Chapter 14
Hi everyone. There is much to say there. To be real, I am having a bit of writer's block and didn't know how to write this chapter. So I kept it short and covered only a few things. Hopefully, the next chapter goes better.
Taoist_yuri, I agree it was kind of frank, and if I am being honest, a bit boring, but I couldn't think of a better way for business negotiations. As for the bargaining, I had issues there, too. As I spent several days wondering how much either side would agree to.
Dao_8teh, she does. After all the secretary for all 4 of them in Asia. She will most likely lean that way for a time with the war coming up, then bring in more African Americans, Hispanics, and so on. She will, however, skirt the Californian segregation laws by finding loopholes and so on. I, however, didn't think about independent contractors. That is a good idea. On that note, she will be very pro-union, but strangely, her company will have no union because, as it grows bigger, the benefits get better as well. I am talking retirement funds, insurance, both dental and overall health, life insurance, and so on. She will be way ahead of her time and steal talent this way. I already wrote down in my notes what Ruth's two siblings do.
D_eta015, I have written down some plans for Sonny Franzese or at least his sons. I am thinking of private security at some point. Maybe around the late 70's when he gets out. As for stopping the frame up. Not sure if I will have her do anything, as by that point, she will be looking to get away from the mob. Have noted all the music you recommended. I also put down Yellow by Coldplay and What I Was Made For? by Billie Eilish.
Groomable not yet, but soon enough, sadly, it will come to an end. Though not going to lie, I am tied with her and several others as the final pairing in the story. And by couple, I mean like five people I am trying to pick from lol.
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"Who would you say is the most brilliant filmmaker of the modern era?" Dick Cavett asks his guest.
"You mean other than me?" Orson Welles replies jokingly, prompting laughter from the audience.
"Yes, other than you," Dick clarifies in good humor.
"Oh boy, that's a good question. There are so many talented filmmakers out there. You've got Sergio Leone, Akira Kurosawa, and Steven Spielberg, who is currently making waves in the industry, as well as Stanley Kubrick, among many others. But if I had to pick just one person as the greatest filmmaker of not just the modern era but of all time, it would have to be Ruth Luciano," Orson states, and the crowd applauds loudly.
Laughing along with the audience, Dick says, "Yes, I guess you can't really discuss who the greatest filmmaker of any era is without mentioning Ruth, can you?"
"It would be impossible. Completely ridiculous to even attempt it," Orson says.
"Why would you say that?" Dick asks.
"Well, it's simple. Ruth is the one who showed us the way, not just in how to make a movie, but she was on the frontlines of what was allowed during what many people consider the Golden Age of Hollywood," Orson adds, using air quotes for emphasis.
"Ah, you're talking about her fight against the Hays Code," Dick replies, remembering that time well.
"Yes, people tend to forget that it was Ruth who dared to challenge Hollywood during that era, and her actions ultimately contributed to its downfall," Orson explains.
"If I remember correctly, didn't that start with your first movie?" Dick inquires.
"Citizen Kane, yes. That was the opening shot, if you will," Orson responds.
"That was a highly controversial movie, wasn't it?" Dick says.
"For its time, it was groundbreaking. We were crossing many lines and upsetting some very powerful people. But for Ruth, it was about pushing boundaries. She encouraged us to push as far as we could, knowing that we could win in court if it became necessary, and I did just that," Orson explains.
"Is that when you two became friends?" Dick asks.
Shaking his head, Orson replies, "No, no, I met her for the first time shortly after 'Shane' was released."
"I didn't realize you had known Ruth for that long. How did you two meet?" Dick asks.
Reflecting on the past for a moment, Orson says, "Let's see, we actually met at a dinner in downtown LA. I can't quite remember the name of the place anymore, but it was one of those mom-and-pop restaurants that are really hard to find if you don't know where to look. That's one of the many things Ruth and I have in common: we both love trying new places to eat. We often visit various restaurants to see what they're all about. On that day, we happened to have lunch at the same restaurant, and I recognized her almost immediately. We started chatting, and things kind of took off from there. I'm a huge fan of 'Shane,' which I consider one of the greatest movies of all time, and she is a huge fan of my radio broadcast of 'War of the Worlds,' even calling it the greatest radio broadcast of all time."
