Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

After ordering the simplest cup of coffee, Ronald and Antonia sat down and chatted.Time seemed to be stuck in a kind of quagmire, and it didn't move a bit on the two of them.It seems that Ronald and Antonia were talking on Staten Island yesterday, and the two only separated for a few days, and continued on the streets of Paris.

Everything is so natural.

"Why are you in Paris? I've seen many of your movies, and they are very good." After chatting about some past events, Antonia took a small sip of coffee and asked how Ronald was doing.

"I'm here to talk about the cooperation of the new film, and I will visit my friend's class by the way. They are filming locations in Paris. Have you seen all my films? Which one is your favourite?"

"I like the second part of Longwei Boy the most. The dream of the Japanese girl is the dream of all ballet dancers. But I guess you don't like the performance of the New York City Ballet..."

"Eh...", Ronald felt a little strange.In the sequel to The Dragon Boy, I used Antonia's footage from "Fame", and the heroine Kumiko is also a poor kid who dreams of becoming a ballet dancer...

As for the performance of the New York Ballet, I really haven't seen it.Maybe I avoided this question subconsciously?In fact, movies are a popular art, and it is normal for Antonia to watch them, but it is also normal for me not to go to a small art such as ballet.

Strangely, Ronald felt that such a conversation was not awkward. Instead, he talked about many things after the breakup, including some very personal issues, like an old best friend he hadn't seen for many years.

For example, why Antonia suddenly resigned and came to Europe.She was progressing so fast at the New York City Ballet, and if Balanchine hadn't died, she might have been able to hit the principal position in a few years.But this leap-forward promotion also aroused the joint jealousy of other dancers.

After being ganged up on by other female ballet dancers, only one clarinet player has been kind to her, her current boyfriend Gerhardt.Originally on stage, when performing "The Nutcracker", the variation of the classic Candy Fairy was the clarinet solo main theme.

The two are close friends in art, dancing and playing complement each other.After Antonia completely lost the opportunity to compete for the chief, she went to the European continent to look for opportunities.

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

Ronald took a sip of the coffee, which was a bit bitter. He took two cubes of sugar and added it. Looking at Antonia, he 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 greatly affect my life and destiny. It happened that he also Come to me, he felt the same way, so all the following decisions were easy. We sold the car, returned the rented house, bought two plane tickets and went to London first.

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

"And what if you get a job in Paris? What about you two?"

"We will find a way, maybe we can't? I plan to go to London first, 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 feeling of relief.

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

Ronald made no mention of his donation at the London National Ballet, and neither did Antonia.This promise back then surpassed the relationship between the two today.

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

"I will," Antonia accepted the business card, opened her bag, took out her wallet and put it away.Then the two embraced, and she turned to leave.

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

"If I had gone 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 at that time...

"But you didn't..."

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

……

Antonia had been away for a long time, and Ronald was still sitting on the chair of Flora Cafe, lost in thought.Those choices that I thought were right in the past don't seem to be completely free now.

But it is a little comforting that Ronald finally found a breakthrough in the script: why Harry changed his mind and proposed to Sally.People often don't discover the value they once had until they lose it.

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

Ronald started to write, and after half an hour, three napkins had been filled with writing.At this time, a sweaty young man with a crooked suit that was out of shape and full of wrinkles ran in with a big trolley case.Looking left and right, he came towards Ronald.

"Ronald!"

"Huh?" Ronald looked up.

The person who came was Richard the manager. He didn't bother to sit down, but stood by the table and asked, "Ronald...where's Antonia?"

"How do you know I'm here?" Ronald put away the napkin full of scripts and opened a chair for Richard, who seemed to have been on the plane and had messed up his hair.

"Mike Pike called Nisita. I found out when I called Nisita at the airport. Why isn't Antonia here?"

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

"You didn't...?" Richard took out a handkerchief and wiped off the sweat that was dripping from nervousness and running.

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

"Huh...", Richard let out a long breath, and sat down on the small chair in Flora Cafe.Exercising too much force, he slid back the not-so-sturdy chair. Driven by inertia, he staggered and almost sat on the ground.

