Chapter 369: Chapter 93 Miracle Director and His Miracle Girls

“Let’s continue,” Adrian said after receiving feedback, then he called Gwyneth to report it all to her.

“Really?” Gwyneth’s voice sounded both thrilled and a bit weary, as she had returned to Rosarito right after Halloween. Cameron was not the type of director who liked to procrastinate, especially given the trust Adrian placed in him. The long duration of his film shoots was mainly due to his pursuit of perfection.

This was both amusing and contradictory. On one hand, he didn’t want to delay and always arranged a tight schedule. On the other hand, his continual pursuit of perfection prolonged the schedule and slowed down the shooting. Adrian had once reviewed the schedule for “Titanic” and it was no faster than a turtle’s pace; if he were directing, the main actors would have already met.

Thus, one could imagine Cameron’s work attitude. According to the information Adrian received, every member of the crew had a tough time, and Gwyneth was no exception.

“Of course, if you read the papers, you’ll know I’m not lying to you. I said you’re suited for this, and you definitely are. Just focus on your current role, you’ll surely do even better,” Adrian said comfortingly. “Remember, come back before Thanksgiving for the premiere, and tell James, if he dares not let you go, I will personally come and find him.”

In fact, the critiques were there too. A British film critic thought Gwyneth’s acting was a bit contrived and rigid in many places; an American film critic thought she shouldn’t play an Englishwoman because it erases her own traits. Regarding the film, the British critic felt that “Emma” lacked the refinement and elegance of “Howards End,” focusing too much on the relationships between men and women which weakened the story’s potential intellect. The only good thing was that its pace was better than “Howards End’s”; the American critic criticized Adrian for being too indulged in British-style films, lamenting that his two new films this year were both about stories from Britain, which was truly unfortunate.

You see, extreme opinions exist everywhere. Obviously, these critics were in the minority; most of those who attended the screenings gave “Emma” high marks. If five was the highest, then this film would be very close to four. As for the tabloids that loved to nitpick, they didn’t get to attend the screenings, so they could only stir the pot from the sidelines.

For example, serious media believed that “Emma” started shooting in April, was completed within two months, and even with another big production in post-production, Adrian managed to finish early and aggressively promoted its release before Thanksgiving with commendable quality. However, the tabloids speculated that “Emma” actually started after “Braveheart” had wrapped up, but was released ahead of it, suggesting surely there were issues with “Braveheart.”

“Perhaps the Miracle Director realized he wasn’t so confident with war films, maybe he felt too much pressure, so he had to keep delaying and making adjustments–otherwise, why not release it earlier? Maybe he will store it like ‘Scent of a Woman’ before releasing it months later,” a tabloid gleefully speculated. They were always keen on such irresponsible yet attention-grabbing acts.

Adrian didn’t know about this, and even if he did, he wouldn’t care. Except for a few top executives within the company, no one knew why he decided to release “Braveheart” later, so let the tabloids guess what they wanted. Right now, the most important thing was the premiere of “Emma,” aiming to achieve a respectable box office result.

Considering the cost of “Emma” wasn’t low, the scale of the premiere wasn’t small either. Although not as lavish as those super high-budget productions, it still attracted a good number of guests, and many reporters surrounded the outside of the theater. For many, parties, premieres, and receptions were opportunities, especially one for a Miracle Director’s film. Plus, the distribution was handled by Miramax, known for their effectiveness in this field. Even with a relatively modest budget, they still managed a splendid presentation.

“Excuse me, please,” Roger said loudly as he squeezed through the crowd, looking a bit frazzled as he finally spotted a familiar face. “Hey, William, have you seen Mr. Adrian?”

Although Roger had been managing Adrian’s financial affairs related to the movies and personally for a while and they were quite familiar with each other, he still called him “Mr. Adrian” unless it was a completely private setting.

“It reminds me who I work for,” he answered when Adrian asked, ensuring his position was quite secure.

As Roger passed by, the tall man almost tripped when unexpectedly pulled by him, instantly voicing his annoyance, “What are you doing, Roger?!”

“Sorry, buddy, I didn’t mean to,” Roger quickly apologized, paused, and then immediately asked, “I’m looking for Mr. Adrian. Miramax’s Harvey Weinstein is eager to talk to him, do you know where he is right now? I’ve looked all over the lobby and haven’t seen him.”

“Why even ask? If he’s not in the lobby, he’s definitely in the side lounge,” William Rivero said irritably, “Just look for the room with the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign, then he’s definitely inside.”

