Chapter 036: Pretty Woman
Chapter 036: Pretty Woman
Everyone was listening with great interest to Penny Marshall’s explanation. When they noticed the final question, they all instinctively turned to look at Eric.
At this point, Eric’s fame had already surpassed that of many veteran directors. Quite a few people were saying that as long as Eric made a movie now, no matter how terrible it was, his current fame alone would still make money for investors. In fact, this was also why Barry Diller had just agreed to Eric’s package deal for three films.
“I have several pretty good scripts. I haven’t decided which one to shoot yet,” Eric answered honestly. Originally, he had wanted to make a movie specifically to make Aniston famous, but the girl had refused, so now he could only consider filming something else first.
Several pretty good scripts...
The moment they heard those words, the few people there instantly froze.
There was no shortage of scripts in the industry itself. The Writers Guild archives were piled full of them. But scripts that people genuinely considered good were extremely rare.
Many directors might wait years for a single good script and still fail to produce a film.
And yet this guy casually claimed he had several good scripts and had not decided which one to film. It was practically maddening.
“Wow, several scripts. Eric, how about selling one to me too?” Penny Marshall asked in a tone that was three parts teasing and seven parts envy.
Seeing everyone’s reactions, Eric also realized he had misspoken somewhat. Although the scripts in his mind truly were excellent, saying it outright still gave off an arrogant impression.
“Forget it, Penny. Once Back to 17 finishes its run, you might become a super director with two consecutive hundred-million-dollar box office films. Will you still lack scripts then?”
Eric was telling the truth. In this era, even across an entire year, there would not be more than ten films breaking one hundred million at the box office. If Penny Marshall made two consecutive films that crossed the hundred-million mark, she would definitely become someone every film company fought to recruit.
Penny Marshall did not mind being refused. She truly was not lacking film offers. The topic quickly shifted elsewhere.
After chatting a little longer, the band in the hall began to play dance music. Penny Marshall smiled and said, “Alright, Eric, we won’t monopolize you anymore. Look around. Those girls are already impatient to invite you to dance.”
Eric swept his gaze around and indeed saw several beautiful women looking at him expectantly, clearly eager to approach. At the same time, he felt Drew tighten her grip around his arm slightly.
“Then that’s it. By the way, Tom, could you give me your contact information? Perhaps we’ll have a chance to work together.”
Tom Hanks had been about to leave. Hearing Eric’s words, he pulled out a business card with a smile. “Of course. All my contact information is on there. Eric, can I know a little about the script first?”
The others who heard Tom Hanks’s question also unconsciously slowed their steps, wanting to hear Eric’s answer.
Eric accepted the business card and put it away. Looking at the expectant crowd, he shrugged.
“Sorry, Tom. I can only say that you’ll play a police officer in it. And I can’t guarantee whether the film will be popular or not, so it won’t be the second movie I direct. Maybe the third, or perhaps even later.”
“You really know how to keep people hanging, Eric,” Penny Marshall complained disappointedly.
Tom Hanks did not press further. He nodded and turned to leave.
“Mr. Williams, may I have this dance?”
Just as the group dispersed, a blonde woman confidently walked over and extended the invitation. She appeared to be in her twenties. Her facial features were soft and delicate, and her figure was petite, only a little over five foot three, but her high, full chest was extremely eye-catching. With the slightest movement, the pair beneath her neckline seemed ready to spill out, full of temptation.
With countless films stored in his mind, Eric recognized the beautiful woman at a glance. For some reason, the strongest impression he had of her was not the many bold scenes she appeared in on screen, but rather the scene where she sat elegantly on a sofa, licked an envelope with her tongue, and said seductively to Dan Johnson, who had fallen into her trap:
“Beg me.”
That scene stirred a man’s desire even more than stripping naked. Immediately afterward, Uncle Dan lost control completely.
Eric drifted off for a moment. Before he could respond, Drew already could not help blurting out, “Virginia, do you think I’m invisible?”
