 The conversation's shift from murderous to tender feels entirely sincere. Robert Towne was a professional. He won Oscars, BAFTA awards, and Golden Globes, but many of his scripts never became films, or didn't turn out as he'd hoped. He wrote the screenplay for a Tarzan film, but didn't like the eventual production, and so put the name of his dog, P. H. Vizak, in the credits.