Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"Tom, how was the filming of the new movie?" Ronald walked into the CAA office where Tom Cruise and his two agents Niceta and Wagner were.

Tom has just finished filming the movie "The Kid Is Crazy", and the baby fat he gained from playing the leading role is still there. If he wants to film "The Big One" next, he will have to lose the fat.

"Everything was good, except that the scene by the lake in Chicago's Highland Park was a bit cold. I had to make a pensive expression during the filming, and I almost shivered from the cold."

"That's what acting is like. Sometimes when shooting summer scenes in winter, you have to splash water on your face to simulate sweat. Tom is very dedicated." Paula Wagner was very satisfied with Cruise's performance.

Several people chatted about their respective experiences after the separation of "The Naughty Boy", and Paula Wagner suddenly asked Ronald:

"Ronald, this movie is full of energy. Is it a good role for Tom?"

"If you follow my script, it's actually similar to the one Tom just played in 'The Boy Is Crazy'. It's also a story about teenagers growing up and taking on responsibilities. There's also a part where Tom dances solo. Girls will go crazy for him. "

"Oh, yeah?" Tom Cruise was very interested in Ronald's introduction.

"But Shirley Lansing didn't seem very interested in my idea, and if she had found someone else, that might be a different story."

"Why? She doesn't like you? But you just filmed 'Fast Times' and she has no reason not to trust your ability." Paula Wagner said in surprise.

"Ms. Lansing prefers movies with strong drama." Niceta interjected.

"Yes, the last time she used Timothy Hutton and Tom's 'Lights Out' the box office was only average. With a budget of more than 13 million, the box office was not as high as Ronald's 'Fast Times'. To this I’m still worried about writing a high-concept script.”

Paula wanted to get more good roles for Tom. She saw that Tom wanted to work with Ronald. If the script was right, he might be able to create a box office miracle.

"When Ms. Lansing asked me about the male lead, my first choice was Tom. If I finally get the director's position, I mean if, March or April next year..."

The group chatted about strategies for meeting Shirley Lansing.

"How does it feel to be a protagonist, Tom?" Ronald asked about Cruise's feelings. "Even a Good Boy" is the first time that Tom Cruise has been a leading actor.

"The pay is much higher than that of Coppola's 'The Kid'." Tom smiled happily.

"Hahaha... What did you do with so much money in your account?" Ronald understood the feeling of getting a check of more than one hundred thousand dollars for the first time.

“I paid off college for one of my sisters and bought another a car that she needs for work.”

"Oh, you're so good to your family. What did you get for yourself?"

"I didn't buy anything. Paula took good care of me. I didn't lack anything."

The two agents then excused themselves to attend to other matters. Tom Cruise suddenly and mysteriously approached Ronald and said to him.

"I met a girl on the set. She was three years older than me and we were dating. She was very mature and she was nice."

"Oh yeah? Congratulations. Who's the lucky girl?"

"It's the heroine Rebecca de Mornay. Maybe I'm the lucky one."

Ronald knew this woman, who had come to audition for "fast-paced Richmond High School."

“Did she play a supporting role in Coppola’s ‘Love Is Old’?”

"Yes, this is what worries me. Rebecca and Stanton, the supporting actor in that movie, are boyfriend and girlfriend, but the old man is thirty years older than her. I suspect that she was blackmailed by Stanton and wanted to get it. That supporting character had to submit.”

Ronald scratched his head, he didn't know how to deal with this kind of thing. Unlike having an affair with a married person, America treats things like boyfriend and girlfriend either seriously or lightly. You can call them boyfriend or girlfriend after sleeping for one night or getting engaged.

But since the man is thirty years older than the woman, the possibility of Cruise saying it is not small, so I wish Tom true love comes first.

And since De Mornay is older and more mature than Tom, it's unclear who will be the leader in this relationship.

"I think you are in true love, and I wish you all the best."

"You know, Ronald. I grew up in a Catholic family, and having boyfriends and girlfriends like that is immoral. What Rebecca and I did, it's not a biblical sin. We're not committing adultery."

"No, they're not married."

"Yes, you're right."

"Does Paula know about your affairs?" Ronald asked Tom. As long as the agent knows about this kind of thing, it won't be a big problem, which shows that Wagner does not regard this matter as a threat to Tom Cruise's acting career. "

"I didn't tell her, but she saw Rebecca come to my trailer several times. She didn't say anything."

"Well, congratulations to you. I think this can be considered a blessed relationship."

"Oh, yeah? That's great." Nineteen-year-old Tom Cruise is relatively devout. Since Ronald agrees with this kind of thing, there is no big problem.

…

A few days later, Ronald was summoned by Shirley Lansing, and this time he and Niceta came to her office together.

"What's he doing here?" Ronald saw a familiar face in the waiting area at the door. It was the Fat Boy Michael Cimino who said in an interview that Ronald had no directing talent.

