Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Michelle Cannold speaks French very well. With his help, they found the taxi driver who was sending Brooke's mother back to the hotel.

Terry was already drunk and unconscious. Brooke and she seemed to have a deep conflict. Ronald asked Cannold to find someone to watch her. He, Brooke Shields, and Amy Irving, who was implicated by her, took a business jet back to America first.

"So, what happened between you and your mother?"

The journey home was very long. Ronald and Amy Irving asked Brooke in detail on the plane.

Terry has always hoped that Brooke Shields can transform into a big star and maintain her good image in the minds of thousands of American audiences.

So, she was still picky about various scripts, just like when Brooke was popular before, and she had to add various conditions before agreeing to let Brooke play.

But this world is no longer the world where Brooke Shields is loved by thousands of people. Terry often drank too much, and his knowledge of Hollywood was basically stagnant, so he made a joke that he thought the current 007 Timothy Dalton was a superstar and wanted to work with him.

The huge financial losses made it difficult for Brooke Shields to pay the property taxes on the real estate she earned during her teenage years. Apart from other things, her gardeners, drivers, hairstylists, etc. were no longer affordable for her income.

This most popular teenage idol at the time had no idea about financial cash flow. In order to make up for the deficit, her mother always asked her to appear in various high-end social occasions to strive for some income opportunities.

Perhaps, in the circle of old money, the update of idol female stars is also relatively slow.

In addition to financial reasons, Brooke and her mother fell out because of her mother's control over her in all aspects. In Brooke's words, she was too controlled and too specific, and sometimes she even breathed wrongly.

Psychologically, Brooke Shields has never walked out of the rebellious period of adolescence. Some psychologists have also consulted her. Brooke's situation is more common in the circle of child stars. Living with parents for a long time will hurt them, but their parents "protect" them like living in a greenhouse.

Without their parents, their knowledge, experience, and mentality cannot support them to live independently, so they fall into this vicious circle of loving each other and hurting each other.

"Don't cry, Brooke, so many people in America like you, if you leave your mother, you will definitely be able to become an American girl again..." Amy Irving's maternal instinct was strong. She was also one of the people who watched Brooke grow up from a doll-like girl.

Amy Irving looked at Ronald, and the meaning was very clear. Brooke thought of you in times of crisis. You have such a great influence in Hollywood now, why don't you come to help her? Don't think I don't know what Brooke thinking of you means?

"I think, Brooke, when you return to New York, the first thing you should do is to fire your mother's identity as a manager. Then find a real agent... Then we will see what we can do..."

Ronald looked at Brooke's chubby face and shook his head secretly in his heart. He couldn't promise anything.

When Brooke Shields was a teenager, her face was very small and photogenic, like a little girl. But she was tall and had a girlish figure. This contrast was the fundamental reason why she was popular with the public.

To put it in a more vivid way, her image was actually in line with the proportions of little girls' favorite Barbie dolls. But after studying at Princeton, she neglected her figure and was 20 pounds fat. The most important face shape for models also changed from a thin and long oval face to a round face.

The reality of the modeling industry is even more serious than Hollywood. If you treat your body so unprofessionally, it is impossible for any big-name products to come to you.

"Why are you like this? Why don't you help Brooke?" Amy Irving was very dissatisfied with Ronald's ruthless reaction. She felt that men should be nicer to their ex-girlfriends.

"If Hollywood has taught me anything, it is that people cannot go against the preferences of the audience..." Ronald did not answer directly, but expressed his own views.

"I don't believe it. How popular was Brooke? Those boys who were obsessed with her and put her posters on the door of the dressing room are now working and have the strongest purchasing power. Are you unwilling?"

"I will help her, but..." Ronald felt that Amy Irving was a little out of touch with the real world. What did those boys buy posters for back then? As a Hollywood star, don't you understand?

Now that Brooke's figure has lost its appeal, how can those people pay for it based on feelings?

"Thank you, Ronald..." Brooke Shields slept for a while and finally stopped crying. She came here to thank a very important man in her life. Amy Irving persuaded her to take a nap again.

"It's hard to believe what you said. She was the symbol of America back then..." Amy Irving really didn't understand what men thought. Looking at the expression of Brooke Shields when she spoke just now, except that she was a little fatter, she was still the bright girl back then.

Ronald saw Brooke Shields using her unique skills of acting like a spoiled child, but times have changed. Looking at her slightly fatter figure and age, she no longer looks as cute as she did back then.

