Toback Vs. Mailer: The Incident

"Betting, boxing, and boozing."

2016 0h 6m EN

👍

7.0

SOLID

★7.0TMDB · 1

DocumentaryAnimation

Synopsis

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Directed by Josh and Benny Safdie, this punchy short features James Toback recounting a bizarre, years-long rivalry sparked by a drunken argument with Norman Mailer over bourbon versus Scotch—an ego duel that escalates from boozy barbs to a tense Jets–Browns stare-down and a few jabs to the gut. A brisk, first-person tale of bravado, celebrity circles, and the fine line between literary legend and street-corner scuffle.

“Betting, boxing, and boozing.”

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Cast

James Toback
Self (voice)
Michael Chaiken
Self (voice)
Hailey Benton Gates
(voice)
Larry Sloman
(voice)
Jacob Perlin
(voice)
Buddy Duress
The Waiter (voice)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Josh Safdie
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 6-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 10 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Josh Safdie, shot by Christopher Messina. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Isaiah Barr. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Benny Safdie shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

James Toback and Michael Chaiken and Hailey Benton Gates carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Betting, boxing, and boozing.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Josh Safdie directs. Christopher Messina behind the camera. Isaiah Barr scores. Benny Safdie cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 6-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
2Released 10 years ago.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Josh Safdie, shot by Christopher Messina. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Isaiah Barr. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Benny Safdie shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7James Toback and Michael Chaiken and Hailey Benton Gates carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "Betting, boxing, and boozing.".
9Only 1 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.