cb.coldheart canyon-第11部分

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　weeks。　He　hadn't　been　required　to　turn　in　a　performance。　Smotherman　didn't　make　movies　that　required　actors；　only　breath…taking　physical　specimens。　And　Todd　was　certainly　that。　Every　time　he　stepped　before　the　cameras；　whether　he　was　sharing　the　scene　with　a　girl　or　a　fighter…plane；　he　was　all　the　eye　wanted　to　watch。　The　camera　worked　some　kind　of　alchemy　upon　him；　and　he　worked　the　same　magic　on　celluloid。
　 In　life；　he　was　good…looking；　but　flawed。　He　was　a　little　on　the　short　side；　with　broad　hips；　he　was　also　conspicuously　bandy。　But　on　the　screen；　all　these　flaws　disappeared。　He　became　gleaming；　studly　perfection；　his　jaw…line　heroic；　his　gaze　crystalline；　his　mouth　an　unmon　mingling　of　the　sensual　and　the　severe。　His　particular　beauty　had　suited　the　taste　of　the　times；　and　by　the　end　of　that　first；　extraordinary　summer　of　ing…to…fame　his　image；　dressed　in　an　immaculate　white　uniform　which　made　poetry　of　his　buttocks；　had　bee　an　indelible　piece　of　cinema　iconography。
　 Over　the　years；　other　stars　had　risen　just　as　high；　of　course；　and　many　just　as　quickly。　But　few　were　quite　as　ready　for　their　ascent　as　Todd　Pickett。　This　was　what　he'd　been　polishing　himself　for　since　the　moment　his　mother；　Patricia　Donna　Pickett；　had　first　taken　him　into　a　cinema　in　downtown　Cincinnati。　Looking　up　at　the　screen；　watching　the　parade　of　faces　pass　before　him；　he'd　known　instinctively　（at　least　so　he　later　claimed）　that　he　belonged　up　there　with　those　stars；　and　that　if　he　willed　it　hard　enough；　willed　and　worked　for　it；　then　it　was　merely　a　matter　of　time　before　he　joined　the　parade。
　 After　the　success　of　Gunner；　he　fell　effortlessly　into　the　labors　of　being　a　movie　star。　In　interviews　he　was　courteous；　funny　and　self…effacing；　playing　the　interviewers　so　easily　that　all　but　the　most　cynical　swooned。　He　was　confident　about　his　charms；　but　he　wasn't　cocky；　loyal　to　his　Mid…Western　roots　and　boyishly　devoted　to　his　mother。　Most　attractive　of　all；　he　was　honest　about　his　shortings　as　an　actor。　There　was　a　refreshing　lack　of　pretension　about　the　Pickett　persona。
　 The　year　after　Gunner；　he　made　two　pictures　back　to　back。　Another　action　blockbuster　for　Smotherman；　called　Lightning　Rod；　which　was　released　on　Independence　Day　and　blew　all　former　box…office　records　to　smithereens；　and　then；　for　the　Christmas　market；　Life　Lessons。　The　latter　was　a　sweetly　sentimental　slip　of　a　story；　in　which　Todd　played　opposite　Sharon　Campbell；　a　Playboy　model　turned　actress　who　had　been　tabloid　fodder　at　the　time　thanks　to　her　recent　divorce　from　an　alcoholic　and　abusive　husband。　The　pairing　of　Pickett　and　Campbell　had　worked　like　a　charm；　and　the　reviews　for　Todd's　performance　were　especially　kind。　While　he　was　still　relying　on　his　physical　gifts；　the　critics　observed；　there　were　definitely　signs　that　he　was　taking　on　the　full　responsibilities　of　an　actor；　digging　deeper　into　himself　to　engage　his　audience。　Nor　was　he　afraid　to　show　weakness；　twice　in　Life　Lessons　he　was　required　to　sob　like　a　baby；　and　he　did　so　very　convincingly。　The　picture　was　a　huge　hit；　meaning　that　both　of　the　big　money…makers　of　the　year　had　Todd's　name　above　the　title。　He　was　officially　box…office　gold。
　 For　most　of　the　following　decade　he　could　do　no　wrong。　Inevitably；　some　of　his　pictures　performed　better　than　others；　but　even　the　disappointments　were　triumphs　by　parison　with　the　fumbling　labors　of　most　of　his　contemporaries。
