The credits roll on Weinstein
“A FONDNESS for power is implanted in most men, and it is natural to abuse it when acquired,” said Alexander Hamilton.
In the matter of the swift and staggering fall of Harvey Weinstein, I was looking for something from Shakespeare, but nothing quite fit, so Alexander Hamilton will have to do. The all-but-overnight ruin of the film mogul certainly has its gaudy/tragic Shakespearean elements, what with being fired from his own company, by his own brother. We could, on that score, throw in “Et tu, Brute?” (”Julius Caesar” 3.1.77)
Harvey now joins a lurid host of others — Bill Cosby, Roger Ailes, Bill O’Reilly, John Edwards, Bill Clinton, Anthony Weiner, etc. — whose lives, careers and reputations were/are at least temporarily derailed by accusations of abuse of power and privilege, lack of respect for women, of hubris and hypocrisy.
I say temporarily because most ruined people with an unusual amount of power and money tend to have a redemptive second act. Clinton comes to mind, of course, as does O’Reilly, who is having his second act courtesy of Sean Hannity and other old friends at Fox News. O’Reilly has not been banished from TV or the publishing world. (He continues to put out his string of “Killing” books.)
The accusations against Harvey are ugly, and too numerous to be all smoke and no fire, but we are not going to do a 180 here and disavow every flattering word we wrote about him, from the start of his career at Miramax ,way back in the day. As a film producer — which is how we knew him —he is a man of vision and intelligence. As a man, he is, apparently, deeply flawed.
Over the years we heard that Harvey was a terrifying, demanding employer. And also perhaps that he was attracted to some of the actresses he worked with, or hoped to work with. Anyone who says they never heard similar gossip is lying.
However, we gave this tattle as much thought as we did and do about gossip concerning movie stars. If he wasn’t doing it in the streets and frightening the horses, it was not our business — and was it even true? We wanted the exclusive interview with the major star attached to Harvey’s latest major project, not tales of his private life.
NOW, every actor and director who ever worked on a Miramax or Weinstein Company film is being pushed to renounce Harvey. It is expected of them.
Harvey , whi le threatening to sue The New York Times (where the initial bombshell story broke), at the same time issued statements that did in some highly agitated, convoluted way address his issues — he came of age in the ’60s and ’70s, when the workplace environment was different (obviously, nobody vetted that one!) … he had a terrible temper … he was taking a leave of absence to get more time with his therapist. But the bad news kept rolling out and he was fired. It was inevitable. Only he refused to see the writing on the wall.
“What’s done cannot be undone,” said Lady Macbeth. I knew I’d find the unhappily apt Shakespeare if I searched hard enough. It would offer some solace to imagine that these repeated — and all the more frequent — ruinations will lead to less abuse of power and of women.
But just as all human beings have to feel that death happens only to other people — or else how could we live — some human beings are so afflicted with the arrogance that accompanies power that they feel sure revelation and ruin can never touch them.
And so this scandal with new participants — some of whom are likely denouncing Harvey Weinstein today — will play out again and again.