Mistress (1992)

Starts with a good premise and Martin Landau in the first scene. Pretty soon Eli Wallach shows up. Bit later Robert DeNiro. Things are rolling along nicely when I realize Robert Wuhl, who irritates me at the best of times, was shouting his way through the movie. And then Laurie Metcalf shows up. Is she really this bad an actor or is it just a bad director working with no budget? It's all downhill from there. I just didn't care anymore. Didn't care about Wuhl's character. And why would I care about Christopher Walken's ''Warren'' character? And who is the kid's dad supposed to be? Elmore Leonard? Yelling, yelling, yelling. So tiresome. I bet this movie didn't gross a thousand bucks when it was released.

Barry Primus directed and co-wrote this 'Hollywood insider's comedy' which isn't very inside and is never terribly funny. Robert Wuhl is a struggling screenwriter who, with help from Martin Landau's over-the-hill movie producer, hopes to get his picture made with financial backing from three hot-tempered high rollers; the catch is, each investor wants his mistress to have a part in the film, and all three women prove very difficult to handle. Potentially interesting premise given over to foul-mouthed neurotics who are never as amusing as they're supposed to be. Wuhl, an actor of quicksilver comedic timing, thanklessly plays the incredulous observer here, while the all-star supporting cast loudly plays up the material until the satirical edge flags and becomes cartoonish. Primus' direction is wobbly and uneven, though he gets some amusing facial expressions from Robert De Niro (who also co-produced, for reasons which are unclear). Shabbily edited, and with ungainly cinematography. *1/2 from ****

"Mistress", a misnomer, tells of a bunch of Hollywood hacks slogging through the process of networking, schmoozing, compromising, and sucking up required to launch a film project. A messy flick with little to offer considering the talent behind it, "Mistress" seems to be trying to make the point that making a film is often about everything but the film...careers, quid pro quos, personal agendas, etc. Unfortunately, "Mistress" is a poorly focused comedy/drama which doesn't work well in either genre. Most likely to be appreciated by people like the IMDB.com users who are not Hollywood insiders but have above average interest in films. (C)

A sophisticated dark Hollywood comedy, IMHO superior to THE PLAYER. The cast is a powerhouse, but Martin Landau is outstanding, as is the black girl who plays Beverly, DeNiro's mistress. I've seen it three times and laughed harder each time. Basically, it's about the woes of a director/scriptwriter (Wuhl)who, upon wannabe producer Landau's urging, tries to pitch his script to three money guys (Wallach, Aiello, DeNiro). He fights unsuccessfully to preserve the integrity of his artistic vision.