Exploiting Hollywood 1980

After ordering a simple cup of coffee, Ronald and Antonia sat down and started chatting. Time seemed to have fallen into a quagmire, and it didn't move the two of them at all. It seemed that Ronald and Antonia were still talking on Staten Island yesterday. The two just separated for a few days and continued on the streets of Paris.

Everything was so natural.

"Why are you in Paris? I've seen many of your movies, they're very well made." After chatting about some old things, Antonia took a sip of coffee and asked Ronald about his recent situation.

"I came to discuss cooperation on the new film and to visit my friend's class. They are shooting on location in Paris. Have you seen all my movies? Which one do you like best?"

"I like the second part of The Karate Kid best. The dream of that Japanese girl is the dream of all ballet dancers. But I guess you don't watch the performances of the New York City Ballet very much..."

"Uh..." Ronald felt a little strange. In the sequel to The Karate Kid, I used footage of Antonia in "Famous", and the heroine Kumiko was also a poor child who dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer...

As for the performance of the New York City Ballet, I have indeed never watched it. Maybe I subconsciously avoided this question? In fact, movies are popular art, and it is normal for Antonia to have watched them, and it is also normal for me not to watch a niche art like ballet.

Strangely, Ronald felt that such a conversation was not awkward. Instead, it was like the best old friends who had not seen each other for many years. They talked about many things after they separated, including some very personal issues.

For example, why did Antonia suddenly resign and come to Europe. She made rapid progress in the New York City Ballet. If Balanchine had not passed away, she might have been able to challenge the position of the principal in a few years. But this leapfrog promotion also aroused the jealousy of other dancers.

After being targeted by other female ballet dancers, only one clarinet player was still very good to her, that is, her current boyfriend Gerhardt. Originally, on the stage, when performing "The Nutcracker", the classic variation of the sugarplum fairy was the main melody played by the clarinet solo.

The two were soulmates in art, and their dancing and playing complemented each other. After Antonia completely lost the chance to compete for the first prize, she went to the European continent to look for opportunities.

After consideration, Gerhardt finally decided to go to Europe with Antonia and find a new job. You know, in a general symphony orchestra, the position of the clarinet is not as important as that of a ballet orchestra.

Ronald took a sip of coffee, which was a bit bitter. He took two sugar cubes and added them to it. He looked at Antonia and asked, "I want to ask you a question. How did you make sure that he was the right person?"

"It's actually very simple. After I decided to go to Europe, I thought I would say goodbye to him. But in those two days, I always felt that something important was missing, which seemed to have a great impact on my life and destiny. It happened that he also came to me, and he had the same feeling, so all the decisions that followed were very easy. We sold the car, returned the rented house, bought two plane tickets and went to London first.

But he had better luck in London than me. I didn't get a chance in the ballet company there."

"What if you find a job in Paris? What will you two do?"

"We will find a way, or maybe not. I plan to go to London first and work as a ballet teacher for a while, and then continue to apply for other ballet companies to try my luck." When Antonia said this, the smile on her face gave people a relaxed feeling.

"Maybe you still have a chance. When I was a director casting, sometimes I didn't give the admission notice immediately..."

Ronald didn't mention the donation to the National Ballet in London, and Antonia didn't mention it either. This promise made in the past has surpassed the relationship between the two people today.

Antonia finished her coffee and said that she would continue to prepare the materials for the next application. Ronald did not keep her, but handed over his contact information, "When you and that lucky guy settle down in London, give me a call. I will come to London or you will return to New York in the future, and we can find time to get together."

"I will," Antonia accepted the business card, opened her bag, took out her wallet and put it away. Then the two hugged each other, and she turned and left.

"One more thing," Ronald hesitated again and again, and finally saw Antonia was about to leave, and he couldn't help it anymore, and asked the question he wanted to ask for a long time.

"If I went back to find you at that time..." Ronald recalled that time, he also had the feeling that the fate of a person was about to change, but he was at that time...

