Ronald continued to fax his experience and analysis of "God Is Crazy" to New World Productions.
Roger Coleman admired Gale Hurd's talents very much, and she was gradually able to get started with some things. After receiving Ronald's fax, Gale even made a long-distance call to confirm that "God is also crazy"
Viewing effect.
The film broke box office records while it was being released in South Africa. However, the social impact on South Africa's imprisonment of black leader Nelson Mandela also made Coleman, who heard Gale's report, stop introducing the idea. The motto of New Century Production is
Don't take any risks.
Ronald continued to watch movies in Montreal.
It must not only meet the aesthetics of American audiences, but also have a strong story and be cheap. It is really not easy to find movies that meet these three criteria.
Just when Ronald suspected that he was going to leave empty-handed, the second screening film of the Soviet Union delegation was released.
The name of this movie is very strange, called "Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears".
After asking the officials of the Soviet Union State Film and Television Committee (Goskino) whom I met last time, I learned that this is an old Russian proverb. The real meaning is that Moscow will not be moved by tears. When encountering setbacks, wipe away the tears.
, rely on struggle to win the favor of fate.
The plot of the movie is a bit old-fashioned. In 1958, three young girls from a small town, Katarina, Lyudmila, and Antonia, went to work in a factory in Moscow and lived in workers’ dormitories. One of Katarina’s relatives was a university professor.
While showing a house to them on vacation, Catalina pretended to be the professor's daughter and held a party with her two girlfriends.
Rudolf, a Moscow TV cameraman, took a fancy to Katerina's social status and pursued her. Katerina was afraid that Rudolf would look down upon her because of her background, so she lied that she was the daughter of a professor. When the two were discussing marriage,
Rudolf went to the factory for an interview and accidentally discovered Catalina's true identity.
Rudolf's mother refused to let her son marry Catalina, a girl who came to work in the city. Catalina was already pregnant at this time. She asked Rudolf to borrow money and tried to have an operation but was rejected, so she could only give birth to her daughter. With the help of two girlfriends
She raised her daughter alone. Catalina worked hard and got into college.
The structure of the movie is very classical. There is an intermission at one hour and ten minutes. This is a two-act structure that is only found in old blockbusters such as "Gone with the Wind". The intermission allows the audience to go to the bathroom to touch up their makeup.
Ronald also went to the bathroom. He felt more and more that the film reviews he heard from the audience here were more reliable than the film critics. However, most people spoke in French, which he could not understand. Occasionally, he heard a few people talking in English.
Most of the audience commented that they didn't expect Sewell to have unwed mothers.
Ronald felt the same way. This story took place in America, and it was much more harmonious. Pregnancy out of wedlock, single mother, young people from small towns to big cities, all of them are unique to America. No wonder Goskino officials said
The movie broke attendance records in Seville. The audience there had never seen anything like this, right?
Return to your seat to watch the second half. The time has arrived in 1979. Katerina graduated from college and has become the director of her factory. Lyudmila divorced her husband, an alcoholic ice hockey player, and is still looking for a wealthy husband. Only Antonia and the countryside
The farmer Volodya got married and had several children and a complete family.
The divorce rate in this movie is almost as high as that in America. Ronald is even more convinced that this director is a little out of line.
After visiting her friend Antonia in the countryside, Caterina met Guosha, a benchworker on the train back to the city. Guosha fell in love with Caterina at first sight and immediately began to pursue her. However, he mistakenly thought that Caterina was an office clerk, so
Only when the man is strong and the woman is weak can it last long. It will not end in divorce like my last marriage.
Guosha helped Caterina's daughter Alexandra fight off the gangsters and played the role of a father. Just as the two were getting closer and preparing to get married, Alexandra's biological father, photographer Rudolf, came to the factory.
While filming a commercial, I recognized Catalina.
Rudolf rashly broke into Caterina's house for dinner and revealed the secret that Caterina was the director of the factory. Guosha was angry at Caterina's deception and left the house on the spot.
Two friends, Lyudmila and Antonia, decided to help Caterina find Guosha. With several clues, Antonia's husband Volodya finally found Guosha who was drinking at home, and the two solved their knot by fighting for wine.
Finally, Guosha returned to Catalina's house and the family had dinner.
How did Ronald feel after watching the movie?
The movie is of course a good one, and it did well at the box office in Suville. But this kind of routine has been common in American movies. And the movie is shot in another world after all, and there are some subtle differences in culture, and the audience may not necessarily accept it.
.
Moreover, the movie is two hours and twenty minutes long, and there is an intermission, so movie theaters in America have some trouble scheduling the movie.
Thinking about these disadvantages, Ronald chatted for a while with the officials from the National Film and Television Commission whom he met last time.
