Clint Eastwood: Spike Lee Should "Shut His Face", Lee Responds, "We're Not On A Plantation"

UPDATE:
"First of all, the man is not my father and we're not on a plantation either," Spike Lee told ABCNEWS.com about Clint Eastwood. "He's a great director. He makes his films, I make my films. The thing about it though, I didn't personally attack him. And a comment like 'a guy like that should shut his face' -- come on Clint, come on. He sounds like an angry old man right there."

"If he wishes, I could assemble African-American men who fought at Iwo Jima and I'd like him to tell these guys that what they did was insignificant and they did not exist," he said. "I'm not making this up. I know history. I'm a student of history. And I know the history of Hollywood and its omission of the one million African-American men and women who contributed to World War II."

"Not everything was John Wayne, baby..."

"I never said he should show one of the other guys holding up the flag as black. I said that African-Americans played a significant part in Iwo Jima," he said. "For him to insinuate that I'm rewriting history and have one of the four guys with the flag be black ... no one said that. It's just that there's not one black in either film. And because I know my history, that's why I made that observation."

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PREVIOUSLY:

Clint Eastwood has advised rival film director Spike Lee to "shut his face" after the African-American complained about the racial make-up of Eastwood's films.

In an interview with the Guardian published today, Eastwood rejected Lee's complaint that he had failed to include a single African-American soldier in his films Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima, both about the 1945 battle for the Japanese island.

In typically outspoken language, Eastwood justified his choice of actors, saying that those black troops who did take part in the battle as part of a munitions company didn't raise the flag. The battle is known by the image of US marines raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi.

"The story is Flags of Our Fathers, the famous flag-raising picture, and they didn't do that. If I go ahead and put an African-American actor in there, people'd go: 'This guy's lost his mind.' I mean, it's not accurate." Referring to Lee, he added: "A guy like him should shut his face."

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Read Spike Lee's Clint Eastwood criticism from Cannes just last month:

"He did two films about Iwo Jima back to back and there was not one black soldier in both of those films," Lee said Tuesday at the Cannes Film Festival, where he was a judge in an online short-film competition.

"Many veterans, African-Americans, who survived that war are upset at Clint Eastwood. In his vision of Iwo Jima, Negro soldiers did not exist. Simple as that. I have a different version," Lee said.

Comments

[ObamaLover]

does spike lee have another film coming out sooN? he must... he always does something stupid for free advertising.... and hey, it works obviously because huffpo is giving him free "air" time.

[ObamaLover]

A leading Italian-American group is accusing Spike Lee of having anti-Italian tendencies amid the flap between the director and Clint Eastwood over a lack of African-Americans in Eastwood's World War II films.

"Spike Lee is very talented, but I sometimes wish he'd practice what he preaches," said Bill Dal Cerro, president of the Italic Institute of America, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "His points about African-Americans are well taken, but, ironically, he does the same thing to Italians in his films."

[Locksly]

Old Clint is part of a generation that is dying out, thank God. Someone said, "he doesn't have a racist bone in his body," WELL, he's a white Amer. male isn't he? Then ofcourse he's a racist to some degree, everyone mostly here in Amer. is.
"A guy like that, outta shut his face." Like what? Black, educated, intelligent, urban, tallented...is he a threat some how, and to whom? Hell he asked a rather valid question, I think Clint exposed himself for what he is, we black people along with some really cool humanistic white folk; know that type of language when we hear it.
Don't you think they deserved some sort of representation? even if it was in some sort of mentioning in the credits like "acknowlegement of our black troops" American Glory is not something white folks pulled-off with out us.
Clint's generation (most of them anyway) of white male's are NOT use to being challenged, when it comes to someone of color doing so; colonial mindset you see. Which is why Spike had to remind him that ,"he's not on a plantaion."

Did you know that those black men who did fight on the front lines (WWII) just got their purple hearts recently, after all this time, they finally got acknowlegement; those still alive that is...took the bastards long enough to give it to them!
But I do agree with the dude who said, "Spike needs to make his own version".

[Agentlady007]

Good for them. Did you know there are still Nazi war criminals on the warpath?

[yngcelt]

You know what's really sad? Is that Spike Lee feels the need to create a controversy to get attention for his new film rather than simply rely on the finished product and his "skill" as a director.
Pathetic Spike, really pathetic!

[Agentlady007]

I don't think Spike Lee sees this as controversy as much as his hope for greatness. If it was wasn't an inconvenience such as the dirt, I am sure he would fight instead of make movies about it.

