573-574

**Chapter 573: This Guy is Too Capable**

*Inglourious Basterds* is a movie that plays like an alternate history of World War II.

During the mid-stage of WWII, battles rage across Europe as the Nazis and the Allies clash in a stalemate.

In the German-occupied central France, a young French woman, Shosanna Dreyfus (played by Mélanie Laurent), witnesses her family’s massacre by SS Colonel Hans Landa (portrayed by Luca Kelly). She narrowly escapes and flees to Paris, where she assumes a new identity as the owner of a cinema.

Her sole mission: avenge her family by killing Colonel Landa.

Meanwhile, U.S. Army Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Robert Downey Jr.) faces a court-martial for severe breaches of military discipline. Given his crimes, execution would be a reasonable outcome. However, desperate times call for desperate measures, and his superiors assign him a covert mission: lead a ragtag band of misfits deep into Nazi-occupied territory to assassinate high-ranking Third Reich officials.

Redemption through blood.

Aldo takes the mission and wreaks havoc behind enemy lines, making the Nazis fear his name—even Hitler himself hears of their exploits.

In one critical mission, Aldo’s team is ordered to infiltrate a cinema and assassinate “Hitler” along with other top Nazi officials. If successful, this operation could end the war.

Disguised as German film star Bridget von Hammersmark (played by Kate Winslet), they gain entry to the cinema. Coincidentally, this is Shosanna’s theater, and she has her own plans for revenge.

Two unrelated groups unite for a shared goal.

In the climactic sequence, they assassinate Hitler, Goebbels, and other key Nazi leaders, effectively ending WWII.

This plot plays out like a darkly comedic and action-packed fantasy.

The film is divided into five chapters.

---

### Chapter 1: "The Jew Hunter"

The first chapter introduces SS Colonel Hans Landa as he ruthlessly tracks down and executes Shosanna’s family.

The story begins in rural France, where a French farmer, Perrier LaPadite (Denis Ménochet), has been hiding the Jewish Dreyfus family. Landa arrives, interrogates the farmer, and eventually coerces him into revealing the hiding spot. What follows is a brutal massacre, with Shosanna barely escaping.

---

**“*Inglourious Basterds*, Scene 1, Shot 1, Take 1—Action!”**

The setting: Strasbourg countryside. A picturesque farmhouse stands amidst lush greenery—a serene rural landscape.

In front of the house, a French farmer, Perrier LaPadite, chops wood with an axe. His daughter, Julie LaPadite (played by Léa Seydoux), hangs laundry on a line.

The first shot is a wide-angle view, establishing the location and introducing the characters.

“Papa~”

Julie calls out, hearing the distant hum of engines. She pulls aside a white sheet to see several German motorcycles approaching.

The riders are Nazi officers on a hunt for Jews.

---

Parts of the scene had been pre-filmed, but today’s focus is on dialogue and performance.

Director Luca Kelly stands on the sidelines, arms crossed, observing the actors. Despite rehearsals, something feels off during the initial take.

“Cut!”

Luca approaches Denis Ménochet, who plays the farmer. A seasoned theater actor, Denis is skilled but new to film, and he’s missed some nuances.

“Denis, your performance is solid overall, but during the scene where you wipe your brow, your emotion needs to be subtler—focus on the eyes,” Luca advises.

Luca demonstrates: the farmer lowers his axe, calls for water, and sits on a stump. His eyes reveal anxiety, fear, and a quiet resolve. He wipes his face, betraying his inner turmoil with no exaggerated gestures.

Watching this, producer Mr. Ross chuckles. “I’ve always said Luca was born to direct.”

“Back when we shot *Step Up*, even as the writer, he practically directed the scenes. He just *gets* acting and blocking.”

Director Eli agrees, “With Luca guiding the cast, we’ll save a ton of time.”

Initially budgeted at $75 million (enough to hire Brad Pitt), the film’s cost was cut to $50 million after casting Robert Downey Jr. and other stars with lower fees. A smooth shoot could reduce costs further.

---

“Alright, let’s do it again!”

Luca returns to the director’s chair, and the scene resumes. This time, the actors nail their performances, and the crew films an additional take to ensure perfection.

Next up is the tense showdown between Colonel Hans Landa and farmer Perrier LaPadite.

Luca steps in front of the camera, now in character as Landa. With his officer’s cap, dark blue SS uniform, and polished leather boots, he exudes the chilling charisma of a high-ranking Nazi.

“Is this the home of Perrier LaPadite?” Landa asks loudly, gesturing dramatically.

“I am Perrier LaPadite,” the farmer replies.

