Chapter 80
Chapter 80
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: Hollywood (1)
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Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer—MGM for short.
This company was formed in 1924 when three studios—Metro, Goldwyn, and Mayer—merged.
The current president was Gian Carlo Parretti, who had acquired it in 1990 but wouldn't hold on for long. He was planning to hand it over to Crédit Lyonnais.
And Crédit Lyonnais would pass it on to another owner..., eventually ending up under Amazon as Amazon MGM Studios. The name might seem simple, but it was effectively a collaboration of four companies.
Of course, there had been plenty of mergers with other studios in between. They even absorbed UA—United Artists.
Lee Si-hyeon let out a deep sigh after hearing my explanation.
"UA, MGM... why are there so many acronyms? Hollywood's corporate structures make my head spin every time. They don't fully integrate... they keep separate names even when the companies are the same."
"That's a hallmark of the studios. It preserves their unique identity, and above all, those names carry weight."
If I compared it to web novels, it'd be like the relationship between Munhwa and Shiz. From the acquiring company's perspective, there was no real need to merge them fully.
"Plus, this setup makes it easier to acquire them separately. We're buying UA, not MGM."
"Ah."
Not many people know the name United Artists..., but everyone knows their iconic films.
Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times and The Great Dictator. And the James Bond 007 series.
From classic films that shaped cinema history to modern blockbuster franchises raking in massive commercial success. It was the perfect fit for a film club.
Lee Si-hyeon tilted her head.
"Is that really a club thing?"
Hey, it is a club.
"My dad said the girl born from an actress he gobbled up shouldn't be meddling in the movie business."
Ugh. Another bad memory...
"...Miss, weren't you only five then? She was definitely a genius... why did everyone around her have to..."
"Mm, I heard it at four. It was a joke, but it stung. Let's drop it."
Self-deprecating jokes are a bad habit, after all. I flashed a grin and shook the 007 bag in my hand.
"Anyway... acquiring UA should be easy with the right bribes."
Tragically, Si-hyeon—well-versed in Russian corruption—prepared the bribes with expert efficiency. Normally, she'd have asked why MGM would accept such a deal or who exactly to bribe.
"I heard there's only one Crédit Lyonnais director here in Hollywood..., so about ten million dollars should do it. Gold bars?"
"Gold bars are ridiculously heavy. Just stuff it with hundred-dollar bills."
As always, big money solved big problems.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Crédit Lyonnais had its own troubles.
Specifically, a whole lot of corruption.
"...Director, what do we do? MGM's finances are in terrible shape."
One of Crédit Lyonnais's low-level employees asked someone. The grizzled middle-aged man who heard it ground his teeth.
"Damn it, that bastard Carlo..."
He'd been annoyed ever since taking the bribes, but he hadn't expected the guy to run the company this sloppily.
"We... lent them 1.1 billion dollars, right?"
"...Yes. And we took about 100 million in bribes."
"Hey, did I take it? We did. I barely got ten million myself."
The executive grumbled and sighed deeply.
Crédit Lyonnais, France's largest bank, was rotten to the core. They'd given massive illegal loans to Gian Carlo Parretti after pocketing huge bribes.
"Ugh... this means we have to buy it."
Just like someone who took out a home loan has to forfeit the house if they default, Crédit Lyonnais had the right to take MGM first if its debtor-president couldn't repay.
The problem was... Gian Carlo Parretti, MGM's current president, was a con artist.
The lender knew full well that once this guy bought the house, he'd sell off all the furniture. No normal person bribes a bank just to borrow that kind of money.
Ah, I shouldn't have taken this deal.
But questioning why he hadn't refused the bribes from the start was pointless. It was like a fish asking why humans don't breathe underwater.
The Crédit Lyonnais executives' thought process no longer allowed for logic without bribes.
And after oiling his brain with those bribes, an answer emerged.
"We shouldn't touch this."
Deals this big didn't come often. Mess it up, and you'd inherit someone else's debts. Any normal bank would cut losses here.
