel and is alerted to help Jenny Carey, an actress whose drinking has intensified. He senses her vulnerability and begins to offer support and a path toward recovery.

Alan explains Alcoholics Anonymous as an option, but Jenny declines his offer and insists on handling her life alone. This moment marks the start of their complicated, boundary-blurring connection.

They share a dinner during which Jenny realizes she has forgotten another day of rehearsals and cannot explain why she drinks. The scene highlights her fragility and the growing tension between them.

Alan escorts Jenny back to her apartment and then returns home to his wife Edna. The sequence tests Alan’s resolve as he steps away from Jenny and confronts the pull of his normal life.

The next morning, Alan tells Edna about his encounter with Jenny, and Edna worries about the possibility of his relapse. Their exchange foreshadows the emotional strain Jenny's situation places on both of them.

At his advertising agency, Alan learns that his proposed campaign has been turned down in favor of a colleague. The professional setback heightens his stress and makes him more susceptible to Jenny’s influence.

Jenny goes to the theatre for rehearsals and discovers she has been recast. She returns to her apartment and unsuccessfully attempts to contact Alan, signaling increasing isolation.

Meanwhile, Alan goes to a bar to call Jenny and, under temptation, orders a cocktail. Shortly after, Jenny arrives and walks out when the bartender serves Alan his drink, underscoring the pull of alcohol for both.

Alan follows Jenny into an empty theatre where they speak frankly about their lives. Alan reveals he is married, and Jenny confesses a relationship with theatre director Tony Collins who helped launch her career.

They reunite in the museum’s Egyptian room and recite lines from Jenny’s new play, The Egyptians. He tries to interest her in dinner together, but the moment is interrupted by other family commitments.

During dinner, Alan’s son arrives unexpectedly on a school trip, briefly interrupting the moment. The interruption deepens Jenny’s insecurity and reinforces the precariousness of their relationship.

Later that night, Edna reveals she is pregnant and finds pages of Jenny’s play on the nightstand. Alan lies, claiming the pages pertain to an advertising campaign, illustrating his growing deception.

Sometime later, Alan’s employer Baker invites them to a party, where Jenny and Tony also attend. The conversation about Jenny’s acting career unsettles her, and she leaves in distress, showing how fragile her confidence remains.

Billy, the elevator operator, informs Alan that Jenny has not been drinking. The call gives him a flicker of relief but also underscores the ongoing vigilance sobriety requires.

The next morning, Jenny leaves for a Boston theatre tryout and Alan confronts her at Pennsylvania Station as they part ways. This confrontation crystallizes the conflict between their dependency and recovery.