Chris Columbus, who’s finest identified for bringing us Dwelling Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire, and the primary two Harry Potter movies, was the primary director lined up for the traditional vacation movie, Nationwide Lampoon’s Christmas Trip.
He was buddies with the film’s author, John Hughes, who despatched him the script, and he was stoked to affix the venture, however after a weird run in with the movie’s star, Chevy Chase, he determined it wasn’t going to work out.
Columbus detailed the encounter in a sit-down with Vainness Truthful, the place he recounted connecting with John Hughes, who was repped by the identical agent on the time, following the discharge of a “full catastrophe” of a movie referred to as Heartbreak Lodge. After the box-office and significant failure, The Breakfast Membership director despatched him the script for Christmas Trip.
Columbus sprung into motion, starting to shoot second unit in Chicago round Christmastime. However then he met Chevy Chase:
“I used to be signed on … and then I met Chevy Chase. Even given my state of affairs on the time, the place I desperately wanted to make a movie, I spotted I couldn’t work with the man.
“I used to be one of many many who couldn’t work with him. And I referred to as John and I stated, ‘That is actually arduous for me, however I can’t do that film with Chevy Chase.’”
The Gremlins helmer took two conferences with Chase, throughout which the Saturday Evening Reside alum didn’t say a phrase for a half-hour and rebuffed him because the director of the film.
“He had to know I used to be directing the film,” Columbus defined. “I talked about how I noticed the film, how I wished to make the film. He didn’t say something. I went by way of a few half hour of speaking.
“He didn’t say a phrase. After which he stops and he says — and this is not sensible to any human being on the planet, however I’m telling you. I most likely have by no means advised this story.
“Forty minutes into the assembly, he says, ‘Wait a second. You’re the director?’ And I stated, ‘Yeah … I’m directing the movie.’ And he stated to me probably the most surreal, weird factor. I nonetheless haven’t been capable of make any sense out of it.
“He stated, ‘Oh, I believed you have been a drummer.’ I stated, ‘Uhh, OK. Let’s begin speaking concerning the movie once more.’ After about 30 seconds, he stated, ‘I bought to go.’”
Throughout the second assembly, the place Hughes was additionally current, the Mrs. Doubtfire director stated he was “principally nonexistent” and that Hughes and Chase mentioned all the pieces however the film. That’s when the choice was solidified:
“To begin with, he’s not engaged. He’s treating me like sh–. I don’t want this. I’d somewhat not work once more. I’d somewhat write. I believed, This was how we’re going to work collectively? I’m going to be on set and he’s not listening.”
Whereas it’s unclear if Chase was taking part in a joke on Columbus or “hazing” him, Jeremiah S. Chechnik was introduced in to helm the 1989 movie, the third within the ’80s Trip collection.
Columbus stated he referred to as Hughes and defined that he couldn’t proceed with the venture and would “not make a very good film with this man and I’ll allow you to down,” which Hughes took in stride.
However all’s effectively that finish’s effectively: The next weekend, Hughes despatched the script for Dwelling Alone — and the remaining is Christmas historical past.
I’ve heard from so many sources now that Chevy Chase was a jerk, and really tough to work with. That is such a bummer to me, as he was somebody I grew up loving to observe, however I’ve not let it spoil the films he made.
I simply want he had been nicer to the folks he labored with.
by way of: Deadline
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