Seeing Drew’s indignant little expression, Virginia deliberately straightened her ample chest in provocation and teased, “Hey, little Drew, the tighter you watch a man, the easier it is for him to run away. That’s not the right way.”
“That’s my business. None of yours.”
Although she said that, Drew unconsciously loosened her tight grip around Eric’s arm. Virginia happened to notice the tiny detail and burst into laughter.
“Alright, Drew, don’t be so rude. Go wander around for a bit yourself. I’m going to dance with Ms. Madsen.”
As Eric spoke, he gently withdrew his arm from Drew’s embrace.
“Eric, I can dance too!” Drew protested weakly, only to receive a look from Eric telling her not to make trouble. She could only stamp her foot resentfully and walk away reluctantly.
“Drew can be a little unruly sometimes, Ms. Madsen. I hope you don’t mind.”
After Drew left, Eric turned toward the blonde woman waiting beside him.
“Of course not, Eric. Just call me Virginia.” Virginia extended her hand, and Eric naturally took it as he led her onto the dance floor.
Gently wrapping an arm around Virginia’s soft waist, Eric lowered his head and inhaled the faint fragrance of her hair, openly admiring her delicate face. From his downward angle, the woman’s long eyelashes trembled slightly, and her sharp chin made her already seductive face appear even more enchanting.
Eric suddenly understood why, in his previous life, most beautiful girls on the internet preferred taking selfies from above.
Feeling Eric’s aggressive gaze, Virginia had the illusion that she was being watched by a worldly middle-aged man experienced in romance. She lifted her head, wanting to meet Eric’s eyes directly, but managed less than a second before shifting her gaze away slightly.
As an actress who debuted in the early 1980s, although Virginia Madsen’s appearance had become more mature and alluring than when she first entered the industry, she was already twenty-seven years old. She had appeared in nearly ten films and could be considered somewhat famous, but only somewhat.
Even combined, the total box office of all the films she had acted in did not match the two-week earnings of this young man’s Home Alone.
If poor box office results were the only issue, that would have been one thing. But critics also constantly ignored the effort she put into her performances, categorizing her as merely a pretty vase who relied on her looks and seductive charm.
Now that she was approaching the thirty-year threshold for actresses, if her career did not fundamentally change, she might spend the rest of her life playing minor roles in films.
At the cocktail party, the moment she learned Eric’s identity from a friend, Virginia Madsen immediately felt that perhaps this was a good opportunity.
She had originally thought that with her beauty, charming this eighteen-year-old young man into complete infatuation and making him fall at her feet would be effortless. If he truly could improve her acting career, she would not mind offering her body in return.
But now, before they had even exchanged many words, merely one look from him had already made her keenly realize that her plan would not go as smoothly as she imagined. The young man before her did not resemble an inexperienced youth at all. Instead, he felt more like a seasoned playboy.
“Eric, don’t you think staring at a lady like that is very impolite?”
Eric denied it. “How could it be? If beauty goes unappreciated, that would be the greatest regret in the world. As a gentleman, I absolutely cannot allow such a regret to happen.”
Flattered subtly by Eric, Virginia felt slightly pleased. “Then, Eric, do you think I might have a chance to star as the female lead in one of your films?”
As she spoke, Virginia’s petite body shifted slightly forward until she was almost pressed against Eric. The full softness of her chest rubbed lightly against him several times.
So direct.
The naked provocation instinctively stirred the hot-blooded Eric. To avoid embarrassing himself, he quickly pushed Virginia’s tempting body back slightly.
“Actually, Virginia, the moment I saw you, two words immediately came to mind: Pretty Woman.”
Virginia thought Eric was merely changing the subject and felt slightly disappointed. “Thank you for the compliment, Eric.”
“No.”
Eric shook his head.
“That’s not merely a compliment. It’s the title of my next film.”
“Your next film?” Virginia’s beautiful eyes instantly brightened.
Eric nodded.
“Yes. I had originally still been hesitating about what my next movie should be. But after seeing you, a script suddenly appeared in my mind. The film will be called Pretty Woman.”