Vintage Love (283 page)

She pressed close to him and whispered, “What now?”

“Von Eltz wants us back on the fountain set,” he said. “It is most important!”

He led her to a large dressing room and a matronly woman at once handed her an evening gown to put on. Then she and the other girls made their way out to the fountain where the men were waiting in various stages of dress and undress. Eric was on hand in evening trousers and vest without a jacket. He led her over to the pool of water surrounding the fountain.

“We will do the fountain scene again!” Von Eltz cried out severely.

The benumbed revellers now replayed their tribute to Bacchus, reproducing the orgy. They stumbled through the scene without the earlier boisterousness.

Von Eltz was now a cruel martinet. He wanted perfection and closeups of the exhausted, dissipated men and women. The assistant directors and cameramen worked from various angles for hours with only short rest periods to ease the actors’ gruelling labors under the hot lights.

At last Von Eltz gave the order to end the day’s shooting. Nita found her way to her dressing room, her head aching and her entire body exhausted and full of pain. She donned her own clothes and was about to leave for home when the door to her dressing room opened and Rudolf Von Eltz entered the room, a malevolent smile on his ugly face.

In his guttural manner of speech,” he said, “You did very well indeed, Miss Nolan.”

She gazed up at him fearfully and told him, “I do not like your methods. I have never been involved in anything like this before. How do you manage to get away with such actions?”

Von Eltz swaggered across the room. His monocle in his eye, he studied her. “You will find that silence concerning what went on in the studio today is written into your contract. It is the same with all the others.”

“How wickedly clever of you,” she said. “That is why one hears rumors about your filming but never the actual truth as I experienced it today.”

He shrugged. “I must get certain results. It is the only way to know. Call it immoral or what you will, I can promise that it will bring good luck to you.”

“What do you mean?” she asked sharply.

“I’m having an additional story line added to the film. You and Eric Gray will be featured. You will receive the script by messenger tomorrow morning, and tomorrow afternoon we begin shooting the scenes.”

“Is there to be more of what went on today?” Nita asked.

The Prussian shook his shaven head. “That is over. You need have no fear. And you will forgive me when you read the reviews of the film. I promise you it will be acclaimed as a classic.”

Nita said grimly, “I know I shall never forget it.”

He bowed. “Until tomorrow!” And he left.

Nita stumbled out of the parking lot and as she passed others of the cast, she noticed they were having the same reaction as herself. Now that the drug was clearing from their minds, their inhibitions were returning. They avoided looking at each other and hurried off singly or in couples, seemingly anxious not to remember what had gone on. And so another of the Von Eltz orgies would go down in Hollywood history to be secretly whispered about but never directly discussed.

For Nita, it had been both shocking and rewarding. She had the promise of the eccentric director that her role in the film was being made more important. And she had been made love to by Eric Gray. She could not deny that it had been a most satisfying interlude, and it made her feel that perhaps it was indeed the degenerate and cruel Barbara who had driven him to his sexual aberrations, as he had told her.

Though Barbara had arranged for Nita to be in the Von Eltz film to degrade her and set back her career, Eric had managed to turn the tables on his wife and now Nita would share a starring role in the film with him. Also, Nita now felt she could justly try to take Eric from his lesbian wife.

With Phillip Watters married to Sally Stark there was no true romantic interest left for her. She had been fond of the young doctor and would have married him, but he had fallen victim to the Hollywood poison and perhaps ruined his medical career as well. She would try to forget him.

As for Eric, his marriage was nothing but a sham. It was true that Billy Bowers loved her, but Nita knew they were not right for each other. Even Billy admitted it.

She drove home still in a dazed state. It did not surprise her when Eric turned up at her cottage in Gardenia Court a little while later. He was dressed casually in sport clothes and the moment she opened the door to him he hungrily took her in his arms.

As they sat close together, his arm around her, he said, “After today there is no question in my mind. I must divorce Barbara and marry you.”

“What about Lew Meyers?” she asked.

“He’ll be afraid of a scandal and won’t like it,” Eric admitted.

“Worse than that, he’ll try to stop you from making any change.”

