Chapter 617 Human Zoo
In the United States, everything depends on money, and it is impossible not to charge money. The actors' union is supposed to charge money, and the slave owners are just respecting history.
Sheffield cannot open a film company to compete for the business. The only way to deal with these film companies is to use the offline cinema system and the most basic actors' union. It is difficult for these established film companies in Hollywood to compete.
If we look at it from the perspective of a pyramid, Sheffield himself is the top of the pyramid, and Hollywood actors are the base of the pyramid. A stable pyramid structure should be to win over the middle and squeeze the bottom. However, the actor group is quite special and cannot be treated like other groups.
Actors like Lillian Gish and Mary Pickford were able to earn extremely high salaries for the citizen class at this time. The acting group was destined not to be suppressed like the working class, so it would be better to relax the restrictions.
Unions will eventually be conquered. Sheffield knew that all the unions in the United States would eventually become interest groups, so he was not afraid of them. His tough attitude towards unions was entirely due to the limitations of the times!
In the era when the United States had not yet become the world hegemon, domestic companies had only two choices: agree to the establishment of a union and agree to the union's conditions, or mobilize private companies to suppress it. Usually everyone would choose the second option.
The reason why the second option is chosen is that there is no other choice. Agreeing to the conditions proposed by the union is never considered. This option is only in theory. It can be done in theory, but in reality there is no such option.
Then suppressing workers' resistance is a conventional option. Only in the era of globalization will a third option emerge. That is, in the face of greedy workers, everyone can close factories and place industries in countries without trade unions.
In this era, Sheffield can only hope to have as few incidents as possible, and once an incident occurs, it will take ruthless measures to deter it, and wait until the day of globalization arrives, when it will not have to waste time with these ungrateful workers.
Hollywood actors are different. Compared with industrial workers, most actors do not live such a miserable life. The Soviets said that these petty bourgeoisie are weak and will not cause big trouble if they are given a little sweetener.
After explaining the relationship, David Griffith finally understood that Sheffield felt that the major Hollywood film companies, which had been flooded with hot money from all sides, might unite and rebel in the future.
Although David Griffith thought Sheffield was making a fuss over nothing, these film companies would not dare to do so. However, he knew that once the slave owners felt this way, they would definitely not make any changes.
"I'm afraid they won't give in easily!" David Griffith thought for a moment and said, "No one wants to see their own interests damaged."
"Just them? They don't make many good movies every day, but they are very skilled at unbuckling their belts. It's better not to trouble me about this matter again. My patience is limited, especially recently. If they are willing to take bullets for the Italians, I have no objection. United Company has this industry, and bullets are not expensive."
Sheffield snorted coldly and said, "If you just make the movie honestly, I won't object, but don't think too much about it. The film industry is mine. If anyone is dissatisfied with it, let him come and talk to me in person."
The slave owner felt that he had the strength and his opponent was not that powerful, so he should be more sensible and show some bourgeois weakness, begging the monopoly capitalist for some leftovers, which would be beneficial to everyone.
"Boss, I have some ideas about the second part of The Birth of a Nation." David Griffith was definitely a supporter of handsome men and beautiful women. He expressed his hope to use all the stars that could be gathered now, including the Lillian Gish sisters and Mary Pickford, in the next movie set against the backdrop of the Civil War.
"There's no problem with that, what's the problem?" Sheffield put his hands in his pockets and didn't think there was anything wrong with what David Griffith said.
"Boss, if you want to stay close to the times, you need to show the characteristics of the southern states. You may need to borrow some of your properties. There is no better estate than Oak Manor." David Griffith said, hesitantly, "If the perspective is in the South, boss, can you make a cameo appearance?"
"What do you want me to guest star in?" Sheffield looked at David Griffith for a moment with a stern face, "But I have to admit that you are really good at finding people, and I am the most suitable for this kind of role, and I can play it in my true colors. Whether it is a slave owner or a legion commander, but since we are talking about this, don't be too stingy about the war scenes. You need to use a large number of actors. I can help you with this problem. Not only can I guest star, I can even find a group of people to guest star. Don't worry about the war, just leave it to me. Although many of my people have gone to North Africa."
Sheffield concluded his long speech by saying that no one knows more about the Civil War than he does. He even said that he could replicate several battles in the Civil War one-to-one.
