The fart joke could very well be the pinnacle of human humor, reliably delivering laughs across generations. Its sheer brilliance was proven in a scene from Rain Man that the Academy itself couldn’t resist bestowing an Oscar upon it.
While the scene undoubtedly tickled the public’s funny bone, the internal turmoil that Tom Cruise, a man who routinely dances with death went through that very moment when Dustin Hoffman let one rip is something that haunts the actor to this very day!
One Stunt from Rain Man That Still Haunts Tom Cruise to This Day
Tom Cruise, in his career, has tackled quite some life-threatening stunts imaginable, showing little to no fear as he defied gravity, danger, and well, sometimes reality. However, one memorable scene left him genuinely rattled. In the iconic Rain Man moment, as the two characters bond, Dustin Hoffman’s Ray casually says, “Uh-oh… fart” while Tom Cruise’s Charlie is on the phone.
After Ray drops a bomb in the cramped phone booth, a frustrated Charlie scolds him for the unwanted odor in their tight space. Unbeknownst to Cruise, Hoffman actually let one rip in the phone booth for real, an unscripted twist that has left Tom Cruise haunted by that unforgettable day. While speaking about that particular incident in The Graham Norton Show (via Mirror), he said,
It was real and that was the take. I was grossed out and said, ‘How can you do that? It’s disgusting.’ I tried to get out of the booth and everything I said to him was real.
It turns out neither actor was really acting during that scene, it was more of an unplanned conversation between them. Cruise’s genuine reaction made the whole moment even more ridiculous and funny.
Rain Man Had a Rough Road to Production
Rain Man faced quite a few bumps in the road before it became a blockbuster. It went through three directors and six writers before finding its groove. Reportedly directors like Steve Spielberg, Sydney Pollack, and Martin Brest were once involved with the project as directors at different intervals of time but left abruptly for other things.
Rolling Stone details how the journey started with Barry Morrow’s story, inspired by his interactions with Kim Peek and Bill Sackter, along with an initial MGM script. Barry Levinson and Ronald Bass then stepped in to tweak the script, shifting the focus back to the heart of the story, the bond between the Babbitt brothers.
Levinson in the Rolling Stone chat said,
If I can make the relationship work with these two guys on the road, then that’s enough for me
After overcoming these hurdles, Rain Man finally hit its stride and turned into a cinematic sensation. The film not only became a massive hit but also snagged four Oscars, solidifying its place as a classic in movie history.
Rain Man is available on Apple TV for rent.
