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Reel Life Films By: Sam Merwin (1910-1996) |
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reel
life
films by ... Jacques Jean Ferrat
Pity the poor purveyor of mere entertainment in today's world.
He can't afford to offend a soul, yet must have a villain.
Twenty five years ago Cyril Bezdek and E. Carter Dorwin would have met
in a private railway car belonging to one of them. They might even have
met in a private train. At any rate they would have met in absolute
privacy. But it being the present, they had to be content with a series
of adjoining rooms taking up less than one half of a car on the
Super Sachem, fastest coast to coast train in the country. Their meeting in private was very important. Upon its results hinged the
future of Gigantic Studios, one of Hollywood's big three production
companies. Dorwin was the powerful plenipotentiary of the Consolidated Trust
Company of Manhattan and backer of Gigantic's multimillion dollar
productions. He was on his way West to make sure that the interests of
his bank were being adequately served by the studio. Bezdek was Gigantic's supreme production boss. Former office boy,
writer, prop man, assistant director, director, producer, and story
editor, he was the works unless Dorwin decided otherwise during this
meeting and pulled the props out from under him. He had thought Dorwin's
trip sufficiently important to fly to Kansas City and get aboard the
Super Sachem to be with the banker during the remainder of his trip. They had dined in the privacy of Dorwin's suite Bezdek as befitted his
tortured duodenum on yogurt and Melba toast Dorwin on caviar, consommé,
a thick steak with full trimmings, and a golden baked Alaska accompanied
by Armagnac. "How do you manage to keep thin?" Bezdek asked him, honestly envious.
"Polo, tennis? Golf would never do it." "I haven't exercised in ten years," said the banker, biting off the end
of a Havana Perfecto. He studied the little movie maker over the flame
of his lighter. Outside, the flat expanse of Kansas rushed past through
the night at close to a hundred miles an hour. "Some people are lucky," said Bezdek, adjusting the broad knot of his
hand painted Windsor tie. He was remarshaling his thoughts and ideas. It
was very important that he and Dorwin be in perfect accord before they
reached Hollywood. The banker, who was new to the movie making branch of his business,
spoke first. "I presume," he said finally, "that you're aware of the
current feeling in our New York office?" The movie magnate gestured carelessly with a Saxony gun club sleeve,
revealing a platinum wristwatch strap. "We hear rumors now and again,"
he said. "It's about our science fiction films." Bezdek avoided making
it a question. He was far too shrewd for that. The banker, finding himself thus at a disadvantage, said amicably, "It's
not that the fantasy series isn't making money, understand." He paused,
looking faintly distressed. "It's just that, frankly, we feel they're
getting too far away from reality. Trips to Mars and Venus strange
creatures.... It's not real it's not dignified. Frankly, we question
whether an institution like ours can afford to be connected with
anything so so ephemeral. After all ..." He paused as sounds of a scuffle in the corridor penetrated the room and
something or somebody was banged hard against the door. Bezdek,
frowning, jumped up nervously and went to the door, opened it, looked
out. "What's going on out there?" he inquired tartly. " Ty! " "Sorry, Mr. Bezdek," said Ty Falter, the mogul's private secretary,
bodyguard and constant companion. He was leaning against the far wall of
the corridor, mopping a cut lower lip with a bloody handkerchief... Continue reading book >>
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