Son of Stone

21

T he lights came up at Film Forum after Citizen Kane, and Peter and Ben rose and shuffled out of the theater with the crowd.

“You’re awfully quiet,” Peter said.

“That’s because I’m stunned,” Ben replied. “I want to see it again.”

“I have it on DVD,” Peter said. “Come on back to the house, and I’ll rack it up for you.”

They took a bus back to Turtle Bay, and Peter let them into the house with his key. Stone was standing just inside the door taking off his overcoat and hanging it in the hall closet.

“Hey, fellas,” Stone said. “How was the movie?”

“Movies,” Peter replied. “Ben liked them.”

“Especially Citizen Kane,” Ben said.

“We’re going to go upstairs and watch it again on DVD,” Peter said, “so please excuse us.”

“Of course, go on up.”

The boys ran up the stairs to Peter’s room, and he found the disc for Citizen Kane.

“Did you say Welles was twenty-four years old when he directed this movie?” Ben asked.

“That’s right, and he was already a big actor and director on Broadway and on the radio.”

“That’s unbelievable,” Ben said.

“We can beat that. Sit down.” He pointed Ben at a chair, then sat down himself. “Ben, I think you’re a smart guy.”

“That’s true, but I’m not as smart as you.”

“If that’s true, it’s an accident of nature, so don’t worry about it. What’s more important is, you’re a good guy, too.”

“Thanks, Peter. I feel the same way about you.”

“For the next four years or so, I’ve got to keep you out of trouble.”

Ben laughed. “You’ve been talking to my dad.”

“No, I’ve been talking to my dad, but he feels the same way about it as your dad. The thing is, they’re both right.”

Ben looked sheepish. “Yeah, I have been in a few scrapes, but I had some fun, too.”

“We’ve got to find some new ways for you to have fun,” Peter said, “because I’m not going to get involved in any scrapes. There’s too much at stake.”

“What’s at stake?”

“Have you ever noticed when some young celebrity gets into drugs or gets arrested for drunk driving, how long it takes him to get over those things? I mean, they end up in jail, then in court, then in rehab, then in community service, and most of them have to go through that two or three times before they finally get it. The ones who don’t get it end up in prison or dead.”

“Well, yeah, I’ve noticed that.”

“All that stuff they have to do to get straight takes up years of their lives. You and I don’t need to waste that kind of time getting out of trouble we should never have gotten into in the first place.”

“You have a point,” Ben conceded.

“Ben, I think you would make a terrific movie producer.”

“Really?”

“You’re smart, you’re good with money, you’re well organized. But you’re not motivated-not yet, anyway.”

“What should motivate me?”

“Would you like to be a movie producer?”

“Yeah, sure I would. Who wouldn’t?”

“Okay, everybody, but only a few are suited to the work. First of all, you love the movies.”

“Well, I love everything you’ve shown me.”

“A good motivation to have would be to want to make movies as good as or better than those.”

“Yeah, I can see that.”

“If you’re motivated, then making that happen becomes the most-well, one of the most important things in your life, and you do the things you have to do to achieve that ambition.”

“What are the things I have to do, if I want to be a movie producer?”

“First of all, you have to do the things that everybody ought to do anyway, like getting an education and behaving yourself. Then you have to pick out a few things to do that lead you toward your goal.”

“Such as?”

“Such as coming to Yale Drama School with me, instead of going to Columbia.”

“Drama school? Me? ”

“Why not? In drama school you’ll learn how to produce a play and a movie, and you’ll meet the kind of people you’ll later be working with when you’re a producer: directors, actors, writers,

technicians. And while you’re at it, you should take some business courses, too, particularly accounting and marketing. Then, maybe, you should get an MBA.”

“Drama school, business school,” Ben mused, half to himself. “You know, that makes a lot of sense- if I decided I wanted to be a movie producer.”

“Do you have some other career in mind?”

“My dad wants me to go to law school. I think he wants me to be like Stone.”