Ronald believes that advertisers and Hollywood all have this feeling. They know the little girl Brooke Shields, and the current Brooke Shields has not successfully transformed into a woman.

"The words that people from other parts of the world would say when they saw Americans were Coca-Cola, Brooke Shields..." Seeing that Ronald didn't buy it, Amy Irving began to feel regretful. Like a generation of Americans, she views Brooke like a little sister in the family.

"Huh?" Ronald was inspired by her words... Didn't those Japanese businessmen come to endorse Nestlé coffee last time?

…

The day after Ronald arrived in New York, Brooke Shields' mother Terry's plane also arrived.

The occasion when mother and daughter meet is lamentable. Both mother and daughter seemed to already know what was going to be discussed in this meeting. There was no argument. Brooke Shields just lightly informed her mother that she would find another agent to take care of her career.

Terry didn't argue as usual, trying to convince her daughter. Maybe it was because her daughter's behavior of "abandoning" her on the streets of Paris was too shocking; maybe she had long thought that one day, her daughter would break free from her own constraints and fly solo; or maybe that day was already much later than she imagined.

Terry simply agreed with his daughter's plan, and then chatted with Brooke about homely matters as if nothing had happened. Brooke then took the initiative and fired the gardener, hairstylist, wigmaker, and makeup artist, leaving only the driver who was very kind to her. However, we no longer pay him full-time wages, but rent to him on a short-term basis when necessary.

Brooke Shields's full-time driver has accumulated enough wealth by working for Terry over the years. He bought a second-hand luxury car of his own. Even if he loses his job, he can still receive business from Japanese tourists who flock to the hotel.

Seeing that Bo Ji made a decisive decision to decide her own life this time, Ronald had to help her.

He specially called Japanese businessmen and told them that Brooke Shields was interested in filming the Japanese version of Nestlé instant coffee commercials for them.

Two Japanese dealers came over excitedly overnight. Brooke Shields' popularity in Japan is even higher than Diane's. In the eyes of many current office workers, Brooke Shields was the super girl representing America in the last decade. At that time, Japanese products did not have such a strong position in the world as they do now. America was still a very beautiful place in the eyes of many post-war Japanese people.

In addition, most people don't know a few American stars. Many people have a concept that Brooke Shields represents America, just like the contemporary Momoe Yamaguchi represents Japan. Brooke Shields took on a commercial for the first time after becoming independent. She also went to learn a few words of Japanese and acted on her own without dubbing.

The two Japanese dealers are extremely grateful to Ronald. This trip to New York exceeded their highest expectations. Ronald San is the best friend of the Japanese in America!

As for the issue of Brooke Shields' body management that Ronald helped bring up, they felt it didn't matter even more. A rounder face is the most traditional aesthetic of those office workers who grew up after the war. Coupled with makeup, it is just right.

In addition to introducing an advertising endorsement, Ronald also introduced his personal accountant Lawrence to her and asked him to teach Brooke some financial management lessons. Then go find the right accountant yourself.

In this American society, once-splendid female stars like Brooke are easily targeted by accountants, agents, etc. with evil intentions. When working in Hollywood, the most important thing is to know clearly who is worthy of trust.

Although Brooke Shields has always been confused, once she became independent, she knew how to do this kind of thing. After all, she is a top student at Princeton. She knows that Ronald will not harm her, so she trusts the people recommended by Ronald first, and then slowly builds up her own team in the future.

However, Paula Wagner, who was originally willing to take over her, is now not very optimistic about Brooke Shields' commercial value. Ronald also feels that Brooke and Diane are not good agents together. Finally Paula introduced someone - Sam Cohen.

He turned out to be ICM's agent, and his employees were all actors who were good at acting. Including Meryl Streep, Sigourney Weaver and more. This agent was originally unwilling to take over Brooke Shields because he thought she was not focused enough on her acting skills.

Paula finally told him that Brooke Shields just had to play herself. In the end, Brooke successfully signed a contract with him and became a fellow student of Whoopi Goldberg.

…

"That's the thing. Brooke's mother is so outrageous. I was shocked when I heard Amy Irving say it..."

Ronald took care of things and returned to his home in Beverly Park, chatting with Diane about this adventure in Paris.

Diane didn't speak, just held Ronald's arm and looked at him.

Seeing a trace of tenderness in his wife's eyes, Ronald kissed her gently and stopped nagging her.

