Chapter 146: Only One Purpose

Duke and Sophie Marceau chatted only briefly before he threw himself back into his work.

He headed down to the beach set with Tom Hanks and a few others to check on their progress.

"Duke, I think this opening battle..."

Looking out at the distant ocean, Tom Hanks hesitated. "I don't mean anything by it, just some simple thoughts."

"It's fine." Duke gestured for him to continue.

"I feel like the opening battle doesn't have much to do with the film's theme?" Tom Hanks asked softly.

"That's exactly right."

Duke admitted it freely, patting the metal frame in front of him. "But it's absolutely essential!"

"Instead of a massive battle, using a relatively mild, simple sequence to reveal that the three Ryan brothers died in action," Duke said to Tom Hanks, facing the sea breeze, "would be more than enough to establish why James Ryan has to be rescued. Honestly, I agree with that."

Knowing Duke wasn't finished, Tom Hanks kept his eyes fixed seriously on him.

"But then it wouldn't be a commercial war movie. It would be a pure arthouse film." Duke made no attempt to hide his thoughts. "The opening battle costs a fortune, but it's absolutely essential. First of all, we need it to show the cruelty of war..."

"To provoke reflection on war?" Tom Hanks gave a knowing smile.

Duke shook his head. Reflection and humanity were, in the end, just gimmicks to elevate the film's prestige. "The most important purpose of the opening battle," he continued, "is actually to draw audiences into the theater, keep them watching, and get more people to pay for our movie."

"Put it this way, Tom," Duke said seriously. "If we took out the two battle scenes at the beginning and the end, how many people do you think would still go to the theater to watch this movie?"

It was a very simple truth, and Tom Hanks immediately understood it. If the film matched the level envisioned in the script, it would likely be a double success in box office and critical acclaim. But could the young director in front of him really achieve all that?

Tom Hanks didn't doubt for a second that with Duke's ability, the finished film would be explosive enough, and its box office wouldn't be an issue. But could he fully capture the essence of the script? He had written it, but being able to write it didn't necessarily mean he could direct it.

This was especially true now, with the North American film critics full of doubt and holding zero optimism for the project. If it were just the critics, it wouldn't matter—after all, since the massive success of Independence Day, they had famously been at odds with Duke. But a considerable number of industry insiders who had read the script were also worried. They thought it was highly likely Duke would end up shooting a World War II version of Independence Day or The Rock.

It had to be said, people were easily influenced by their environment and public opinion, and even Hollywood stars were no exception.

After chatting with Tom Hanks for a few more minutes, Duke called over the director of photography, John Schwartzman. Once he arrived, Duke asked, "How does it feel, John? Will the handheld camerawork be a problem?"

"The sand is a bit soft." John Schwartzman stomped hard on the wet sand. "It'll definitely have an impact, but don't worry, Duke. I've already arranged for the latest handheld cameras. They're lighter and much easier to maneuver during a shoot."

"When the time comes, you'll be just like war correspondents following soldiers onto the battlefield." Duke wasn't joking; he spoke in a very serious tone. "Just like we discussed, I want a sense of realism. We'll use documentary techniques to shoot the opening landing battle. The crew needs to authentically capture the entire landing sequence."

"I want these shots to look like a color war documentary filmed right there on June 6, 1944!" he emphasized.

"I'll figure it out," John Schwartzman promised.

Staying at the beach until the afternoon, Duke and the others finally took a car back to the set in the Dublin suburbs. On the way back, assistant director Zack Snyder hopped into his car.

"Isn't it a bit too difficult to shoot the landing battle first?" he asked.

"Zack, even though Tom and the others are going through military training, it won't bring about any fundamental changes."

Duke had planned this out long ago and naturally had his own considerations. "By shooting the landing sequence right at the start of production and showing exactly how terrifying it is, we'll give the actors—and the rest of the crew, you and me included—a taste of the life-and-death ordeal those soldiers had to bravely face back then. It'll help shift our attitudes when we film the rest of the combat scenes later on."

To shoot a movie like this, the price paid went far beyond just money and time.

The film's pre-production was busy and tedious. Duke had to work overtime almost every day. Sometimes, the difficulties he faced couldn't be solved alone, often requiring him to gather the department heads to brainstorm. He fully understood that trying to complete such a massive project all by himself was nothing more than a pipe dream.

For example, coordinating with the Braveheart crew over the use of the Irish Military. If Duke had handled it personally, things would have inevitably gone south. But the experienced Charles Roven, a true old fox in the industry, managed to resolve the matter with relative ease.

The neighboring set was progressing smoothly. They had already finished shooting the battle scene where William Wallace's allied forces fought the English army, and the remaining scenes wouldn't require such a large-scale deployment of soldiers. After Charles Roven haggled with them more than a dozen times and finally went to Dublin to seek out a key figure in the Irish Military, those 800 soldiers marched right onto the set of Saving Private Ryan.

