Chapter 8: Hollywood Babylon

WE WERE IN the studio at eight o’clock Monday morning. They brought a more substantial breakfast than the donuts we’d had when I viewed rushes. They were some kind of fancy pastry rollup that had egg and meat and cheese in them. They were pretty handy because you didn’t really need a knife and fork to eat them unless you were picky about not touching your food. They weren’t bad, but I’d add some more spice to it if I were making them. At least more salt and pepper. After I’d had one and a cup of coffee, I switched to the sweet rolls and coffee.

We all got new, fresh copies of the script that had been compiled with a column of editing notes by Geraldine. This was officially the movie the way it was shot, not the movie according to the initial script. Geraldine must have worked on this for days! There was a third column with room to write notes on anything that came up during the meeting.

We went through the whole script and I wrote notes in the last column where they were asking for promo pictures.

“Remember, Nate, the picture you take doesn’t have to be the exact same pose and position that’s in the movie. If it has the same actor, set, and costume, just make sure it has the same over all feeling,” George Ripley from the marketing team said.

I nodded and scrawled some more notes. These people better be standing in a line waiting for their picture to be taken in order to get through all the pictures I needed to take. On one side of me, Adrienne was keeping notes I couldn’t read because they were in French. On the other side, Chrystal was writing on her copy of the script and had a clipboard with a chart on it where she was putting in names and scenes.

Lunch was catered in and we ate in the conference room. Everybody got a bathroom break and we headed for the viewing room where the movie was set to run. I was reminded again that this was still a rough cut and there would be marks on the film that flew past as well as no music, no effects, and sometimes poor sound. I figured it must be pretty bad since they’d warned me about this half a dozen times.

We settled in and the movie started with scenes of Tenbrook, people chatting on the street, being friendly with each other. It was a slightly distorted view of our small town. I’d only ever seen that many people on the street during our two parades. This was almost as busy as the Loop. Still, it was fun to see so many people I knew up on the screen. It was so natural that I scarcely noticed when Joe stepped up to the counter at Market Central and paid an actress I thought I recognized but wasn’t sure of.

“Lila, you get prettier every time I see you,” he said. “I can just see your picture on the cover of a magazine in the future.” He grabbed a fashion magazine off the rack next to the counter and pointed to the cover. “You should come by the studio and we’ll do a series of pictures you could submit to this magazine.”

“Mr. Price,” the girl said in a hushed voice. She was actually blushing. “I won’t be eighteen for another month. I’ll come for a picture then.”

“Good idea, Lila. We’ll be able to do some nice artistic poses then.”

She bit her lip and smiled at him.

Wow! Character established! You could tell right away that Joe was a photographer, a smooth talker, and a ladies’ man. You could see that he was putting the make on a seventeen-year-old, and from her response, it probably wasn’t the first time they’d talked.

There was enough action to indicate a month had passed. That included Joe taking a family portrait of the Rossi family: Myrna, Sally Jane, and Vincente. There was a little interaction between Joe and Myrna when she stopped to ask when they could see their family portrait and Joe made suggestions to Myrna that she seemed to entertain.

In the next scene, Lila walked in. Now I remembered her. I’d taken her picture on the first day of shooting. The scene was more developed this time, though, and we watched Joe talk the now eighteen-year-old out of her clothes and into his bed. When I’d taken her picture, I had to keep reminding her to keep her legs together. She seemed to think having a nude portrait included a shot of her pussy. Well, I didn’t have to retake that portrait on Tuesday.

And so, the day progressed. They stopped and rewound the movie a few times to check a scene, then marked their notes with some bit of information about needing a particular transition effect or sound effect. Then the movie continued.

It would run just over a hundred minutes when it was all edited. Viewing it in the meeting took a little over three hours. We’d had to have an impromptu intermission so guys could go out and smoke and use the bathroom.

Adrienne had warned me that the meeting would go through dinner. It, too, was catered into the conference room and was quite delicious—a Cajun chicken dish, I was told.

“So, Nate, from your perspective, how did we do?” Reg asked.

I took a puff on my pipe and then started in.

