Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Tom Sherak, a Jewish executive at 20th Century Fox who was responsible for the distribution of Die Hard 2, also saw reports of Ronald being interviewed by reporters in New York.

In Ronald's words, in his opinion, there was a hint of comparing Japan to America's concubine. Why do Americans play heroic male protagonists, while Japanese actors can only play female protagonists? Doesn’t this mean that America wants to be the world leader, and Japan can only engage in manufacturing. No matter how cost-effective you are, you can only operate within the framework defined by America.

With this interview attitude, will Sony really let him be the president after acquiring Columbia? No matter how you look at it, this sounds more like a complaint from someone who has already been eliminated.

He immediately called Michael Ovitz, who was also a Jew, "Michael, your information seems to be inaccurate? Ronald said this, can the Japanese still tolerate him?"

"My information is very reliable. This is a unique way of expression for the Japanese. You don't understand it. I advise you to read a book about the Japanese way of thinking written by the anthropologist Ruth Benedict. Ju With the knife, very enlightening.

This is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand Japanese culture and business...The Japanese are particularly particular about their culture of shame and guilt. The more you talk about their shortcomings like this, the more they will be grateful to the person who helped them correct their shortcomings..."

Ovitz expressed his understanding of the Japanese, and he could not bear to make another mistake.

In his opinion, Japanese people are like this. The more humiliated they feel, the more they have to reflect on themselves and work hard to improve themselves. It seems that guilt and shame are the driving force behind their country's progress.

And Ronald is qualified to say this about Japanese people. Because he was the first director who created the image of Master Miyagi as a successful Japanese, thus changing the stereotype of Japanese people.

So, from the perspective of a Japanese citizen. Ronald has affection for the entire Japanese nation. While Japanese people were always dressed up as squinting to deprive American workers of their jobs, it was Ronald who created an image that American youth loved.

For Japanese people, friendship is the most rare thing. If you receive a favor from a person, you must repay it a hundredfold.

Ronald, this is not a malicious slander, but a kind evaluation.

Of course, since Japan’s national character is vividly summarized as a chrysanthemum and a knife. Then in addition to repaying kindness, they also take revenge very happily. I did it myself... Will they pay me back a hundredfold when the time comes?

So now Ovitz is like a gambler who made the wrong bet, interpreting any news in the direction he expects.

"What you say makes sense. I have to read this book. Now that Hollywood is inevitably dealing with capital from Japan, it seems that I have to read the analysis in this book."

Tom Sherak was dubious, and asked his secretary to find a copy of "The Chrysanthemum and the Knife."

…

"Why did these reporters distort my words like this?" Ronald became dissatisfied when he saw the New York Times report. "What I'm talking about is that I'm deeply impressed by Japanese actresses. There's something special about their acting skills. How can it be interpreted that Japanese people can only be the wives of Americans?"

"Ronald San, can you understand the living environment of our Japanese companies in America?" Dahe said to Ronald with a smile.

"To a certain extent, this is also a good thing. Our acquisition of Colombia will eventually face review by the Committee on Foreign Investment (CFIUS). The current public opinion is actually beneficial to Sony."

"That's right. Sony is an international company. If it is attacked like this, then Congress and the Ministry of Finance will have to face the more stubborn guys from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry."

On the way from New York to Washington, D.C., Ronald and Dahe were in the same car. The two chatted about their final attempt to evade censorship.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in US (CFIUS), which reviews foreign corporate acquisitions, is a joint interagency committee, with no one agency serving as the de facto head. To put it another way, every department can make irresponsible remarks.

In addition to the Treasury Secretary in the executive branch, various committees in both houses of Congress, as well as the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Justice, the Federal Communications Commission, and even the state of California, have the power to file objections to the acquisition.

Therefore, at the last moment when the acquisition was officially announced, Sony had to come to Washington to pay homage to the dock and reiterate its position to all the gods.

