Barton stands backstage and listens to the end of his play. He is unexpectedly called to the stage where the audience gives him a standing ovation.

Barton is led to a table at a fancy restaurant where the producer (Derek) and two others (Poppy Carnahan and Richard St. Claire) await his arrival with some enthusiasm. Derek reads the Herald's review of his play. Barton seems embarrassed and ashamed and doesn't fit in well with these people.

Barton meets with his agent Garland at the bar. He says Capitol pictures wants to hire Barton as a screenwriter. Barton seems conflicted by the offer and criticizes the idea of living and working in Hollywood. Garland argues the move would be a long-term financial benefit for Barton's career.

An empty beach is shown (presumably somewhere in Hollywood) where a wave crashes over a large rock.

Barton walks up to the counter and signs into the hotel Earle in Hollywood. He meets Chet for the first time.

Barton walks to the elevator and takes it to the sixth floor. He exits the elevator and walks to this room.

Barton walks into his room and explores the space. The place is small, in disrepair, and doesn't appear to have been occupied in a long time. The picture of the woman at the ocean is first seen here.

Barton lays awake in his bed with the lights out. A mosquito can be heard flying around as Barton looks at the ceiling where paint has peeled off. Anticipates later issues with the hotel Earle and heat.

Barton meets his employer, Jack Lipnick. Lipnick tells Barton to write a wrestling picture for the actor Wallace Beery. Lipnick tells Barton he has confidence in him and he is expecting great things from Barton. Barton looks alarmed and somewhat shocked by the conversation.

Barton starts to write his script but is interrupted by the sound of his neighbor, Charlie, laughing in the next room.

When Charlie leaves, Barton returns to his work and is interrupted for the second time because his wallpaper is falling away from the wall.

Barton goes to the producer Ben Geisler for help on writing his script.

Barton and Ben Geisler eat and talk at a restaurant. Geisler suggests Barton seek the help of another writer to help with his writer's block.

Barton meets the writer W. P. Mayhew in the bathroom and Mayhew offers to help Barton later with his wrestling script.

Barton stops by Mayhew's bungalow, but Mayhew is drunk and shouting in the background as Barton is introduced to Audrey. They tentatively plan to meet later.

Barton is trying to reattach wallpaper that is falling off the wall with tacks that Chet gave him. While doing this he listens through the wall as his neighbors make noise. A woman is making almost painful noises that are only vaguely sexual while a man is laughing. Anticipates later issues with the hotel Earle and heat.

Barton attempts to work on his script again (which hasn't progressed any from the first time he worked on it) and appears to be entering into his creative zone of focus but is interrupted before he can start.

After Charlie leaves, Barton sits down at his typewriter to try and work again after being disrupted.

Barton has a picnic with Mayhew and Audrey. Mayhew and Audrey have what appears to be a strained relationship and the two bicker amongst themselves. Barton accuses Mayhew of treating Audrey poorly and of misusing his talent. Barton explains his motivation for writing comes from an inner pain and that his goal is to ease the suffering of others. Mayhew gets drunk and wonders off. Barton consoles Audrey after Mayhew strikes her.

Barton is awakened by a mosquito that bites him as he sleeps. After getting up, he heads to his typewriter in an attempt to work on his script. As he is getting in the writing zone, Charlie interrupts him again.

Barton sits back down to write but seems really distracted by the noise coming from his neighbors. His expression indicates his sincere attempt to ignore the distracting noise but they still break his concentration.

Barton meets with Ben Geisler at Geisler's office. Upon hearing Barton had essentially nothing written, Geisler is upset and arranges for Barton to watch some of the "dailies" from the director's (Sjoderberg) current wrestling picture. Geisler reveals he lied to Lipnick about Barton's progress and threatens that Barton's work had better be good. Geisler tells Barton that Lipnick has requested a meeting at his house and that Barton needs to tell Lipnick the story.

