How Steven Spielberg Helped Shape Scarface’s Legendary Shootout
When Al Pacino was sidelined during Scarface’s climactic shootout, Steven Spielberg stepped in to co-direct, showcasing the spirit of collaboration that defined the New Hollywood era.
The New Hollywood period marked a significant shift in American filmmaking, often remembered for its spirit of collaboration—a quality that seems rather rare these days. While early trailblazers like Robert Altman and Dennis Hopper paved the way, it was the so-called ‘movie brats’—Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Brian De Palma—who truly left their mark on the 1970s. Not only were they influential directors, but they were also close friends, frequently lending each other a hand behind the scenes.
This camaraderie was instrumental in shaping the direction of popular cinema. Instead of competing to outdo one another, these directors often pooled their talents. Spielberg, for instance, provided valuable input during the post-production of Taxi Driver. His knack for offering a fresh perspective made him a trusted figure among his peers, especially after the success of Jaws.
The Making of a Gangster Classic
After the heyday of New Hollywood, De Palma embarked on a lavish project exploring the perils of excess—Scarface. Released in 1983, the film signalled a move towards blockbuster territory, yet retained the artistry of its predecessors. Al Pacino’s portrayal of Tony Montana became iconic, particularly in the explosive final shootout, which gave rise to the unforgettable line, “Say hello to my little friend.”
It was during the filming of this climactic sequence that Spielberg’s involvement became crucial. As De Palma recounted in an interview with Cinema Garmonbozia,
“Well, what happened when we were doing the shootout, Al grabbed his gun and grabbed it by the barrel, which was red hot and seared his hand, and he had to go to the hospital and we couldn’t shoot with him for two weeks. So basically, I had two weeks to shoot everything but Al. So, needless to say, I shot every conceivable way somebody could shoot at somebody else while I was waiting for my star to return.”
Spielberg Steps In
With Pacino temporarily out of action, De Palma faced the challenge of keeping the production moving. Fortunately, Spielberg happened to visit the set and soon found himself lending a hand. De Palma described the experience:
“Stephen wandered over, we did a few shots: ‘What do you think about this Steve, should we put another camera up here?’ ‘Why not?!’ I mean every body was shooting people, shooting at people,”
he recalled, highlighting the improvisational nature of the shoot.
In another conversation, De Palma emphasised the value of outside input, saying,
“I gave him one of the units to shoot the Colombians coming up the staircase, so we were just shooting people getting shot for a couple of weeks. We all had great respect for each other’s work, and we were just trying to help each other out when we would see things that we thought could be improved.”
Collaboration at the Heart of New Hollywood
The episode stands as a testament to the collaborative ethos that defined this generation of filmmakers. Rather than guarding their projects jealously, they welcomed each other’s ideas, resulting in some of the most memorable moments in cinema. Spielberg’s uncredited contribution to Scarface’s finale is just one example of how these directors shaped each other’s work, leaving a lasting legacy on the industry.