Infamous Players

Description

In 1967, Peter Bart, then a young family man and rising reporter for the New York Times, decided to upend his life and enter the dizzying world of motion pictures. Infamous Playersis the story of Bart’s whirlwind journey at Paramount, his role in itstriumphs and failures, and how a new kind of filmmaking emerged duringthat time.

When Bart was lured to Paramount by his friend andfellow newcomer, the legendary Robert Evans, the studio was languishing,its slate riddled with movies that were out of touch with the dynamicsixties. By the time Bart left Paramount, in 1975, the studio hadcompleted a remarkable run, with films such as The Godfather, Rosemary’s Baby, Harold and Maude, Love Story, Chinatown, Paper Moon, and True Grit.But this new golden era at Paramount was also fraught with chaos andcompany turmoil. Drugs, sex, runaway budgets, management infighting, andeven the Mafia found their way onto the back lot, making Paramountsurely one of the most unpredictable, even bizarre, studios in thehistory of the movie industry.

Bart reflects on Paramount’s NewHollywood era with behind-the scenes details and insightful analysis;here too are his fascinating recollections of the icons from that time:Warren Beatty, Steve McQueen, Robert Redford, Clint Eastwood, JackNicholson, Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Francis Ford Coppola, RomanPolanski, and Frank Sinatra, among others.

For over four decades, first on the inside as a studio executive and later as the longtime editor in chief of Variety, Peter Bart has viewed Hollywood from an incomparable vantage point. The stories he tells and the lessons we learn from Infamous Players are essential for anyone who loves movies.