hr.thecarpetbaggers-第64节

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。　Then　I　get　a　plaint　from　the　underwriters　and　bankers；　the　pictures　ain't　got　no　prestige。　So　I　buy　the　biggest；　most　artistic　hit　on　Broadway。　Sunspots　the　name　of　it　is。　It's　so　artistic；　even　I　don't　understand　what　it's　all　about。
　〃Now　I'm　stuck　with　an　artistic　bomb。　I　talk　to　all　the　directors　in　Hollywood　about　it。　I'm　not　so　dumb　altogether　that　it　don't　take　me　long　to　find　out　they　don't　understand　it　neither；　so　I　hire　the　director　who　did　the　play　on　the　stage；　Claude　Dunbar；　a　faigele　if　I　ever　saw　one。　But　fifty　thousand　he　gets。
　〃A　hundred　and　fifty　I'm　in　already　and　no　box　office。　So　I　call　up　Louie　and　say　lend　me　Garbo。　He　laughs　in　my　face。　You　ain't　got　enough　money；　he　says。　Besides；　we　got　her　in　prestige　of　our　own。　Anna　Christie　by　Eugene　O'Neill　she's　making。　Good…by；　I　says　and　call　up　Jack　Warner。　How　about　Bette　Davis？　Wait　a　minute；　he　says。　I　sit　on　the　phone　ten　minutes。
　〃The　pisher　thinks　I　don't　know　what　he's　doin'？　He's　calling　his　brother　Harry　in　New　York；　that's　what　he's　doin'。　Here　I　am；　sitting　on　long　distance　in　New　York　with　the　charges　running　up　by　the　minute　and　he's　calling　back　his　brother　Harry；　who　is　two　blocks　away　from　where　I'm　sitting。　Hang　up　the　phone；　I　feel　like　telling　him。　I　can　call　your　brother　for　only　a　nickel。
　〃Finally；　Jack　gets　back　on　the　phone　to　me　ninety…five　dollars　later。　You're　lucky；　he　says。　We　ain't　got　her　penciled　in　for　nothing　until　September。　You　can　have　her　for　a　hundred　and　fifty　grand。　For　a　hundred　and　fifty；　don't　do　me　no　favors；　I　tell　him。　The　most　she's　gettin'　is　thirty；　thirty…five　a　picture；　maybe　not　even　that。
　〃How　much　you　want　to　pay？　he　asks。　Fifty；　I　says。　Forget　it；　he　says。　O。K。；　then；　seventy…five；　I　says。　One　and　a　quarter；　he　says。　One　even　and　it's　a　deal；　I　says。　It's　a　deal；　he　says。　I　hang　up　the　telephone。　A　hundred　and　thirty…five　dollars　the　call　costs　me　to　talk　two　minutes。
　〃So　I　go　back　to　Wall　Street　and　tell　the　underwriters　and　bankers　we　now　got　prestige。　This　picture　is　goin'　to　be　so　artistic；　we'll　be　lucky　if　we　get　anybody　into　the　theater。　They're　very　happy　and　congratulate　me　and　I　get　on　the　train　and　e　back　to　Hollywood。〃
　Bernie　ran　out　of　breath　suddenly　and　picked　up　the　glass　of　water　again　and　drained　it。　〃Ain't　that　enough　trouble　for　anyone？〃
　David　nodded。
　〃So　enough　troubles　I　got　when　I　walk　into　my　office　this　morning；　you　agree？　So　who　do　I　find　waiting　but　Rina　Marlowe；　that　courveh。　'Rina；　darling；'　I　say　to　her；　'you　look　positively　gorgeous　this　morning。'　Do　I　even　get　a　hello？　No！　She　shoves　the　Reporter　under　my　nose　and　says；　'What's　this？　Is　it　true？'
　〃I　look　down　and　see　the　story　about　Davis　in　Sunspots。　'What　are　you　getting　so　excited　about；　darling？'　I　say。　'That's　not　for　you；　a　bomb　like　that。　I　got　a　part　for　you　that　will　kill　the　people。　Scheherazade。　Costumes　like　you　never　in　your　life　saw　before。'　And　you　know　what　she　says　to　me？〃　He　shook　his　head　sadly。
　〃What？〃　David　asked。
　〃After　all　I　done　for　her；　the　way　she　spoke　to　me！〃　his　uncle　said　in　a　hurt　voice。　〃　'Take　your　hand　off　my　tits；'　she　says；　'and　furthermore；　if　I　don't　get　that　part；　you　can　shove　Scheherazade　up　your　fat　ass！'　Then　she　walks　out　the　door。　How　do　you　like　that？〃　Norman　asked　in　an　aggrieved　voice。　〃All　I　was　trying　to　do　was　calm　her　down　a　little。　Practically　everybody　in　Hollywood　she　fucks　but　me　she　talks　to　like　that！〃
　David　nodded。　He'd　heard　the　stories　about　her；　too。　In　the　year　since　she　had　broken　up　with　Nevada；　she　seemed　to　have　gone　suddenly　wild。　The　parties　out　at　her　new　place　in　Beverly　Hills　were　said　to　be　orgies。　There　was　even　talk　about　her　and　Ilene　Gaillard；　the　costume　designer。　But　as　long　as　nothing　got　into　print；　they'd　looked　the　other　way。　What　she　did　was　her　own　business　as　long　as　it　didn't　affect　them。　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　about　it？〃
　〃What　can　I　do　about　it？〃　Bernie　asked。　〃Give　her　the　part。　If　she　walked　out　on　us；　we'd　lose　twice　as　much　as　we're　losing　right　now。〃
　He　reached　for　a　cigar。　〃I'll　call　her　this　afternoon　and　tell　her。〃　He　stopped　in　the　midst　of　lighting　it。　〃No；　I　got　a　better　idea。　You　go　out　to　her　place　this　afternoon　and　tell　her。　I'm　damned　if　I'll　let　her　make　it　look　like　I'm　kissing　her　ass。〃
　〃O。K。；〃　David　said。　He　started　back　toward　his　own　office。
　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　his　uncle　called　after　him。
　David　turned　around。
　〃You　know　who　I　ran　into　in　the　Waldorf　my　last　night　in　New　York？〃　Bernie　asked。　〃Your　friend。〃
　〃My　friend？〃
　〃Yes；　you　know　who。　The　crazy　one。　The　flier。　Jonas　Cord。〃
　〃Oh；〃　David　said。　He　liked　the　way　his　uncle　put　it；　reminding　him　of　the　earlier　conversation　they　had　had　about　Cord　some　years　ago。　He　and　Cord　had　never　exchanged　so　much　as　a　word。　He　even　doubted　if　Cord　knew　he　was　alive。　〃How　did　he　look？〃
　〃The　same；〃　his　uncle　replied。　〃Like　a　bum。　Wearing　sneakers　and　no　tie。　I　don't　know　how　he　gets　away　with　it。　Anybody　else　they　would　throw　out；　but　him？　Shows　you　there's　nothing　like　goyishe　money。〃
　〃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。