"High praise," Dick remarks.
"Well, she doesn't hesitate to praise someone when she thinks they've done something truly special," Orson replies.
"On that, we can both agree," Dick says, recalling his past interactions with her. She never shied away from complimenting others' work, which is likely why so many people enjoyed working with her.
"How long has it been since you two became friends?" Dick asks.
"Hmmm, I'm not quite sure. I would say at least 40 years now," Orson replies.
"That's a long time," Dick states.
"It certainly is, but we still have a long way to go. One of the first things we talked about was our shared dream of making the perfect movie—something that would truly transcend time," Orson explains.
Looking at him in surprise, Dick says, "Some would argue that you two have already achieved that with all the hits you've made."
Shaking his head, Orson says, "Oh, we are not even close. Trust me, you have seen nothing yet."
-Interview with Dick Cavett 1984-
-1940-
-Samuel Aronthal-
As I stood outside the studio with the others, I couldn't help but feel a mix of happiness and discomfort at what I was witnessing. Don't get me wrong; I can appreciate a nice car as much as anyone, but something felt very off as I watched Toby behind the wheel of his brand-new 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540K. The way he caressed, hugged, and even kissed it seemed overly passionate.
"Does anyone else feel like they're watching a very disturbing stag film, or is it just me?" Ruth asked, glancing over at me. She looked extremely uncomfortable, which was surprising because this was the same girl who had bandaged Tony Gill's hand after it was deeply cut while he was playing with his father's knife.
There had been so much blood that some of the boys even threw up, but Ruth remained calm. She did everything she could to stop the bleeding, even though blood splattered all over her dress and hands. We called her fearless, but now she looked just like those boys had when we were kids.
"Yeah, I'm with Ruth on this one. I think we need to leave these two alone for a while," Raimondo said, nodding in agreement.
"Oh, can it, you two. You three just don't understand the beauty of this car—the bond between man and machine," Toby says passionately, making everyone feel even more uncomfortable.
"Right… I'm going to head inside before he starts getting too intimate with his car. Anyone want to join me?" Raimondo asks.
"Wait for me, Raimondo. I don't think this is suitable for women's eyes, and that is saying something," Ruth replies in a disgusted voice.
I take a moment longer to shake my head as well before walking away and heading back inside with everyone else. Somewhat regretting buying Toby his car now. Once inside, we make our way to a conference room, where I take a seat alongside Ruth and Raimondo.
"Okay, since it looks like Toby will be too busy with his new car, should we start without him?" Ruth suggests.
"Hey, I'm right behind you, you jackasses," Toby chimes in as he takes his seat.
"Oh, look who decided to stop trying to have fuck his car," Raimondo says with a smile.
I just flipped him off, but even I can't help but smile. As disturbing as it was to watch Toby with his car, seeing my friend so happy is, in its own way, rewarding. After all, except for Ruth, none of us owned nice things. It may have seemed like we were making a lot of money, but the truth is, other than Ruth, we all lived with family or in run-down apartments. We were trying to save every dime we could while investing most of the money we made in other ventures.
"Alright, enough, you two. Leave Toby alone. It wasn't that bad," I say.
"Thank you, Sam. See, Sam gets it," Toby replies.
"I do. If trying to have sex with his car will get him to stop complaining about getting a new one, then I am all for it," I say with a smile as I notice Toby glare at me.
"Haha, you jerk," Toby says, making us all laugh.
Once everyone stops laughing at Toby, Ruth says, "Okay, okay, let's move things along. Sam, if you could be so kind as to go over the final take."
Taking out a notebook, I open it and start reading: "Boom Town final total box office take: 7.2 million dollars."
