Todd Field is recalling the moment he found out that Harvey Weinstein’s Miramax had acquired his debut film In the Bedroom at the Sundance Film Festival and how Tom Cruise’s advice saved him.
Weinstein was known to reshape the visions of filmmakers and Field was worried that when his film was acquired, he would have no say in the editing process. In an interview with The New Yorker, Field talked about calling the Mission: Impossible star, who gave him some sound advice.
“I was weeping in the bathroom,” Field recalled. “I called up Tom Cruise and said, ‘Something terrible has happened.’ He basically said, ‘This is how you’re going to play it. It’s going to take you six months, and you’ll beat him, but you have to do exactly what I’m going to tell you to do, step by step.’”
Cruise advised Field to not give Weinstein any pushback and allow him to make all the edits. He suggested Field wait until it tested poorly with audiences and then remind them of how well the film did at the film festival, so they would release the original cut. Cruise’s advice ended up working and In the Bedroom “grossed more than twenty-five times its budget and was nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture.”
Field’s newest film Tár is another critically acclaimed work and star Cate Blanchett recently took a Golden Globe in the Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama category. Field was nominated in the Best Screenplay category but the trophy was awarded to Martin McDonagh for The Banshees of Inisherin.
