Filmmaker Ron Howard revealed on the 'Talking Pictures' podcast with Ben Mankiewicz how clashing personalities on the set of the 1976 Western film 'The Shootist' shaped his approach to directing and conflict management.
Howard, who was 22 years old and studying at the University of Southern California while co-starring in the film, found himself navigating the strained relationship between veteran actor John Wayne and director Don Siegel.
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Behind-the-Scenes Tensions
Reflecting on the overall quality of the production, Howard highlighted the craftsmanship that went into making the film despite the friction behind the scenes.
"'The Shootist' still holds up well. It's paced slowly, deliberately, but it builds beautifully.
The acting is good," said Howard.
"Don Siegel was a very strong director. I really went to school on Don Siegel there.
That was just great, and learned so much from him," he added.
The underlying hostilities between the lead actor and the director created a difficult working environment throughout the shoot.
"Wayne and Siegel were feuding. They did not get along," Howard said.
To build rapport, Howard engaged Wayne directly between scenes while learning the ropes of filmmaking.
"I also had the guts to sort of say, 'Hey, do you want to run lines?' No one really would talk to him in between setups.
It was John Wayne. It was Duke," Howard recalled.
While Wayne worked through his scenes, he routinely vented his frustration regarding Siegel's directorial choices to the young actor.