Toby exhales slowly and says, "That's more than I thought we could make. No offense, Ruth, but I kind of agree with the credits. While it wasn't that bad of a movie, it wasn't that great either."
"Oh, you don't have to tell me, but we were pressed for time. Coming up with something better would have taken longer, and we could have lost momentum for our next film. I thought it was best to put something out there instead of risking it," Ruth says.
"I agree, and the numbers show that it was the smart move," Raimondo replies.
"I second that. Our investors should be pleased. In total, we paid out $2.5 million to our investors, with $500,000 going to Mr. Dragna and $2 million to Mr. Lansky," I explain to them.
Looking over at Ruth, Toby asks, "Are they happy though? I've been hearing things on the streets that Mr. Dragna isn't exactly satisfied with his cut."
Ruth smiles at Toby and responds, "He was somewhat irritated about only doubling his investment, but we sat down and had a nice talk."
"And that made him happy?" Raimondo asks, clearly skeptical that such a conversation would be enough to calm him down.
"Yes and no. He understands how this works and knows that the largest share goes to the bigger investor. If he had a problem, he could talk to my godfather," Ruth says.
It was clear he wasn't going to do that. Picking a fight with Mr. Lansky wasn't worth it, especially considering how much money he made from 'Boom Town,' even if it wasn't as much as he wanted.
"Can we expect any problems from him?" Toby asks.
Shaking her head, Ruth says, "No, in fact, he wants to invest again, but this time he wants to cover the full cost."
"Greedy fuck," I think to myself. He just wants to ensure he doesn't have to share any of the profits with anyone else. He may even think he could pressure us into giving him the majority share.
It's a sentiment that Ruth clearly shares, as I notice her eyes go cold when she says that last part.
None of us commented on it, however, and I moved things along. "Mr. Ladd's cut of the box office came to $72,000."
Again, Toby whistles. "He must be happy."
"Very. I spoke with him over the phone last night, and he is looking forward to the next film. Ruth, do you want me to have the press announce how much he made, as we did with Jean?" Raimondo asks.
Nodding her head, Ruth replies, "Yes, the fact remains that we are still a small-time outfit for now. Reminding everyone that we are willing to pay a premium for talent will keep us competitive."
"You got it," Raimondo confirms before I take back over the conversation.
"The total payout to investors and Mr. Lapp amounts to $2,572,000. However, we went over budget by $50,000 when Ruth decided to refilm some scenes. Then, of course, there's Toby's car, which cost us an additional $40,000, bringing our total spending on this production to $2,662,000," I say to the two people who drove up the costs.
Ruth has the decency to turn away from me, embarrassed by her decisions. Sure, her decision made the movie even better than it would have been, but I was still unsure whether doing so was worth it or had contributed to the movie making more money. On the other hand, Toby felt no guilt whatsoever and said, "Oh, come on. I don't think my car should even count. I was doing my part anyway."
I ignore him and say, "That brings our total profit to 4,538,000 dollars. Overall, not bad for our second production."
"I say, does that make us millionaires yet?" Raimondo asks jokingly.
"Technically, it makes the company a millionaire, but we are still broke," I respond.
Hearing Ruth clear her throat, I quickly add, "Right, sorry. We are broke. Ruth is doing quite well."
Smiling proudly, Ruth says, "Thank you."
Toby laughs and asks, "Alright, so what's next? Are we investing like last time?"
"That's the plan, but first we need to discuss our next film. I don't think I need to remind anyone here that the critics were brutal in their reviews of 'Boom Town'. While the movie has turned a profit, I don't think we can expect to maintain the same momentum we had going into it for our next project," I explain to everyone.
"Those fucking pricks! They're just upset that Ruth had another hit. Let them talk their shit; it won't make any difference," Toby replies, sounding irritated.
"Thanks, Toby, but I have to agree with Sam. Like I said, 'Boom Town' wasn't my best effort, and while I don't think it was as bad as the critics are trying to make it out to be, we shouldn't underestimate the influence they have over the masses regarding the films they choose to watch," Ruth says with a smile. Sounding happy for some reason. Most likely because Toby was defending her so passionately, even though she was well aware that 'Boom Town' was an average movie at best. Good enough to turn a profit, but not good enough to do so on its own.
