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Mike Nichols' comment that BUTCH film was Goldman copying other films

posted 8 years ago by banhei
2 replies | jump to latest

Mike Nichols said in some TV interview (on a stage) that William Goldman was only copying other movies with BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID. Now, I read Goldman's great nonfiction book about Broadway THE SEASON and he slices Nichols to shreds (calling him "trivial") in the chapter titled Culture Hero. So I thought Nichols' comment just sour grapes against a guy who'd criticized him (and Goldman was a bit hard on Nichols). Goldman openly admits that the jump off the cliff in BUTCH he lifted from a similar moment in GUNGA DIN. Big deal, one scene he copied. But the other night I was watching THE CINCINNATI KID and the opening card game where McQueen is accused of cheating is just too similar to the opening card game in BUTCH I thought maybe Nichols' comment was more than sour grapes, and wondered what else in BUTCH Nichols might have been referring to.

[–] Robbmonster 8 years ago

It's my opinion that is someone like Mike Nichols wants to say such things and make such allegations about William Goldman, he should at least name names. It's easy to say Goldman ripped off everything under the sun in constructing 'Butch', but unless Nichols names names and cites specific examples, it's a meaningless allegation.

I could say that Nichols ripped off every shot in The Graduate from other directors. But since I'm not citing examples, just disregard it as bitter rambling.

Never defend crap with 'It's just a movie'
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[–] liscarkat (16592) 3 months ago

Never defend crap, but petty niggling about small scientific or historical details looks kinda silly when the movie is a goofy comedy or about guys flying around in tights and capes. In cases like that, "It's just a movie" is a legitimate response.