Victory for the Ops Room Girls

by Vicki Beeby

  ‘Take a seat.’ The woman ushered her to a chair. ‘I’m Flora, by the way.’

  ‘Nice to meet you, Flora. I’m Jess.’

  ‘Oh, I’ve heard all about you,’ Flora said, eyes twinkling. ‘I was doing Mr Steele’s makeup earlier, and he told me to take good care of you.’

  ‘That was kind of him.’

  ‘Oh, he’s got a heart of gold, that man. Always time for a chat with the likes of me and the cooks. Always a kind word.’

  It was this consideration that Jess had been attracted to when she had first begun rehearsing All Manor of Murder. He had gone out of his way to be kind to the people who worked backstage. Of course, they had, in return, often seen to it that Leo got the best treatment, often falling over themselves to run errands for him even when it meant neglecting other members of the cast.

  Flora draped Jess with an overall to protect her uniform then took off her cap and started removing the hairpins holding Jess’s hair in the smart style she had adopted. ‘You’ve got me for both hair and makeup,’ Flora said. ‘Budgets are tight and film crew are more scarce.’ Her tone was apologetic.

  Jess hurried to reassure her. ‘It’s a real treat to have someone do my hair and makeup at all. When I was on the stage before the war, I had to do my own.’

  ‘Well, let’s see about your hair.’ Flora brushed it out, encouraging it to fall in glossy waves down to Jess’s shoulder blades.

  ‘Aren’t there any other actors in for hair and makeup this morning?’ Jess asked. She had been looking forward to the gossip that could always be had when being made up.

  ‘Not this time. It’s just you and Mr Steele in the scene they’re filming today.’

  ‘Only one scene?’ Jess pulled her script from her pocket and unfolded it in her lap. ‘It doesn’t look very long.’

  ‘Ah, this is film. Very different from stage acting. It can take all day – days, even – before the director gets the scene exactly as he wants it. And you’re filming outdoors, too, so you might act it perfectly but have to do a retake because the light wasn’t right.’

  ‘I can see I’ve got a lot to learn.’ It was already strange to be filming out of order. Today’s scene was about two thirds of the way through the story. Jess was used to stage acting where performances were done in order. Today Jess was going to have to try to act angry about Charlie standing her up on their last date, something that had happened in a scene she hadn’t performed yet. It was an odd way of doing things, to her mind, although she was sure she would get used to it.

  ‘You’ll do well enough,’ Flora said. ‘You’ve certainly got the looks for the part. I’d have killed for hair like this when I was younger. There. That’s perfect. I’ll need to give it another brush through before each take, but that’s all it will need.’

  ‘Aren’t you going to put it up?’ Jess looked at herself in the mirror. Flora must have magic in her fingers because Jess’s hair billowed in thick shiny waves – a look that would make many a Hollywood actress green with envy. It was, however, against regulations. Her CO would have a fit if she could see her now. ‘It won’t look right under my cap like that.’

  ‘Oh, you won’t be wearing the cap. It’s too official looking. You need a softer look. More romantic.’

  Jess knew there was no point in arguing. Flora was, after all, only following the art director’s instructions. She sat back in her chair to let Flora do her makeup. Flora chattered as she worked, and soon Jess was up to date on all the personalities in the production.

  ‘What’s Allan Ford like?’ Jess asked, naming the director. He had a reputation of being a hard taskmaster, and she’d been nervous about working for him.

  ‘I’ll let you into a secret,’ Flora replied, lowering her voice even though there was no one else in the tent. ‘He may want people to think he’s a crusty old slave driver with a heart of stone, but that’s all for show. He knows what he wants, mind you, and will work you hard until he gets it, but beneath the harsh exterior he’s got a heart of gold. If you can show him you’re keen to learn and want to work hard, he’ll be putty in your hands.’

  Jess stored up this information, knowing that the relationship with her director could make or break an actress’s experience.

  ‘There. All ready for Mr Steele to sweep you off your feet.’