"But you didn't..."

Antonia smiled, and at that time they both felt that career was the most important thing in life. She stepped forward and hugged Ronald again, and then kissed him gently on the face, "I didn't..."

...

Antonia had been gone for a long time, and Ronald was still sitting on the chair in the Flore Café, in a daze. Those choices that I thought were right before, now seem to be not completely without cost.

However, it is somewhat comforting that Ronald finally found a breakthrough in the script: why Harry changed his mind and proposed to Sally. People often find the value of what they once had only after they lose it.

He asked the waiter for a pen and started writing on the napkin.

Ronald was writing so enthusiastically that he had filled three large napkins in half an hour. At this time, a young man with a sweaty head, a crooked suitcase, and full of wrinkles, ran in with a big suitcase. He looked around and saw that he was coming towards Ronald.

"Ronald!"

"Hey?" Ronald looked up.

The man was the agent Richard. He didn't bother to sit down, and asked beside the table, "Ronald... Where's Antonia?"

"How did you know I was here?" Ronald put away the napkins filled with scripts and pulled out a chair for Richard. This guy seemed to have been on a plane trip, and his hair was messy.

"McPike called Niceta. I found out when I hung up the phone with Niceta at the airport. Why isn't Antonia here?"

"She's gone. What, are you going to sign her agent contract?"

"You don't have...?" Richard took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat that kept flowing because of nervousness and running.

"Nothing?" Ronald smiled, "We've finished what we need to talk about... Sit down for a while, I'll ask the waiter to give you a cup of iced coffee..."

"Huh..." Richard let out a long sigh and sat down on the small chair in the Flore Café. He sat too hard and the not-so-sturdy chair slid back. Driven by inertia, he stumbled and almost sat on the ground.

"Be careful," Ronald quickly grabbed him. Richard had no strength left in his body, "Go to the hotel and rest first. I'm leaving too..."

...

The crackling sound rang in Ronald's hotel room. He borrowed a typewriter from the hotel and began to rewrite the messy notes on the napkin on paper.

After Sally's ex-boyfriend got married, Harry went to comfort her, and the two naturally went to bed. But the next day, Harry still treated Sally as a friend, got dressed, and left as usual. Sally, who thought she had finally found true love, was very unhappy. She thought they could start the lover stage from now on.

After Harry left, Sally didn't even want to be friends. Harry still thought that the two could return to being friends. The two had a big fight at the wedding of their mutual friends Mary and Jesse. Harry finally understood that for a woman, there is always a man in a special position. He was right when he said that friends of the opposite sex can't go any further, and can only take many steps back.

After writing three full pages, Ronald got up to rest. The foreshadowing of the last scene was already completed. He just needed to find an opportunity for Harry to change and go back to find Sally.

"Ding Dong..."

The doorbell rang. It was Richard who came to Ronald after resting.

"Have you rested?" Ronald asked.

"I'm fine, it's just a long journey, plus no rest..." Richard's worries were gone. Now the alarm of the most important client's madness was lifted. After resting for a few hours, he immediately became energetic again.

"Why are you in such a hurry to come? Just wait in London. I have to go back soon." Ronald didn't quite understand.

"I'm just too worried. You suddenly flew to Europe. Rick (Nicita) and I are very worried. We're worried that you might do something without careful consideration." Richard already knew that Ronald had returned to normal, so he also expressed his agent's concerns.

"This is not very normal. I am an artist first..." Ronald finally understood why those artists who are good at expressing emotions and conveying them to the audience through various methods must first be sensitive people. Without the ability to feel, it is even more impossible to resonate with the audience.

"Okay," Richard thought to himself that your talent as a businessman is not bad. "From an artist's perspective, you have lost a muse. But this may be a good thing. Many famous Hollywood directors have successfully created the most satisfactory works through this opportunity."