“It gave me goosebumps,” I said. There was some applause. “I really didn’t understand how you were going to set the murder up without implicating Joe. Vincente and Sally Jane are arguing in the restaurant and we see Joe slip into the kitchen from a back door and steal the rolling pin. Then we see him picking up Sally Jane in his car. We never see her again. We don’t even realize she’s missing until the police start investigating the disappearance of both Myrna and Sally Jane. It’s actually possible that Vincente killed both of them, because they happen to be uncovered in the same place. But then you see the rolling pin in the cistern as well. That’s when I really got chills.”

“Good! That’s excellent!” Frank said. “Any big flaws you noticed?”

“Only one and it’s not really a flaw,” I said. “Just something I’d be concerned about. Why make Vincente so obviously Italian. I mean, even Sally Jane only says her father has connections and Joe had better watch out. But to have him obviously Italian connects him to the Mafia. It seems a little cliché at best and at worst could be considered racist.”

“Nate, you gotta understand, there are people you can poke at and there are people you can’t poke at. Italians eat up the Mafia stuff. They want to be seen as a tough and emotional people. This ... Yeah, it plays to the cliché. But look what we had to work with. If we’d have made him the owner of a Jewish Delicatessen, the Jews would crucify us. If he was a German baker, people would be howling about Nazis. If we made him black—oh, God forbid! If the NAACP didn’t shut us down for portraying a black man as a violent wife murderer, the MPAA would shut us down for showing a mixed race marriage. We’d have protesters lining the streets. Italians ... well, they’re mostly safe. We even got a guy to play the role who’s got Italian blood.”

“I guess racism is something that could be called on almost anything. I just don’t like to see it so blatant. Like why did he need to be ethnic anything? Just be an American?” I asked.

“The truth is that one day that will happen, but we aren’t there yet. We’re still having to force integration by putting kids on buses and sending them all the way across town to attend a school where they’re the only white kid or the only black kid. We can’t have two villains in the same movie that are just ordinary white guys. Unless it’s a western. One of them had to be a little different,” Reg said.

I nodded. We went on with the de-briefing. About eight o’clock, Adrienne took me home and we went straight to bed. I was on production schedule in the morning.

It was going to be a hell of a day. Fortunately, I was used to getting up in the morning and going to classes. We were at the studio at seven o’clock to get set up for the first scene I had to shoot. The actors had been there at six-thirty to get into costumes and makeup. I was starting with the Vincente and Sally Jane scene on the restaurant set. This time, all I could touch or move was my cameras and the actors. We were officially on set, so lighting was handled by the electricians and props were handled by the grips. Makeup and costumes were handled by union workers and, of course, Art and Lorna were union members.

It was the first time I’d met Art Colley, the actor portraying Vincente. He wasn’t at all like the character in person. He was happy to take any direction I gave and made helpful suggestions when I asked for them. Of course, I’d had my hands all over Lorna in our private photo session. I was a little more reserved when I got her into position with an entire crew standing around.

That was all I needed with them on this set. Actors were being paid for a full day, so I didn’t need to do every scene with a given actor before moving to the next. It was more important to get every shot in a particular setting. The next one was Joe and Jenny in the restaurant with their two little kids. It was nice to see Fran again and there were a couple of other extras who occupied tables or played a waitress.

I had an idea and positioned the table and actors so the waitress was just behind Fran’s shoulder, looking at Joe. I had her touch the corner of her mouth with her tongue in a come-hither look and wink at Joe. I wasn’t sure that the actress was actually one of the women Joe took pictures of, but I figured she could have been, whether it was in the movie or not.

After one more quick scene in the restaurant, we moved to Joe and Jenny’s kitchen and I got to work with Fran again. This was a scene showing that she handled the household. The two kids were with her, tended by their wrangler, and a dog was there with a handler as well. We did a picture with the dog jumping up on Fran and licking her face. There was another with Fran’s back turned as the dog ate off the kid’s high chair tray. Cute.

And so, the day went. I took pictures on the set for the Rossis’ house where Myrna was murdered. There was a picture on the bank set where Joe was depositing money. And more pictures in the studio. There was even a picture I had to set up of Joe and Sally Jane in a car, which was a cutaway with a painted background in the rear window and no engine compartment, so I could move right up to where the windshield would be to take the pictures as if I was inside the car. Wild.

