Ronald came to Los Angeles again, and now he was in Jane Fonda's big house in Hollywood. After a few months, nothing had changed here, except that during the day, it was not filled with party guests.
Jane wore yoga clothes, a sweater around her waist, and a headband in her hair. It seemed that she had just finished exercising. The super star was very busy. This time she specially invited Ronald to come home for a talk. She didn’t know what to say.
what did he say.
"I just came back from Squam Lake in New Hampshire and just finished filming 'On Golden Pond'. Catherine forced me to do the jumping into the lake by myself without a stand-in, which was a challenge for me." Jane Fonda first talked about the filming.
of gossip.
Ronald had no interest in joining in, but his agent Niceta, who came with him, was very supportive. He seemed to be a movie fan and laughed out loud after hearing some interesting stories about Katharine Hepburn and Henry Fonda's filming.
"I'm very sorry about Director Bridges' decision to rewrite the script. During this period of time, I was working very hard on filming and I didn't have time to think about 'My Brother's Keeper'..."
"She should be called 'Her Brother's Protector' now." Ronald said with a smile.
Jane Fonda heard the complaint in Ronald's words and smiled. In fact, this kind of thing happens a lot in Hollywood, and young screenwriters have not yet realized the cruelty of this industry.
"Rick, please let Ronald and I have a few words alone."
Agent Rick Niceta stood up, patted Ronald on the shoulder, and walked out of the room, leaving Ronald alone with Jane Fonda.
"Ronald, when this happened, I was filming on location on Golden Pond. I bought this script specially for my father and invited Katharine Hepburn to star together. Henry's body has grown at a speed that can be seen by everyone this year.
In decline, the academy has begun considering him for a lifetime achievement award.
It's the consolation prize given to movie stars who have never won an Oscar, when... they are physically able to attend.
But I am not willing to give in. Henry deserves an Oscar. This is why I devoted myself to filming. I hope to win an Oscar for him. This is his regret.
Can you understand me, Ronald?"
Ronald did not expect Jane Fonda to say such a thing to him. At New York University, the first old movie he watched was "The Grapes of Wrath" played by Henry Fonda. Thinking of the handsome boy back then and now
As he was getting older, Ronald could no longer hate Jane.
He nodded, "I understand you, Jane. In fact, you don't owe me anything for this matter. I got the money. I was also featured in the New York Times. My subsequent screenwriting business and advertising shooting business also benefited from it.
The prestige this script has brought me."
"No, but you lost the most precious opportunity to become famous." Jane Fonda stood up, "I am an actor, my brother is also an actor, and my father is also an actor. I understand the pursuit of artists.
If I could use that $350,000 in exchange for the opportunity to direct a movie, I think you would agree without hesitation."
Ronald didn't say anything. Of course, who wouldn't want to be able to direct a big production of a big studio in his debut film.
"I was very busy on the set. The filming schedule was very tight. It was also disrupted by strikes and the cost was overrun. I was focused on filming. When Bridges called me, I thought he was just interested in you.
Some details of the script were modified.
As for other little tricks, I don’t know who did it, and I have no interest in investigating. Hollywood is full of struggles every day. If you are not used to these, you might as well concentrate on being a screenwriter."
Ronald understood what Jane Fonda meant. There was nothing to complain about at this point. Jane was able to specially invite him to explain the situation. She was already a model of principles among Hollywood movie stars. So he said, "I understand. You were
I don’t know the specific things during the filming, and this matter is already in the past tense.”
"Good boy, I'm really looking forward to watching your directorial work." Jane smiled and took something from the side.
"This is a photo of me, for my fans. I heard that your aunt asked you to write this script and appointed me to star in it. You can't appear on the subtitles. She will be very disappointed. I will give you one.
Give her a signed photo so that she can alleviate her regrets."
Ronald couldn't help but laugh. It would be funny if Jane knew that Aunt Karen hated the returning military wife she played, "Well, she will be happy...her name is Karen."
“To Karen,
Your friend Jane Fonda."
Jane signed the photo with a quick-drying pen and put it in an envelope. "I still have to continue exercising, my homework as an actress."
Jane turned on the record player, a burst of music played, and several technicians poked their heads out of the room and began to set up lights and TV cameras.
"This is?"
"I am going to make a video about doing aerobics at home. Now the studio alliance is in a lawsuit with the Japanese manufacturer. The movie cannot be made into a video for sale, so they have come up with some other content for sale."
"The yoga mat is right there..."
Ronald saw that Jane Fonda's schedule was really tight, so he took the signed photo and left.
Niceta asked him to get into the BMW, "We will meet Mr. Robert Stewart in the afternoon. He has reached some new consensus with Universal to see what his thoughts are on the sequel to 'Grease'."
Robert Stewart met them in his pajamas.
This middle-aged handsome guy's daily job now is to enjoy life and take care of his business.
"Andy Gibb disappoints me. His three brothers in the Bee Gees are all restrained, but he is lost in the glamor of Hollywood."
Ronald knew that what Sterwood was talking about was that Andy was sent to a rehabilitation center for drug abuse, but surrounded by a room full of handsome guys and beauties, Sterwood's words seemed a bit funny.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Sterwood was not aware of Ronald's attitude at all, and continued, "Universal's Sheinberg did me a big favor. He quit at Paramount
Later, the entire project was purchased. So he had a say in the protagonist.
But that’s actually a good thing. Well, aren’t you right, Ronald?”
The air conditioner in the mansion was turned on very loudly, and a handsome man in cool clothes gave Sternwood a cocktail. Another beautiful woman also gave Ronald and Niceta a drink each.
