Chapter 316: The War of the Roses

Zack Snyder's "300 Spartans" project was momentarily put aside by Matthew, leaving it under the vigilant eye of Helen Herman while he returned to the set of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith."

After rejoining the crew, Matthew and Charlize Theron shot some outdoor scenes in the wilds of Nevada, which took no more than five days to complete. Following this, the crew moved to Atlanta to film some urban scenes. By late August, they returned to the Warner Bros. studios in Burbank to shoot the most crucial scenes of the script: the epic domestic battle of the Smiths.

The studio had been transformed into a lavish home environment. The oak dining table was laden with a variety of delicacies, and candles flickered at the center, setting a warm and romantic tone.

However, the atmosphere between the two characters at the table was anything but warm.

After nearly a month of working together, Matthew and Charlize Theron's chemistry had improved significantly, and their performances were increasingly synchronized.

The shooting began with Matthew holding a bottle of red wine by the dining table, looking towards Charlize, who sat across from him. He poured her a glass of wine and handed it to her. Charlize took the glass but set it down on the table without drinking, eyeing it warily.

Matthew's eyes narrowed slightly, and his gaze sharpened. Suddenly, he let go of the bottle, dropping it towards the floor.

Charlize instinctively reached out to catch it. Her long arms and large hands, honed by practice sessions with Matthew, easily grasped the bottle.

The moment caught the director Doug Liman's attention as he sensed a spark between the two. To him, they were the perfect storm of wild and sultry, an ideal pairing for the film.

Charlize let go, and the bottle crashed to the floor, its contents spilling out.

"I'll clean this up!"

"I'll get a towel!"

Matthew and Charlize passed each other, each heading towards their respective destinations.

Two cameramen with Steadicams followed them. Matthew, taking off his suit jacket and hanging it in the hallway, entered the study. He pulled open a drawer and retrieved a silencer-equipped pistol from behind it.

Holding the gun with both hands, he stepped out of the study, cautiously looking around and calling out, "Jane, where are you?"

"Great!" exclaimed director Doug Liman. "That's a wrap for this take! Take fifteen minutes, everyone."

Matthew handed the pistol to an assistant and walked towards the dining area, unbuttoning and removing his shirt to hand it to the approaching costume designer, remaining in just a vest. He pulled out a chair by the dining table, ready to sit, as the designer returned with a fresh shirt.

Charlize, too, had changed her outfit and entered the dining room from the other side, sitting down across from Matthew.

Once dressed, Matthew sat down.

"Ready to get beaten up by me?" he joked.

"It'll be you who's getting beaten," Charlize smiled back, hinting that most of her action scenes involved stunt doubles.

Just then, director Doug Liman joined them, pulling up a chair. He looked at both actors and said, "For the upcoming scenes, besides the initial gunfight, I want to utilize kitchenware and other household items for the hand-to-hand combat."

Both Matthew and Charlize nodded in agreement.

Doug emphasized, "Remember, this is a domestic war, a marital conflict."

He didn't elaborate further, as this was meant to be a straightforward commercial entertainment film. Delving too deep into the characters or script would only detract from its purpose.

This was a sentiment Matthew shared. Ever since his role as the Scorpion King in "The Mummy Returns," he had never delved deeply into his characters' psyches, as the roles were designed to be straightforward and the films fast-paced.

During pre-production, he had discussed with Doug Liman, who had mentioned the "Matrix" trilogy as a cautionary tale. The Wachowskis had succeeded immensely with the first film by balancing deep themes with entertainment. However, they shifted focus in the sequels, leading to a decline in both critical reception and box office returns.

The successful formula for contemporary commercial films was a rapid pace and straightforward plots.

After Doug left, the fight choreographer came in to discuss the action sequences with Matthew and Charlize.

What followed was an intense domestic battle scene. Over the next three days, Matthew and Charlize tirelessly filmed from bedroom to kitchen to hallway and living room, demolishing the carefully constructed set with the help of the pyrotechnics team.

After the gunfight, the physical altercation involved quick cuts, mostly just a few seconds each, using frames and kitchen utensils as weapons.

This scene, mirroring a real marital conflict, left their meticulously decorated home in shambles.

Doug Liman had told Matthew that they couldn't rely solely

 on acting to convey the dramatic personal dynamics of the Smiths; their environment also had to reflect the underlying tension in their marriage.

Their luxurious yet soulless home was less a living space and more a showroom, filled with secrets, lies, and ennui, embodying the destructive nature of their relationship.

Three days later, the action-packed scenes were nearing completion.

In the living room's ruins, Matthew and Charlize faced each other with guns drawn, each aiming at the other's vital points.

Initially, their expressions were fierce, like a quarreling couple ready to shoot. But as Matthew looked at Charlize, bloodied and tense, he realized that her acting, while on par with his, confirmed that Oscars were not always won on merit alone.

After a few tense seconds, Matthew relaxed and sighed, lowering his gun first. "I can't do it," he admitted.

Charlize, gripping her gun, seemed on the verge of firing and yelled, "Come on! Keep going!"

"If you insist…" Matthew tossed his gun aside. "Shoot."

Charlize faltered, unable to pull the trigger, and finally confessed, "I... I can't do it!"

Matthew stepped forward, disarming her and pushing her against the wall in a climactic gesture.

However, the shoot stopped there as the next scenes, requiring more explicit content, were to be filmed after clearing the set, as per Charlize's contract.

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