"Ronald-san is really a Japanese guy, I still underestimated you... Hahaha."

Dahe nodded and said yes, Japanese companies have always had two schools. The Ministry of Finance is encouraging Japanese companies to go overseas, capture European and American markets, and compete freely with European and American companies. The Ministry of International Trade and Industry hopes to maintain the Japanese market more closely, and in turn feed the base of enterprises before going out to compete.

The economic friction between the United States and Japan is mainly caused by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, which uses various means to close the Japanese market and refuse the entry of American agricultural products and automobiles. To be honest, even if American car companies sell their products to Japan, no consumers will pay for them. But they still like the high-quality and low-priced agricultural products.

Sony is the group that takes the overseas competition route. It is a company that is truly based on overseas markets and developed after the war. As long as they promise America's top management to continue pursuing this strategy and not promote their own Japanese corporate culture, then they can say anything.

Dahe's evaluation of Ronald was even higher. He felt a little regretful. Although it was difficult to find people with a vision for Hollywood production, there were still some. There are even fewer people who understand the internal logic of the economic trends of the United States and Japan than the former. For someone like Ronald who knows both, he should have paid close attention to the thatched cottage and asked him to come out earlier.

Now Ronald's personal financial freedom does not need to be achieved by serving as president of the merged Sony Columbia. Managing a large studio may not be as good as choosing scripts for filming. It is more in line with his wishes as an artist. It's too late to start now.

The two arrived in Washington, D.C., first met with Douglas Jr., and then found George Jr. and had a private meeting together.

Little George was very satisfied with the three patriotic movies released by Ronald, and he imitated them all. He likes sports and imitates the movements of karate, kickboxing, and taekwondo, which I have to say are somewhat similar.

"If you are not a genius in business, I would even advise you to try being an actor." Ronald smiled and hugged him.

"Hey, I also think that when Laura was so beautiful and so many young men were pursuing her, she fell in love with me just because I was handsome..."

A few people chatted for a while. Behind Little George was his mother Barbara, who had already helped Sony clear the relationship. Today, Little George came forward to formally let Dahe meet the key figures. It can be regarded as a disguised political and business broker, and it is also a way of cultivating George's connections.

The group got into a luxury car and drove towards the Congressman Country Club golf course in nearby Maryland.

"Senator William Proxmire, Congressman Dan Rostenkovsky, hello."

The Congressman Country Golf Club is a 30-minute drive from Capitol Hill. It is the most upscale, luxurious and historic golf club around Washington, DC.

Many people will create some chance encounter scenes here, so that leading figures from the political and business circles can exchange the resources they have and need.

Sen. William Proxmire of Wisconsin, chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. Representative Dan Rostenkovsky of Illinois is the chairman of the corresponding House Finance and Taxation Committee in the House of Representatives.

They are the most powerful people in both houses of Congress who decide whether to initiate a review of the Sony merger.

As a powerful figure in the Congress, it is not a good look to mix with the CEO of a multinational company from Japan in private. But in this very private golf course, it is very normal for two groups of people to meet and chat for a few words while playing golf.

Dahe spoke very pure English, allowing him to communicate directly with the two congressmen.

The most important thing is to guarantee that after Sony acquires Columbia, it will not interfere with any freedom of filming, nor will it deliberately set up film and television dramas to promote Japanese values.

As for private exchanges of interests, they will be completed by professional lobbying companies. What we need to do today is to congratulate him in person and show his respect to the American congressmen.

"Haha, Sony is a company that grew up after the war. It is because we learned America's values ​​​​and learned America's corporate management knowledge that we were able to grow and develop." Dahe finished his statement with a deep bow. The main task today.

The two congressmen accepted the bow with a smile, and the atmosphere was a bit awkward for a while. Dahe's main task today is to show a soft figure. If you believe Ju Yu Dao's analysis of Japan's national character, he is here to show Ju's side today.

