@@readlots9983 not really; lynch is definitely better than ford, and don't underestimate spielberg just because he does more mainstream blockbuster films - he can direct
Spielberg granting him the dual honor of playing Ford and a personal memory is a bracing thing. You wonder if Spielberg has some degree of appreciation or perhaps envy for his work.
This cuts out the funniest part. As Sammy walks out of the office, the camera picks him up on a stairway and follows him as he walks into a vanishing point with the horizon dead in the center of the frame. It holds and after a second the camera nervously reframes so the horizon is at the bottom.
Lynch: “…my pleasure.” Spielberg: “and cut! That’s a wrap, good job everyone! Especially u David that impression of John ford was phenomenal!” Lynch: “who’s John ford?”
Laura Dern: “I said [to Lynch], ‘I’ve always wanted you [and Spielberg] to be friends. You remind me of each other in such completely different ways,’” Dern says. “And David said, ‘It’s true. We have this thing in common. We have a vision and we have to make our vision. Steven goes out there and he has an idea, and a million people have that same love of that vision.’ And he goes, ‘It’s the same with me. I have a vision and I make it-and *hundreds* of people have that.’”
@@averagejoe6617 I posted a link, but I guess it was removed? The quote was from an AV Club article where Laura Dern explained how she introduced Lynch to Spielberg.
Much credit to Spielberg for knowing Lynch well. This is a very Lynchian scene. I now hear Lynch shouting, "Where is the goddamn horizon?" whenever I see a landscape photo or painting.
@konmami1979 "Much credit to Spielberg for knowing Lynch well. This is a very Lynchian scene." The hell, it is. It's a very Fordian scene. Anyone who knows anything about Ford's life knows this story, except for the role of the secretary. I had forgotten that the visitor was a young Steven Spielberg.
Having David Lynch play Ford was the best choice. Not only does Lynch get Ford’s personality down pat, but the fact that Lynch himself is an artist, it makes sense in context to have an artist explaining composition to a budding filmmaker.
@@Luke7304 I had never heard that Ford was a painter. Is there a documentary which states this? he did not seem at all like the "Artist Type" and never intended to be a director in the first place. It was a "Job of work", and referring to him as an "Artist" would have gotten a bad reaction from him.
@@Valkonnen There's a good biography of Ford by Tag Gallagher. Ford was not as serious about being a painter as Lynch was (and is) but he did enjoy painting as a young man.
@@Luke7304 Most well-rounded students would know how to paint an sculpt at that time, but he didn't seem like the type to fancy himself an "Artist", especially in his films. It was a job to him, and he knew that he did a fine job.
What I love about Ford, is even if he could’ve known the massive, cinema changing and defining director the Spielberg was going to become, he still wouldn’t have given a shit.
well, he'd admire what spielberg is about but still wouldn't give a shit. if he saw the portals scene in "avengers: endgame", he'd appreciate but still wouldn't give a shit. john ford was one of a kind artist that will never be replicated.
The actor who plays Sammy actually said that he was really nervous meeting Lynch since he’s a big fan of Twin Peaks and Spielberg hadn’t told him who was playing Ford. So his reaction to Lynch actually walking into the office is actually genuine and so is his nervousness in this scene.
Great observation. I thought I was the only one who noticed. In addition to those greats, let's not forget the other actor-directors who featured in his films: Tim Blake Nelson, Ed Burns, Tim Robbins, Jemaine Clement, Andy Serkis.
Lest we forget Cameron Crowe's cameo in Minority Report (he's the guy reading the motion-ink newspaper who gives Tom Cruise suspicious glances. He and Spielberg swapped cameo roles in both that and Vanilla Sky, respectively, as they were shooting nearby around the same time).
that is the definition of being a god. directing other gods in your own films. i knew spielberg had love for john ford as he cites him as a major influence but to get david lynch to play john ford. yeah, nothing can beat that. i wonder what is lynch's favorite film by john ford? for me, it's "the searchers".
Lynch and Spielberg have also both worked with one of Attenborough's most frequent collaborators, Anthony Hopkins. The Elephant Man (Lynch) and Amistad (Spielberg). And of course, Lynch has worked quite a bit with Laura Dern.
