Robert De Niro explains why ‘The Deer Hunter’ simply “had to be made”
Robert De Niro was at the height of his stardom in the 1970s, closely collaborating with Martin Scorsese and starring in films by the likes of Francis Ford Coppola, Elia Kazan and Brian De Palma. By 1975, he had won his first Oscar for his supporting role in The Godfather Part II – the first of eight nominations from the Academy.
The actor was nominated for another Oscar in 1977 for his leading role in Scorsese’s Taxi Driver and again in 1979 for his performance in The Deer Hunter. The 1978 war drama directed by Michael Cimino stars De Niro, Christopher Walken and John Savage as a trio of Slavic-American steelworkers, focusing on the destructive impact of the Vietnam War. Based on an unproduced screenplay, The Man Who Came to Play, Meryl Streep, George Dzundza, and John Cazale (in his final performance) also appear in supporting roles.
The Deer Hunter won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor for Walken. Critically praised for its direction, performances and realism, De Niro has since discussed the film, describing it as a project he felt “had to be made.” The actor shared: “I thought the script was really terrific in discovering the effects of war and how guys return. Michael had worked a lot on the script and had great ideas. He was very passionate.”
“Passionate” is a word De Niro frequently uses when describing Cimino’s dedication to the film. He once said: “I always felt that The Deer Hunter was going to be a good movie; otherwise, I wouldn’t have done it. It had its flaws, but there was something very special about it. I responded to Mike [Cimino]; I responded to his passion and how serious he was about the film.”
The actor wasn’t originally going to be in The Deer Hunter. Instead, the role had been offered to Jaws’ Roy Scheider. De Niro had been extraordinarily busy and decided that he “really [didn’t] want to do anything until Raging Bull” in 1980. However, after Scheider turned down the role of Mike, De Niro expressed an interest in the script. Producer Thom Mount recalled: “Now, when we heard that Robert De Niro had expressed an interest, none of us on the studio management team were unhappy to see Roy decide not to star in the film. It was our judgement that Bob was a far better piece of casting and a far better actor.”
The Deer Hunter producer Barry Spikings knew that “it had to be De Niro”. The actor recalled receiving the script and immediately disregarding his planned break from the big screen, “I liked the story and the dialogue. I just thought it was a terrific script. It was so simple, and it seemed so real to me. The characters spoke to me. I liked that they didn’t say much, that there wasn’t anything that was condescending or patronising toward them.”
Cimino and De Niro instantly got on well, with the actor revealing: “We were open to one another, ready to meet anywhere and anytime to work together to that end. I felt there was something fresh and something good there.” Similarly, Cimino shared: “Someone like Bobby is so rare. He is a craftsman, a professional. He believes that acting is something to work at, that a special performance is not entirely an accident. Bobby lives that. He’s his own best example.”
The pairing between Cimino and De Niro proved to be highly fruitful. Although they only worked together once, The Deer Hunter is now regarded as one of the greatest war films ever made.
