One of Bruce Willis’ best films was The Sixth Sense, where he played a child psychologist who wants to help a scared little boy who can see ghosts. They worked together on other films such as Invulnerable, Split and Glass. After it became known about the departure of the veteran actor due to health conditions, the director of “The Sixth Sense” M. Night Shyamalan shared pleasant memories with him.
It is not surprising that The Sixth Sense is M. Night Shyamalan’s most popular film. Compared to the fact that we saw Bruce Willis as the action hero we are used to, he really revealed his emotional range in the role of Dr. Malcolm Crowe. During an interview with ReelBlend co-host Jake Hamilton, the twist-end director spoke about the pleasant memories he had with the “Die Hard” actor.
He’s this blue-collar hero that I grew up with, and not just for me, but for Quentin [Tarantino] and Wes [Anderson], and you call that the Fifth Element. Every time he took a risk and just jumped, and when he believed in you, he was right behind you, and was the muscle behind you to say, “Hey, come on!” In the Sixth Sense on the first Friday, they said, “Bruce Willis wants to talk to you in his trailer,” and I was like, “Oh my God!” I was twenty whatever, and I was like, “Oh no. He’s going to yell at me.” I walked up to [the trailer]… he said: “I only felt once what you made me feel, [which was] with Pulp Fiction and Quentin.”.. It was hard to win him over, but once you did, he became your big brother and just fought for you under any circumstances.
It must have been a real privilege for M. Night Shyamalan to be able to work with Bruce Willis when he was doing it. In March last year, it was announced that the Golden Globe—winning actor had been diagnosed with aphasia, a disorder that affects the ability to communicate. The Oscar-nominated director was one of many who spoke out after the retirement announcement, saying: “As a child, he will always be the hero on this poster on my wall.” This retired actor was lucky enough to get the support of his wife and many others, who reportedly work with “several professionals” and a housemate. Love and support are the best that a person can have in a difficult moment.
After The Sixth Sense, M. Night Shyamalan worked with Bruce Willis in Invulnerable a year later. He took the lead again as the sole survivor of a train crash due to his superpowers. The origin of this early superhero movie comes only from Shyamalan’s creative mind, with no connection to Marvel or DC, which is definitely a rarity today. Then came the film “Split” starring James McAvoy about a man with dissociative identity disorder. The shocking twist that occurred at the end showed Willis reprising his role as the Indestructible, opening us up to a trilogy that ended with Glass. That’s how you know, it must have been a miracle for Shyamalan to collaborate with Willis during the “Sixth Sense” if he couldn’t let him go.
As for what M. Night Shyamalan is going to do for him now, on January 13, his mind-blowing series “The Servant” on Apple TV+ is coming out for the fourth and final season. There’s also the upcoming release of Knock at the Cabin, which reveals an apocalyptic twist. A family of three taken hostage is told that one family member needs to be sacrificed to save the world from apocalyptic destruction. And an unexpected surprise, Shyamalan has already shot another film with a secret plot, but with a release in April 2024. Even if the films of this director of psychological thrillers do not always get the best reception, we can at least give him credit for his originality and for risking his ideas.
We will never forget M. Night Shyamalan’s collaboration with Bruce Willis. The working chemistry that the two combined formed a lasting legacy in their careers. Be sure to watch the 2023 release of Knock at the Cabin, which will be released in theaters on February 3.
