A review of The Secret Agent (O agente secreto) by Kleber Mendonça Filho. The best film of the Cannes Film Festival. A triumph on every level. #Braziliancinema
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The Secret Agent by Kleber Mendonça Filho
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Sirát by Óliver Laxe
A review of Sirát: the fourth film by Óliver Laxe, and one of the best films of this year’s Cannes competition. Highly recommended. #Sirát #Laxe #Cannes2025
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ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST: 50 Years Of Madness
Introduction
In the pantheon of American cinema, few films have left as indelible a mark as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Released in 1975, the film not only swept the major categories at the Academy Awards but also deeply embedded itself in the cultural consciousness. Fifty years later, its themes of institutional control, rebellion, individuality, and the thin line between sanity and madness remain as potent and relevant as ever.
As we commemorate this monumental anniversary in 2025, Cinema Scholars takes a deep dive into the fascinating journey of how this iconic film came to life, from its literary origins to its legacy as one of the greatest films ever made.
Jack Nicholson as Randle Patrick ‘R.P.’ McMurphy in a scene from “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975). Photo courtesy of United Artists. Beginnings
The story of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest begins with Ken Kesey’s groundbreaking 1962 novel. The book drew inspiration from his time working the night shift at a psychiatric facility and his participation in government-sponsored LSD experiments. Kesey crafted a powerful narrative about individuality versus authority, told through the eyes of the silent observer, Chief Bromden. A critical success, the novel quickly gained a cult following for its unflinching look at the horrific and dehumanizing effects of institutionalization.
Kirk Douglas was captivated by the novel. To such an extent that in 1962, he acquired the film and stage rights. He intended to portray the lead character, the rebellious Randle R.P. McMurphy, in both productions. The play had a modest run, but Douglas was convinced the story could reach new heights on the big screen. He spent years trying—and failing—to get the film made. Studios balked at the controversial content and bleak tone. It wasn’t until 1971 that Kirk’s son, the up-and-coming actor/producer Michael Douglas, convinced his father to allow him to produce the movie. Kirk Douglas spoke to The Guardian in 2017:
“My father, Kirk, had acquired the rights to Ken Kesey’s novel in the early 1960s and developed it into a Broadway play, with him playing the lead character, RP McMurphy. He tried for years to turn it into a film, but it never got any momentum. Meanwhile, I was at university in Santa Barbara and was very politically active, what with the Vietnam war going on. I loved the book: it was a brilliantly conceived story of one man against the system. I had never thought about producing, but I told my dad, “Let me run with this”
Publicity photo of Michael Douglas on “The Streets of San Francisco” (1975). Photo courtesy of ABC Television via Public Domain. Michael Douglas initially optioned the film to director Richard Rush, who was unable to secure financing. Eventually, in 1973, Douglas announced he would co-produce the film with Saul Zaentz under the umbrella of Fantasy Records’ new film division. Zaentz loved Keasy’s book and wanted him to rewrite the screenplay. Keasy eventually withdrew from the project due to creative differences over casting and the overall narrative.
Pre-Production
Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman were eventually hired to write a new screenplay. This time from the third-person point of view. This was opposed to Keasy’s version, which was told in the first person and from the mind of Chief Bromden (Will Sampson). Hal Ashby was hired to direct the project. But he was quickly replaced by Milos Forman after he fled Czechoslovakia for the United States. Things had come full circle as Forman was Kirk Douglas’s first choice to direct over ten years earlier.
Forman, who was struggling with mental health issues at the time, was holed up in New York City. Staying at the famed Chelsea Hotel, Douglas and Zaentz sent Forman a copy of Keasy’s novel. The director didn’t realize this was the project that Kirk Douglas had hired him to direct ten years earlier. Regardless, Forman loved the material, later stating in 2012:
“To me, [the story] was not just literature, but real life, the life I lived in Czechoslovakia from my birth in 1932 until 1968. The Communist Party was my Nurse Ratched, telling me what I could and could not do; what I was or was not allowed to say; where I was and was not allowed to go; even who I was and was not”
Jack Nicholson and Will Sampson on the set of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975). Photo courtesy of United Artists. Douglas also knew that authenticity would be key to grounding the film. He and Zaentz scouted locations across the country before settling on the Oregon State Hospital in Salem, Oregon—an actual mental institution that not only served as the filming location but also provided an atmosphere that was impossible to replicate on a soundstage. It was also the setting of Keasy’s novel. The hospital’s progressive and eccentric director, Dr. Dean Brooks, agreed to let the production film on-site, and even appeared in the movie as Dr. Spivey.
Jack Nicholson
Kirk Douglas had held out hope that he could reprise his role as McMurphy for the film version. However, by the early 1970s, at age 59, he was deemed too old. The search for the perfect McMurphy was exhaustive. Several major stars were considered, including Gene Hackman, James Caan, Marlon Brando, and even Burt Reynolds. But it was Jack Nicholson, fresh off his Oscar-nominated role in Chinatown, who ultimately won the part. The relationship between Kirk and Michael Douglas would be strained for many years over this.
Nicholson brought a wild-eyed unpredictability and fierce intelligence to McMurphy. The actor blended rebellion with vulnerability in a way that captured the essence of the character. His casting would prove pivotal. Not only did it mark a career-defining role for Nicholson, but it also set the tone for the ensemble cast. Nicholson did extensive research for the role, which included spending time with patients in a psychiatric ward and observing electroshock therapy.
Supporting Cast
The supporting cast was a mix of established actors and fresh faces. Danny DeVito (Martini) was the first to be cast as he also played the part on Broadway. Christopher Lloyd (Taber) and Brad Dourif (Billy Bibbit) were virtually unknown at the time, yet each delivered unforgettable performances that launched their careers. Dourif’s portrayal of the stuttering, emotionally fragile Billy earned him an Oscar nomination.
