"Who is James Kitchell?"
Anson's question caught Edgar off guard for a moment. Then, without any sarcasm, he answered directly.
"An actor from the lower ranks."
"He's appeared in a few projects, tried his hand at directing, and even producing, but so far, nothing worth mentioning has come out of it."
"Some people, despite not being very talented, are obsessed with fame and fortune. They do everything in their power to break into the scene. No matter how many times they fail, they refuse to give up. Lacking talent but refusing to admit it, they spend their whole lives circling around Hollywood."
"James Kitchell is one of those."
Anson suddenly understood. "A Don Quixote."
Edgar was surprised. "Not as romantic, but yes, that's the idea."
"In Hollywood, they're like parasites, constantly wandering without gaining any real status. But to those outside Hollywood who look up to it, these people boast endlessly—claiming they had dinner with a superstar last night or chatted casually with another the night before."
"Even though we all know it's a lie, they might've just been at the same party, never even crossing paths."
"Hollywood has tons of people like that."
"And honestly, they know this better than anyone. They hate it, probably more than anyone else. That's why Kitchell is so desperate for this Johnny Cash project to take off."
"If it succeeds, he could leap into success and completely change his fate."
Edgar was calm—neither disgusted nor condescending.
To outsiders, these people might seem pitiful. But they're like oxpeckers on a rhino's back, playing a necessary part in the whole Hollywood ecosystem.
In fact, out of the 400 movies released every year, at least 50 are driven to completion by these "oxpeckers," connecting the dots behind the scenes.
"Maybe this is Kitchell's last chance, possibly his only chance."
"He's trying really, really hard. But still, no studio was interested. That's when James Mangold stepped in."
"I'm not sure about the details—I just skimmed over them—so I can't say if it was 1999 or 2000, maybe even 2001. But before that, Mangold had already been circling Johnny Cash. He was really interested in the project and wanted to be a part of it."
"But Kitchell kept refusing."
"It wasn't until he hit a dead end that he finally, reluctantly, approached Mangold."
Anson lifted his chin slightly. "I'm guessing it was 2000."
Girl, Interrupted was released in 1999, and the next year it received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. But more than the Oscar nomination, the important part was Mangold's influence.
Mangold was able to convince Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie to join Girl, Interrupted and persuade a studio to invest, even though the project was risky and experimental.
That's what Kitchell lacked—he needed Mangold.
Edgar nodded in agreement. "It must've been. In any case, Mangold finally got what he wanted and became part of the project."
"But even with Mangold on board, it wasn't smooth sailing. They spent another two years trying to find a studio. Eventually, they convinced Sony Columbia to join in."
"That's not surprising. Girl, Interrupted was funded by Sony Columbia, and Mangold has friends there."
"But I suspect that Sony Columbia's decision to get involved had something to do with June Carter's death."
Anson's eyes widened.
Edgar confirmed, "Yes. She passed away this April."
"So, Sony Columbia thought they could make some changes to the script. And just last month, Johnny Cash passed away too."
"This means the only person still sticking to the original script is Kitchell. Sony Columbia can easily take control of the project."
A lot had changed in just a few months—lives coming and going, and suddenly, this movie project had new life.
Now, thinking back to Kitchell and Mangold's reactions, those odd little details started to make sense.
Edgar added, "But I still have my doubts. I don't think this is a good project. And I suspect their motives aren't pure."
"They might just be using you to push Sony Columbia into giving them a bigger budget."
Anson replied, "Isn't that a good thing? It means I've reached the point where I can be used as leverage."
Edgar conceded, "Of course, you have that kind of pull now. Just your name could probably get a studio to invest. But that's exactly why your credibility is at stake."
"If a studio invests because of you, and it fails, it only takes one or two times before those old foxes back off again."
"And while I don't mind producers using your name, because it helps expand your influence, the issue lies with this project."
"If it's doomed to fail, and they use your name to secure funding, Kitchell might get a fleeting moment of glory for a career that doesn't even really exist. But you could end up dragged down by this mess."
"Also..."
Edgar took a deep breath.
"Our relationship with Sony Columbia is fragile right now. Even if you don't want to get involved in their internal power struggles, you don't have a choice."
"Next, if Spider-Man 2 performs well at the box office, we can completely turn the tables. But what if it fails?"
"And there are still at least eight months before the movie comes out. Until then, every interaction we have with Sony Columbia could lead to all kinds of possibilities. We need to tread carefully."
"Kitchell might just want to use you as a pawn, but we have to face the risks."
"We're not Mother Teresa."
Anson burst into laughter.
Edgar sighed. "You still have the energy to laugh?"
Anson grinned. "What, should I cry instead?"
His casual demeanor left Edgar speechless.
Anson continued, "Anyway, I haven't promised anything yet. Let's see the script first."
Edgar was startled. "Anson, you're still planning to read the script?"
Anson nodded. "Of course."
Edgar couldn't hide his frustration.
Anson gestured for Edgar to calm down. "Captain, I understand your concerns."
"But as you said, you've never read the script. You don't even know what the story is about or its quality. Being rejected by thirty studios doesn't mean it's terrible. It just means it doesn't align with mainstream tastes. It could be terrible, or it could be groundbreaking."
Edgar tilted his head. "I'm skeptical."
Anson laughed. "Me too."
"I don't really believe the script will be anything amazing, but at the very least, we should give it a chance before making a decision, right?"
"That's a matter of respect—for them, and for us."