Exploiting Hollywood 1980 Chapter 1005

   "Hey, Rick (Nisita), I'm sorry to bother you, I have something urgent. Richard is still on the transoceanic plane" Ronald called his agent in Los Angeles regardless of the jet lag.

   "Ah, it's okay, just wait for me. I'll go out to pick it up. Paula and the child just went to bed." It was just after two o'clock in the morning in Los Angeles, and he ran to the study to answer the phone.

"I wanted to get in touch with Princess Diana, I've only met her at a couple of premieres, I've sent her some videos of films I've made, I've had letters written back from her, but I haven't been able to quickly A way to get in touch with her personally. I need now...yes, it's important..."

   Ronald was in Britain, and the only nobleman he knew was Princess Diana. From the experience of the two of them getting along, he felt that Diana was a person with modern values ​​of the middle class and treated her friends equally, so he would definitely do him a favor.

"Ah, that's a bit difficult. Britain is actually a hierarchical society, and the royal family has a lot of rules. We have to apply to the royal family through formal channels, and then wait for Buckingham Palace's approval. I will try my best to find someone to help. It will take a little time. Please relax Feelings, just wait there for my news, and when Richard arrives, you will tell him everything." Nisita showed embarrassment.

"I do have an urgent matter to contact the princess. Ovitz often brags that he can travel a thousand miles for clients, and now I'm counting on you." Ronald was a little anxious, and his voice was involuntarily raised. If it was easy , Why do I still need CAA?

   "The Duchess of Wales..." Elton John interrupted with a smile when he heard Ronald's voice next to him.

   "What?" Ronald turned his head, not knowing why.

"While you Americans often refer to Day as Princess, the royal family does not actually give her the title of 'Princess', her official title is Duchess of Wales. Elton John corrected the American expression with a smile. My brother's misunderstanding.

   "You can contact Duke Diana... No matter what it is called, I actually know her, but only through email. My matter is...you understand, Elton, I don't want to take the opportunity to get to know her..."

   Ronald was so overjoyed that he couldn't express his words.

   "I can give her private secretary a call. In the end, if Dai is willing to talk to you..."

   "That's all my request, a chance to talk..." Ronald was very happy, "Hang up!" He hung up Nisita's call casually.

   "Beep beep...", a busy tone came from the phone, "Shxt, when can Richard arrive in London?" Nisita raised her forehead...

"Is that Patrick (Jaffson)? I'm Elton...Which Elton? Elton John...has a friend from Hollywood who is friends with Day and is in London right now, hoping to get a chance See..." Elton John called Day's secretary.

"Let me check...Mr. Ronald V. Lee, no problem, he is on the white list given to me by the Queen's Secretary, the Duchess just returned to London this afternoon, and there is a public meeting in Canary Wharf, You can go and meet her there." Jafson was just selected as the private secretary to the royal family after retiring from the navy. After checking the records, he agreed to arrange a meeting immediately.

"This afternoon, at Canary Wharf, Dai just happens to be free." Elton John looked at Ronald, wondering in his heart, the highest-level white list is mostly for various relatives of the royal family. Visit Buckingham Palace anytime by appointment. He's not even on the list himself.

   "The hospital has been established for three years, and there are no patients, all doctors and nurses..." Princess Diana was chatting with Prince Andrew's wife, Fergie Ferguson. They had just attended an anniversary ceremony at a public hospital and were back in Canary Wharf, London.

   "His Royal Highness, the private secretary is calling. Elton John and a film director from America, Ronald Lee, happen to be in London. Do you want to see them?" The personal maid came to report.

   "Hey, does he have a new movie? Send more videotapes to watch." Fergie Ferguson's carefree character said before Diana that he could meet.

   "The Royal Ballet..." Diana didn't immediately agree after Ronald made the request. The best ballet company in the country is named after the royal family, but it is actually sponsored by the Queen and his wife.

   "Day, you have to help Ronald. He came on the Concorde to find the trace of that friend..." Elton John and Diana met at a charity party in 1981. The relationship between the two belongs to boudoir friends, so we can talk about gossip topics.

"Ronald, if your friend doesn't have a persistent preference for the Royal Ballet, the English National Ballet is actually a very good choice." Diana treated Ronald as an equal friend, and she was very happy. Pay attention to maintaining Ronald's dignity.

    Diana has a deep relationship with the English National Ballet (EnglishNationalBallet). She loved ballet dancing and took private ballet lessons when she was young.

   Now she also serves as the company's patron, publicly raising funds for the company and raising its profile. In addition, they often participate in the daily activities of the National Ballet, such as watching rehearsals and attending premieres.