Barton sits alone in a screening theater and watches multiple takes from of a barbaric wrestling picture. Barton looks horrified and disgusted as he watches multiple takes of two shots from the film.

Barton paces furiously in his apartment as he tries to decide upon the basic question of whether or not his wrestler will get involved with a dame or an orphan. At this point he has less than eight hours to work before meeting Lipnick.

Barton calls Audrey for help on writing his script. Barton is panicked about his deadline and is essentially begging her to come over.

Audrey arrives at Barton's, he explains his lack of progress, and Audrey admits to having written the last few of Mayhew's books. Audrey is very supportive and wants to help Barton. They begin to have sex. They do not appear to actually work on the script.

Barton wakes up in his bed to the sound of a mosquito buzzing. It lands on Audrey (who appears to be sleeping) and Barton kills it on her body by smacking it with his hand. Audrey does not respond to his hard slap.

Barton walks over to his desk and sits while he tries to figure out what has happened and what he should do about it.

Barton arrives at Lipnick's house to tell him about his progress with the screenplay. Barton lies and tells Lipnick he cannot discuss the work until it is completely finished because speaking about too early could alter his original, incomplete conception. Lipnick's assistant, Lou Breeze, threatens Barton with losing his job if he does not tell them about the script and Lipnick fires Lou because of it.

Barton sits at his desk and opens the Gideons bible to Daniel 2:30 which is really a version of Daniel 2:5. He reads the passage about Nebuchadnezzar then turns to Genesis 1 where the opening fragment of his script has become the opening of Genesis.

After placing Charlie's box on his desk, Barton finally starts to write. He ignores an incoming phone call by placing small pieces of cotton in his ears to block out the sound. Barton works passionately while excerpts of his writing are heard in his voice (voice over) as he writes.

Barton calls Garland Stanford to tell him about how well his writing is going and how he thinks it might be his most important work. Barton is calling in the middle of the night and Garland is confused by the late phone call and is repeatedly concerned with whether or not Barton is all right. Barton is short with Garland and ends the conversation in a huff and sarcastically thanks Garland for "all of the encouragement."

After his phone conversation with Garland Barton returns to his desk and continues working continuously on his script until he finishes it.

Barton attends a USO dance party that is primarily occupied with men from the Navy & Army and young women. Barton dances ecstatically with a young woman until a sailor asks to dance with her. Barton denies him and this erupts into Barton shouting at everyone and claiming that he is celebrating the completion of something great and that he is a creator. He calls everyone monsters and after they start to yell obscenities at Barton, the Army and Navy have an unexpected brawl with one another.

Barton grabs his script and walks slowly, looking defeated, down the burning hallway as he presumably exists the Earle and heads towards Lipnick's office.

Barton stands outside of Lipnick's office pleading desperately on the phone with an operator as he tries to reach his parents and uncle in New York who are apparently unreachable.

Lipnick has rehired Lou Breeze. Lipnick decides Barton's script "stinks" (Lou read it) and emphatically expresses his disappointment with the work. Lipnick considers the script unusable and has pushed back the Wallace Berry picture. Ben Geisler has been fired but Barton will not be fired because "that would be too easy" and instead he will stay under contract and Lipnick wants him to stay in town and tells him that anything he writes is the property of Capitol Pictures and that Barton needs to grow up.

Barton walks along the beach in his suit, holding Charlie's box and sits on the sand. He talks to a woman who is also walking along the beach. She asks him about Charlie's box but he says he doesn't know its contents or owner. He tells the woman that she is beautiful and asks if she is in pictures. She says he is being silly and they both turn to look out at the ocean. She strikes a pose identical to the one that the woman in the picture in Barton's room was doing.

Barton makes a noise complaint to Chet at the front desk to quiet his neighbor Charlie who is being loud next door.

Chet calls Charlie to tell him about the complaint and Charlie marches right over to Barton's to confront him about it.

Charlie seems to forgive Barton and invites himself into Barton's room to bury the hatchet. They discuss their trades.