Brad Dourif stars in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975). Photo courtesy of United Artists. Chief Bromden was played by Will Sampson and was referred to by Mel Lambert (who portrayed the harbormaster in the fishing scene). Lambert, a used car dealer, met Douglas on an airplane flight when Douglas told him they needed a “big guy” to play the part of the Chief. Lambert’s father often sold cars to Native American customers and several months later Lambert phoned Douglas to say: “The biggest sonofabitch Indian came in the other day!” The rest is history.
Casting Nurse Ratched proved to be difficult. Angela Lansbury, Anne Bancroft, Geraldine Page, Ellen Burstyn, and Jane Fonda all turned down the role. The character was cold, manipulative, and emotionally repressive—not a part many actresses wanted to take on. Eventually, Lily Tomlin was cast. However, Forman became interested in the relatively unknown Louise Fletcher, and the change was made. Her quiet, composed demeanor masked a chilling authority that made Nurse Ratched one of the most memorable and terrifying antagonists in film history.
Filming
After a week of rehearsals, which included co-existing with the institutionalized patients, principal photography on One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest began on January 13, 1975, in Salem and Depoe Bay, Oregon. Many of the actors fully immersed themselves in the performance, often staying in character when not filming. Brooks, in his capacity as hospital director, assigned a patient for each cast member to shadow. Some of the supporting players even slept on the wards at night. Douglas later found out that many of the patients were criminally insane. Michael Douglas spoke to The Guardian in 2017:
“The other insane decision Saul and I made was to shoot the film in an actual mental hospital in Oregon in January, when it gets dark at three in the afternoon….He (Dean Brooks) wanted to incorporate his patients into the crew. We ended up with a number of them working in different departments. I didn’t realise until later that many of them were criminally insane. We had an arsonist working in the art department”
Dr. Dean Brooks and Jack Nicholson in a scene from “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975). Photo courtesy of United Artists. The production was not without its challenges. Forman, known for his meticulous approach, often clashed with cast members, especially since the director refused to show his actors dailies. This incensed Nicholson in particular, who at one point stopped speaking with Forman altogether. Haskell Wexler, the film’s cinematographer, was fired by Forman over creative differences and replaced by Bill Butler. Both were nominated for Academy Awards.
The shoot was grueling, running over schedule and over budget. At one point, Nicholson famously accepted the BAFTA Award for Best Actor for Chinatown while filming in the Oregon State Hospital and still in character as McMurphy. Nicholson, surrounded by his castmates, delivers an unhinged acceptance speech that had the British audience both baffled and amused. It was a testament to just how deeply he had immersed himself in the role. Zaentz, who was personally financing the film, came up with the additional $2 million needed to complete the picture.
Post-Production
Once filming wrapped, the challenge of shaping the raw footage into a coherent and emotionally powerful film fell to editor Richard Chew. The decision to use natural light, handheld cameras, and long takes gave the film a documentary-like feel. Combined with Jack Nitzsche’s haunting score, the film maintained a delicate balance between realism and stylized narrative.
One of the biggest hurdles during post-production was pacing. Forman and his team wanted the story to unfold at a deliberate tempo, allowing the audience to experience the oppressive monotony of institutional life. Editor Sheldon Kahn worked closely with Forman to trim the fat without losing the soul of the story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtHI0ipkgEo
While United Artists had initial reservations about the tone and length of Forman’s final cut of the film, early test screenings of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest proved to be encouraging. The audience response was overwhelmingly positive, which set the stage for a groundbreaking release in 1975.
Release and Reception
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest had its world premiere in Chicago on November 19, 1975. It was the second-highest-grossing film released that year in the United States and Canada at $109 million, and the seventh-highest-grossing film of all time at the time. As it was released in November, most of its gross was in 1976 and was also the highest-grosser for the calendar year 1976 with rentals of $56.5 million. Worldwide, the film grossed over $163,250,000 on a $4 million budget. It was the highest-grossing film released by United Artists up to that time.
Critically, the film was also a success, although some major critics of the time did have reservations. Famed critic, Roger Ebert, stated in 1975:
“Milos Forman’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a film so good in so many of its parts that there’s a temptation to forgive it when it goes wrong. But it does go wrong, insisting on making larger points than its story really should carry, so that at the end, the human qualities of the characters get lost in the significance of it all. And yet there are those moments of brilliance.”
Later, upon reflection in 2003, Ebert would change his tune a bit, putting the film on his ‘Greatest Movies’ list, and stating:
“It was the first film since “It Happened One Night” (1934) to win all five of the top Academy Awards, for best picture, actor (Nicholson), actress (Louise Fletcher), director (Milos Forman), and screenplay (Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman). It could, for that matter, have won, too, for cinematography (Haskell Wexler) and editing (Richard Chew). I was present at its world premiere, at the 1975 Chicago Film Festival, in the 3,000-seat Uptown Theatre, and have never heard a more tumultuous reception for a film (no, not even during “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” at Cannes)”
Saul Zaentz, Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, and Michael Douglas posing with their Oscars at the 1976 Academy Awards on March 30, 1976. Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Legacy
Half a century later, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest remains a touchstone of American cinema. Its themes of resistance to oppressive authority, the sanctity of the individual spirit, and the cruelty of bureaucratic systems continue to resonate in today’s society. The film has been preserved in the National Film Registry and frequently appears on lists of the greatest films of all time. It’s also inspired countless parodies and homages. The Nurse Ratched character even received a Netflix origin series, Ratched, in 2020, evidence of her lasting impact.
