“I don’t understand the humor” Clint Eastwood refused the leading role in this action film that has become cult: the actor who accepted became a star

Clint Eastwood: one of the sacred monsters of American cinema

The history of cinema is made up of choices, great figures, failures, anecdotes or even coincidences and great successes. Each film carries its share of little information that enthusiasts love to discoverand each film can be analyzed in 1000 different ways. Born in the 1930s, Clint Eastwood has always deliberately maintained the mystery around his family, whose history closely follows the conquest of the West.

In more than sixty years of career, Eastwood has appeared in more than 80 films, and while it is difficult to list them all, we can still mention The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Inspector Harry, Merciless, A Fistful of Dollars or, on the production side Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Mystic River or even American Sniper. In two weeks, Clint Eastrwood will release what should be his very last film, Juror #2. This feature film will allow us to follow the journey of Nicholas Hoult aka Justin Kemp, as he finds himself a juror for a murder case he initiated. He will be accompanied by Toni Collette, Zoey Deutch and Kiefer Sutherland who we know for his roles in 24H Chrono or Designated Survivor.

Whatever the case, Clint Eastwood single-handedly embodies a whole section of American cinema, within which he has crossed eras and genres. However, in the mid-80s, he refused a major role, which was then given to Bruce Willis. This role is obviously that of John McClane, hero of the no less major Die Hard (Crystal Trap), released in 1988. Directed by John McTiernan, this is the first film in a series of fivebut not all were as well received as the first. A sixth film was planned, but Bruce Willis was no longer able to work due to a aphasiait is rather a reboot that is now being considered.

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Clint Eastwood as John McClane? It could have happened

However, let’s return to Die Hard of the first name, whose story takes place during the end of year holidays. John McClane, lieutenant of the New York police, finds himself prisoner with his wife Holly in Nakatomi Plaza, a brand new skyscraper stormed by the criminal Hans Gruber. Determined not to get caught, he sets out to track down each hostage taker, counting on the help of Al Powellanother police officer located outside. The action is dense, the story full of strong moments and humor, in short, Die Hard is a success with $140 million at the box office. After a successful appearance on television, Bruce Willis immediately became a star action films.

Originally, he was only part of an expanded list of possible actors for the lead role, which included Harrison Ford, Charles Bronson, Nick Nolte, Mel Gibson, Burt Reynolds, Richard Gere, Don Johnson, Sylvester Stallone… et Clint Eastwood. In an interview with Slash Film, Die Hard screenwriter Jeb Stuart explained why Eastwood turned down the opportunity.

According to the screenwriter, the actor did not understand the humor of the film very well. His response to the producers was in fact: “I don’t understand the humor.” A response which surprised the screenwriter, especially since Die Hard is freely adapted from Nothing Last Forever, published in 1968 by Roderick Thorp. A novel for which Eastwood had purchased the rights to produce a film and play the main character. This project will never come to fruition, and it seems that Die Hard born in 1988 has strayed too far from Eastwood’s intentions to interest him.