During an interview at Capitol Records in 1965, Teen Reporter Ruth Anson (KABC-TV) - off-the-top of her pretty little head - queried popular mop-head Beatle Paul McCartney about whether he had plans to marry.
In response, he slyly quipped,
"Only if you'll marry me."
For Ruth, it may have ended up just another impromptu on-camera spot gathering dust in her memory banks over the years - if she had not (for some inexplicable reason) been inclined to ask herself recently,
"What may have been?"
"Would Paul remember her after all these years?" she wondered to herself.
And - more importantly, perhaps - was it possible the hottie was actually serious when he made the off-hand remark so many years ago? The more the diminutive little powerhouse wrestled with the memory, the more she was determined to fathom up answers to her questions.
Then, it was as if God answered her prayers.
Out-of-the-blue - an opportunity to attend a "pitch session" with Industry Professionals seeking ideas for film and television production - suddenly presented itself.
After bandying about the specifics of Ruth's - "flirt with fame" - one agent from ICM conjectured that the little scenario might make an entertaining piece of fiction - without Paul, though.
"He's too old," he announced matter-of-fact.
Ah, wasn't that just like Hollywood, to pull a switcheroo or two?
"No Paul?" she responded incredulously. But wasn't that the whole point?
Elsewhere on the panel, a light bulb went off in the head of seasoned producer, Marc Cushman.
"What about a reality show?"
The end result - "Desperately Seeking Paul McCartney" - screened last night at the Mockfest Film Festival at Hollywood and Vine in downtown Tinsel town.
When a handful of media types descended on her in the lobby, the celebrated Beatle fan was quite adamant about one thing, though.
"Oh, it's not a mockumentary, at all. It's a documentary."
In character, to the end!
Essentially - "Desperately Seeking" - chronicles Ruth's journey to meet up with her lost Lothario - Paul McCartney - forty years later; and - in the final analysis - find closure along the way.
But, as a Bette Davis character once quipped in a classic feature years ago,
"Fasten your seat belts. It's going to be a bumpy night."
Although the project was a hoot to watch, it was a rough ride for Ruth, alright.
From the get-go, producer Marc Cushman recognized when he undertook the project, that there would have to be a protagonist to make the documentary fly.
"For it to work as entertainment there must be conflict."
So, while Ruth innocently pursued her elusive dream under the auspices of "piecing together" a documentary for wide-screen release - with the ultimate aim of a rendezvous with Mr. McCartney - Marc (on the other hand) was secretly plotting to get the most mileage out of the hand he'd been dealt.
For starters, he wanted to embarrass Ruth. Exploit issues.
Curiously, one of Ruth's nephews worked in the "reality" end of show business. When he was asked to offer up his opinion on the idea of the documentary, he was livid about his favorite Auntie getting mixed up with the likes of Cushman.
Those reality-TV-show guys are such sleaze balls, he lamented on camera or something to that effect.
And, Cushman's own staff was inclined to question his underhanded tactics, too.
In fact, the little posse of workers were angered by the producer's devil-may-care approach to the lobotomy he was about to perform on poor Anson, who had nary a clue of what was on the horizon.
"Ruth's a nice lady. I don't want to embarrass her," one staffer confided - just before being shown the door.
Yeah, he was pretty cavalier about the way he treated his staff, too. After informing the PA politely to her face she could pass on the task, he did an about face when she turned on her heel and strode into the next room.
"Get rid of her," he hissed to the production coordinator.
Fortunately, Cushman lucked out with a handful of other production hopefuls he landed for the project who were willing to do his bidding - Susan Osborn Templeton taking on the mantle of production coordinator; Ryan James at the helm in the role of the 2nd Unit Director (excellent casting, by the way); and Kathryn "Kat" Farren as PA # 3 - trying to tip-toe through sh** gracefully.
For the most part, Ruth's quest appeared innocent enough; until she dragged out her scrapbook. Onlookers in the room at an "intervention" session - as well as filmgoers in the audience - noticeably gasped when they got a gander at photos Ruth had doctored to accommodate her fantasy.
In one still of the fab four, she replaced Ringo's "head" with her own; in a second - she pasted her face over that of Paul's sidekick - so it appeared she was strumming along with Paul - when, in fact - she was not.
Suddenly, the project took on a whole new turn, as the strains of "psycho" seemingly played in the background.
Friends and families expressed their concerns.
"Ruth, you mustn't show that album to Paul, he'll think you're wacko," one pleaded.
Another relative worried that she might be locked up.
"He could get a restraining order. Remember, John Lennon was shot."
At this juncture, Marc Cushman manipulated the situation to rev up the stakes. With little ado, he scheduled a therapy session for Ruth with his psychiatrist.
The footage here was probably the most thought-provoking in the documentary.
In a straightforward, no-nonsense manner, the good Doctor not only managed to subtly turn a mirror on Ruth - but successfully lead her along an insightful path - to a healing light at the end of the tunnel.
In a humorous segment of "Desperately", Ruth Anson and the unit production team try to crash the Grammys, after learning the just-divorced former Beatle would be attending the Award Ceremony in Los Angeles.
But, their plan to essentially ambush Paul on the red carpet fails.
One insider confessed,
"Security was real tight this year because of Paul McCartney."
Oops!
Had Paul been forewarned about the Ruth - and her motley crew - heading his way?
Frankly, I can relate to Ruth's plight.
Over the years, I have met a number of celebrities. On occasion, I've responded to a flirtation - the end result being - that I was thrown into a topsy-turvy clandestine affair, or two. Precious, fond memories!
But, what of the one "flame" I did not pursue?
To this day, sure - I fantasize about that person - wouldn't you?
That's normal for the human heart, in my estimation.
For Ruth, maybe it's all about - as Judy Garland would warble -
"The man who got away"
Or, a sincere desire in her role as "journalist", to catch up with Paul after all these years?
In that event - if you read this Paul - could you give Ruth a call?
But, there's somethin' you should know...
"She loves you. Yeah Yeah Yeah."
Mockfest at Hollywood & Vine in Hollywood, California
(Festival Director, G R Claveri, center)
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