  Jess looked at her reflection. Like the hair, her makeup gave her a veneer of glamour only usually seen on a Hollywood actress. While she considered herself skilled at applying makeup, she had never managed the polished look Flora had given her. ‘I can see why all the best productions use you,’ she told Flora. She gave an experimental smile, admiring how the deep red lipstick made her teeth look even whiter than usual. ‘This looks amazing.’

  ‘Well, I had a good canvas to start with,’ Flora said. ‘You should see the state of some of the actors I have to make up, especially after a hard night’s partying. Without makeup they would look more like characters in a horror film.’

  Jess laughed. She rose, allowing Flora to help her off with the protective drape. ‘I should hire you as my personal makeup artist. I could do with you the day after a night watch.’

  Being with Flora had helped calm her nerves, but they returned in full force when she went to join Leo.

  Allan Ford was with him and took over with no time for niceties. ‘Let’s see what you’re made of then.’

  Together with Leo and the director of photography, they began by blocking the scene. This involved walking Jess and Leo through the scene, showing them the markers placed where they should be standing at each point. There was little time for her to assimilate all that information before she had to rehearse the full scene with Leo. To her relief, the level of concentration required in the Filter Room helped her remember everything with more ease than anticipated, and it was Leo who made mistakes in the first couple of run-throughs.

  ‘Sorry,’ Leo said to the director after the second mistake. ‘Jess didn’t quite turn in time, and it distracted me.’

  Jess opened her mouth to protest then thought better of it. While she thought she had followed instructions to the letter, it was more likely that she’d made a mistake than an experienced film actor like Leo.

  The scene itself was very short. In it, Fiona, Jess’s character, was to walk through the grounds and change direction to avoid Charlie, Leo’s character, when she caught sight of him. Leo then had to run to catch her up. The remainder of the scene was Leo trying to explain that he had been unable to meet her the evening before because duty had unexpectedly called him away. Jess had trouble with Fiona’s anger at Leo. If Fiona had been a civilian it might have been different, but Jess couldn’t imagine a WAAF not understanding that if a pilot was ordered on a mission, he had no choice but to obey.

  Still, it didn’t seem appropriate to argue over the script so early on in the filming, so she followed direction to the letter.

  ‘Don’t you miss playing to an audience?’ Jess asked Leo as they sat down between takes. Flora stood behind Jess, brushing out her hair again, which had lost some of its wave in the light breeze. She was finding filming a strange experience. It had taken all morning, but the director had pronounced himself happy with the takes they had done of the argument scene, so after lunch – a spread of sandwiches arranged in another tent – they had moved on to film a scene from near the start of the story. This was the scene where Charlie first sees Fiona. After spending the whole morning being angry, it felt odd to switch to be starry-eyed at her first sight of the handsome pilot.

  ‘Who needs an audience when you have the finest crew any actor could ask for?’ Leo turned to grin at Flora. ‘Isn’t that right, Flora?’ Then in a stage whisper to Jess that Flora was clearly meant to hear he added, ‘Flora’s the best in the business. Treat her right and you’ll look like a goddess.’

  Jess couldn’t see Flora’s face but she could guess it was wreathed in smiles as she replied, ‘Ooh, you are a one, Mr Steele.’

  After applying a little more p
owder to Jess’s face, Flora left them.

  Leo immediately turned to Jess and said in a lower voice, ‘Not that you need makeup to look like a goddess. Come out with us tonight? A group of us are going to a club in Town. It’ll be a chance to meet the other actors.’

  Jess, tired from hours of standing around, wanted nothing more than to curl up in a comfy armchair in the anteroom and chat over the day’s events with Evie and May. However, she wanted to make a good impression, and it seemed stand-offish to refuse to meet the rest of the cast.

  By the end of the day, her back and feet ached, and she wished she could think of an excuse not to head into London. Still, she had enjoyed herself, and the excitement of being on a film set hadn’t faded. Her nerves had eased with each take, and she had even earned a grudging nod of approval from Allan Ford. Coming from him, it had felt like winning an Oscar. If she wanted to act after the war, she was heading in the right direction.

