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Clint Eastwood is one of the best actor-turned-directors in cinematic history, evident from his four Oscar wins for his directorial ventures,UnforgivenandMillion Dollar Baby. Just a few years after his Oscar win forUnforgiven, theGran Torinoactor directed and starred in the romantic dramaThe Bridges of Madison County.
The 1995 movie was a departure from his usual heroic masculine characters, offering a new directorial and acting experience for Eastwood. The movie explored the love affair between Eastwood’s Robert Kincaid and Meryl Streep’s Francesca Johnson.
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Clint Eastwood Took A Different Approach For This Movie
Clint Eastwood’sThe Bridges of Madison Countydrew inspiration from Robert James Waller’s novel of the same. Waller’s novel was a critical disaster but sold like hotcakes. However, the movie was a great cinematic take on Waller’s novel, with a script drafted by Richard LaGravenese, and went on to rake $182 million from the box office.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Eastwood revealed that the filmmaking style of this romantic drama was entirely different from the popular trends at the time. According to theTrue Crimesactor, the film took its time to unfold the story of the relationship between the lead characters. The film resembled an art-house cinema, focusing on the interaction between two individuals, conveyed through dialogues and meaningful silences.
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Clint Eastwood’s Inspiration Was Two Western Filmmakers
Eastwood made the film for a more mature audience, people who had the patience to enjoy the film rather than rush through a quickly-cut movie. TheSpace Cowboysactor revealed his directorial inspiration to be legendary Western directors, John Ford and Howard Hawks.The Muleactor reflected on his approach:
“As a director you have to be careful with a story like this not to attempt to be razzle-dazzle. I tried to be more in the Ford or Hawks tradition of allowing things to happen on the screen. Otherwise it can get like you’re shooting a commercial or something, with the camera sliding all over the place.”
Eastwood’s artistic endeavors paid off as the movie turned out to be an evergreen romantic gem. Notably,The Good, the Bad and the Uglyactor swooped in to save the project after multiple directors and writers dropped out of the movie.
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Clint Eastwood Saved The Movie From Getting Scrapped
The Clint Eastwood-led movie was nominated for a Golden Globe, andMeryl Streepwas nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for her performance. However, the acclaimed film almost got scrapped due to directors leaving the project.
The rights to Waller’s novel were bought bySteven Spielbergeven before the novel was released. TheDirty Harryactor was the first one to join the project with Spielberg intending to helm the movie himself. However, due to the production ofSchindler’s List, Spielberg had to drop out as the director. Spielberg then brought in Sydney Pollack as the director, and he too stepped down.
Out of the scripts drafted by Kurt Luedtke, Ronald Bass, and Richard LaGravenese, Eastwood liked the lattermost’s script. But, Bruce Beresford, who was hired as the new director brought in Alfred Uhry to draft a new script. However, Eastwood and Spielberg preferred LaGravenese’s draft and consequently, Beresford dropped out leaving the entire project’s fate hanging in the balance.
Also Read:“We’re not evacuated”: 93-Year Old Clint Eastwood Risked The Life Of His Crew, Kept Working After Knowing The Studio Was On Fire
In a pivotal turn, Clint Eastwood stepped in to assume the role of the director as well, saving the project.The Bridges of Madison Countyis now available for rent on AppleTV.
Source:Los Angeles Times
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3018
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