In 2025, we honor not just a movie, but a cultural phenomenon. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest endures because it dares to challenge power, elevate the voices of the silenced, and remind us that the fight for dignity and autonomy is always worth waging. From a novel that sparked controversy to a Broadway adaptation, to a film that made history, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest remains, five decades on, a triumph of art and vision.
If You Enjoyed This Article, We Recommend:
The Making of ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD (Click Here)
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Keep up with Cinema Scholars on social media. Like us on Facebook, subscribe on YouTube, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
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It Was Just an Accident by Jafar Panahi
A review of It Was Just an Accident. Jafar Panahi’s latest film, which, inexplicably, won the Palme d’Or in Cannes 2025. #Cannes2025
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Inside The Arzner, the UK’s first dedicated…
Walking to Bermondsey from London Bridge, you pass through a long tunnel. “Am I going the right way?” you might think to yourself, but you forge on, eventually emerging from the darkness, out into the open. The same principle can be applied to your destination at the other end: The Arzner. As the UK’s first LGBTQ-focused cinema, The Arzner provides a dedicated space for queer representation on screen, a dark screening room in which greater understanding of yourself and others can come to light.
An inviting presence in the centre of Bermondsey Square, The Arzner opened its doors in April. Through its floor-to-ceiling windows, a stylish, spacious and homely bar area can be seen, and it’s evident at first glance that they’re proud to be so visible. This building has a long history as a cinema space, and part of the site conditions is that it remains one. “I live around the corner, and I used to come here when it was a cinema before” says co-founder Simon Burke, whose background is in hospitality. Piers Greenlees, the other half of the equation, comes from the film world. On the festival circuit over the years, he would see great LGBTQ+ films debut and resonate with audiences, and yet they’d fail to filter down to general audiences. “Queer films will always struggle to get onto the big screen, because studios don’t believe that there’ll be an audience for them,” reflects Greenlees. “They’ve got to be packed with big names or massive stories – they can’t just be simple, relatable stories that a lot of audiences can connect to”.
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The pair’s first venture – nearby queer-focused pub and events space The Rising – opened last year to warm reception. When the opportunity to do something with the Bermondsey Square cinema site came up, it was a no-brainer. “Film is a tough business, but the added focus on this being a cocktail bar makes it a more commercially viable space, which I think is what the previous management struggled with.” says Burke. Alongside the expected staples, The Arzner serves up a formidable selection of charmingly-themed cocktails, each named after important figures in LGBTQ+ cinema history, ranging from Marlene Dietrich to Wong Kar-wai.
The Arzner – both the house cocktail and the venue – are named after Dorothy Arzner, a seminal figure who from 1927 to 1943 was the only female director in Hollywood. The decision to christen the venue after her came after a lot of thought and consideration. “It was important for us to have a lesbian voice,” says Burke. “No queer cinema is widely distributed enough, but lesbian films haven’t been as celebrated as those focusing on the gay male experience. Dorothy Arzner was publicly out for her entire career, and that was important to me, along with how much of an impact she had”.
Greenlees and Burke haven’t come across a similarly LGBTQ-dedicated cinema venue anywhere in the UK, or even in the US, and no one that they’ve spoken to knows of an equivalent space either. “In the same way as you have a dedicated French cinema in London in the Institut Français, you have us for queer cinema” says Greenlees.
Collaboration and conversation are at the core of what the Arzner team is building, having already fostered strong relationships with distributors that focus on queer titles such as Peccadillo, Outplay, and TLA – and they’ve begun dialogues with London’s coterie of queer cinema specialists about future possibilities. The key to The Arzner’s dream, and the likelihood of their success, is that they don’t want to supplant what’s already been built in the capital by film clubs such as Pink Palace, Bar Trash, and Funeral Parade, but instead to provide a home for queer cinema that exists year-round.
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Resurrection by Bi Gan
A review of Resurrection. The third film by Bi Gan, which premiered in the 2025 Cannes competition. Some critics labelled it a masterful reflection on cinema.
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Revisiting David Fincher’s Dark Masterpiece
Introduction
It’s hard to believe that David Fincher’s Se7en has been around for thirty years. Released in September 1995, the film continues to hold the power to shock, disturb, and fascinate. With its unforgettable ending and relentless mood, it has carved out a permanent place in film history. A dark, disturbing yet visually stunning film, Se7en was one of the defining films of the 1990s cinema renaissance—a decade where horror and noir merged.
The story of two detectives tracking a killer who uses the seven deadly sins as a pattern for his murders was bold, unsettling, and unlike anything audiences had ever seen. At a time when many thrillers favored action and happy endings, Se7en leaned into darkness and despair.
Upon release, Se7en didn’t just stand out, it stood alone, and thirty years later, the film continues to provoke debate and admiration. Its influence can be seen in countless crime dramas and psychological thrillers that followed in the ensuing decades. But few have matched its impact. On this milestone anniversary, we look back at how Se7en came to be, the people who brought it to life, and the chilling legacy it has left behind.
Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt star in “Se7en” (1995). Photo courtesy of New Line Cinema. Beginnings
The roots of Se7en trace back to screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker, who penned the script in 1991 while working at Tower Records in New York City. Walker’s time in the city left him bitter and disillusioned, a mood that bled into every word of his screenplay. The script, which was grim, unrelenting, and audaciously downbeat, was passed around Hollywood, initially drawing interest but little commitment. Andrew Kevin Walker spoke to Uproxx in 2015:
“I had moved from a very suburban upbringing in Pennsylvania, so New York City, for me, was a real culture shock. I was in New York from ’86 to ’91, so it was the height of a lot of New York City-specific stuff, like the crack cocaine epidemic on the rise…The idea — “seven deadly sin murders” — was a reaction to living in New York and putting myself in a John Doe head space where you could walk down the street and see every “deadly sin” on every street corner”
In 1992, Walker met producer Arnold Kopelson (Platoon, The Fugitive). Kopelson saw the raw power of the script, but studios thought it was too downbeat and balked at the film’s now-iconic ending, which involved a certain someone’s head in a box. Se7en lingered in limbo with Walker rewriting the ending to be more upbeat. Then, a critical miscommunication changed everything. Walker’s original script (with the head in the box) accidentally made its way to director David Fincher. He loved it and was immediately on board.
Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Pitt in a scene from “Se7en” (1995). Photo courtesy of New Line Cinema. David Fincher
David Fincher came to Se7en licking the wounds of his disastrous experience on Alien 3, his directorial debut. The studio interference and on-set chaos of that production nearly drove him out of filmmaking entirely. When Se7en came along, Fincher saw an opportunity to tell a story without compromise. Fincher, who had made a name for himself directing music videos, had once famously said:
“I’d rather die of colon cancer than make another movie”
While turned off by studio interference, Fincher saw the dark and brooding potential of Walker’s script and was intrigued. When New Line Cinema sent Fincher the corrected screenplay, the director balked and insisted that he would only direct Walker’s original vision. De Luca, the head of production at New Line Cinema, also agreed that filming should begin as soon as possible to subvert studio interference, which Fincher was wary of.
Kopelson and executives at New Line continued their efforts to make changes to the original script, while Fincher and de Luca pushed back, forming a united front against the studio. The duo got the leverage they needed when big-name actors became attached to the project, including Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, and Kevin Spacey. Pitt specifically agreed to join the cast on the condition that the head-in-the-box ending remained in place.
Arnold Kopelson, Brad Pitt, and Morgan Freeman on the set of “Se7en” (1995). Photo courtesy of New Line Cinema. Casting
Offered to and rejected by both Denzel Washington and Sylvester Stallone, the script for Se7en arrived on Brad Pitt’s doorstep at a critical time in his career. Following the release of both Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles and Legends of the Fall (both 1994), Pitt was becoming typecast into the hunky, one-dimensional leading man roles that he railed against for much of his career. Fincher didn’t initially consider Pitt for the role of Detective Mills. But that changed after the two met. Fincher believed Pitt’s likable personality would be the perfect counter-balance to some of the character’s questionable actions.
Walker named the character of Detective Somerset after writer W. Somerset Maugham. Initially, he saw actor William Hurt (Kiss of the Spider Woman, Body Heat) playing the character. However, Fincher and de Luca both decided on Morgan Freeman after Robert Duvall and Al Pacino rejected the part. Still, New Line was hesitant to pair a black detective with a white one, as that might be seen as copying the successful Lethal Weapon franchise formula.
Robin Wright and Christina Applegate both auditioned for and turned down the role of Tracy, Detective Mill’s wife, before being offered to Pitt’s real-life partner at the time, Gwyneth Paltrow. About 100 other actors also tested for the role. The number of big-name actors who either auditioned for or turned down the part of serial killer John Doe is impressive. Ned Beatty, Val Kilmer, Gene Hackman. R. Lee Ermey and R.E.M. front man Michael Stipe were all considered before finally landing on Kevin Spacey. Spacey insisted his name be omitted from the film’s marketing and opening credits to protect the killer’s identity from viewers.
Filming
Principal photography on Se7en began in December 1994 and took place primarily in Los Angeles. Select locations were dressed to resemble a generic urban landscape. The production design emphasized deterioration, anonymity, and atmospheric gloom. Fincher opted to use rain machines in outdoor scenes to establish a sense of constant doom and oppression. Fincher had a deliberate visual and tonal strategy for the film. He sought to depict a setting devoid of hope and defined by entropy and decay.
Brad Pitt, Kevin Spacey, and Morgan Freeman star in “Se7en” (1995). Photo courtesy of New Line Cinema. Working with cinematographer Darius Khondji, Fincher created a visual environment that was characterized by low-key lighting, saturated shadows, and persistent rainfall. These elements contributed to an intentionally ambiguous setting, one without clear geographic or temporal markers. In addition, Walker was on set throughout the production to provide suggestions or quick rewrites, if needed. However, he did not contribute much as Walker wanted Fincher to adapt the script with the director’s artistic vision intact.
Aesthetically, Se7en was influenced by films such as All That Jazz (1979), The Silence of the Lambs (1991), Klute (1971), The French Connection (1971), and others. Darius Khondji named Klute as his biggest influence in terms of what he was going for stylistically. Khondji spoke with American Cinematographer in 2018:
“Back when we were doing Se7en it (Klute) was a major discovery for me since Gordon Willis’ work on that movie has everything in it: the use of toplight, using widescreen compositions for intimacy rather than big vistas, the way that vertical strips of the city are shown in horizontal mode, the fragments of faces and bodies”
Brad Pitt, who was only available for fifty-five days before he began filming 12 Monkeys (1995), insisted on performing his stunts throughout the filming of Se7en. The result was slipping on the rain-slickened hood of a car and crashing through its windshield. The actor suffered cut tendons and nerves in his left hand. Pitt returned to the production a few days later, having received stitches and a cast on his forearm, which had to be written into the script. You’ll notice throughout parts of the film that Pitt keeps his left hand obscured from view.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPOuJGkpblk
Post-Production
New Line was less than thrilled when they saw how dark the dailies were, and Khondji suggested that the footage be printed brighter. Fincher, learning from his experiences on Alien 3, refused to compromise. Subsequently, Fincher and Kopelson turned early footage into a promotional showreel that they had screened for all the theater owners at the ShoWest convention in Las Vegas. The footage tested positively, and the interference from New Line quickly stopped.
