Chapter 48: First Meeting with Griffith


    When we arrived outside the editorial department of the "Christian Truth Newspaper", I called Tim and Valente who had been staking out here. They told me that Pizhel hadn''t made any big moves and would just have a drink in a tavern on the back street after work.


    "Did you see who he was with?" I asked.


    Tim and Valente looked at each other. Tim said, "Yes. He often drinks with a man who looks very down - and - out. The two of them seem to be on very good terms."


    "A down - and - out man? Do you know him?" I asked.


    The two guys shook their heads.


    "Mr. Leamer, shall we go directly to the newspaper office or wait for Pizhel to come out?" I asked for Leamer''s opinion.


    The old man said meaningfully, "Andre, I know that tavern. I''ve heard that the wine there is very delicious and is the favorite of some big shot. It''s still early now. Wouldn''t it be nice for us to go in and have a few drinks first?"


    I nodded repeatedly, sent Tim and Valente away, and then walked towards that street with Leamer.


    The tavern wasn''t big, but the decoration was very characteristic. There were a lot of movie props in it. It was obvious that the boss must have done relevant work in the movie industry.


    We chose a more secluded seat, ordered a bottle of good wine and some food, chatted in a low voice while sizing up the door.


    After more than two hours, probably around four or five o''clock in the afternoon, a man wearing a black hat lifted the curtain and walked in.


    "Mr. Pizhel, I''ve reserved a seat for you. Are you still going to have a drink today?" The waiter in the store hurried over to strike up a conversation.


    The man waved his hand grandly. "Just as usual. Prepare two sets of tableware!"


    I sized him up carefully. He was about one meter eighty tall, thin as a telegraph pole, wearing a diagonal - striped suit, about the same age as Leamer, with a missing front tooth, holding a cigarette in his hand, and his face was pockmarked. He was a typical scruffy old man.


    Pizhel sat down at the table next to ours, back to back with me. Because the light in the store was dim, he didn''t see our faces clearly.


    About half an hour later, a man wearing a gray suit walked into the store. He was over fifty years old, with sharp features, deep - set eyes, also very thin, with messy hair and holding a newspaper in his hand.


    He stood at the door of the store and looked inside. Pizhel waved to him and he hobbled over.


    I turned my head to look at him and my heart thumped.


    This face, I had seen it countless times in documentaries and movie albums. David Griffith, the real father of Hollywood, the grandmaster who transformed movies from street shows into art! And now, he actually appeared in front of me alive.


    Seeing that I was stunned, Leamer coughed gently. Only then did I quickly lower my head.


    Griffith and Pizhel were friends for a lifetime and knew each other very well, so they started drinking as soon as they sat down.


    "David, what''s wrong with your leg?" Pizhel poured a glass of wine for Griffith.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    A burst of coughing: "It was bitten by that dog Chaplin!"


    "Chaplin?! What did he do to you?!" Pizhel laughed loudly.


    "That despicable British bastard. United Artists will be doomed sooner or later in his hands! I read the scripts he wrote this year. If those pieces of paper can still be regarded as scripts, except for that movie ''The Gold Rush'' which is a bit presentable, the others are simply nonsense. Now I heard that he is going to cooperate with Paramount again. Doesn''t he think about it? That devil Chuck won''t let United Artists go, will he?!" Griffith roared.


    Griffith in history was originally hot - tempered. As expected, it was really the case today.


    Hearing his words, I secretly laughed. In the history of movies in later generations, when it comes to Griffith and Chaplin, it is generally said that the two have a very good relationship. Unexpectedly, they also look down on each other in the movie industry.


    Pizhel waved his hand: "Never mind him, never mind him. Anyway, you don''t have any shares in United Artists anymore. Don''t bother with so many things. Tell me, what''s the good news today?"


    In order to pay off his debts, Griffith had sold all his shares in United Artists to Chaplin and Van Beek at this time. Basically, he had changed from the original partner to an ordinary director in United Artists. However, even so, he was still deeply in debt. Moreover, with that "Intolerance", the old man had become a real box - office poison. Who would dare to hire him to make a movie?


    Griffith smacked his lips and pointed to the newspaper: "Good news?! Aren''t you more clear than me? Hollywood has been in turmoil these days. It hasn''t been so lively for more than ten years since ''Intolerance''."


    Griffith laughed heartily, and then said to Pizhel, "Billy, I told you not to publish the article criticizing Andrei Corleone. You were obedient. Hehe, let them make trouble. The more chaotic it is, the better. These sons of bitches, not one of them is a good person!"


    Pizhel smiled and said, "David, I just don''t understand why you are so energetic about Andrei Corleone."


    Griffith slapped the table and shouted, "I dare say that there is no real director in Hollywood now. If there is, this kid Andrei Corleone will probably be remembered for a thousand years!"


    The people in the tavern turned their heads to look over when he blustered like this. Seeing that it was Griffith, they shook their heads one after another and went back to their own business.


    "Really?" Pizhel laughed loudly.


    Griffith gulped down a mouthful of wine and said word by word: "Really! Billy, history will prove that my ''Intolerance'' is a movie worthy of being recorded in history. I think there is also that ''Lust, Caution''! With my many years of experience, this movie is so excellent. It won''t take long, ten years, no, or maybe five years. This movie will be regarded as a classic, and those guys who criticize it will be laughed at. So, Billy, I told you not to get involved. Doing so is also to preserve your good name and prevent you from losing your integrity in your later years."


    Sitting beside me, hearing a master of the generation praise myself like this, I was both shocked and delighted. Leamer even nodded at me continuously, affirming with his eyes that what Griffith said was right.


    "Billy, I stopped you for another reason. That is, I think this turmoil is not simple, not as simple as ordinary people think. From the bishop''s coming out to the screenings of major companies, this may be a prank of a group of people trying to bring down one person." Griffith lowered his voice.


    Leamer, sitting opposite me, trembled slightly when he heard this.


    "I don''t understand." Pizhel was a little puzzled.


    Griffith whispered: "It may be that that son of a bitch Aitken has joined forces with that guy Chuck to undermine Leamer''s platform. I won''t say more to you. Just think about it. Otherwise, would a movie need the bishop to step in? Billy, I''ve been in Hollywood for so many years. I built this godforsaken place. Nothing can escape my eyes."


    "Isn''t it that you hate Chuck and Aitken and those guys the most? Why don''t you write articles to support?" Pizhel asked.


    Griffith sighed: "Look at me now. It''s already good enough to have a meal. If I write an article against Aitken, Sennett will definitely whisper to Chaplin. At that time, that son of a bitch Britisher will definitely expel me from United Artists!"


    The former emperor of Hollywood was in such a state now. Even I couldn''t help but shake my head repeatedly.


    It was time to take action.


    I knocked on the table and said in a self - talking and loud voice: "I can''t believe it. I can''t believe it. The former grandmaster of the past is now in such a state. What''s even more tragic is that he doesn''t even have the courage to speak the truth anymore. Hehe, it seems that he is old."


    Leamer, sitting opposite me, almost burst out laughing when he heard this.


    Judging from Griffith''s temper, he would definitely jump up when he heard this sentence.


    Just as I expected, Griffith slapped the cup in his hand heavily on the table and stormed over in a rage: "Which son of a bitch is speaking ill of me!"