Clint Eastwood almost missed this film, which became his unsurpassed masterpiece

Clint Eastwood almost missed this film, which became his unsurpassed masterpiece

Clint Eastwood’s Mercy has an average rating of 4.2 out of 5 on AlloCiné and won four Oscars: Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Picture and Best Director. However, the hero of “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” almost did not make the film, because another famous director is attached to the project.

It’s Francis Ford Coppola coming out of his expensive Coup de coeur, putting together a screenplay option written by the David Webb crowd. Specifically, this makes the Apocalypse Now director a potential director for the film while the option is still open. During this time, no one but him can adapt the film.

The Story of Mercy is the story of William Mooney, a former gunman-turned-farmer who, in need of money, decides to return to the adventure to kill prostitute raiders in order to receive a nice bonus. From this simple starting point was born the great Western, a reflection on violence, heroism, and whose characters are tormented by their past or actions.

in number 380 positiveClint Eastwood said during his eulogy: “A reader at Warner Bros. informed me that it was under Coppola’s option. I liked it so much that I decided to contact the author about collaborating on another project. Calling his agent, I discovered that Coppola’s option had expired. Two days earlier, I had picked up the option in 1982-83, but I bought the rights .I kept this gem in reserve, years passed, and when the opportunity finally presented itself, I was at the age of the character The role fit me like a glove.

As for Francis Ford Coppola, he wanted John Malkovich to play William Mooney and announcedhas been conveyed ColliderAbout this missed opportunity: “I wanted to make a Western, but it was a time when they weren’t making any more. I had an incredible script. I passed on the option and Clint Eastwood made Merciless, which is a very good movie.”

We can’t blame him. Merciless would be a success in the United States, grossing over 100 million for a budget of around 35 million. In France, reception was more mixed with only 793,304 admissions when it was released. Fortunately, audiences have since rediscovered the film and placed it in its rightful place as one of the greatest Westerns of all time.

Source: Allocine

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