A camera operator told how Elisabeth Shue was rescued by the Hollywood star on the set of the movie "Cocktail" in 1987. "Tom, at that moment, really saved her life," he said.
Tom Cruise is a hero on the big screen and in real life. The actor saved the life of his co-star Elisabeth Shue during the filming of the 1987 comedy Cocktail. The film's aerial camera operator, Bill Bennett, wrote about the incident recently in a Facebook group, and according to the NME site, Cruise confirmed the incredible story to his Mission: Impossible director Christopher McQuarrie.
The episode came to light after Britain's The Sun reported that Cruise recently rescued a cameraman who slipped off a moving train carriage while filming a stunt in Mission: Impossible 7."
“We were filming the scene from a helicopter where Tom and Elisabeth are riding their horses on the beach,” Bennett wrote in his post. “After a couple of takes, the pilot would land the helicopter on the beach, and Tom and Elisabeth would come over to watch the footage of the takes and take notes from the director. The only monitor was in the front left seat of the helicopter," the story of him continued.
Bennett explains that the tail rotor at the rear of the helicopter appears invisible as it rotates, adding: “It's a total no-go area when working around helicopters. If you step into it, it will kill you instantly." After the actors watched a scene play on the monitor and received notes from the director, "Shue, very excited, ran to the back of the helicopter."
Bill indicated that he was harnessed and therefore unable to rush to her rescue, but he frantically leaned over and yelled "Stop." Right, a Stopt the same moment that Tom saw where Elisabeth was going and what could happen if the actress went ahead.
"Tom is a qualified pilot, both in airplanes and helicopters, and he instantly saw the danger," continues the camera operator. He “he” lunged at her, but he could only grab her legs, throwing her to the ground… At that moment she went white, and he pushed her towards the front of the helicopter. All of us in the helicopter were left shaking, but there was nothing to say. Tom, in that instant, really saved her life."
Details of the dramatic incident, which occurred 34 years ago when security procedures weren't as stringent, came to light after Bill Bennett broke the story on a Facebook group called Crew Stories. Surprisingly, Tom found out that Bill posted the story online and confirmed that it was true.
The post was seen by writer Mike Timm, who sent it to the director of Mission Impossible, who is currently filming the seventh installment with Cruise, who made headlines last year after several audio leaks leaked of his explosive rages against his staff for not respecting the security measures against COVID-19.
Mike told Bill: “I sent this post to Christopher McQuarrie, who is working with Tom at MI. He loved the story and of course, Tom confirmed it.
Bill Bennett, now a prominent television and commercial cinematographer, said the crew behind the film Cocktail, which hit theaters in 1988, were "shocked" by the fact that it could have cost the actress her life.
“I witnessed how Tom Cruise saved Elisabeth Shue's life, really,” he said.
Directed by Roger Donaldson, Cocktail stars Cruise as a young business student from New York City who starts working as a bartender at Flanagan's Cocktails & Dreams. The film was a critical slam dunk and grossed nearly $170 million at the worldwide box office. The production won the Razzie Award for worst film of the year. However, at least the Beach Boys got a hit thanks to their song “Kokomo”.
