From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

The cafe was still noisy and busy. Edgar lowered his voice slightly, his expression serious. Although his breathing hadn't completely returned to normal, it was clear from his eyes that he wasn't joking.

"Anson, they've been preparing this project, James Keach, since 1993. Initially, they planned to film it as a series, but because the script was so bad, it was eventually condensed into one episode."

"Unfortunately, that episode also didn't make a splash; it didn't stir up any waves."

"Back then, Johnny Cash and June Carter were still alive. They had always hoped to push this project forward, and James Keach was the producer, but unfortunately, there was no progress."

"I'm not sure if you know, but there's an unwritten rule in Hollywood."

"Don't make biopics while the subject is still alive."

"It's not that it's completely forbidden, but it's avoided as much as possible because things can be tricky."

"Very few people are willing to calmly analyze the successes and failures of their lives, whether positive or negative, let alone have a film crew point fingers at their lives."

"In the end, it often evolves into a flattering and complimentary account that sings the subject's praises. The movie becomes a mediocre hagiography. Not everyone has the courage of a young Frank Abagnale to not interfere and let the film crew do whatever they want."

It was because of these sensational off-screen disturbances that Harvey Weinstein had an entry point to stir up trouble, ultimately pulling 'The Social Network' down and pushing 'The King's Speech' to the top at that year's Oscars, becoming the biggest academy PR injustice of the new century.

"The Social Network" is a positive case, a subversive force in countless biographical films. It doesn't shy away from the protagonist's strengths and weaknesses and presents them in a cold and cruel way. Almost every real-life character in the movie was pissed off—

Except for the original author of the biography.

No one wants to be publicly dissected and criticized. No one.

That's why Hollywood is very keen on making biographical films, but most of the biographical films are about people who have already passed away.

Anson, "I also haven't seen the script yet, but they just told me that they don't want to avoid the dark side of Johnny Cash's life, and they hope to focus more on the impact of those dark sides on his music."

Edgar looked slightly surprised, "Really?"

Anson nodded to confirm.

Edgar frowned slightly, "If that's the case, it's not entirely impossible, at least they're bravely facing those scars. But…"

Edgar pondered for a moment. Anson didn't urge him. He believed that Edgar's rejection of this project was definitely not just because of an unwritten rule in Hollywood.

Edgar continued, "There's also another possibility. The movie might be trying to beautify the love between Johnny Cash and June Carter."

"You know? When Johnny and June met, they were both in marriages, and June's husband, Edwin Nix, was Johnny's friend."

"I don't mean to pry into other people's marriages or condemn them condescendingly. Some people are trapped in painful marriages, and choosing to separate is the best choice for each other; but the fact is that their love did happen when their respective marriages hadn't yet broken down, which also brought them a lot of controversy."

Anson was quite surprised, "Why? I thought people should be very familiar with such scenes in Hollywood. Getting married, divorced, and remarried. Here, you'd be embarrassed to say you're a member of Hollywood if you haven't been married two or three times."

Edgar, "They are both devout believers."

Anson suddenly understood.

Edgar, "So, maybe the purpose of the movie isn't to beautify Johnny, but to beautify their love. June Carter's love saved Johnny Cash like a lifeline, and their meeting was a destined encounter."

Anson pursed his lips and gently raised his chin, "So, is this a bad thing?"

Edgar, "No, I don't know. Maybe it's not a big deal, maybe it's terrible. This biopic project was actually being promoted by Johnny Cash and June Carter together. They had a determination and always hoped the project could be realized, which is why I have such a guess."

"The point is, the entire Hollywood thinks this is a bad idea."

"From 1993 until now, for a full decade, there should have been more than thirty film production companies that rejected this project."

Anson didn't hide his surprise.

Edgar nodded gently, "Although I haven't read the script or the project outline, I think this matter should prove some clues."

"Moreover, there are many large companies, Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, Paramount; and there are also small and medium-sized companies that specialize in producing independent art films."

"My guess? They were too eager to beautify their love, taking out the most beautiful and happiest things in their memories and writing them into a script."

"In their opinion, it's romantic to the core, a sunny and cheerful woman saving a prodigal son who has fallen into the abyss. It's simply the terminator of love movies, but to others, the story may be another matter."

Anson wasn't surprised, "People always say that you should trust your memory, but in fact, we will modify our memory. Some people may erase those pains and darkness, some people may deliberately amplify their wounds; some people may only leave those beautiful and romantic parts, some people may selectively forget their mistakes."

"Ultimately, we are all saving ourselves, like a survival mechanism, modifying memories so that we can continue to survive."

"So, the same thing may look completely different in different people's memories."

Edgar snapped his fingers.

"That's why biographical films often present not the truth, but one side of the story."

"When the person is still alive, it's difficult for biographical films to get rid of the bias of the first-person perspective, which can lead to the movie becoming a self-aggrandizing disaster."

"Otherwise, think about it, that's Johnny Cash and June Carter, two superstars who both hold important places in the history of American country music. Johnny Cash's album sales in his prime could easily suppress the Beatles every month, and he remained active until the nineties. However, more than thirty production companies were unwilling to make his biography?"

"Over the years, James Keach has been running around, hoping to promote the production of the movie…"

Anson interrupted, "Wait, who is James Keach?"

After going around in circles for so long, Anson still doesn't know who Keach is.

Keach: …