Spielberg Secretly Co-Directed Scarface's Legendary Final Shootout
When Al Pacino got injured during filming, Steven Spielberg stepped in to help Brian De Palma shoot one of cinema's most memorable action sequences. This behind-the-scenes collaboration reveals the tight bonds between Hollywood's legendary directors.
The late 1970s and early 1980s marked a golden age of friendship and collaboration among Hollywood's most celebrated filmmakers. Directors like Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Brian De Palma weren't just colleagues—they were genuine friends who regularly pitched in to help each other's projects succeed.
When Disaster Struck on Set
This spirit of cooperation became crucial during the making of Brian De Palma's 1983 crime epic Scarface. While filming the movie's climactic mansion shootout, disaster struck when Al Pacino accidentally grabbed his prop gun by the barrel, which had become scorching hot from repeated firing. The severe burn to his hand sent the star to the hospital, leaving production in limbo for two weeks.
Rather than shut down filming entirely, De Palma found a creative solution. As he explained in an interview, he decided to shoot every possible angle and scenario that didn't require his leading man: "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
Fortune smiled on the production when Steven Spielberg happened to visit the set during this challenging period. Fresh off his massive success with Jaws, Spielberg had earned tremendous respect from his peers, and De Palma quickly enlisted his help.
"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," De Palma recalled. The collaboration went beyond casual suggestions—Spielberg actually took charge of directing one of the camera units, specifically handling the sequence where Colombian gunmen storm up the staircase.
A Testament to Creative Friendship
This wasn't an isolated incident of mutual support among the era's top directors. Spielberg had previously assisted Martin Scorsese during post-production on Taxi Driver, demonstrating how these filmmakers prioritized collective success over individual competition.
De Palma emphasized the importance of this collaborative approach: "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." This philosophy helped create some of cinema's most enduring masterpieces, with friends stepping in whenever needed to ensure each project reached its full potential.