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10-13 minutes
The taxi came to a halt, and Luc Besson and Jean Reno stepped out one after the other, gazing at the villa before them.
"We've arrived," Besson stated. "Isn't it unbelievable, Jean? I actually followed the instructions of a young girl and eagerly journeyed from Paris to this place." He let out a sigh.
"But, Luc, you were always a bit eccentric. Aren't all geniuses a little mad? Perhaps this young girl is also a bit unconventional," Jean Reno replied casually, shrugging his shoulders.
"I hope the female protagonist she mentioned lives up to my expectations," Besson chuckled, striding confidently towards the house. A butler stood waiting in front of the entrance.
"Excuse me, are you Mr. Luc Besson and Mr. Jean Reno?" inquired the butler.
"Yes, that's correct," Besson and Reno replied simultaneously with polite nods.
"Please, follow me. The young lady has been eagerly awaiting your arrival," the butler graciously held the door open, signaling them to enter.
"Hello, Mr. Luc Besson and Mr. Jean Reno," greeted an elderly man already seated in the living room, accompanied by a well-mannered middle-aged gentleman.
"Good day, you must be Mr. Mason," Besson addressed as both he and Reno took their seats.
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"Yes, indeed, but I have no involvement in this matter," the old man smiled and waved his hand, then gestured towards the middle-aged man beside him. "This is Mr. Jack Sparrow, my granddaughter's agent. He will handle the negotiations. I won't disturb you."
After the elderly man departed, Sparrow rose from his seat and extended his hand to shake Besson's. Besson cleared his throat, preparing to speak, but a voice from above abruptly interjected, "Are you Mr. Besson and Mr. Reno?"
Besson and Reno directed their gaze upwards, where they spotted a charming and radiant girl gracefully descending the staircase. She possessed a youthful appearance, yet there was an air of maturity about her, particularly evident in her captivating emerald green eyes that seemed to hold profound stories. Within her gaze, innocence intertwined with a hint of confusion and sadness.
It was Mathilda. It was Mathilda! Besson immediately set aside any reservations he had from their phone conversation the day before. In his eyes, this girl unquestionably embodied the ideal choice for the female protagonist.
Approaching Besson with poise, the girl reached out her hand. "I'm delighted that you could make it. My name is Angela Mason."
"Indeed, I felt compelled to come; otherwise, accusations of infringement would be inevitable," Besson admitted, shrugging his shoulders.
Angela responded with a cheerful smile, saying, "I trust you've made all the necessary preparations."
Although they had discussed this matter over the phone the previous day, Besson couldn't shake off a lingering sense of unease. After all, he had commenced preparations without obtaining authorization from the original author, a clear ethical concern.
"You see when you sent the script to Jean, you omitted any contact information, leaving us unable to reach you," Besson explained, his smile now tinged with bitterness. "What sort of arrangement is that? Sending the script to Reno without providing an address—what does that imply? If it hadn't been for Roger stumbling upon you, if Reno hadn't recently watched《The Parent Trap,》if Amanda hadn't coincidentally known about a talented girl in Hollywood, would you have waited until the movie was released to sue us for copyright infringement? Is this some sort of mockery or a joke aimed at us?"
"Alright, I was just joking. The script was accidentally sent out, and I haven't finished it yet. As you may have noticed, the last third of it is written in a novel format. If it has caused any inconvenience for you, I sincerely apologize," Angela expressed with genuine relief, grateful that she had found Natalie as it lifted a significant weight off her shoulders.
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Originally Besson wanted to inquire why she hadn't written a letter to Reno to retrieve the script once she knew his address. However, he decided it would be best not to introduce unnecessary complications and returned to the primary topic. "Let's set that aside for now. Before we delve into negotiations, may I ask about the original intent behind creating this script, Miss Mason?"
Age, indeed, presented a considerable challenge. Angela inwardly sighed but had prepared her response. "I simply wanted to craft a fairy tale, a fairy tale centered around assassins. I didn't overthink it initially. However, after watching numerous films on assassins, I became profoundly intrigued by their lives. Hence, I aimed to write a story about an assassin with a pure heart. As for the female protagonist, she wasn't initially conceived because I wasn't sure what kind of person a killer or the lover of a pure-hearted assassin should be like. It wasn't until I read《Lolita》that this female protagonist emerged as an interesting concept. That's essentially it."
"I have to say, Miss Mason, your range of reading is truly impressive," Besson was slightly surprised.
"It's not strange. My favorite things to do are drawing, music, reading, and creating. Everyone often comments that I possess a maturity beyond my age," the little girl said with a smile.
