Editor’s note: Deadline presents the 16th episode of Two Shot, a video series in which Pete Hammond and Todd McCarthy tackle the artistry of films. Each has reviewed and written about the craft for decades and built a remarkable breadth of knowledge of films past and present. What we hoped for when we asked them to do this was a concise, mature and thoughtful conversation comparable to what we saw from Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel.
In the wake of the Hollywood scandal du jour, that being of course Will Smith’s infamous slap across the face of Chris Rock at the Oscars, Two Shot explores the ongoing cancel culture as it affects formerly beloved and respected actors and filmmakers whose personal life and/or actions cross the line, at least for many people including studios that are afraid to continue working with them or even release projects already shot. As we say in this week’s very timely episode of Two Shot this is nothing new, and has really been going on with major names almost since movies began. Ever hear of Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle? You will when we explain how this major silent movie star’s career went up in flames after three trials that included a rape accusation, even though he was acquitted at the last of those trials. And what about Charlie Chaplin and Ingrid Bergman, both denounced in America and forced out for years until, ironically the Oscars (hear that, Will Smith?) brought them back to glory. We talk Polanski, Woody Allen, The McCarthy hearings of the 50’s, Kevin Spacey, Armie Hammer and so many more as we ask the question: Has Hollywood’s current cancel culture gone too far, or is Will Smith just the latest to have his carefully constructed career and nice guy image go up in flames? We begin in talking about a 1957 fictional masterpiece from director Elia Kazan (another controversial figure who some wanted to “cancel” at one point in his career), A Face In The Crowd starring Andy Griffith in a movie that is eerily relevant still.
To watch our conversation just click on the link above.
Hammond has been Deadline’s Awards Columnist for the past decade, covering what now seemingly is the year-round Oscar and Emmy seasons. He is also Deadline’s Chief Film Critic, having previously reviewed films for MovieLine, Boxoffice magazine, Backstage, Hollywood.com and Maxim, as well as Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide, for which he was a contributing editor. In addition to writing, Hammond also hosts KCET Cinema Series and the station’s weekly series Must See Movies.
McCarthy is a veteran trade publication film critic, columnist and reporter who has also written several acclaimed books and documentary films. He served two stints on the staffs of Variety and The Hollywood Reporter and extensively covered film festivals internationally for both publications. His film Visions of Light: The Art of Cinematography won the best documentary prizes from the New York Film Critics and National Society of Film Critics associations, and he won an Emmy for writing the documentary Preston Sturges: The Rise and Fall of an American Dreamer. He also directed the documentaries Man of Cinema: Pierre Rissient and Forever Hollywood.