"Th-then we cancel the acquisition?"
"Hmm... not quite. Let me think some more."
Still... he was a banker who prided himself on good faith.
Good faith toward customers who bribed him, not regular ones—but he considered himself reasonably conscientious.
Whew, guess I have to take responsibility and take MGM.
Yeah, look on the bright side. This was MGM, once the ruler of Hollywood. In a way, it could be a good thing for Crédit Lyonnais, France's pride, to acquire it...
Just as he was thinking that, an employee who had stepped out returned with a single sheet of paper.
"D-Director. Alpha Fund... Alpha Fund has made an acquisition request!"
"What?"
Hope lit up his face. Was there actually a sucker willing to take this debt pile off their hands?
"They're buying MGM? For how much? Sell it now!"
"N-No... it's a proposal to acquire UA under MGM."
Oh. Never mind.
Disappointment.
"Trying to sell off the house furniture... that basically kills any chance of MGM recovering. Tell them absolutely not."
Even as he said it, a doubt nagged at him. Why bring this to me...?
Am I a Crédit Lyonnais director or an MGM one?
Click.
Then the door opened, and a suspicious Asian beauty walked in.
"...Who are you?"
She smiled brightly and handed over a business card.
—Alpha Fund.
That was all it said.
"Ahaha, hello. You're from Crédit Lyonnais, right? I figured showing up empty-handed would be rude, so I brought a little something."
"Mm, what should I call you?"
The nameless Asian beauty gave a slight smile and a wink.
"Bond Girl? Call me that."
In her hand was a 007 bag stuffed with hundred-dollar bills.
A 007 bag full of money—ironic.
Coming to acquire 007's producer UA and pulling this stunt... she had a great sense of humor. And her looks rivaled any Bond girl.
"I haven't heard of any woman like you at Alpha Fund."
One of his underlings chimed in unnecessarily.
"Hey, hey. Quiet down. Isn't she an important guest?"
His instincts kicked in. This was blatant bribery. Alpha Fund wouldn't send an official employee for this.
He didn't doubt the business card's authenticity. He already knew Alpha Fund had a highly capable Asian fund manager. She must have pulled strings through personal connections.
And if it was fake? So what? The money was real.
His mind, quicker now than when worrying about the bank's future, appraised the bribe before him.
"...Ten million dollars? That much, at least."
Bond Girl clapped in mock surprise and laughed.
"Wow, you're quick with numbers."
Now viewing the woman as a 'client,' the Crédit Lyonnais director replied politely.
"I've taken plenty, haha. But I'm a pro, so rest assured—I'll keep my word."
"..."
She seemed lost in thought for a moment, mouth agape, then shook her head slightly and flashed another charming smile.
"Yes, as a pro... you know what to say, right?"
The director nodded.
"We acquire MGM, and you take UA, correct?"
"Yes, exactly. How about 200 million dollars? I figure it'll help with MGM's debt repayment."
Ridiculous. Selling off a studio's films wouldn't keep the company afloat. It might help short-term, but...
Eh, good enough.
As long as the immediate debts were cleared, what happened next wasn't his problem.
The sharp-minded director sensed Crédit Lyonnais would rack up hundreds of millions in debt later...
But that's not my debt, right? It's a state-owned bank anyway—the government would handle it.
"Mm... got another bag? We could knock it down to 100 million."
She blinked, then covered her mouth with one hand and smiled softly.
"Oh my, not my place to say... but are you sure that's okay?"
"It's fine, totally fine. Win-win, isn't it?"
"Win-win... yes, it is."
She'd shown a hint of rookie nerves, but handled it smoothly, pulling out another bag from somewhere and setting it on the desk.
Twenty million dollars now... enough for a luxury Paris mansion.
Hm.
The Crédit Lyonnais director swallowed hard and glanced around.
Only two people here on business. If they kept their mouths shut, headquarters wouldn't know.
But as a man of good faith, he proposed solemnly to his subordinate.
"Four-to-one split. I take four, you get one. Deal?"
"Deal."