View Full Version : Francis Ford Coppola: 'Nicholson Is A Waste Of Talent'


Brian Damage
10-17-2007, 09:36 PM
Film maker Francis Ford Coppola has accused Jack Nicholson of putting his love of money before his career. The Godfather director is disappointed Nicholson has halted his acting career in favor of enjoying a luxury lifestyle with a string of beautiful women - because he believes it is a waste of talent.

Coppola says, "I think if there was a role that (Robert) De Niro was hungry for, he would come after it. I don't think Jack would. Jack has money and influence and girls, and I think he's a little bit like (Marlon) Brando, except Brando went through some tough times. I guess they don't want to do it anymore."

Ireneparalegal
10-17-2007, 09:51 PM
Jack has worked his a$$ off in the business and like any other worker, he is entitled to "retire" and enjoy his personal life. So what if he hangs out with gorgeous women and so forth. Sounds like Francis is jealous. :lol:

Old School TV
10-17-2007, 10:12 PM
Jack has worked his a$$ off in the business and like any other worker, he is entitled to "retire" and enjoy his personal life. So what if he hangs out with gorgeous women and so forth. Sounds like Francis is jealous. :lol:

Francis I think is quite jealous of many people including Spielberg. The problem is that Francis goes over budget often and then barely breaks even at the end. I think one of his movie companies Zoethrope(sp?), had many financial problems. He even thought about making Godfather 4 for $$$ ,but even the studios didn't like the idea. Francis is a legendary director mostly for his 1970's output, but I find his comments about Jack to be unfair.

Dean Winchester
10-17-2007, 10:19 PM
I don't see where the Nicholson bashing comes from. He still takes pretty serious roles. It's not like he's somebody like Ben Stiller or Cuba Gooding Jr. that people thought had talent at the beginning and then wound up doing fluffy comic films and nothing more. Yea, Jack has clunkers on his resume, who doesn't, but he still does enough "quality" roles that it balances out.

Brian Damage
10-18-2007, 09:51 PM
NEW YORK (AP) - Everyone wants to work with Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and Jack Nicholson - except Francis Ford Coppola.

Coppola - who directed Pacino and De Niro in ''The Godfather'' trilogy - says the trio of Oscar-winning actors have become apathetic.

''I don't feel that kind of passion to do a role and be great coming from those guys, because if it was there, they would do it! I mean, they're all in a position to do it,'' the 68-year-old filmmaker tells GQ magazine in its November issue, on newsstands Tuesday.

''Pacino always wanted to do theater. He wanted to do 'Peer Gynt.' He wanted to do Shakespeare. Pacino will say, 'Oh, I was raised next to a furnace in New York, and I'm never going to L.A.,' but they all live off the fat of the land,'' Coppola says.

He calls De Niro ''wealthy and powerful'' - and more ambitious than Nicholson.

''I think if there was a role that De Niro was hungry for, he would come after it. I don't think Jack would,'' he says. ''Jack has money and influence and girls, and I think he's a little bit like (Marlon) Brando, except Brando went through some tough times.''

Nicholson - a front-row regular at the Oscars and at Los Angeles Laker games - ''was always kind of a joker'' and a Hollywood schmooze, says Coppola.

''He's got a little bit of a mean streak,'' he says. ''He's intelligent, always wired in with the big guys and the big bosses of the studios.''

Adds Coppola: ''I don't know what any of them want anymore.''

Ireneparalegal
10-18-2007, 09:57 PM
When will Coppola talk crap abt Nicholas? Hmmmmm....

He is a great actor and has had some great roles, but Nicholas' has had his share of clunkers.

What does he think abt Talia Shire? (his sister)...she ended up doing a Geico commercial with a caveman. :rofl:

waichingliu81
10-19-2007, 10:23 AM
coppola is just a jackass:mad: . he is taking pot shots at pacino, nicholson and de niro because they are or have been getting work and doing their work as actors. wtf has coppola done in the last 5 or 6 years? what films has he released recently? scorcese has more class than coppola and on evidence of this rant, i agree with irene by saying coppola is jealous. plus scorcese is associated with great films such as goodfellas, the departed, raging bull and taxi driver to name whereas coppola is known for the godfather series- which is one film to be exact. and don't get me started on him mouthing off about pacino- if it wasn't for him and his amazing performances for coppola's films, then coppola himself would'n't be as well known as he already is today

Old School TV
10-19-2007, 08:53 PM
coppola is just a jackass:mad: . he is taking pot shots at pacino, nicholson and de niro because they are or have been getting work and doing their work as actors. wtf has coppola done in the last 5 or 6 years? what films has he released recently? scorcese has more class than coppola and on evidence of this rant, i agree with irene by saying coppola is jealous. plus scorcese is associated with great films such as goodfellas, the departed, raging bull and taxi driver to name whereas coppola is known for the godfather series- which is one film to be exact. and don't get me started on him mouthing off about pacino- if it wasn't for him and his amazing performances for coppola's films, then coppola himself would'n't be as well known as he already is today

Well to be fair he did have two other notable 70's film The Conversation and Apocalypse Now. He also wrote the oscar winning script from the movie Patton. It is possible that Francis still holds animosity that Jack turned down Apocalypse Now when the role of Captain Willard was offered to him. But it was hard to believe that he still has hard feelings for something nearly 30 years ago?

I agree though about Coppola. I think his last film was Rainmaker which was like 10 years ago. Bram Stroker's Dracula was overrated. Francis spends a good part of his him running his Wine Business. Many studios see that he dosen't make enough money in the box office; especially when he goes over budget all the time. Jack still gave a great performance in The Departed. I still think there is fire in his belly. ;)

catlover79
10-19-2007, 09:45 PM
I don't see where the Nicholson bashing comes from. He still takes pretty serious roles. It's not like he's somebody like Ben Stiller or Cuba Gooding Jr. that people thought had talent at the beginning and then wound up doing fluffy comic films and nothing more. Yea, Jack has clunkers on his resume, who doesn't, but he still does enough "quality" roles that it balances out.
:yeahthat Well said.

TJL
10-19-2007, 09:47 PM
Coppola is still in that magical 60's "Zoetrope" dreamworld of his where his buddies all hung out and talked about making movies with a message man...

That's all well and good, but movies for some (okay, most) people in Hollywood movies are a business. Coppola's film making ideology is over and done.

And if some of Coppola's old buddies want to make money (George Lucas, DeNiro) or work when they darn well please (Jack) then so be it.

Don't see you leaving the vinyard to make movies day and night, do we Francis?

;)

LuLu Rogers
10-22-2007, 04:28 PM
Jack has worked his a$$ off in the business and like any other worker, he is entitled to "retire" and enjoy his personal life. So what if he hangs out with gorgeous women and so forth. Sounds like Francis is jealous. :lol:

AMEN SISTA!

catlover79
10-22-2007, 04:32 PM
Sounds like sour grapes to me. ;)

Ireneparalegal
10-22-2007, 05:24 PM
AMEN SISTA!
I know how much you love that man!;) :D