In 1996, Samuel L. Jackson and Geena Davis starred in The Long Kiss Goodnight, an action thriller that was ahead of its time for its theme and content. The film was written by Shane Black who has a very impressive repertoire of scripts under his belt including the iconic Lethal Weapon films that went on to become cult classics.
Samuel L. Jackson has previously gone on record to say that The Long Kiss Goodnight is one of his top five favorite films of all time. Black also went on to create a record of sorts with the money he earned from the script. But this success ironically, was also the cause for the writer to disappear indefinitely from Hollywood.
One of Samuel L. Jackson’s Favorite Films Led To Troubles For Writer Shane Black
After writing blockbuster scripts for Lethal Weapon, writer Shane Black hit another jackpot with his screenplay for The Long Kiss Goodnight starring Samuel L. Jackson and Geena Davis in lead roles. This action thriller follows the story of an amnesiac schoolteacher played by Davis, who sets out to recover her identity with the help of a private detective played by Jackson.
Apart from the Marvel star stating that this film was on his list of all-time favorites, Shane Black became the first writer in Hollywood to sell a movie script for a whopping $4 million, according to IndieWire. While this was a stupendous feat, reports indicated that the Iron Man 3 director invited a lot of criticism owing to jealousy from his screenwriting colleagues. In addition, the film was ripped apart by critics who did not spare Black’s writing.
All this negative publicity and backlash led to the writer bidding farewell to Hollywood for almost a decade. While this was an unfortunate turn of events for Black, the protagonist of his film Samuel L. Jackson, went on record to say that his character of Mitch was one of his most memorable roles to date.
The Long Kiss Goodnight Is A Film Close To Samuel L. Jackson’s Heart
In 1996, Samuel L. Jackson co-starred with Geena Davis in an underrated action thriller, The Long Kiss Goodnight. The script written by Shane Black, sold for a staggering sum of $4 million. Despite scathing reviews for Black’s writing, Jackson hailed this film as one of his favorites from his repertoire and a perfect choice for multiple views.
The Secret Invasion star also stated that, unlike other actors who gave the impression that they disliked seeing themselves on screen, he enjoyed the process of watching his own films. In an appearance on Late Night With Stephen Colbert, Jackson said,
“Some actors lie to you about that. They watch their movies. It’s a watch-me business, that’s why we’re here. If I’m channel surfing and I haven’t found anything I want to watch, or not specifically looking for something, and I pass something I’m in, I stop and watch it.”
While Jackson has been part of many high-profile projects including his very lucrative Marvel gig, the actor has always remained steadfast about films that have worked for him even when a few like The Long Kiss Goodnight did not find favor with critics and audiences.