With all I know about John Ford and his cantankerous, diamond-sharp personality, this is maybe the best portrayal anyone could hope for. More than a cameo, it’s a portrait with perfect details. Well done.
@@readlots9983 Bond was hilarious, but Ford deserved credit for laughing at himself. Bond and Ford were known to do that in public, in a physical duet. Wings of Eagles was also notable for Wayne doing scenes after Spig Wead broke his neck, without his toupe. They killed themselves, striving for realism, only to have Wead's family sabotage the shoot, by demanding that brutally realistic scenes featuring Maureen O'Hara as Mrs. Wead descending into alcoholism get cut.
Take a look at his channel and interviews - the guy is extremely wholesome and kind. 10/10 would drink damn good coffee with and talk about weather and sunshine.
I met David Lynch selling his coffee beans at the grocer in my neighborhood. He spoke with that Midwestern twag and was kind enough to sign my Inland Empire bumper sticker which I still cherish. He’s a down to earth GIANT.
Spielberg said that this is a word for word recreation of what Ford said to Spielberg when he met him at 17, the only difference is it took place in an office block instead of a lot
No, it's based on the actual interaction Spielberg had with Ford. Watch the "Directed by John Ford" doc that's here on RU-vid. Spielberg tells this story.
Peter Bogdanovich knew Ford as a close friend, and said that if he treated you meanly, that meant he liked you. I like the way Spielberg had him chuckle at the end of the scene. Ford was likely having some fun with the awe struck kid.
@@freddytheplatypus826 yeah, Spielberg DEFINITELY didn't intend for the final shot of his movie about the career of a budding filmmaker to specifically mimic the advice the Director the protagonist looked up to more than anyone else in the world gave him in an earlier scene. It was FOR SURE just a sloppy filmmaking mistake from a director who is pretty well known for incredibly intricate and specific cinematography, he would never try to allude to something he literally spelled out for the audience in one of the more important scenes in the closing shot of the film.
@@evanmichaelpearce1367 sometimes a shot is just a shot and Spielberg is getting old as shit these days. You're the kind of guy who points at little detail, mistake or not and says the filmmaker intended to do that without any kind of valid reasoning behind it. To think a little bump going from bottom up was supposed to be some artistic statement about horizon lines is just the goofiest thing i've heard in a long time. but go on, see what you want to see
This scene is one of the best ending scenes in cinema. As a young filmmaker, this part spoke to me. David Lynch being one of my favorite directors in this was wonderful too.
This absolutely put my jaw on the floor when I realized it was David Lynch (I think I said aloud "Oh my God!"). And as was said, it is so "meta". Spielberg, directing LaBelle, playing Spielberg, talking with Lynch, portraying Ford. What a crazy mesmerizing scene.
In 3 minutes I have seen fury, anger, passion and teaching. David Lynch will be directing, but in these 3 minutes he has shown more authenticity than any other actor in recent years.
Before I went to see this film, I was telling one of my coworkers how I think Spielberg is a genius filmmaker when it comes to his framing and blocking. Then when I see this film the next night, this scene focuses on him learning about framing lol it was such a fascinating coincidence!
This scene was so great because in many ways this is what it feels like if you’ve ever met a really famous person there’s that anticipation and then when you see them it’s like “oh shit!”
Lynch walking in covered in lipstick marks and the camera following his secretary nervously running into his office with a tissue is perfect Lynch. Easily could be something that happens in any of his works, esp. Twin Peaks: The Return
Wow, they better give David Lynch an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. In just the span of five minutes, he managed to terrify me, intrigue me, and make me bust a gut laughing, harder than I have laughed in any comedy this year. This is fantastic work. Again, they better give this man his overdue Oscar.
Eh, it's not going to get any awards, it's just a one-scene bit. Amusing, but not enough to take away the prize from more complex and longer roles. Lynch is a good if limited actor - much like Martin Scorsese and Werner Herzog, he probably would have developed enough to have had a career as a thespian if that's what he'd wanted and worked on it but I think most of us are glad that all of them have devoted most of their time to making films instead.