[Agentlady007]

Which reminds me of something I read about McCain. Apparently he's going to send more troops into Iraq. This means he is getting ready for a draft. Do not vote for him. Please! Just give the soldiers there some more tanks and better organization, but leave our children alone! Please do not vote for this veteran of war. Do Not vote for John McCain. He is not lucky. He's been captured by the ememy before, so what makes anyone think he won't be again? How is he going to transform a country by continuing a war - requesting more troops in this timid and indignant time? Instead of ending it, he wants another entry into fighting. He needs to postpone this idea indefinitely, and turn back home if elected. He is trying to be this prophetic leader before he's even elected and IMO just over reacting to dangers. He seems way too tempermental to lead America and direct our intelligence.

[yngcelt]

Yeah, but it's one thing to pursue and achieve greatness on the fruits of your labor and another to try and stir up trouble just to get attention. Spike is basically trying to elevate himself by trying to cut down Clint as a filmmaker which is pathetic and without any kind of merit or honor.

[roba281]

Spike Lee should stick to those cute commercials he does so well and let Clint Eastwood continue to make the movies he does so well.

[aubrey8]

Spike has finally shut his face. Thank you Clint.

[ktano0]

I know this tidbit of fact has been posted before, so sorry for repeating it, but ...I feel that Lee was insinuating that Eastwood is a racist, and that is not true. I mean for god-sakes, Morgan Freeman was practically the second-lead in both of Eastwood's Oscar-winning movies. I may not agree with Eastwood's politics, but he is a fine filmaker. By the way, if you can catch his doc on Tony Bennett, by all means do, it is fantastic.

[marinade]

Did you hear that Kucinich introduced an impeachment bill? Let's focus, people.

[GrainOSand]

I watched it on CSPAN last night. It was an awesome display of courage and truth outing evil. I hope the call Mr. Kucinich put forth picks up steam. You are right this story about two well-paid men in Hollywood is a non-story. However, if you look below, you will see that it has raised some very important issues of fairness and the need for America to unify on the truth and not be separated by a lie or mytholgy.

[marinade]

The conversation shows that we are not unified. We are separated. Movies aren't causing that. Maybe the perceived causes of segregation are the lie.

[aubrey8]

No one could disprove this yesterday and no one will disprove it today.

According to Eastwood, there were no African-Americans in those films because there were no African-American soldiers involved in the specific battles he portrayed in film.

"Does he know anything about American history?" Eastwood said. "The U.S. military was segregated til the Korean War, and the blacks in World War Two were totally segregated. The only black battalion on Iwo Jima was a small munitions supply unit that came to the beach.

"The story was about the men who raised the flag and we can't make them black if they were not there. So tell him: Why don't you go back and study your history and stop mouthing off!"

If anyone can disprove this feel free to respond until then Spike Lee is wrong.

[RoloTomassi]

I find all of these comments to be rather opportunistic on both sides of the issue; as the Time article points out, both have historical points to argue their case by, but neither are 100% right or wrong:

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1812972,00.html

The bottom line is that a film is a creative endeavor, and they are always subject to criticism, particularly the ones made by well-known figures in the film industry. If you don"t like it, don"t watch it.

What the Time article makes perfectly clear is that there isn"t enough gross historical inaccuracy in Eastwood"s film to justify this a claim of racist intent; if you"re spending a lot of time arguing that point and are going to the extent of making political analogies to support your claims, then IMNSHO, you should be taking some of that extra time you have on your hands to deal with your own attitudes about racism, and just what constitutes legitimate grounds for leveling that charge.

And when it comes to grounds for leveling the charge of racism, I don"t think Eastwood"s film or his comments to Spike Lee [considering this is a male-to-male, art/industry-related exchange] qualifies.

[aubrey8]

That's exactly what the Eastwood people have said all along.

[SeanMartin]

Hey, I have an idea! How about if BOTH of them STFU and go back to what they do best: making movies.

If Lee is concerned about this "issue", I might ask him why he's never given a major role to a gay man or a lesbian. He's just as narrow-thinking as Clint, but he hides it in being "Oh, I'm so politically correct and Eastwood's not".

CLUE TO SPIKE LEE: BRO, YOU AINT ALL THAT EITHER. DEAL WITH IT.

[madmilker]

Why did Shelton Jackson make the comment in the first place....duh! It's not like "New Jersey Drive" having a washtub full of "white boys" helpin' hot wire the BMW's and Clint speakin' out with....where wus the Hispanic guy. Like Arnold H. Glasow said..."It is harder to conceal ignorance than to acquire knowledge."

[HerbTee]

I just saw a CNN piece this morning on the Clint Eastwood/Spike Lee war of words. As for the debate between the intent of the Clint's war movie and Spike's comment to Clint, there was absolutely nothing solved. One movie critic took the same view as some of you here that the movie was solely about the flag-raising participants. Another historical critic said Spike's comment about the lack of Blacks in the flag-raising movie had merit, much as some of you here as well. So nothing was solved, both sides have taken up arms and the war of words continue.

