You'll Like It on Mars

Nobody could figure out how Kettering had shot his realistic scenes on Mars. His movie was just too good to be true—and much too gruesome!
I remember it all so clearly. Get the information and you can have anything you want, Myron Ferdinand told me. He stuffed his heavy pipe with five-dollar-an-ounce tobacco and blew a heavy cloud around his heavy face. Fail to get it, and I'll wash you out of the whole industry.
Myron meant what he said. I'll get it, I said with beautifully faked confidence.
Renn Kettering will be glad to see you at his party tonight, Myron grinned. I planted a rumor that you want to leave me and go to work for him. Maneuver a private talk, get him on the subject of how he made that damned movie. Maybe he'll let something slip.
Great idea, I said. Movie magnates always have great ideas.
Talk to his cast. And slip off alone if you can and look his house over. I don't care what you do, but come back here with the information. And don't get big ideas on selling out to Kettering. He'd hire you to get you away from Stupendous and then dust-bin you because he couldn't trust you. You understand that, of course.
Of course, I said. Movie magnates are always right.
One thing more, Manny. I want you to see those steals again.
I've seen those scenes of his about seven thousand times, Myron.
So have I—so has the whole country—and between you and me I don't think they're as hot as they're cracked up to be. I'd have done it different. But I want you to see them just before you go to Kettering's party, to have 'em fresh in your mind. Get it?
Terrif idea! I bellowed. I didn't think of that!
That's why I'm president of Stupendous, said Myron.