"In that case," Besson glanced at Reno beside him and continued, "from your drawings, we can see that Leon's character resembles Jean. Why did you think he was suitable for that role? By the way, your drawings are beautiful."
"It's a feeling. After watching《The Big Blue》I thought Mr. Reno was well-suited for this rough but sensitive character. And by the way, Mr. Reno's nose is even more distinctive than it appears in the movies," Angela playfully made a slightly teasing remark, causing Reno to chuckle. At the same time, she handed over a pen and a notebook that she had prepared in advance.
"Thank you for your trouble, Mr. Reno," the little girl blinked her eyes, causing Besson next to her to laugh lightly.
"You're quite charming, Miss Mason," Reno complimented, smiling warmly as he accepted the pen and notebook. Like the others before him, he wrote a few lines and signed his name on the previous pages.
"Well then, shall we discuss the specific terms with Mr. Sparrow?" Besson proposed, his smile unwavering.
"Absolutely, but before we proceed, may I have a look at the complete script?" Angela inquired.
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"Oh, certainly." Besson retrieved the bound script from his briefcase and handed it over. "Initially, I had an idea for a script about assassins, which I incorporated while making modifications. I don't anticipate any significant issues."
Upon hearing this, Angela's heart skipped a beat. The timing of her accidental encounter was nothing short of serendipitous. She immediately focused her attention on the script in her hands. It didn't take her long to thoroughly peruse its contents. The script remained largely unchanged, as the version ingrained in her memory was already regarded as the finest and most renowned. However, Besson had added several poignant details to the emotional scenes between Leon and Mathilda, including the famous deleted scene.
The deleted scene in question referred to a sequence conceptualized by Besson for the preceding film, 《Leon: The Professional,》aiming to portray the intimate bond between the two characters. It depicted Mathilda taking a shower in the bathroom, with Leon casually entering to hand her a piece of clothing, which she readily accepted without hesitation. However, due to opposition from the Portman family, this scene was never filmed and subsequently became known as the deleted scene.
Angela had no intention of including it either, so she decisively crossed it out with a bold stroke and returned the script, affirming, "Apart from this scene, there should be no other concerns."
Besson glanced at the crossed-out section and was about to speak when Angela preemptively said, "Mr. Besson, the protagonist is just a girl over 10 years old."
"Alright, you're the screenwriter," Besson shrugged his shoulders, but then he quickly added, "Can I invite you to play this role, Miss Mason?"
The little girl frowned and put away her smile. "Mr. Besson, I believe I made it clear in our phone call yesterday, didn't I?"
"I don't mean to offend you Miss Mason, but in my opinion, you are the perfect choice for Mathilda. Perhaps you don't think so, but what I want to say is, please trust my judgment as a director," Besson spoke sincerely.
Angela fell silent for a moment before asking, "Did you bring my drawings?"
Besson immediately took out several pages of sketches from between the script and placed them on the coffee table. Angela picked out the one with the girl sitting by the window, glanced at Luc Besson, and walked to the entrance. Besson understood and followed her.
"In a sense, this script was written for her," Angela opened the sketch and looked at the girl depicted on it, quietly saying. Even after so many years, she could still draw a likeness based on her memory.
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"Wait, Miss Mason, you said earlier that in the original script..."
"These sketches were drawn after I completed the final draft," Angela didn't explain further but held up the drawing in front of him and pointed to the bottom right corner. "This is the drawing date."
Besson leaned in, closely examining the sketch. Amidst the intricate colored pencil lines, he eventually discerned the date: October 1989. He stared at the young girl before him, a mixture of confusion and astonishment evident in his expression. "And then?"
"I only met her face-to-face yesterday," Angela replied softly, a hint of bewilderment shining through her emerald-green eyes.
It took Besson several moments to process this revelation, and he exclaimed, "That's impossible!"
The sudden outburst caught Sparrow and Reno off guard, drawing their attention from their conversation on the sofa.
"I assure you, I'm speaking the truth," the little girl spoke quietly, her eyes conveying an unwavering determination. "I can handle the entire film's music and compose the theme song myself—I have complete faith in my abilities—and it will be free of charge."
Besson fully grasped the weight of the situation. If he couldn't adhere to Angela's instructions, everything would be in jeopardy. Being a highly regarded director, he was accustomed to being in control, and few dared to impose such strong demands on him. In the past, he might have stormed away in frustration.
However, this time, he was genuinely captivated. How could Angela accurately draw the appearance of someone she had never met? It defied all logic and reason. Yet, there was an undeniable sincerity in Angela's words.
He let out a sigh and finally relented, "Very well, let her come for an audition. Does that meet your approval?"
Angela fell silent for a brief moment before releasing a soft sigh. "Okay."
