Introduction
As long as there has been Hollywood there have been Hollywood feuds. Instances when those behind or in front of the camera, or both, simply could not agree to disagree. A town of tinsel and egos, it is no surprise that not every personality gels. It is a place of work and industry; and have you liked every single colleague you have ever worked with?
Often the drama behind the scenes can enhance what appears onscreen, and sometimes even overshadow it. But, there’s no such thing as ‘Bad PR.’ We as an audience love a good Hollywood Feud. It equates to our natural habit of ‘gossiping’ about our work colleagues, whispering about our schoolmates behind their backs, as we as a species and as an audience thrives on schadenfreude: the pleasure derived from another person’s misfortune.
We relish seeing stars we admire/detest not getting on. They are living the dream, and have everything they want given to them on a silver platter. So, how can they possibly have anything to argue about? But they do, and that brings them back down to earth in our eyes. They are human beings with emotions that include jealousy, frustration, laziness, and anger. These feuds bring them down to our level, as mere mortals.
Over a series of retrospectives, Cinema Scholars will be taking a jump into the ring and revealing the root causes of some of the sublime to ridiculous Hollywood Feuds. Who was involved? How did it start? Did it affect the end product? Did it ever end? Let us begin with a behind-the-scenes feud that was to commence 30 years ago, as production was about to begin on the comic book movie Batman Forever.
A Surprise Casting
In 1994, production began on the third in the series of films that finally brought The Dark Knight to the big screen, following director Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) and his follow-up sequel, Batman Returns (1992). Batman had been a huge hit and its impact still has major repercussions on the genre to this day. The second film is still highly regarded but at the time was seen as over-stylized and too scary for a McMovie.
“I remember one of the things that I walked away going, ‘Oh boy, I can’t do this.’ He (Schumacher) asked me, ‘I don’t understand why everything has to be so dark and everything so sad,’ and I went, ‘Wait a minute, do you know how this guy got to be Batman? Have you read… I mean, it’s pretty simple.”
The Villains
“I always wanted Tommy Lee Jones. I didn’t consider Billy Dee Williams for the role, because I think that he is a hero. I always see him like Clark Gable. I had just finished working with Tommy Lee Jones on The Client, and I thought he would be a great Harvey Dent\Two-Face.”
Meanwhile, in June 1994, Robin Williams turned down the role of The Riddler, while at the time Carrey had become hot property after Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994). Plus, Schumacher had known Carrey since the mid-1980s and felt that he was perfect for the part. Both Carrey and Jones’ respective Apex Mountains are celebrated elsewhere on this site, and we at Cinema Scholars do not take sides.
1994 was a huge year for this pair of much-loved performers. Jones received the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for The Fugitive (1993) and Carrey changed the comedy landscape with three #1 Box Office smashes (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, Dumb and Dumber) that year. One would think they would both be on a high and ready to cut loose and have fun as legendary DC villains together. Not so.
In Production
Batman Forever was a completely different take on the Dark Knight from the Burton era. It was essentially a clean slate, with only Michael Gough and Pat Hingle returning in their respective roles as Alfred Pennyworth and Commissioner Gordon. From the opening sequence, we subconsciously knew this was not Keaton’s Bat-verse. The movie was neon bright, loud, and made to sell toys and Happy Meals (Kilmer’s Batman’s very first line is a product placement).
Everything from the sets to costumes to the make-up is garish and done with a comedic tone, which is transferred to the characters. And Carrey’s characterization and performance perfectly encapsulates the movie. Carrey is having a ton of fun in the role. He is mining it for comedy but also enjoys bringing in the threat, menace, and mischief. He is a ball of extroverted energy, and like his character’s alter ego, Edward Nygma, he wants to be recognized for the genius that he is!
This is where Schumacher believes the cracks appeared quickly. In particular, Jones, as a ‘film actor’ as opposed to a ‘movie star’, became irritated by Carrey because of his extremely loud and gregarious personality. Schumacher muses:
“Tommy Lee is, and I say this with great respect, a scene stealer. Well, you can’t steal the scene from Jim Carrey. It’s impossible. And I think it irked Tommy Lee.”
Strained Relationship
We can deduce that Carrey has the same personality off-camera as on, in many cases. So while Jones, a more senior pro, and perhaps used to more of the limelight, having been somewhat of the breakout star of his two previous films, Under Siege (1992) and The Fugitive (1993), his ego may be taking a hit from the Riddler’s cane. Since Jones and Carrey share a lot of screen time, this led to a lot of behind-the-scenes aggression building. Schumacher again noted:
“(Jones) was fabulous on The Client. But he was not kind to Jim Carrey when we were making Batman Forever.”
“I went over and I said, ‘Hey Tommy, how you doin’?’ and the blood just drained from his face like he had been thinking about me for 24 hours a day. He started shaking and he got up, he must have been in a mid-kill-me fantasy or something like that. He went to hug me and he said, ‘I hate you. I really don’t like you.‘ And I said, ‘Gee, man, what’s the problem?’ And I pulled up a chair, which probably wasn’t smart”
“I cannot sanction your buffoonery.”
The Aftermath
Carrey in the years that followed laughs about the feud and says their onscreen chemistry was great. He has openly admitted he is still a huge fan of Jones and simply regrets the fact that:
“…every once in a while, somebody you really admire hates your guts…”
Carrey would then go on to become Hollywood’s first $20 million man in Ben Stiller’s The Cable Guy (1996) opposite Matthew Broderick. He then followed that up with a period of dramatic roles including The Truman Show (1998), Man on the Moon (1999), The Majestic (2001), and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), attempting to become the modern version of his cinematic hero, James Stewart. He most recently returned to the family-friendly-franchise fare of the Sonic The Hedgehog films.
Jones, has never discussed the feud on record and has gone on to critically acclaimed roles in the likes of No Country for Old Men (2007), and an Oscar-nominated performance in Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln (2012). He was even there at the start of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Captain America: The First Avenger (2011).
