King of Hollywood
Chapter 414 - 136 Entangled Together

Chapter 414: Chapter 136 Entangled Together

This is still an old-fashioned story, where the righteous hero is framed by his enemies and thrown into prison, only to escape several years later and meet a somewhat kind-hearted street urchin. After several trials, he imparts all his skills to the young man, allowing him to inherit his mantle and continue the fight against poverty and bureaucracy on behalf of the poor people.

Of course, various stories took place during that period, such as the hero’s old nemesis—the man who got him thrown into prison and caused him to lose his wife and children—turning out to be the father of his long-lost daughter, thus another drama of father-daughter recognition unfolds. The ending is a typical happy one, where the street urchin, now grown, brings about the deserved punishment to the hero’s old enemy and marries the hero’s daughter, officially taking over his mantle. The winners in life are always the same.

This story could be set in any era and any place, but it takes a different turn when applied to Zorro. Although history has it that Zorro was nothing more than a common thief and bandit, the derived image has been well-received. Novels, animations, movies, and TV shows about him abound, and people love this powerful character who fights for the poor and delivers justice—some things are indeed universal across the world.

The traditional depiction of Zorro is as a smart and powerful figure, with exquisite swordsmanship and wit, and a dashing demeanor befitting the title of a gentlemanly bandit. Even when unfortunate circumstances befall him, he quickly turns danger into safety. But "The Mask of Zorro" is different; it starts with Zorro being captured after an action and without any chance to turn the tables, his wife is mistakenly killed by his enemy and his daughter taken away, eventually leading to his imprisonment.

This is probably the most unfortunate Zorro of all, where the audience originally expected him to break out of prison quickly and seek justice, but years passed and when he finally escaped, he lacked his former vigor and reluctantly chose to help a young man who had helped him, planning to train him to be the new Zorro. This is one of the film’s highlights; like many animations, the timeline of Zorro’s animations is messed up, not as exaggerated as the eternal grade school student, but not far off.

Superheroes can be explained by various parallel worlds, but Zorro, having historical prototypes, is more complicated. One minute he’s in a certain year in Spain, then in a certain year in Mexico, and the next he’s in the current day Texas and California area. Although the film does not explain this problem well, it points out a direction—that the name Zorro is not just one person but a legacy.

These factors, coupled with the fact that there have been no decent Zorro films for a long time, meant it was expected that "The Mask of Zorro" would be well-received.

Not to mention that the three main actors also delivered impressive performances; Hopkins, with his elegant gentlemanly appearance, could easily have replaced Bandaras as the New Zorro if he were just a decade younger. And Bandaras himself, being Spanish, perfectly captured the playful and cheeky vibe required; as for Zetajones, she truly radiated beauty in the film, at the zenith of her youth, lusciously seductive with a classical grace, agile and alluring especially when fencing, making even a mere decorative role seem exceptional.

"Do you hear the sighs of admiration?" Adrian whispered into Zetajones’ ear, gently blowing and teasingly asking after a light breath.

"I think they let out a gasp because the new Zorro slashed open Elena’s dress." Zetajones replied with a light laugh, though a noticeable thrill flashed across her face.

"Isn’t that also a reflection of your charm?" Adrian extended his arms from behind his chair and wrapped them around her waist, even though others were seated nearby.

"Frankly, I’m beginning to feel a sense of loss, Ed." Zetajones sighed, though as she spoke, she grabbed his wandering hand on her waist, pulling it forward to rest on the outer side of her thigh, enveloped by her tube dress.

"Don’t worry, I always fulfill my promises, even if this movie misses the one hundred million mark in North America by 1 US Dollar, that wasn’t included in my original promise," Adrian said with a slight shrug, then with a thought, a sly smile crept onto his face.

"But if it does come true, then..." he leaned into Zetajones’ ear again and murmured a few words in the lowest voice.

"You’re so filthy, Ed," Zetajones immediately responded in a scolding tone, her bright eyes seemingly twinkling with a shy sparkle in the dark movie theater, looking exceptionally tempting.

It must be said, this woman really knows how to entice, even if one knew she was putting it on, it could still give a person a comfortable feeling. It was a pity, in front of her was Adrian. He just chuckled lightly, gave a peck on her earlobe, and then shifted his gaze back to the big screen, as if he’d begun to seriously watch the movie.

Zetajones was slightly taken aback, but quickly thought of something and revealed a hint of a smile, then also sat up straight and continued watching. Like "Jerry Maguire," when it was screened for critics, it received favorable reviews, and naturally, upon release, the majority of critiques were positive. But there were differences; although "Jerry Maguire" was somewhat commercial, it very much aligned with the mainstream values of American society, which is why its artistic merit was also highly appraised. "The Mask of Zorro" on the other hand, was a thorough commercial movie, and since there had been countless movies about Zorro before, most critics focused on the fresh take on the story and the decent performances of the actors.