Richard and his friends didn't want Ronald to stop at all. An artist who is passionate about beautiful girls is often an artist who has a strong desire to express himself.

"Annette Bening is filming in Paris. She repeatedly expressed that she wants you to visit her. She misses you very much. Are you interested in meeting her? It's at the Palace of Versailles."

"Actually, I don't want to..." Ronald felt that Richard cared too much about him.

"Well... she is also acting in a movie adapted from the play 'Dangerous Liaisons'. I've heard a lot of rumors that it is more exciting than the one with Michelle Pfeiffer, and more faithful to the original work and the play." Richard saw that Ronald seemed to be uninterested, so he quickly recommended, "Annette plays the Marquise de Merteuil, the bad woman whose looks make men obsessed."

"Maybe next time", Ronald's experience just now made him temporarily uninterested in this matter.

"The director is Milos Forman, who has won the Best Director Oscar twice for 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' and Amadeus. This adaptation is produced and distributed by Orion Productions. They are a rare producer with directors as the main force. Compared with the 'Dangerous Liaisons' led by Warner Bros., many people who visited the set said that the costumes and casting are better."

Ronald believed this, Milos Forman Forman is Czech. His understanding of the costumes in Europe at that time must be closer to historical facts than the exaggerated style of Hollywood in 'Dangerous Liaisons'.

From the casting, we can see that Annette Bening plays a charming lady who sows discord between men, which is obviously more convincing than Glenn Gross, who is a little old.

"Is Director Milos Forman free? I want to talk to him for a few words and observe his directing methods. I wonder if he is willing."

Ronald's biggest regret is that he has not worked with these directors who are famous for drama and performance, and closely observed their methods of guiding actors. Observing other people's methods more often always has a lot of useful inspiration.

"Milos Forman? No problem, I'll contact him right away." Richard immediately ran back to the room to contact Niceta in Los Angeles.

...

"Hello, Director Forman, I'm glad to have the opportunity to meet you."

Niceta used her best ability to quickly arrange a meeting between Ronald and Milos Forman. The movie he made for the "Dangerous Liaisons" adaptation is called "Valmont", which is directly named after the role played by John Malkovich in the Warner version.

"Ha, Ronald. I didn't expect you to be in Paris too. It's really great to have a colleague from Hollywood come to see me."

Milos Forman acted like a gentleman. He also participated in the investment of this movie. Ever since he was dragged by a friend to watch the drama "Dangerous Liaisons" starring Lindsay Duncan and Alan Rickman while on vacation in London, he was deeply attracted by this peculiar story.

At that time, Warner Bros. was already negotiating the right to change. He found Orion directly. With his history of winning the best film for Orion with "Amadeus", he quickly got the investment. Start a new business and make another one.

"I heard Alan (Rickman) talk about you. He said that it was a great luck to meet you in his first movie in Hollywood. Without you, he would not have become a Hollywood actor."

"Ha, I should say I was lucky to meet him. This is how film directors are. We can't find the chemistry between actors in rehearsals and dress rehearsals. Many times, casting depends on intuition and luck." Ronald and Milos Forman walked and talked in the Palace of Versailles.

"That's great. Movies are such a magical art..." Milos Forman admired Ronald. His agent told him that Ronald was not only a director of commercial films, but also invested in many projects. For a director like Forman who spared no expense in filming, it was very important to have an investor friend who understood directors.

"I have a small question. If you think it's inappropriate, you don't have to answer it." Ronald walked slowly, and Richard, who was following behind him, automatically fell behind several steps, so that he and director Forman could talk about some private topics.

Milos Forman made a gesture of invitation, and the two walked into the corner of the palace, leading to the lounge in front.

"I heard that Warner Bros.' movie with the same script change has been completed and is in post-production. Aren't you afraid of colliding with their subject matter? According to the usual schedule, your movies will be released next year..." Ronald was curious in his heart. What confidence did Forman have that he would definitely suppress the other party's box office?

