classifiedscript Chapter 71 Hollywood's Puppet
Chapter 71 Hollywood's Puppet
Chapter 71 Hollywood's Puppet
The afternoons in Los Angeles are always bathed in lazy sunlight, and the floor-to-ceiling windows of the MGM headquarters conference room frame the city's outline like a flowing oil painting.
Ernst leaned against the window, his fingertips unconsciously tapping on the cold glass, his gaze sweeping over the endless stream of cars below.
Harrison arrived, but Ernst didn't personally greet him. He wasn't Murdoch, and Ernst's personal presence was already a great honor.
The conference room door was pushed open again. Ernst intended to maintain his indifferent demeanor, but the moment he saw who it was, his pupils involuntarily contracted slightly, and his eyes lit up.
The sound of high heels tapping on the marble floor grew louder as it approached, the sound unhurried and rhythmic, as if each step was on the beat of a heartbeat.
The first thing that catches the eye is the pair of pearl earrings, like two drops of solidified moonlight, swaying gently with each step.
Looking further up, there's a half-up chestnut-brown curly hairstyle. The curl, carefully set with hairspray, is just right—neither too stiff nor too rigid—while still revealing a graceful swan neck.
A few stray strands of hair casually fell to the side of her neck, subtly tugging at the collar of her suit.
What's most mesmerizing are those eyes; the lake-blue irises seem to have been soaked in the glaciers of the Alps, changing in shades and depths under different lighting.
Her eyes are slightly upturned at the corners, giving her a naturally captivating look.
Elegance, even with just these few steps, can give people an elegant visual impression, as if it is engraved in their bones, an innate talent.
The woman was rumored to be the canary kept by the media tycoon, something Ernst initially didn't believe.
With such wealth, he could have any woman he wanted. What was there to be nostalgic about in a woman in her forties?
Even if it was foolishness in youth, now that they are old and their beauty has faded, there is no need to keep them in a high position.
However, after meeting him for the first time today, Ernst was somewhat convinced.
The allure when she raises her eyes, the elegance when she lowers them, the charm that flows effortlessly from her very being—every detail seems to have been refined through countless trials.
Her every smile and gesture was something those greenhorns couldn't compare to. Of all the women Ernst had met, only Famke Jansen had that quality, but none of them possessed her natural grace.
"Mr. Garfield, it's true that seeing is believing." Harrison's voice broke the silence, crisp like the popping of bubbles in chilled champagne, yet with just the right amount of husky lilt at the end. "The whole of Hollywood has been talking about you lately, this newly risen young tycoon. No wonder you're so accomplished at such a young age."
What an enchanting woman! She offered a cheek kiss, her voice clear and alluring, so sweet that you could almost feel her sweet words swaying in your ear. It tickled and made your heart flutter.
A woman who knows how to use her own strengths—if this were any other Hollywood mogul, they might have been outmatched in a single encounter.
Unfortunately, the opponent miscalculated by encountering Ernst.
Upon closer inspection, even the best makeup cannot conceal the wrinkles around the eyes and the slightly sagging cheeks.
Especially when the two hugged, Ernst thought the other person had stuffed a cake base into his mouth. It was so soft and fluffy, it didn't have the bouncy texture of a big white steamed bun at all.
It looked good but was useless. Ernst lost interest immediately and could only fool Murdoch, who had a bad tooth.
"You flatter me," Ernst said, turning slightly to avoid further physical contact. His voice carried a formulaic politeness. "Who doesn't know that Ms. Harrison is the real powerhouse in Hollywood? Please have a seat."
Ernst's reaction surprised Harrison. She had clearly caught the little guy's amazement when he came in; his undisguised admiration was practically written all over his face.
But in just a few seconds, the other person’s attitude became distant and restrained. Even when hugging, he kept his hands clenched into fists, displaying impeccable gentlemanly manners, yet keeping people at arm’s length.
Harrison glanced at his assistant behind him without making a sound. Could there be something wrong with the information?
According to the information I prepared before the trip, this guy is a notorious playboy who changes girlfriends more often than he changes ties. So why is he behaving like an ascetic from a monastery today?
The assistant blinked and gave him a confused look, clearly bewildered by the situation.
"Mr. Garfield, Mr. Iger, first of all, I would like to thank MGM for taking over Paramount's share in the Titanic project." After everyone was seated, Harrison immediately got to the point, his tone carrying just the right amount of gratitude.
