Jack Nicholson and John Belushi’s On-Set Feud Inspires Viral Short Film

Jack Nicholson and John Belushi’s Tense Collaboration Sparked a Viral Short Film

Jack Nicholson is renowned for a variety of reasons, but perhaps one of his most intriguing qualities is his ability to remain commercially successful. While he certainly experienced a few flops throughout his career, there has never been a notable sense that he was in desperate need of a hit. Even during perceived downturns—like the mid-1990s when films such as “Wolf” and “Mars Attacks!” struggled—audiences always believed Nicholson would rebound. His charisma was simply too strong to keep him down for long.

However, if you look back at 1977, it did appear that he faced a potential career juncture. Despite being just two years removed from his Best Actor Oscar for “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” Nicholson had recently faced some setbacks with two box office disappointments: Arthur Penn’s expensive Western “The Missouri Breaks,” which featured a notoriously erratic Marlon Brando, and “The Last Tycoon,” a lackluster adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s unfinished novel.

In search of a Western that might reclaim some of his earlier magic, Nicholson turned to a comedic project titled “Goin’ South,” which he would star in and direct. While the Western genre was losing its appeal, the premise of Nicholson as a gruff outlaw saved by the cleverness of a young woman, played by Mary Steenburgen, seemed promising. The film also boasted a colorful supporting cast, including Christopher Lloyd, Danny DeVito, and Veronica Cartwright. Unfortunately, behind the scenes lurked another challenge: the unpredictable John Belushi.

Belushi was a comedic powerhouse, both on “Saturday Night Live” and in films like “National Lampoon’s Animal House.” Yet, his larger-than-life persona came with complications. Belushi’s struggles with substance abuse meant he could oscillate from being charmingly hilarious to explosively difficult in mere moments. Given Nicholson’s own experiences in counterculture Hollywood, expectations may have been high for him to manage Belushi’s wild antics. However, it quickly became evident that Belushi’s ego had ballooned, resulting in significant disruptions on set.

According to Patrick McGilligan’s biography “Jack’s Life,” Belushi’s actions became increasingly problematic. He made unreasonable demands, clashed with producers—particularly Harold Schneider—and these clashes only escalated when Nicholson began to minimize Belushi’s role in the film. Frustrated, Belushi ultimately vented that “Jack treated me like s*** on Goin’ South. I hate him.”

While the finer details of their feud remain somewhat murky, the tension between Nicholson and Belushi inspired filmmakers Jake and Sam Lewis to create a speculative short that explores this iconic rivalry. The resultant film, “The Cowboy and the Samurai,” portrays a scene where producers are threatened by a knife-wielding Belushi, intent on making a grotesque statement. Nicholson enters the scene in attire reminiscent of his character from “Goin’ South,” seeking to defuse the situation. The two characters eventually find common ground after an unexpected showdown that pits gunslinger Nicholson against Belushi, who wields a sword.

Although in reality, Belushi and Nicholson reconciled later on—Belushi even sought Nicholson’s guidance on a film project days before his tragic overdose—the legacy of their on-set dynamic persists. “Goin’ South” may have received mixed reviews and moderate box office success in late 1978, but Nicholson’s star continued to rise, culminating in the massive success of Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining” in 1980.