Screenwriter Eric Roth on David Fincher’s Perfectionism, Scorsese’s Freedom, and a Return to the Stage
Eric Roth, the acclaimed screenwriter behind films like Forrest Gump, Munich, and Killers of the Flower Moon, is currently enjoying a diverse workload, spanning from thrillers wiht Sydney Sweeney and Martin Scorsese to serving as an executive producer on Michael Mann’s Heat 2. However, its a return to the theater with a new production of High Noon that currently holds his enthusiastic attention. In a recent interview, Roth discussed his collaborative experiences with some of cinema’s most iconic directors, revealing contrasting approaches to filmmaking.
Roth described David Fincher as a director relentlessly pursuing perfection, even to the frustration of his crew. “He’s hard on crews. I keep telling him not to be.He wants to get it perfect,” Roth explained.He illustrated Fincher’s meticulousness with an example from Mank, recounting how Fincher would request upwards of 40 takes of a simple action, like an actor walking across a room, until he deemed it satisfactory. “He hasn’t done it right yet,” was Fincher’s justification, according to Roth, who nonetheless affirmed his commitment to working with fincher, believing the director’s obsessive nature ultimately elevates his work.
In stark contrast, Roth characterized Martin Scorsese as a remarkably open and encouraging collaborator. “Marty lets you do anything,” Roth stated, recounting a hypothetical scenario where Scorsese would readily entertain even radical ideas. “If I said, ‘Why don’t we do this movie backwards?’, he’d say, ‘Let’s try it! Keep writing!'” Roth recently collaborated with Scorsese on Killers of the Flower moon, a film depicting the tragic events surrounding the Osage Nation murders in 1920s Oklahoma.
Currently,Roth is involved in several projects,including the Sydney Sweeney thriller I Pretended to Be a missing Girl,a mafia drama for Scorsese titled Midnight Vendetta,and Heat 2 as an executive producer,though he anticipates becoming more directly involved in the writing process.
However, High Noon is currently sparking the most excitement for Roth.”It’s made me feel 22 again,” he said, appreciating the collaborative spirit of the theatre. “Theatre is like this little village. Everybody’s fighting for the most creative way to tell the story. I’m not used to being treated with such respect. Thay won’t cross a ‘t’ without asking me.” He contrasted this with the film industry, where he feels his input is sometimes disregarded.
High Noon is currently playing at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London until March 6th. https://highnoontheplay.com/
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