Tony Mastroianni Review Collection
Making good can be problem
Cleveland Press March 30, 1971
It's always nice to run into an ex-newspaperman who has made good.
Jack Brodsky is a one time New York Times writer who quit this business in 1956. He has just made his debut as a movie producer. Making good for an ex-newspaperman sometimes takes time.
Brodsky is the producer of "Little Murders," a movie starring Elliott Gould, which opens in Cleveland theaters tomorrow. Gould and Brodsky were partners and they were still partners a few weeks ago when filming of "Glimpse of a Tiger," also starring Gould, began.
Today they are no longer partners. Plans for "Tiger" have been shelved.
Gould has been quoted in the trade papers as saying 'Nobody believed in me," after reports that during the four days of filming there were arguments between him and the director.
BRODSKY WAS in Cleveland yesterday to promote "Little Murders." It was obvious he would rather talk about that than the defunct partnership.
"What happened?" He puzzled for a moment. "I'd like to know. When we came down to the shooting he had different ideas. Everything just came apart. We've since dissolved the partnership.
"It's a very painful experience. I'd rather not talk about it."
Making good for an ex-newspaperman can be a problem.
Brodsky, who did movie publicity after his stint at the Times, is a producer who believes in economy.
"THERE'S NO reason for high costs," he said.
"No one is more responsible for high costs than the producers. They've allowed exorbitant costs because they got their fee anyway and it didn't matter to them. There's a new breed of filmmakers today and they are more responsible.
"'Little Murders' won't be a big grosser," he continued. "But we only spent a little more than $1 million so it will make money.
"If you spend $12 million on a movie just in hopes of breaking even you re better off leaving the money in the bank.
"Little Murders" was directed by actor Alan Arkin, his first movie as a director.
