Chapter 515 What's Your Secret?
The script revision of the American version of "Farewell My Concubine" lasted for nearly a month and was finally completed. Since no historical and cultural background modifications were required, the first draft of the script was completed very quickly.
But it was precisely in this situation that Lin Weimin and Arthur Miller were more cautious and careful in revising the script. The complete oriental cultural and historical background was an extremely bold attempt, and they had to do so.
The script is out, but it is far from being finalized. Next, the crew and actors will need to rehearse it on stage over and over again and revise the content of the script word by word before it can be finalized.
Arthur Miller did not personally take part in the production of "Farewell My Concubine" this time. He was getting older and his energy was declining. Spending several hours every day discussing the script with Lin Weimin already consumed a lot of physical energy.
So this time the producer of "Farewell My Concubine" became Arthur Miller's old partner Kermit Bloomgarden. Before the script was released, Kermit Bloomgarden had already started the preparations for the crew.
The first problem the crew faced when planning to set up the film was the issue of actors. The completely oriental cultural and historical background of "Farewell My Concubine" meant that it would require a large number of Asian actors.
As soon as the news came out, it exploded the Broadway drama circle in just a few days.
On Broadway, it’s not that there are no Chinese or Asian actors, but that too few of them have come to the fore.
Most people can only hang around at the bottom of Broadway. In order to realize their dreams, they have to rely on part-time jobs to make a living all year round and occasionally play some marginal roles.
Now there is finally a play with Chinese as the protagonists, and it is a work supported by top Broadway drama giants such as Arthur Miller and Kermit Bloomgarden. Countless Asian actors have focused their attention on the play "Farewell My Concubine", and their resumes are pouring in.
Although the work is about Chinese people, it is now being performed in the United States. Everyone is of the yellow race and speaks English, so in theory, the opportunities are equal.
Of course, this equality is only theoretical.
With the Chinese screenwriter Lin Weimin, Chinese or Chinese American actors are definitely the priority.
This is not because Lin Weimin intends to deliberately interfere with the crew's casting. Even if he doesn't say anything, the other main characters in the crew will subconsciously consider his feelings as the original author and screenwriter.
Lin Weimin did not care about the preparation and casting of the crew. When he had time, he wanted to take Tao Huimin to travel more around the United States. Unfortunately, his plan was interrupted by Arthur Miller before he could implement it.
"Interview?" Lin Weimin was a little surprised.
"That's right. It was an interview with The New Yorker. One of their reporters watched the performance of The Kite Runner that day and knew that you were in the United States. He called me to learn about your situation and asked me to ask you if you could accept their interview." Arthur Miller explained.
Seeing that Lin Weimin looked embarrassed, he knew that he wanted to refuse. The two had known each other for so many years, and he knew Lin Weimin's personality very well and knew that he didn't like being interviewed.
"Your work has been in the U.S. for such a long time, it's time to show it to the public. "Farewell My Concubine" is being prepared, which can be regarded as a kind of promotion for the dialogue drama."
Arthur Miller's persuasion made Lin Weimin hesitate. He said that being able to promote "Farewell My Concubine" was also a kind of responsibility to his partners!
"Okay, but you have to explain it clearly to them and don't ask random questions!" Lin Weimin put forward his request.
Arthur Miller complained: "For a man as troublesome as you, you really ought to get an agent."
“Agents cost money, but you don’t.”
Lin Weimin retorted, and Arthur Miller was speechless.
After a long phone conversation, Arthur Miller said, "We've already discussed it. We'll be careful about the scale of the interview. Is it okay to schedule it for the day after tomorrow?"
"No problem, you know, I'm always available." Lin Weimin said casually.
"The reporters don't have time!"
After staying in Arthur Miller's house for half a day and returning home in the evening to rest for a while, the doorbell suddenly rang.
Lin Weimin and Tao Huimin were both a little surprised. They were staying at the Dakota Apartments and rarely had guests on weekdays. Even acquaintances like Arthur Miller and his wife would call in advance if they wanted to visit.
Lin Weimin came to the door and looked through the peephole. Standing at the door was a middle-aged white woman with blonde hair.
He opened the door and the white woman wearing black-framed glasses greeted Lin Weimin enthusiastically and introduced herself as Anne Libovitz, a photographer.
Lin Weimin looked at her and said, "Excuse me, what can I do for you?"
"I'm your downstairs neighbor. I recently heard that new neighbors moved in upstairs, so I made some cookies."
Anne Libovitz gestured to the things in her hand, and Lin Weimin said hurriedly: "Sorry, we are just staying here temporarily, please come in!"
After letting Anne Libovitz into the house, Lin Weimin called Tao Huimin, and she went to make a few cups of coffee.
Several people sat down on the sofa in the living room and exchanged a few words. When Tao Huimin heard the name Anne Libovitz, a look of surprise appeared on her face, and she took out a copy of Vanity Fair that she had placed on the bedside table.
During her time in the United States, Tao Huimin has been working hard to practice English. She also looks for some English reading materials every day. Her favorite things to read are entertainment and gossip magazines.