"You mean Timothy Hutton? Mr. Sternwood," Ronald asked.
"You, you are very business-minded." Sterwood pointed to Ronald's nose and said to agent Niceta, "Rick, you signed a very promising client."
"Of course, Ronald is my first screenwriting client, and he is the best." Niceta raised her cocktail and expressed full agreement. It was completely impossible to tell that he was doing it casually to circumvent Ovitz's screenwriting first strategy.
Signed Ronald.
"Timothy will be the next golden boy in Hollywood. We are very lucky." Sterwood drank the cocktail in one gulp. "His agent is giving him activities everywhere, and Timothy is also attending parties everywhere. Next year
He will definitely win the Golden Globe Award, and the Academy is also preparing to nominate him for Best Supporting Actor. I think he is very hopeful."
"Isn't he the protagonist?" Ronald asked doubtfully, "Isn't the story in Ordinary People about a young man who survived a sailing accident and how he reconciled with his parents after losing his brother unexpectedly?"
Sterwood put on a big cigar, pointed at Niceta, and asked Niceta to explain.
"Oscars are not just about acting, Ronald. Next year's Oscar nominations are very fierce, including Robert De Niro, the leading actor in Scorsese's "Raging Bull", your teacher. Although United Artists has no money for public relations,
De Niro's Italian identity has led Italians in Hollywood to do public relations for him, including Sly and Stallone.
There is also veteran British Shakespearean actor Peter O'Toole, who has been nominated for Best Actor for the fifth time.
Other competitors include Jack Lemmon and Robert Duvall. Even if Timothy Hutton is nominated, he has no chance of winning, so he might as well switch to Best Supporting Actor, where he has a much better chance."
"Will the famous Barry Miller also be nominated?" Ronald thought of the actor in "Famous" who was slapped by director Alan Parker and unexpectedly performed a good crying scene.
.He also wants to date the director's girl, Maureen Tiffey.
"The situation at MGM is also very bad. I heard that they have been reduced to distributing movies for two Israelis." Sterwood took over.
"With no one doing public relations for Barry Miller, he may not even get a Golden Globe nomination, let alone an Oscar."
Ronald was silent.
There is an old saying circulating in Hollywood, "It's not what you know, but who you know that matters." The recent events that happened to him and Barry Miller allowed Ronald to clearly understand the meaning of this sentence.
.
"Is it really hopeless to be nominated for an Oscar after being famous all over the world?" After a moment of silence, Ronald asked this question. To be honest, he still fantasized about being nominated for this movie, and then having investors willing to invest in him.
Try your luck.
"There is no hope for Best Picture and Director. It is also impossible to win acting awards." Sterwood denied the possibility of winning the award for being famous all over the world.
"But there is hope for Best Original Song. The producer Da Silva is jumping up and down to publicize his future Latin star, Irene Cara. Her singing career is booming, and she is always on TV.
Play her song 'Fame'."
"Your screenwriting award...well, there are several strong competitors. If you are particularly lucky...there may be hope."
Ronald shook his head. His luck was best used at the most critical moment. Rather than Best Original Song, he hoped his screenwriter would be nominated.
"In short, those scenes about the Vietnam War, demonstrations, and debates must be deleted." Sterwood returned to the topic.
"The overall temperament of the script is still that of the 1950s, the upbeat atmosphere of the post-war golden age. It captures optimism, low unemployment, plentiful jobs, and a blue-collar job that can afford a house and support a wife, children, and a large family.
This was America's golden age, and it's an era that people now living in the recession miss."
Ronald nodded. Universal hopes to make a musical with a similar temperament to the original "Grease". The successful formula should not be changed, which is the 1950s, old-fashioned singing and dancing, young people, and the love between male and female protagonists who belong to different gangs.
"Get it done as soon as possible, Ronald." Niceta sent Ronald back to CAA. "Timothy Hutton's agent also proposed that he want to see the revised script."
"I know." Ronald frowned. Why did everyone want to give comments on the script? Why didn't they just give comments to the screenwriter on how to place the camera, how to arrange the director's arrangements, and how to raise the recording pole?
Do they think they can type and read scripts, so they have the illusion that they can also write scripts?
"Ronald, there is another script revision offer here. Do you want to take a look?" The main agent Richard was waiting for him in the office. When he saw him and Niceta coming back, he handed over a document.
"Revision? Where is the original screenwriter?"
"It is a youth drama adapted from a novel. The original screenwriter is the author of the original novel. Universal promised to distribute their movie, but the producers were not satisfied with the script. They thought the novel was well written, but the author was not very good at writing scripts.
, I want to find an experienced person to modify it.”
Ronald frowned and refused to accept the document.
I also felt that the screenwriter was not good enough and wanted to intervene myself. I couldn’t write, so I asked a screenwriter to change it according to their wishes. How sad the original author was.
"I don't want to take it. Why don't they discuss it with the author? I always feel that the author's writing is not good and the screenwriter should get more respect."
Richard rubbed his hands and said, "Ronald, the film company is very optimistic about your fame, so it agreed. This is also the first offer I have found for you. Take a look."
"Okay." Ronald likes Richard as an agent. Unlike other agents who have other interests, Ronald always stands on his side.
"But I have a condition."
"You said." Richard was very happy.
"I want to meet with the author. I will only be willing if he agrees for me to join and modify his 'baby'. I don't want what happened to me to happen to other screenwriters."
"That's no problem. The production company has talked with the author. The author also feels that his script writing skills are insufficient. He took the initiative. I will arrange for you to meet."
"Okay." Ronald lowered his head and glanced at the synopsis of the script. This script had a very long and strange name: