The Quentin Tarantino film The Hateful Eight is known for its violence, but perhaps one of the most shocking acts of destruction wasn’t scripted. In a pivotal scene, Kurt Russell’s character, John Ruth, snatches a guitar from Jennifer Jason Leigh’s Daisy Domergue and smashes it against a post. While seemingly a brutal act of character, what many, including Russell himself, didn’t realize was that the guitar being obliterated was no mere prop. It was a genuine 1860s Martin guitar, a museum-quality antique worth tens of thousands of dollars. This real-life mishap added an unexpected layer of drama to Leigh’s performance, which ironically earned her an Oscar nomination.
Jennifer Jason Leigh in The Hateful Eight
“I thought we were going to trade out the guitars,” Jennifer Jason Leigh recounted in an interview with Billboard. She explained the common practice of using prop instruments for scenes involving destruction. However, in the heat of filming, and under Tarantino’s direction to capture a scene in a single, uncut take, the switch never happened. “You’re never going to cut a scene until Quentin says cut,” Leigh stated, highlighting Tarantino’s immersive directing style. Kurt Russell, believing he was handling a stand-in guitar, proceeded with the smash. Leigh knew instantly the gravity of the situation, but played through the scene. “Kurt felt terrible; he had no idea. When he found out, his eyes literally welled up,” Leigh revealed, emphasizing the genuine remorse Russell felt upon learning the truth about the hateful 8 guitar. Despite the on-set shock, Leigh acknowledged, “It ended up being great for the scene, but very sad for the guitar, and for my guitar teacher, and for me.”
Beyond the fictional deaths in The Hateful Eight, the incident became a real-life tragedy for guitar enthusiasts. For Leigh, the loss was particularly poignant. She had been learning to play guitar specifically for her role, and incredibly, she had been practicing on the very 1860s Martin that met its demise. Tarantino had requested she sing and play “Jim Jones at Botany Bay” for a crucial scene, and this vintage instrument had become her companion in preparing for the performance.
“I was heartbroken about the guitar, because I was quite in love with it,” Leigh confessed. She had developed a deep connection with the instrument, appreciating its unique qualities. “I got to actually take it home with me, and I played it every day. It had the most beautiful, warm tone.” She even considered purchasing it, having been initially quoted a price of $4,000. However, the true value was tenfold. “I got a few zeroes wrong — it was a $40,000 guitar, and it was also a museum piece, so I never would have been able to buy it.” Despite this, the thought of owning such a beautiful instrument as a memento was clearly appealing to her. Understanding her attachment, Tarantino later gifted her another Martin guitar from the 1880s as a wrap gift – a gesture she described as “extraordinary”.
Initially, Leigh believed the C.F. Martin & Company, renowned for their guitars, were taking the incident in stride. “It was Leigh’s belief that “the people who were least upset about the whole thing were the Martin company. Their response was, ‘Do you need another guitar? We’ll send one out.’ They just wanted to have the pieces saved so they could put them in their museum.” However, the reality was quite different. Dick Boak, director of the Martin Museum, clarified their stance in an interview with Reverb, responding to earlier comments suggesting a nonchalant attitude. “We want to make sure that people know that the incident was very distressing to us,” Boak stated. The museum was unaware of the script details and the fact that Kurt Russell was not informed about the guitar’s irreplaceable nature. “We didn’t know anything about the script or Kurt Russell not being told that it was a priceless, irreplaceable artifact from the Martin Museum.” While insurance covered the financial loss, Boak emphasized the deeper impact: “We’ve been remunerated for the insurance value, but it’s not about the money. It’s about the preservation of American musical history and heritage.” The destruction of the hateful 8 guitar led to a significant policy change. Martin Museum has since ceased loaning out guitars for film productions, marking a direct consequence of this unfortunate event.
Following the destruction of the antique Martin, attempts were made to reshoot the scene. “They gave me a Washburn, but you can’t go to a Washburn after playing an 1860s Martin. It’s really rough!” Leigh humorously noted, highlighting the significant difference in quality and feel between the instruments. Ultimately, Tarantino decided to keep the take with the smashed Martin, believing it captured the raw emotion he desired. He prioritized the scene’s impact over the instrument’s preservation, inadvertently creating a memorable, albeit costly, moment in cinematic history.
The musical performance itself was also a source of initial apprehension for Leigh. Asked to sing “Jim Jones at Botany Bay,” she doubted her vocal abilities. However, Tarantino’s awareness of her past role in the film Georgia, where she played a less-than-perfect singer, reassured her. The extended musical sequence in The Hateful Eight reveals a softer side to Daisy Domergue, a moment of vulnerability amidst her hardened outlaw persona. However, this moment of musical expression ultimately contributes to her downfall. By adding a verse that foreshadows John Ruth’s demise, Daisy seals her fate. This addition prompts Russell’s character to smash the guitar and re-handcuff her, eliminating any chance of escape. As Leigh wryly observed, reflecting on the dramatic arc, “Always be careful of the last verse.” The tale of the hateful 8 guitar serves as a unique behind-the-scenes anecdote, blending on-set accident with cinematic impact, and leaving a lasting mark on both film and guitar history.