  * * *

  ‘How did your first day of filming go?’ This question was directed at Jess by Maurice Michaels, an actor in his late fifties whose bushy moustache waggled impressively with each word. Jess gazed at the moustache, mesmerised. Maurice was playing the Station Commander. Jess was familiar with his work, as he had played several authority figures in other films she had seen. They were due to play several scenes together when they returned to the studio, so Jess had been glad to meet him.

  Jess, her eyes and throat smarting from the smoke filling the club, cleared her throat and raised her voice to be heard over the band, which had just launched into an energetic number. ‘It’s been interesting. There’s so much to learn.’

  Leo, who had been talking to the director, now addressed Maurice. ‘She’s a star in the making, I tell you.’ This was the first time he had commented on her work, and it gave her a flutter of pleasure.

  ‘Then I look forward to working with you in a few days.’ Maurice then turned to a younger man on his other side – Jess recognised him as an up-and-coming actor who had been released from the RAF Film Unit to make this film. Leo returned to his conversation, leaving Jess stranded between them. The music was too loud to carry on a conversation with those sitting across the table from her, so she drank her drink and tapped out the rhythm of the tune on her glass with her fingers.

  Milan wouldn’t have ignored her. When she went out with Milan, even when they were in a crowded room, he gave her his full attention. Again, she had the uncomfortable feeling she was being disloyal to Milan by coming here, which was ridiculous. Milan never objected to her socialising with others, and it wasn’t as if she had any romantic designs towards Leo.

  After what felt like an age, Leo turned towards her. He seemed to look at something over her shoulder for a moment, then he held out his hand. ‘Forgive me for ignoring you,’ he said. ‘It was terribly rude of me, but I wanted to discuss tomorrow’s scene with Allan.’

  Jess relaxed, ignoring a tiny voice in her mind that wanted her to ask him why she couldn’t have been included, seeing as she was in the scene as well. ‘That’s all right. I was enjoying the music.’

  Leo’s hand was still held out to her. ‘Would you like to dance?’

  Glad of something to do, she took his hand and allowed him to steer her onto the dance floor. There was no denying Leo was a skilful dancer. He wove expertly around the other couples, spinning and dipping her until she felt like Ginger Rogers to Leo’s Fred Astaire. She couldn’t help but be aware of the stir of interest surrounding them. Gradually, the other dancers moved off the dance floor and lined the perimeter, watching. Jess’s heart thrilled at the attention she was getting. A flash of light made her blink. An instant later she realised a photographer stood at the edge of the dance floor, pointing a camera at them. Jess shot him her brightest smile. Suddenly the evening didn’t seem so dreary. This was the life she had dreamed of before the war. Who would have thought a chance meeting could bring that dream back within her grasp?

  When the dance ended, everyone applauded, and Jess revelled in it, her weariness forgotten. This was why actors coveted film roles. A mystique clung to film actors, and they were the centre of attention wherever they went. Everyone knew who they were. People were interested in Jess simply because she was with Leo. Imagine the awe they would regard her with had they seen her in films.

  They returned to their table. However, before Jess could sit down, Leo glanced at his watch. ‘I don’t know about you, but I need my beauty sleep if I’m to be up bright and early tomorrow.’ Jess was thirsty and could have done with another drink. However, a glance at her watch showed her that she really ought to get back if she was to be fresh for the next day’s filming.

  As they were about to leave the club, Jess saw that the photographer she had seen earlier was now standing beside the door. He took another picture, then a second man Jess hadn’t noticed before stepped in front of them. ‘Mr Steele, would you care to introduce our readers to your lovely companion?’

  It dawned on her that the photographer must be from a newspaper. Still, it wouldn’t do any harm to be photographed. Once again, feeling as though she was in her childhood dream, she raised her chin and gave the men her best smile.

  ‘This is Jess Halloway. Or, I should say, Section Officer Halloway. She is a very talented actress who has agreed to play my leading lady in my latest film, Knights of the Skies.’

  It took all of Jess’s self-command not to shoot Leo a look of amazement. Although she played Leo’s love interest in the film, her part was minor. She could by no stretch of the imagination be described as a leading lady.