We finished everything at about six o’clock and everyone went home. Chrystal took charge of all the film and assured me it would all be processed overnight. In addition to the next film review, I’d be meeting with the marketing people on Wednesday afternoon to pick the shots they wanted me to print on Thursday.

Missy’s residence was on the way home, so we picked her up and went to dinner before we took her to Adrienne’s apartment.

“I’m very excited,” Missy said in the limo. “As if you couldn’t tell. And Adrienne, I’m honored that you would allow me to join you tonight.”

“My master likes you. I would never consider denying him access to your beautiful body.”

“Oh, God, yes. I don’t know what’s wrong with me this fall, but no one has had access to my body since ... like, forever, it seems,” Missy said. “So, you’re really like Nate’s slave? I don’t know how that works. You do anything we tell you to?”

“Let me explain something to you,” Adrienne said, taking Missy’s chin in her hand and turning her face toward her. If I were Missy, I’d be peeing my panties at that tone. “Nate is my master. Anything he orders me or asks me to do, I will do with the greatest of joy. The same goes for his family, Miss Anna, Miss Ronda, and Miss Patricia. Their orders can only be superseded by his. But no one else in this world has that claim to my loyalty or obedience. Even my sponsor, who I obeyed for ten years, has resigned his authority over me now that Nate has taken me as his mistress.”

“Um ... I understand,” Missy said. “You know what? I’m fine with being low woman on this totem pole. There’s Nate, then his three girlfriends—and I’ve seen them when they picked him up at the airport. I’d almost bet his little girl is above everyone else. And then you. Somewhere down here among the masses of women who model for him or work in his studio or that he finds jobs for in the movies, among the ones that he allows to be with him on occasion, is Missy. I know what people—men who generally fly for business—call stewardesses. We’re sky mattresses. There was a guy on the flight out here who actually called me that. In a way, it’s true. I joined the team in the sky because I like to party and I thought that one day Mr. Right would come along and take me out of the sky and make me his personal forever mattress. I don’t know if that makes us the same as whores or if I’m a little lower than that. But I understand my place in the world and I’m pretty happy with it. Adrienne, if I step out of line, tell me and I’ll correct the error.”

“That was a real mouthful to get out, Missy,” I said, giving her a quick kiss. Adrienne followed suit. “I want you to know, though, that the masses really aren’t that many. And I don’t consider you a sky mattress. I thought the term was pretty disgusting when my friend Valerie used it to describe herself. And don’t give up on the dream. She actually found a guy flying first class international who swept her off her feet and she’s getting married in June. It was something I thought she’d never succeed at, but she proved me wrong and is excited and happy about it.”

“I’ve only been in the air just under three years,” Missy sighed. “I know there’s hope out there. I just hope that Mr. Right isn’t put off by the number of guys I’ve tried out. When you’re traveling, though, sometimes it’s awfully hard to resist the opportunity to party.”

“You know, one of the guys at the studio yesterday said something about how the times were changing rapidly and things we show today, we won’t be able to show in five or ten years. I have a feeling that the same will be true in every walk of life, whether it is in matters of race and class, sexual relations, jobs, or anything else. I don’t know how to feel about it. On one hand, I think good. We should be making life better for everyone. On the other hand, I think, damn it, my little games aren’t going to be acceptable any longer. I won’t be able to use my camera to seduce beautiful young women into taking their clothes off for me. What do you think of that?”

While I was speaking, I punctuated sentences with kisses, stroking Missy’s cheeks, and petting her breasts and legs. I managed to get enough buttons on her blouse open that I could slip my hand inside to cup her breast.

“I think that we should enjoy what we have in hand, and not borrow trouble from the future,” Missy said. She punctuated her remark by stroking my cock through my slacks.

“As long as you are enjoying it as much as I am, I couldn’t agree more,” I said.

“Oh, I am. I am,” Missy sighed as I pushed her bra up above her breast so I could play with her bare nipple.

The limo pulled up in front of the apartment building and Missy started to pull herself back together. Adrienne stopped her.

