Marshall Herskovitz is most valuable when he gives people time to be uncertain. We rate his intimate television work above his grander screenwriting, where sincere feeling can make difficult people too easy to admire.
Fi1m perspective
Claire Danes makes adolescent self-consciousness so immediate in My So-Called Life (1994) that the narration sometimes has little left to explain. We winced in recognition at her discomfort; the performance makes it plain before the words arrive. It is Winnie Holzman's drama, with Herskovitz serving as executive producer and episode director, and his contribution should not be confused with hers. We rate this side of his work most highly, where embarrassment and uncertainty are worth taking time over.
That approach took shape in thirtysomething (1987), which he co-created with Edward Zwick around adult relationships and everyday emotional troubles. Their collaboration continued across television and film, with writing, directing and producing shared between them. Herskovitz also directed the features Jack the Bear (1993) and Dangerous Beauty (1998), before film producing and co-writing took more of his attention. His television work continued with Once and Again (1999), as executive producer and episode director, keeping ordinary emotional difficulties central to his work.
The sentimental writing in The Last Samurai (2003) shows the limit of that sympathy. Herskovitz shares the screenplay credit with John Logan and Zwick, who also directed. Forceful action and Ken Watanabe's presence make the film worth seeing for those with a taste for old-fashioned spectacle. But the screenplay makes the samurai's honour and discipline so comfortable to admire that there is too little reason to question the flattering picture. The feeling is sincere; allowing these people to be more difficult would have made it more convincing.
His later television work includes taking over as showrunner on Nashville (2012) for its fifth and sixth seasons, from 2016 to 2018. We like the programme for Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere, the feeling in their central rivalry and the conviction of the singing. Its plotting can be needlessly complicated, a reservation about the programme rather than his later tenure specifically. Start with My So-Called Life, provided a little unnecessary narration will not spoil the evening.
Biography
Marshall Herskovitz is an American film and television producer, writer and director. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he graduated from Brandeis University and trained at the AFI Conservatory, where he met his frequent collaborator Edward Zwick.
He produced the films Legends of the Fall (1994), Traffic (2000), I Am Sam (2001), The Last Samurai (2003), Blood Diamond (2006) and Love & Other Drugs (2010). Herskovitz also directed the features Jack the Bear (1993) and Dangerous Beauty (1998). With Zwick he created and executive-produced the television series thirtysomething (1987–1991), My So-Called Life (1994–1995) and Once and Again (1999–2002). He has served as President Emeritus of the Producers Guild of America.
