It is pleasant to chat with a mature woman like Annette Bening. Ronald has no pressure and can relax and enjoy the typical atmosphere of American family life.
After the party, Ronald drove his Ferrari and took Benin home.
This woman, who was two years older than Ronald, was very perceptive and did not make any demands. She just concentrated on chatting with Ronald and flattered him without leaving any trace.
Ronald, who had just been tortured by Gene Hackman's uncomfortable chatting style, felt very good. This actress was different from the Hollywood actresses Ronald had interacted with before, and she seemed more demure.
, rather than being pushy, his ambition is immediately apparent. He is a good person to chat with.
During the conversation, Annette Bening learned about Ronald's family background and said a lot of good things about Aunt Karen with great empathy. She also touched Ronald's face with the back of her hand, showing a sense of pity.
look.
Ronald, who had never had a woman of his own age take care of his feelings so appropriately, was very surprised. Originally, he usually took care of the feelings of close women, but in turn, being taken care of by Bening, who was like a sister, he felt a little bit in his heart.
I have never felt comfortable being cared for by others.
"You haven't talked about your experience yet? How did you become an actor on Broadway? Have you also participated in the drama club since high school?"
Ronald also wanted to know more about Benin's experience. This kind of conversation with a woman is a more formal way for men and women to get along for the first time in America.
"Not really. I am different from most actresses in New York and Los Angeles. I was born and raised in the South. I like drama, but it took me a long time to find a role on the drama stage."
Bening's experience is indeed very complicated. Her status on Broadway was entirely achieved by her own hard work.
She was born in a small town in the southern state of Kansas, and moved to San Diego, California, with her father, an insurance salesman, in middle school. She is the youngest of four children in the family, and she received the strict Southern Episcopal church since she was a child.
educate.
Needless to say, such a southern girl was severely discriminated against by the "Valley Girls" in California. Bening, who is very talented in comedy, starred in the school troupe's "The Sound of Music" in high school, but did not receive any
Drama Scholarship to College.
Bening, who wanted to be an actor, had no choice but to work on his own to earn money. He worked on a yacht on the West Coast, worked as a chef for the wealthy people who went fishing, and also worked part-time as a diving instructor. He earned money and studied at the same time. Until 1985,
Only then did he find a full-time acting job with the Denver Theater Company in Colorado.
She performed "Pygmalion" in Denver to critical acclaim and entered Broadway in 1987. Her performance in "Coastal Disturbances", her first leading role, was nominated for a Tony Award.
With her accumulated experience, she naturally attracted the attention of Hollywood and starred in "Into the Wild".
"So, you're still a Dixie girl?" Ronald joked.
"Yes, my life in Kansas shaped me as a child, and I found opportunities in the theater industry and touring in the South. Yankee..." Bening in turn called Ronald Yankee because he was orthodox
New Yorker.
Bening put a hand on Ronald's waist, and there was a mixture of admiration and appreciation in his eyes.
Ronald reached back and touched Bening's little hand, then turned to look at her. Bening also generously let him look at her aggressively, squeezed his hand hard, and then took it back.
For a moment, Ronald felt that he and Bening were in love with each other.
The two had similar experiences, and they had a lot of resonance when chatting. Soon they arrived at the small apartment Bening rented in Los Angeles.
"My home is right here. Thank you for sending me back." Annette Bening did not take out the key and invited Ronald in.
"Won't you invite me to come in and sit down?" Ronald said at the door to Annette Bening who was saying goodbye to him.
"Next time, I have nothing to prepare. Next time I will buy some seafood and vegetables and let you try the dishes I learned when I was a cook on the ship." Bening laughed and rejected Ronald's idea, and then he said
A kiss on the lips.
"Hmm... Okay, we'll talk when I get back from New York." Ronald, carrying the smell of Bening's perfume, pulled her back and hugged her again, then got in the car and left.
This actress was able to move forward and retreat freely in her work, and even cooked for Ronald herself, which made Ronald feel emotional. This is the style of a mature and independent woman.
…
"Annette's first movie was 'Into the Wild', which was a comedy. Her agent said that she was more interested in playing a dramatic role, right or wrong, so she was looking for opportunities everywhere."