　 Of　course；　he　wasn't　making　the　choice　of　material　on　his　own。　From　the　beginning　he'd　had　a　close　relationship　with　his　manager；　Maxine　Frizelle；　a　short；　sharp　bitch　of　a　woman　in　her　mid…forties　who'd　once　been　voted　the　Most　Despised　Person　in　Hollywood；　and　had　asked；　when　the　news　had　reached　her；　if　the　awards　ceremony　was　full　evening　dress。　Though　she'd　been　representing　other　agents　when　she　first　took　Todd　on；　she'd　let　them　all　go　once　his　career　began　to　demand　her　plete　attention。　Thereafter　she　lived　and　breathed　the　Pickett　business；　control…ring　every　element　of　his　life；　private　and　professional。　The　price　she　asked　studios　for　his　services　rapidly　rose　to　unheard　of　heights；　and　she　drove　the　deal　home　every　single　time。　She　had　an　opinion　about　everything：　rewrites；　casting；　the　hiring　of　directors；　art…directors；　costume　designers　and　directors　of　photographers。　Her　only　concern　were　the　best　interests　of　her　wonder…boy。　In　the　language　of　an　older　but　similarly　feudal　system；　she　was　the　power　behind　the　throne；　and　everyone　who　worked　with　Todd；　from　the　heads　of　studios　to　humble　hair…stylists；　had　some　encounter　with　her　to　relate；　some　scar　to　show。
　
　 Needless　to　say；　the　Pickett　magic　couldn't　remain　unchallenged　forever。　There　were　always　new　stars　in　the　ascendancy；　new　faces　with　the　new　smiles　appearing　on　the　screen　every　season；　and　after　ten　years　of　devotion　the　audience　that　had　doted　on　Todd　in　the　mid…to…late　eighties　began　to　look　elsewhere　for　its　heroes。　It　wasn't　that　his　pictures　performed　less　well；　but　that　others　performed　even　better。　A　new　definition　of　a　blockbuster　had　appeared；　money…machines　like　Independence　Day　and　Titanic；　which　earned　so　much　so　quickly　that　pictures　which　would　once　have　been　called　major　hits　were　now　in　contrast　simply　modest　successes。
　 Anxious　to　regain　the　ground　he　was　losing；　Todd　decided　to　go　back　into　business　with　Smotherman；　who　was　just　as　eager　to　return　to　their　glory　days　together。　The　project　they'd　elected　to　do　together　was　a　movie　called　Warrior；　a　piece　of　high　concept　junk　about　a　street…fighter　from　Brooklyn　who　is　brought　through　time　to　champion　a　future　earth　in　a　battle　against　marauding　aliens。　The　script　was　a　ludicrous　concoction　of　clichés　pulled　from　every　cheesy　science…fiction　B…movies　of　the　fifties；　and　an　early　budget　had　put　the　picture　somewhere　in　the　region　of　a　hundred　million　dollars　simply　to　get　it　on　screen；　but　Smotherman　was　confident　that　he　could　persuade　either　Fox　or　Paramount　to　green…light　it。　The　show　had　everything；　he　said：　an　easily…grasped　idea　（primitive　fighting　man　outwits　hyper…intelligent　intergalactic　empire；　using　cunning　and　brute　force）；　a　dozen　action　sequences　which　called　for　state…of…the…art　effects；　and　the　kind　of　hero　Todd　could　perform　in　his　sleep：　an　ordinary　man　put　in　an　extraordinary　situation。　It　was　a　no…brainer；　all　'round。　The　studios　would　be　fools　not　to　green…light　it；　it　had　all　the　marks　of　a　massive　hit。
　 He　was　nothing　if　not　persuasive。　In　person；　Smotherman　was　almost　a　parody　of　a　high…voltage　salesman：　fast…talking；　short…tempered　and　over…sexed。　There　was　never　an　absence　of　'babes'；　as　he　still　called　them；　in　his　immediate　vicinity；　all　were　promised　leading　roles　when　they'd　performed　adequately　for　Smotherman　in　private；　and　all；　of　course；　were　discarded　the　instant　he　tired　of　them。
　 Preparations　for　Warrior　were　proceeding　nicely。　Then　the　unthinkable　happened。　A　week　shy　of　his　forty…fourth　birthday；　Smotherman　died。　He'd　always　been　a　man　of　legendary　excess；　a　bottom…feeder　happiest　in　the　gamier　part　of　any　city。　The　circumstances　of　his　death　were　perfectly　consistent　with　this　reputation：　he'd　died　sitting　at　a　table　in　a　private　club　in　New　York；　watching　a　lesbian　sex　show；　the　coronary　that　had　felled　him　so　massive　and　so　sudden　he　had　apparently　been　overtaken　by　it　before　he　could　even　cry　out　for　help。　He　was　face　down　in　a　pile　of　cocaine　when　he　was　found；　a　drug　he'd　continued　to　consume　in　heroic　quantities　long　after　his　contemporaries　had　cleaned　up　their　acts　and　had　their　sinuses　surgically　reconstructed。　It　was　one　of　the　thirty…five　illegal　substances　found　in　his　system　at　the　autopsy。