"We are not actually shooting the same movie. You saw that the name of my movie is Valmont. I want to shoot a true love story between the nobles of the country. This is not a Hollywood movie about adultery and tricks, but a movie that shows the true emotional world of human beings. Valmont is not a simple Don Juan-style playboy. He has his own emotions and persistence..." Ronald nodded as he listened, and sighed in his heart, these artists... No, we artists really like this kind of work that explores human nature and love. However... can ordinary audiences appreciate this complex story in the same way? Maybe the winner of the two Oscars for Best Director knows more than me. Ronald did not make a rash judgment on "Valmont" this time, because Milos Forman's first two Oscar-winning works actually had good box office results, and were typical movies that achieved a win-win situation in both art and box office. "Let me tell you something. I have researched the costumes for this movie. They are fully in line with the dress of the upper class in Paris at that time. They are not the Hollywood clichés of corsets and bustles..."

Milos Forman obviously knew something about Warner's "Dangerous Liaisons". Michelle Pfeiffer also dressed like a British Victorian woman there, almost the same as Glenn Gross's character, neither of them looked good.

"Look, that's Annette's costume, Annette... I'll introduce you to a director." Milos Forman saw Annette Bening in the lounge and called her over.

"Aha, Ronald, you finally came to see me. I'm so glad to see you." Annette Bening pulled up her skirt, ran over quickly, and performed a salute gesture, then threw herself into Ronald's arms.

Annette Bening was dressed in a light green outfit, and the low-cut skirt was not as restrained as the last Warner version. The arms were decorated with gorgeous lace, the red hair was piled high, the swan-like neck was wearing a green collar, and the ears were wearing low-key and sexy big pearl earrings.

Ronald immediately felt Bening's "enthusiasm". He looked at Milos Forman, who gave him an admiring look of "good boy, like a great director".

Ronald also responded with a look of "the old senior is still good at playing, this costume makes people very excited".

The two directors burst into laughter, which made Annette Bening stunned for a moment.

"Anyway, I'm glad you came to see me." Annette Bening quickly returned to normal, took Ronald's arm, walked with him forward, and then turned to Milos Forman Said, "Director Foreman, could you lend me Rona for a while.

"Is this your first time coming to the Palace of Versailles?" Bening said like a gentle woman.

"No, another movie was shot here last time, and I came to see it too."

"The one with Michelle Pfeiffer, right? I know they were filming here, and we were the front and back."

"You and she are not playing the same role. She is playing a chaste virgin..." Ronald saw that Annette Bening meant to compare.

"So do you like chastity or slut?" Bening raised his head, with a smile on his face that invited you to explore more, and licked his lips lightly with his tongue.

"I like all the roles that make you stand out."

"Ah ha ha ha..." Bening smiled with joy. Ronald really understood the needs of actresses. It would be great if I could continue to get benefits from him in exchange.

"Who plays Valmont in this movie?" Ronald remembered and asked Bening.

"A young British actor named Colin Firth."

"New actor?" Ronald thought to himself that the director is really talented and bold, and Warner's side is full of big-name stars.

"Who plays the virginal Lady Tourville?"

"This is a close relative of the director. She was previously preparing to play the role of an actress in the Biography of Mozart. Unfortunately, she broke her leg while playing football the day before filming started. The temporary change of actors made it very embarrassing. However, she liked the director very much, so she was cast again this time. She's here..." Annette Bening was unhappy thinking about this Bichi. She's not as good-looking as herself, but she has more roles than herself.

"Huh? What's her name?" Ronald heard this story and wondered why it looked so similar...

"Meg Tilly is the wife of a Hollywood producer. Do female stars with producer boyfriends have better luck?" Annette Bening began to hint wildly.

"Uh..." Ronald felt that Paris was a strange place. Why were all his ex-girlfriends gathering here?

"Such is life, C'estvie."