“I’ll risk his anger,” Eric said. “I love you and I want you to be my wife.”

“Barbara will be venomous.”

Eric sighed. “Isn’t she always? But this time she won’t succeed.”

Nita gave him an anxious look. “I don’t want to ruin your career.”

“I’ll manage,” he said. “Meyers won’t treat me the way he has Francis X. Bushman. I hear Bushman has been blacklisted at all the major studios and is taking any sort of cheap job.”

“It should make a difference if the Von Eltz film is a success,” she said.

“We’ll wait until it’s released before we do anything,” he promised.

They talked for a while longer, then went to her bedroom and made love again. Eric was not as violent as he had been that afternoon, but the exchange left them both satisfied.

So began a period of ecstasy for Nita and Eric, a time of secret trysts, intricate plotting in order to have time together, and working together in starring roles in the Von Eltz film, “Enslaved.”

When the rushes came in, Von Eltz was pleased. It was obvious that the film was turning out as well as he’d hoped. After its completion Nita was put on the waiting list at Master again, so she had plenty of time to entertain Eric privately.

Eric had arranged for his Richard Wright to accompany Nita to social events while he escorted Barbara. When they reached the various parties they were able to be in each other’s company part of the time without arousing suspicions. This, of course, meant that Wright was in on their secret.

Nita questioned Eric about him. “Wasn’t he your lover? Surely he must resent me.”

Eric smiled. “Not really. Richard is a friend and I have assured him that only you can make me happy. He is willing to help us.”

So it was arranged. Thereafter, at many Hollywood parties Richard Wright, suave and smiling, escorted Nita. The gossip columnists noted this and speculated on a romance between them, which triggered a phone call from Billy Bowers.

Billy wanted to know, “What’s going on with you and Wright?”

She laughed. “It’s a trick. You should know that. It’s to distract attention from Eric and me.”

Billy grunted, indicating he wasn’t too fond of that either. He said, “Be careful of Wright. I’ve heard some stories about him. He was close to Wally Reid.”

“And you’re a friend of Fatty Arbuckle,” she reminded him. “You can’t judge him because he and poor Wally were friendly.”

“Maybe not,” Billy conceded.

“What about your contract at MGM?” she asked him.

He hesitated. “That’s off for the moment. Hammons and I are making a new batch of two-reelers. The demand is still strong for them and I’m getting good money.”

“But I thought you wanted to do a major feature?”

“It can wait,” Billy said. “I’ll give you a call again and we’ll go out.”

“I’d love to,” Nita replied, but she had little confidence that he would actually call. They had been drifting apart now that her own career was accelerating. She was worried about his change of attitude about making the feature film and guessed that he must have gone back to his heavy drinking.

“Enslaved” had a triumphant premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. All the Hollywood greats and no-so-greats were there. As usual, it was Richard Wright who escorted Nita since Barbara had insisted on coming with Eric. Cecil B. DeMille was present and shook hands with Rudolf Von Eltz outside the theatre entrance. Irving Thalberg and Norma Shearer came, as did Mae Murray, one of Von Eltz’s favorite stars and fading leading man Maurice Costello, now reduced to playing small character parts.

Nita watched tensely as the film began. When it came to the fountain scene she could not deny the genius of the Prussian director in creating an atmosphere of total depravity. It was more forceful than anything of its kind she had ever seen, and equally satisfying were the scenes with herself and Eric. Several times the audience applauded.

Beside her Richard Wright whispered, “Eric said this would make you a star and I think he was right.”

She gave him a small smile and went back to watching the film. When it ended and the lights came up there was loud applause and a standing ovation for Von Eltz.

Then invited guests moved on to the ballroom of the Beverly Wiltshire Hotel which Classic Films had engaged for a banquet. Eric managed to disengage himself from his wife and came over to Nita. He kissed her on the cheek and told her, “You were all that I hoped you would be!”

“Our night!” she said, her eyes bright.

He laughed. “Yes. And we owe it all to Barbara!”

“How is she taking it?”

“Furious,” Eric said cheerfully. “I’d better get back to her before she makes a scene.”

