Chapter 130: Buying Houses

"Arthur, look at this. The minimalist style and the use of glass and marble should be to your liking, right?" In a luxurious seaside estate in Malibu, Jennifer Connelly was introducing the house to Arthur.

"The location is very private, with over 2 acres of land and a building area of 15,000 square feet."

Arthur smiled and nodded to the real estate agent beside him. "I like this one, and I'll also buy the two I liked in Beverly Hills and Bel-Air."

"Really?" The agent exclaimed in excitement.

"Elizabeth, I'll leave the rest of the arrangements to you," Arthur looked at the lawyer who accompanied him.

Elizabeth nodded, "Okay, Mr. Smith!"

As the designated service lawyer from the firm working with Arthur, Elizabeth excelled at handling various transaction contracts.

"I'm heading to New York. When I return next month, I hope to move in," Arthur spent nearly $15 million on these three luxury villas, which had excellent locations, large areas, and ensured privacy and security.

"No problem," Elizabeth assured him confidently.

"Let's go," Arthur nodded, then led Jennifer Connelly out.

In the car, Jennifer Connelly couldn't help but ask, "Did you just buy them directly? Aren't you going to look around more?"

"We've been looking for more than ten days," Arthur said, placing his hand on her thigh with a smile. "It's enough. I will mainly stay at the one in Bel-Air."

"Yeah, it's closer to your office," Jennifer Connelly nodded in agreement. "By the way, we have an invitation to an elite party tonight. It's at a private club in Beverly Hills. Besides Hollywood stars, some sports celebrities and journalists will also attend, and of course, there will be businessmen as well!"

Arthur shook his head, "Not interested. Just another boring party."

Jennifer asked again, "Shall I accompany you to New York then?"

"Are you really planning to be my assistant?" Arthur laughed, "You've been looking at houses for a while, you must be tired. Take a break. Besides, isn't Disney calling you back to reshoot the promotional posters for The Rocketeer?"

The Rocketeer had only grossed a little over $40 million in its first month, with low attendance, and was almost off the screens.

Disney had the main cast reshoot the promotional posters, likely hoping to make a last-ditch effort in overseas markets.

Furthermore, Jennifer Connelly's love for acting was obvious - she even left Stanford University to pursue a career in Hollywood.

Arthur asking her to be an assistant seemed like a bit much.

"Then I'll help out at your company whenever I have time," Jennifer Connelly said, winking at Arthur.

The next morning, Arthur flew to New York.

At the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan, Sony organized a cocktail party that Arthur attended, bringing along Sophie Marceau from France.

As the female lead in A Few Good Men, Arthur first had Sophie Marceau make an appearance in Hollywood.

The reputation and box office performance of Terminator 2: Judgment Day were both exceptional, leaving the producer Carolco Pictures and the distributor TriStar Pictures grinning from ear to ear.

Mario Kassar, the chairman of Carolco, was indeed elated. Having worked consecutively with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, Carolco was now the most renowned name in independent filmmaking.

"What do you think? How does Hollywood compare to the French entertainment industry?" Arthur led Sophie Marceau to a corner of the banquet hall to rest.

Sophie Marceau smiled, "It's almost the same, just more commercialized here. I thought Hollywood's independent film companies would lean more towards the artistic side. But from your conversations with the heads of Castle Rock and Carolco, it seems to be more about business interests."

"Entertainment is an industry, and movies are products," Arthur took a sip of his drink. "Even art needs money to support it. I've always supported artistic films, and will invest in a good script when I encounter one."

Sophie Marceau, at only 25, didn't yet have the breadth of experience she would gain in the future, but she certainly knew the entertainment industry better than Arthur.

"By the way, Arthur, when does the director plan to start rehearsals?" Sophie Marceau had already met with Rob Reiner, the director of A Few Good Men.

The audition process was simple; she performed a scene with Anthony Hopkins but hadn't yet met the male lead, Tom Cruise.

"In September," Arthur thought for a moment. "This time, it's just a meeting with the main creative team. You can spend next month preparing in France."

"We'll start rehearsals in September and officially begin shooting by the end of the month."

Tom Cruise, needing to reshoot some scenes for Far and Away, had his agent inform Arthur of the situation ahead of time.

Stars always had some special conditions and reasons!

"Are you trying to send me back to France?" Sophie Marceau joked.

"No," Arthur pulled Sophie Marceau closer, wrapping his arm around her waist. "Stay, Hollywood should have a place for you. When A Few Good Men releases next year, you'll see the huge difference in influence between Hollywood blockbusters and French art films."

Sophie Marceau squinted, "Hollywood is tough. The competition is intense."

Arthur smiled, "That's because they haven't met someone."

"Who?"

"Me, Arthur Smith," Arthur leaned back on the sofa. "Don't forget, two years ago, I was just a student at California State University, Northridge. And now, the box office of the films I've produced has exceeded $300 million. Among all the independent film companies in Hollywood, only Carolco Pictures can outshine my Orion."

In the past two years, Orion had released Dances with Wolves, Sleeping with the Enemy, and The Silence of the Lambs. With success in both box office and critical acclaim, only the blockbuster machine Carolco had a more prominent name.

New Line had indeed made waves with their live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but they were still a notch below Carolco and Orion.

Earlier, Carolco's president Peter Hoffman, upon seeing Arthur, didn't even dare say hello and quietly slipped away, knowing how much the small-time producer from Total Recall's premiere had grown.

Now, Arthur was on par with Carolco's chairman, Mario Kassar, while Peter Hoffman, just an employee, couldn't compare.

"No wonder. Since coming to America, the most common stories I hear are about your meteoric rise, Arthur Smith," Sophie Marceau said, looking at Arthur, raising a nearby glass, "Young and confident. Let's toast!"

*****

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