Chapter 8 Chapter VII

Sam Winters is back from the war, and a job at Pan Pacific Pictures awaits him.Six months later, a major personnel change came.The old heads of the studio were fired, and Sam would do everything until a new head of production could be found.Sam did such a good job that the idea of ​​finding a new leader was quickly dismissed.Sam was formally appointed Deputy General Manager in charge of production.Filmmaking is a highly nerve-wracking, nerve-wracking job; but Sam loves it more than anything in the world. Hollywood is a weird, weird place, full of crazy jazz music, stupid and crazy characters.And for the "ignorant" who are new to this place, it is still a minefield.They have to be controlled by others to get through.Most actors, directors, and producers are self-centered, self-important, ungrateful, ulterior motives, and ready to destroy someone.Sam was far from it. As long as they were talented, he didn't care about the rest.For him, talent is a magic key.

The door of Sam's office was open, and his secretary, Lucille Elkins, entered with some freshly opened mail.Lucier worked as a secretary for many years.She is a very competent secretary.She'd been working at Pan Pacific Films, watching her bosses come and go. "Clifton Lawrence has come to see you," said Lucier. "Let him in." Sam liked Lawrence very much.He has style.Fred Allen once said: "All the sincerity of Hollywood can be hidden in a mosquito's belly button, and there is still room for four amaranth seeds and the heart of an agent." · Lawrence is more sincere than most agents.He is a legendary figure in Hollywood.His clients include well-known people from all walks of life in the entertainment industry.He has a private office.He travels constantly to serve all parties in London, Switzerland, Rome and New York.He's also close with various Hollywood executives.He is also a member of the "Weekly Reception".The members of this "weekly reception" unexpectedly included the production heads of the three film companies.Twice a year Lawrence charters a speedboat, hires half a dozen glamorous "models," and invites the heads of major film studios for a week's "fishing excursion."In Malibu, Clifton Lawrence rents a fully furnished beach house year-round.This villa can be used by his friends whenever they want, which is quite convenient.Not only does it show how connected Clifton is to Hollywood, it's good for anyone.

After Sam watched the door open, Lawrence leaped in, dapper.He walked up to Sam, held out his well-manicured hand, and said, "Just stopping by, all right, dear?" "I'll tell you this," said Sam, "if the past years were going with the flow, today is pushing you along." Clifton Lawrence snorted sympathetically. "What did you think of last night's preview?" Sam asked. "Sort out the first twenty minutes and retake one at the end. Your film will definitely be a sensation." "Come on," said Sam, smiling. "We're going to do it. Is there a client to sell me today?"

Lawrence smiled: "I'm sorry, they are all filming." Indeed.Clifton Lawrence's A-list stars, along with a host of directors and producers, are always on the go. "See you at dinner Friday, Sam," said Clifton. "Goodbye." He turned and walked out the door. Through the communication device, I heard Lucille's voice. "Here comes Dallas Burkel." "Let him in." "Mill Force is coming to see you. He says it's urgent." Mil Fox is director of television for Pan Pacific Pictures. Sam glanced at the calendar on the table. "Tell him to come at breakfast tomorrow morning. Eight. At Polo."

Outside the office, the phone rang.Lucille picked up the phone: "Mr. Winters' office." An unfamiliar voice said, "Hi, is that great man there?" "Excuse me, who are you?" "Please tell him it's an old friend of his—Toby Temple. We were together in the army. He said that if I ever go to Hollywood, I must see him. Now here I am." "Mr. Temple, he's in a meeting. Shall I tell him to call you back?" "Of course." He gave Lucier the phone number.She casually tossed the number into the wastebasket.This is not the first time that old friends in the army have used such clichés.

Dallas Burke is a veteran of the film industry's directorial ranks.His films are regularly screened at universities with film production courses.At least five or six of his early films are now considered classics.None of his works is not colorful and interesting, and there is always innovation every time.Burke is now seventy-eight or nineteen.His massive frame had shrunk, and his clothes seemed to be dangling all the time around him. "Good to see you again, Dallas," Sam said as the old man walked into the office. "Nice to meet you, lad," he said, pointing to the man beside him. "You know my agent."