Ronald really forgot that Diane and Brooke were in similar situations. They were both single-parent families, and they were both child stars. They also encountered major difficulties during the transition period.

There are very few child stars in Hollywood who can make a successful transition. Shirley Temple, the greatest child star, actually had no memorable works when she grew up. Historically successful transformations include famous child stars, namely Elizabeth Taylor and the late Natalie Wood.

On this day, Ronald was resting at home when Orion's Mike Medavoy came to visit.

Mike McDavoy now has nothing to do and wants to exchange his views on production with Ronald. He talks to him. Ronald is one of the few producers in Hollywood who has both business acumen and artistic ability, and one of the few people who can discuss business with him on the same level.

Mike McDavoy is a smart man. Now that Orion is in turmoil, he has to hold Ronald's thighs tightly. If there is any problem with the company, it will be convenient for him to run away.

Ronald has fame, wealth, and beautiful women. It is not easy to please Ronald. Mike McDavoy understands it very well. He gives others something that is difficult to think of - respect from the industry.

Then discuss the script. Mike McDavoy often asks Ronald for advice in an equal tone. When encountering some things that Ronald is not convenient to say at ordinary times, he can speak freely with him, so Ronald also likes this Jew born in Hongkou.

"Why don't you want to go to the premiere of 'Valmont'? You know, your next two movies are both released by Orion. If you go now, Mr. John Kluge will definitely feel very proud, and the subsequent distribution will give you a lot of benefits. Although you may not need him now, it is a good opportunity to increase the stakes for the movie."

Mike McDavoy came to invite Ronald to attend the premiere of Milos Forman's new movie, which was adapted from another movie based on "Dangerous Liaisons" and was directed by two Oscar-winning directors.

Ronald repeatedly declined the invitation to the premiere, and Mike McDavoy came to visit him, so that some things would be easier to say.

"Let me tell you the truth... ahem..." Ronald and Mike McDavoy visited the crew twice, and they respected this senior industry insider and knew that he was not a gossipy person, so they expressed their concerns.

The two heroines in this movie, Annette Bening, who played the vicious woman, and Meg Tilly, who played the chaste woman, both had affairs with him... Moreover, on the set, he personally saw the scene where Meg Tilly's husband, Little Kinneman, caught her cheating, and everyone was embarrassed.

"This..." Mike McDavoy was stunned. He didn't know that Ronald had actually witnessed this. It was also a big deal in the company at the time.

"Hehe..." Ronald thought to himself, not only this one, but also another adapted version of "Dangerous Liaisons", which also involved his ex-girlfriend Michelle Pfeiffer, who was also caught cheating, but I won't gossip about this with you...

Mike McDavoy understood Ronald's mentality as a big shot, and it's better to have less trouble than more trouble.

"Well, I'll find someone to bring a copy to show you a separate show. This movie is really much better than the Warner version of Dangerous Liaisons..."

"It's really much better..."

Ronald watched this new movie with Diane in the screening room at home. Because it was a movie that had not been released publicly, copies were sent by Orion personnel and had to be taken away after the screening.

As expected, Mike McDavoy was right. Milos Forman's level was much better than the director of Dangerous Liaisons. The first shot showed the master's hand.

A little girl Cecil was called out from a group of choir nuns. In the real corridor of a large monastery, her mother and a noble lady came to give Cecil, who was about to get married, some housewife training.

Cecil's actor was also an acquaintance. Ronald recognized her as Firouzha Balk, the heroine of "Return to Oz" directed by Walter Murch.

Such a small actress, to play a virgin like Cecil, is obviously more suitable than Uma Thurman in the Warner version.

Annette Bening is much prettier than Glenn Gross in the Warner version, and the costumes are very suitable for the Chinese style, which makes people feel pleasing to the eye at first sight, and much more elegant than Glenn Gross's Hollywood-style costumes with foundation all over his face and low-cut clothes from the Civil War era.

Colin Firth, who plays the playboy Valmont, is also much more suitable than John Malkovich in the Warner version.

In addition, the master's handwriting, the introduction of Seth and the vicious woman Merteuil under the opening overhead shot, is much more beautiful and artistic than the dull method of introducing the characters through dialogue in the Warner version.

As a viewer, Ronald was fascinated at first sight...

"It's quite good..." Diane accompanied him to watch the movie, and she also felt that Milos Forman's arrangement was extraordinary.

"Maybe the Oscars will give a few more nominations..." Ronald nodded in agreement.