“God, I actually forgot about that, thanks.” Roger patted his arm and was about to leave but was pulled back by the other.

“You aren’t thinking of going now, are you?” Rivero said with a half-smile.

“Are you saying…” Roger raised his eyebrows and immediately thought of a possibility, and Rivero nodded affirmatively, indicating he had guessed correctly.

“Um… okay, looks like I need to tell Mr. Weinstein that now is not a good time to talk,” Roger smacked his lips, then sighed, his tone a mix of teasing and envy, similar to Rivero’s.

What Adrian would do, those close to him knew, Roger included, as well as William Rivero who had been his assistant director several times. Although they wouldn’t verbalize it, internally they inevitably gave a thumbs-up, for even though such matters were common in Hollywood, there were few who could juggle several women and keep them all in check like Adrian could. Of course, it was best to keep such matters to oneself, because if word got out…

In the theater’s lounge, a lady sat in front of the vanity, adjusting her clothes. She wore a pink thin-strap long dress, her blonde hair elegantly pinned up at the back, exposing her clear swan neck and two-thirds of her back, creating a rather enticing appearance, while a contented, almost imperceptible smile played across her face in the mirror, radiant yet sexy.

“You really are too tempting, Gwyneth.” After zipping up his pants and draping his tie over his shirt, Adrian came up behind her and hugged her, gently kissing her shoulder.

“It’s always like this; you seem to enjoy doing this kind of thing during this kind of thing,” Gwyneth Paltrow playfully rolled her eyes as she adjusted the strap of her long dress.

“Hey, it seems like you were the one who pulled me here today,” Adrian reminded her.

“You could have refused, couldn’t you?” Gwyneth immediately retorted; okay, never argue with a woman on this topic, so Adrian quickly raised his hands, “Okay, my fault.”

Then, he sat down next to her, leaned close to her ear, and exhaled with a grin, “Don’t you think it’s thrilling to be intimate in a room that’s only separated by a wall from a bustling crowd? Oh, maybe I should have the wall knocked down and replaced with that mirror they often use in police stations–one that we can see out of but they can’t see into us. That would be even more thrilling, perhaps even someone might use the mirror to do their makeup.”

“You’re really naughty, Ed!” Despite frowning, Gwyneth’s tone was teasingly affectionate.

The two flirtatiously bickered for a while before the dressed Adrian stood up and extended his hand, “Alright, let’s head out; the movie is about to start. You’ll soon see your perfect performance.”

“I can’t wait,” Gwyneth said as she affectionately hooked her arm through his, just as she had done before under the watchful eyes of numerous reporters at the theater.

Even though the shutters clicked incessantly and the flash never stopped, Adrian was unfazed. Let the reporters shoot if they liked–rumors had circulated about him and Gwyneth before, and some truths would inevitably come to light. Before that, it might be better to muddy the waters–and to do it as thoroughly as possible.

“By the way, Ed, Thanksgiving is coming up; maybe we could plan something?” Gwyneth suddenly proposed as they left the lounge.

“Sorry, Gwyneth, I’ve already made plans for Thanksgiving,” Adrian replied without hesitation, then patted her arm, which was linked with his, with sincere apologies.

A complex expression flickered across Gwyneth’s eyes. Although she was prepared for it, she didn’t expect Adrian to refuse so bluntly. She knew what Adrian’s plans were; he hadn’t tried too hard to hide them, leaving Gwyneth with no room to play any small tricks or throw a fit, so she just bit her lip softly.

The movie was undoubtedly successful. As a romantic comedy adapted from a classic, it fared quite well. Over several dozen minutes, many viewers were amused by the engaging plot. The warm-toned visuals were comforting to watch, and the elaborate attire and scenery excellently portrayed the Victorian manor style of the United Kingdom. Gwyneth’s performance was also notably impressive.

“Oh, Mr. Knightley, don’t you think this is fitting?” Gwyneth’s character said this line on screen with a slight smirk and mischievous, rolling eyes, looking adorably smug and a bit wicked. Her elegant movement of pinching the teacup with two fingers and carelessly bringing it to her lips garnered much applause at the end.

“No American actress has portrayed British charm as perfectly as Gwyneth, nor has any American director created a film with such exquisite British flair as Adrian. A remarkable actress paired with a remarkable director makes for a remarkable movie.” — The Independent

“While it may not compare thematically with ‘Howards End,’ Adrian’s mastery of British style remains unmatched.” — Empire

“Gwyneth’s impressive acting should silence those critics.” — Chicago Tribune

Following the premiere, journalists who had long awaited the release due to previous controversies immediately set their pens in motion. Miramax’s PR skills were undeniably strong; they had utilized promotional opportunities well, with initial screenings receiving overwhelming praise. At 90% during the previews and only dropping to 85% post-premiere, the majority of the American critics gave high ratings.