“Take no chances,” Nita warned.

“I’ll see you later tonight,” he promised.

“Are you sure you can get away?”

He winked at her. “She’ll think I have a date with Richard.”

Eric had no sooner gone back along the crowded room to his wife than Lew Meyers appeared, resplendent in white tie and tails that nearly reached the ground.

The sour little man wore an unusual smile on his wizened face. “I was proud of you tonight,” he told Nita.

Breathless at this unexpected praise, she said, “Thank you!”

“Von Eltz brought out your talent.”

“He is a fine director.”

“Master Films is not a company to waste talent,” the little man went on. “From now on you have star status and you’ll come to my office for a new contract.”

“Do you really mean it?”

“I’m not in the habit of making statements I don’t mean,” Meyers said. “We’ve been trying to get Joan Crawford to do a story called ‘Bondage.’ I’m going to test you for it instead.”

“Thank you, Mr. Meyers,” Nita said warmly.

He gave her a wise look. “Just keep out of trouble and you can go far.”

She guessed that his statement could be interpreted as a warning for her not to cause a scandal with Eric Gray. She was sure the little man was not fooled by Richard Wright’s being her continual companion. She would leave it in Eric’s hands to sort out the difficult situation.

Richard had been standing in the background. Now he joined her with an amused look on his tanned face. “Good news?”

“Yes. Meyers liked my work. He’s going to star me from now on.”

Richard squeezed her arm. “Don’t let him hire you cheaply. When you sign the new contract be sure it’s for a decent salary.”

“I should have you as a business agent,” she said.

“You could do worse,” he told her. And turning, he said, “I want you to meet two friends of mine, William Desmond Taylor and his brightest star, Mary Miles Minter.”

“I hear she’s after Mary Pickford’s crown,” Nita said.

“And she has a fair chance of getting it if she keeps on as she’s been doing lately. Of course, she and Taylor are lovers. He’s a womanizer. Mabel Normand is also one of his conquests and gossip has it she’s terribly jealous of Mary and angry at Taylor for turning to her.”

Nita smiled bleakly. “More Hollywood complications.”

He said, “You can be broad-minded tonight. This is your big night!”

“All right, I’ll meet them,” she said. “How do you happen to know so many stars?”

“I get around,” he replied with a wise smile.

Richard introduced her to the slender, middle-aged man and a petite, blonde girl. William Desmond Taylor was well known in Hollywood as a director, and the vivacious Mary Miles Minter was his favorite star. Taylor at once praised Nita’s performance and spent all his time talking to her while Richard occupied himself with Mary Miles Minter.

“You showed true artistry tonight,” Taylor said in his quiet, British-accented voice.

“I appreciate that a man of your reputation,” said Nita.

He shrugged. “Anyone will tell you the same thing. I’d like to do a film with you. You must pay a visit to my place. Richard comes frequently.”

“I’d love to,” Nita said.

He lifted a sleeve and studied an expensive gold wristwatch with a diamond studded face. He said, “I must leave soon — we’re working tomorrow.”

“What a lovely watch!” she exclaimed.

The director smiled. “It was given to me by Mabel Normand. My initials are engraved on the back.”

“You are close friends?”

“We were,” he said. “We did several films together. But in Hollywood, people drift apart.”

“I’ve learned that,” she agreed. “I’m lucky to have Richard about.”

Taylor glanced at the young man talking with Mary Miles Minter and said, “Richard is truly a vital part of the Hollywood social scene.”

Nita then joined Richard and his companion for a few minutes and found the blonde star terribly nervous and rather dull in conversation. The young woman was only interested in talking about her ambition to become America’s Sweetheart in place of Mary Pickford.

“It’s a matter of doing wholesome stories,” the Minter girl told Nita earnestly. “And William knows how to select good scenarios.”

Nita noted that Richard and the director had vanished somewhere. She attempted to keep up some small talk with the petite star, but it was a losing battle.

Then a voice at her elbow said, “Nita!”

She turned to confront Dr. Phillip Watters. “You!”

“Yes,” he said with a somewhat guilty smile. “I’m still a member of the Hollywood community.”