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

……

The crackling sound sounded in Ronald's hotel room.He asked the hotel to borrow a typewriter and began to rewrite the messy records on the napkin on paper.

After Sally's ex-boyfriend got married, Harry went to comfort her, and the two went to bed naturally.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 upset. She thought that the two of them could start the stage of lovers from now on.

After Harry left, Sally didn't even want to be friends.And Harry also thought that the two parties could return to the position of friends, and the two parties had a big fight at the wedding of mutual friends Mary and Jesse.Harry finally understood that for women, 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, they can only take many steps back.

After writing three full pages, Ronald got up to rest, and the preparations for the reversal of the last scene have been completed. We only need to find an opportunity for Harry to finally change and go back to Sally.

"Ding dong..."

The doorbell rang, and it was Richard who came to find Ronald after a break.

"Are you rested?" Ronald asked.

"I'm fine, it's just a long trip, plus no rest..." Richard's worries have gone, and now the most important customer's dementia alarm has been lifted, and after a few hours of rest, he immediately feels refreshed again.

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

"I'm just too worried. You flew to Europe suddenly. Rick (Nisita) and I are very worried, worried that you will do something that you didn't think about." 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 through various methods and conveying them to the audience must first be a sensitive person.Without the ability to feel, it is even less likely to resonate with the audience.

"Well," Richard said in his heart, your talent as a businessman is not bad, "from an artist's point of view, you have lost a muse. But this may be a good thing, many famous Hollywood directors borrow this chance to successfully create the most satisfying work.”

Richard and the others didn't want Ronald to stop at all. An artist who is passionate about beautiful girls is often also an artist with a strong desire to express.

"Annette Bening is filming in Paris. She has repeatedly said that she wants you to visit the set. 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.

"Uh... She is also acting in a movie adapted from the drama 'Dangerous Liaisons'. I heard a lot of rumors that it is even more exciting than Michelle Pfeiffer's, and it is more restored to the original work and drama." Richard Seeing that Ronald didn't seem very interested, he quickly recommended, "Annette is playing the Marquise de Metreil, that bad woman whose looks make men fascinated."

"Maybe next time." What Ronald had just experienced made him temporarily lose interest in this matter.

"The director is Milos Forman, who has won the best director statuette twice for 'Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' and Mozart. This adaptation was produced and released by Orion. They are rare director-oriented productions Filmmakers, compared to the 'Dangerous Liaison' film led by Warner Bros., many people who came to visit said that the costumes and casting are better."

Ronald believed it, and Milos Forman Forman was a Czech.His costumes in Europe at that time are definitely closer to historical facts than the exaggerated style of Hollywood in "Dangerous Liaisons".

It can also be seen from the casting that Annette Bening plays a coquettish lady who sows discord among men, which is obviously more convincing than Glenn Gross, who is already a bit old.

"Is director Milos Forman free? I want to have a chat with him, and then observe his method of directing. I don't know if he is willing."

Ronald's biggest regret is that he has not worked with these directors who are famous for their drama and performance, and observed them closely how they guide actors.There are always many useful inspirations to observe other people's methods.

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

……

"Hello, Director Foreman, it's a pleasure to have the opportunity to meet you."

Nisita did her best and quickly arranged a meeting between Ronald and Milos Forman.The film adaptation of "Dangerous Liaisons" he made is called "Valmont", which is named after the character played by John Malkovich in Warner's version.

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

Milos Foreman acted like a gentleman, and he had a hand in financing the film himself.He's been fascinated by this peculiar story ever since he was lured by friends to see Lindsay Duncan and Alan Rickman's Dangerous Relationship drama while on holiday in London.

At that time, Warner Bros. was already negotiating the right to change, so he directly found Orion. With his history of winning the best film for Orion with "Mozart", he quickly got investment.Restart the stove and make another one.

"I heard Alan (Rickman) talk about you. He said that he was very lucky to meet you in his first film in Hollywood. Without you, he couldn't be a Hollywood actor."

