Once in a while, I like to read something completely outside of my usual choices.Which explains why I fell for a call for book reviewers for a book described as, "A clever look into the machinations of Hollywood from the bestselling author of the blockbuster hit The War of the Roses," in which "Hollywood producer Zane Galvin’s failed movie leaves him with a $5 million debt and thirty days to pay it off." Zane "goes to unpredictable extremes to raise the money. Joining in on his scheme are Zane’s girlfriend, his gardener, the film’s writer, and the director. The plan quickly turns into a wicked game of switching sides, blackmail, betrayal, and greed."
It sounded wacky and fun and completely opposite of what I had been reading.
I was at first disoriented, the Hollywoodese talk like a foreign language, the nasty and rude comments, demeaning view of women, and sex talk a turn-off. This is no idealization of Tinseltown. This is Harvey Weinstein world. A place where money rules, sex is a commodity, and alliances are tenuous and dependant on what you can offer. It is no place for art for art's sake.
"I wanted the audience to feel the contagiousness of evil...How happily ever after is a myth" from High Noon in Hollywood ARC
Zane Galvin, named for his father's favorite writer Zane Grey, and his writer and director had imaged a film that spoke the truth. The film's ending was not marketable, killing off a dog, for goodness sake. He can't pay his debt, or his writer or director. And, his girl's career was dependent on that film. Even his illegal immigrant gardener is being stiffed his meager salary.
Together they hatch a ridiculous plan. What they have on their side is the artistic vision and imagination to turn their bad luck around.
The dialogue and story are studded with film references. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Errol Flynn in Robin Hood, "all for one and one for all," Cagney's voice saying "You dirty double-crossing skirt," Murphy's Law, "I never promised you a rose garden," Macbeth, El Norte, "this one for the Gipper," "somebody up there likes us" recalling the Story of Rocky Graziano.
Stereotypes abound. A taxi driver comments, "who's got time for that shit" about the movies. And no one in Hollywood reads. Actresses forgo love for men who can get them roles. And stereotypes are broken; the illegal Mexican gardener Oneismo ends us being the man knows how to get things done, while the producer and writer and director do the grunt work and are mistaken for Mexican illegals.
I did enjoy the story. It made me laugh (and flinch) and the plot twists were fun. I can see it as a movie.
I received a free ebook from the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
Available now $5.99 on Kindle, $11 paperback