"Thank you very much, Your Royal Highness. My friend also had an interview with the National Ballet." Ronald breathed a sigh of relief. Here in Britain, although he spoke a similar language, he had to do something Really not.

   "Do you have any new movies?" Fergie Ferguson was still very interested in new Hollywood movies like a girl from a middle-class family.

   "Yes, there will be a 'Working Girl' coming out next year, and I'm investing in a movie about women in the American South called 'Steel Magnolia'…"

  The two princesses are both very interested in this kind of female-centric film, and they told Ronald that they must show it in London as soon as possible.

   "Ronald, once you come to London for a royal premiere..." Diana put her hand on Ronald's arm and made a request.

  Different from the fashionable and beautiful princess when we met last time, after a few years of running-in after marrying into the royal family, Diana has gradually found the royal family's dressing style. Gone are the bleach-blond hair, skintight leather jackets, and bubble skirts of old.

  Now Diana's style is conservative, her dressing style is simple and extravagant. It's the kind of warm attitude towards others, which still hasn't changed.

"No problem, I will negotiate with the British distributor as soon as possible." Ronald was overjoyed when he heard that, he met the princess, got things done, and even picked up a royal premiere for nothing, which is equivalent to making millions of pounds on Fleet Street Advertised.

"This is the phone number of my private secretary Patrick (Jaffson). You can contact him at any time when you come to London...As long as I am in London, you are welcome guests." Diana also gave Ronald a Contact information, in case this kind of situation where no one can be found happens again.

   Sure enough, when they came to the English National Ballet, the attitude of the executors here was completely different. In addition to immediately issuing Antonia's job offer, he also personally took Ronald to visit the exclusive theater near the Royal Albert Hall.

This ballet troupe is small, with only 70 dancers, but after being funded by Diana, it signed the famous Danish dancer Peter Schaufus as the artistic director and equipped with an exclusive symphony orchestra. Became the second of the top five ballet companies in Britain.

   "Is this job invitation from us to Miss Antonia's agent, or is it handed over by you personally?" The other party began to show favor in every possible way. The patron personally called to explain, this person doesn't know what the relationship is.

   In addition to the iron relationship, the royal family greeted, and the sponsorship of the American people was also very happy. The large donation of tens of thousands of pounds per year, plus Antonia's own ballet level is beyond the average, and her foreign background and ethnicity are no longer an obstacle.

   "Eh...", Ronald said in his heart that I don't know where she is now, "you should follow the routine."

  Elton John is now full of enthusiasm for creation and inspiration is constantly emerging. This kind of romance spanning six thousand miles is so rare. He invited Ronald to his home, had the chef prepare authentic English dishes, and insisted that Ronald say more about the background.

   Ronald cut the beginning and the end, and talked about his past with Antonia. He begged Elton John to write the song without involving his own name. And it's best not to reveal details in the lyrics, so that friends in America can't guess that he is the protagonist.

  Elton John said that this is not a problem, he just needs some real romantic inspiration, and then began to ask Ronald for the bottom line.

   "Sir, here is Mr. Li's long-distance call."

   The embarrassed Ronald, who happened to be a little forced to question, got up to answer the phone and escaped from Elton John.

  After a while of an operator with a strong French accent, the call was connected. "Ronald? I'm Mike Parker... It's even harder to find you than Miss Franceschi..."

   On the other end of the phone is Detective Mike Parker hired by Ronald, who is calling from Paris.

   "Where did you find Antonia?"

   Ronald heard the other party's subtext, and now things began to go smoothly.

   "There is good news and bad news." Mike Peck felt that the business was very profitable, and joked, "The good news is that she is in Paris now and is going to apply for a job at the Paris Opera Ballet."

  Mike Parker and Nisita's investigation routes are completely different. He started with Antonia's relatives and colleagues.

  Antonia, whose parents are both dead, has a younger brother, but he has left Manhattan to live in Brooklyn, and he doesn't know much about Antonia's arrangements. When my sister left, she just left her car to him, and said to look for opportunities in Europe or London.

   And from my colleagues in the New York Ballet, I didn't find too many clues. We only know that Antonia was excluded a lot in the dance troupe because of Bole Blanchin's accidental death. Because in previous years, Blanchine had often handpicked Antonia for roles that older dancers would not have had the chance to do.

  The backer is not there, the new art director is not so partial to her, and some people who have offended unintentionally before are also constantly building up momentum and fabricating various rumors about Antonia. So she didn't get any worthy roles for two years.

