Albert Brooks‘ Modern Romance is one of the most uncomfortably honest films about the sort of highly sexual relationships that don’t seem to add up otherwise. And yet the lovers (Brooks, Kathryn Harrold) can’t seem to shake each other off.

According to Brooks, Stanley Kubrick was a big fan of the film. He tells the story that Kubrick called him after viewing the film and asked, “How did you make this movie? I’ve always wanted to make a movie about jealousy.” As I recall the tale, Brooks and Kubrick frequently faxed each other and spoke three or four times, or something like that. Their relationship was such that Brooks felt comfortable asking Kubrick about dropping by to visit while Brooks was in England for some reason. Kubrick’s response: “Oh, no, no, no, no…”