Aaron Tracy

Neil is ecstatic to work with Ford, and it's maybe the only gig she would have said yes to right now, because in addition to everything else going on with her family, she's just discovered she's three months pregnant.

Neil brings Doll and the kids out to L.A.

for the shoot.

She's hoping, praying it'll be a comforting change of scenery for the grieving family.

Neil arranges for all of them to stay in director Martin Ritt's house.

Years earlier, Ritt directed Neil to an Oscar in HUD.

By this point, his career has been derailed by the Hollywood blacklist for being a suspected communist.

One look at his crazy mansion in the Palisades, though, and you know this guy isn't totally opposed to capitalism.

Rip and his family are abroad, so Neil, Doll, and the kids have it all to themselves.

When they arrive in L.A., it's February.

Neil begins filming.

Four days into the shoot, she has the afternoon off.

She comes home to give Tessa a bath.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Neil feels a searing headache come on.

Headache isn't even the right word.

It's like a knife in her skull, she later writes.

She collapses to the floor next to the bathtub.

Dahl happens to be in the bedroom, so he hears the thud and comes rushing in.

He finds Neil unconscious.

He quickly pulls poor Tessa out of the tub.