“Ah, delighted to meet you, Monsieur LaPadite!” Landa grins and shakes his hand warmly. “I am SS Colonel Hans Landa.”

“What can I do for you, Colonel?”

---

Farmer Pierre asked coldly,
"I hope you’ll invite me to your house so we can sit down and talk," said Colonel Hans.

"Of course, this way!"

At first glance, this scene appears simple, but it carries profound symbolism. Colonel Hans represents Germany, while Farmer Pierre represents France.

When Hans Landa barges into Pierre’s house, it mirrors the German army’s occupation of France.

Hans extends a warm handshake, attempting to connect with the farmer. Despite Pierre’s aloofness and reluctance, under the overwhelming force of authority, Pierre has no choice but to comply.

This single scene reveals Pierre’s personality and his ultimate decision—he has no choice but to hand over the Jews.

After three takes, Director Eli declared it a wrap.

The crew then moved to a new location to shoot the indoor scenes.

Luca, playing Colonel Hans, had most of his scenes in Chapters 1, 3, and 5, totaling only seven or eight scenes. Though the role wasn’t large, delivering a great performance wasn’t easy.

Aware of the differences between himself and the original character, Luca constantly adjusted his expressions and demeanor during filming, especially when it came to managing his smile.

He needed to smile in a way that didn’t look friendly—something unsettling and even maniacal.

This was particularly challenging because of his natural good looks. No matter how he smiled, he looked charming—especially in a military uniform, where his smile practically lit up the room.

Ultimately, he took the makeup artist’s suggestion and added a few dark lines to his face. When he smiled, the lines would stretch, creating a discomforting effect, which was exactly what he aimed for.

During his adjustment period, filming didn’t go smoothly—each scene required seven or eight takes. However, as he settled into the role, the shooting became much more efficient.

“I am an efficient hunter of Jews because, unlike most German soldiers, I can think like a Jew. They, however, can only think like Germans,”

Hans said with a maniacal smile, holding a glass of milk.

The farmer puffed on his corncob pipe silently. The pipe symbolized his resistance and autonomy within his own home.

In a darkly humorous twist, Hans pulled out an oversized briar pipe, asserting dominance. As he smoked, he said,
"Now, I need my men to conduct a thorough search of your home to clear it from suspicion. If we find any illegal persons, your family will be in grave danger.

If you voluntarily confess, there’s no need for a search. Additionally, I should mention, providing information proactively comes with a reward—your family will remain free from harassment by the German military during our occupation."

Hans stared at him coldly for a moment before continuing,
"You’re harboring enemies of the state, aren’t you?"

“Yes,” Pierre admitted, submitting.

"They’re hiding under the floorboards, aren’t they?"

“Yes.”

“Show me where they are.”

Tears in his eyes, Pierre pointed to the floorboards.

Hans stood up. "We’ve been talking for so long, and there’s no movement below. They don’t understand English, do they?"

“No.”

“Excellent.”

Hans pretended to leave, picking up his hat. Then he summoned his soldiers, who opened fire through the floorboards.

Everyone beneath was killed, except for the heroine, Shoshanna, who fled from the hole.

Hans aimed his gun at the running girl.

“Cut!”

“That’s a wrap!”

After a week of filming, the first chapter was successfully completed. Next, the crew moved to the Brandenburg Film Studio to shoot the second part.

“Mr. Kelly, Robert Jr. and Tom Hardy have arrived,” said Lawrence Bender, the assistant director.

“Got it. Send them to makeup. Their costumes need to be spot-on, especially Tom Hardy. I heard he has tattoos on his arm—let’s hope it’s not Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck,” Luca remarked as he walked.

“Haha, don’t worry. I checked during the audition,” laughed Director Eli.

“Good. Eli, thanks for all your hard work.”

“No problem. I have a role in this too, so the directing will be on you,” Eli replied with a grin.

“Fair enough,” Luca chuckled as he got into a car.

Exhausted from the intense schedule, he dozed off while reviewing documents and had no idea how he got back to the hotel.

When he woke up the next day, he was shocked to find a woman in his arms. Startled, he thought, *Have I been taken advantage of again?*

---

*(End of chapter)*

**Chapter 574: What a Little Liar**

"Why are you here?"

"I think I called to tell you I’d be coming?"

"Oh, I forgot. Too much going on lately, my head’s all over the place. Sorry!"

Luca wrapped his arm around Scarlett's waist and kissed her forehead.

"Hmph, I thought maybe you found a lover on set and didn’t want me here!"

Scarlett lay against his chest, her golden hair tousled, exuding seductive charm.

