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第53章

hr.thecarpetbaggers-第53章

小说: hr.thecarpetbaggers 字数: 每页3500字

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 〃You talk to him?〃 David asked curiously。
 〃Sure;〃 Norman answered。 〃I read in the papers where he's making another picture。 Who knows; I says to myself; the schnorrer might get lucky again。 Besides; with prestige like we're stuck with; we could use him。 We could pay a lot of bills with his money。
 〃It's two o'clock in the morning and he's got two courvehs on his arm。 I walk over and say; 'Hello; Jonas。' He looks at me like he's never seen me before in his life。 'Remember me;' I says; 'Bernie Norman from Hollywood。' 'Oh; sure;〃 he says。
 〃But I can't tell from his face whether he really does or doesn't; he needs a shave so bad。 'These two little girls are actresses;' he says to me; 'but I won't tell you their names。 Otherwise; you might sign them up yourself。 If I like a girl;' he says; 'I put her under contract to Cord Explosives now。 No more do I take any chances and let them get away from me the way you signed that Marlowe dame。' With that; he gives me such a playful shot in the arm that for two hours I can't raise my hand。
 〃I made myself smile even if I didn't feel like it。 'In our business; you got to move fast;' I says; 'otherwise you get left behind the parade。 But that's over and done with。 What I want to do is talk to you about this new picture I hear you're makin'。 We did a fantastic job for you on your last one and I think we should set up a meetin'。'
 〃 'What's the matter with right now?' he asks。 'It's O。K。 with me;' I says。 He turns to the girls。 'Wait right here;' he says to them。 He turns back to me an' takes my arm。 'e on;' he says; draggin' me off。 'e up to my office。'
 〃I look at him in surprise。 'You got an office here in the Waldorf;' I ask him。 'I got an office in every hotel in the United States;' he says。 We get on an elevator an' he says 'Mezzanine; please。' We get off and walk down the hall to a door。 I look at the sign。 'Gentlemen;' it says。 I look at him。 He grins。 'My office;' he says; opening the door。 We go inside an' it's white and empty。 There's a table there and a chair for the attendant。 He sits down in the chair and suddenly I see he's very sober; he's not smiling now。
 〃 'I haven't decided yet where I'm going to release the picture;' he says。 'It all depends on where I can get the best deal。' 'That's smart thinking。' I says; 'but I really can't talk until I know what your picture is about。' 'I'll tell you;' he says。 'It's about the fliers in the World War。 I bought up about fifty old planes … Spads; Fokkers; Nieuports; De Havillands … and I figger on havin' a ball flyin' the wings off them。'
 〃 'Oh; a war picture;' I says。 'That's not so good。 War pictures is dead since All Quiet on the Western Front。 Nobody'll e to see them。 But since I got experience with you and we was lucky together; I might go along for the ride。 What terms you looking for?' He looks me in the eye。 'Studio overhead; ten per cent;' he says。 'Distribution; fifteen per cent with all expenses deducted from the gross before calculating the distribution fees。' 'That's impossible;' I says。 'My overhead runs minimum twenty…five per cent。'
 〃 'It doesn't;' he says; 'but I won't quibble about it。 I just want to point out some simple arithmetic to you。 According to your annual report; your overhead during the past few years averaged twenty…one per cent。 During that period; The Renegade contributed twenty…five per cent of your gross。 Deduct that from your gross and you'll find your overhead's up to almost thirty…six per cent。 The same thing applies to the studio;' he says。 'Volume governs the percentages and if I supply the volume; I shouldn't be burdened with ordinary percentages。 I want some of the gravy; as you picture people call it。'
 〃 'I couldn't afford it;' I says。 'The way the picture business is going;' he says; 'you can't afford not to。' 'My board of directors would never approve it;' I says。 He gets up; smiling。 'They will;' he says。 'Give 'em a couple of years an' they will。 Why don't you take a piss long as you're here;' he says。 I'm so surprised I walk over to the urinal。 When I turn around; he's already gone。 The next morning; before I get on the train; I try to locate him but nobody seems to know where he is。 His office don't even know he's in New York。 He disappeared pletely。〃 Bernie looked down at his desk。 〃A real meshuggeneh; I tell you。〃
 David smiled。 〃I told you he'd learn fast。 His arithmetic is right; you know。〃
 His uncle looked up at him。 〃Don't you think I know it's right?〃 he asked。 〃But is he so poor that I have to give him bread from my own mouth?〃
 
