Chapter 455: I'm Not as Good as Murphy

"Art comes from mastery..."

Watching James Franco on the screen carve a bloody Nazi insignia into the Austrian actor's head like a sculptor, Robert Downey Jr. shook his head. Franco's performance in the film was decent but far from the standout he delivered as Nick Dunne in "Gone Girl."

The film's most impressive roles, instead, were played by the Austrian actor portraying the Nazi officer and David Robbie's sister, who played Shosanna.

The former was clearly a seasoned actor who performed excellently under Murphy's direction. As for David Robbie's sister—oh, Margot Robbie. Previously, this girl left an impression of being nothing more than a pretty face with limited acting skills. Yet, under Murphy's guidance, even a pretty face could imbue a character with compelling depth.

With arms crossed and chin supported by his hands, Robert Downey Jr. seemed to be using the final moments before the film ended to reflect.

Throughout the film, Margot Robbie's character stood out remarkably. This might be due to her improving acting skills over the years, but more likely, it was Murphy's ability to use specific scenes to highlight her character, masking her limitations in acting and demeanor.

Reflecting on the scenes he had just watched, the portrayal of Shosanna as the cinema owner was most poignant during her moments alone in the projection room with German war hero Sergeant York. York, who had killed over three hundred Allied soldiers and was highly celebrated in Germany, felt uneasy watching himself kill on screen. Seeking out his crush, Shosanna, in the projection room, he ended up getting shot by her.

As Shosanna gazed at the fallen York, the music shifted from the previously light-hearted and humorous tone to a sorrowful melody. When York moved, indicating he wasn't dead, she felt a mix of reluctance and hope. However, as she bent down to touch him, York turned and shot her multiple times.

Shosanna had shot him three times, yet he used his dying breath to fire one last shot.

Initially, Robert Downey Jr. thought Murphy was portraying the German sergeant as someone not entirely devoid of conscience, suggesting a potential for reflection. It wasn't until this moment that he realized Murphy was a director steeped in dark themes, allowing the audience's sympathy for the German sergeant to be a mere misunderstanding.

This Nazi sniper ultimately took pride in the social status and honor brought by his mass killings. He respected himself more than others and remained a mundane, bloodthirsty Nazi who hadn't grasped the essence of love.

Meanwhile, Shosanna's Asian assistant in the cinema was completely obedient to her, even willing to sacrifice his life.

Seemingly humble people might possess the most noble souls.

Robert Downey Jr. also noticed many of Murphy's dark tastes, such as the ironic twists of fate. Shosanna, who had escaped the Nazis' clutches and now had the chance to take down the entire German high command, ultimately died at the hands of Germany's most famous sniper, who was also her admirer. At the same time, the killer of her family had struck a deal with the Americans, turning into a double agent.

The character of Colonel Hans Landa, the "Jew Hunter," was far more compelling than James Franco's Aldo Raine.

Even Robert Downey Jr. had to admit that Christoph Waltz, the Austrian actor, showcased his acting talents with a wealth of dialogue and expressive movements, depicting a cunning, ruthless, and shrewd character with great depth. Everyone who watched the film would likely remember the "Jew Hunter" with more hatred than they would recall Aldo's bravery.

Despite the typical Murphy-style black humor, violence, and bloodshed, "Inglourious Basterds" differed from his previous films. It was filled with dark humor rooted in the World War II setting. While such humor might seem mundane in isolation, within the context of the film, it was incredibly engaging.

Meanwhile, two rows ahead of Robert Downey Jr., Margot Robbie, dressed in a white tailored suit, was engrossed. This was her first time seeing the completed film. Though she couldn't gauge others' thoughts, she knew her character shone, and the film was outstanding!

Living in Los Angeles and frequently interacting with Gal Gadot, Margot Robbie had become acutely aware of her shortcomings. Beneath her wild Australian charm and attractive appearance, she felt like a hollow shell—essentially a "pretty face" in Hollywood parlance.

With Gal Gadot, a similarly beautiful and charming friend, as a comparison, Margot Robbie didn't want to remain just a pretty face. She had been working hard to improve herself, aspiring to match her inner qualities with her outward beauty, aiming for an unspoken goal...

Over the years, she hadn't ceased her studies and practice. "Inglourious Basterds" was the best test of her acting skills. Even during the dubbing phase, Murphy, James Franco, and others had praised her performance, noting significant improvement from her earlier roles.

Aside from acting, Margot Robbie had been reading extensively, especially film-related books. Recently, she had been delving into books on film and philosophy, which were quite mind-bending. Watching the film, she couldn't help but project those philosophical ideas onto it.

Perhaps influenced by her recent readings, Margot Robbie's biggest realization was that Murphy had infused the film with unique philosophical reflections beyond its eye-catching black elements.

"Even if you've pondered life's profound questions about purpose and direction, even if you acknowledge life's mundane, trivial, and lowly nature, you still willingly follow societal norms," Margot Robbie murmured to herself. "After all, metaphysical contemplation is one thing, but living is another."

Thus, watching "Inglourious Basterds," she couldn't help but feel exhilarated multiple times. In a world so conventional, unremarkable, and devoid of brilliance, where people live cautiously and humbly, seeing a sharp-witted, agile rogue with a disdain for societal norms on screen was awe-inspiring.

"You can't help but be captivated," she thought. "There's a kind of grandeur in shamelessness," she whispered.

Of course, she didn't mean abandoning all basic human decency. Instead, she referred to shamelessness as a positive trait—an enlightened attitude of life.

She wanted to add that shamelessness sometimes required courage. After all, you weren't fighting an individual but an entire group, a concept, a tradition.

Like in debate competitions during her school days, when her logic was led astray, she was doomed to be passive.

Listening to the Nazi colonel's screams, Margot Robbie felt she understood something: if you were attacked by a devil and fought back using the devil's rules, you would lose miserably.

So, indulging in a fantasy of being an "inglourious basterd" in a movie was immensely satisfying, wasn't it?

Quentin Tarantino, due to health issues, had arrived late and only watched the first ten minutes. He almost couldn't resist storming over to curse Murphy. This wasn't the rogue film he envisioned—it was Spielberg's old template movie with Murphy's touch!

However, the surrounding audience was engrossed and thrilled, seemingly magnetized by the black slaughter scenes designed to attract attention.

Seeing this, Tarantino could only sigh. Murphy Stanton had surpassed him to become Hollywood's representative figure for black films. Murphy's films were not only dark in content but also resonated with a broader audience.

A director doesn't make films to admire them privately; they want as many viewers as possible to see them.

"In that regard..." Tarantino shook his head. "I'm not as good as Murphy Stanton."

As the film progressed, he was glad he hadn't stormed out. Despite the eye-catching elements, the film matched his original vision. Even without Tarantino's episodic style and verbose scenes, it retained enough of his essence.

Tarantino, a "rogue" himself, an adorable "film rogue," never saw himself as a master director. That title didn't fit him, not because he was unworthy but because it didn't accurately describe him. He was a unique film creature!

His films were never elegant, not even the classics "Pulp Fiction" and "Reservoir Dogs."

He was a filmmaker who infused his wild ideas, unique behaviors, and even some off-putting tastes into his movies.

But as the credits rolled, Tarantino realized that Murphy Stanton's "Inglourious Basterds" contained all the elements of darkness, brutality, gore, cruelty, absurdity, and multi-line narratives.

Even if he had directed it himself, it couldn't have been better.

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