Even though they were delayed a bit by the Braveheart crew, Duke's side still gained a slight advantage. The most typical issue—rookie actors loving to stare at the camera—was properly resolved with these extras, who had already shot quite a few medieval battle scenes. When serving as background dressing, they at least wouldn't make the most amateur mistakes.

After speaking with the commanding Irish officer a few times, Duke had Zack Snyder and the others lead the troops onto the beach first. Together with Tom Hanks, Leonardo DiCaprio, and the other main cast members, they began the essential pre-shoot rehearsals.

With the crew stationed in Ireland for the long haul, family members of the cast and crew gradually trickled in to visit during routine time off. Mrs. Leah, who had been busy with her business in New York, also arrived in Dublin.

"Mom?"

Seeing his mother led in by Sofia, Duke was a bit surprised. Ever since the massive success of the Victoria's Secret campaign, Saintphia had firmly entered the ranks of America's top-tier advertising agencies, taking on numerous luxury brand accounts. His mother had only grown busier, spending most of her time in New York. Sometimes she wouldn't even return to Los Angeles for weeks at a time.

After pouring Mrs. Leah a cup of coffee, Sofia smartly chose to excuse herself.

Duke walked over, took the coat and hat his mother slipped off, hung them on the coat rack by the door, and gave her a tight hug.

"Mom..." He could see that the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and on her forehead had noticeably deepened.

Pulling up a chair for his mother and bringing over the hot coffee Sofia had poured, Duke sat down next to her. "Mom, there's no end to work. You should just leave the company to professional managers."

"What would I do if I didn't work?" Mrs. Leah's mild gaze drifted over. "Sit around waiting to get old?"

That was never a good topic for a woman of any age, so Duke didn't engage. He just said, "You still need to get some rest."

"You're turning into Scar." His mother was subtly hinting that he was talking a bit too much today.

"I just haven't seen you in a long time, Mom."

Although he and his mother never spoke much, the familial bond built up over time didn't require overt expression. Duke asked with concern, "Is work not as busy? I was actually planning to visit you in New York for the Christmas holidays."

"I have to handle some affairs in London." Mrs. Leah handed over her coffee cup, and Duke quickly took it to pour her another. He then heard his mother say, "I dropped by to see you while I was at it. Scar originally wanted to tag along, but she's in Los Angeles..."

"London?" Duke passed the coffee cup back.

"Victoria's Secret..." Mrs. Leah took a sip of coffee and continued, "They're preparing to host their first annual runway show in London after the New Year."

Hearing this, Duke instantly perked up. "How many media outlets have been invited?"

"Right now, more than a hundred have confirmed their attendance." Mrs. Leah understood what he was getting at. "If you want to bring the cast over, I'll give Victoria's Secret a heads-up. I'm sure they'd be absolutely thrilled to have you and Tom Hanks."

"I'll have Robin contact Warner, Fox, and Disney tomorrow."

This was a completely mutually beneficial promotional opportunity. "They should be more than happy to see something like this happen."

Maybe they could get Leonardo DiCaprio to hook up with a leggy blonde model and spark a massive scandal? The idea jumped straight into Duke's mind, and he made a mental note of it, planning to have Charles Roven or Robin Grande contact Xiao Li's agent to see if it was actually feasible.

"Duke..."

Right as his thoughts were running wild, his mother's slightly stern voice rang in his ears, snapping him back to reality. "Mom?"

Mrs. Leah looked at Duke, a warning tone in her voice. "I have no intention of interfering in your private life, and this industry isn't lacking in models who keep their hands clean. But Duke, some of those glamorous models really aren't suitable for dating."

"I know, Mom."

Duke wasn't some rebellious, foolish kid. He understood that his mother was just looking out for him, so he pledged earnestly, "If I ever get a girlfriend one day, I'll definitely bring her home to meet you first."

"That won't be necessary." Mrs. Leah reverted to her mild tone. "I trust you know what you should and shouldn't do."

With his mother visiting the set, Duke outright dropped his work to show her around. In reality, there wasn't much to see. Most of the sets they had built were just ruins and rubble ravaged by war, looking more like a massive construction junkyard.

"One more thing."

As they walked up to a newly built small bridge, Mrs. Leah suddenly stopped and said, "A few months ago, when Victoria's Secret expanded its shares for financing, I invested the ten million dollars you paid back, the 2.71 million in interest, and the profits from Speed into it. I've set up a trust. Once you turn twenty-six and are a bit more mature and grounded, you'll automatically receive those shares."

"Mom..."

Suddenly, Duke had no idea what to say.

It was obvious. Through this method, his mother had taken the money he earned and given it right back to him.