Arthur Smith's Hollywood Odyssey

[Chapter 546: Oh, Women]

Los Angeles, Glendale, at the office of Galaxy MGM.

Arthur leaned back in his chair, browsing the details about the newly released movie Broken Arrow:

It opened with a box office of $15.5 million, and it received decent reviews, showcasing the strong stylistic violence of John Woo!

The slow-motion shots, close-ups of characters' faces, and action sequences were classic John Woo thriller action film tropes. 

Before long, Amy Pascal arrived at Arthur's office. "Arthur, did you call for me?"

Arthur nodded, "Isn't Paramount working on an action blockbuster? The one that was supposed to have both Schwarzenegger and Stallone?"

"Yeah, that's right. It's about a gangster and a cop switching faces. It's called Face/Off, and the script has been in the works for several years."

"It seems the producer of this script is Michael Douglas!" Amy Pascal responded.

"Michael Douglas, huh," Arthur tapped on his desk, "based on their ideas, this project is definitely going to be pricey. Considering Sherry Lansing's approach, Paramount won't be footing the bill alone for Face/Off. Didn't Braveheart also partner with 20th Century Fox?"

"From what I know about Sherry Lansing, she'll definitely look for partners," Amy Pascal agreed with Arthur. "So, Arthur, do you have any ideas? Want MGM and Paramount to collaborate?"

"Yeah," Arthur smiled, "the story is quite good. With the right director, it could turn into a great movie."

Amy Pascal had no objections, and MGM didn't have any major projects lined up either.

"Then I'll have a chat with Sherry Lansing!"

"Sure, according to Paramount's style, they should retain North American distribution rights while we MGM take the international rights."

Arthur was very clear about President Sherry Lansing's small-mindedness.

"By the way, The Rock is supposed to wrap filming by the end of this month, right?" Arthur asked.

"That's right, filming will wrap up in a few days, and Nicolas Cage's brilliant performance in Leaving Las Vegas might just earn him the Oscar for Best Actor next month."

"That's good news for The Rock."

After Amy Pascal left, Arthur saw a small news item in the newspaper: The Weinstein Brothers at Miramax had been fired by Disney!

Arthur thought about it and understood; Miramax had basically faded from the spotlight after missing out on The Crying Game and Pulp Fiction.

Furthermore, their only notable film in recent years, Mighty Aphrodite, had faced a scandal with director Woody Allen, so Disney firing the brothers was unsurprising.

It seemed that in the future, Hollywood would hardly hear much from the Weinstein Brothers.

In the realm of indie films, with companies like United Artists, Sony Classics, and Fox Searchlight rising up, it marked a shift toward major studios taking independent filmmaking seriously!

...

That evening, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, Arthur ran into Catherine Zeta-Jones.

"Hey, you didn't go to Germany for the Berlin International Film Festival?" Ang Lee, director of Sense and Sensibility, had already gone to Berlin.

Catherine Zeta-Jones shook her head, "Emma Thompson, the lead actress, went. I'm flying back to London tomorrow night to join the team for the BAFTA. I've been busy with interviews for the documentary Titanic."

"I see, looks like you've been quite busy," Arthur chuckled.

"Yeah, but I've got time for you. Come back to West Hollywood with me. I'm off to the UK tomorrow," Catherine Zeta-Jones said, wrapping her arms around Arthur's neck with a flirtatious expression.

"Sure, you'll be around for the Oscars next month, right?" Arthur wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Absolutely! We can invite Nicole or some others then," Catherine Zeta-Jones leaned close to Arthur's ear and whispered enticingly.

"Really, you're too charming!" Arthur kissed her on the lips, and Catherine Zeta-Jones immediately hugged him fiercely, kissing back.

"Uh-oh, looks like someone's coming. We'll wait until later," Arthur felt her warmth intensifying and couldn't help but voice a warning.

"Arthur, don't you want to?" Catherine Zeta-Jones rubbed against him.

Arthur blinked, "Sure!"

Then, they headed straight to a restroom stall together.

Catherine Zeta-Jones smiled and bent down, unzipping his trousers!

...

After an unknown amount of time, Arthur and Catherine Zeta-Jones arrived at the party inside the hotel.

"Arthur, isn't that Director Coppola?" Catherine Zeta-Jones, linking arms with Arthur, suddenly pointed ahead.

"Yeah, that's Coppola," Arthur turned to see the acclaimed director Francis Ford Coppola with actor Michael Douglas.

Once the two of them approached, Francis Ford Coppola and Michael Douglas also noticed Arthur.

Without hesitation, Arthur greeted the two and sat down with them.

"So it was based on John Grisham's novel The Rainmaker," Arthur realized that Michael Douglas was producing the film adaptation of the same-named novel The Rainmaker for Paramount. Galaxy's earlier film The Pelican Brief and Paramount's The Firm were also adaptations of Grisham's works.

As for Francis Ford Coppola, it was only natural that he directed the film; after directing the vampire flick Bram Stoker's Dracula, he had directed a comedy last year called Jack.

Now collaborating with Paramount for The Rainmaker was also to be expected since both Coppola and Michael Douglas had deep connections with Paramount.

After chatting casually for a bit, Arthur led Catherine Zeta-Jones away and discreetly glanced at Michael Douglas; because Arthur seemed to recall that in the last timeline, Catherine Zeta-Jones ended up marrying Michael Douglas!

"Arthur, what are you smiling about?" After leaving the hotel, Catherine Zeta-Jones noticed Arthur's amused expression.

"Oh, it's nothing," Arthur patted her thigh, laughing, "By the way, did you catch that? Michael Douglas' face lit up when he saw you."

"Really?" Catherine Zeta-Jones instinctively raised her chin, "What man can stand against the brilliance of Arthur Smith?"

Arthur sighed inwardly, "Oh, women!"

*****

https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.