Tom Cruise and Kubrick

[MartynH]

While I agree how stars today would never agree to do something without the subject of money being mentioned etc, I do feel that Tom Cruise deserves credit for the Kubrick project. He made Eyes Wide Shut to work with Kubrick and he was determined to do it. At the time he was one of the most bankable stars in the world. In other words, it cost him a lot of money to do that film as it took a very long time to make. I am not a fan of him as an actor, although Born on the 4th of July is a very good performance, but he deserves a lot of credit.

Remember the story of how Redford, Nicholson, Reynolds and Eastwood were all offered the Big Brass Ring and refused. If just one them had Cruise's ambition then BBR would have been made. In the great scheme of Welles's late career that is a very sad thing indeed.

[ToddBaesen]

Martyn:

I'm not a big Tom Cruise either, but you are quite correct, that both Cruise and Nicole Kidman gave up nearly three years out of their careers to make EYES WIDE SHUT for Kubrick, at a time when Cruise was getting around 20 million a picture (which he presumably was paid for doing the Kubrick film.)

I wonder if Cruise would have done the same for Orson Welles if he had been the right age to play the lead in THE BIG BRASS RING?

Strangely, Cruise's recent role as a Senator in LIONS FOR LAMBS, makes me think he might be quite good as the lead in BIG BRASS RING... maybe Tom Cruise should consider doing a proper version of THE BIG BRASS RING, directed by Warren Beatty (who supposedly wanted to produce the film if he agreed to act in it), for United Artists, with Malcolm McDowell playing Welles old part as the gay political adviser, Kim Mennaker.