“If my master has uncovered you, you should not reject his efforts by covering back up,” she said.

“But if we’re going ... Um ... Are there people outside?”

“Mmm. The driver will open the car door. Samuel will let us into the building. It’s always possible we will meet someone in the hall or on the stairs. Does that concern you if you are in the company of my master and his devoted mistress?”

“Um ... You know what? No, it doesn’t concern me. The only people I care about are you and Nate. I’m ready.”

Even though her blouse was unbuttoned and her bra was pushed up above her breasts, Missy wasn’t really exposed. She just looked a little disheveled. I carried her overnight bag while she walked erect and proud next to Adrienne.

We had a lot of fun until very late at night or early morning, if you will. It wasn’t all sex, either, though nearly all was naked.

“My master likes having two women with him who will make love to each other,” Adrienne said. “Have you ever made love with another woman, Missy?”

“Well, not exactly. You know there have been times when another stewardess invited me to share a guy she’d hooked up with. But mostly, we just waited our turn with the guy and even though we were both naked, touching each other was kind of incidental,” Missy said.

“Do you like the way I’m touching you?” Adrienne asked. “I think you have beautiful breasts. And the way you’ve shaved your vulva tells me you’re kind of hoping it gets a little tongue action. May I have a little taste of you, Missy?”

“Oh, Adrienne. I love the way you’re touching me. You’d really do that with another woman? I mean, with me?”

“Oh, yes. Do you know what I’d do? I would dip my tongue in you and gather up your juices on it. Then I would offer it to my master in a kiss.”

“Please! I mean, please do it, Adrienne. Oh! Oh! Oh!”

I’ve noticed that when women experience something for the first time, it either makes them so nervous they can’t enjoy it at all, or it puts them on an absolute hair trigger for their orgasm. It seemed Missy responded the latter way. And, it didn’t take long for her to reciprocate as I took her from behind while she was perched on top of Adrienne’s mouth with her own mouth on Adrienne’s pussy.

On the other hand, I could see her whole body freeze up when I opened Adrienne’s anus with my cock. I really thought she might hyperventilate and pass out, just watching. Adrienne, however, pulled Missy to her in a kiss and guided her hand to her clit to help her over the edge as I fucked her.

In the morning, we invited Missy to join us for a little while at the studio. I’d warned her that the viewing would be closed, but I’d give her a tour around the soundstage before the limo took her home. As we were touring, though, we encountered Reg and introduced her to him. I could tell immediately that he was sizing Missy up as potential talent.

“If you aren’t busy this morning, why don’t you stay for the screening?” Reg said.

“Is that permitted?” I said before Missy could respond.

“Unless you have an objection to it. We’re at that point where we’d invite a select audience for a screening just to see how the story plays. We might as well start with one this morning,” he said.

“Missy?” I said. “Would you like to stay?”

“I’d love to! Are you kidding?”

“I think we have our first select audience member who really knows nothing about the story or the film,” I said.

We grabbed coffee or soft drinks and went into the screening room to take a seat. I sat with Adrienne on one side and Missy on the other and was surprised that they let the film play straight through. I’d gotten pretty good at ignoring sound gaffes, the lack of transition effects, and no music. I don’t think Missy even noticed.

We stood up to stretch after it was over and I was going to escort Missy to the limo when Reg, Frank, and George rushed up to us.

“Well, what did you think?” Reg started.

“Stop! Stop! Stop!” Chrystal said rushing up to us. “We have a form for this. She needs to answer the survey before we have a discussion.”

“I suppose that would be the right way,” Frank sighed. “Begging your pardon, Miss. We’d like you to respond to a simple survey that Chrystal has and then would like you to join us in the conference room where we’re going to discuss the film, if you would be so kind.”

“Okay. Sure. It’s no big deal,” Missy said. “It’s cool.”

“Okay, so all of you know, this is Missy Caufield,” I said by introduction. “She’s a stewardess that I’ve flown with on a few occasions. I invited her to tour the soundstage and Reg caught us and invited her to view the film. Chrystal got her to fill out the survey, so now we can ask questions.” I looked around at the people in the room. Reg had asked me to introduce her. “Is that good enough for an introduction?”