Despite decades as one of the biggest movie stars in the world, Tom Cruise has only directed once with an episode of noir series Fallen Angels.
Tom Cruise’s only directing credit is an episode of Showtime’s forgotten noir series Fallen Angels. Throughout his career, Cruise has worked with some of the greatest filmmakers who have ever lived. He’s collaborated with Ridley and Tony Scott, Michael Mann, Stanley Kubrick, Steven Spielberg and many, many more. He was so invested in working with Kubrick that he and then-wife Nicole Kidman committed to Eyes Wide Shut’s mammoth shoot, which took 15 months and is still recognized as one of the longest, continuous movie productions.
Given his love of cinema and storytelling, it’s a surprise Cruise never attempted to step behind the camera for one of his movies. That doesn’t look set to change, though he did scratch that directorial itch once. Cruise was one of many guest directors on Showtime’s short-lived Fallen Angels, which ran from 1993 to 1995. Filmmakers like Alfonso Cuarón, Tom Hanks and Cruise – who prepared for Collateral in weird ways – all helmed episodes of the hard-boiled series. Cruise’s episode “The Frightening Frammis” followed a grifter (Peter Gallagher) looking to get rich quick with his wife’s (Nancy Travis) money; being a noir, things don’t go according to plan.
Cruise Did A Good Job With Fallen Angels
“The Frightening Frammis” was based on a short story from famed author Jim Thompson (The Getaway) and comes complete with the usual genre trappings, like a wry voiceover and femme fatales. There’s a light comic touch to Cruise’s directorial debut, and while it’s clear he knows his noir movies quite well, he never lets the tale get too dark. The direction isn’t flashy either, though “The Frightening Frammis” does feature some nice images – such as Gallagher’s character wandering the desert – and a cast that also includes Isabella Rossellini and a very young John C. Reilly.
Sadly, there’s little information available about Cruise working on Fallen Angels‘ “The Frightening Frammis” – including if he enjoyed helming it. “The Frightening Frammis” is a solid episode regardless, and he probably used the experience to gain a greater understanding of what the job entailed. The episode succeeds in being an homage to the dark thrillers of Hollywood’s Golden Age, but it lacks a strong directorial voice. It also bucks convention by offering a happy ending – which isn’t something the noir subgenre is particularly known for. Whatever the episode’s imperfections, Cruise’s episode was a good start.
Cruise Never Directed Again After Fallen Angels
For whatever reason, Cruise has not – to date – jumped back behind the camera to direct. His Fallen Angels episode came and went, and soon he was off producing his own work like the first Mission: Impossible. Of course, when he can work with some of the best directors in the world, perhaps he feels it best to serve their vision while protecting them as producer/star. Perhaps when he takes a step back from action movies, he could find another directing assignment, but it appears that Fallen Angels could be his sole venture into the role.
Source: screenrant