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10-13 minutes
The taxi came to a halt, and Luc Besson and Jean Reno stepped out one after the other, gazing at the villa before them.
"We've arrived," Besson stated. "Isn't it unbelievable, Jean? I actually followed the instructions of a young girl and eagerly journeyed from Paris to this place." He let out a sigh.
"But, Luc, you were always a bit eccentric. Aren't all geniuses a little mad? Perhaps this young girl is also a bit unconventional," Jean Reno replied casually, shrugging his shoulders.
"I hope the female protagonist she mentioned lives up to my expectations," Besson chuckled, striding confidently towards the house. A butler stood waiting in front of the entrance.
"Excuse me, are you Mr. Luc Besson and Mr. Jean Reno?" inquired the butler.
"Yes, that's correct," Besson and Reno replied simultaneously with polite nods.
"Please, follow me. The young lady has been eagerly awaiting your arrival," the butler graciously held the door open, signaling them to enter.
"Hello, Mr. Luc Besson and Mr. Jean Reno," greeted an elderly man already seated in the living room, accompanied by a well-mannered middle-aged gentleman.
"Good day, you must be Mr. Mason," Besson addressed as both he and Reno took their seats.
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"Yes, indeed, but I have no involvement in this matter," the old man smiled and waved his hand, then gestured towards the middle-aged man beside him. "This is Mr. Jack Sparrow, my granddaughter's agent. He will handle the negotiations. I won't disturb you."
After the elderly man departed, Sparrow rose from his seat and extended his hand to shake Besson's. Besson cleared his throat, preparing to speak, but a voice from above abruptly interjected, "Are you Mr. Besson and Mr. Reno?"
Besson and Reno directed their gaze upwards, where they spotted a charming and radiant girl gracefully descending the staircase. She possessed a youthful appearance, yet there was an air of maturity about her, particularly evident in her captivating emerald green eyes that seemed to hold profound stories. Within her gaze, innocence intertwined with a hint of confusion and sadness.
It was Mathilda. It was Mathilda! Besson immediately set aside any reservations he had from their phone conversation the day before. In his eyes, this girl unquestionably embodied the ideal choice for the female protagonist.
Approaching Besson with poise, the girl reached out her hand. "I'm delighted that you could make it. My name is Angela Mason."
"Indeed, I felt compelled to come; otherwise, accusations of infringement would be inevitable," Besson admitted, shrugging his shoulders.
Angela responded with a cheerful smile, saying, "I trust you've made all the necessary preparations."
Although they had discussed this matter over the phone the previous day, Besson couldn't shake off a lingering sense of unease. After all, he had commenced preparations without obtaining authorization from the original author, a clear ethical concern.
"You see when you sent the script to Jean, you omitted any contact information, leaving us unable to reach you," Besson explained, his smile now tinged with bitterness. "What sort of arrangement is that? Sending the script to Reno without providing an address—what does that imply? If it hadn't been for Roger stumbling upon you, if Reno hadn't recently watched《The Parent Trap,》if Amanda hadn't coincidentally known about a talented girl in Hollywood, would you have waited until the movie was released to sue us for copyright infringement? Is this some sort of mockery or a joke aimed at us?"
"Alright, I was just joking. The script was accidentally sent out, and I haven't finished it yet. As you may have noticed, the last third of it is written in a novel format. If it has caused any inconvenience for you, I sincerely apologize," Angela expressed with genuine relief, grateful that she had found Natalie as it lifted a significant weight off her shoulders.
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Originally Besson wanted to inquire why she hadn't written a letter to Reno to retrieve the script once she knew his address. However, he decided it would be best not to introduce unnecessary complications and returned to the primary topic. "Let's set that aside for now. Before we delve into negotiations, may I ask about the original intent behind creating this script, Miss Mason?"
Age, indeed, presented a considerable challenge. Angela inwardly sighed but had prepared her response. "I simply wanted to craft a fairy tale, a fairy tale centered around assassins. I didn't overthink it initially. However, after watching numerous films on assassins, I became profoundly intrigued by their lives. Hence, I aimed to write a story about an assassin with a pure heart. As for the female protagonist, she wasn't initially conceived because I wasn't sure what kind of person a killer or the lover of a pure-hearted assassin should be like. It wasn't until I read《Lolita》that this female protagonist emerged as an interesting concept. That's essentially it."
"I have to say, Miss Mason, your range of reading is truly impressive," Besson was slightly surprised.
"It's not strange. My favorite things to do are drawing, music, reading, and creating. Everyone often comments that I possess a maturity beyond my age," the little girl said with a smile.
"In that case," Besson glanced at Reno beside him and continued, "from your drawings, we can see that Leon's character resembles Jean. Why did you think he was suitable for that role? By the way, your drawings are beautiful."