On the plane to New York, agent Richard reasoned with Ronald about what Annette Bening wanted now.
This actress is not just a fledgling girl. At the critical moment when she was nominated for a Tony Award and entered Hollywood, she was separated from her husband and was getting divorced. She was a woman who knew exactly what she wanted.
Such an actress knows the rules of the industry very well, plus she has a good personality, so Ronald will not have any problems getting along with her.
"By the way, her father is of German-Jewish descent, and her mother is an Anglican, and she also works part-time in the choir." Richard saw Benin's family background information again.
"I just said that her Jewish nose features are not obvious."
"Gentlemen, we are about to land. The local time of landing in New York is 3:20 pm.
The temperature is 62 degrees Fahrenheit, and your special car is waiting at the airport." At this time, the flight attendant came over to remind them that New York would be arriving soon.
This time the two of them were going to visit the author of the third adapted screenplay that was likely to be purchased, Robert Harlin.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! His "Steel Magnolias" is now on Broadway, and at the same time another group of actors is also touring the country.
Robert Harling is a middle-aged white man who looks like a typical Southern Dixie. He was born in a small town in Alabama, went to college in Louisiana, and finally received a law degree in New Orleans.
Later, because of his love for drama, he gave up the bar exam and went to New York to work as a playwright. In 1985, after his sister Susan died of complications from diabetes, he wrote it in ten days.
The story "Steel Magnolias" based on Susan.
After adapting the story into a Hollywood drama script, he got the chance to be released in 1987. Once it was released, this Broadway play received a lot of praise. Broadway audiences who were accustomed to seeing big city stories were attracted by this kind of family love in a small southern town.
Love the drama very much.
Harlin, who became famous in one battle, also got the opportunity to enter Hollywood.
Of course, the one who got there first was the Off-Broadway producer of "Steel Magnolias", Ray Stark. This dual Broadway and Hollywood producer has a very successful production history.
Ray Stark is a typical Manhattan Jew. Like many Jews in the entertainment industry, he first started out as a literary agent. Later, he seized the opportunity to produce the box-office hit movie "The World of Suzie".
Wong)" Nancy Kwan, who plays Suzie Wong, is the first Chinese-American sex idol in Hollywood.
After that, Stark focused on adapting famous Broadway plays into Hollywood movies, for which he served as a producer. Among the films that have received multiple Oscar nominations are Barbra Streisand's "Wonderful Girl" and Martha...
"The Goodbye Girl" starring Manson.
The old producer saw the potential of Robert Harlin's script at a glance. According to the additional clauses in the sale of the drama script, he invested US$350,000 to buy the production rights to the film adaptation.
However, Ray Stark was also affected by the Wall Street stock market crash. He could not use the gimmick of a successful Broadway play to attract investment everywhere as before. His own wealth was not enough to support the cost of such a large production.
So after Ronald expressed his interest in the script, both producer Stark and screenwriter Harlin felt a little overjoyed.
"I noticed that your last movie 'Moonlight' and the yet-to-be-released 'Working Girl' both used Broadway actors on a large scale." After shaking hands with Ronald and the others, Ray Stark sat down.
The first question talked about Ronald's preference for Broadway.
"Of course, for some scripts and some roles, it is very suitable to use Broadway actors." Ronald looked at the two people, wondering what they thought.
"My successful experience is the same. If you find the leading actors with good Broadway performances, match them with good scripts, and invite good directors, you can make a good Oscar-level movie." Ray Stark smiled and spent his money.
speak out.
"Huh...Hollywood has undergone profound changes in the past ten years. Nowadays, marketing with celebrity appearances can gain advantages in financing and publicity."
Ronald told screenwriter Robert Harlin that although he had sold the production rights, when it comes to projects, the power is not necessarily distributed as written in the contract.
Ray Stark, an old man, even used his successful experience before the 1970s to fool Harlem. In today's big productions, if stars don't play the leading role, it will be difficult for you to make back your money at the box office.
"That's hard to say. To win an Oscar, you have to have superb acting skills as an endorsement." Ray Stark's expression was not very good and he began to retort.
