Bale looses it during filming... (2 Viewers)

[TravisR]

Once again, he has a right to be pissed but he went overboard. And considering that he's buried the hatchet, I'd imagine that Christian Bale would be the first to agree with that too.

 

[Greg_S_H]

I'm just glad he's bringing this much passion to a McG film.

 

[Jeff_Standley]

You could argue that statement the other way as well.
I would argue there is no reason for the DP to do what he did, and just like you, Bale did not let him get away with it.

Just a thought on why I think it's a bit different in Bales situation:
Let's say I worked at Safeway and my one job was to stack the oranges in a pyramid If I finished a grand stack of oranges that measured 8 feet tall and the second I finished a customer came by and pulled out the bottom one so they all fell and scattered across the floor, I may get upset but I would not show it to the customer.
But if a co-worker came by and knew what the hell I was doing, and after I had just finished the glorious stack of oranges he grabbed the bottom orange knowing that it wasn't the best idea and they all fell and scattered across the floor, then I would freak out with in my means to do so.
And that's exactly what bale did, he freaked on a co-worker who knew what he was doing wrong and why.
He did not freak out on a movie goer, he lost it on someone who is in the same business as him and knows the types of stresses that are involved.

That's why I'm not too upset over what he did.

 

[Nick Martin]

My point is that such "childish tantrums" happen far more than people think, but because it happened with a public figure suddenly it's a big deal, and suddenly he's a Big Shot who thinks he can get away with anything, which is a hugely false assumption to make of Bale.

 

[Ron-P]

It's quite obvious that many here live sheltered lives.

The 10+ years I worked as a Civil Engineer, stuff like this in the field was common place. It was accepted and no one took it to heart or got offended by it, just the way it was and the way it worked.

Bale's a human, he gets angry just like everyone other person on this planet. Some have hotter tempers then others, we are all different. But to call him names because of it, that's not being any better a person.

 

[Raymond_H]

I find it kinda funny that the reason this was saved was only for the comment of him not working if that guy was still there.

I think this is much ado about nothing.

-Ray

 

[troy evans]

One of the things that struck me in the recorded incident is, Bale asks McG if he has anything to say to this guy. McG's response, "I didn't see it". WTF? You are in charge of a multi-million dollar epic. You don't don't know what the hell your crew is doing in scenes you're directing? Again, that's ridiculous. Then, Bale goes onto say, "someone needs to be watching him". That's the directors job. Bale even goes onto say, "Shane you're a nice guy, but, that doesn't cut it". I think it comes down to respect for the work and the lack of it this DP showed to Bale.

 

[Michael Reuben]

No, it was the point you were missing.

The conditions on the set of a multi-million dollar franchise film are not something that most people here are intimately familiar with. Despite that, and despite the facts that:

1. we have only partial information about the incident in question;
2. it happened months ago and life seems to have gone on;
3. there's no indication that either the production schedule or the release date was affected; and
4. no one here is personally damaged by any of this

people can't wait to put their oar in and start issuing condemnations. It's so easy to occupy the moral high ground when it's not a situation you actually have to deal with or take responsibility for.

(And note to Scott-S: There's a difference between "defending" Bale -- which I'm not doing -- and having a problem with people rushing to condemn him.)

The rest of your comments about "celebs" are nonsense, but Nicholas Martin has already dealt with them effectively. The notion that only celebs get a "slap on the wrist" would be amusing if it weren't both inaccurate (ask Robert Downey, Jr.) and illogical. Non-celebs get slaps on the wrist all the time, but you don't hear about it, because they're not celebs and nobody cares.

 

[Michael Elliott]

We're going to have to agree to disagree. If anyone here can walk into their workplace tomorrow and talk to anyone like that and then walk away with a job....they'd have to be a well known celebrity. Naturally they couldn't fire Bale and that's why he can act like that. You say we don't know the whole story but what else do we need to know about a person belittling and talking to a co-worker like that?

It's not about a moral high ground because I can be one of the biggest assholes you're ever going to meet. Even in my meanest state I don't think I could sit there and belittle another human like Bale did. If I'm taking a high ground for saying he needs a good ass kicking then so be it. I'm sure many people would just sit and watch as he (or someone else) would push around a couple women but I'm not one of them. Do I know the whole story? Of course not but no one does when these topics break out.

It is going to make me protest Bale movies? Of course not because I don't care that much. I don't care if Woody Allen sleeps with his stepdaughter and I don't care what Polanski did. Apparently Chaplin was the most sadistic man around but that's not going to keep me from watching his films. I don't care about Brando's mental issues either. I can separate the actor and whatever issues they might have.

And yes, no one here was damaged by this but no one here knows celebrities when they pass but that doesn't stop people from either being sad or whatever else.

 

[Michael Reuben]

Once again, you've managed to yoke two situations that are completely dissimilar. If you are a fan of someone's work, you feel their passing, because there will be no more, and because the work meant something to you. The behind-the-scenes activity involved with creating that work affects no one other than the person's coworkers. I feel John Updike's passing, because I enjoyed his novels. Whether he cursed out his publisher and agent during the writing process has no impact on me whatsoever. (As far as I know, he didn't; he's just the first example that sprang to mind.)

 

[troy evans]

We'll this happened more than once from this DP. How many times? Who knows? If I was watching tv or a movie and someone walked in front of the screen while I was getting involved in it, the first time I wouldn't say anything. After repeated interruptions I'd be pissed and would tell that person to get the hell out of the way and sit the hell down. And don't walk in front of it again. This is the closest common analogy I could think of.

