[Chapter 353: Harvey: We Should Take Extreme Measures]
After discussing their collaboration, Link checked his watch and excused himself early. As Link's figure disappeared through the cafe's door, Ovitz's expression immediately soured.
"Damn it, that bastard is getting ruder every day."
In the past, when he met with others, no one dared to leave their seat before he stood up; everyone wanted to prolong their conversation with him. Now, trying to get Link to chat required four or five phone calls. After they met, Link repeatedly attempted to leave early, clearly uninterested in any further discussion. This was unacceptable.
Two or three years ago, when he was still the king of Hollywood, would Link have dared to act that way? Would anyone else? Absolutely not!
Ovitz clenched his fists, feeling the pain of lost power once more. Without power, there was no status or dignity. Not only did he have fewer people fawning over him, but he also faced disdain from others.
This feeling was unbearable. He silently vowed to reclaim his power -- by any means necessary -- and return as the king of Hollywood, sending Link and all who disrespected him straight to hell!
"Mike, how did you get Link to collaborate?" Harvey Weinstein asked softly, watching Link leave.
"Is there a problem? You've worked with him before," Ovitz replied.
"When I worked with him, Guess Pictures hadn't taken off yet. If it weren't for your suggestion this time, I would never have collaborated with him. He's our common enemy, snatching box office revenue that rightfully belonged to the seven big studios and Miramax. If it weren't for him and Guess Pictures, the box office would not be declining, and Miramax wouldn't be suffering like it is. You should know that!" Harvey exclaimed in fury.
Hearing this made Ovitz secretly annoyed. Of course, he had his reasons for partnering with Link -- why should he have to explain himself? If he were still the king of Hollywood, would Harvey have dared to speak so directly? Absolutely not!
Ovitz felt the sting of disdain again. He took a deep drag from his cigar, suppressing his irritation as he said, "This was Eisner's proposal. Eisner believes Guess Pictures is growing rapidly, and even a coalition of the seven studios wouldn't be able to impede its growth and expansion. Given that, collaborating with Guess Pictures to make movies would be more advantageous for our company. Additionally, to my knowledge, the other six studios are actively courting Link. By reaching an agreement first, we can secure a competitive edge."
That was the superficial benefit. The inner benefit was to gain control over Disney's film division through collaboration with Link, reestablish Disney's foothold, and acquire more power -- all steps towards reclaiming the title of king of Hollywood. He wouldn't disclose this inner motivation to Harvey.
"Eisner thinks we should collaborate with Guess Pictures?" Harvey frowned tightly. "But then Guess Pictures will get stronger and take more box office share while we become weaker, losing control over the entertainment industry."
Suddenly, Harvey gritted his teeth, his face contorted with anger. "The seven major studios are our territory, our cash cow, and a vital tool for projecting our ideology and values. Are we just going to hand it over to Link? Michael, are you comfortable with that?"
Ovitz looked at him in surprise, realizing that Harvey was just as zealous as Ron Meyer, equating Link's rise with the survival of their cohort.
He had once been this way himself. When he founded CAA, he relied on funding from Jewish financiers and the support of fellow coethnics to grow CAA into the largest talent agency in Hollywood. He signed Dustin Hoffman, Michael Douglas, Paul Newman, and Spielberg, among other Jewish filmmakers, ensuring that CAA surpassed WMA in both scale and influence.
However, while managing CAA, he realized that having too many Jewish clients led to perceptions of exclusivity and bias against filmmakers from other backgrounds. Eventually, he chose to embrace diversity, recruiting talent from various backgrounds, which helped CAA thrive.
Now, hearing Harvey demand he abandon his collaboration with Link to protect Jewish interests in Hollywood, Ovitz frowned. Although he had benefitted as a member of a particular group, he didn't want to revert to serving group interests.
Michael Eisner was also part of the same community. If group interests took precedence, Ovitz wouldn't be able to compete for power with Eisner, nor would he have full control over Disney or reclaim his title as the king of Hollywood. This wasn't a good situation for him.
Nevertheless, considering that Harvey had substantial Jewish backing, Ovitz refrained from openly contradicting him. Instead, he echoed Ron Meyer and Michael Eisner's thoughts to Harvey:
"Guess Pictures is a strong newcomer while the seven studios are aging. Even if we teamed up, we wouldn't be able to overpower Guess Pictures. But don't worry, no studio's journey in the film industry is without its obstacles. Disney and Warner Bros. have faced countless bumps in the road over the decades. Guess Pictures is no different.
Though they've done well in recent years, it won't last forever. The moment they face obstacles, the seven studios will show their teeth, pounce on Guess Pictures, and slice up all its profits. So no matter how much Guess Pictures or Link earns now, it's all temporary. They're merely holding the fort until we take back what's ours."
"Harvey, Guess Pictures has ample funding and strength. Even if the seven studios united against it, any victory would come at a great cost. It's not worth it," Ovitz explained while puffing on his cigar.
Harvey furrowed his brow, clearly unsatisfied with this explanation.
"Guess Pictures has been doing well in recent years. If they continue to thrive, Link will earn more, and Guess Pictures will grow even stronger, while the seven studios become more vulnerable, potentially facing bankruptcy. When that happens, even if Guess Pictures invests in a flop, the seven studios might not have the power to take them down."
"Don't worry. By then, the Jewish financiers will have gained total control over Guess Pictures, and no matter how well Link performs, it's still us profiting -- not he -- a role as a manager," Ovitz said dismissively.
"Michael, Link is greedy and cunning. I don't believe he will willingly relinquish control over Guess Pictures or give up the title of Hollywood king easily. So I think we need to prepare in advance," Harvey replied, narrowing his eyes, their dark hue gleaming coldly, his expression turning grave.
Ovitz's expression also hardened at that, feeling a surge of dissatisfaction. If he were still the king of Hollywood, others would never dare to challenge his opinions repeatedly after his explanations.
Now, Harvey was incessantly pushing back against his views, showing not only disrespect but also condemning him for being too simplistic in his thinking.
Ovitz exhaled a puff of cigar smoke and blandly asked, "Harvey, what do you propose we do about Link?"
"I think we should unite and cut off all channels for Guess Pictures and Link, making it impossible for him to operate in Hollywood. If necessary, we can take even more drastic measures. We absolutely cannot let Hollywood be handed over to Link!" Harvey's heavy-set eyelids narrowed, his thick palm slamming on the table, his demeanor turning fierce.
Ovitz glanced at him, subconsciously narrowing his eyes. From Harvey, he saw his own ambitious past -- driven, ruthless in the pursuit of power.
He quickly shifted his gaze, placing a hand on Harvey's shoulder with a grin. "Harvey, I like your thinking. You take charge of this. I'm behind you all the way."
"Thanks!" Harvey said, giving him a sidelong glance.
Regardless of whether Ovitz truly meant it, he had decided to consult Michael Eisner, Ron Meyer, Barry Diller, and others later on about how to tackle Link.
*****
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