Maggie Cheung was obviously cut from Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds,” earlier this year.
Cheung told Chinese press that her scenes had to be cut to ensure the film’s length, but she seemed to take it all in stride and said she, “really thought it was no big deal.”
But if Quentin has his way, you’ll eventually see the scene on DVD (though if it’s a special DVD, knowing Tarantino’s track record, you’ll have to wait until around 2015). Via a long interview with Rotten Tomatoes:
“She was terrific in the movie — she’s one of the best actresses on the planet and she doesn’t need me to defend her. But it was literally a situation where we did the scene, and she was wonderful in the scene, but when we were cutting the movie together we realized we didn’t need the scene. Not only wasn’t it essential to chronicle Shosanna’s first years in Paris before we see her again, it was kinda the opposite of what I would normally do. To describe how Shosanna survived is a movie unto itself. So I’d rather leave that to the viewer, for them to make that movie in their head. I’ve given you a little signpost, to how she could have done what she did, but I’d like to leave it open to your imagination. ‘Cause you’re either going to tell it or you’re not going to tell it. Now, in the writing of the script I did feel it was necessary, in order for you to follow the scenario on the page. But in the making of the movie it wasn’t necessary. I’ve talked to Maggie, I’m going to show her the scene, and if she allows me to, I’ll put it as a deleted scene on the DVD.”
Cheung played Madame Mimieux, the original owner of a French cinematheque that becomes a central narrative element in the picture. Melanie Laurent’s character, Shosanna Dreyfus, poses as her niece, which would have been odd onscreen considering Cheung is Asian and Laurent doesn’t look remotely so. How would they have pulled that explanation off? The get-out-of-jail-free card excuse is “hey, it’s Quentin Tarantino fantasy world!,” (getting tired of that excuse, guys) but that would have ripped us out of the film, so we’re glad they excised the scenes. Cheung is a fantastic actress we adore, but it’s a shame more suited actresses like Isabelle Huppert and Catherine Deneuve turned down the roles. Ah well.
“Inglourious Basterds” hits theaters next weekend on August 21 and we think we’ll probably have two reviews for you next week including a British perspective (just in case some of you felt we’re biased against the film or whatever).