Steven Spielberg’s Secret Role in Scarface’s Wildest Scene

The New Hollywood wave changed the face of cinema, but what’s often missed is just how much teamwork went on behind the scenes. While blokes like Robert Altman and Dennis Hopper kicked things off, it was the younger crowd—Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Brian De Palma—who really made their mark in the ‘70s. These mates weren’t just rivals; they were always lending each other a hand, swapping ideas, and pitching in when needed. Spielberg, for one, was known for popping up to help out, even if his name didn’t end up in the credits.

One of the best examples of this camaraderie came a few years after the New Hollywood heyday, when De Palma was working on Scarface. The film, a big, brash tale about the perils of chasing cash and power, starred Al Pacino as Tony Montana. It’s packed with memorable moments, but none more so than the explosive shootout near the end, where Pacino’s character delivers the now-legendary line, “Say hello to my little friend.”

Pacino’s Injury and Spielberg’s Arrival

During the filming of that climactic scene, things took a turn. Pacino, in the heat of the action, grabbed his prop gun by the barrel, which was scorching hot. He badly burned his hand and had to be rushed off to hospital. With their star out of commission for a fortnight, De Palma was left in a tricky spot. He had to keep the cameras rolling, so he shot everything he could that didn’t need Pacino front and centre.

It was during this downtime that Spielberg dropped by the set. He wasn’t there on official business—just visiting a mate. But with production in a bind, Spielberg ended up pitching in. De Palma later recalled,

“Well, what happened when we were doing the shootout, Al grabbed his gun and grabbed it by the barrel, which was red hot and seared his hand, and he had to go to the hospital and we couldn’t shoot with him for two weeks. So basically, I had two weeks to shoot everything but Al. So, needless to say, I shot every conceivable way somebody could shoot at somebody else while I was waiting for my star to return.”

Collaboration on Set

With Pacino out, De Palma and Spielberg made the most of the situation. Spielberg’s knack for action and camera work came in handy. De Palma described how Spielberg got involved:

“Stephen wandered over, we did a few shots: ‘What do you think about this Steve, should we put another camera up here?’ ‘Why not?!’ I mean every body was shooting people, shooting at people.”

The set turned into a hive of activity, with everyone chipping in to keep things moving. Spielberg even took charge of a unit filming the Colombians storming up the staircase, adding his own flair to the chaos.

De Palma later said,

“I gave him one of the units to shoot the Colombians coming up the staircase, so we were just shooting people getting shot for a couple of weeks. We all had great respect for each other’s work, and we were just trying to help each other out when we would see things that we thought could be improved.”

This sort of teamwork was typical for the era, with directors happy to share the load and offer fresh perspectives.

Legacy of a Classic Scene

Scarface’s final shootout stands as one of the most memorable moments in film, not just for its over-the-top action but for the story behind it. The scene is a testament to the spirit of collaboration that defined a generation of filmmakers. Spielberg’s uncredited input helped shape a sequence that’s still talked about today, showing that sometimes, a mate’s advice can make all the difference.