Chapter 317: Plans In Motion

"This is the most entertaining movie I've ever made," Scorsese declared to reporters in front of the theater before he lowered his head and got into the car. The black car began its journey towards the hotel where the crew was staying, followed by a van transporting cattle. They planned to send the cows away that night.

The three Martins, as they were often referred to, didn't give any interviews and simply hopped into the same car. Nicholson, who had a long-standing relationship with the director, chimed in, "Scorsese seems to be in a good mood and very satisfied with the film."

Martin sighed, prompting Nicholson to ask, "Do you think the film is bad?"

Martin replied, "No, remember how we scolded more than 200 people in the film?"

Leonardo chimed in, "Even more."

Martin explained, "The reason I sighed was that I'm embarrassed by the excessive swearing in the film."

Nicholson shook his head, "Your attention to detail is truly remarkable."

Martin defended himself, "Swearing is also an art."

Back at the hotel, the three of them gathered in Leonardo's room for a drink. Before they could finish half the bottle of whiskey, they were interrupted by three simultaneous text message alerts.

Martin checked his messages and found that Warner Bros. had compiled the results of a premiere audience survey.

Leonardo couldn't contain his joy, "The premiere audience gave it an average score of A+, that's fantastic!"

Martin added thoughtfully, "I think we might receive highly positive reviews."

Nicholson playfully teased, "Mostly thanks to Leo's presence."

With a promotional event scheduled for the next day, they called it a night and left early.

Warner Bros. had immense confidence in "The Departed" and raised its various ratings that very night. By the following morning, Rotten Tomatoes had given it a freshness score as high as 95%.

In the comprehensive media score released by MTC shortly after, "The Departed" averaged a score of 87 points. The renowned film critic Roger Ebert, who attended the premiere, praised it in his column, stating, "This is Martin Scorsese's best movie since 'Goodfellas' in 1990. It's one of the best films of the year."

The film's quality was undeniable, and Warner Bros.'s efforts to promote it paid off. Additionally, Martin Scorsese's track record of never making a bad film and staying true to his artistic vision earned him respect among critics.

On the other hand, Martin's new project, "The Reader," was creating a buzz in Los Angeles. Critics, including Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times, were impressed.

Kenneth Turan highlighted Martin's acting talent and artistic pursuit. He wrote, "Martin's performance as an undercover criminal within the police brilliantly captured the character's complexity, showcasing a story of desire, power, and betrayal. This complexity allows the audience to deeply connect with the character."

In Toronto, during a promotional event, Leonardo spotted the Los Angeles Times article and asked Martin, "Tell me the truth, do you have a deal with Kenneth Turan? He's criticized me for years, but he's praising you like this!"

Martin responded with a deep tone, "It's not about a deal; it's about my dedication to the art."

Leonardo quipped, "Do you even have artistic pursuits?"

Martin admitted, "That doesn't matter; what matters is that the critics and the Academy believe I do. That's the key."

Leonardo couldn't help but comment, "These people have a strange way of thinking. I used to not care about the Oscars, and they criticized me for not respecting art. Now that I actively pursue awards, they think I'm insincere."

He asked Martin, "Do they have something against me?"

Martin clarified, "No, they just look down on you. If someone is chasing you, no matter how you act or what you say, they will find a hundred ways to reject you."

Leonardo quipped, "I can come up with a thousand ways, just one way." He playfully gestured to his own appearance and asked, "Am I a poor black guy?"

Martin responded with a shrug, "Kate now knows what it takes to be their 'white knight.'"

Leonardo glanced down, took a look at his gradually expanding belly, pinched his face, and had his own realization about being their "white knight."

He couldn't help but inwardly sigh at their peculiar interests. Couldn't they just appreciate beautiful things?

Nicholson, arriving from the side, chimed in, "What's there to worry about? Even if you end up like me, the ladies will still be after you."

He glanced at Martin and decided to tease Leonardo, "Despite your 11 seconds of fame, you're still better than him..."

Leonardo interrupted him, "Stop, Jack, stop! If you keep going, I might just jump off a building out of embarrassment."

Martin immediately criticized Nicholson, "You're being cruel, Jack. How can you say Leo only has 11 seconds? Leo sprints 11 meters in a 100-meter race, now that sounds much better, doesn't it?"

Leonardo nodded in agreement with both of them, "The day I get my Oscar, I'll gift each of you 50 black beetles. Even if you cry, you'll have to finish them!"

...

Los Angeles, Pacific Film and Television Productions.

Accompanied by her assistant, Louise bid farewell to Wu Maoting, an Asian investor, and entered another reception room. Thomas was waiting there, ready to discuss the success of "The Departed" and their Oscars campaign.

Lu Yisi stated, "You've been handling relationships with critics who appreciate Martin. I'll take charge of winning over the academy judges. There are more than 1,300 judges for the Actor category awards. Typically, if a nominee receives 200 votes, they secure a nomination."

Louise inquired, "What about the judges I've influenced?"

Thomas reassured her, "They've expressed their support for Martin and are ready to mobilize resources to help him."

Louise nodded, adding, "We must put in extra effort."

Thomas assured her, "We've already allocated the resources from WMA, and Ali-Emmanuel will personally attend the key voting meetings."

However, Louise felt more was needed, "At the crucial stage of nomination voting, we need eye-catching news. With so many judges, simply urging them won't suffice. We should try to sway their choices."

Thomas mentioned, "Martin is prepared for this."

Louise agreed, "Famous figures' praise can also influence many people's decisions."

Thomas informed her, "Martin plans to handle this himself."

Then, Louise highlighted another concern, "We should be vigilant about opponents spreading negative rumors. Martin's journey so far has been smooth, but in the intense race to the Oscars, there have been past instances of dirty tactics."

The two discussed strategies to counter these challenges.

Since Harvey Weinstein joined the race, the expenditure on public relations had doubled, and scandals seemed to erupt every year, such as the recent smear campaign against soldiers.

After Thomas left, Louise returned to her office and made a call, instructing, "Rita, let's kick things into gear." Rita Baker's Public Relations Company specialized in providing publicity services for the entertainment industry. This was their busiest time of the year.

Rita Baker, a close friend of Louise since college, received the call and immediately ordered her team to start sending out the prepared emails. Soon, many members of the Screen Actors Guild, the Film Critics Association, and other award judges received emails promoting "The Departed."

...

Four Seasons Hotel Beverly Hills.

Lukaku, from the News of the World, sat in the lobby, seemingly engrossed in a newspaper, but his eyes were fixed on the hotel's entrance.

As the automatic doors opened, a familiar, portly figure entered. Lukaku whispered, "Harvey Weinstein just arrived."

Hazard picked up his bag and headed towards the lobby. He followed Harvey into the elevator, occasionally glancing at Courtois, who said nothing.

When the elevator doors opened on their chosen floor, Harvey stepped out. Azar and a few others followed. Azar pretended to select a floor, then noticed that Harvey had chosen the same one. He withdrew his hand.

As the elevator ascended and stopped, Harvey left. Azar followed him out, but then walked in the opposite direction in the corridor. He took out a small mirror from his pocket to discreetly observe the area behind him.

Some reporters at the News of the World possessed unique skills.

Seeing Harvey halt in front of a room, open the door, and enter, Azar turned and retraced his steps. Using the room layout, he identified Harvey's long-term private room number and hurried back downstairs. With the room confirmed, the next steps became much easier.