That afternoon, however, in his room at his local Sunset Hotel, Foley discovered "Uncle Dave" Thornton (Alan Young), the much-loved park""s owner, accompanied by worker Janice.This is my neighborhood.This is my street.This is my life.I am 42 years old.In less than a year, I""ll be dead.Of course, I don""t know that yet, and in a way, I""m dead already.After awakening one morning, the highlight of his day was masturbating in the shower (he was seen jerking off from the back through a foggy glass shower enclosure):(voice-over) Look at me, jerking off in the shower.With much of the film""s action occurring within a theatrical boarding house (the Footlights Club) for young, star-struck, vulnerable ingenues and debutantes, it is filled with bitchy and sassy, and stage-struck young women - who laugh and heckle each other, shed ears, express their hopes, dreams and aspirations, spout wisecracks, barbs, and insults, and genuine, heartfelt words of experience.It was a tremendous international (world-wide) box-office success, and launched the US career of its star Mel Gibson."The middle-aged, refined-looking, aristocratic gentleman, Stefan Brand (Louis Jourdan) ascends a winding staircase, enters his apartment, and then assures his grey-haired, mute servant John (Art Smith) that he will not keep his engagement - as he clarifies his life""s values of irresponsibility and self-indulgence: "This is one engagement I have no intention of keeping.