  Mike Pike was very puzzled and left the car to his younger brother, which was very decisive to leave. But not only did my friend not hear about it, but I also didn't find out what Antonia's relationship with the London Ballet was.

  Ballet is a very small circle. Mike Parker didn't believe that an aspiring ballet dancer could walk away like a restaurant waiter. He began to investigate the people in the New York City Ballet who left at the same time as Antonia.

   Sure enough, he found out, and at the same time resigned from the dance troupe, it was a chief clarinetist named Gerhard Koch.

   "What about the bad news?" When Ronald heard that Antonia was found, a stone fell from his heart. He had a vague premonition of the so-called bad news.

   "The bad news is that she has a boyfriend, and she came to London because he got a job in the London orchestra."

   "Hmm...", Ronald confirmed his doubts. After so many years, Antonia is not a nun, and it is normal to have other feelings. However, Ronald's inner thoughts are not what Richard worried about, and he wants to find his past love. Instead, he had a little doubt about his past choices.

   Ronald, who has never formally proposed, wondered if he had made a different choice at the time, would it have changed his destiny?

  When people propose marriage, what prompts them to make a bet, thinking that the back half of their body (or before divorce) can be happy with a completely stranger before?

  What did Harry have to go through to figure out, being with Sally? How can Sally forgive Harry for his previous mistakes and agree to be with him?

   "Is Antonia's boyfriend also in Paris?" Ronald asked after a long silence.

   "No, her boyfriend is in London and didn't come to Paris with her."

   "I'm going to Paris, you will wait for me there..."

  Ronald put down the phone, this trip to Europe, a trip that just goes away, is about to reach the moment of truth.

   "Elton, what is the position of the principal clarinetist? What is the position in the ballet symphony orchestra?" Ronald asked the master Elton John.

   "Oh, God", Elton is a very sensitive artist, guessing the truth from Ronald's expression. He didn't say comforting words like ordinary people. This kind of turn is exactly the source of inspiration needed for songwriting.

   "The position of the chief clarinet in the ballet troupe is higher than that of the general symphony orchestra. Ballet music often has unique melody lines and solo parts. The clarinet can also add unique colors to the music..."

   "Well, I've seen Swan Lake," Ronald nodded. Such a person would be a good match for Antonia.

   "I'm going to Paris on the first flight..." Ronald declined Elton's suggestion that he stay overnight.

   "I asked the housekeeper to book tickets."

  At Heathrow Airport, there are not many people in the waiting hall. For the earliest flight in the morning, only some business travelers and people who are anxious to go home are waiting to board the plane.

  A tourist whose hair was already soaked in sweat and who was pulling a large suitcase rushed over from another arrival hall at a speed of 100 meters.

"Hey..., can I still make up the ticket for the first flight to Paris?" Richard, who had just arrived from New York by ordinary civil aviation, made a phone call with Nisita at Heathrow Airport and learned that Ronald had left again. Paris turned pale with shock, the momentum of this madness is becoming more and more obvious. He hurried over to see if he could catch up and stop Ronald's head from getting hot.

  The waiter at the counter pointed to the direction of the transparent glass wall in the lobby, and a British Airways flight was rising from the ground.

"She has already accepted the interview, and now she lives near the Paris Opera House in the ninth arrondissement. She spends her time at the Flora Café every day, waiting for a reply from the Opera House Ballet. It is estimated that she will finish her morning practice in a while, and come Have a light lunch here."

  Mike Parker was sitting in the seat of the Flore Cafe, which is close to the most prosperous area in Paris, next to the Louvre and the Galeries Lafayette. In order to save money, he, like Antonia, can only stay in a budget hotel.

   "Your expenses are reimbursed...", Ronald took out a check and handed it to Mike Parker. Knowing that Ronald wanted to face personal matters alone, the detective picked up the check and went out.

This is the most prosperous art and commercial center in Paris. Somewhere in the past, it was the theater where Ronald's female companion, Juliette Binoche, performed when he came here before. I also had a pleasant time with her at the Flore Cafe. time.

  However, Ronald didn't have the feeling of waiting for a high school date girl, and he was looking forward to Antonia's arrival.

   Ronald, who was in a trance, saw the door darken, and a woman came in wearing a simple blue long-sleeved top, light black pants, and carrying a backpack.

   It was Antonia Franceschi.

  In Ronald's eyes, she hasn't changed much, she is still so beautiful, confident, and unique.

   "Antonia," Ronald called, standing up.

   "Oh..." Antonia looked over here...

   "It's you, Ronald!" She saw Ronald waiting for her like she did when she left Aunt Karen's house to pick up dry cleaning clothes for Ronald, "So you are here..."

Chapter end