Best Seller, Hit man Cleve approaches writer Dennis about a story for his next book: how he made a living, working for one of the most powerful politicians in the country. To get the story right, they travel around the country to gather statements and evidence, while strong forces use any means they can to keep the story untold.
Larry Cohen wrote the original script, inspired by the film “Strangers on a Train” (1951) and wrote it with Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas in mind for the lead roles. The project was in development at a number of studios for years before Orion decided to make it. Of course, by then, Lancaster and Douglas were getting a bit old.
Apparently Cohen has mixed feelings on how his script translated into the finished product. That is his right, but really this is a strong film and really deserves much more acclaim than it generally gets. Not perfect, but still a darn good film with two wonderful leading men.
