Mistress
A comedy about a screenwriter (Wuhl) whose old movie script is read by a producer (Landau) and the search for financial backers begins. But it seems that each money source (Aiello, DeNiro, Wallach) has his own mistress that he wants put into the film. Gradually, the screenwriter is forced to make changes to his script to accommodate these backers until he finally sees no semblance of his original ideas in the writing.
Insights
Plot Summary
A struggling screenwriter, Evan Mallow, is given a chance at success when he's hired by a ruthless Hollywood producer, Marvin Palmer. Palmer takes a liking to Evan's script and begins to mentor him, but their relationship becomes complicated when Evan falls for Palmer's young wife, Elizabeth. As Evan's career begins to take off, he finds himself entangled in a web of ambition, desire, and betrayal.
Critical Reception
Mistress received mixed reviews from critics. While some praised its performances and exploration of Hollywood's underbelly, others found its plot to be predictable and its characters unsympathetic. The film struggled to find a wide audience upon its release.
What Reviewers Say
- Praised for its solid performances, particularly from Robert De Niro as the manipulative producer.
- Criticized for a convoluted plot and underdeveloped characters.
- Seen as a somewhat cynical but ultimately unmemorable look at the film industry.
Google audience: Audience reception is not readily available through aggregated Google user reviews.
Awards & Accolades
None notable.
Fun Fact
The film was originally developed with director Barry Primus and an entirely different cast before Robert De Niro became involved and the script was reworked.
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