Sylvester Stallone lacked little to play alongside a cinema legend in “Rambo”. But that was without counting on the “cheesy requirements” of this actor who ended up being replaced …
What few people know is that the role of Colonel Trautman in Rambo could have been embodied by a huge figure of Hollywood cinema: Kirk Douglas. However, because of disagreements on the script, the legendary actor never appeared on the screen.
When Sylvester Stallone decided to slip into the skin of John Rambo, he did not just put a simple role: he was fully invested in the project. In addition to interpreting this bruised veteran, he actively participated in the rewriting of the script alongside director Ted Kotcheff, who recently left us. The latter will also admit that the contributions of Stallone profoundly transformed the film and contributed to its success.
But once the scenario is ready, it was still necessary to find the actor ideal to embody Colonel Trautman, Rambo's mentor. The production then wanted to strike hard: she thus called on Kirk Douglasone of Stallone's favorite actors. Conquered by the script, which he considered close to the tone of his western alone are the untamed, Douglas agreed to join the cast. He even appeared in the first film promotion campaigns, as you can see in the publication below.
A disturbed shooting
However on the set, everything gets complicated. The Spartacus star begins to question his dialogues, to the dismay of the whole team – including one Ted Kotcheff Exasperated by this actor who talks about him in the third person.
“” “I heard him repeat in a loop: 'Kirk will not say this reply, Kirk does not like this dialogue.' Worse, he wanted to prick the other characters their dialogues“Explained the filmmaker.”He made us really cheesy suggestions as if we were turning a B series from the 1940s.»
Despite the efforts of Sylvester Stallone and the director to rework the dialogues, Kirk Douglas remains dissatisfied. Kotcheff believes that the actor slows down the project to the point of threatening the filming calendar. Faced with this dead end, he talks about it to producers: “He will really give us two weeks of additional shooting because I have to negotiate to make him say each of his aftershocks.»
He then obtained the green light to confront the star. He then puts an ultimatum on him: either he respects the script as he initially validated it, or he leaves the film. Douglas contrasts without detour: “Kirk leaves.»
Orion Pictures Richard Crenna and Sylvester Stallone
It is finally Richard Crenna who will resume the role of Trautman at the last minute. The rest belongs to history: Rambo becomes a global phenomenon, dealing in a hard -hitting way the psychological sequelae of American soldiers after the Vietnam War. With a budget of $ 15 million, the film brings in more than 125 million worldwide. In France, it attracts nearly 3 million spectators.
Rambo, with Richard Crenna (and without Kirk Douglas therefore), is available in VOD for those who (re) discover this classic.
