Back before DreamWorks started filming "Roman Holiday", Alex thought of a great actor, and that was Gregory Peck.

He compared Pike's own appearance with that of the colonel he remembered, and felt that Pike should be more handsome, and that the difference in age and appearance could be achieved through makeup.

Besides, since the heroine has been replaced by Hepburn, then simply make a Hepburn and Pike version of "The Sound of Music". These two are movie couples in many people's minds, and even after more than 50 years, there are still many people who want this pair to come together.

When the filming of "Roman Holiday" was over, Alex immediately asked Pike, "I'm going to make a musical movie next year, and I want you to star in Hepben, what do you think?" ”

When Pike was playing opposite Hepburn, he knew that Hepburn would play the heroine of "The Sound of Music" next, but he didn't expect Alex to invite him to be the leading actor. He happily replied, "Why not?" I would love to work with Hepburn. ”

So Alex struck while the iron was hot, and he asked the others to talk to Pike's agent about pay. At this time, Parker was already a popular movie star in Hollywood, and many companies wanted to invite him to film.

The agent suggested that he go to the big companies that would be better for Pike's future. However, Pike insisted that he would accept the offer from DreamWorks, and the agent could only comply with his ideas, and in the end, DreamWorks paid him $500,000 without a share.

After getting the actor, Alex was very happy. He was confident in Hepburn and Pike, believing that as long as it was announced that the two of them were the protagonists, he would immediately attract fans of "Roman Holiday" to the cinema. This is hundreds of times better than any propaganda.

As for another important role in the film, the Baroness has never been decided. In the beginning, Alex was looking for Eleanor Parker, who played the original Baroness.

Born in 1922, Eleanor Parker was invited by Warner Bros. to enter the film industry after an early career in the theater company. She began filming in the film industry in 1941, and her acting career reached its peak after she transferred to MGM in the 50s. Because of his good looks and talent, he can adapt to a variety of roles, but he is considered to have overdone his performances sometimes.

At that time, Alex thought that Eleanor had been in the industry for more than ten years and should have no problems with acting, but he still needed an interview to find out.

"Hello, are you Miss Eleanor's agent? I have a movie here that I want her to play. DreamWorks staff quickly reached out to her agent and arranged a time and place for the interview.

Eleanor, who is ten years younger, looks much more beautiful than she remembers, without the cold and noble feeling of the baroness in "The Sound of Music". However, when she started performing, Alex knew she was wrong.

Her acting skills are superb, and she can already make people ignore her appearance and deeply feel the inner emotions of the characters. Morris and others all admired his superb and dedicated acting skills.

After Alex's performance was over, he hurriedly said, "Miss Eleanor, your acting skills are really good. I sincerely hope that you will be able to play the role of the Baroness in our film. ”

Eleanor smiled slightly, and she nodded and said, "I hope to work with you too." However, I still have to let my agent negotiate the terms before I can decide. ”

When Hollywood actors take on films, if they are not very familiar, they are usually negotiated by the staff of both sides. In this way, you can maximize your interests and not hurt your feelings and face. In particular, some actors are not good at bargaining, and they all leave it to their agents to negotiate terms with the film company.

Eleanor's agent offered a sky-high price of $600,000 as soon as he came up, and at this time, in addition to those who can get this price at the level of actor and actress, other popular movie stars are also between 400,000 and 500,000 at most.

Alex's original salary of 500,000 yuan to Pike was already a very good condition, and the other party offered such a high price just to ask for a sky-high price and pay back the money on the ground. Of course, the staff of DreamWorks will not pay so much for a supporting role, which will make other actors have opinions, so the two sides began to argue.

Alex got tired of waiting, so he went around his men and contacted Eleanor. He said, "Miss Eleanor, I very much hope that you will be able to appear in my film. However, your agent asks for $600,000, which seems to be a bit too high. I think I'll be able to get you $500,000. Please accept my invitation, this is my sincerest wish. ”

Eleanor was already a little moved when she heard this, and she said, "Okay, I'll discuss it with the agent first, and I'll call you as soon as I get the result." ”

However, what he didn't expect was that her agent had already found a role for him from Paramount. This is a sci-fi horror film called "The Ant Soldier".