There's a great interview with Maureen O'Hara where she waxes lyrical about what a mean, vindictive and manipulative SOB Ford was to his actors and friends. But still and all, she said, they all loved him deeply and still missed him terribly. She then choked up, broke down and couldn't finish the interview. How magically Mr. Spielberg captured the mysterious dichotomy (based on his own actual experience) of this complex man and brilliant artist. An astounding scene truly nailed by David Lynch.
One of the greatest moment in film history. I love you Stephen Spielberg for your films, and especially for this most vulnerable piece. Beautiful! And I love you all the more for honoring both John Ford and David Lynch, my favorite director of all.
A few years ago I watched Twin peaks and I grew in love with it and last year I started watching Jack Ford's work and I cannot describe how much I love his movies, and I saw an interview for Ford I thought there is similarities between him and Lynch, I don't know how to describe it but I thought there is something similar. And when a rumor spread about Spielberg casting Lynch as Ford my jaw dropped, and when it was confirmed I was and still extremely happy, I watched this movie last night and it's brilliant.
I love David Lynch when he acts in other peoples creative endeavors…. It’s like Bigfoot…. Or unicorns…. Often talked about but randomly seen and when it is you question what you just saw and it’s amazing.
Indeed. Having heard this anecdote several times over the years from various Spielberg clips, when I got wind that David Lynch was who they wanted to play John Ford it blew my mind. So perfect, and worth the moment. I'd love to see him get nominated just for the hell of it.
The "my pleasure" does three jobs... it humanizes Ford, Lynch, and Spielberg all at the same time. It's a little shift in tone that says "I get it." It also says "hold on to that thrill!" That sense of awe that comes with art, shared by three artists.
I watched the clip of Steven talking about meeting John Ford and hoped it would be this scene. I’d kill to be a fly on the wall and the hear the conversations had between Steven and David.
Lynch is excellent but MAAAJOR props to the lady playing the secretary. only had a minute or so of screen time but her nonchalance about working with Ford daily contrasts nicely with Sammy’s anxiety about meeting a hero and sets up the meat of the scene perfectly!
God bless you for posting this. I heard Spielberg tell this story before, but seeing how the scene played out was awesome. It brought tears and a smile, coz I've long admired Spielberg's talent and vision.
Steven Bogdanovich: So your latest Western is very large in scale with a lot of elaborate land rush in it. How did you go about filming it? John Ford: With a camera.
I loved the pacing and immediate style change starting from the secretary. It's like Spielberg was for some reason letting Lynch direct the last five minutes of his movie.
Thanks for posting this, it's exactly the sort of scene I'd post myself. I love cameos, and now I have to watch this film, because it seems to be really a love letter to film-making.
Fun fact: Spielberg was watching RU-vid one day and came across some totally random unknown guy named David Lynch and his YT channel, gave it one look, and said, “This is the guy. I’m going to make him a star.”
@mi39471 Spielberg new that this guy was the only casting choice because of the pure passion of how he talked about the blue skies and golden sunshine all along the way. So, he was an expert at observing the horizon.
The actual story behind it is that the husband for this film's co-writer suggested Lynch to play Ford, and then it took a lot of convincing from the part of Spielberg and Laura Dern. Lynch's only conditions for being in the film is that Cheetos has to be on the set, and that he'd be given his costume early.
Honestly, I can't think of another actor who could've pulled this scene but Lynch. It was just one scene, but it was fantastic and a great climax to the whole movie. No wonder it's my favourite scene in the Fablemans (right after the camping scenes).
AAAH!!!! And what a GREAT pleasure this must have been for Mr. Lynch: "This business - it'll rip you apart!!!' Finally he got to speak out his attitude towards Hollywood all by himself!!!🤗🤗
I immediately went down the hall and found the horizon on every painting. Not a single one was dead center. I the office layout, the secretary having to clean up the lipstick. He used that single match to the fullest extent. The lighting of that cigar was holy in a shamanistic sense. I wondered if they would modify David's voice to sound more deep and rich but then I realized the director was John Ford not John Huston.
