MovieChat Forums > Scanners (1981) Discussion > antagonism between the leads

antagonism between the leads

posted 12 years ago by Hiverhythm
9 replies | jump to latest

"David Cronenberg once called this the most frustrating film he'd ever made. The film was rushed through production - filming had to begin without a finished script and end within roughly two months so the financing would qualify as a tax write-off, forcing Cronenberg to write and shoot at the same time. Cronenberg also cited difficulty with and antagonism between the leads, particularly Patrick McGoohan and Jennifer O'Neill."

How ironic that the two worst actors in the film were antagonistic to each other. The only one who seemed to have a believable 'scanning' facial expression seemed to be Micheal Ironside. Meanwhile Jennifer O'Neill's scanning face consisted of heavy eye squinting. McGoohan was okay at times.

Anyone know the details of the antagonism between the leads?

[–] filmscholar35 12 years ago

Patrick McGoohan wasn't a scanner. He was the doctor.

Stephen Lack played the lead scanner.

[–] Hiverhythm 12 years ago

Ah okay. Thought I would have checked that out by now.

[–] vpilutis 10 years ago

From what I understand McGoohan a strict roman Catholic Asked Jennifer O'Neill if she was a whore, I guess because she was married more then once.
What an idiot

[–] PreachCaleb 10 years ago

That would definitely lead to some antagonism.

Can't stop the signal.

[–] vpilutis 10 years ago

That it would.
Sidebar John Wayne a repub & Richard Witmark a dem didn't get alone on the set of
THE ALAMO and yet another dem KIRK DOUGLAS got alone fine with the duke and they made 3 or 4 features together

[–] ChazzJazz 10 years ago

Did Jennifer O'Neill and McGoohan even share a scene together?

http://my-impressionz.tk

[–] vpilutis 10 years ago

Oh please I haven't seen the film in many yrs

[–] franzkabuki 10 years ago

"McGoohan, a strict Roman Catholic, asked Jennifer O'Neill if she was a whore".

Well... just making conversation!

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] Emkay-09 9 years ago

That seems out of character for him. Patrick McGoohan was known to be a taskmaster due to his love of the acting craft. He often drove the other actors nuts due to his being a stickler for near perfection. Those are the only horror stories that I've ever heard attributed to McGoohan. But that sort of thing generates respect for his professionalism and love of the art, despite the fact that he never became a superstar. The only behind the scenes drama that I've ever heard attributed to him was his refusal to do romantic kiss/love scenes during his prime when he was a star. Not at all unusual. Jackie Chan also refused to do them too, as well as swearing. On that note, I've also noticed that I can't recall any instance of McGoohan uttering any lines containing profanity onscreen. Knowing McGoohan, it would be just like him to object to the line where he had to hurl the N-word at Richard Pryor's character in Silver Streak.

McGoohan was a complex man but I've never heard any sort of credible story where he came across as ungentlemanly. I'd like to see some source for this claim.