Some grudges age like fine wine—others like a Louisville Slugger in a dark closet. Spike Lee’s beef with Cannes over Do the Right Thing? Definitely the latter.
The Beef That Won’t Die:
Lee’s latest film, Highest 2 Lowest, is headed to Cannes—but out of competition. And while that stung, it’s nothing compared to the 1989 Palme d’Or snub that still has him swinging (metaphorically).
In a new THR interview, Lee doubled down: “Wim Wenders commandeered that jury.” The sticking point? Wenders allegedly called Mookie (Lee’s character) “not heroic.” Worse? Lee claims jurors Sally Field and Héctor Babenco told him the jury was ordered: “Do the Right Thing cannot win.”
Cue the bat threats. “I’m waiting for his ass,” Lee warned back then. Wenders? Unfazed. “He should’ve been waiting for the whole jury,” he fired back, calling it a collective decision in a “great year” for film.
The Snub That Defined a Legacy
Do the Right Thing wasn’t just overlooked—it was buried. While Soderbergh’s Sex, Lies, and Videotape swept the Palme and Best Actor (James Spader), Lee’s masterpiece left empty-handed.
Yet time’s been kind. Critics now hail it as the best film of the ‘80s, a searing, prophetic take on race in America. Wenders may have lost sleep, but Lee’s film outlasted the controversy—even if the grudge hasn’t.
So, who’s right? The auteur who claims conspiracy or the jury insisting it was just “a tough year”? Either way, Lee’s still swinging. Sound off: Was Do the Right Thing robbed?