Editor Richard Francis-Bruce worked closely with Fincher to achieve the right pacing and tone. The opening title sequence, designed by Kyle Cooper, featured startling jump cuts, handwritten typography, and disturbing imagery from the journals of the killer. All of this was scored by a fantastic remix of the Nine Inch Nails song “Closer.” All of it is classic Fincher, and the result is one of the best title sequences in film history.
Composer Howard Shore worked closely with Fincher to develop an ominous yet subdued score that would match the visually grim aesthetic. Shore’s music, coupled with the film’s sound design, emphasized ambient noise and heightened the atmosphere of dread. Dialogue was mixed with care to maintain clarity in scenes often filled with rain, ambient city noise, or emotional tension. Along with Nine Inch Nails, David Bowie, The Statler Brothers, Gravity Kills, Marvin Gaye, Gloria Lynne, Haircut One Hundred, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, and Thelonious Monk all contributed to the eclectic soundtrack.
What’s In The Box?
One of the most debated aspects of Se7en is its harrowing conclusion. The film ends with Detective David Mills discovering that the killer, John Doe, has orchestrated the murder of Mills’s wife, Tracy, and had her head delivered in a box to provoke Mills into fulfilling the final deadly sin, wrath. Needless to say, Kopelson and the suits at New Line were not thrilled with this downbeat ending and made every effort to have it changed.
Promotional still of Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman for “Se7en” (1995). Photo courtesy of New Line Cinema. Kopelson and New Line suggested multiple alternative scenarios, including one in which Tracy survived or that the box contained something less graphic. They believed that the audience might not accept such a grim final twist. However, both Pitt and Fincher were adamant that the original ending be unaltered. Pitt, in particular, made it a condition of his continued involvement with the film. Otherwise, he would drop out of the project. Fincher agreed, maintaining that the entire narrative structure depended on the inevitability of that final moment.
Michael De Luca also played a pivotal role in preserving the script’s integrity. As a senior executive at New Line, he was one of the few who supported the filmmakers and resisted internal pressure to modify the ending. In the end, the combined efforts of Fincher, Pitt, and De Luca prevailed. The result was one of the most iconic endings to a film in modern cinema history. To satisfy the execs at New Line, Fincher tacked on a brief voiceover at the end, narrated by Freeman and quoting Ernest Hemingway:
“Ernest Hemingway once wrote, ‘The world is a fine place and worth fighting for.’ I agree with the second part”
Release and Reception
Se7en was released on September 22, 1995, in North America. It earned $13 million in its opening weekend. It eventually grossed over $327 million worldwide against a $33 million budget, New Line’s most expensive film to date. Needless to say, it was a commercial success and received widespread media coverage. Much of the early box-office success can be attributed to Pitt’s popularity across the US, as well as a lack of strong films going up against it. An unexpected smash hit, Se7en was one of the most profitable films of 1995.
Critical reactions varied. Some reviewers praised the film’s style, tone, and performances. Others found its subject matter disturbing or excessive. Janet Maslin of The New York Times cited its atmosphere and craftsmanship, while Roger Ebert initially criticized its bleak worldview, yet later acknowledged its lasting impact in retrospective commentary. Particular praise went to Freeman and Spacey, with some reviewers also noting Pitt’s continued successful transition to more serious roles as opposed to those based on his good looks.
Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt on the set of “Se7en” (1995). Photo courtesy of New Line Cinema. Se7en received an Academy Award nomination for Best Film Editing (Richard Francis-Bruce). Although it didn’t win, the nomination underscored the film’s technical achievements. In subsequent years, it has appeared on numerous critics’ lists of top thrillers. It’s also been included in film curricula and retrospectives throughout the world. New Line re-released the film in Los Angeles on December 26 and in New York City on December 29, 1995, in an unsuccessful attempt to gain Oscar nominations for Freeman, Pitt, and Fincher.
Legacy
Since its release, Se7en has been cited as a major influence on crime dramas and psychological thrillers. Its narrative structure, centered around a sequence of symbolic murders based on the Seven Deadly Sins, has been echoed in films such as The Bone Collector, Saw, and television series including True Detective and Mindhunter. The film also marked the emergence of David Fincher as a major director. His later works, including The Game, Fight Club, Zodiac, Gone Girl, and The Social Network, were all critical and commercial hits. The three-time Oscar nominee was also largely responsible for bringing the award-winning Netflix series House of Cards to life.
With one of the most shocking and jaw-dropping endings in film history, Se7en continues to blow audiences away. Thirty years after its initial release, the film also continues to be praised by critics and audiences alike. Recent 4K releases have allowed viewers to appreciate their stunning visuals and immersive experience. Brilliant direction by Fincher, chilling atmosphere, and a compelling narrative have cemented its status as a timeless and influential film classic that continues to captivate and provoke audiences.
If You Enjoyed This Article, We Recommend:
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Keep up with Cinema Scholars on social media. Like us on Facebook, subscribe on YouTube, and follow us on Twitter, Threads, Instagram, and Bluesky
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Scholars’ Spotlight: Paul Newman
Early Life
Paul Newman was born in the Cleveland, Ohio, suburb of Shaker Heights on January 25, 1925. Although Newman’s father, Arthur Sr., was Jewish, his mother, Theresa, was a Christian Scientist. Newman himself had no religious affiliation and was essentially Agnostic (though he was ordained as a minister of the United Life Church to officiate weddings).
Both of his parents’ ancestry was from Eastern Europe, with his mother being an immigrant from Slovakia (then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire) and his father’s parents hailing from Hungary. The Newmans owned a sporting goods store in town where Paul and his older brother, Arthur Jr., would help out when not in school.