  The reporter was scribbling down her name. Then he asked, ‘Your leading lady off screen as well? Having watched you dance together I have to ask.’

  Jess drew breath, on the verge of telling the man to mind his own business. She shut her mouth when Leo squeezed her arm. ‘Now, Arnold, you don’t expect me to give up all my secrets, do you?’

  As far as Jess was concerned, it was a most inadequate answer. She turned her head as Leo steered them out of the door, intending to set the record straight. Leo fixed a smile on his face and murmured in her ear. ‘Don’t say a word. This is priceless publicity.’ Before she knew it, they were out on the dark street.

  Chapter Twelve

  Thankfully the next evening, Leo wasn’t so insistent about Jess coming out with him, which was a relief. She hadn’t seen Evie or May since she’d started filming and she longed to catch up with them. Footsore and aching from hours of standing around waiting for the right light, she staggered back to No. 2 Mess and flung herself into an armchair in the anteroom and ordered a cup of tea.

  ‘Have a good evening last night, ma’am?’ the waitress asked when she brought the tea.

  Jess was flummoxed. ‘What would you know about it?’

  The girl coloured. ‘I… oh, nothing really, ma’am.’ She made her escape.

  Jess was too tired to pursue the matter. Probably just gossip about the film, she supposed, as she kicked off her shoes and put her feet up on the ottoman with a sigh. She closed her eyes while she waited for her tea to cool.

  ‘There she is.’

  Jess opened her eyes to see Evie and May standing over her. ‘I was waiting for you,’ she told them. ‘You’re not going on watch, are you?’

  Evie snorted. ‘Only two days on set and you’ve already lost track of the watches.’ She lowered herself into an armchair with a groan and dropped a folded newspaper onto her lap. ‘Got off at 1600 hours. May dragged me for a walk on the common. Why she thought that was better than a cup of tea in here I’ll never know.’

  ‘I get such awful backache hunched over the table,’ May said, sitting beside Evie. ‘I needed a walk to work out the kinks.’

  ‘You could have stayed a driver. Spent your days sat in the driving seat.’

  ‘Except all the times I had to change the spark plugs or wheels,’ May said. ‘I prefer what I’m doing now. I like using my brain.’

  ‘Anyway, we’re getting off the p
oint.’ Evie threw the newspaper to Jess. ‘Care to explain this?’

  Jess picked it up, ‘It looks like a newspaper,’ she said, pretending to examine it. ‘You read it to learn the news around the world.’

  Evie snatched the paper out of Jess’s hands and hit her over the head with it.

  ‘Hey, mind my hair.’ Jess carded her fingers through it, trying to restore the waves that Evie’s attack must have flattened. ‘It took ages for the hair and makeup lady to get it looking right.’

  ‘As to that, make sure you put it up before dinner or you’ll get a dressing down from the CO. But that can wait.’ Evie opened the newspaper. ‘What we’re both dying to know is how did you manage to get so cosy with Leonard Steele?’ She handed the newspaper back to Jess, pointing to a picture.

  Jess took it, a suspicion of the truth forming. A glance at the page confirmed her worst fears. There were two photographs – one of her dancing with Leo and another of them leaving the club. In both she was giving a dreamy smile as though completely infatuated. The headline was splashed across the top of the page in bold letters: ‘A leading lady for Leonard Steele.’

  ‘I don’t believe it,’ Jess said. ‘I never thought it would get into a national paper.’ She hadn’t been thinking at all, she realised with a rush of shame. She had been so carried away with the glamour of being photographed on Leonard Steele’s arm, she hadn’t given a single thought to the consequences.

  ‘Is it true, though?’ May asked. ‘Are you and Leonard Steele courting?’

  ‘Course not.’ Jess flung the paper to the floor, picture side down so she couldn’t see her infatuated smile. ‘The only reason I went out was to meet the whole cast. Those two photographs were practically the only time I was actually alone with ’im.’

  ‘How did the reporter know you would be there?’ Evie asked. She picked up the paper and read the article.