　 He　was　buried　in　Las　Vegas；　according　to　the　instructions　in　his　will。　He's　been　happiest　there；　he'd　always　said；　with　everything　to　win　and　everything　to　lose。
　 This　remark　was　twice　quoted　at　the　memorial　service；　and　hearing　it；　Todd　felt　a　cold　trickle　of　apprehension　pass　down　his　spine。　What　Smotherman　had　known；　and　been　at　peace　with；　was　the　fact　that　all　of　Tinseltown　was　a　game…and　it　could　be　lost　in　a　heartbeat。　Smotherman　had　been　a　gambling　man。　He'd　taken　pleasure　in　the　possibility　of　failure　and　it　had　sweetened　his　success。　Todd；　on　the　other　hand；　had　never　even　played　the　slots；　much　less　a　game　of　poker　or　roulette。　Sitting　there　listening　to　the　hypocrites…most　of　whom　had　despised　Smotherman…stand　up　and　extol　the　dead　man；　he　realized　that　Keever's　passing　cast　a　pall　over　his　future。　The　golden　days　were　over。　His　place　in　the　sun　would　very　soon　belong　to　others；　if　it　didn't　already。
　 The　day　after　the　memorial　service　he　poured　his　fears　out　to　Maxine。　She　was　all　reassurance。
　 〃Smotherman　was　a　dinosaur；〃　she　said　as　she　sipped　her　vodka。　〃The　only　reason　people　put　up　with　his　bullshit　all　those　years　was　because　he　made　everybody　a　lot　of　money。　But　let's　be　honest：　he　was　a　low…life。　You're　a　class　act。　You've　got　nothing　to　worry　about。〃
　 〃I　don't　know；〃　Todd　said；　his　head　throbbing　from　one　too　many　drinks。　〃I　look　at　myself　sometimes。。。〃
　 〃And　what？〃
　 〃I'm　not　the　guy　I　was　when　I　made　Gunner。〃
　 〃Damn　right　you're　not。　You　were　nobody　then。　Now　you're　one　of　the　most　successful　actors　in　history。〃
　 〃There's　others　ing　up。〃
　 〃So　what？〃　Maxine　said；　waving　his　concerns　away。
　 〃Don't　do　that！〃　Todd　said；　slamming　his　palm　down　on　the　table。　〃Don't　try　and　placate　me！　Okay？　We　have　a　problem。　Smotherman　was　going　to　put　me　back　on　top；　and　now　the　son　of　a　bitch　is　dead！〃
　 〃All　right。　Calm　down。　All　I'm　saying　is　that　we　don't　need　Smotherman。　We'll　hire　somebody　to　rework　the　script；　if　that's　what　you　want。　Then　we'll　find　somebody　hip　to　direct　it。　Somebody　with　a　contemporary　style。　Smotherman　was　an　old…fashioned　guy。　Everything　had　to　be　big。　Big　explosion。　Big　tits。　Big　guns。　Audiences　don't　care　about　any　of　that　any　more。　You　need　to　be　part　of　what's　ing　up；　not　what　happened　yesterday。　You　know；　I　hate　to　say　it；　but　perhaps　Keever's　dying　is　the　best　thing　that　could　have　happened。　We　need　a　new　look　for　you。　A　new　Todd　Pickett。〃
　 〃You　think　it's　as　simple　as　that？〃　Todd　said。　He　wanted　so　much　to　believed　that　Maxine　had　the　problem　solved。
　 〃How　difficult　can　it　be？〃　Maxine　said。　〃You're　a　great　star。　We　just　need　to　get　people　focused　on　you　again。〃　She　pondered　for　a　moment。　〃You　know　what？　We　should　set　up　a　lunch　with　Gary　Eppstadt。〃
　 〃Oh　Jesus；　why？　You　know　how　I　hate　that　ugly　little　fuck〃
　 〃An　ugly　little　fuck　he　may　be。　But　he　is　going　to　pay　for　Warrior。　And　if　he's　going　put　twenty　million　and　a　slice　of　the　back…end　on　the　table　for　your　services　to　art；　you　can　make　nice　with　the　son　of　a　bitch　for　an　hour。〃
　
　
　THREE
　 It　wasn't　simply　personal　antipathy　that　had　made　Todd　refer　to　Eppstadt　so　unflatteringly。　It　was　the　unvarnished　truth。　Eppstadt　was　the　ugliest　man　in　Los　Angeles。　Charitably；　his　eyes　might　have　been　called　reptilian；　his　lips　unkissable。　His　mother；　in　a　fit　of　blind　affection；　might　have　noted　that　he　was　disproportioned。　All　this　said；　the　man　was　still　a　narcissist　of　the　first　rank。　He　hung　only　the　most　expensive　suits　on　his　unfortunate　carcass：　his　fingernails　were　manicured　with　obsessive　precision；　his　personal　barber　trim