“I wasn’t nuts about the script”: Clint Eastwood Turned Down Steven Spielberg’s Problematic Idol Director in the Most Badas* Way Possible
Regarded as one of the greatest actors and directors of all time, Clint Eastwood first gained notoriety in Sergio Leone’s Dollars Trilogy as the Man with No Name. In addition, he played the role of an antihero cop in five Dirty Harry films from the 1970s to the 1980s, which elevated the actor-director to a status as a cultural symbol of masculinity.
When the 74-year-old director of Million Dollar Baby—which was nominated in seven categories—won the Academy Award for Best Picture, he became the oldest of the eighteen directors to have directed two or more Best Picture winners. Eastwood has mentioned that he turned down the chance to collaborate with a filmmaker who is regarded as the finest filmmaker in history. Let’s find out who that is.
Clint Eastwood was not impressed with Alfred Hitchcock’s script
There is no question about the fact that Alfred Hitchcock is recognized as the greatest director of all time who went ahead to make a name for himself in the 1940s with his black-and-white classics yet managed to stay relevant when cinema transformed.
According to EW, Clint Eastwood had an opportunity to work with Hitchcock, which he passed on because the script did not impress him much. He said,
“Hitchcock wanted me to be in one of his films [which, it turned out, would never be made]. I wasn’t nuts about the script. I had lunch with him in his office. When I walked in, he was sitting there very erect and he didn’t even move. Only his eyes did. They followed you across the room.”
Although Hitchcock never really mentioned what was about the script that did not impress him or what movie he was offered the role for, according to Far Out Magazine, Eastwood was being considered for The Short Night– a romantic espionage thriller. The actor was reportedly supposed to feature along with Walter Matthau, Sean Connery, and Steve McQueen, but the movie never saw the light of day.
Also read: Before Will Smith, Clint Eastwood Almost Starred in Steven Spielberg’s $589M Iconic Alien Movie
Clint Eastwood declined to play Superman on-screen
Back in 1978 when Superman was being made, Clint Eastwood’s name started to float around and it was reported that he was being considered for the part, which eventually went to Christopher Reeve, who had reprised the character in three sequels as well.
Eastwood was offered the role by President of Warner Bros., Frank Wells, who declined at the time. He said via Marca;
“I was like, ‘Superman? No, no, it’s not for me’. Not that there’s anything wrong with it. It’s for somebody else, not for me. I’ve always liked characters who are grounded in reality. Maybe they do fabulous things or some superhuman things, like Dirty Harry, who has a knack for doing crazy things, or guys from westerns, but they still don’t wear capes.”
He continued to explain,
“That was part of the consideration, a big part. Look at Reeve, he was excellent. That was a very important factor. To take a role like that and get kind of locked into it. It’s true I did a lot of westerns and the Dirty Harry role, but everybody did westerns and cop movies; they didn’t seem so bad.”
The actor was reportedly also offered to play James Bond for Casino Royale, which, eventually David Niven ended up playing, talking about that he said that for him the role belonged to someone else (Sean Connery), adding that it didn’t make him feel right to play it.