While in the first grade, Newman got his first taste of acting when he earned the role of the court jester in a school production of Robin Hood. Even then, the acting bug hit him hard, and just a few years later, at the age of ten, he was cast in a Cleveland Play House production of Saint George and the Dragon.
“Acting isn’t really a creative profession. It’s an interpretative one.”
– Paul Newman
Paul Newman and Melvyn Douglas in a scene from “Hud” (1963). Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures. In 1943, upon graduating from Shaker Heights High School, Newman headed to Athens, Ohio, where he attended Ohio State University briefly. Rumors about Newman’s exit continue to this day. Expulsion gossip includes Newman rolling a beer keg down the campus hill and hitting the Dean’s car. There’s also a variation where he stole a tray from a dining hall and used it to sled down this same slope drunkenly. Newman himself dispelled these stories, stating that he left to join the Navy V-12 pilot training program. He did not complete this due to his color blindness being a disqualifying condition.
Military Career
After getting dropped by V-12, Newman was shipped off to boot camp. After he completed this training, he focused his energy on learning how to work as a radioman and gunner. During World War II, Newman served as a rear-seat radioman and gunner in torpedo bombers.
In 1944, Newman was assigned to Pacific-based replacement torpedo squadrons, which trained replacement pilots and combat air crewmen. He also served as a turret gunner in an Avenger torpedo bomber. In 1945, Newman was sent to the Essex-class aircraft carrier, the USS Bunker Hill, shortly before the Battle of Okinawa. His life was spared when his pilot developed an ear infection and could not fly bomber missions.
All of the gunners that Newman had served with were killed in action by a kamikaze attack in the ensuing battle. Newman’s decorations for his service included the American Area Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal. He parted ways with the Navy in 1945.
Paul Newman during his time in the US Navy. Acting and Education
After leaving the Navy, Newman resumed his collegiate career at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1949. After graduating, he worked as an actor with the Belfry Players in Wisconsin and the Woodstock Players in Illinois. Newman married Jacke Witte around this time. The couple would go on to have three children together, divorcing in 1958.
In 1951, Newman briefly attended Yale to pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree in the Department of Drama. He left after the first year of the three-year program to study under Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio in New York City.
Newman’s acting career began in earnest in 1952. His first role was for the television series Tales of Tomorrow that year. The following year, he would make his Broadway debut in the original production of William Inge’s Picnic.
James Dean and Hollywood
Newman’s first Hollywood movie, The Silver Chalice, was released in 1954 and was a box office bomb. Newman called the historical drama “the worst motion picture produced during the 1950s.” When the movie was broadcast on TV in 1966, Newman took out a newspaper ad apologizing for his performance and asking people not to watch the movie. This plea backfired, and the movie earned spectacular ratings.
Virginia Mayo and Paul Newman in a scene from “The Silver Chalice” (1954). Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Also in 1954, Newman appeared in a screen test with James Dean for the movie East of Eden (1955). The role Newman was up for was Aron Trask, the brother of Dean’s Cal Trask. Newman lost out on the role to Richard Davalos.
When Dean died the following year, Newman replaced him in a television adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s The Battler. This led to Newman replacing Dean in Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956), which became the actor’s breakout role.
Hollywood Success and Remarriage
1958 was a big year for Newman, both personally and professionally. He starred in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof with Elizabeth Taylor, which would earn him his first Academy Award nomination. He also appeared in The Long, Hot Summer with Joanne Woodward. Newman and Woodward had met previously in 1953 in New York City. She was an understudy in Picnic at the time.
While making the Long, Hot Summer in 1957, they began an affair, which ended his first marriage. Newman and Woodward would marry in early 1958. The couple eschewed living in Los Angeles; instead, they settled in Manhattan for a time. They ultimately would move to Westport, Connecticut. The couple had three children of their own and would remain married for fifty years, until Newman died in 2008.
“There are places you go, and they say, ‘Take off your dark glasses so we can see your beautiful blue eyes.’ And you just want to… you just want to… I dunno, um… thump them.”
– Paul Newman
Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman in a publicity portrait for “The Long Hot Summer” (1958). Photo courtesy of 20th Century Fox, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. The 1960s and Steve McQueen
Newman’s career continued to flourish into the next decade. He made a string of classics including The Hustler (1961), Hud (1963), Torn Curtain (1966), and, of course, Cool Hand Luke (1967). The now iconic film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was also released in 1969.
Newman and Steve McQueen battled at the box office for the majority of the decade. The pair were neck and neck for bragging rights as the highest-paid movie star. McQueen and Newman almost starred together in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. However, a dispute about which actor would receive top billing prevented McQueen from signing on as the Sundance Kid.
The rivalry McQueen felt with Newman also occurred in the world of racing, as both actors were involved in the sport. They even shared the same racing trainer Dick Barbour, of Barbour Motorsports. The racing rivalry McQueen had with Newman was largely one-sided, as Newman essentially did his best, not worrying about what McQueen or anyone else said or did.
Newman and McQueen weren’t always rivals. In 1969, the pair joined Sidney Poitier and Barbara Streisand to create the First Artists production company using United Artists (founded by legendary stars Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford, among others) as a template. Newman and McQueen would share the screen in one movie, The Towering Inferno (1974).
In addition to acting, racing, and being a businessman, Newman was also politically active. The actor attended the March on Washington on August 28, 1963. In 1968, he campaigned for Eugene McCarthy, which included a trip back to Athens, Ohio, and the OU campus, 20-plus years after he parted ways with the university.