 〃If you'll follow me; sir;〃 the butler said politely。 〃Miss Marlowe is in the solarium。〃
 David nodded and followed silently up the staircase and to the back of the house。 The butler halted before a door and knocked。
 〃Mr。 Woolf is here; mum。〃
 〃Tell him to e in;〃 Rina called through the closed door。
 The butler held the door open。 David blinked as the bright California sun suddenly spilled down on him。 The roof of the room was a clear glass dome and the sides were of glass; too。
 There was a tall screen at the far end of the room。 Rina's voice came from behind it。 〃Help yourself to a drink from the bar。 I'll be out in a minute。〃
 He looked around and located the bar in the corner。 There were casual; canvas…covered chairs scattered all about the room and a large white rug over most of the floor。
 Ilene Gaillard came out from behind the screen。 She was wearing a white shirt with sleeves rolled to just above her elbows; and black man…tailored slacks that clung tightly to her narrow hips。 Her white…streaked hair was brushed back in a severe straight line。
 〃Hello; David。 Let me help you。〃
 〃Thanks; Ilene。〃
 〃Make another Martini for me;〃 Rina called from behind the screen。
 Ilene didn't answer。 She looked at David。 〃What will it be?〃
 〃Scotch and water;〃 he answered。 〃Just a little ice。〃
 〃O。K。;〃 she said; her hands already moving deftly behind the bar。 She held the drink toward him。 〃There; how's that?〃
 He tasted it。 〃Great。〃
 〃Got my Martini ready?〃 Rina said from behind him。
 He turned。 She was just ing from behind the screen; tying a white terry…cloth robe around her。 From the glimpse he caught of the tanned thigh beneath the robe as she moved; he guessed she was wearing nothing underneath。 〃Hello; Rina。〃
 〃Hello; David;〃 she answered。 She looked at Ilene。 〃Where's my drink?〃
 〃David's obviously here on business;〃 Ilene said。 〃Why don't you wait until after you've had your talk?〃
 〃Don't be so bossy!〃 Rina snapped。 〃Make the drink!〃 She turned to David。 〃My father gave me Martinis when I was a child。 I can drink them like water。 Ilene doesn't seem to understand that。〃
 〃Here。〃 Ilene's voice was clipped。
 Rina took the Martini from her。 〃Cheers; David。〃
 〃Cheers;〃 David replied。
 She belted down half her Martini; then led him to one of the chairs。 〃Sit down;〃 she said; dropping into another。
 〃Lovely house you have;〃 he said politely。
 〃It is nice;〃 she said。 〃Ilene and I had a wonderful time furnishing it。〃 She reached up and patted Ilene's cheek。 〃Ilene has the most wonderful sense of color。 You should speak to your uncle about letting her try her hand at art direction。 I'm sure he'd find out that she could do a terrific job。〃
 〃Rina;〃 Ilene said; a happy note in her voice; 〃I'm sure David didn't e here to talk about me。〃
 〃I'll speak to Uncle Bernie;〃 he said politely。 〃I'm sure she could; too。〃
 〃See?〃 Rina said。 〃The trouble with Ilene is that she's too modest。 She's one of the most talented people I ever met。〃
 She held up her empty glass toward Ilene。 〃Refill。〃
 David caught a glimpse of her lush; full breasts。 It would take more than massage to keep her weight down if she kept on drinking like that。
 Rina cut into his thoughts。 〃Did the old bastard decide to give me that part in Sunspots?〃
 David looked at her。 〃You have to understand my uncle's point of view; Rina;〃 he said quickly。 〃You're the most valuable asset the pany has。 You can't blame him if he doesn't want to put you in a picture that's almost certain to lay an egg。〃
 Rina took the drink from Ilene。 〃What it all boils down to;〃 she said belligerently; ''is that he thinks I can't act。 All I'm good for is walking around as near naked as he can get me。〃
 〃He thinks you're a fine actress; Rina。 But more important; you're the one in a million who is a star。 He's just trying to protect you; that's all。〃
 〃I'll protect myself;〃 she snapped angrily。 〃Do I get the part or don't I?〃
 〃You get it。〃
 〃Good;〃 she said; sipping her drink。 She got out of her chair and he realized that she was slightly drunk。 〃Tell your uncle for me that I won't wear a brassière the next time I e to his office。〃
 〃I'm sure that will make him very happy。〃 David grinned at her。 He put down his drink and got to his feet。
 〃I think he wants to fuck me;〃 she said; weaving slightly。
 He laughed。 〃Who doesn't?〃 he asked。 〃I can name at least sixty million men who've thought about it。〃
 〃You don't;〃 she said; her eyes suddenly looking right into his。
 〃Who says?〃
 〃I do;〃 she said seriously。 〃You never asked me。〃
 〃Remind me to get up my nerve sometime。〃
 〃What's the matter with right now?〃 she asked; pulling at the sash of her robe。 It fell open; revealing her nude body。 He stared; so surprised that he was unable to speak。
 〃Go downstairs; Ilene;〃 Rina said without taking her eyes off him。 〃And see to it that dinner is on time。〃
 David caught a glimpse of Ilene's eyes as she hurried past him and out the door。 If he lived to be a hundred years old; he would never forget the depth of the pain and anguish he saw there。
 
 18
 
 UNTIL HE MET RINA MARLOWE; CLAUDE DUNBAR HAD BEEN IN LOVE WITH ONLY THREE THINGS IN HIS LIFE … his mother; himself and the theater … and in that order。 His Hamlet in modern dress was the most successful Shakespearean production ever played in a New York theater。 But it was his direction of Sunspots; an otherwise mediocre play; that lifted him to the pinnacle of his career。
 Sunspots was a three…character play dealing with two prospectors; living isolated lives at the edge of a great desert; and a young girl; an amnesiac; who wandered into their camp。 It develops into a struggle between the men; the younger trying to protect the girl from the lechery of the older; only; after succeeding; to succumb himself to the lechery in the girl。
 It was all talk and very little action; and despite a year's run on Broadway; Dunbar had been so surprised when Norman called and told him he had bought the play and wanted him to direct the motion picture that he had agreed without hesitation。 It was only after he got to California; however; that he learned who was to play the lead。
 〃Rina Marlowe!〃 he'd said to Norman。 〃But I thought Davis was going to play it。〃
 The producer had stared at him blandly。 〃Warner screwed me;〃 he said; lowering his voice to a confidential whisper。 〃So right away I thought of Rina。〃
 〃But isn't there anyone else; Mr。 Norman?〃 he'd asked; stammering slightly as he always did when upset。 〃What about the girl who played it on the stage?〃
 〃No name;〃 Norman said quickly。 〃This is an important property; this play of yours。 We have to protect it with all the box office we c

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