"Lansing might be interested in him as director." Niceta whispered into Ronald's ear. "We haven't heard anything about it. Don't get angry on the spot, Ronnie."

Niceta knew that the two had a grudge, so she reminded them.

"Ronald, this is director Michael Cimino, who needs no introduction. Michael, this is Ronald Lee, director and screenwriter of 'Fast Times'."

Ronald shook hands with Lansing quickly, then sat apart. He was a little suspicious that Lansing was doing this because he wanted to take advantage of the conflict between him and Cimino to lower each other's prices.

"I decided to have Director Cimino take on this project..." Shirley Lansing gets right to the point.

Ronald was a little confused. If Cimino was asked to direct, why would he be asked to do it? Just hearing bad news? Come to Lansing and you won't have that much time to spare.

"Thank you for calling me here and telling me the final result." Ronald stood up and wanted to leave.

"No, no, Ronald, I also hope to give you a job as a screenwriter and continue to improve the script." Shirley Lansing felt very good and raised her hand to let Ronald sit down.

"Don't get angry on the spot," Niceta reminded softly from behind.

"My answer is no," Ronald replied stiffly.

"Don't refuse in a hurry, listen to my conditions. Although you don't have a director's job, you can sign the screenwriter, and we will also create conditions for you to observe on the set. Michael is the Oscar-winning director, and he also agreed."

"Calm down, calm down." Niceta regretted coming today very much. Lan Xing couldn't figure out the situation. She appreciates Cimino's directorial ability and likes directors who can create a sense of drama.

But Ronald's debut film had a box office of 40 million. Even if his directing ability is really not as good as Cimino's, how could young people like the director who brought down United Artists? Besides, the two still have old grudges.

"Oh? What parts of the script are you going to ask me to revise? Which parts does the Oscar-winning director have different opinions on?" Ronald smiled instead of angry and glanced at the fat guy Cimino mockingly.

Cimino is still chubby, and it seems that the huge public pressure to bring down Lianyi did not cause him much insomnia.

"The tone of the whole movie is not realistic enough. I hope to see a real male town. This kind of conservative priest who bans the whole town from dancing will not repent in the final stage and let the people stop burning."

I wanted to add some real, darker plot, it's a great story that shouldn't be turned into a musical and a tractor showdown to stimulate teenage hormones.

Urban and rural, progressive and conservative, male and female, all these contradictions are intertwined. When I thought about it, I knew it would be a great movie.

The tone of the movie should be the unique depression and ultimate liberation in the man's small town.

We want to invite some actors with outstanding acting skills to join us...

Like Bobby, Mel, coming to be the pastor and his wife.”

"My answer is no!" Ronald still refused firmly.

"Ronald, can you tell me why?" Shirley Lansing looked at Ronald with her eyes, which was a bit beyond her expectation.

"I don't like this story."

"Hey, do you know what a good story is?" Michael Cimino got angry instead. What you wrote are all jokes, not stories. I really don't know how you could write such a script that does nothing but stimulate hormones.

It's all in the vein of those exploitation films. A truly great movie is not a movie that only cares about the audience's sensory stimulation. What is needed is a dramatic conflict that penetrates the human heart..."

"Shut up, Fatty."

Ronald blurted out, pointed at Cimino, and took two steps forward.

Cimino was shocked by Ronald's tall body and did not continue.

Shirley Lansing didn't expect that the conversation would turn out like this. She looked at the body language of the two people and seemed to notice it.

Niceta could only cover her face with her hands, hoping the quarrel would not continue.

"Don't slander my script. If you don't like it, you can write it yourself." Ronald put down his arms and continued:

"I know the tricks you played on the script of 'The Deer Hunter'. You first disparaged Mr. Washburn's script, and then you made some slight changes and tried to claim it as your own.

If I find that you stole part of the plot and scene arrangements I wrote in the final script, I won’t say whose side the Writers Guild is on.

I will personally sue you until you sell your panties to pay for your losses. My lawyer is the original "Grey-Eyed Mickey" from MGM. You can ask him about it. "

"Ms. Lansing, goodbye." Ronald gave a final nod to Shirley Lansing and walked out of the office. Niceta shrugged at Lansing and followed him out.

"Michael, what's going on with you two?"

"Nothing," Cimino replied easily. "He gave a TV interview and said he didn't like my movie. I might have said he had no talent for making movies. His script really didn't show any storytelling talent."

"Okay, then you will write the script. Be careful not to plagiarize Ronald's content."

Shirley Lansing was also a little skeptical of Cimino's character after being told by Ronald.

"Relax, these plots are not suitable for the story in my mind. I will go to the field to investigate the actual scenes and the details of people's conversations. I will definitely be able to write a satisfactory story."

"Very good", Lan Xing's doubts subsided slightly, "I will reimburse you for your reasonable expenses for going there."

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