Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Latest website: "The Lady" is a comedy directed by Billy Wilder and starring James Cagney. It tells the story of the general manager of Coca-Cola in West Berlin, who discovers that his boss's daughter was traveling in East Berlin with a man from the East. Berlin guys fall in love. Let her live in his own home for a promotion.

He wanted to stop this inappropriate marriage and framed the young man as a reactionary balloon. At this time, the Berlin Wall began to be built. But suddenly news came that the boss's daughter was pregnant. He had to go in reverse and break through the newly repaired Berlin Wall (it was still the Brandenburg Checkpoint at that time) and go to East Berlin to rescue the young man.

Then he found a noble from the old empire who recognized his family tree, became a descendant of the noble, and succeeded him as the general manager. The general manager failed to get promoted and eventually returned to Atlanta with his wife and children to return to family life.

This movie is full of appropriate elements, including the establishment of the Berlin Wall, Coca-Cola, the scorn of officials in the east, and the helplessness of employees in large companies in the west... This movie from decades ago was re-released in Germany and achieved huge box office success. success.

Cinemas in both East and West Berlin, keeping up with current events, showed this film, which was filmed at the beginning of the Berlin Wall's segregation, at the end of the Berlin Wall's division of the city.

"Hahaha, that ending is so interesting. A bottle of Pepsi fell out of the Coca-Cola vending machine..."

After watching the movie, Ronald and Helen Slater were still talking about the interesting ending of the movie. At that time, the fourth husband of Hollywood actress Joan Crawford was the president of Pepsi-Cola. After her husband's death, she inherited the position of director of Pepsi-Cola. During the filming of the film, she heard that the plot contained Coca-Cola content and personally called the film studio to put pressure on the film.

In the end, director Billy Wilder had to adapt the ending and add this episode. It also counts as showing off to Pepsi. At that time, there was no such thing as product placement, and film studios also focused on brand neutrality.

However, Billy Wilder's skill is so great that this ending is not blunt at all, but rather interesting.

It was just that current events at the time were confusing. When the filming started, you could still enter and leave East Berlin. By the time filming was completed, the checkpoint at the Brandenburg Gate had been built.

Because the European people at that time were very disappointed with their future and were afraid of another war, this satirical film reflecting current events was met with lukewarm success in Europe and did not achieve box office success in America.

James Cagney, a generational actor and widely regarded as one of the top five leading actors in Hollywood's golden age, also died in despair. It was not until the early 1980s that he began to guest star in some TV series a few years before his death.

"Oh, there are people selling Berlin Walls here..." The two of them walked near the Brandenburg Gate that appeared in the movie. There were many people setting up stalls on the ground, selling various stones. In front of them Berlin Wall fragments written in English.

Ronald squatted down and turned over the stones. There were graffiti on many of the stones. It was the performance art performed by the residents of West Berlin on the Berlin Wall. It didn't look like a fake, so Ronald spent money to buy several pieces and kept them as souvenirs.

"There are some T-shirts here, do you want them?" Seeing his generosity, the stall owner began to sell a few more T-shirts, all of which were real and representative graffiti on the Berlin Wall.

"Wrap these all for me..." Ronald immediately bought a dozen pieces. This kind of souvenir is quite interesting.

"Here are some photos of the Berlin Wall, do you want them?" The stall owner still wanted to sell, but Ronald was pulled aside by Helen.

"My crew has all of these. If you want it, I'll just ask them to give you a copy..."

"Okay..." Ronald smiled. He now buys things just for fun. Helen still retains some of the shrewdness of a New York girl who likes to bargain.

Helen has really come to work these two days. Her father's TV station PBS funded a producer called "Nova", which specializes in shooting documentaries around the world to introduce customs and cultures around the world to American audiences.

Their latest documentary is about the history of the Berlin Wall. Helen also serves as the narration voice in this documentary. Not to mention, although her acting skills are average, Helen has a good voice and is a beautiful woman. It is really suitable for this kind of narration and dubbing.

