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Chapter 248: Weinstein's Little Tactics
🕑 Added 2025-01-16 17:00:04 +0000 UTC"Todd, you really must watch The English Patient."
At a party, Harvey Weinstein stood in front of a veteran Academy voter, tirelessly promoting. "Director Minghella's film is truly excellent—highly artistic. You must watch it."
The man named Todd clinked glasses with Weinstein and said, "I've already seen it, Harvey."
"That's great," Harvey Weinstein replied with a skin thicker than the walls of the banquet hall hosting the party. "Todd, isn't the movie fantastic? Doesn't it align perfectly with the principles we've always upheld?"
Seeing the other man nod, Weinstein said, suggestively, "The movie's wonderful, and there's no issue with its quality, right? Have you considered casting your vote for The English Patient?"
"I'll think about it," Todd responded.
Harvey Weinstein leaned in closer, speaking in a low voice, "Miramax is hosting a reception after Christmas. You must attend..."
Here, he raised his eyebrows knowingly, and Todd returned a perceptive smile.
Award season is when Oscar voters can truly showcase their influence. While many are seasoned Hollywood players, few age as gracefully as someone like Arthur Miller. They're just ordinary people with material and emotional needs and are inevitably swayed by external factors.
From the complete failure of Reservoir Dogs to the moderate success of Pulp Fiction, Harvey Weinstein had come to understand this industry. Bold and resourceful, his Jewish heritage gave him unique advantages, making him particularly daring.
Bidding Todd farewell, Harvey Weinstein moved on to another voter, starting another conversation. When the opportunity arose, he asked, "Misha, does that mean you haven't seen The English Patient yet?"
"Yes, I haven't had the time."
It was clear this voter was one of those who preferred to cast their votes casually.
"What a pity," Harvey Weinstein lamented, showing off his oratory skills. "You really should make the time to watch this film—it's fantastic. It celebrates..."
After praising his movie, he added, "I'll have the latest disc and a DVD player sent to your home. It's a new model from Japan."
Seeing the other man frown, Harvey Weinstein immediately shifted gears, "I don't mean anything by it, Misha. You're a voter, and you need to watch the nominated films to make an informed decision, right? We're simply providing you with the basic equipment. It's completely within Academy rules."
"Fine, I'll watch it!"
Misha grinned, fully understanding that the viewing equipment Miramax was sending would be his to keep.
Leaving this voter, Harvey Weinstein resumed mingling in the crowd, recalling the data he'd gathered and targeting individuals strategically. Then, when the moment was right, he'd share his opinion or persistently urge them to watch or vote for The English Patient, sometimes making subtle suggestions.
For instance, when an older Academy member expressed a desire to dine with Juliette Binoche, a French actress in The English Patient, Harvey Weinstein assured him he'd do his best to bring her to the next event.
"Are you tired, Harvey?"
As Harvey took a break, his brother Bob Weinstein approached. Always operating behind the scenes while Harvey charged ahead, Bob asked, "Want to rest for a bit?"
"No need," Harvey replied.
Now alone with his brother, Harvey Weinstein spoke without reservation. "Pulp Fiction's loss taught me a valuable lesson: To win an Oscar, you can't worry about saving face!"
Elsewhere in the hall, Panny Kallis was also mingling. Though not as shameless as Harvey Weinstein, she was a seasoned Hollywood publicist, equally adept in her methods.
"Two days ago, my granddaughter insisted on helping with housework," an elderly man with graying hair was telling two similarly aged companions. "She ended up breaking a porcelain dish I'd been using for years—it was very sentimental."
Hearing this, Panny Kallis casually joined the conversation. "Hi, Ander. Hi, Bill. Hi, Jensen."
She greeted the three Academy members expertly before saying, "Ander, I overheard about your dish breaking. That's such a shame."
"How about this?"
When Ander nodded, Panny Kallis didn't hold back. "I have a set of commemorative dishes featuring Chicago designs..."
The men showed no reaction, prompting her to smile. "These are from Royal Albert's exclusive Vintage Rose series, custom-made in England."