"Then you're probably thanking the wrong person. It's Ernst who has been optimistic about this project from the very beginning. If it were me, we wouldn't have met today." Robert Iger has always played the role of an skeptic to the outside world.
In fact, he still doesn't understand why Ernst is so obsessed with the movie "Titanic". However, now that Ernst's prestige at MGM is rising, whether as his boss or as the mentor who gave him this opportunity and believed in his ability to manage a Hollywood giant, he has no reason to oppose it to the death.
The project was a success, so he didn't lose money; MGM gained more working capital.
Even if the project fails, he is not afraid. He believes Ernst will understand that professional tasks should be left to professionals and that it is important to learn to delegate completely.
"I don't agree with that," Harrison said, picking up the coffee that had just been served and gently tracing the bone china cup with his fingertips. "As the CEO of MGM, if Mr. Egger had firmly opposed it, things wouldn't be like this now."
A smiling tiger, a cunning old fox.
Ernst found it amusing; would such attempts to sow discord even work?
This is asking Robert Iger, are you MGM's CEO or Ernst, or are you a puppet?
Robert Iger's expression remained calm; he was not someone to be trifled with.
"How is Bill? It's been a long time since I've seen him since we parted ways at Disney. I was hoping that this collaboration with Fox would give me a chance to see this old friend and catch up."
Bill McNicholm, the current president of 20th Century Fox, is widely regarded as the most successful CEO in the history of 20th Century Fox.
Like Robert Iger, he came from Disney.
After joining Fox in 1994, he produced box office champions such as "Die Hard" and "Independence Day," leading 20th Century Fox to become the Hollywood company with the largest market share for two consecutive years.
However, the outside world is the outside world; within Hollywood's ruling class, everyone knows he's just a puppet.
As Chairman and CEO of Fox Studios, he is responsible for all of Fox's film production, marketing, and distribution.
But the most important financial department was not in his hands, but in the hands of the woman in front of him.
What movies Fox makes is actually decided by Harrison, because she can decide whether a project receives funding.
With the addition of the controlling Rupert Murdoch, Bill McNick's time at Fox was not as idyllic as it appeared to outsiders.
Robert Iger is reminding Harrison, "Does Fox have the right to use the word 'puppet'?"
Harrison's smile remained unchanged, as if he hadn't understood the hidden meaning in Robert Iger's words: "He's still on vacation. Bill has done a lot for Fox over the years, and Fox can't let him end his hard-earned vacation just because of this one project."
As the CEO of a film and television company, he invested such a huge sum in a production that was about to be sold off, yet he didn't even notify the other party.
Ernst once again looked at the woman opposite him with newfound respect, unsure whether Bill McNick was feigning ignorance or if the news was genuinely unable to get out.
But that's fine too. Back then, when Cameron was filming the big ship, Bill McNick was the one who spearheaded the project.
His reasoning was simple: the truck driver had proven himself over the past few years, and he should be trusted.
Unexpectedly, the original production budget of 80 million US dollars exceeded the budget to such an astonishing degree, reaching more than three times the estimated cost when post-production and publicity were included.
Now that the other party has bypassed Bill McNichols and is directly targeting him, it means that the big ship is in the works, and that the Fox organization, or rather this woman, is more inclined to abandon the project.
"Ms. Harrison, let's get back to the main topic, Titanic. I hope that with you here at MGM today, we can reach a mutually satisfactory outcome."
Harrison immediately adjusted his tone, becoming exceptionally positive: "Of course, everyone knows that the Titanic project is currently under poor evaluation, and Fox is eager to take it on, as MGM is willing to do so."
Harris appeared positive on the surface, even belittling the project, but in reality, he was probing for the truth.
Despite the general pessimism surrounding the project in Hollywood, Ernst first took over Paramount's investment share, and now he's not satisfied with that and wants to take over the entire project.
Harris was genuinely curious about what exactly this Hollywood mogul saw in Titanic, or rather, what selling point had been overlooked by so many professionals in Hollywood.
Although it sounds a bit unbelievable, so many professionals had given up on Titanic, but only one person saw its brilliance.
But Harris's intuition told her that the other party was definitely not optimistic about the project for no reason and was determined to win it over.
Ernst's lips curled up as he gave his reason, but it instantly darkened Harris's smiling face.