…

The film festival is screening this year's twenty films in the main competition at the rate of several films a day. The oldest heroine, Jessica Tandy of "Driving Miss Daisy". "Born on the Fourth of July" director Oliver Stone, star Tom Cruise, and "War of the Roses" supporting actor Danny DeVito all came to the screening to interact with fans and accept the media interview.

There are a total of five Hollywood films participating in the competition this year, which is a rare year. Generally speaking, most of the American films at European film festivals are independently produced artistic films. But this year is different. The above three films invited celebrities to promote are mainstream commercial films.

There is Ronald's factor in this. His previous film "Moonlight" entered the film festival and seemed to have a great boost to the domestic box office. Major studios also want to follow suit.

More importantly, due to this year's Berlin Wall incident, the organizing committee and the German people generally have a favorable impression of America. Britain and Germany actually did not agree with the merger of the two Germanys. America did not interfere at the critical moment. Now there is preliminary contact between East and West Germany.

Public opinion is so, and the organizers have hinted in many ways that there is a chance for Hollywood movies to win a Golden Bear Award. The producers who smelled the smell came over, resulting in a grand occasion that a quarter of the participating films were produced by Hollywood.

But among the eleven judges, there were also major divisions. Many Eastern European judges hope that this very commemorative Golden Bear Award will be awarded to films from Eastern European countries. These countries have long been satellite countries of the Union. The events of the Berlin Wall and Poland have given them a great deal. of encouragement.

Exactly four judges are from Eastern Europe and the Union, four are from Western Europe and America, and only the comedian Bernini, and Ronald (who is not the kind of artist favored by European film festivals, just because of Dirty Dancing and Breakdancing Invited for their contribution to current affairs), they belong to two different parties.

Their identities are not ideal candidates for ordinary film festival judges, and they are dissatisfied with the standards of the other judges, so they sit aside and just talk about Italian food.

Except for the chairman Michael Ballhaus who remained neutral and Ronald and Bernini who gave up treatment, the other eight judges took a clear stand and got into a quarrel.

The four Eastern European judges (East Germany, the Union, Hungary, and Brazil) all unanimously recommended the Hungarian film "The Lost Winged Sparrow." Their reason makes people laugh, not because of the artistic value of the film itself, but because of what happened in Prague that year, and the film was banned.

The experience of the film outweighed the film itself and became the only reason why they wanted to give the Golden Bear to this film made twenty years ago.

The judges in Western Europe (China, America, Britain, and West Germany) neither wanted the Hungarian film to win the award, nor did they want the golden smell of Hollywood to infect the Golden Bear. What they unanimously recommended was another American movie, "Music Box."

The film stars Jessica Lange. It tells the story of the heroine Anne, because her father (a Hungarian immigrant) was accused of murdering a large number of Jews as a member of the "Arrow Cross" before the end of World War II.

As a daughter, she went to Hungary to collect evidence and found that several witnesses accused different people. Cleared his father's name. However, during the trip to Hungary, a relative of the victim gave him a wallet and asked her to redeem a music box that had been pawned by his father's accomplice.

The heroine Anne, who ransacked the music box, found that it contained photos of the Jews who were murdered during the Soviet siege of Budapest at the "Arrow Cross" where her father was...

During the period when the Berlin Wall fell, these Western European judges tried every means to award the Golden Bear to this film, and their psychological state was also intriguing.

"These people are all for politics, not for art. West Berlin has fallen, the Golden Bear has fallen..." Roberto Bernini, accompanied by his wife, had dinner with Ronald and Helen, no Complaining constantly.

"This is a very subtle emotion. Roberto, you are Italian and a comedian. You don't quite understand..."

Ronald also had this doubt, but he had asked Richard a long time ago. As a Jewish person and a well-informed agent in Hollywood, he collected some information for Ronald and helped Ronald understand this. It's the kind of thing that's not convenient to say to people.

