Though we may be suffering the Chinese curse (May you live in interesting times), one of the great things about life these days is how you just never know. Who would've predicted that this week we'd be talking about Barack as eminently electable? Or that I'd be talking about Tom Cruise as an inspirational role model?
As you may've heard by now, Cruise and his partner Paula Wagner at United Artists have apparently made a deal with the WGA. Thus their studio would be the first to break ranks with the producers' alliance since the strike started, and (my, all this "hope" and "change" rhetoric is kinda infectious) this could very well signal a major shift in the whole debacle.
Such a Tom thing to do! You gotta hand it to the guy. We may've thought he'd gone coo-coo for coca puffs, but no: it's like that great scene in the middle of Michael Clayton where Tom Wilkinson, who's been acting so psychotic, suddenly turns all steely-eyed legal hawk on George Clooney, revealing a glimpse of what's made him such a formidable heavy hitter.
As if playing the money role in, like, a Tom Cruise movie, the Tomster has alpha-dogged himself ahead of the pack, seizing a golden opportunity that's been lying there in plain sight -- Cruise, Wagner and UA are now able to hire the best writers and talent around, as they greenlight movies while the rest of town's down. And they'll be applauded (at least on the writers' side) for fighting the good fight.
It's the ballsy kind of business move they probably teach in Scientology seminars.
Self-serving though it may be (again, a typical Cruise movie role character-driven flaw), Cruise's gambit also pays tacit homage to Hollywood history. Though it's easy to lose sight of UA's origins through the foggy prism of its last moribund decades, the original United Artists studio was founded by major mavericks: Charlie Chaplin, D.W. Griffith, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks -- heavy-duty creative talents who bucked their day's establishment by literally taking the matter of film production into their own hands.
What Cruise and co. have done in the present day is just as dramatic (while of course being one cool way to recharge a career). Though it's not a role for which Cruise can finally win an Oscar, he may help us win The Oscars, should a domino effect end this strike sooner than late February. As Nikki Finke put it: "This is big. This is BIG."
Shall we go for huge? Well, not yet, of course, since only time will tell if this is the fatal crack in the alliance that will signal an ultimate crumbling. And there are those who would argue that having some people back at work -- as opposed to an entire industry in shutdown -- is actually counter-productive to the Guild's goal. Nonetheless, since Letterman's Pants agreement with the WGA sprung the first hole in the dike, and a rumor's already flying that Lionsgate may follow UA's lead, it's hard not to buy into a kind of wonderfully ironic scenario.
These guys (the AMPTeeBeePee-whatever they want to call themselves) are all about the money, as in: holding onto every godforsaken penny of it. Wouldn't it be perfect, then, if what brings about their alliance's downfall is the infamous lust for money and power that's always been so quintessentially Hollywood?
It's hard to imagine these 600-pound gorillas of greed sitting around just watching competitors like Cruise snatch great deals out from under their paws. Nothing drives a studio crazier than seeing a rival studio grab the movie (and the money) it wants to make.
As fellow blogger Brett put it, in her his Bucket of Love post:
Could their greed be greater than their loyalty to their robber baron brethren? If so, then Gordon Gekko is again proven right: "Greed... is good. Greed works."
It's a little twisted to be cheering under that particular reptile's banner, but boy, are we ever in a po-mo, New Ironic moment. Just as America's need to feel better about itself may prove a winning factor in a black man's bid for the presidency (See? We told you we're the good guys!), it may take one charismatically cocky movie star's ruthless grab for power to trigger our Power Community's meltdown.
Interesting times, indeed.
This is the second time I've liked Tom Cruise in awhile. (The first is for making that adorable toddler Suri - who couldn't love that tyke?) Go Tom! I love Tom. Tom's off the hook in my book.
(BTW, I think Brett is a dude...)
Posted by: Christina | January 06, 2008 at 08:15 PM
Interesting post, Billy, thanks for the "made a deal with the WGA" link. I did go there.
I guess in Tom's head he has become the characters he plays on the silver screen. Maybe Dr. Phil can help him with that? Now that Dr. Phil's done with Britany Spears in the psyche ward, perhaps it's time to move on to his next charity case. But I think I missed a key detail along the way. What exactly is "Dr." Phil a doctor of?
- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA
Posted by: E.C. Henry | January 06, 2008 at 08:32 PM
Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm a guy.
And if I'm not, boy howdy do I have some explaining to do to The Wife...
.
.
.