"Of course I do. How are you, Peter." They all sat down. "I hear you have a story to tell me," Sam said to Dallas Burke. "It's a beautiful story," Dallas said with excitement in his voice. "Come on, Dallas," Sam said, "I'd love to hear it." Dallas Burke bent forward and began to speak. "What's everyone in the world most interested in, lads? Love—isn't it? Besides, it's about the holiest kind of love—a mother's love for her children." As he immersed himself in the plot of his story In the middle of the day, his voice became louder and louder. "In Long Island, there was this little girl of nineteen who was a secretary in a rich family. Old-fashioned rich. So that gave me an opportunity to show a pretty background—know what I mean Is this a script about the high class of society. The person who hired this little girl as a secretary is married to a noble lady. However, he likes his secretary, and the secretary likes him. Despite his age A little bigger."

Sam listened with only one ear.He suspected that the story was again something like "Mean Streets" or "Imitation of Life."Still, Sam would have bought it anyway.For nearly two decades, Burke was not asked to direct a film.Sam can't blame the studios.Burke's last three films were so expensive and dated that they ended up being box-office disasters.Gone are the days of Dallas Burke as a film producer.However, he is a person, and he is still alive. From any point of view, he should be taken care of, not to mention that he has no savings.Someone once offered him a chance in the poorhouse of the film industry, and he angrily turned it down. "I don't need your bloody mercy!" he yelled. "You know who I am? I give to Doug Fairbanks and Jack Barrymore and Milton Sears and Bill Farnham I've directed them all. I'm a talented big shot, you imbecile bastards!"

He is indeed such a man, he is a legendary figure.However, legendary figures also have to eat. When Sam became a film producer, he called an agent he knew and asked him to bring in Dallas Burke, who provided the film's story.Since then, Sam has bought some unsold "stories" from Dallas Burke every year, in order to keep the old man enough money to live.He managed to keep the arrangement going when Sam left Hollywood to join the army. "...so, you see," continued Dallas Burke, "the child grew up not knowing who her mother was. But her mother was watching her closely. Later, the little girl married A wealthy doctor. The wedding ceremony is very grand. Do you know where the twist is? Sam? You listen - this is great. They won't let her mother come to the wedding! Her mother had to sneak behind the church to watch The wedding ceremony of her biological daughter. The audience saw this scene, and there was no one without tears... Well, that's it, what do you think?"

Sam guessed wrong. "Stella Dallas."He glanced at the agent, who averted his gaze and looked at the toes of his expensive leather shoes with embarrassment. "Very good," Sam said. "The film studio is looking for exactly this kind of film." Sam turned to the agent and said, "Look for the sales office and sign this contract with them. Peter. I'll tell them to wait for you." The agent nodded. "Tell them they're going to pay a lot of money for this movie. Otherwise, I'm going to give this movie to Warner Bros. Pictures," Dallas Burke said. "I'm going to bring it to you first, because we are friend."

