Brooks and Nicholson had been friends for many years when they made “As Good As It Gets,” having previously worked together on “Terms of Endearment” (which won Nicholson an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor). They were familiar with each other’s mutual talents and, presumably, knew how to communicate on matters of character, story, and filmmaking. When it came to Melvin, however, Brooks and Nicholson seemingly couldn’t “unlock” the character. He was a horrible misanthrope who insulted people at every opportunity, deliberately used bigoted language, and seemed to lack a filter when it came to his darker impulses. And yet, the character needed to be just lovable and/or funny enough for audiences to want his redemption.
Brooks and Nicholson apparently had constant conversations about Melvin and how he should be played. One day, when Melvin wasn’t manifesting, Brooks resorted to some pretty extreme directorial means to make sure he and his lead actor were on the same page. In his own words:
“We needed our friendship. […Melvin] was a characterization that was a needle to be threaded, [and] that was, at times, impossible to find. It was very frustrating for [Nicholson]. One of the most interesting days was raw and awful, and I did something I’ll never do again: I sent the crew home at midday. It was Jack and I alone on this set, and I couldn’t tell you one word we said to each other, but we sat there for three hours and the next day everything was okay.”
It’s a pity he can’t remember the details of the conversation, but it seems that Brooks and Nicholson found what they were looking for. Melvin emerged as a character who was simultaneously likable and detestable, and Nicholson was excellent.
Brooks’ next film, “Ella McCay,” is due in theaters in 2025.
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