You can cry all the way to the bank
A letter of apology from Steven Spielberg
Many thanks to Tamara for suggesting the following exchange.
In the months leading up to the release of Jaws, an interview surfaced in which the film’s young director, Steven Spielberg, made a remark he would quickly come to regret: “If we don’t make this movie better than the book, we’re in real trouble.” The comment, published in Millimeter magazine, didn’t sit well with Spielberg once he saw it in print—particularly as Jaws was still in post-production and tracking well with early audiences. Realising the potential damage, he wrote an apologetic letter to Peter Benchley, the author of the novel and the writer of the film’s first screenplay draft. Benchley, whose book had already become a bestseller, responded days later.
April 7th, 1975
Dear Peter,
The previews were great! Last month’s issue of Millimeter Magazine was not!
I recently saw a copy and died a little inside. Around the same time I gave that tirade interview to Newsweek Magazine, May '74, I also spoke to the Millimeter people and slammed your book. Now, a year later, the story has surfaced to haunt me and I am writing this apology because I feel absolutely gutless about my crude and professorial remarks. . .
I suppose when you analyze my offensive statements they seem to bend, in uncertain defense, towards the broad liberties that we took with the novel. No matter. My behavior was indefensible and I hope you will accept this apology. If not, just remember that you own ten points in a movie that pretends, for once, to be better than the book on which it was based.
As they say in Showbiz, “you can cry all the way to the bank”. Let us pray.
Sincerely,
Steven Spielberg11 April, 1975
Dear Steve:
Thanks for your letter. I didn’t see Millimeter (in fact, your mention of it was the first I’d ever heard), so whatever vicious, putrid, scabrous, scurrilous, subversive slime you ladled on me would probably have escaped my view. Nevertheless, forewarned is... etc. You were thoughtful to write.
In fairness, though, you should know that I have employed mercenaries to prepare a broadside about you, revealing, at last, the sordid truth about your personal life. It’ll all be there—whips, leather sneakers, shorty-nighties and crunchy peanut butter. I’m aiming for the June issue of Jack & Jill.
I have yet to see the picture, but I’m scheduled to go to a distributors’ screening next Wednesday. From all I’ve heard, you have fashioned a masterpiece, for which I am (obviously) glad and grateful. . .
Best,
Peter Benchley
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A time when people were capable of apologies...
Definitely makes Benchley seem like the better person. It's heartening to see how kind he was in return, and how he went out of his way to praise Spielberg's own work, despite the public scorn for his. Spielberg never managed to do that in his own apology (say anything nice about Benchley's work), although at least he had the decency to feel bad about what he'd said.