Those judges in Eastern Europe are simply putting themselves in the position of victims. We are all victims of the Soviet Union and the Cold War between the East and the West. Our film was banned for twenty years because of what happened in Prague. Now that East and West Berlin are reconnected, we want the world to know that we are victims!

The Western European judges were also very cunning and came up with another Eastern European-themed movie to object. On the surface you are the victims, but in fact you were the perpetrators back then! You are also accomplices! You have done many bad things. Don’t think that now that the Berlin Wall has fallen, you can pretend to be very innocent back then...

"This is really boring. What are we here for? Is the film festival for art or politics?" Roberto Benigni has always been a left-winger who sympathizes with the people and disdains sanctimonious right-wing politicians.

This kind of politics over art made him very dissatisfied and complained constantly.

"No one mentions artistically innovative films like Ben Ming Nian... Movies like Driving Miss Daisy are ignored just because they are commercial movies..."

Ronald put down his knife and fork and ordered a cup of coffee. Looking at Bernini's wife, several people smiled bitterly. That's the case with Roberto. When he made a movie that satirized the Pope, he was almost banned. To put it nicely, he said he hates evil with hatred, but to put it badly, he was a bit childish and innocent.

"I have an idea..." Ronald took advantage of the opportunity to sell his idea to the other party.

"Is this okay?" Roberto felt that Ronald's proposal was actually quite good. If you want to fight, let's fight for it. It is serious to fight for something that a movie like "Ben Ming Nian" deserves.

"Of course, that's what the Silver Bear Award in West Berlin is for. They give it out differently every year."

…

"I say, you might as well tie for first place..." Roberto Benigni proposed an idea only a comedian would put forward in a closed-door discussion the next day.

"This..." The judges from the two camps looked left and right, and this was a solution. No one on either side is willing to give in. If Roberto and Ronald don't vote, the discussion will continue if the number of votes does not meet the standard. In the end, it will be a joke if no consensus can be reached when the time comes for the awards.

"I think this proposal is good. This year happens to be the 40th session, and it is also the time of reconciliation between East and West Berlin. Two movies are juxtaposed, and they also come from two countries..."

Jury chairman Ballhaus immediately followed, "Are you two supporting a movie?"

"Actually, I prefer Ben Ming Nian from China. I think that movie deserves recognition..."

To achieve the achievement of a double-yolked egg, it would be best if Roberto Benigni and Ronald had one vote each, and under 5 to 5, Chairman Ballhaus would come out with another bowl of water.

At the critical moment, Ronald picked up his accent and began to count his praise for "Ben Ming Nian". "The director depicts a taxi driver in China in a new era. The actor's performance is also rare and can be judged from a performance without lines." Showing inner loneliness..."

"I don't agree. This is a film produced by a state-run studio. This is exactly what we want to oppose..." The Eastern European judges began to oppose Ronald again, and they became a quarrel.

The West Berlin Film Festival was the latest of the three major film festivals to be established, and its original intention included the idea of ​​showcasing West Berlin as a showcase for the Western camp.

Therefore, it is not the first time in the history of West Berlin that political factors have become the main factor in award selection. The judges in Eastern Europe began to strongly oppose Ronald.

Ronald ignored them and insisted on awarding a Silver Bear Award to "Ben Ming Nian". If he doesn't agree, he will vote for the music box, disappointing the expectations of Eastern Europe.

Fortunately, the artistic level of these judges is limited, but they are very skilled in political operations. They are worthy of being trained in Eastern European countries...

Under the mediation of Chairman Ballhaus, an agreement was finally reached, and the two films tied for the Golden Bear. And independently set up two Silver Bear Awards, awarded to the critical minority, Ronald and Roberto's favorite two films.

In the end, Ronald's favorite "Ben Ming Nian" was also liked by the judges. Director Xie received a "Silver Bear Award for Outstanding Single Achievement". Even Ronald could not tell the difference between this award and the Silver Bear Award for Best Director. .

Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman won the Silver Bear for Best Co-starring Performance in Driving Miss Daisy, which was admired by Roberto Benigni. Of course, he couldn't tell the difference between this Silver Bear and the "Silver Bear Award for Best Actor".

"You guys stay here and book your flight tickets after the awards show." Ronald called Wen Jiang and told him the good news.

"Oh, thank you so much. Director Luo is really an old friend of our Chinese film industry and a great benefactor." Wen Jiang did not expect that the film would win the award. Although it was not the highest honor, the Golden Bear, but with this, after returning home, he would The domestic status is achieved!

"What does this Silver Bear Award for Outstanding Single Achievement mean? How is it different from Best Director?" After all, Director Xie has experience. When he heard the name of the award, he felt something was wrong.

"How do we know this? I don't understand, and I don't dare to ask. People say that a big Hollywood director, who is also a judge, would be a low-key friend if he associates with us..."

"What a mess, come on, let's just stay in peace."

…

"So there are no awards for people born on the Fourth of July?" Tom Cruise also received a call from Ronald, and he wasn't too happy.

"Tom, what about the theme of the Vietnam War? If it were Platoon in previous years... Director Stone would definitely be highly respected, but this year's theme of West Berlin is not that. I think I'd rather look forward to the Golden Globes and Oscars... "

"I understand, thank you."

"Why do I feel that the organizing committee has no rules and regulations. If a movie is good, it will set up an award temporarily and award it to him..." Helen looked at this year's list of winners and commented while shaking her head.

At the same time, two directors won the Silver Bear Award, one for Best Director and the other for Outstanding Single Achievement. Could it be that Director Xie won the award not for director, but for some other single achievement?

There is a Silver Bear Award for Best Actor and a Silver Bear Award for Best Co-starring (the male and female protagonists win together), so who is the Best Actor?

"Hey, it's just a grassroots team..." Ronald threw the list aside.

Fortunately, this year's Golden Bear Award with a double yolk egg will definitely attract the energy of the media, and Ballhaus will definitely be tortured. In this way, no one will notice the very unusual award-winning setting of animal year.

"Okay, are you leaving?" Helen will stay in West Berlin for a while to cooperate with the filming, but Ronald is already going back.

"Well, by the way, will you participate in documentary shooting in the future?" Ronald felt that this job was actually quite suitable for Helen.

"I don't want it, I came here to see you..."

"Well..." Ronald was moved and hugged the beauty in his arms.

"Then what's the subject of their next film?" Ronald asked, stroking Helen's hair.

"The last one was about how Japan won the industrial competition. This one was about the construction of the Berlin Wall. It was a temporary extra shot. Next thing I heard, I heard that it was going to be about China..."

"Want to shoot a documentary about China?" Ronald didn't expect that at this time, there would be people wanting to shoot a documentary about China.

"Yes, the name is China's genius tradition - Will the Dragon Rise Again?, starting from the Song Dynasty a thousand years ago, when China's civilization was leading the world." Helen was actually invited to be the next She continued to dub a documentary, but she was reluctant and found it troublesome.

"Why do you want to make this film?" Ronald knew that PBS is a government-funded public television station with affiliated networks all over the country. Isn't it a bit difficult to make a movie with this theme at this time?

"I don't know, there are four episodes in total, and it is the same series as the previous industrial competition in Japan..." Helen said, "But when they filmed Japan, they had a lot of corporate sponsors, while they filmed Chinese films without corporate sponsorship, and they are still looking for investors." There is no income from documentaries, except selling them to broadcasters like my dad..."

"Huh? Let me ask, maybe... Coca-Cola is interested in sponsoring?" Ronald picked up the phone and called accountant Lawrence, "Hey, is Mr. Buffy in Omaha or Washington now? Can you help me make an appointment with him? time."