You know, one of the director's main jobs is to help everyone do their best work.

And if everyone does their best work, you've got a good film at the end.

Hello, and welcome back to the director's cut, brought to you by the Directors Guild of America.

In today's episode, we're revisiting Jonathan Lynn's classic 1992 comedy, My Cousin Vinnie, in honor of its 30th anniversary.

The film tells the tale of Vinnie, a wildly inexperienced New York lawyer who must save his teenage cousin and his friend from jail or worse after they are accused of murder in a backwater Alabama town.

Complicating matters are Vinnie's cranky fiancé, an uncompromising judge, and a smooth-talking district attorney. In addition to my cousin Vinny, Mr. Lynn's directorial credits include the feature

films The Whole Nine Yards, Trial and Error, and Clue, the pilot for the series Ferris Bueller,

and episodes of Smart Guys, and yes, Prime Minister.

Following the Eastern Region Special Projects Committee

Anniversary Series screening of the film at the DGA Theater in New York,

Mr. Lynn shares insight into the making of My Cousin Vinny

with fellow director Raymond Defolita.

Listen on for their spoiler-filled conversation.

You know, I was talking about those scratchy, messy prints that you used to see at

revival houses.

And we especially asked for one.

That's why this print looked so the way it did. Yeah, well, you succeeded admirably.

And there were a couple of little cuts in it, too, and some words missing. But I didn't. I mean,

it was a little darker and, you know, but it was great for me to see it on a big screen. I haven't seen that for 30 years. And I just like to say thank you to Raymond and the DGA and for putting this on and to all of you for coming out.

Now, you had mentioned to me that you hadn't seen it in that long,

and I think you also said it had, it was, when the film was done,

was the last time you saw it, not much after.

...