You can feel the other party's obvious frustration. The film was coldly received by buyers. Although they all congratulated Sewell for making a box office masterpiece, they were not interested in introducing it to their respective countries.
One of the functions of the National Film and Television Commission is to promote Seville culture to the outside world. This film participated in the West Berlin Film Festival in the first half of this year and received nothing. The West Berlin Film Festival, which is influenced by American capitalism, certainly did not welcome this film.
Despite all the controversial plots, there was a happy ending in the end. The judges did not vote for this kind of film that did not profoundly reveal the dark side.
Seeing Ronald, the officials became energetic again. If they could get American film producers to introduce this film and land it in American theaters, it would be a great achievement. They could write it into the annual summary and ask for credit from the top.
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! He couldn't help but think of the commission's secretary-general's instructions to him before leaving, that he must let Western audiences understand Sewell's artistic achievements.
After thinking for a while, he took out his trump card.
"Mr. Ronald, our Seville National Film and Television Committee, in order to allow the American people to see the real life of the Sewell people and deepen the understanding between both parties, we can sell you a few copies of this film at a symbolic price.
Copy. As long as you can guarantee it will be shown in cinemas.
If you can secure a commercial release in theaters in America, you can contact the Soviet Embassy or Consulate in the United States and the cultural counselor to order more copies, and we will discuss the price at that time."
"Is this..." Ronald's mind raced. It was in line with Coleman's philosophy. It was nothing risky, just like getting a movie copy for free. Many art theaters needed movies to fill in the commercial release slots, and they were willing to accept it.
This kind of copy, such as late-night theaters in New York...
"You know, Comrade Director, America is a commercial society. If the audience does not accept this movie, the theater chain will lose money and we will lose money..."
"No, we have already included it as a candidate for this year's Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film and submitted it to the Oscars. We will definitely not lose money."
"What? Will your Soviet Union movies also participate in the Oscar selection?" Ronald was a little surprised.
"Of course, Sewell's films have won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film twice." Comrade Director Comrade began to talk endlessly about Sewell's film achievements.
It turns out that as early as 1969, the series of films "War and Peace" directed by Bondarchuk won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. This film, starring more than 120,000 Soviet soldiers, caused great repercussions in the West, and the whole country
The world grossed 58 million rubles at the box office.
The other one was introduced by Roger Corman and shot by Akira Kurosawa in Seville, winning the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1976. Since the investment belongs to the Sewell Alliance, this film also counts
The Soviet Union selected Oscars, and the awards also went to the Soviet Union.
Ronald is very happy. If "Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears" can be nominated for the best foreign language film, then some people should be willing to go into the cinema and try it. It would be even better if it can win an award, plus it costs almost nothing.
Copying, this is a sure profit business.
However, he still said calmly, "Comrade Director, the American people have a bad habit of not being interested in what is happening in other parts of the world. If it is a European audience, they will definitely go and watch the film festival nominees.
of great works of art, and the people of America..."
"I understand, I understand, this is also the distress I have as the National Film and Television Commission in charge of the Americas Department." Comrade Director Comrade said he understood Ronald's distress very well.
"Can we ask the main creative staff of the movie to do some promotion for our movie when they go to Los Angeles to attend the Oscars? You know, the American people worship heroes, and a Sewell movie won an Oscar. They might want to watch it.
What kind of heroes can do such a feat?"
"Ah...ah...this, this has to wait for our committee to make unified arrangements." The director said awkwardly. The director Menshov was criticized by some conservatives for this film, who told him to film an unmarried mother and alcoholism.
What about some of the husband’s controversial plots?
Although the general secretary-general of the Soviet Union is a movie fan, he personally decided to release the movie after watching it, and it also achieved good box office results. However, those people have banned him from going abroad to participate in international film festivals on the pretext that his movie has bourgeois tendencies and are afraid that he will defect.
Already.
On the contrary, it is Andrei Tarkovsky, the director of "Stalker". Although no one understands his movies, Europeans admire him very much. He often wins awards and strives for honor for the alliance. He is even able to go abroad to participate in film festivals.
, and even went to foreign locations to shoot movies.
"In short, we will definitely support the release of this film in America." Seeing that Ronald seemed to want to quit, Comrade Director of the Division immediately began to put on his hat. This is for the mutual understanding between the people of the Soviet Union and the United States.
A great cause.”
"Hey, this business still has no future if the main creative staff is not present."
"I will immediately send a telegram to my superiors to report this matter." The director said seriously, "Leave your address and we will instruct the Cultural Counselor of the Soviet Consulate in Los Angeles to directly allocate a few copies to you..."
"We are New World Company." Ronald quickly continued.