Behind The Scenes

Chapter 3

The frantic knock at Raúl's trailer door was an unpleasant awakening for Raúl and Anjelica the following morning. It took Raúl a brief moment to gather his thoughts, and work out just why he had fallen asleep on his couch, and indeed why his beautiful co-star was curled up next to him, her head resting in his lap, in quite the compromising position. His hand had been resting on his knee, fingers lightly tangled in Anjelica's silken hair. A quick glance down at the slumbering beauty aroused his libido somewhat, as he noticed that the shirt she wore had ridden up overnight, and it was only the fact of sleeping on her side that protected Anjelica's modesty. The rattling at the door once again stirred Raúl from his reverie, and he gently slid from underneath Anjelica, donning his spectacles as he opened the door to a harried-looking runner.

"I'm sorry Señor Juliá, but I have been sent to find you and Miss Huston, you were due in make-up half an hour ago..."

"Ay, mierda! I apologise. Miss Huston had to spend the night here, due to the storm. We will be there in two minutes. I overslept... please send my apologies."

Before any further awkward questions could be asked, Raúl gently closed the door, whirling round as he heard a flurry of activity behind him.

"Shit! Oh, Sonnenfeld will not be happy..." Anjelica sounded despondent as she gathered up her belongings, having thrown one of Raúl's housecoats around her shoulders, in order to avoid having to wander across the entire set barely dressed.

"Is this okay?" she asked Raúl, glancing up into his remarkably calm features, as she moved non-stop, the worry in her voice causing Raúl to wonder what harsh words the director had spoken to this poor girl in the past.

"Yes, of course. Come, let me carry that metal contraption for you," Raúl offered as they hurried through the door together, both secretly grateful for the rush, as it gave them a focus other than the difficult conversation both knew was to come sooner or later.

Before long, they had arrived on set, full of apologies and each trying to suppress their guilt; for both of them it was a guilt that was driven more by the depth of their feelings, rather than for any actions. They both reasoned to themselves, they hadn't really done anything one may consider cheating, after all. True, they had danced, and ever such a sensuous dance at that. But then again, Anjelica had requested an authentic Puerto Rican dance, and the music had leant itself to the 'dance for lovers' so well. And true, they had almost kissed, but the storm had called a halt to that, bringing both to their senses. And true, they had slept in a fairly compromising position. But it hadn't been by design. They had been exhausted. All of these thoughts ran through both of their minds as they were immediately separated from each other, ushered by crew members, pulled and pushed about by make-up and wardrobe, ready for the day ahead. It didn't matter to them if their excuses were just that... excuses. For the time being they absolved themselves of horrific guilt, and focused on the task at hand. Recriminations could come later.

They were to spend the next few days filming Fester's farewell ball, and all involved had spent many long hours rehearsing the various dance moves required. Anjelica and Raúl in particular had spent a great deal of time learning how to waltz correctly from an esteemed ballroom dancer, in a little studio in the city, several days before the entire company had become all but stranded in the gothic mansion.

As the cameras began to roll, and Sonnenfeld called 'action', Christopher Lloyd - utterly transformed into the loveable rogue that was Fester Addams - made his way into the centre of the grand ballroom, the candles he was holding illuminating his grotesque face quite wonderfully. In the background, Raúl's Gomez slid across the open doorway to stand by Anjelica's side.

"Tish... how long has it been since we've waltzed?"

Raúl delivered his line with a tenderness none of the assembled crew had yet heard him to bring to his character, as devoted as Gomez was. He held Anjelica's hands in his own, noting the coolness of her skin, and he briefly hoped she hadn't caught a chill from the torrential rains that had soaked her the night before. Raúl was quickly bought back to the present moment by Anjelica's reply.

"Oh Gomez... hours!" she sighed, allowing Raúl to spin her into position and slide a hand around her waist, the same flurry of excitement spreading through her body at his touch as she had felt yesterday evening, swaying in his arms. Somehow today the dreadful metal corset and restricting dress didn't seem quite so uncomfortable. Although Raúl had always been a true gentleman and courteous co-star, Anjelica couldn't help but notice the way he held her far more carefully now, as if afraid to cause her any more discomfort than her costume already did of its own accord.

It was only later, as the crew checked the scene back, that Sonnenfeld noticed the camera had caught a distinctly un-Morticia-like broad smile upon Anjelica's face as she and Raúl had begun their waltz. He made a mental note to remind his lead actress the next day of Morticia's impassive nature. Less smiling, more stoicism!

For now, however, there was a more pressing reason for Sonnenfeld to call a halt to the filming, and reprimand his cast. For all its embracing of the dark world of the Addams family, and for all the suggestive undertones, this was still a family film. Yet somehow the countless hours of training and rehearsal for the dance scene seemed to be for naught, as Raúl and Anjelica appeared to have drifted off into a world of their own, and were dancing as though they were a pair of star-crossed lovers who had been kept from each other's embrace for ever such a long time, bodies moving together, lost in each other's gaze. Their slow, sultry moves were unrecognisable from the effortless waltz Sonnenfeld had witnessed many times over in rehearsal. Anjelica suddenly appeared unencumbered by her costume, and her hips swayed sensually against Raúl's, his hand possessively resting on her lower back, the other caressing the back of her neck. Sonnenfeld heard young Christina giggling from the doorway to the great hall, thankfully at present not in shot, and called out a curt 'Cut!', if for no reason other than to prevent the impressionable young actors from viewing any more of their on-screen parents' lustful display.

With expressions reminiscent of the grievous looks Morticia and Gomez had cast at Pinderschloss when she had interrupted their kiss on the wheel of pain – a scene they had shot a few days earlier – Raúl and Anjelica paused their dance as the director strode across the room. Sonnenfeld stuttered for a moment as he noted that Raúl had not yet relinquished his hold on his leading lady, and Anjelica herself seemed perfectly comfortable in his arms.

"What was that?! This is a family film! A graceful waltz is all I asked from you! What is going on with you both? Is there something I should know?" Sonnenfeld admonished the pair soundly. The sound of low chatter from behind him reassured him that Judith and Carel were entertaining Christina and Jimmy during this unscheduled break, and he fixed Raúl with an untrusting stare.

"Nothing at all," came Raúl's calm reply. "I take responsibility, it has been a while since we rehearsed and I did forget my moves, somewhat."

As he spoke, Raúl stroked his fingers in small circles over Anjelica's lower back, a movement not unnoticed by Sonnenfeld. The director opened his mouth once again to challenge the pair, but Raul's unwavering stare and polite smile disarmed him, and he merely rolled his eyes as he stormed back to the small crew milling behind the camera. As the call rang out for the scene to reset, Raúl and Anjelica rearranged themselves into the formal ballroom stance, and for the first time since they had been questioned, locked eyes with one another. Anjelica flushed, unseen beneath her heavy make-up. Raúl flashed a reassuring smile, and as the background music piped up, diligently began to lead his on-screen lover in a flawless waltz around the room.

'Whatever this thing is, whatever it turns out to be... we've got to be a lot more careful,' Anjelica told herself as Raúl raised her hand to his lips in another unscripted moment; but this one at least was allowed to pass. It was fully in character, after all.