“He’ll get over it. What does your grandfather want you to do?”

“He says I should do something I love, and he’ll help me get to the top of it.”

“Can he help you switch from Columbia to Yale?”

“Just between you and me, Peter, I think my grandfather can make anything happen.”

“Then he’s a valuable ally. From what I’ve heard about him, he’s very rich, too.”

“Yeah, I guess he is.”

“And you’re his only grandchild, aren’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“That means you’re going to have a lot of options other kids don’t have.”

“I never thought of it that way,” Ben said, “but you’re right.”

“How does this sound, Ben.” Peter raised a hand as if framing a big sign. “A BEN BACCHETTI PRODUCTION OF A FILM BY PETER BARRINGTON.”

Ben laughed. “Hey, that sounds pretty great!”

“It can be great, if it’s what we both want. What do you want, Ben?”

Ben took a deep breath. “I want that.”

“Are you willing to do the things you have to to get it? Now, I don’t mean stabbing people in the back, the way they seem to do in Hollywood. I mean, are you willing to do the things you have to do to learn how to do it and be great at it?”

“Yes,” Ben said firmly. “I’m willing to do those things.”

“And are you willing not to do the things you shouldn’t do?”

“Yeah, I’m willing not to do those things.”

“Great! We’ll have a lot more fun if I’m not bailing you out all the time.”

Ben laughed. “You know, my dad is always saying stuff like this to me, but coming from you, it makes a lot more sense.”

“I’m glad, Ben. Now, because you’re my friend and I trust you, I want to tell you a couple of things that nobody else knows and that I don’t want anyone else to know until the right time.”

“You’re right, Peter, you can trust me.”

“First of all, you’ve probably already figured out that Stone is my biological father.”

“Well, yeah.”

“And he and my mother are getting married.”

“Great!”

“It’s better if all that doesn’t get around.”

“I understand.”

“Second, it should help motivate you to know that my mother owns about forty percent of Centurion Studios.”

Ben stared at him blankly. “The actual Hollywood studio?”

“That’s right. My stepfather, Vance Calder, was Centurion’s most important star for fifty years, and during that time he bought the studio’s stock every chance he got. A couple of times, he even took payment for acting roles in studio stock.”

“That’s amazing.”

“Yes, it is, but it’s going to be even more amazing for you and me. Get your mind around this: one day I’m going to own all that stock, and it’s going to allow me to make any film I want to make at Centurion, and it’s going to allow you to produce it. And it’s going to allow the two of us to run Centurion Studios.”

Ben sank back in his chair, looking stunned.

“Now, before you get over that idea, I’ve something else to tell you.”

“I’m not sure I can stand it,” Ben said.

“I’m not sure you can, either, but here goes: Ben, I’m only sixteen years old.”

Ben sat bolt upright, looking at Peter’s face for some sign that he was kidding. “I’m going to be eighteen next month; you mean you’re two years younger than I am?”

“You’re good at math, Ben.”

“I can do eighteen minus sixteen.”

“Now, Ben, my age makes me a freak, at least until I’m in my thirties, when it won’t matter. But, if people think I’m eighteen, then I’m not a freak, and life will be so very much easier for me. Can you understand that?”

“Sure, I can. Your secret is safe with me, Peter.”

“Good. And I have a legal birth certificate to prove I’m eighteen. Please remember: life will be easier for both of us if you continue to treat me as if I’m eighteen.”

Ben smiled broadly. “No sweat, pal.”

“That means I’m not going to drink until I’m twenty-one, which means until I’m twenty-three. I’m not suggesting that you should wait that long, but you’ll have a better brain in your head if you do.”

“I’ll think about that.”

“I’m probably not going to have sex for a while, either, and I don’t need you to give me a hard time about it.”

“Up to you, Peter.”

“And it will help our career plan if you don’t get anybody pregnant.”

“Good point.”

“Great. Now, are you ready to watch Citizen Kane again?”

“Are you kidding? I’m ready to produce it!”