"Fortunately, there are many female stars with superb acting skills in Hollywood now, and many of them also have experience in Broadway dramas." Ronald continued to instill his own ideas into Harlem. The movie is not filmed with a camera on the Broadway stage, but only in theaters that are familiar with film shooting.
, in order to better perform the essence of the play.
"What you said makes sense." Robert Harlin was very fond of Ronald. Many of the female characters in the movies he shot were very good. He also wanted to make a character based on Susan, and one based on his own mother.
The characters based on the characters can portray the background of a southern family, which can also satisfy my original intention of writing the script - to let their stories be interpreted on the screen and be remembered by the audience.
"I suggest that it's not a bad thing to just use actors from the Broadway tour." Ray Stark was unconvinced, "When I filmed The Goodbye Girl, Martha was just an ordinary actress."
Martha Manson is also an ordinary actor now.
Of course, Ronald didn't say this. Although the actress Martha, who is married to the famous Broadway screenwriter Neil Simon, relied on her husband to adapt two movies "The Goodbye Girl" and "Chapter 2" to win the film.
She was later nominated, but she neither won an award nor became a female star with box office appeal.
On the contrary, in the same movie, actor Richard Dreyfus, who played the leading role and was already famous in Lucas's "American Graffiti", won the Oscar.
It can be seen that you have become famous, been blessed by a good script, and then won an award. This is the general rule of Hollywood. There are not many heroines who can counterattack Hollywood with their skills in Broadway dramas.
Everyone temporarily put aside casting and began to discuss other cooperation issues. Soon, everyone reached a lot of consensus in addition to casting.
But overall, the difficulty and key of this movie lies in the casting of female characters. In addition to playing the role of the diabetic daughter and the mother who donated a kidney for her daughter, there are also the mother's hairstylist, best friend, and the former town.
The eldest wife, and a runaway woman from out of town that led to the whole story.
If a Broadway crew is chosen, their salary will definitely not be high. Ray Stark can occupy a larger share of the investment and have the highest say in the crew.
But Ronald is definitely not willing. In his opinion, this movie must have many famous actresses in order to turn this kind of warm small town story into a movie that the audience is willing to pay to buy tickets for. Otherwise, it will not be possible.
It's better to just record it on videotape.
Besides, if we increase investment and choose a famous actress to play the role, Ronald's investment will account for the majority, and the entire crew will work hard in the direction they want.
However, if the six main female roles are all played by celebrities, the investment in the entire movie will have to exceed at least 10 million. Ronald's own daydream cannot be fully invested, and must attract a distributor.
Only after signing the issuance agreement can you find other investors.
In this way, among the main characters, Ronald and Ray Stark, whoever can get a famous female star to agree to star becomes the most important bargaining chip.
Ronald had his own ideas, and after he had initially determined the vision of cooperation with the producer and screenwriter, he left Ray Stark's company and went back to the big house on Fifth Avenue to rest.
"Mr. Li? Mr. Robert Harling is here to see you."
The concierge called, and Ronald quickly went to greet Mr. Screenwriter.
Unexpectedly, Harlem came up to talk to Ronald alone that night, which seemed to be a good sign.
"What would you like to drink? I have everything here," Ronald welcomed the Dixie writer in, opened the refrigerator door and asked him, "Dried ginger water, Coke, or some whiskey?"
The service in this loft on Fifth Avenue is very good. When Ronald is away, the service staff often come to clean and replenish the refrigerator.
"Whisky? Is there any from Tennessee?" Harlin frowned when he heard Coke.
Ronald took a bottle of Tennessee Legend, a small-scale whiskey with better taste and quality than the Jack Daniel's sold in supermarkets across the United States. He poured a glass and handed it to Harlin.
Harlin held the whiskey in both hands, took a sip, and then said with a sullen expression, "I listened to your ideas today and feel that you are the right way to turn this script into a movie that will be remembered for a long time."
After hearing what Harling said, Ronald felt a lot more relaxed. He had done his homework well. Robert Harling's biggest wish was for Susan's story to be remembered.