"So what's the plan then? Do you have something better up your sleeve, Ruth?" Raimondo asks.
"I do, in fact; I have two scripts I like you all to read," she replies. Standing up, she grabs two scripts off a shelf and passes them around.
Once we each have a copy, Ruth says, "Now, if everyone will open the one marked 'Citizen Kane,' we will start there."
Before anyone opens it, Toby remarks, "It says here that this was written by Orson Welles. I didn't know you knew him, Ruth."
"We have met a few times and chatted," Ruth replies as everyone, but she begins reading the script.
It didn't take me long to understand why Ruth likes this script. It begins with the main character's death—something I don't think has ever happened in movies before, which makes it unique. What follows is a look into the main character's life: his rise to power and his eventual fall. Honestly, it was a wonderful script and exactly what one would expect from Orson Welles. However, while I was impressed with the script, I could also see its problems right away. I may not be as well-informed as Ruth about current events or the power players in politics, but I was knowledgeable enough to recognize the intent behind this script.
I put the script down before finishing it and asked Ruth, "What is this?"
Attempting to appear innocent but failing, Ruth asks, "What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean, Ruth. This is a direct shot at William Hearst," I reply, looking her straight in the eye.
"No, it's not," Ruth insists quickly.
"Ruth," I say, my voice laced with frustration.
"Hearest, Hearst? Why do I know that name?" Toby inquires.
"He's a newspaper mogul. A real piece of work. He hates Asians and anyone who isn't white," Raimondo explains.
"Ah, okay, I get it now," Toby responds, finally understanding why Ruth wanted to make this movie. She despises racism and has been increasingly frustrated with the media lately for its attacks on her.
"Don't just dismiss this, Toby. It's a big deal," I say, noticing Raimondo nodding in agreement.
"Why? He's just some pencil-necked guy," Toby replies, seemingly indifferent.
"True, but he's a pencil-neck with a lot of connections in Hollywood. He could make our lives very difficult," Raimondo says.
"Exactly, and that's why we shouldn't pick a fight with him," I reply.
"Why not?" Ruth asks, her eyes suddenly cold. It's the same look I've seen on her father's face many times in the past.
Taking a deep breath, I say, "Ruth, I know you're not happy with how the papers have been treating you lately. You hide it well, but I know you. You hold on to grievances and aren't quick to forgive or forget those who have wronged you. But now isn't the time to provoke a man like Hearest."
For a moment, she is silent, then she says, "You know, you're right. It is mostly personal. I am a vindictive bitch. I recognize that, and so do all of you. But with that said, that isn't the reason I want to make this film. The reason I want to make this film is that, frankly, Orson is a genius. I don't care if this movie is a hit or not. What matters to me is that Lucky Pictures is associated with brilliance. Whether it's now or twenty years from now, I know this film will be regarded as one of the greatest of all time."
"Now, do you know that Ruth?" Toby asks.
Looking at him, Ruth says, "I just know."
The room falls silent for a moment until Toby finally breaks the tension. "Fuck it. Let's do it. I've been wanting to punch those pieces of shit at the papers anyway."
I glance at Raimondo, hoping for some support. If he agrees with me, we can at least put the movie on hold. Although Ruth owns the majority of the company, she adheres to the rule of majority vote. Unfortunately, he lets out a sigh and says, "I will talk to some people. If you're going to pick a fight with Hearest, we will need some support beyond just your friends, Ruth."
I frown at his response, knowing there's nothing I can do about it now. With Raimondo backing Ruth, my only option is to find a way to avoid spending too much money on what will likely be a failed project.
"Fine. If this is the path we're taking, I insist that we don't spend a lot of money on this," I say.
Nodding her head, Ruth says, "I agree. I like Orson, but I'm not naive. We budgeted no more than a million dollars: $800,000 for production and $200,000 for promotion."
