Tom Cruise 'Punched' Jack Nicholson After Clown-Face Prank on 'A Few Good Men Set', Says Kevin Pollak

Tom Cruise finished the most intense scene of 'A Few Good Men' while Jack Nicholson allegedly pulled a 'ridiculous clown face' at him, then walked over and playfully punched his co‑star on the shoulder, according to actor Kevin Pollak.

Pollak, who played Lt Sam Weinberg in the 1992 film, said Cruise stayed in character throughout the take before the pair laughed together.

'Tom stayed in the pocket and finished the scene and then punched Jack Nicholson in the shoulder. Uh, and they both laughed,' Pollak said.

He said the incident happened during the confrontation between Cruise's Lt Daniel Kaffee and Nicholson's Col Nathan Jessup. The shot was filmed from Nicholson's point of view, with the camera beside his face as Cruise's character advanced on him.

Cruise Keeps His Cool as Nicholson Clowns Around

'Tom's coming in, camera shooting, and this is what Tom's looking at during the scene,' Pollak said. 'Jack is doing this, making the most ridiculous clown face you've ever seen.' Pollak mimicked the expression as he told the story.

Pollak's comments were reported in June by outlets citing an interview with People. He described the punch as friendly and said it reflected an easy rapport between the two stars.

'A Few Good Men', directed by Rob Reiner, adapted Aaron Sorkin's Broadway play. Cruise plays a US Navy lawyer who defends two US Marines accused of murdering a fellow Marine at the Guantánamo Bay base. The case turns on whether they carried out an unofficial 'code red' punishment on orders from superiors.

Nicholson's Jessup delivers the film's best known line, 'You can't handle the truth!', during the courtroom finale. Demi Moore, Kevin Bacon, Kiefer Sutherland and J T Walsh also starred. The film received four Oscar nominations: best picture, best supporting actor for Nicholson, film editing and sound.

On-Set 'Godfather' Trick in Washington DC

Pollak also recalled a lighter moment from the production's two weeks in Washington DC, where the crew filmed exterior shots.

He said that he and Reiner were walking back one night when a passer‑by recognised the director and asked whether he was working in the city.

'He said, 'What are you working on?' And he said, 'The Godfather',' Pollak recalled.

The stranger replied 'Oh great' and walked on. Pollak said he then asked Reiner why he had given that answer.

Reiner's explanation, as Pollak told it, was that the film had begun as a Broadway play, so anyone who had not seen it would not know what he was talking about. 'If I say The Godfather, we're done talking, and you and I can keep going with our lives,' Pollak said Reiner told him. 'I've used it ever since,' Pollak added.

Rob Reiner's 'Fun-First' Set Culture

Pollak said the light mood on set started with Reiner. He told People that the director, who has since died, believed the work should not be joyless even when the subject matter was serious.

'The big thing with Rob was just, if we're not having fun, there's no point in any of this,' Pollak said. 'And he said that while we're doing a very intense courtroom drama, and it was a great lesson and a great way to work.'