"Pop..." Ronald hit the ball. The white ball was high and far away, and the force was very crisp. But there was a deviation in the direction and fell into the sand pit.

"Hey..." Ronald looked pityful.

"Hahaha, you have to practice more." Little George also interrupted.

"This is Director Ronald Lee, right? Your company has made three patriotic movies, and the timing is good." Representative Dan Rostenkovsky came up to chat with Ronald.

"What? I didn't expect, Mr. Congressman, that you would be interested in our low-cost production?" Ronald successfully changed the topic to other directions.

"To tell you the truth, I'm not interested, but my constituents are very into it..."

"Me too, Wisconsinites love the Star-Spangled Banner..." Senator William Proxmire also came up to praise Ronald.

"I am honored to be able to entertain people, which is my original intention in the film industry..."

Ronald understood that both men were supporters of the Star-Spangled Banner. Their constituencies are all in economically less developed areas. People naturally like this kind of plot of beating Japanese people violently.

"Hahaha..." Everyone laughed.

The two chairman gentlemen nodded and congratulated me on passing this small interview. Then the two groups of players separated again and continued their pleasant golf trip.

…

In the evening, First Lady Barbara specially set up a dinner for Da He and Ronald and their entourage, and Little George also came to accompany them.

"George just came back from Europe and needs to rest for a while..." Barbara explained the old George's excuse for not being able to meet them tonight. In addition to going to Brussels to meet some European NATO allies, he also went to meet some leaders of Poland, Hungary and other Eastern European countries.

The Soviet Union's control over Eastern European countries seems to be somewhat loose. This is a very good opportunity for the President of America.

"Thank you, Mrs. Barbara. I feel very honored." Ohga knew that the boss of a Japanese multinational company would not alarm the President of the United States, but being able to have dinner with the First Lady was also a great success for him. Especially in the context of the increasing trade friction between the two sides

"Nick has said good things about you Sony several times. If all Japanese companies are like you, George wouldn't be so worried." The Nick that Barbara mentioned is Nicholas Brady, the Secretary of the Treasury in the old George cabinet.

He is one of the central figures in the US-Japan trade negotiations. Unlike his predecessor's tough attitude towards Japanese companies, he advocates strengthening cooperation with those Japanese companies with an international perspective. Blindly tough can only cause disgust among Japanese companies.

As for those multinational companies that are friendly with the Ministry of Finance and use America as their main market, they should have a welcoming attitude, which is also a good example for all Japanese companies.

"Actually, your products are very good, especially my two granddaughters, who like your Walkman very much." Barbara glanced at George, and she was respected as a grandmother, and many of them were brought by Sony's electronic products.

"This is the latest diskan produced by our company, a portable CD player, which can be regarded as an upgraded version of the Walkman..." Da He also brought a new player, the sound quality of the CD is much better than the Walkman.

But the price is also relatively expensive, a latest model must be sold for at least $350.

Ronald knew that as the first family, accepting any gifts is a relatively troublesome matter, and it needs to be publicly supervised by the public.

He stopped Da He, then took out two Disan coupons and handed them to George, "Tell the girls that this is a gift from their grandmother..."

"Haha, yes, let them see me as a grandmother." Barbara was very satisfied with Ronald's handling and laughed.

After having enough wine and food, Da He said goodbye first. Barbara took Ronald's hand and told him a lot of warm family things, especially the third generation of his family, how he could hope to inherit the family business.

"I say, can he really keep his promise? You endorsed him. After they acquired Columbia, will they really not make some movies that promote Japanese values?" Barbara asked Ronald quietly.

She had a good impression of Ronald, but it was hard to say about politics.

"You can distrust Ohga and the Japanese, but you can trust those Hollywood executives. There is no market in America for movies that cater to Japanese values, and no one will make movies that lose money." Ronald smiled and said the biggest reason he was willing to help.

As an international company, Sony is deeply aware of this, and it has to sing the song that suits the mountain.