"I can agree to that, but only if Raimondo can secure strong enough backing to make Mr. Hearest back off. Otherwise, we will have to either shelf it or go with a limited release," I reply.
When I see her nod, I let out a small sigh of relief. Thank goodness for small miracles.
"Okay, now that that's settled, let's discuss casting," Ruth suggests.
"Well, from reading the script, I can tell that Orson plans to be both the star and director. Are we okay with that?" Raimondo asks, looking at Toby, who is in charge of casting.
Shrugging his shoulders, Toby replied, "I'm fine with it, but since we're planning to give a big 'screw you' to Hearest, I suggest we cast Jenny as Susan Alexander Kane. She's new enough that any backlash won't impact her, unlike the other established stars."
"I second that," I said. We spent way too much money on our actors to risk them with this film. Alan was quickly becoming a household name, and Liz was making waves in the modeling world. Her role in 'Boom Town' had given her a nice boost. As for Humphrey, he would likely be okay with a role in the film, but I thought casting him would be a bad idea.
Ruth, thankfully, agreed and said, "I agree as well, but let's have Orson pick the rest of the cast."
"That sounds like a good idea to me," Raimondo replied.
"Very well then, let's move on to the next film," I said, as everyone picked up the script Ruth had written.
The title was "Raging Bull," and for some reason, just the title sent a shiver down my spine. Unsurprisingly, it was a boxing film—a sport that Ruth and the rest of us loved. However, what surprised me was just how intense the story was. This wasn't a happy-go-lucky underdog tale that ends with victory. No, this was a story about a boxer who was honestly difficult to like. The constant cursing, brutal violence, and the way he treated his wife made me really dislike him. The most striking aspect of the story, though, was that it didn't have a happy ending.
Overall, it was a great script, easily comparable to Citizen Kane, but like Citizen Kane, it was filled with issues. The first problem was that it broke nearly every rule of the Hays Code. In fact, it didn't just break the rules; it completely disregarded them. If this film were made, it would certainly face backlash not only from the MPPDA but also from other major motion picture studios.
However, there were some redeeming qualities. For instance, the main character was not likable at all. He broke the law, cheated on his wife, and took money to throw a fight, ultimately seeing his life fall apart. There was no redemption for him—no forgiveness, just the end of his career and an estranged family. In many ways, this could be marketed as a cautionary tale about the consequences of such behavior. So, perhaps we could get away with making it.
However, there was another significant issue. In the script, Ruth included a black character who was portrayed as the complete opposite of the main character. This character was humble, a smart businessman, and a loving family man—all admirable qualities. However, the audience might not respond positively to seeing a black man depicted as doing significantly better than a white person. Although the black character appeared in the movie for only a short time, he would ultimately win the final fight. That could be a very big problem.
I wasn't a racist, and like Ruth, I despised it in all its forms. However, I understood people. Most white individuals, despite claiming they were not racist, often held deep-seated prejudices. Just look at how my own community was being threatened. A white Jew may appear to be white, but they are still a Jew, which marks them as lesser in the eyes of many Americans. That's why I felt that having a black fighter defeat a white opponent wasn't such a good idea.
Yet, I was also unwilling to go against Ruth. Call it my own set of standards, but I couldn't back down when it came to fighting against bigotry. So, I looked at Ruth and asked one question: "How much will it cost to make this?"
"Considering location, number of extras, and who I want to play the role of Sugar Ray Robinson, at least 2 million dollars," Ruth replied. Toby whistled in response.
"That's a lot of money," Toby remarked.
"I see here it's not even in color, Ruth," Raimondo pointed out.
"I think it will look better in black and white. Plus, it will help reduce costs, especially since Citizen Kane will be filmed in color," Ruth responded.
"Do you think we can get funding from your friends again for both projects?" I asked. I didn't like the thought of it, but three million dollars wasn't a small amount to cover.
"That shouldn't be a problem," Ruth said.
"Good, then let's get to work," I said with a smile.