Days of Heaven

Uh, Terrence Malick, uh, first movie.

It was called, uh, Days of Heaven, and I finally got time.

It's been popping up here lately because it's making all these lists of best American movies ever.

We went and watched it.

Certainly the first five years.

He was retired because he couldn't get him to be in Days of Heaven.

He disappeared for 20 years because he couldn't get Travolta to be the lead in Days of Heaven.

In fact, Richard Gere, I believe, five times played parts that were written and meant for Travolta.

American Graffiti, American Gigolo.

But in a film, the film he did with Diane Keaton, where he plays a really bad guy looking for Mr. Goodbar, you know, he's complex.

Days of Heaven, he's complex, you know.

And I was intrigued to meet him.

And I really, really fought hard to get that casting in motion to the extent that Finally, the producer, Frank Mancuso, Junior and I, who was very supportive, said, okay, let's meet him for a sushi in this famous sushi place on Sunset Boulevard.

Haven't seen it.

Uh, The Virgin Spring, Days of Heaven, Princess Bride.

[laughs]

Uh, The Assassination of Jesse James, and yes, Spider-Man.

I mean, people call, like, you know, Terrence Malick pretentious.

But, like, to me, this is pretentious filmmaking where it's like just these empty emotions, like, trying to do, like, the Days of Heaven, uh, house burning-

Yeah

...

And then he chases the horses to a fire, and then he gets punched in the head.

Yeah.

It's just, it's so great to do like, you know, the Days of Heaven bit and just have the shittiest like CG fire like ever.

The movie looks considerably uglier when he like starts running to the fire.

Let me check it out.

And then she's like, watch Days of Heaven.

And I was like, that's like a weird...

I don't hear that a lot.

If I were to ask you to program a sense and sensibility double bill, sense being a film that speaks to your head and sensibility being one that speaks to your heart, what would you choose and why? I

would say Days of Heaven.

Because that film makes you cry, and it's one of the most beautiful films.

And because we're here for Sense and Sensibility, I would say that I feel like Georgia has a, and I mean this complimentary, a Terrence Malick-esque sensibility with her cinematography, especially with that.

I mean, that's one of my favorite films.

I mean that as a big compliment.

So I would say Days of Heaven.

Yes.

[laughs] Doobie-doo.

In 1978, Days of Heaven, he plays a farmhand who convinces his girlfriend to marry a dying rancher for money, and in his next film, Yanks, Gere seduces a British soldier's fiancee Even as he's landing roles, he's refusing most interviews.

He even turns down the opportunity to host Saturday Night Live.

But then in 1980 comes the breakthrough, American Gigolo.