MovieChat Forums > Flags of Our Fathers (2006) Discussion > Disney Forces Lee To End Eastwood Feud

Disney Forces Lee To End Eastwood Feud

posted 16 years ago by spc777
32 replies | jump to latest

http://www.imdb.com/news/ni0551765/

Disney Forces Lee To End Eastwood Feud

15 August 2008 12:00 PM, PDT | From wenn.com | See recent WENN news

Disney bosses have forced Spike Lee to call a truce with Clint Eastwood after their war of words, fearing the bad publicity would cost his new movie Oscar nominations.

Lee hit out at Eastwood for failing to include black characters in his two 2006 Second World War movies Flags of our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima.

The veteran star struck back, telling Lee to "shut his mouth", prompting Lee to take a second swipe, calling Eastwood "an angry old man."

But Lee has backed down after executives at Disney - the studio backing his new war movie Miracle at St.Anna - stepped in.

He tells Entertainment Weekly, "I get the thing, 'Well Mr Eastwood is so well beloved,' and this may have ramifications at Academy time.

"But it's over. I said what I had to say. He believes what he believes. And that's that."

"Marty. Y'know what we got here? MF'n Charlie Bronson. Mr. Majestyk!"

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] GrigoryGirl 16 years ago

Lee made a major ass of himself over this. He cries racism every time things don't go his way. Picking on Clint was probably the most bone headed antic he's ever done in his whole career (and Lee has done a lot).

[–] puirt-a-beul 16 years ago

I can't even watch a Spike Lee movie anymore because, as talented as he is, I'm just so tired of being told all white people are racist and no black people ever are.

It's flat-out crap -- well, that's my opinion, I admit, but does it have to be in every bloody movie he makes?!

You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.

[–] GrigoryGirl 16 years ago

I agree with ya. Spike has played the race card a lot in his career, but it backfired big time this time. He had no case calling Eastwood a racist (or using coded language to do so).

I like the "you might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment" line. It's from the BBC series House of Cards. That's one of my favorite miniseries.

[–] puirt-a-beul 16 years ago

Mine too, GG. FU is such a great character!

(Plus I think I kinda fell in love a bit with Matty Storin...)

You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.

[–] krnhorang85 16 years ago

Spike Lee is as much of a bigot as any of the racists he has gone after. Calling Eastwood racist was indeed boneheaded. It was pretty much a ploy to get publicity for St. Anna.

[–] amtasi 16 years ago

Uh, I just watched "Do the Right Thing" and it depicted a lot of black people as racists and *beep*

[–] Protecious 10 years ago

you said IT !!!!!!!

[–] murph24 16 years ago

Disney bosses have forced Spike Lee to call a truce with Clint Eastwood after their war of words, fearing the bad publicity would cost his new movie Oscar nominations.

Like MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA ever had a hope of major Oscar nominations.

[–] vibe 16 years ago

Considering that Eastwood made 2 films dedicated to the people who fought on both sides of the war, it's completely preposterous to accuse him of being racist.
I just watched Flags, and there's a black guy in the final scene in the water. Lee's argument is just totally pointless, Eastwood was making a movie - not a history lesson - we don't need to be told that black people fought in the war by having a 'token black guy' in the cast. Actually that would probably offend him as well.

[–] ml-125 16 years ago

That WASN'T a Black guy in the water. It was the INDIAN.

Miracle at St. Anna's was a LOUSY film from an over hyped once talented little man. Lee should put more energy into making better films than being so concerned with what Eastwood is doing.

Unless he asked for a lesson on being a better director.

[–] deepkel 12 years ago

on the battleship when the troops are being briefed for the attack there is a shot of a whole group of black troops listening to the instructions...I feel bad for all those young actors who were not noticed by Lee

[–] clhamm 16 years ago

I know I am late to the party, but what the heck...

I can't tell you for certain whether Clint Eastwood is or isn't a racist, or whether or not Spike Lee is a racist. i suspect neither one is.

But if Eastwood is a racist, he certainly blew it by casting Morgan Freeman in not one, but two of his movies. Oh, and he won the Academy Award for Million Dollar Baby.

Plus, while I am on the subject, if Mr. Lee would like to make a movie about blacks and Iwo Jima, assuming it was good, I would be very interested to see it. Actually, any good movie about WW II, and the role of blacks in it, would be good. I am sure there are some very interesting stories that can be told.

[–] SynGamer 16 years ago

The squads/platoons/soldiers that Eastwood's movies focused on didn't have black people in them, to my knowledge. And since Eastwood was going for historically accurate...it's kind of hard to add black people when there were none. Lee needs to shut up and worry about making good movies (if that's even possible).

[–] paullynn 16 years ago

Copied and pasted from the Flags of our Fathers FAQ on imdb.

The Marine Corps was segregated during WW II. Of the 60,000 Marines on Iwo Jima no more 600 were African American. Black Marines on Iwo Jima were mainly support troops, and primarily used to haul ammunition and other supplies from the beach to the front. Of the 6,000 marines killed on Iwo Jima, 2 were African American.

[–] PrickWithAFork 16 years ago

Only two killed? Now, will Spike be happy about that, or will he say "More brothers shoulda got the opportunity to be killed!"

My body makes no moan
But sings on:
All things remain in God.

[–] AngelSHEBAMRomanov 16 years ago

I really don't like Spike Lee. Making race an issue where it shouldn't be- isn't he as much of a racist as he accuses?
And again, recognize Ira Hayes and the Navajo code speakers (I think they had a different name, "code speakers" doesn't sound right to me). But apparently, the Native Americans aren't important enough to Spike Lee...

It's over now, the music of the night..

Bryy=Fee

[–] puirt-a-beul 16 years ago

And again, recognize Ira Hayes and the Navajo code speakers (I think they had a different name, "code speakers" doesn't sound right to me).

I think they're generally called "code talkers" in English, unless I'm confused. What the term for them is in Navajo, I'm afraid I don't know.

You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.

[–] yatman56 16 years ago

Spike Lee brings up a good point. Just how many blacks were in the Marine Corps during World War II? And how many were on Iwo Jima during the battle? Does anyone know?

[–] nickm2 16 years ago

"Spike Lee brings up a good point. Just how many blacks were in the Marine Corps during World War II? And how many were on Iwo Jima during the battle? Does anyone know?"

A unit of about 600 men; but how many Blacks were in the group that raised the flag on Suribachi? NONE!

NM

[–] rick-deckard45 13 years ago

from wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segregation_in_the_US_Marines):

In total, 19,168 African Americans joined the Marines, about 4% of the USMC's strength; some 75% of them performed their duties overseas. About 8,000 black USMC stevedores and ammunition handlers served under enemy fire during offensive operations in the Pacific.

baby can you dig your man?
he's a righteous man.

[–] swordsaint0 16 years ago

Spike Lee is a crybaby and a moron.

[–] Coneydogg 13 years ago

Clint is a depressed old man that much is clear. It sucks getting old.

[–] Strangerhand 8 years ago

Depressed!? That guy's more active than many people half his age. If he's depressed, it doesn't seem so clear to me.

[–] swordsaint0 13 years ago

>fearing the bad publicity would cost his new movie Oscar nominations.

It being a piece of *beep* also cost it those.

[–] dangermous 12 years ago

I've seen a few of spike lees films and they all seemed to be focused if not obsessed with black characters. Is this not racist against white people?

spike has the nerve to call clint an angry old man, i dont know if that's true but what I can say is spike lee is def the very definition of an angry black man! He's always mouthing off at someone for being white or just not including black people or some sh£$t! get over it spike or go lay in a bath filled with bleach or something......