“You wasted a year of your life by making a stupid mistake”: 53 years ago, one sentence uttered by the legendary filmmaker was enough to change the fortunes of Martin Scorsese.

In 1972, before becoming known to the public for Mean Streets and Taxi Driver, Martin Scorsese agreed to direct a commissioned film: Bertha Boxcar. This suggestion was made to the director by producer Roger Corman, who is known for his low-budget genre films (and a bit for exploiting young filmmakers).

A made-to-order film

“It’s kind of like that Bonnie and ClydeDo you want to stage?”Corman asked the young Scorsese. “I said yes, absolutely!”said the director in the first episode of the Mr. Scorsese docu-series, available on Apple TV+.

Indeed, before becoming a new Hollywood figure, alongside Steven Spielberg or Brian De Palma, Scorsese had to commit to a commissioned film that did not please the director’s circle of friends.

“I managed to finish Bertha Boxcar on time, under budget and without getting fired. To be honest, I was so happy I didn’t get fired. It was a huge milestone for me.”Martin Scorsese said.

“But my friends hated the film. They thought I had a disease. They judged me and shunned me. Several people I wanted to work with said, ‘Don’t come near us!’continued the director.

My friends hated the movie. For them, it was as if I had an illness. They judged me and left me.

Betrayal of his art?

“Did they think you betrayed your art?”Re-released by Rebecca Miller, director of the documentary Mr. Scorsese. “Yes, they really thought so.”Scorsese confirmed. That’s when Brian De Palma told him about the Taxi Driver script written by Paul Schrader.

“I absolutely wanted to do it, but the producers Michael and Julia Phillips I didn’t take it seriously at all because I made Bertha Boxcar.”He worried about Martin Scorsese, who was at an artistic dead end at the time.

A certain John Cassavetes, author of memorable feature films such as Shadows, Faces or Women Under the Influence, will appear on stage. It was screenwriter Jay Cox, a friend of Scorsese, who introduced him to the famous director, who is known for his extreme creative freedom and perseverance.

“I spoke to him in March and he said he really wants to see his movies.”– Jaycee Cox confided. Cassavetes then watched Scorsese’s first feature film, Who’s Knocking at My Door. “I was blown away by the film and he said, ‘This is the kind of film you have to make!'” He really believed in it.revealed by Martin Scorsese.

A proposal that will change everything

“You really should make movies like this! Never do stupid things like Berta Boxcar again.” Cassavetes insisted. “After watching the movie, he told me: Come here. Then he hugged me, put his hands on my shoulders and said: You just wasted a year of your life by making a stupid mistake. You are better than that, don’t do it again.”John Cassavetes told Martin Scorsese, who would learn the maestro’s lesson very quickly.

You just wasted a year of your life by making a stupid mistake. You are better than that, don’t do it again.

According to Jay Cox, the director of Shadows saw it “A fabulous gift” In Scorsese’s “Who’s Knocking at My Door.” By March, John Cassavetes had become then “The patron saint of cinema, he was like conscience.”

Marty then talks about his Mean Streets project and his new mentor strongly encourages him to get started. It is here that Scorsese meets a certain Robert De Niro and entrusts him with the iconic role of Johnny Boy. The rest is history. And if you want to know all about the famous director, visit Mr. Scorsese on Apple TV+.