James L. Brooks used the 10-page narration of Frau and Christina’s journey to the United States as the starting point for the script. The theme of the story is very clear in the narration, that is, the parents’ protection of the children’s moral integrity. And guidelines. Brooks also added a new dimension, the complexity of cultural integration. Brooks began to roughly conceive the roles of Flau and Christina in 1999, and later he found Christie Hobage, the founder of "Latin Magazine", to help him perfect the character structure. During the writing of the screenplay, Brooks spent some time studying Latin immigrants. Hobage recruited a large number of Spanish female immigrants. They all became Brooks' research material. Brooks spent a year recording these characters. These interviewees all spoke candidly about their immigration experience to Brooks, and some of them were disappointed in the new environment, expectations, dreams and expectations of the children.
When designing John's character, Brooks decided to overthrow the convention. He thought his father was a great guy, and he focused on family from the beginning. This is the real person around him. John’s character prototype is American chef Thomas Keller, who opened the world-renowned restaurant "French Laundry." Brooks learned about the chef from the news. During the script writing period, he visited the "French Laundry" restaurant and recorded everything about the kitchen, such as equipment, utensils, and clothing.
Brooks’s inspiration for portraying Deborah came from a D·J·Hall oil painting in his collection. This realistic oil painting is called "Summer Pastime". In the painting, there is a woman wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat. She is sitting Under the red and white striped parasol, looking at Matisse's picture book. This painting, like Hall's other works, depicts the unique lifestyle of Los Angeles, and reflects the sense of sadness hidden under the bright and colorful appearance. At Brooks' request, producer Richard Sakai found painter DJ Hall. Brooks decided to draw on Hall’s painting "Studying Matisse" in the scene where Frau met Deborah, Bernie and Evelyn in the backyard for the first time
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