"There's no woman. The whole crew is full of men, and you know I don’t fool around on set—it messes with work."

Luca chuckled.

"Is that so? Yesterday, your assistant and the lead actress helped you out of the car. Her name’s Mélanie Laurent, right? If it weren’t for me, you’d have woken up next to her this morning. So, did you sleep with Mélanie?"

Scarlett traced her nails over his chest, her tone teasing.

"Don’t joke around. Mélanie and I have nothing going on. I wouldn’t want to get involved with the lead actress anyway; my bad reputation would only get worse. As for Mélanie ending up in my bed, that’s impossible—Annie wouldn’t let it happen."

Luca kissed her fingers.

Scarlett curved her lips into a sly smile. "Rumor has it that Mélanie only beat out her competitors for the role because she slept with you."

*Smack!*

Luca slapped her rear. "Rumors are lies. Mélanie was chosen by Ms. Jeannie Johanna. I hadn’t even met her before the shoot. Tell me, how could I have slept with her?"

"Ha, if anyone could pull it off, it’d be you."

Scarlett slid her hand under the blanket, her eyes twinkling. "You’re *Mr. Big,* after all, naturally gifted."

"Haha, I’m not that amazing."

Luca pulled her hand out. "I was so tired last night, I slept like a log. Did you take advantage of me?"

"Nope!"

"Really?"

"Really, I didn’t~"

Scarlett wrapped herself in a blanket and hopped out of bed, swaying her hips seductively as she sauntered into the bathroom.

"You little liar," Luca shook his head and climbed out of bed.

---

Scarlett stayed in France for two days before leaving, having finished shooting her new film and passing through briefly.

Luca was too busy to keep her longer.

After wrapping the first part of filming, the crew moved on to the second.

This section focused on Lieutenant Aldo and his band of misfits terrorizing German soldiers, scalping and smashing their skulls in brutal ways. Their infamy spread fear across Germany.

Since Aldo and his men were portrayed as ruthless anti-heroes, actors like Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Hardy had to exude intense menace.

Filming didn’t go smoothly at first. Downey had the swagger, but he lacked Pitt’s domineering presence, leaving something amiss.

Luca frequently called for retakes, demanding perfection.

In earlier projects, Luca would step in to demonstrate how scenes should play out. However, he realized this method was exhausting and inefficient. None of the directors he had worked with, not even veteran ones like Wong, had done that.

To find a better approach, he consulted directors Lee Ann, Woody Allen, Wong Kar-wai, and Nolan.

Each offered valuable advice:

- **Lee Ann**: "A director directs, actors act. Everyone has their role. If actors fail to deliver, that’s their problem. But if they nail it and the film flops, that’s on you."

- **Woody Allen**: "Trust your cast. If they were your pick, let them perform. Retry as needed until the scene works."

- **Nolan**: "Hand-holding works for rookies, but veterans? It stifles their creativity and leads to friction."

- **Wong Kar-wai**: "A good director works smart, not hard. If you’re wearing yourself out daily, you’re doing it wrong."

Luca took these insights to heart.

The crew noticed a shift. He became less hands-on yet more demanding.

Previously, he’d meticulously coach every actor, no matter the role. Now, he observed quietly from behind the monitor, frequently shouting "Cut!" or gesturing when unsatisfied.

Some actors requested his old guidance style, but Luca refused.

"I’m a director, not a tutor. If you’re unprepared, improve. Messing up 20, 30 takes is forgivable. But screw up 100 times, and you’re out."

Unlike Wong Kar-wai, who had the patience to shoot a single scene hundreds of times, Luca wouldn’t tolerate it.

"Luca, have you lost your spark?" Director Eli asked during a break.

"What spark?" Luca, stroking his stubble, kept his eyes on the monitor.

"At first, you were bursting with passion and energy. Now you’re cold and serious, like you’re in ‘sage mode.’"

"Stop joking. Isn’t this how directors work? Don’t you do the same?"

"Well, we think your earlier approach was better. More approachable, less stressful."

"Hmph, back then you called me a workaholic behind my back. Think I didn’t know?"

Luca said flatly.

"Luca, you misunderstood. We genuinely admired your dedication."

"Enough talk. You’ve got a scene next. Mess up, and I’ll tear you apart in front of the whole crew."

"...Got it."

Eli grimaced. He believed Luca meant it. Just days ago, Hardy had shown up drunk, delaying production. Luca made him reshoot over 50 takes.

"Sigh, I regret taking this small role."

"Your choice. Now finish it—even if you have to crawl."

"Fine!"

Eli stepped onto the set, bracing himself.

"Scene 13, Take 2, Action!"