Martin Scorsese 'kept fighting' to get 'Wolf of Wall Street' yacht scene in Final Cut

Martin Scorsese was determined that “The Wolf of Wall Street” would have a sinking ship on screen.

The 2013 Oscar-nominated hit film, which starred Leonardo DiCaprio as disgraced stockbroker Jordan Belfort, was originally four hours long. As the film was eventually cut to 180 minutes, screenwriter Terence Winter revealed that Scorsese refused to cut an expensive yacht sequence.

"Because [the script] was so long, you know, the fear was that there were things we were going to have to cut - like the sequence where the boat sinks and they are rescued at sea," said Winter. "It was on the chopping block the longest because it was so wild and so expensive. To his credit, Marty just kept fighting and said, 'We have to have this. I must have this.'"

The scene involves Belfort (DiCaprio) and his wife Naomi (Margot Robbie) who have to be rescued by helicopter as they sail from Italy to Monaco in a desperate attempt to block federal investigators from accessing the accounts banking.

Related Related

"There was actually a four hour cut of this movie to begin with and it was just a whole lot crazier - if you can believe there was room for any," continued Winter, winner of an Emmy. “But I was absolutely thrilled that it all came into that. Every possible thing… including the kitchen sink… is in this movie. I couldn't have been happier."

Acclaimed editor and longtime Scorsese collaborator Thelma Schoonmaker previously told IndieWire that the four-hour cut was loved by those who saw it, and Scorsese even considered releasing it in two parts. “Well, we thought about that,” Schoonmaker said. “But the movie doesn't work split in two. It must have a certain arc.”

Actress Robbie recently revealed that the overnight success of 'The Wolf of Wall Street' was overwhelming at times, saying, "Something was going on in those early stages and it was all pretty awful. I remember for telling my mom, "I don't think I want to do this." And she just looked at me, completely blank, and said, "Honey, I think it's too late not to not do it." I realized that the only way was to move on."

Sign Up: Stay up to date with the latest film and TV news! Sign up for our email newsletters here.