Ander's eyes lit up immediately. As a porcelain enthusiast, he was well aware of the Royal Albert Vintage Rose collection. Although not expensive, it was impossible to find, as it was exclusively made for European royalty.
Panny Kallis turned to the other two Academy members. "This is just a small token from us. If either of you is interested..."
Public relations isn't just about persuasive talk.
Securing votes was only part of the job. Harvey Weinstein, after catching his breath, headed to the center of the party, seeking out a group of influential film critics for the awards season.
"Roger, it's so rare to see you in Los Angeles," Harvey said warmly, shaking hands with Roger Ebert before greeting Gene Siskel and Todd McCarthy.
In the movie business, conversations naturally revolved around films.
"I've said it before, Harvey. The English Patient is the kind of movie worth watching twice," Roger Ebert declared, openly showing his support for the film. "The first time, you might not understand it. The second time, you'll find yourself searching for answers."
Harvey Weinstein beamed with satisfaction, feeling his financial investment in these critics had paid off.
The current situation was clear. With the new year approaching, all films with serious award ambitions had already been released. Harvey Weinstein had meticulously studied the Oscars over the years, and excluding external factors, The English Patient's biggest competitor was Chicago.
As for Duke Rosenberg's relationship with critics...
Last year's Best Director award went to Tim Robbins, raising questions about the critics' influence. With such favorable conditions, Weinstein wasn't going to let the opportunity slip.
After securing consensus with the critics and inviting them to his private party, Harvey Weinstein approached his next target: Frank Pierson, a key member of the Academy's executive committee.
"Hi, Frank."
"Have a seat, Harvey."
Harvey Weinstein took the chair opposite Pierson. Both were Jewish Hollywood veterans and fairly familiar with each other.
After some small talk, Weinstein cut to the chase. "Frank, have you decided on your favorite film yet?"
"Both The English Patient and Duke's Chicago are excellent," Pierson replied.
Hearing this, Weinstein sneered inwardly. These old-timers might play the balancing act like they did last year. Even though Duke Rosenberg was now 26, he was still young.
However, Weinstein wasn't about to underestimate him, especially since Rosenberg, like himself, was Jewish.
"Chicago is a great film," Weinstein admitted. "Duke is arguably the most promising director in our circle after Steven."
After a pause, Weinstein casually added, "But Chicago isn't exactly a traditional musical. Its commercial elements are too prominent—it's about to break $100 million at the North American box office."
Frank Pierson seemed to be mulling over Weinstein's words.
Weinstein continued, "The winners of the past two Oscars were massive box-office hits. The commercial flavor is becoming too strong. Doesn't that go against the Academy's principles? The Oscars are supposed to be highbrow, not populist. I think the Academy should showcase its unique, refined taste rather than catering to public demand."
Though Pierson didn't respond, Weinstein could tell his words were resonating.
"I mean, the Oscars and the MTV Movie Awards are clearly different, right?" Weinstein pressed on. "The Oscars are the industry's most authoritative and professional awards."
Harvey Weinstein, seeing that his words seemed to have an effect, didn't stop talking. "Duke was previously a purely commercial director. It was only with last year's Saving Private Ryan that he began to transition. All of Hollywood can see his progress. However…"
"Frank, don't you think he still has room for more improvement? The artistic quality of his films can definitely be further elevated. The Academy could wait until he produces films with higher artistic content..."
In order to improve his chances of winning, Harvey Weinstein was willing to use any means, even at the risk of crossing the Academy's boundaries. He understood the advantages of his identity and was well aware that if the Academy ever decided to set an example, Miramax would never be the one to take the fall.
Private lobbying was just the most basic tactic. To win an award, it was also necessary to maintain a certain level of publicity. This meant both promoting oneself and discrediting competitors, reducing the competitiveness of key rivals to increase one's own chances of winning.
Harvey Weinstein and Bob Weinstein had already devised a strategy, pinpointing the weaknesses of Chicago. They were simply waiting for the right moment to launch a large-scale media offensive!