The British media, however, was split. Some argued that ‘Emma’ was not at all comparable to ‘Howards End’ and that Adrian’s direction was on a sharp decline. Others felt Gwyneth’s performance was overrated, merely mediocre compared to outstanding British actresses. Nonetheless, the overall reception leaned toward the positive.

Speaking strictly in terms of the films themselves, “Emma” definitely wasn’t on par with “Howards End”; after all, the former was merely a romantic comedy while the latter carried a much deeper meaning. But who could deny the influence of a film directed by Adrian? The Miracle Director’s reputation had touched the hearts of many, and together with his previous excellent works and numerous achievements, he had managed to bridge the gap. Moreover, the Weinstein brothers’ Miramax did not fall short in promotion compared to Bossworth controlled by Laverne.

Gwyneth was no exception: if we only talk about the performances in the film, indeed any outstanding British actress could have done the job. But what set her apart was her starting point–a born and raised American actress from an acting family who managed to deliver an unmistakably British flair, satisfying British pride immensely. Moreover, Adrian’s influence played a role; any actor favored by the Miracle Director was bound to succeed, naturally receiving more acclaim.

Thus, “Emma,” which had initially received critical acclaim but failed at the box office, managed to earn $15 million in its opening week across 2000 theaters. Although this figure wasn’t exceptionally good, it was much better than the original version remembered, significantly increasing the likelihood of recouping its budget. Gwyneth’s popularity soared, jumping from a second-tier actress to almost a top-tier status overnight.

“Do you remember what I told you?” Adrian said leisurely when he received a call from Gwyneth.

“Oh, I love you, Ed, I really, really love you,” Gwyneth excitedly responded.

However, as the film became popular, his and Gwyneth’s rumored affair also started to create a buzz, especially since Gwyneth had been photographed entering the theater on premiere night arm in arm with him. Consequently, the gossip-hungry tabloids sprang into action–this was one of the reasons the film received a high percentage of positive reviews, the tabloids were too busy covering their scandal.

Some tabloids dug up old news from when “Emma” started filming, suggesting they had been dating since then. Others speculated based on previous reports about Adrian and Julia, alleging that the Miracle Director was two-timing. Still, others brought up old photos of Adrian dating Monica, considering Gwyneth a front and that he was still seeing Julia.

In no time, various insider stories emerged, greatly satisfying the public’s appetite for gossip.

As the most prominent tabloid, The Sun boldly listed names including Monica, Julia, Gwyneth, and even Kate Blanchett, under the headline: “Miracle Director and his Miracle Girls.”

They adopted the tone of an eyewitness, laying out well-known facts such as Monica Bellucci, an extremely rare Italian actress in Hollywood, stabilizing her career with a role in Adrian’s “Pulp Fiction” and later establishing her position after Adrian publicly recognized her as his muse at the Cannes Film Festival; or Julia Roberts, whose popularity plummeted because of “Dying Young” but regained momentum after starring in Adrian’s “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” with rumors suggesting Adrian had rewritten the script for her; and Kate Blanchett, who had been approached several times to star in “Speed”; and concerning Gwyneth Paltrow–what situation would lead a director to cast an American actress for a British role?

“Clearly, Adrian has a predilection for elegantly poised women, particularly Kate Blanchett and Gwyneth Paltrow who are very similar in demeanor and appearance, not to mention Julia Roberts. Monica Bellucci might be an exception, yet equally charming, so I wonder what Sophie Marceau will look like in his next release?” concluded the reporter from The Sun with this reflection.

Regrettably, Kate was forgotten; although she had roles in four of Adrian’s films, she hadn’t left a particularly deep impression. “Twisters” could have been a good opportunity, but the massive disaster scenes overshadowed everything, and her subsequent pregnancy meant that she gradually faded from public attention.

But this situation led to Adrian having a rather depressed Thanksgiving, Kate being a woman and just as unsympathetic, especially amid flying rumors of his infidelities.

In sum, although The Sun’s article didn’t add a single unnecessary word and showed no bias, the implications were quite clear, resulting in the public re-assigning Adrian titles such as playboy and Casanova, tags that had previously circulated only within certain circles. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to vote for it at wuxiaworld.site. Your support is my greatest motivation.)