"I can't say that Ray's idea is wrong, but it's already 1988, and the situation in Hollywood has been turned upside down. His last successful Broadway adaptation was still in 1979." Ronald took the opportunity to apply some eye drops.
"You're right. I'm here to show my support for you." Harlem took another sip of southern whiskey. "I want to ask if you can reveal who you will find to play the role of my mother? Who will come?
Playing Susan?”
"I haven't fully thought about this yet, but what do you think of Shirley MacLean? I have a very good relationship with her. Her acting skills as the mother in her last successful film, 'Mother and Daughter', are definitely adequate."
"She is good, but she is not suitable for the role of my mother in this movie." Harlem shook his head in disapproval.
"Why? What about Olympia Dukakis? The new Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, and I know her very well." Ronald saw that Harlin seemed to have some ideas of his own, and mentioned his own candidate.
"She's... very nice, too, but Olympia is also a Northern Yankee woman."
"Ah... OK..." Ronald thought to himself, it turned out that this was what Harlin was worried about.
It is true that the temperament of women in the south is very different from that of women in the north. Although actors can adjust it, if some actors' own temperament matches their own temperament, it is best to perform in both form and spirit.
"I don't want to choose the person myself, but I want the character in my script to be consistent in temperament with the people I grew up living with. There is always something inappropriate about a Yankee woman playing Dixie.
"
"I understand." Ronald thought to himself that this idea was not wrong. It seemed that he was still very persistent in the characters based on his mother and sisters.
"We can slowly choose together. This kind of thing also depends on the other party's wishes." For a while, Ronald's mind went through many choices of actresses. He decided to be cautious and first talk to the casting director and agent.
Let’s discuss it later.
"Which company would you use to distribute this movie?"
Harlin recently communicated with Ray Stark and was taught many Hollywood lessons, knowing that this kind of film needs to find a reliable distributor. Stark's own Stark Pictures, and Ronald's Daydream
, I still lack experience in releasing such a large-scale production.
What's more, if there are seven major companies issuing the shares, there will be a bonus in financing.
"This kind of movie is not a high-concept script with strong commercial elements and a very dramatic plot. So we won't have many choices. It depends on which distributor is interested in our casting and the affection between mother and daughter.
I’m interested in the movie.”
Paramount was the company that released Mother and Daughter at the time, but Eisner, the president at the time, had already gone to Disney. Ronald's current relationship is with Columbia and Samsung Pictures, which had a different skin.
Now that the acquisition is getting closer, the senior executives of Sony America are trying to persuade Colombia to show favor to Ronald, who has a close relationship with Chairman Ohga.
"I just don't want Columbia to distribute it..." Robert Harlin frowned in pain and choked out, "Anything else you think is OK is fine with me."
"Why? Colombia is actually very interested in this kind of movie..." Ronald also frowned. You can't decide on this guy.
"If it were Colombia, then I would vote against it. I don't want to work for Coca-Cola and make money for them."
"Ah?" This was the first time Ronald saw Americans who were anti-Coca-Cola. Is he a fan of Pepsi?
"Susan is the prototype of the heroine, my sister. She drank too much Coke when she was a child and developed type 1 diabetes. In the end, she died of kidney failure due to this complication. The kidney transplant my mother performed on her could not save her.
She, so I think you can understand."
"This..." Ronald touched his chin. Even if he convinced the other party about this kind of thing, I'm afraid it would be revealed by the media...
However, is there any relationship between drinking Coke and getting diabetes?
Perhaps seeing what Ronald was thinking, Harling said, "We southerners all like to drink Coca-Cola. It is one of the few products we in Dixie are proud of. But there is also a high incidence of diabetes among children there who drink Coca-Cola.
serious.
Susan's doctor said that he had seen similar situations after drinking too much, but Coca-Cola would not allow such research results to be published. I asked many lawyers, and they all said that there is no possibility of filing a lawsuit on this basis. No doctor would publish such a research report.
, linking diabetes and cola consumption.”
Harlin put down the wine glass and said, "If you can satisfy my somewhat paranoid belief, I will tell Ray that I will not authorize anyone else to take pictures except you."
"Okay, but in this case, I will need some time to sell your script to major publishers. You will also have to be a salesperson when necessary."