Charlie interrupts Barton (just as Barton is about to start writing) and walks into Barton's room again. Barton seems happy to see him this time. First appearance of Charlie's ear infection. The two chat about their careers and relationship statuses. Barton indicates that he doesn't have much experience with women and he seems uncomfortable talking about it. Charlie shows Barton how to wrestle because Barton knows very little about it. First mention of Barton's family (Sam Fink, Lillian Fink, and Uncle Maury).

Charlie interrupts Barton because their shoes had been delivered to the wrong rooms. They discuss their work (Charlie's weight, Barton's writer's block), have a drink, and the high temperature. Charlie surprises Barton by saying he can hear the neighbors having sex and mentions he seems to hear everything that happens in the hotel. Anticipates later issues with the hotel Earle and heat.

After slapping the mosquito, Audrey doesn't move and Barton realizes that she's dead. Blood is all over the mattress. Barton screams at the top of his lungs.

Charlie heard Barton scream and he comes over and knocks on Barton's door to find out what happened. Barton is obviously panicked but dismisses Charlie.

Barton decides to ask Charlie for help and he knocks on his door after dodging Chet who is managing the shoe service in the hallway. Charlie tries to calm Barton and enters Barton's room. He is disgusted by the sight of Audrey's dead body and vomits in the toilet.

Charlie gets Barton from the hallway and tells him to wait in the bathroom while he takes care of the body. Barton faints.

Charlie slaps Barton a few times to wake him up. Charlie tells Barton to be calm and silent about he situation. Charlie leaves and Barton realizes he has 15 minutes before he needs to be at Lipnick's house.

Barton sits on his bed looking exhausted and defeated. Charlie comes over to tell Barton goodbye because he is leaving for a few days. Charlie leaves a package with Barton. He says that it has all the things that are important to him and everything that he wants to keep from his lifetime. Barton claims he has less than Charlie's Box.

Barton cries while seated on his blood-soaked mattress after Charlie leaves.

Barton's phone rings which anticipates his upcoming meeting with two detectives.

Barton takes the elevator to meet the detectives in the hotel lobby. He has and brief and seemingly pointless exchange with the elevator operator, Pete, about whether or not Pete has read the bible.

Barton talks with two detectives in the lobby of the Earle. They are questioning him about Charlie and tell Barton that Charlie's real name is Karl "Madman" Mundt and that he is a serial murderer. They insult Barton for being Jewish and they are generally rude to him.

Barton takes Charlie's box from his bedside table and places it on his desk behind his typewriter. On the way to his desk, he examines it by shaking it next to his ear to determine its contents. He does not let on that he is aware of its contents. This anticipates the next event as the box somehow seems connected to Barton's ability to write.

Barton comes home from the USO dance to find the detectives in his room reading his new script aloud. They accuse Barton of being involved in the murder of W.P. Mayhew. Barton is handcuffed to the bed as the detectives go out into the hallway to meet and apprehend Charlie, who has just returned.

Charlie exits the elevator (which is on fire) and shoots detective Mastrionotti and chases detective Deutsch down and shoots him but mockingly says "Heil Hitler" before doing so. Charlie is yelling "Look upon me!" and "I'll show you the life of the mind." This references his conversation with Barton where Barton discusses the difficulties he must face because he has pursued the life of the mind. After killing the detectives, Charlie places his shotgun above Barton's door frame before entering his room.

Charlie enters Barton's room and expresses his dissatisfaction with the nickname "Madman Mundt." He says he is trying to alleviate the suffering of others, that he wishes someone else would ease his suffering, and finally confronts Barton about coming into his home and complaining about him making too much noise.

Barton apologizes to Charlie who then frees Barton from his handcuffs. Charlie says to call upon him if Barton needs anything then returns to his room. While leaving, he mentioned he visited Barton's parents and uncle and admits to lying about the contents of the box he gave Barton earlier. The hallway is on fire the entire time and no explanation is given and no one comments on it outside of referring to the high heat.