Apart from the profound sadness I felt on learning of the untimely death of director Rob Reiner, I thought back on his vast body of work. Many of his films have become so iconic, producing phrases which have found their way into our cultural lexicon. “I’ll have what she’s having.” (When Harry Met Sally) “You can’t handle the truth!” (A Few Good Men) “These go to eleven.” (Spinal Tap) Those are only three quotes of many more. However, the film I’m writing about today is the one which Reiner felt was his favourite, and most personal project… ‘Stand By Me’ (1986).
2026 marks the 40th anniversary of the film’s release. Though based on the Stephen King novella, ‘The Body,’ it is a marked departure from the author’s signature horror genre. The film follows four pre-teen boys, from the fictional town of Castle Rock, Oregon, during the summer of 1959, on the hunt for the body of a missing boy. Cast in the roles of the lads were Wil Wheaton as Gordie Lachance, River Phoenix as Chris Chambers, Corey Feldman as Teddy Duchamp, and Jerry O’Connell as Verne Tessio. The story develops as a narration from the viewpoint of the adult Lachance, voiced by Reiner’s former classmate and friend, Richard Dreyfuss.
Reiner was drawn to the project because of Gordie Lachance. He saw himself in the character of the bookish, sensitive, young writer that Gordie was. Lachance had been in his older brother Denny’s shadow his entire life. Denny was destined for American Football stardom before his life was cut short in a car accident. With his brother gone, Gordie was now a ghost in his home. His father proclaiming, “It should’ve been you, Gordie.”
Reiner lived his life in the shadow of his father, Carl. The elder Reiner wrote for Sid Ceasar’s ‘Your Show of Shows’, recorded the ‘2000 Year Old Man’ with Mel Brooks, created ‘The Dick VanDyke Show’, and directed several comedic hits such as ‘Oh, God!’ (1977), and ‘The Jerk’ (1979). Rob Reiner knew from an early age that he wanted to be an actor and made his television debut at age 14, in an episode of ‘Manhunt’ (1961). While he would later become a household name thanks to his role as Mike Stivic on ‘All in the Family’ (1971), he admitted on American news magazine show ’60 Minutes’ that no matter how famous he became, he never once felt the encouragement or validation from his father. The sense of imposter syndrome followed him into his directing career.
After the moderate success of ‘Spinal Tap’ and ‘The Sure Thing,’ with ‘Stand By Me,’ Reiner looked inward, embraced his own fears and insecurities, and chose to tell a story which reflected his own childhood. For example, from the scene where Gordie admits the truth about his father to Chris: “I’m no good, my dad said it, I’m no good.” Chris replies, “He doesn’t know you.” Gordie continues with his tears starting to flow, “He hates me. I know he hates me.” Chris replies, “No, he just doesn’t know you.” As Reiner admitted himself, he felt that it was similar to how it was with his own father. He believed that he loved him, but he did not quite understand him. Even though it was a rite of passage for those characters in the movie, it was also rite of passage for himself. In Reiner’s own words, he said of making this film, “This was something my father never would have tried, and this one really reflected me. If people like this, then they’re gonna like what I have to offer. I was lucky, they did, and it was a tremendous affirmation for me.”
I find ‘Stand By Me’ as charming today as it was when I saw it on its original release 40 years ago. The final lines take me back to my own childhood. After learning what became of the boys, the film cuts to the computer screen of the adult Lachance, now an author. He types the following line: “I never had friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?” As I get older, I think of the crazy experiences I had with my own childhood friends, all reflected in those final words. Reiner delivered a film that connects us to our past, to our pals that made imprints that will forever live in our memories.
Wheaton, Feldman, and O’Connell wrapped up the first leg of their 40th reunion tour just prior to Reiner’s death. Before they set off this past summer, he encouraged his cast to set an empty chair on stage beside them, to honour their late friend, River Phoenix, who passed away in 1993 at the age of 23. The next leg of the tour is set to begin in the spring. I would not be surprised if another empty chair was set on stage with them.
Reiner saw himself in these young actors, and in Reiner they saw a father figure. It’s sad to think the 40th anniversary will pass without the man who brought it to life, and in doing so found healing for his characters, and himself. In the end, Carl Reiner embraced his son and his career. In an interview with American news anchor Dan Rather, the elder Reiner said this about his son: “He’s made some of my favourite movies. The amount of serious work he’s done, with a sense of humour that he has, is an amalgam that is rarely put into one person.”
Actor, writer, producer, director Rob Reiner, was the real deal. Four decades on, the film not only stands as a testament to one man’s talent and vision, but as a reminder of the power of friendship, and the enduring memory of those lost, but never forgotten.
Tribute to Rob Reiner by
Kathryn S Kraus
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