He is undoubtedly the most “universal” film director on the planet, and above all one of the most inspired. For more than fifty years, Steven Spielberg has been much more than a filmmaker: he is a storyteller, a magician of the image, a modern-day Méliès, a craftsman able to produce dreams with one constant: quality. Between two shoots, he talks to us about another passion: wine!
You once said that it was Stanley Kubrick who introduced you to wine?
In 1979, I was finishing the shoot of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” in Britain, while he was polishing the final shots of “The Shining”. I can see him as if it were yesterday. He wore trousers twice too big for him and a sweater with trailing sleeves. I had imagined Stanley Kubrick as tall and imposing. In reality he was quite small. At the time I was supposed to use the set he had been using when the stage caught fire. As a result, we had to finish our productions in France. That stroke of fate brought us closer. For years, we kept up a friendly correspondence. Then he invited me to his home. We would spend hours chatting. Every discussion was a kind of verbal sparring match. He literally bombarded me with questions about my projects, my ideas on cinema, children, life, everything and nothing. By the end of the day, my brain had been drained of its very marrow. Stanley was like that, he would suck out your grey matter until you were running on empty. To loosen tongues, I remember he would go and fetch his special cuvée. An exceptional red wine he had unearthed goodness knows where. Over the course of my life, I have met extraordinary people. Above all, true wine lovers. I am thinking in particular of Francis Ford Coppola, who could hold a symposium on the subject, but also François Truffaut and Orson Welles! As soon as they talked about wine, their eyes sparkled like Champagne!
You are a dollar millionaire, you collect trophies, Oscars, medals and nominations, you are recognised for your work by professionals all over the world and audiences rush to cinemas for the slightest Spielberg production. What can still make you dream and give you the desire to keep making films?
The thrill! I love two fundamental things in life. The first is witnessing the birth of a child. The other miracle, for me, is the creation of a film or a series. You are there, at home or in the street, and suddenly, without knowing why or how, an idea comes to mind. Eighteen months later, millions of people shut away in a dark cinema are sharing the thought you had in a corner of your head. And that, you see, is the supreme pleasure. The joy of telling yourself that this little flash out of nowhere is now a show people will remember for the rest of their lives! I think it is somewhat the same for someone who makes a wine. From the vine to the bottling, there are various stages you cannot rush if you want the result to please and, above all, to stand the test of time. It is a long journey that requires a great deal of patience and, above all, a great deal of care.
How much do you know about wine? A little? Passionately? Madly?
I am fascinated by wine, but I must admit it is a complex subject. When you meet experts, seasoned palates, true epicureans, you are always afraid of looking ignorant. And when you meet ignorant people, you find it hard to show off your knowledge on the subject. Well, what little you have! Today, I own a small vineyard just below my house. Not enough to supply America or to overshadow the French grands crus, but still, having your hands in the soil and watching the bunches grow is a sight I never tire of! It is, after all, the spectacle of Nature!
In “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”, the villain chooses the wrong cup and crumbles on the spot. What is the worst wine you have ever drunk?
It was a vile plonk my father had served me. The wine came from a bottle given to him by one of his clients in the computer business. Two possibilities: either the client knew nothing about wine! Or he intended to poison my father because he was unhappy with his services. Who knows? Perhaps he was a rival in a highly competitive business!