However, regardless, Zetajones had opened up her situation in Hollywood. Many entertainment media showered her with excessive praise, believing the beauty she exhibited in the movie was enchanting. Of course, this was partly because Adrian had used his resources to hype Zetajones, but many media outlets were genuine in their compliments.

"She has an indescribable classical quality. In the movie, she carries a hint of wildness while being bright and attractive, completely captivating." A reporter from the Chicago Tribune wrote as such.

The gossip tabloids, however, all focused their firepower on one aspect: The sixth Miracle Girl is unveiled!

Not long ago, Adrian had walked the red carpet with Blanchett at the premiere of "Jerry Maguire," and now he was again walking it with Zetajones for "The Mask of Zorro." How could this not let the paparazzi’s imaginations run wild?

"Reliable sources claim that Catherine Zetajones was personally recommended for the role by Adrian. As we know, Adrian, called the Miracle Director, has always had exceptional taste. His chosen ones have remarkable talent, and it seems this time is no exception. At the very least, Catherine is the most beautiful among the six Miracle Girls."

"Just a week ago, Adrian walked down the red carpet with Kate Blanchett, and now he’s doing the same with Catherine Zetajones. It must be said, he changes the women at his side quite diligently."

"Whether with Kate Blanchett or Catherine Zetajones, Adrian always seems extremely ambiguous, indicating a relationship that’s more than ordinary. Obviously, when others are struggling to get a date, Adrian is probably worried about who to invite out. One wonders what Julia, Monica, or Gwyneth, Sophie think about this."

Various versions of rumors were flying everywhere, basically focusing on Adrian’s Playboy image, as well as the possibility of him dating multiple women at the same time. They also tried every means possible to get close to the other Miracle Girls, hoping to get something out of them, but to no avail as they were well-prepared, giving cold shoulders to most of the paparazzi who came back empty-handed.

Even so, it still made those who loved gossip chirp with enthusiasm, speculating on one hand how many women Adrian had slept with, whether it was a one-night stand or a proper date; on the other hand, they were full of envy and jealousy, that he could hook up all kinds of women with completely different temperaments and charm.

However, as one of the people concerned, Adrian was still completely indifferent. The women were not unaware of these things, and since they had all chosen to default, they would also actively ignore these things. What he needed to do was just to coax them properly at the right time. Once you’re used to something, it becomes very difficult and hesitant to change; at that moment, receiving some care and then the matters of change are pushed aside in the mind.

Besides, as his status further increased, the paparazzi would only become less and less threatening. Yes, they were indeed formidable - for the sake of gossip and news, these shameless fellows would use any means necessary, even rummaging through a celebrity’s trash to confirm if they still were sexually active by finding used condoms. But at the same time, they were also prudent.

The simplest example: if Murdoch hadn’t been involved in political events, how many reporters would be interested in his personal life? Similarly, Gates’ affairs, Steve Jobs’ love for the new and disdain for the old, were written into various reports or books only several years after they admitted to it themselves. Paparazzi were not fools; they knew who could be offended and who could not - even if some paparazzi didn’t understand, the higher-up editors did.

Of course, celebrities were naturally their target, but Adrian was quite cooperative in many respects, rarely showing them a cold shoulder. Anyone smart would naturally know when to stop. Moreover, Adrian was always very cautious, even when dating by the sea, it was always on a private beach, so it was naturally difficult for paparazzi to track him down, let alone...

Objectively speaking, the gossip did play a role in promotion, as "The Mask of Zorro" earned $22 million at the box office in North America in its first week. While that couldn’t compare with some of the big-budget productions, it was still a decent figure. Although Adrian remembered that the movie fell just short of $100 million in North America, he wasn’t worried. The situation was favorable, and the intensity of the promotions hadn’t lessened, so breaking $100 million shouldn’t be a problem.

Even if it fell a few million short in the end, he’d personally cover the difference from his own pocket. By then, Zetajones would have to honor her promise, no objections.

Then, in the third week, right before Christmas, "The English Patient," this year’s Oscar contender, hit theaters. As a drama, the premiere was smaller in scale compared to the previous two films, but still, many media outlets arrived at the scene. Most were tabloids, and they had all been eagerly awaiting this moment. Sophie Marceau’s name had been confirmed on the cast list long ago, and many people were excited. If Adrian walked the red carpet with Sophie, it would be headlines in boldface once again.

However, to their disappointment, Sophie didn’t appear with Adrian. She arrived alone in a car, and it was quite a while before Adrian finally showed up.

"You see, they all wanted to see me come in with you, but you let them down. That’s such a pity," Adrian said teasingly to Sophie as they headed towards the auditorium.

"Just tell me the truth, Adrian, how many other women are there?" Sophie suddenly turned her head, a look of annoyance in her eyes, but it was more complex than that.