Tao Huimin pointed to one of the names in Vanity Fair and asked, "Is this you?"
Anne Libovitz nodded, a hint of pride on her face.
Tao Huimin said to Lin Weimin: "Weimin, she is a very famous photographer!"
Lin Weimin nodded slightly. A photographer who could live in the Dakota Apartment must be famous.
Anne Libovitz shot photos for Rolling Stone magazine in her early years and became famous in the photography world for her celebrity portraits.
In 1983, she became the chief photographer of Vanity Fair magazine and has been a long-time contributor to VOGUE magazine. She has photographed almost all the big names in the American film and television industry, as well as politicians such as the US President and the Queen of England. Her works have won numerous awards, have been exhibited on tour, and have been published in albums. Her fame and influence in the American photography industry are second to none.
"Recently, everyone has been saying that an Asian writer has moved into Rex Reed's house. I was very curious, so I came to visit him." Anne Libovitz explained the reason for her visit and complimented him, "I have also read your works, they are excellent!"
"Thanks!"
After chatting for a while, Anne Libovitz said, "Tomorrow I will have a small salon at my house. All of my good friends, writers, booksellers, and editors, will be there. Can I invite you to join us?"
Lin Weimin hesitated for a moment. It was hard to refuse someone who came to visit him, so he said, "Okay, we will visit you on time."
The next afternoon, Lin Weimin and Tao Huimin rang the doorbell of Anne Libovitz's house with the gifts they had prepared.
When the two entered the house, there were already several guests at Anne Libovitz's house. Anne Libovitz introduced the two parties to each other.
Seeing so many people at once, Lin Weimin felt dizzy just remembering their names.
There are seven people in Anne Libovitz's family including herself, including two editors of Vanity Fair magazine, Sharon Delano and Peter Perron, the young painter Richmond Burton from Alabama, the female writer Susan Sontag and her agent Andrew Wylie, and Roger Strauss, the owner of Farrar, Straus & Giroux.
When he saw Peter Perron, Lin Weimin was stunned for a moment. This was one of the two white guys he had met in the West End Bookstore before.
The two smiled and shook hands, and Anne Libovitz couldn't help but sigh at the wonder of fate.
"It should be said that New York is too small!" Lin Weimin laughed.
He and Tao Huimin sat down. Everyone looked at them involuntarily with a certain scrutiny. Tao Huimin moved her body uneasily.
Anne Libovitz, the host, smiled and said, "Excuse me, I told you that I invited a talented, young and handsome Chinese writer to participate in our salon. Everyone is very curious about you and your wife."
"We have often seen Lin's name in American newspapers in the past two years." Roger Strauss was a businessman. He spoke very appropriately and complimented Lin Weimin.
Peter Perron said: "I remember when The Last Emperor won the Oscar, we published the screenwriter Lin's name in Vanity Fair. Chinese names are very memorable."
The slightly awkward atmosphere became relaxed under a common topic. It was obvious that Lin Weimin, a writer from China, became the theme of today's salon.
Everyone present was from the cultural circle. They were not unfamiliar with Lin Weimin, who had frequently appeared in newspapers and magazines for his awards in recent years, but this was the first time they had seen him in person.
Everyone was not particularly familiar with Lin Weimin, but they were all in the same circle and communicated with each other. It took only a few minutes to piece together Lin Weimin's performance in the United States in the past few years.
In the fields of literature, drama, film and television, there are not many writers as versatile as Lin Weimin in the American cultural circle. Especially since Lin Weimin is also a Chinese, it makes everyone even more curious.
The topic revolved around Lin Weimin and gradually heated up.
Susan Sontag is a famous American writer who became famous in the 1960s. She is a contemporary of Richard Yates and has a wide range of creative fields, including novels, literary criticism, and drama.
This year she just completed her own collection of essays, "AIDS and Its Metaphors". At this time, AIDS has only been around for a few years and people are very afraid of it. Americans are also too intolerant of LGBT people. The appearance of her collection of essays has won her a good reputation in the American cultural circle.
Unfortunately, just like Richard Yates, Susan Sontag's fame did not translate into profits, and her works still had mediocre sales.
The year before last, her apartment in London caught fire. Susan Sontag didn't even have the money to buy a new apartment. Finally, with the help of her friends, she returned to New York to settle down.
The great fire in London burned all of Susan Sontag's belongings and awakened her desire for money.
As a literary worker, she did not have a strong desire for money, but she never wanted to experience the predicament of having no place to stand again.
After publishing the collection of essays "AIDS and Its Metaphors" this year, she focused her energy on novels and planned to write a novel.
Among the many literary genres, novels have always been the best-selling type in the book market.
Roger Strauss is a bookseller. Others may not know this, but he knows it best. Lin Weimin has published five novels in the U.S. book market. The sales have varied, but even the one with the lowest sales, "The Dark Knight," has crushed the sales of many works by U.S. writers.
When talking about novels and book sales, Susan Sontag couldn't help but ask Lin Weimin curiously: "Lin, do you have any secret? You are obviously a foreign writer, but your works sell better than most of our American writers!"
(End of this chapter)
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