B (male)
Posted by: Brett N | January 06, 2008 at 08:46 PM
Christina: Nutjob or no, he's also not a bad actor (e.g. Rain Man, Magnolia, Jerry Maguire).
EC: A doctor of fast food culture, I believe.
Mr. Brett: ...and that's what I get for not checking out those nifty blog "About" pages... Thanks for the correction -- and some inspiration for this post!
Posted by: mernitman | January 06, 2008 at 09:38 PM
1. Happy New Year, Mr. Mernit!
2. Brett is the second person I heard of to use the expression "Boy howdy". Love that.
3. COCOA puffs.
4. Check out today's NY Times regarding interim agreements with the WGA:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/07/business/media/07strike.html?_r=1&ref=business&oref=slogin
Posted by: binnie | January 07, 2008 at 05:15 AM
I guess it's time to dust off those Tom Cruise character-driven dramas and thrillers.
Hey Tom, let's talk. :-)
Posted by: Christian Howell | January 07, 2008 at 09:20 AM
Perfect.
Posted by: Barbara | January 07, 2008 at 09:46 AM
I've always been scared of Mr. Cruise in real life, but have noticed that in all of his movies he has this amazing ability to RUN REALLY FAST.
Nobody runs like Tom Cruise.
...and hey, if he's the key to this strike ending and me maybe getting a job after MFA school...I'll salute him AND his thetans the next time we meet.
(which, according to him, will probably be in space)
Posted by: jess | January 07, 2008 at 06:21 PM
I agree Tom Cruise is a great actor, I just didn't respect the way he treated Brooke Shields. But I guess they're all made up now - I think she went to his wedding.
I just read a great bit on Cinematical. Here's the best line:
"... And you've gotta love any deal that makes Tom Cruise and the Weinsteins look like the nicest guys in the room, right?"
From:
http://www.cinematical.com/2008/01/07/writers-strike-now-the-weinsteins-are-looking-to-deal/
I'm sure Tom is a nice guy, but the Weinsteins? Lol.
Posted by: Christina | January 07, 2008 at 06:32 PM
Happy New Year Binnie! Yes, the Times article was interesting... anyone know the "boy howdy" origin story? Seems like a phrase that's been making a comeback in general.
Christian: Yup, F. Scott Fitzgerald was wrong (i.e. the guy who said, "There are no second acts in Hollywood").
Barbara: Thenkew.
Jess: True, he do run good.
Christina: Yes, and I'm the Queen of Rumania. Etc.
Posted by: mernitman | January 07, 2008 at 07:37 PM
Well the only people I know who use "boy howdy" are from small towns in Texas. When I speak to my darling Texas cowboy later today, I'll ask him about the origin.
Posted by: binnie | January 08, 2008 at 06:04 AM
While this move may help revitalize Tom Cruise's career, it's important to recognize that UA is not merely a vanity company; I'm certain it would be interested in scripts that aren't vehicles for him. Kudos to Paula Wagner (arguably the real force behind all this), and if it leads to some good romantic comedies that have some sophistication and good writing, so much the better.
Posted by: Vincent | January 08, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Off-topic, and I'm sure this has probably been posted elsewhere on the site, but I thought this was pretty exciting to see...
http://tinyurl.com/2xryra
Posted by: Blake | January 08, 2008 at 03:01 PM
Billy,
You're right about that. Any screenwriter worth his salt should have at least ONE Tom Cruise script.
I have two. They aren't finished but they will be soon.
Posted by: Christian Howell | January 08, 2008 at 03:36 PM
Cruise may need all the good publicity he can get before his "unauthorized" biography comes out. Too bad Andrew Morton didn't wait a bit longer-- he could have added this to the last chapter.
Posted by: Tavis | January 08, 2008 at 11:59 PM
Tavis,
There's no such thing as BAD publicity.
Posted by: Christian Howell | January 09, 2008 at 01:06 PM
Thanks Binnie for this informative link on "boy howdy":
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=boy+howdy
Vincent: I'll drink to that. Also heartening to hear that the Weinsteins have apparently followed suit.
Aw, Blake: I hadn't yet posted this, but thanks for checking out the page.
Christian, currently aiming for that "hardest working man in show biz" title...
Tavis: It might even make the paranoids among us wonder if one reason Tom stepped into the limelight with said deal was to draw attention away from the bio?
Naw, that's just crazy talk...
Posted by: mernitman | January 12, 2008 at 11:04 AM
what Vincent said
Posted by: Rosina Lippi | January 13, 2008 at 06:24 PM