The agent persuaded her: "Paramount has strong strength and huge influence in the film industry, and this is an opportunity to improve." ”

Paramount also asked her to be a supporting actress, and the money was not as much as $500,000, but Eleanor finally listened to her agent. A year later, when "The Sound of Music" was released, she realized what a classic movie she had missed.

In desperation, Alex had to find someone else to play the baroness. He chose and chosen, and finally chose another actress with a noble temperament, Ingrid Bergman, she is a famous Swedish actress, another Swedish superstar who has shined in the world of Hollywood and international cinema after Greta Garbo.

Ingrid Bergman was an orphan who was raised by relatives since she was a child. After graduating from high school, he joined a professional theater company and soon became a big star in Sweden.

When she received Alex's invitation, she was surprised, because at this time she was extinct in Hollywood because she abandoned her husband and daughter and eloped with the famous Italian director Rossellini. She has always been a holy image in the minds of American fans, but because of this move, she angered the conservative fans at the time, causing many film companies to dare not invite her to make movies.

"Are you sure you're going to give me a role?"

Ingrid Bergman couldn't imagine that at this time, someone would dare to ask her to act. She also heard a little about Alex, and the Carpenter brothers' records have long been sold overseas and have many fans. At this time, it was also rumored that the real director of this "The Sound of Music" was Alex, and Morris was just a nanny director who escorted him.

"Yes, ma'am! I think this role is yours. ”

Alex's decision was actually opposed by many people within the company, especially those in the marketing department. They believe that bringing in a notorious actress will affect the film's box office results.

Morris even yelled at Alex, "If you dare to ask this shameful woman to act in my movie, I'd rather not do this movie!" ”

Alex was unmoved, he said coldly: "This is my movie, my territory, I call the shots!" ”

Morris was also angry for a moment, so he blurted out those words. However, his words were agreed by many people. There's a reason for that.

When Bergman eloped, she was still married to Peter Lindstrom, but she gave birth to a son for Roberto Rossellini, which caused an uproar.

The so-called "holy idol" in the hearts of Americans was shattered, the media and the public insulted and spurned her, and Hollywood ostracized her. She was expelled from Hollywood. Bergman has been abandoned by the world for more than 5 years and still hasn't appeared in any films. Her films with Rossellini also failed.

In the eyes of Morris and others, it is not a question of whether it is emotionally acceptable, but whether it will affect the success or failure of the film.

However, Alex doesn't listen, he's the boss, and he wants whoever he wants. At this point, even Morris has no way to object.

Alex wasn't without consideration for Bergman's impact. However, he believes that more than 5 years have passed, and after the movie is released, there will be 6 years. That long is enough time for the most angry person to calm down and calmly enjoy Bergman's performance. As long as her performance can conquer the audience, then people will eventually forgive her and have to accept her.

When Bergman got the script, she read less than a third of the way through it, and she immediately decided to accept the role. She stood up excitedly and said to Alex on the other side of the phone: "Baroness, I must act!" ”

Sister Mary, the Colonel, and the Baroness, as soon as these three are sure, there will be no big problems with this drama and it will be ready to be filmed. As for the other characters in the movie, such as the seven children of the Colonel's family, the Carpenter siblings occupy three places. The remaining four young actors were also found through selection early.

Alex had prepared the songs and dances in the movie a long time ago, and before filming began, he had already concentrated on the actors who needed to perform singing and dancing for training. For this piece, he is convinced that it is definitely much better than the original.

Of course, the songs and dances of the cottage are still cottages. He's not afraid of being accused of being the king of copycats, because these things haven't been written yet.

When others knew that Alex had done all the songs and dances in this movie, the look of surprise and admiration was straightforward. The same goes for Maurice, who thinks he's already familiar with Alex, but Alex surprises him every time he does something.

For example, this time he insisted on asking Bergman to play the role of the Baroness, which made many people feel dissatisfied. When they saw Bergman's acting skills on the set, they realized that they had almost missed something.

Once everything was ready, Alex waited patiently for autumn to arrive. Austria is at its most beautiful at this time, and it is also the time when the story begins.