One thing the news piece did say on Spike's latest comment about the controversy. Spike has said in effect, "I am going to take the high road like Barack Obama and end it here." Perhaps some of you here should take Spike's comment to heart and do the same.

From the majority of posts I am reading on this thread lately, it's no longer a debate on Eastwood's movie and the comments made by Spike and Clint. It's now about spewing the same old tired racist crap from some in attempts to stir the pot and to use this Lee/Eastwood debate as the means to do so. On the countdown to possibly electing the first African American President, that's sad to see. And people criticized Michelle Obama for her "proud of America" remark. What's to be proud of with some of racist vitriol spewed here?

[marinade]

Hey Spike, maybe it would help Obama more if you left him out of your tiff. Ever think of that?

[aubrey8]

yeah, I don't think Obama wants to be tied to Spike Lee anymore than Rev. Wright.

[madmilker]

***What's to be proud of with some of racist vitriol spewed here?***
you need to tell tat to Shelton Jackson .....not this board!

[SwingVoter]

This is getting out of hand.

[rlb2444]

Spike Lee gets his drawers in a knot when anyone gets more recognition than he does. When this happens, "Out comes the race card."

He accused Clint of being an angry old man. Hmmmm......Lee has been angry all his life. Time to move on.

[aubrey8]

Spike Lee wears panties, Eastwood wears the drawers.

[danton2000]

Spike is right on the money! As a white man it is embarrassing that history is still being revised and "colored" by false accounts. A film is a powerful thing and in future generations can be misconstrued as fact. The people that are telling Spike to "give it a rest" and insulting him are betraying themselves to show their lazy thinking and subtle, albeit, possibly unconscious racism. Do you think the history books you read in your little public school were accurate about slavery in this country? Or on the slaughter of native Americans? If you do well... That's sadly pathetic.

peace

[aubrey8]

to bad you can't give us an informed opinion on the subject since it's now been proven blacks were in the movie.
you can shut your face now.

[danton2000]

Awww Aubrey.. My dear... I can see you have a little crush on me.. So cute how you follow me around and pay attention to me... I have a girlfriend though. Sorry. Good luck.

[danton2000]

Aubrey... I checked out your comments you have made in other threads... You are officially psycho...

[KristinC624]

I am so sick of black people playing the race card on every little thing. Give me a break. If your life is so screwed up don't blame a white person. look in the mirror and find the blame there.
There are way to many black people who have made a life without blaming white people.
GROW UP. Get up and do something on your own. Clint Eastwood is not wrong!!!!!!!!!!!

[robXdion]

You must be real young.

[HerbTee]

Kristin, perhaps you were asleep the last few months during the Clinton campaign in SC, PA, NC, IN, WV and KY. Some Whites are damned good at playing the "race card" too when it suits them...or haven't you noticed that? Playing the race card by Whites has gone on now for many, many decades. That's how many Whites have tried to maintain their status quo, their entitlements, their empowerment and their economic stature over Blacks.

Perhaps you should educate yourself on the racial history of this country instead of blaming one racial group for it all and making yourself look stupid.

[aubrey8]

looking in the mirror is the problem, they can't face themselves or their lives and they certainly can't face life without a race card.....neither could Spike Lee.

[GrainOSand]

The sure sign of a racist is one who mistakes commentary on the reality of conditions related to living in a racist environment to be a call for help from those known to be morally bankrupt. No one wants what you have and it is doubtful you have anything worth having. A sure sign of the nature of the morally corrupt is a question of humanity being answered with an irrelevant, vague, off-topic defense of their right to make money or a BS charge that one who cites wrong is really seeking welfare. Only a compromised soul would confuse monetary gain for humanitarian and fairness concerns. As for your laziness implication, historically who was more lazy, the hard working brown person in bondage working sun up to sun down under the threat of whip, rape, and murder, or the criminal and lazy hostage taker, wrongfully called a slave master, who did not want to get his/her hands dirty and thus engaged in the forced bondage of people to do the hard work, as the hostage takers lazily drank their mint julep on the plantation steps or under the big shade tree. That remains true today, thus the current situation regarding undocumented workers. Now some want them to go after their lawns have been cut and their houses cleaned. Live your life, for that is your reward, as well as your punishment for being you. Nobody of substance wants anything from the inconsequential bigot other than distance.

[BDunne]

Why the hell are you people attacking Spike? WTF?
Its absolutely true (minus the actual number of AA in WWII).

(rolling my eyes at all you)

[Agentlady007]

I don't think they were concerned with one day at a time back then - except to make sure they had soles on their shoes and water --and some had to suffer without both. For days and for some German liberators -month's.