David Lynch's final performance on screen could not have been more perfect

Fabelman focuses on Spielberg's avatar, Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel Labelle). Sammy is an aspiring filmmaker who becomes obsessed with making his own films while his parents' (Michelle Williams and Paul Dano) marriage falls apart. The film is basically a a cinema therapy session for Spielberg — his parents' divorce has long influenced his work, and with “The Fabelmans” he tackles it head-on. Although the film is often filled with dramatic, dark moments and its core message is that devoting your life to art can ultimately leave you lonely and isolated, The Fablemen is also a warm, funny film. And the warmest, funniest scene comes at the end. As the film draws to a close, Sammy considers dropping out of college. He really wants to be a filmmaker, but he's having a hard time getting into the business. He gets a lifeline of sorts when he gets an interview to work on Hogan's Heroes.

During the interview, Sammy makes it clear that his heart is in movies, not TV. The co-creator of the series picks up on this and points out that he shares office space with a legendary filmmaker. Would Sammy like to meet him? Sammy says yes of course. We quickly learn that the filmmaker is none other than John Ford, and while Sammy waits nervously in Ford's office, Ford eventually makes his way inside. Because Ford is played by David Lynch, the role immediately carries a kind of weight. Here is a legendary filmmaker while playing the legendary film director. Putting on an eye patch and a cigar, Ford drolly notes that he's heard Sammy wants to “make pictures.” He then asks Sammy what he knows about filmmaking, a question that understandably makes Sammy nervous. Ford, who used to be a director, gives Sammy a task: he asks him to go to a traditional western painting on the wall and tell Ford what it says.

Sammy stammered as he tried to describe what he saw in the painting. Ford, immediately irritated, tells him that's not what he wants. “No, no,” Lynch says as Ford, then asks, “Where's the horizon?” Lynch gives the question the perfect amount of inflection, making it both simple and loaded. Confused, Sammy replies that the horizon is at the bottom in the painting. Ford directs him to another painting. Again, Sammy awkwardly tries to describe what he sees, but again Ford makes it clear that he just wants to know where the horizon is. In the painting it is at the top. Satisfied, Lynch Ford is finally ready to impart some wisdom. “Now remember this,” he says, “when the horizon is at the bottom, it's interesting. When the horizon is at the top, it's interesting. When the horizon is in the middle, it's boring as s***. Now good luck and get out of my way office!