"It's a feeling. After watching《The Big Blue》I thought Mr. Reno was well-suited for this rough but sensitive character. And by the way, Mr. Reno's nose is even more distinctive than it appears in the movies," Angela playfully made a slightly teasing remark, causing Reno to chuckle. At the same time, she handed over a pen and a notebook that she had prepared in advance.
"Thank you for your trouble, Mr. Reno," the little girl blinked her eyes, causing Besson next to her to laugh lightly.
"You're quite charming, Miss Mason," Reno complimented, smiling warmly as he accepted the pen and notebook. Like the others before him, he wrote a few lines and signed his name on the previous pages.
"Well then, shall we discuss the specific terms with Mr. Sparrow?" Besson proposed, his smile unwavering.
"Absolutely, but before we proceed, may I have a look at the complete script?" Angela inquired.
Sponsored Content
"Oh, certainly." Besson retrieved the bound script from his briefcase and handed it over. "Initially, I had an idea for a script about assassins, which I incorporated while making modifications. I don't anticipate any significant issues."
Upon hearing this, Angela's heart skipped a beat. The timing of her accidental encounter was nothing short of serendipitous. She immediately focused her attention on the script in her hands. It didn't take her long to thoroughly peruse its contents. The script remained largely unchanged, as the version ingrained in her memory was already regarded as the finest and most renowned. However, Besson had added several poignant details to the emotional scenes between Leon and Mathilda, including the famous deleted scene.
The deleted scene in question referred to a sequence conceptualized by Besson for the preceding film, 《Leon: The Professional,》aiming to portray the intimate bond between the two characters. It depicted Mathilda taking a shower in the bathroom, with Leon casually entering to hand her a piece of clothing, which she readily accepted without hesitation. However, due to opposition from the Portman family, this scene was never filmed and subsequently became known as the deleted scene.
Angela had no intention of including it either, so she decisively crossed it out with a bold stroke and returned the script, affirming, "Apart from this scene, there should be no other concerns."
Besson glanced at the crossed-out section and was about to speak when Angela preemptively said, "Mr. Besson, the protagonist is just a girl over 10 years old."
"Alright, you're the screenwriter," Besson shrugged his shoulders, but then he quickly added, "Can I invite you to play this role, Miss Mason?"
The little girl frowned and put away her smile. "Mr. Besson, I believe I made it clear in our phone call yesterday, didn't I?"
"I don't mean to offend you Miss Mason, but in my opinion, you are the perfect choice for Mathilda. Perhaps you don't think so, but what I want to say is, please trust my judgment as a director," Besson spoke sincerely.
Angela fell silent for a moment before asking, "Did you bring my drawings?"
Besson immediately took out several pages of sketches from between the script and placed them on the coffee table. Angela picked out the one with the girl sitting by the window, glanced at Luc Besson, and walked to the entrance. Besson understood and followed her.
"In a sense, this script was written for her," Angela opened the sketch and looked at the girl depicted on it, quietly saying. Even after so many years, she could still draw a likeness based on her memory.
Sponsored Content
"Wait, Miss Mason, you said earlier that in the original script..."
"These sketches were drawn after I completed the final draft," Angela didn't explain further but held up the drawing in front of him and pointed to the bottom right corner. "This is the drawing date."
Besson leaned in, closely examining the sketch. Amidst the intricate colored pencil lines, he eventually discerned the date: October 1989. He stared at the young girl before him, a mixture of confusion and astonishment evident in his expression. "And then?"
"I only met her face-to-face yesterday," Angela replied softly, a hint of bewilderment shining through her emerald-green eyes.
It took Besson several moments to process this revelation, and he exclaimed, "That's impossible!"
The sudden outburst caught Sparrow and Reno off guard, drawing their attention from their conversation on the sofa.
"I assure you, I'm speaking the truth," the little girl spoke quietly, her eyes conveying an unwavering determination. "I can handle the entire film's music and compose the theme song myself—I have complete faith in my abilities—and it will be free of charge."
Besson fully grasped the weight of the situation. If he couldn't adhere to Angela's instructions, everything would be in jeopardy. Being a highly regarded director, he was accustomed to being in control, and few dared to impose such strong demands on him. In the past, he might have stormed away in frustration.
However, this time, he was genuinely captivated. How could Angela accurately draw the appearance of someone she had never met? It defied all logic and reason. Yet, there was an undeniable sincerity in Angela's words.
He let out a sigh and finally relented, "Very well, let her come for an audition. Does that meet your approval?"
Angela fell silent for a brief moment before releasing a soft sigh. "Okay."
