There have been several successful filmmakers in Hollywood, but talents like Stanley Kubrick and Steven Spielberg are a rarity. The two are cemented as the epitome of class and creativity, and stand tall in their respective genres.
However, the two greats did not always agree with each other’s opinions, but the difference only led to something greater. Kubrick, being the pioneer in film adaptations of several written works, once gave an important lesson to Spielberg with the help of his movie, The Shining.
Steven Spielberg didn’t like The Shining on his first watch
Steven Spielberg is counted among the legends of the film industry today. In his career spanning decades, he has learned from some of the best in the field, including Stanley Kubrick, an expert in the psychological thriller genre. The Shining is often considered his magnum opus in that field.
However, Spielberg, who was quite green at the time of its release, didn’t quite love it. In an interview with Outstanding Screenplays, the director recalled:
I saw Stanley, he asked me, “How did you like my movie?” And I’d only seen it once. I didn’t love The Shining the first time I saw it. Kubrick films tend to grow on you. You have to see them more than once. But I didn’t like it the first time I saw it. I was telling him all the things I liked about it, and he saw right through me.
And he said, well Steven, obviously you didn’t like my picture very much. I said there are lots of things I love about it. He says, “Yeah, but there are lots of things you didn’t. Probably more you didn’t than you did. So tell me what you didn’t like about it.”
Spielberg then revealed what he didn’t like about the film:
I thought Jack Nicholson, who was a great actor, I thought it was a great performance. He said, “You mean, you think Jack went over the top.” And I said yeah, I kind of did. And he said okay, who are your top favorite actors of all time? I quickly went Spencer Tracy, Henry Fonda, Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant, Clark Gable.
He stopped and said, “Okay, where was James Cagney on this list?” I thought, he’s up there, high. He said, “Ah but, he’s not in the top five. You don’t consider James Cagney one of the five best actors around? You see, I do. This is why Jack Nicholson’s performance is a great one.”
And that gave Steven Spielberg a great formative lesson during his early years in the film industry. Kubrick’s keen eye for talent was also seen in the case of another highly underrated actor.
Stanley Kubrick’s eye for talent changed Alan Cumming’s life
The creative genius of Kubrick had no other match, quite evident with his attention to detail. He managed to snuff out talents like Alan Cumming, who had once almost given up on acting.
Cumming had a minor role in the film ‘Eyes Wide Shut‘ as a hotel clerk, appearing in a crucial scene alongside Tom Cruise’s character. Despite having roles in films like GoldenEye, the relatively new actor did not feel creatively satisfied with these productions.
The actor was uncertain about continuing his career in Hollywood. Yet, the offer to work with Kubrick on Eyes Wide Shut reignited his passion for acting. Cumming expressed in a chat with The Wrap,
I had done a couple of films in Hollywood and done a few big films in Europe. I was kind of new blood on the scene, but I felt disillusioned about being an actor, actually. I just thought, Is this it? Am I really going to be happy doing these big movies?
I didn’t feel very challenged. He wasn’t a bully, but I can see how he could have felt like a bully if you’d given him a bullied energy. And what I gave him was like, ‘Don’t f–k with me, Stanley Kubrick. I’ve been waiting for six months to do this little part.’ That’s what I was saying, basically.
Fans owe a debt of gratitude to Kubrick for reigniting Cumming’s passion for acting and cinema. Had the director not approached him, Cumming might have abandoned his acting career due to a lack of challenge. Without him, the memorable opening scene featuring Nightcrawler in 2003’s X2 may never have materialized. Consequently, Eyes Wide Shut marked a pivotal moment in his career.
As of August 18, 2024, The Shining is available for streaming on Max.
