Chapter 437: Brave Heart

At the Raphael Hotel in Paris, Sophie Marceau sat in Arthur's lap and kissed him. "The person you need to meet is here!"

Arthur smiled and gently caressed the lady's thigh. "I'll go meet her."

"I'll wait for you by the pool..." Sophie placed a delicate kiss on Arthur's earlobe.

Before long, representatives from California Pacific Investments, Emily Shead, and Morante Colin from Investcorp S.A. arrived in the room!

"Mr. Smith, are you interested in investing in Gucci?" Morante seemed a bit uncertain.

Arthur nodded. "Sure, Gucci is planning to go public, right? I believe my Galaxy Group could bring significant benefits to Gucci's promotion. Gucci has gone through a rough few years, but there are signs of recovery, and I'm optimistic!"

Morante Colin's Investcorp S.A., representing the sovereign wealth fund of Bahrain, was eager to facilitate Gucci's IPO to recoup their investment.

Especially after Maurizio Gucci was murdered, Gucci's news was making headlines everywhere.

"We are also very willing to collaborate with leading Hollywood film companies," Morante believed in Galaxy MGM's promotional power for Gucci and was keen to relinquish some shares.

Last year, Investcorp S.A. acquired 50% of Gucci shares from Maurizio Gucci for $120 million.

They appointed up-and-coming American designer Tom Ford as the creative director, marking the beginning of Gucci's revival!

However, after experiencing family disputes within Gucci, the company was struggling to recover.

Arthur nodded. "I don't have much time. I'll offer $200 million for 49% of Gucci."

"At least $250 million..."

Investcorp S.A. still needed to evaluate Arthur's offer. Arthur wasn't in a hurry; Emily would stay in France and would head to Italy for negotiations next!

...

"You should also go to Italy, right?" By the poolside of the Raphael Hotel, Sophie lazily asked as she leaned against Arthur.

"Yeah, I should. My offer sounds quite appealing to them. Investcorp S.A.'s total acquisition price for Gucci is almost $200 million," Arthur replied while patting Sophie.

"It seems the economy in France isn't doing too well!"

With rising unemployment rates, the French government proposed a social security plan, which included a highly debated pension reform.

Arthur guessed that if the pension reform passed, France would likely face a nationwide strike!

At the same time, France had military cooperation agreements with 23 French-speaking African nations but only had permanent military bases in six, including Cameroon, Djibouti, Gabon, the Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, and Senegal.

Adding to the temporary military bases in Chad, France could be seen as the king of Africa -- if the economy allowed, there wouldn't just be a handful of military bases!

Sophie merely smiled. "Cristiana Reali just called. She's heading to Marseille to see if she can come back tomorrow night."

"She's off to Marseille, huh?" Arthur took a sip from a nearby drink. "Things have been pretty busy lately."

Now, Galaxy was working closely with Canal+ and Gaumont in France to ensure their films were well-distributed!

...

That evening, at their villa by the Seine in Neuilly, Arthur and Sophie enjoyed watching the epic film Braveheart.

"You're quite interested in this film? Did you really have someone bring in a copy from 20th Century Fox France?" Sophie, sitting next to Arthur on the home theater couch, wondered, as it wasn't even a Galaxy production.

Arthur chuckled. "Though Braveheart faced criticism for its fictional history, its artistry is certainly commendable. The visuals, the score, the expressed themes, along with the battle scenes -- I'm no fan of Mel Gibson, but I think this film is even better than Kevin Costner's Dances with Wolves!"

Sophie, of course, had been paying attention. "It didn't even make $10 million on opening weekend in North America."

"Well, the film is three hours long," Arthur shook his head. "And North America isn't the main market; we need to look at Europe."

Braveheart's production cost was $75 million, but it wasn't a typical Western that Americans loved;

the Scottish national hero fighting against England wasn't something that attracted Irish Americans, who made up the largest immigrant group in the U.S.

The film featured extensive aerial shots showcasing Scotland's stunning landscapes -- its forests, meadows, and mountains would captivate anyone; the heavy use of the bagpipe showcased a rustic musical quality, moving and pure, along with the melancholic violin and lively French horn, elevated the film's score!

As a historical drama and heroic epic, "freedom" served as the narrative core, intertwining through the entire movie.

The film connected bloody yet grand ancient battles with charming screen heroes, unique Scottish culture, dark medieval imagery, a romantic love story, and stirring patriotic sentiments!

"I bet Braveheart won't have any contenders at next year's Oscars," Arthur pulled Sophie closer into his arms. "This year doesn't have a blockbuster like Forrest Gump from last year. You made a stunning French princess Isabella, by the way!"

As he spoke, Arthur's hand wandered to Sophie's soft chest, and he kissed her. "You're truly enchanting!"

Sophie caressed Arthur, kissing him on the chest, "Hmm, is everyone just going to remember my looks?"

Arthur smiled. "Should I say it's your beauty that overshadows your talent?"

Sophie glanced at Arthur. "I've always heard you say that the Oscars don't welcome pretty stars, right?"

"Yeah, they generally prefer groundbreaking performances," Arthur ran his fingers through her chestnut hair. "It's all about looking hideous, being neurotic, going against tradition, and fitting into American culture and so on. And forget about foreign films for now!"

Even foreign actors in English films found it tougher compared to local talent.

"Forget it, I've never really had any recognition," Sophie began her career as an idol, relying on her looks and didn't really possess any acting awards!

Arthur shrugged. "What's the big deal? Just take on more commercial projects. The Oscars always have Best Actor and Best Actress awards; many nominees don't really have much international influence."

Sophie shot Arthur a look. "Are you saying my acting isn't up to par?"

"Uh..." Arthur silenced whatever she might've said next!

*****

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