Kiefer Sutherland has revealed an astonishing behind-the-scenes moment from the filming of the iconic 1992 legal drama A Few Good Men, involving a legendary performance from Jack Nicholson under the direction of Rob Reiner.
A Courtroom Scene for the Ages
In the upcoming CBS News special, Rob Reiner – Scenes from a Life, Sutherland recounts the day the famous courtroom confrontation was shot. The scene features Nicholson's Colonel Nathan R. Jessup delivering the immortal line 'You can't handle the truth!' to Tom Cruise's Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee, with Demi Moore also starring as Lieutenant Commander JoAnne Galloway.
Sutherland, now 58, described how Nicholson performed the entire lengthy and intense scene in a single, flawless take. 'No one said a word,' Sutherland recalled, emphasising the stunned silence that followed Nicholson's 'breathtaking' delivery.
Reiner's Directorial Touch and a Tragic Shadow
Director Rob Reiner was so impressed that he approached Nicholson and quietly asked if he wanted to do another take. Nicholson's pragmatic reply was, 'Well, we're here.' The second take was, according to Sutherland, 'just as extraordinary' as the first.
So satisfied was Reiner with the footage that he made a spontaneous decision to wrap early. 'They had planned to shoot the whole day, and Rob looked at everybody and said, "I couldn't ask for anything more, so you guys all have the rest of the day off,"' Sutherland remembered.
This poignant anecdote is shared amidst devastating news about the Reiner family. The special, which celebrates Reiner's life and legacy with interviews from stars like Michael Douglas and Kathy Bates, airs against a backdrop of unimaginable horror. Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, were found fatally stabbed in their Los Angeles home on December 14.
A Family Tragedy Unfolds
Their son, Nick Reiner, 32, has been arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder. He appeared in court on December 17 wearing protective gear and shackles, with his arraignment set for January 7. He is currently held in solitary confinement on suicide watch.
The murders occurred hours after the family attended a holiday party on December 13. The couple's daughter, Romy, 28, discovered the scene at their Brentwood mansion. She and her brother Jake, 34, released a statement expressing their 'unimaginable pain' and describing their parents as their best friends.
Rob Reiner's directorial canon, celebrated in the CBS special, includes classics like Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally..., and Misery, cementing his status as a Hollywood great. The new special airs on Sunday, December 21.