Anthony Perkins (left) with Paul Newman (right) in “The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean” (1972). Photo courtesy of National General Pictures via Public Domain. The 1970s and 1980s
Newman’s career continued to be successful throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Some of the films he appeared in included The Sting (1973), Slap Shot (1977), and The Verdict (1982). He was recognized with an Honorary Oscar in 1986, and he won the real thing the following year for Best Actor in The Color of Money (1986), Martin Scorsese’s sequel to The Hustler. Over his career, Newman would be nominated a total of nine times as an actor, winning only once.
Newman’s racing career began in earnest in 1972 when he raced at the Thompson International Speedway under the name “P.L. Newman”. He competed often in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) events for the rest of the 1970s, winning four national championships. In 1979, he raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing in second place.
“I’ll never forget my first experience of being in a race car. The first thing that attracted me was the speed. That and the faint possibility that I might get good at it one day. It offered me the chance to be graceful, it just grabbed hold of me. I used to just slink off from doing pictures to try and get my (racing) license.”
– Paul Newman
In 1978, Newman’s son from his first marriage, Scott, tragically died of a drug overdose. Because of this tragedy, Newman started the Scott Newman Center for drug abuse prevention in memory of his son.
Publicity photo for the American documentary film “King: A Filmed Record…Montgomery to Memphis” (1970). Left to right: producer Ely Landau, actress Ruby Dee, actor Paul Newman, and director Sidney Lumet. Photo courtesy of Maron Films via Public Domain. Newman’s political advocacy continued during this time. In 1970, he attended the first Earth Day event in New York City. In 1976, he traveled to Washington, DC to speak out against Big Oil in favor of divestiture of these companies. This would effectively break them up into smaller entities. He was also a proponent of nuclear disarmament, endorsing Walter Mondale for President in 1984.
In 1982, Newman founded “Newman’s Own,” a line of food products, with writer A. E. Hotchner with the proceeds being donated to charity. He co-wrote a memoir about the subject with Hotchner, Shameless Exploitation in Pursuit of the Common Good. In 1988, Newman founded the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. This was a residential summer camp for seriously ill children located in Ashford, Connecticut.
Final Years
Newman continued to act until 2007 when he announced his retirement. Some of his most famous roles during this time included The Hudsucker Proxy (1994), Road to Perdition (2002), and the Pixar animated movie Cars (2006).
In these later years, Newman continued to work for and support charitable causes. Some of the examples of this work include the donation of $250,000 to Catholic Relief Services to aid refugees from Kosovo in 1999. He also created a $10 million scholarship fund for his Alma Mater of Kenyon College, in 2007.
An avid racer even in his later years, Newman continued to race even after he passed 80 years of age. He stated he would retire only when he embarrassed himself. The actor won at Lime Rock at the age of 81, which was also the number he raced under. His last professional race came in 2007 at Watkins Glen International.
Paul Newman and Tom Hanks in a scene from “Road to Perdition” (2002). Photo courtesy of DreamWorks Pictures. “You can’t be as old as I am without waking up with a surprised look on your face every morning: ‘Holy Christ, whaddya know – I’m still around!’ It’s absolutely amazing that I survived all the booze and smoking and the cars and the career.”
– Paul Newman
On September 26, 2008, Paul Newman died from lung cancer. A few months after his death, he was posthumously inducted into the SCCA Hall of Fame for car racing at the national convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, on February 21, 2009. Nine years after his death, his voice was used in the movie Cars 3 (2017). This was his last credited role.
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In the mood for In The Mood For Love
In hindsight, it is not surprising that the film’s nostalgic rendition of 1962 Hong Kong left such an indelible influence on an entire generation of cineastes. In the 2000s, Wong’s formal and narrative restraint set him apart from the increasingly grandiose cinematic ambitions of both Chinese and Hollywood studios. During this period, his peers like Ang Lee and Zhang Yimou choreographed complex fight scenes on picturesque vistas, interspersed with charged moments of intense melodrama. Wong resisted any temptations towards manufacturing maximalist spectacles. Even compared to other works in his oeuvre, In the Mood for Love is noticeably lacking in kinetic frenzies of violence or bursts of passionate intimacy. Instead, the film consists of long takes where characters, no more than one or two at a time, appear in the shot: writing, eating or sitting in plumes of cigarette smoke. In close-ups, yearning stares and brief moments of physical contact are in full focus. In the wide shot, lonesome figures walk away into the distance.
Of course, the film’s lasting legacy is more than just a mood board reference. At the turn-of-the-century, Wong’s magnum opus exists in contradiction to the promises of a new age. As the internet instantaneously connected billions of users around the globe, In the Mood for Love realized an interpersonal connection that transcended the framework of forums, chat rooms or video calls. For 25 years, generations of viewers raised in cyberspace continue to resonate with a deceptively simple narrative of a love affair that never comes to fruition. In the wake of unfettered economic globalization and the explosion of WiFi access around the world, Wong swam against the tides of digital excess. Except for a few phone calls and a telegram, signs of modern technology are absent from the film. By placing us in the past, divorced from our connections to the distractions of the present moment, Wong mines for the raw essence of a feeling.
The protagonists never get to unleash their desires on screen. In the hands of another filmmaker, Leung and Cheung would’ve likely been directed to throw themselves into each other’s arms, undressing in a steamy climax to relieve the 90 minutes of simmering sexual tension. Against all conventions and instincts, Wong instead pulls his two star-crossed lovers apart. There is no scandalous affair, just a fleeting slip into a fantasy that never truly plays out. With the film’s conclusion in mind, all the instances of controlled affection, the silent stares, the late-night writing sessions and the tame re-enactments of adultery feel even more erotic. The couple don’t end up riding off into the sunset together, but the time they shared as neighbors has left a seismic impact on their lives. Like idealized memories that stray further from the truth each passing day, each of Wong’s images revel in the saturated shadows of a nostalgic mirage.