David Griffith was shocked, as if this was even bigger than he had imagined. Sheffield comforted him and said not to worry, as all the extra costs would be on his own. The key was to capture the real side of the scene.
"The Confederate Army actually has a black battalion. If this movie is to be made, they must appear in the movie. Of course, you don't have to worry, the descendants of these soldiers are still in Texas." Sheffield's gestures and narration made David Griffith's heart surge, as if an epic movie was about to be released.
The slave owner was so enthusiastic about this movie that it went beyond the scope of a movie. He even said he would call his wife to ask if she wanted to make a cameo appearance.
"Oh, David, what were you talking about with William?" Edith Rockefeller walked in leisurely and asked curiously after seeing this scene. After she understood, she said, "It's nothing more than something that happened decades ago. I suggest you also include the scene of old Morgan as a coffee bean merchant."
"Do you want to film the story of your father who made a fortune by hoarding supplies during the civil war?" Louisa Morgan's malicious voice came from behind Edith Rockefeller. Compared to the cautious pregnant women of other families, the women of the Morgan family did not seem to be affected at all. Evelyn did not rush to the hospital early to wait, fearing that she would be too late in time for any unexpected situation.
"Don't listen to them. The main focus should be on the Confederate States." Sheffield glanced at the two of them and said indifferently, "Just don't worry about filming. No matter what you shoot, I will find a way to get it released. But it will be interesting to see what Republican supporters will think after this movie comes out."
In Hollywood controlled by Sheffield, it is impossible to make a living by relying on the color of your skin. Once the Screen Actors Guild is established, the influence of the United Company will grow together with Hollywood. There is a solution. Just like you can kill the host by shooting yourself in the head, and solve the disease together. As long as you are willing to take risks, there is a way.
Evelyn finally got her wish and gave birth to a boy for her man. For Louisa Morgan, the Sheffield family had one more competitor. She felt an invisible pressure as she stared at the fruit of love under her belly, not knowing whether it was a boy or a girl.
But Sheffield has no time to care about other things. He is currently engaged in a heated debate with major Hollywood companies regarding the establishment of the Actors Guild. In fact, it would be more appropriate to describe it as fierce accusations.
It is the slave owners who fiercely accuse these companies of not treating the actors as human beings and call for the protection of actors' rights.
Sheffield, who called for respect for actors' rights, heard that a human zoo was opening in Los Angeles, so he went directly to see the exhibition. This time the human zoo will be on display for a month, attracting a large number of people from Los Angeles to visit.
"The French are really good at making money. After they opened up in New York, they came to Los Angeles." Sheffield only brought a few bodyguards when there were few people around, and watched these people who were captured from nowhere being exhibited.
Taking his eyes away from the sign that said "No feeding allowed", Sheffield looked coldly at a black woman who was holding a monkey and muttering to herself. Of course, the person inside was naked, maintaining a primitive style.
"I've never seen anything like this!" Jesla said in shock, "It shouldn't be this serious."
"It's said that Europeans are civilized people. They are indeed civilized." Sheffield snorted, "Who are we? We are not as powerful as them. They just capture people for exhibition. Hey, Jesla, do you know why this black man is holding a monkey?"
Jesla shook his head and waited for an answer. Sheffield did not disappoint the bodyguard leader and explained, "Because in the eyes of Europeans, black people live with wild animals and can understand the language of wild animals. So the zoo managers deliberately let these black people hold monkeys and mutter to themselves to satisfy their fantasy of being savages."
Sheffield even knew when human zoos were still in operation. In 1958, when the Cold War was intensifying, Belgium still had human zoos. At the World Expo, the Belgian Colonial Ministry organized an exhibition on the natives of the Congo colony to prove their claim that they had civilized primitive Africans.
But in fact, the Congolese people had already been wearing western clothes, but when they arrived in Belgium, they were changed into primitive clothes. What the white people wanted to see was backwardness, not modern black people.
"The more primitive, the more correct; the more ignorant, the more noble. We don't care how people live, but they must live according to the route we plan. Otherwise, no matter how well they live, it is not correct." Sheffield said proudly, showing his white teeth. "Jezla, do you understand?"
(End of this chapter)
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