Taglines: The director had a vision. The producers all had girlfriends.
Mistress movie storyline. A comedy about a screenwriter (Wuhl) whose old movie script is read by a producer (Martin Landau) and the search for financial backers begins. But it seems that each money source (Danny Aiello, Robert DeNiro, Eli 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.
Mistress is a 1992 comedy-drama film starring Danny Aiello, Robert De Niro, Martin Landau, Eli Wallach, Robert Wuhl, Tuesday Knight, Jean Smart, Sheryl Lee Ralph, William Rotko, Jace Alexander and Mary Mercier. The picture was written by Barry Primus and J.F. Lawton and directed by Primus.
About the Story
A down-and-out Hollywood screenwriter and director named Marvin Landisman (Robert Wuhl) is working on cheaply made instructional videos when his years-old script is read by Jack Roth (Martin Landau), a desperate has-been producer who offers to help Marvin find investors for his movie.
Men willing to put up the money are found, including the ruthless businessman Evan (Robert De Niro), the disturbed war veteran Carmine (Danny Aiello) and the eccentric millionaire George (Eli Wallach). But each has a mistress he insists be cast in the film in exchange for his financial backing. The women are the highly talented Beverly (Sheryl Lee Ralph), the alcoholic flight attendant Patricia (Jean Smart) and the perky blonde Peggy (Tuesday Knight).
Marvin repeatedly is asked to compromise his standards and change his script to accommodate these backers until the script becomes almost unrecognizable from its original form. The project also puts a strain on the marriage of Marvin and his long-patient wife Rachel (Laurie Metcalf).
Marvin’s screenplay is a bleak one about a painter who commits suicide, and was inspired by the case of an actor named Warren (Christopher Walken) who abruptly committed suicide by jumping off a building in the midst of the making of a film Marvin was directing years ago. Roth brings in young Stuart Stratland (Jace Alexander) to adapt the script for the investors’ mistresses, but not only does Stuart constantly enrage Marvin with his suggested changes, he falls in love with Peggy and they have an affair.
Mistress (1992)
Directed by: Barry Primus
Starring: Danny Aiello, Robert De Niro, Martin Landau, Eli Wallach, Robert Wuhl, Tuesday Knight, Jean Smart, Sheryl Lee Ralph, William Rotko, Jace Alexander, Mary Mercier
Screenplay by: Barry Primus, J.F. Lawton
Production Design by: Phil Peters
Cinematography by: Sven Kirsten
Film Editing by: Steven Weisberg
Costume Design by: Susan Nininger
Set Decoration by: K.C. Fox
Art Direction by: Randy Eriksen
Music by: Galt MacDermot
MPAA Rating: R for language.
Distributed by: Rainbow Releasing
Release Date: July 24, 1992
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