 

[Michael Elliott]

We'll agree to disagree once again.

I would like to know which jobs allow that type of talk because it's one I would be interested in. I've had a lot of bosses or corporate folks and even co-workers that I'd like to cuss out but the fear of getting fired has kept me from doing it.

 

[mattCR]

I'm an outside contractor. I try very hard to not lose my temper, and it's VERY rare that it happens.

In fact, so rare that I could count on one hand in 10 years when I've ever lost my temper to the point of openly swearing at someone.

But, about two years ago, I was at an office where someone did something that was so insensitive.. and it was relatively minor, they didn't understand, to another contractor I've known for a long time, and it was instantly -ON-.

The move made by the person in question was thoughtless and idiotic, but it wasn't really the worst thing I had ever seen. But another outside contractor was SO pissed by it, he chased them down in the parking lot and in front of about 200+ other employees who could all see out of their offices dressed her down in such a way that it was brutal. I get losing your temper, but it was one of those things where words and phrases were said that - while I believe most of them to be true - were so bold that I was waiting for him to be sued by them.

Two years later, he's still the main contractor for their office facility in his area. And they still pay him great money for it. Because he's damn good at what he does, and I think that there were quite a few people who secretly wished they could talk to her in that way

Then again, I've seen a client who's manages a psychiatrist office completely unload on a property management person, and that poor kid couldn't do anything but take it. I felt far offended by that then by the dressing down.

Which brings up my main point: a lot of it depends on context. We all have tempers. I have no context to the clip. Who knows, he could have just had a 14 hour work day, suffering sleep deprevation feeling like he's ready to get the hell out of their and snapped and lost it.

We don't know. It's terrible that it happened, but both the people involved say it's OK now so WTF do I care really?

 

[Michael Reuben]

It's the same disagreement, 'cause you're still missing the same point. Meanwhile, a number of people in this thread (mattCR being the latest) have given you specific examples of people who've kept their jobs despite massive displays of temper. I could add my own stories, but I'm not going to. It's clear you won't believe it until you see it for yourself.

 

[Ruz-El]

I used the term "fucking retarded" in speaking to the president of the company once about his plans for procedure changes. I'm a button pusher level employee and easily replaceable. He ended up buying me drinks.

It's because of the circumstances. I didn't walk up to him for no reason and call him this, we were going back and forth and since it was clear that instead of him listening to me and then responding, he was waiting to talk. I got his attention by whipping out the curse words. He listened, we talked. If Bale walked up to this guy for no reason and berated him, he'd be out of line. Out of the little we know, that CLEARLY never happened. this isn't the first time the DP let his presence be known, and Bale had enough of it. And that's why it's considered acceptable in this case.

Nuff said really.

 

[Michael Elliott]

Here's one I can think of:

General Electric

Pregnant line worker is on the phone talking and not doing her job so well. On down the line the front door she was suppose to have put on falls off onto the floor.

A man, tired of her being on the phone, picks it up and throws it at the feet of the pregnant woman.

Another co-worker tells the man to simply back off because she's pregnant and then the guy starts cussing like a mad man saying he was going to kill him.

The punishment? The company wants him fired. The police arrest him. The union is able to get his job back as long as he:

1. Suspended two months.
2. Three years probation including no tardies or absente days.
3. One year with a psychologist.

Two weeks later another employee simply said he would like the kick the main guy's ass. It was all in fun but he was fired.

Earlier than these two examples was a crack head who took his fork truck and crashed it into a woman's car after she had turned him down. The punishment? Sent home for the day.

Context, circumstance or who you are and who you know is what I see. Since Bale is the most important piece I'm sure he will have a little more push than some extra there for a day's work. Bale has proven to be such a nice guy that I was probably too harsh on him.

 

[troy evans]

Yeah, and you're missing the most important part of your own post....None of those people are celebs. So what's your point........You're proving that even normal everyday people get the "slap on the wrist" treatment at times.

 

[Michael Elliott]

My point in that post was to explain to Michael that I have seen this stuff with my own eyes. In the cases I've seen it's a lot more to do with who you are. If you're drinking buddies with the boss then he'll give you another chance. If you're the new guy then your butt is going to be out the door.

And you're missing my point. Do you think McG would have stood by and let the DP speak to Bale that way? I'm sure Bale could kick an extra upside the head and keep his job. It's doubtful an extra could kick Bale upside the head and then report for work the next morning. I'm glad Bale and the DP have made up but it still doesn't make it right. I'm glad the DP didn't call the cops, the media or try to get money out of Bale. Shake hands on move on. That's great but I'm still not going to excuse what happened even though it doesn't do anything to me personally.

Perhaps the few drinks I have in me are playing tricks on my mind but I'm having a hard time understanding what the problem is. Perhaps Michael was right and I've just worked at too many places where it's who you are and who you know. God knows I've gotten away with a lot of junk when others have been fired for a lot less. Since I do quality work and get to "boss" others around, God knows I let those close to me get away with murder while crashing down on others for a lot less. This makes me feel like a bum but....

I said earlier I was an asshole so I'm going to asume I'm being one now and stop talking.

 

[Michael Reuben]

The problem is that the statements you made earlier on this page about celebs getting away with things are 100% inconsistent with the ones you've made in the last few posts in an effort to demonstrate how experienced you are.

 

[David (C)]

Too bad this leaking won't alter this behavior on future Hollywood sets.