Холливудын домогт жүжигчин Жон Уэйн Дэлхийн хоёрдугаар дайныг ёжилсон хэмээн үзэж, уг кинонд тоглохоос татгалзаад зогсохгүй Спилбергт уг төслийг хэрэгжүүлэхгүй байхыг зөвлөжээ.
Стивен Спилберг “Jaws” болон “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” киноны амжилтын дараагаар “1941” хэмээх инээдмийн киног бүтээхээр төлөвлөж, гол дүрдээ Жон Уэйнийг урихаар зэхэж байв. Гэвч тус киноны зохиол АНУ-ын цэргийн хүчин болон Перл-Харборын халдлагыг тохуурхсан шинжтэй байна хэмээн Жон Уэйн эсэргүүцсэн байна. Тэрээр дайны улмаас олон мянган хүний амь нас хохирсныг инээдмийн сэдэв болгох нь зохисгүй хэрэг гэж үзжээ.
Жон Уэйний татгалзлыг үл харгалзан Спилберг төслөө үргэлжлүүлж, Жон Белуши, Дэн Эйкройд, Жон Кэнди зэрэг тухайн үеийн алдартай инээдмийн жүжигчдийг оролцуулан киног бүтээсэн юм. 1979 оны 12 дугаар сард нээлтээ хийсэн уг бүтээл нь тухайн үедээ маш өндөр төсвөөр хийгдсэн ч үзэгчдийн хүлээлтэд хүрээгүй байна.
Спилбергийн хувьд томоохон амжилт дагуулсан цуврал бүтээлүүдийнх нь дараах “1941” нь box office-ийн хувьд бүтэлгүйтсэн анхны томоохон төсөл болж үлджээ. Хэдийгээр санхүүгийн хувьд бүрэн дампуураагүй ч тус кино нь найруулагчийн карьер дахь хамгийн том алдаануудын нэгд тооцогддог.
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Steven Spielberg had already made Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind by the time he began working on 1941, a massive World War II comedy featuring an all-star cast of some of the era’s biggest comedic actors.
But before Spielberg assembled that cast, he had another Hollywood legend in mind: John Wayne.
Wayne was interested in working with Spielberg, but when the director offered him a role in 1941, the legendary actor rejected it for a very specific reason. He believed the movie made a joke out of the U.S. military and the events surrounding the attack on Pearl Harbor.
According to ScreenRant, Wayne went even further than simply turning down the part. He tried to convince Spielberg not to make the movie at all.
John Wayne Called the Movie ‘Un-American’
Wayne’s objection wasn’t to Spielberg himself. In fact, he reportedly wanted to work with the young director. Instead, he took issue with the script.
Wayne reportedly told Spielberg that 1941 was “un-American” because he felt the military deserved to be treated with respect. The movie’s comedic approach to World War II was simply too much for the actor, whose own career had become closely associated with American military heroes and patriotic roles.
Wayne’s response to Spielberg was blunt.
“You’re making fun of a war that cost thousands of lives at Pearl Harbor. Don’t joke about World War II.”
For Wayne, it wasn’t simply a question of whether the comedy worked. He believed there were some subjects that shouldn’t be treated as a joke. Spielberg, however, didn’t take the advice.
Spielberg Made the Movie Anyway
1941 went ahead without Wayne, and Spielberg eventually filled the movie with some of the biggest comedy stars of the era.
John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, John Candy and other familiar faces appeared in the sprawling comedy, which imagined a chaotic series of events in California following the attack on Pearl Harbor.
The movie was an enormous production, with Spielberg attempting something considerably more comedic than the suspenseful thrillers that had made him one of Hollywood’s hottest young directors.
‘1941’ Became One of Spielberg’s Biggest Flops
The movie premiered in December 1979 with enormous expectations.
Spielberg was coming off a remarkable run and 1941 was supposed to be another major event. Instead, it became a disappointment.
The movie reportedly cost tens of millions of dollars to produce, making it one of the most expensive comedies ever made at the time. Despite its huge cast and Spielberg’s growing reputation, it failed to connect with audiences in the way his previous movies had.
It wasn’t a complete financial disaster, but it was widely regarded as Spielberg’s first major box-office misfire.