"I appreciate your kindness," said Sam. He watched the two leave the office.Strictly speaking, Sam knew that he had no right to spend the company's money in this way for the sake of favor.But the film industry has a certain obligation to a man like Dallas Burke, because without him or his generation there would be no film industry. At eight o'clock the next morning, Sam Winters drove under the porch of the Beverly Hills Hotel.After a few minutes, he drove to Polo Restaurant again.He nods and chatters with friends, acquaintances and competitors.Over breakfasts, lunches, and cocktails, he's done more business than in all the offices of any studio. As Sam approached, Mil Foss went up to meet him. "Hello, Sam." After the two shook hands, Sam and Foss walked into a small private room. Eight months earlier, Sam had tapped Fox to head Pan Pacific's television division.Television is new in the entertainment world, but growing incredibly fast.All the movie studios that used to be dismissive of TV are now doing TV. The waitress came in and asked what they wanted to order.After the waitress had gone, Sam said, "Any good news, Mill?" Mill Force shook his head. "What good news," he said, "we're in trouble." Sam said nothing, waiting for him to speak. "The TV station won't let us play 'Invaders.'" Sam looked at him in surprise. "Isn't this movie very popular? Why did the TV broadcasting company cut it? It's not easy to get a very popular TV movie." "It's not about the TV show," Foss said. "It's about Jack Nolan himself." Jack Nolan starred in "Intruder."No matter which movie he starred in, he will get a great response from the audience or the critics. "What's the matter with him?" Sam asked.He hated Mill Force's habit of asking questions sentence by sentence. "Didn't you read this week's issue of Voyeur?" "I haven't seen either issue. It's just nonsense." He suddenly understood what Foss was trying to say. "They caught Nolan!" "There's evidence," Foss replied, "that this gay jerk came to the ball in his most beautiful effeminate lace dress. Someone took a picture of it." "How did it get so bad? Is there no way?" "It can't be helped. Yesterday, I got a dozen calls from the TV broadcast company. The sponsors and broadcast companies don't want him anymore. No one wants to deal with a guy who is openly gay." "Psychopath," Sam said.He has high hopes for a board meeting in New York next month.At that time, he will present an important report on the production of the TV film.The news that Foss brings will make these things come to naught. "The Intruder" can't be played, which is really a big deal. Unless he does something else. When Sam returned to his office, Lucier showed him a document. "It says 'URGENT,'" she said, "and they need you..." "Wait a minute. Call me William Hunter on the Continental Broadcasting Company." Two minutes later, Sam was connected with the head of the All Continental Broadcasting Corporation.A few years ago, Sam met Hunter by chance, and he admired Hunter very much.Hunter started out as a brilliant corporate lawyer and went on to climb the televised series ladder to the top.He has few direct business ties to Sam.Because, Sam is not directly responsible for the TV business.Sam also hopes to take this opportunity to have a good relationship with Hunter.When Hunter answered the phone, Sam forced himself to speak naturally and casually. "Hello,." "Didn't expect it to be you, I'm glad," said Hunter, "I haven't seen you in days, Sam." "It's been too long. It's all because of the busy work, Bill. You can't spare a little time for the person you like, can you?" "That's right!" Sam said in a nonchalant tone, "By the way, did you read that stupid Peep article?" "You know I saw it," said Hunter steadily. "That's why we killed that TV show, Sam." There was a conclusive tone in the words. "Bill," said Sam, "what would you think if I told you that Jack Nolan was framed?" There was a burst of laughter on the other side of the phone: "I would say, maybe you want to be a writer." "Honestly," said Sam, "I know Jack Nolan well. He's as straight as you and me. That picture was taken at a masquerade. It was his girlfriend's birthday party, and he Putting on that suit for fun." Sam felt his palms sweat. "I can not……" "I can tell you how much I trust him," Sam said into the microphone. "I just put him on board for Laredo, which we're doing next year." A large-scale TV film, introducing the scenery of the American West." There was a pause. "Is it true what you say, Sam?" "Not at all. I'm telling the truth. It was a three-million-dollar TV show. If Jack Nolan was a gay man, he'd be booed off the screen. The showman didn't Will take the picture. Do you think I can risk that kind of bet if I don't know exactly what I'm talking about?" "Well..." There was hesitation in Bill's voice. "Well, Bill, I don't think you'd let a sleazy publication like Voyeur ruin a good actor's career. You liked the show, didn't you?" "I like it. It's a really good movie. But the people who sponsored..." "The television network is yours. You have a lot of patrons. We've given you a hit TV show. We can't wait to be successful." "Ok……" "Hasn't Mill Foss talked to you about the studio's plans for the next season after "The Intruder"?" "No……" "He's trying to surprise you, I suppose," said Sam. "Wait and see. But by the time he tells you what's on his mind, some of the big stars and big-name Western authors who've been invited are already in the Location shoots are done on location. And, if this TV show, Invaders, doesn't jump to the top right now, I'm talking bullshit." After hesitating for a moment, Bill Hunter said, "Tell Mir to call me. Maybe we're a little impatient." "He'll call you." Sam said with certainty. "And, Sam—you know me. I don't want to hurt anybody." "Of course you wouldn't hurt anyone!" said Sam, with great grace. "I understand you. I don't think so, Bill. That's why I feel I ought to tell you the truth." "I appreciate that." "How about having lunch next week?" "Very well. I'll call you on Monday." They said goodbye to each other and hung up the phone.Sam sat there feeling exhausted.Jack Nolan being gay is like being addicted to marijuana.He should have been caught in a snare long ago.Sam's entire future depends on such a group of lunatics.Running a film company is like walking a tightrope over Niagara Falls during a snowstorm.Crazy people do this, Sam thought.He picked up his personal phone and started dialing.After a few minutes he was talking to Mil Fosse. "The Intruder is playing as usual," Sam said. "What?" Fosse's voice was full of surprise and uncertainty. "No problem. But I want you to talk to Jack Nolan right away. You tell him that if he doesn't stop, I'll throw him out of this city and send him back to hell!" I said Do it. If he still can't stand it, tell him to use the comedian's inflatable stick." Sam slammed the phone down, leaned back in his chair, and thought again.By the way, he forgot to tell Mill Foss the filming plan he had improvised with Bill Hunter.He had to find a writer right away, someone who could write the script for a Western called Laredo. The door of the office suddenly opened, and Lucille stood there, her face turned pale: "Can you rush to Studio 10 immediately? Someone set fire to it."

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