The “vicious and unfair” criticism that angered Ridley Scott

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Sun September 29, 2024 3:55 p.m., United Kingdom

After building a reputation for his robust, epic stories that span decades and universes, Ridley Scott is less well known for his 2006 film. A happy new yeara dreamlike romantic comedy set in the vineyards of Provence in which he reunites with his beloved collaborator Russell Crowe. The film exudes warmth and sensuality, forming a charming pairing between Crowe and Marion Cotillard. And while we all appreciate the illusion and charm of the romance genre, critics haven’t seen the film through the same rose-colored glasses.

Seeing your film trashed by the studio that made it must be a pretty upsetting experience and one probably less familiar to Scott after the recent success of global blockbuster films like Gladiator And Hannibal. But after the release of A happy new yearRupert Murdoch called the film a “flop”, and it was panned by critics, being described by the French press as a “pitiful Anglo-Saxon caricature of France” and “terrible”.

However, Scott stood by his defenses of the film and the unfair criticism leveled at Crowe, in which he said: “Frankly, I didn’t like the criticism at all – I thought they were vicious and very unfair to Russell. So I wasn’t just disappointed; I was really pissed! When it gets this vicious, I switch off and don’t bother reading the rest.”

He added: “You know, we’re trying to do our best, and I think it’s worked out pretty well. What I find most irritating is when critics completely bury something like this – they forget that if there were no films, they wouldn’t have a job. So yes, I was a little angry.”

However, Scott raises an interesting point regarding the public interpretation of his work. There have been many famous cases in which critics dismissed and ridiculed films that later experienced a resurgence in popularity and were appreciated in a whole new way. Many cult classic films were tested in this way, condemned upon release because the cinematic landscape of the time was perhaps not ready for it. Movies like Blade Runner, The Big Lebowski, Love in factAnd Jennifer’s body all bombed at the box office but became loved and revered over time. It is now almost impossible to separate pop culture from references to these films which continue to have a lasting legacy and impact. That of Damien Chazelle Babylon was recently considered one of those failures, losing Paramount over $50 million, but in my opinion the film is a masterpiece and I think we will see its comeback in the years to come.

While A happy new year was harshly received by critics, it was still beloved by viewers around the world, with Scott defending its place in his filmography and, despite what the studios say, its continued success through DVD sales and rentals. When asked if he regretted the project, he replied: “You know what? They all make money! At the end of the day, I’m happy to be sitting here doing what I want. Nobody stopped me from doing that, which is really good because that’s what I do for a living. When I watch them, I never regret any of my films…”

The word of criticism is important but never definitive, and the fact that Scott continues to make films despite this judgment speaks for itself.