Spike Lee is undoubtedly one of the most famous, and yet infamous directors in all of Hollywood. Almost all of his films are racially driven and still paint a picture that tells many stories about society, particularly from an African-American point of view. That said, he ended up threatening violence on a Cannes Jury member over Steven Soderberg’s debut film.
Spike Lee is also known to be extremely passionate about his movies since he shares a deep and personal relationship with them. After all, each of his movies reflects a part of him and his journey in life, for good reason.
Spike Lee Threatened to Beat Up Cannes Judge For Film Snub
Spike Lee, expecting success at the 42nd Cannes Film Festival in 1989 with his film Do the Right Thing, found himself disappointed when the Palme d’Or went to Steven Soderbergh’s Sex, lies, and Videotape instead. In fact, one can’t blame Spike Lee for being disappointed. Even before the festival began, Lee’s film was considered a frontrunner, generating buzz and positive reviews. Critics, including Robert Osborne from The Hollywood Reporter, praised it as “spunky entertainment” and “spirited moviemaking.”
The unexpected loss at Cannes blindsided Lee, who blamed jury president Wim Wenders, claiming that Wenders found the lead character Mookie “unheroic.” Lee was told by jurist Sally Field that Wenders was simply “hating” on the movie, and the jury didn’t comprehend the significance of Mookie tossing a trash can through a window at the film’s ending.
Lee’s film left the 1989 Cannes Film Festival empty-handed, with Sex, lies, and videotape taking top honors, including the Best Actor award for James Spader. Lee, feeling snubbed, publicly expressed frustration, saying, “Wim Wenders had better watch out cause I’m waiting for his a**,” and mentioning a Louisville Slugger bat with Wenders’ name on it. In a 2013 interview with Pharrell Williams, Lee acknowledged this as a “very immature statement” and admitted it was a foolish remark.
Do the Right Thing Was a Massive Sucess Despite Going Winless At Cannes
Despite the Cannes setback, Do the Right Thing went on to achieve both critical acclaim and commercial success. The $6.5 million production, equivalent to $13 million today, earned $37.2 million worldwide ($75 million adjusted for inflation). In 1999, the film was added to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant.”
Steven Soderbergh’s Sex, Lies, and Videotape was truly a revolutionary movie that showed the world how independent cinema could be made, changing the way people view movies in general. That said, it doesn’t discredit how important Do the Right Thing is for cinema in general as well.