In the Mood for Love clearly bears an important personal meaning for its director. What was probably intended as a love letter to a bygone era of Hong Kong’s history, a construction of childhood scenes where gossiping family members played Mahjong all night long, has now mutated into a mournful treatise to luxuriate in fading pasts. Whether it is a person, a place, or a memory, every frame of Wong’s masterwork allows viewers to get lost in their own sinkhole of longing. Recent box office and critical hits like the Daniels’ Everything Everywhere All at Once or Celine Song’s Past Lives are evidence that Wong’s impulse for nostalgia remains as widespread as ever. Though the former is far more direct in its homage to Wong’s film, both grapple with visions of what could’ve been. A vivid recall of fond memories and the invention of alternative futures might be our best recourse in dealing with an overstimulating, and overbearing present.
In The Mood For Love + In the Mood for Love 2001 will screen at venues across New York and London this summer.
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Review: A Great Cast And Fun Wedding Gags Can’t Save BRIDE HARD
Cinema Scholars reviews the new action/comedy Bride Hard, directed by Simon West. The film stars Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Anna Chlumsky, Justin Hartley, and Stephen Dorff. Magenta Light Pictures is releasing Bride Hard in theaters nationwide on June 20, 2025.
Introduction
It’s wedding season, so cue the annual onslaught of nuptial-centric movies. From Father of the Bride and Wedding Crashers to Bridesmaids and the more recent You’re Cordially Invited, the enduring popularity of the subgenre means these films will continue to be churned out indefinitely. While these types of “chick flicks” may not be everyone’s cup of tea, it’s hard to deny the appeal of the universal themes of love, family, and friendship that make the stories so endearing.
Colleen Camp, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Gigi Zumbado, Anna Camp, Rebel Wilson, and Anna Chlumsky in “Bride Hard” (2025). Photo courtesy of Magenta Light Pictures. When done right, that is. In other cases where the context and tone don’t quite meld, the result can be lackluster. Despite some clever wedding gags, a couple of tepid laughs, and incredible supporting performances from Anna Chlumsky and others, the new Rebel Wilson-starrer Bride Hard could not be saved.
Synopsis
Sam (Wilson) and Betsy (Anna Camp) have been besties since childhood. Despite moving apart when the girls were just 11, they have managed to maintain a tight bond through the years. Naturally, when Betsy announced her engagement, she asked Sam to be her maid of honor.
Flash forward to the binge-fueled bachelorette party in Paris, where it is revealed to the audience that Sam has a double life as a secret operative for a clandestine organization. As she ducks in and out of the festivities to tend to her spy business, clueless Betsy and her fellow bridesmaids begin to question Sam’s loyalty.
Flash forward again to the weekend of the big event, held at the private island of Betsy’s soon-to-be in-laws. Despite their strained relationship, Sam shows up ready to celebrate her friend’s dream wedding. That is, until a gang of armed men interrupts the ceremony with guns blazing. Now it’s up to Sam to save the day and her friendship with her childhood bestie.
Rebel Wilson in “Bride Hard” (2025). Photo courtesy of Magenta Light Studios. Analysis
Bride Hard tries and fails at being the raucous comedy we’ve come to expect from this kind of film fare. While there are certainly plenty of jokes throughout the film, the actual laughs are few and far between. In most instances, setups for funny scenes fall completely flat, and pithy one-liners lack punch. A few attempts at crass humor elicit more cringes than chuckles. Though the film does have its bright spots with clever wedding-themed gags and some comical sidekick antics, the action comedy falls short of big laughs.
The action aspect of Bride Hard isn’t quite the caliber we’re used to seeing in this kind of mid-budget flick. Still, there are some memorable sequences as Sam takes on the baddies around the estate. Creative kills with weaponized wedding decor give the movie points for originality. In addition to the ho-hum humor, the logic of the characters is as thin as the plot. While it might seem ridiculous to judge the merits of a silly action comedy, some of the emotional and narrative leaps just don’t compute.
Performances
While the overall timing and narrative leave much to be desired, the strong performances in the film mercifully buoy Bride Hard. Rebel Wilson carries the project as best she can as leading lady Sam. Ever charming and affable, Wilson’s take on the duplicitous character is also sly and silly at the same time. As Betsy, Anna Camp is in full blushing bride mode throughout. Camp makes cliche look adorable as she perfectly portrays her character’s somewhat vapid goodie-goodness.
The real scene stealer of Bride Hard, however, is Anna Chlumsky as type-A sister-in-law Virginia. Chlumsky exudes a hilarious air of superiority with her wide-eyed disdain for Sam. Some of the funnier scenes of the film revolve around Chlumsky as her character’s intensely controlling nature is on full display.
Anna Chlumsky, Anna Camp, Gigi Zumbado, Rebel Wilson, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph in “Bride Hard” (2025). Photo courtesy of Magenta Light Studios. Supporting Players
Other supporting performances include a pretty fun comedic turn for Justin Hartley as Chris, an entitled and conniving friend of the family. And Da’Vine Joy Randolph as raunchy bridesmaid Lydia brings some legit laughs.
Special kudos go to eternal bad boy Stephen Dorff, who further cements his status as the guy you love to hate. He brings his special brand of villainous gusto to Bride Hard in full force, providing a much-needed jolt of gravitas to the film.
Conclusion
In some comedies, nonsensical narratives are easily forgiven when matched with smart storytelling and big laughs. Unfortunately, even the strong performances and clever action of Bride Hard can’t overcome an unlikely plot and humor that just don’t click.
Bride Hard is currently in theaters nationwide.
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Cinema Scholars Reviews GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE
THE LIFE OF CHUCK Review: The Most Polarizing Film Of The Year
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