80s and 90s Action Film Master Knew How to Motivate: ‘Won’t Waste My Work Day’!

Fans of 80s and 90s cinema are familiar with the work of director John McTiernan, known for directing “Die Hard” and “Die Hard with a Vengeance” starring Bruce Willis, as well as “Predator” or “Last Action Hero” with Arnold Schwarzenegger, and “The 13th Warrior” featuring Antonio Banderas.

Always Ready to Lend a Hand

The director is currently being celebrated at a retrospective at the French Cinematheque, where he gave a masterclass following the screening of his remake of “The Thomas Crown Affair.” The event was captured by an attendee, allowing film enthusiasts who couldn’t attend to experience the moment.

During the masterclass, he shared an anecdote from the set of “The Hunt for Red October,” which reflects his (and a bit of Sean Connery’s, the film’s star) commitment:

“We were shooting on ships in exterior locations. We started on land, then moved out to sea, and then had to return to land to continue [shooting]. There were lots and lots of crates that we needed to move back from the ships to the shore.”

I still have a broken toe

“Today, I’m older [74 years old] but back then, I always helped whenever something needed to be done, just like any other team member. We were trying to hurry, so I carried a crate to help out, and Sean [Connery] saw me doing it and decided to carry crates too! (Laughs)”

The filmmaker also lightheartedly added: “I still have a broken toe from the day I carried a Dolly on ‘Nomads.'” Dollies are wheeled or rail-based camera supports that allow for smooth tracking shots.

A Lesson to Be Learned

But the director didn’t share this story just for the sake of the anecdote: “A crew member seeing you, the director, [moving crates like they would] thinks: ‘This guy isn’t going to waste my day’s work, and the result will be worth it.’ That’s the message you send.”

And there you have a great lesson in filmmaking and humanity, shared by a filmmaker who is far from forgotten but sadly distanced from the studios due to his involvement and conviction in the Pellicano wiretapping scandal and the changing industry that no longer seeks the visceral, character-driven R-rated action films that once made “McT” a noted name in the late 80s.