"Ha, it should be said that I was lucky to meet him. Film directors are like this. We can't find the chemical reaction between actors in rehearsals and rehearsals. Most of the time, casting is based on intuition and luck." Ronald and Milos Foreman walked and talked in the Palace of Versailles.

"That's great, movies are really a magical art..." Milos Forman admired Ronald quite a bit.The agent told him that Ronald is not only the director of commercial films, but also invested in many projects himself. For a director like Foreman who spares no expense in filming, it is very important to have an investor friend who knows how to direct. .

"I have a small question, if you feel inappropriate, you don't have to answer." Ronald paced slowly, and Richard, who followed behind, automatically fell behind a few steps, allowing him and director Foreman to Talk about something personal.

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

"Warner Brothers also changed the script of the movie. I heard that it has finished filming and is in post-production. Are you afraid of colliding with their themes? According to the usual schedule, your movies will be released next year..." Ronald was curious, How confident is Foreman that he will be able to suppress the opponent's box office?
"We are actually not making the same movie. You see my movie name is Valmont. I want to make that kind of real love story between nobles in the hair country. This is not a Hollywood movie of adultery and tricks, but It is to express the real emotional world of human beings, Valmont is not a simple playboy like Don Juan, he has his own emotions and persistence..."

Ronald nodded while listening, sighing in his heart, these artists... No, we artists really like this kind of works that explore humanity and love.

But... will ordinary audiences be able to appreciate this kind of complicated story as well?Maybe the two-time Best Director Oscar winner knows a little more than I do.

Ronald did not judge this "Valmont" arbitrarily this time, because Milos Forman's first two Oscar-winning works were actually pretty good at the box office. They are typical films that win both art and box office. .

"Let me tell you something. I have done research on the costumes of this movie. It is in line with the dress of the upper class in Paris at that time. It is not the Hollywood cliché of corsets and panniers..."

Milos Foreman obviously knows something about Warner's "Dangerous Liaisons," where Michelle Pfeiffer dresses like a British Victorian, almost like Glenn Gross' character, both Not very pretty.

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

"Aha, Ronald, you've finally come to see me. I'm so glad to see you." Annette Bening pulled up her skirt, ran over quickly, and made a performative gesture of saluting, and then suddenly Throwing into Ronald's arms.

Annette Bening wore a baby green outfit with a low-cut skirt that wasn't as restrictive as the previous Warner version.There are gorgeous lace dresses on the arms, red hair coiled up high, a swan-like neck with the same tender green collar, and low-key and sexy big pearl earrings on the ears.

Ronald immediately felt Bening's "enthusiasm". He looked at Milos Foreman, and the other party gave him an admiring look of "good boy, like a great director".

Ronald also responded, "The old man can play, this costume makes people look very excited".

The two directors laughed, which stunned Annette Bening for a moment.

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

"Is this your first visit to Versailles?" Benin said like a gentle woman.

"No, the last time another movie was filmed here, I also watched it."

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

"You and her are not playing the same role, she is playing the chastity..." Ronald saw that Annette Bening meant to compare.

"So you like virgins or sluts?" Bening looked up, with the kind of smile that invited you to explore more on his face, and his tongue licked lightly on his lips.

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

"Ahahaha...", Bening laughed heartily, Ronald really understood the needs of actresses.It would be great if we could continue to exchange benefits from him.

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

"A young British actor named Colin Firth."

"A newcomer actor?" Ronald thought to himself that the director is really brave, and Warner is full of big-name stars.

"Who plays Madame de Tourville, the virgin?"

"This is the director's relationship account. The actor who was going to play Mozart before, unfortunately broke his leg playing football the day before the filming started. It was very embarrassing to change actors temporarily. However, she is very popular with the director, so this time she was cast again. She got it..." Annette Bening was unhappy thinking about this bitch.She is not as good-looking as her, but she has more roles than her.

"Huh? What's her name?", Ronald heard this story, why is it so similar...

"Meg Tilly is the wife of a Hollywood producer. Are female stars with a producer boyfriend more lucky?" Annette Bening began to hint wildly.

"Eh...", Ronald felt that Paris was a strange place, why did all the ex-girlfriends come here together?

"This is life, C'est la vie".