"What’s wrong?" Adrian asked, puzzled. Then realizing something, he looked in the direction Sophie had come from and met Rachel’s gaze. She froze for two or three seconds before hurriedly turning her head away.

"Is it because of this?" He couldn’t help but laugh, his smile carrying a teasing flavor.

Sophie suddenly seemed angry and snorted heavily before walking ahead, her skirt billowing in a way that appeared quite carefree. Adrian shrugged his shoulders and headed towards Rachel.

"Is there something wrong?" Seeing Adrian sit down beside her, Rachel, who had been about to stand up but was too late, sighed and asked in a resigned tone.

"Nothing much, just wanted to chat," Adrian said with a slight smile.

"That’s Anthony’s seat, yours is over there," Rachel pointed to a spot not far off, very close to where Sophie had just sat down.

"It’s okay, I don’t think Anthony would mind," Adrian said, then called out to Anthony Minghella, who was talking with friends, "Hey, Anthony, mind if we swap seats?"

Anthony, who heard the call, was taken aback, then nodded: "No problem."

"See, no problem now," Adrian laughed heartily, and Rachel sighed and fell silent.

"You look like you’ve lost some weight in the few days I haven’t seen you, and that’s just too awful," Adrian began on his own, with an air of seriousness and a frown as if a big problem had arisen.

"I can’t see it," Rachel couldn’t help but ask, "Besides, isn’t losing a little weight a good thing?"

"That doesn’t sound like something you’d say, Rachel. You’ve always been proud of not deliberately trying to lose weight, and I agree, a more voluptuous you is more beautiful. Besides, my observations are very keen; whether you’ve lost weight, I can tell at a glance..."

The floodgates of conversation opened up then, and it was easy as pie for Adrian, who had thoroughly figured out Rachel’s thoughts, to make her act according to his baton. The two of them chatted on and on until the movie started. During the interval, Sophie looked over more than once, thinking she was being covert, but she didn’t escape Adrian’s notice.

Rachel, who was paying attention to Adrian, also sensed something because of this, and although she didn’t show much reaction on the surface, her lips unconsciously curled into a faint smile.

Okay, let’s get back to the movie. Although "The English Patient" was Anthony Minghella’s directorial debut, his previous career as a producer and screenwriter had given him a wealth of experience, which he poured into this film with almost all his talent, whether in composition, color, storyboarding, or montage, he did quite excellently.

Of course, the story itself is also intriguing. Ralph Fiennes’s character Omash fell in love with the wife of an expedition’s pilot, and Rachel Weisz’s character Gavreline, a friend’s wife, was also attracted to him. Conventional morals restrained them both, but the more they restrained, the less they could contain it, and eventually, the two of them came together in secret.

The pilot Geoff, who noticed, maintained absolute silence and then finally, unable to bear it any longer, flew his plane toward Omash in a suicide attempt, intending to take both of their lives. In the end, Geoff died, Omash survived, but Gavreline, who was on the plane, was seriously injured. Omash, with a lack of medical supplies, could only place Gavreline in a cool cave and then walked out of the desert to seek help.

However, when he finally found the Allies’ army, he was suspected of being German because of his name and demeanor, and was arrested and put on a POW transport back to Europe.

Desperate and near hopeless, Omash took a risk and handed over detailed maps of Africa from the expedition to the Germans in exchange for manpower and medicine.

With the help of the Germans, Omash finally rushed back, but all that awaited him was Gavreline’s cold body.

At that point in the cinema, an unstoppable buzz of low voices erupted. Morally speaking, Gavreline was a married woman, and the love between the two was very wrong, but seeing Omash risk being branded a traitor in order to save Gavreline made it impossible not to be moved.

Especially when Omash finally took Gavreline’s body in his arms, wrapped in white silk, and wandered lost in the desert, as if not knowing where to go, as if he just wanted to keep on walking like that forever. The montage editing revealed a fleeting sense of despair and tragic beauty that made many sigh incessantly.

Women always fantasize about a man who would give up everything for them, and men sometimes also fantasize about a woman for whom they could give up everything.

The original novel of "The English Patient," besides this love story, has many other contents, such as Sophie’s character, the nurse Hannah who took care of Omash. The war made her lose her boyfriend and best friend. She finally opened up to an Indian bomb disposal officer, but had to choose to break up due to him having to go to the battlefield at any time.

Moreover, everyone has their own story, like Omash’s handing over the map to the Germans, leading to the fall of Cairo, followed by the guilty one’s bullet suicide. Or the Allied spy who, having had his fingers cut off, sought revenge on Omash and so on. But since it has to be adapted into a movie, there will inevitably be some sacrifices, and the fact proves that Anthony Minghella has done it very well. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote, your support is my greatest motivation.)