Title: Ego, Dollars, and Art
Product review: Steven Bach's FINAL CUT about Michael Cimino's ego run amok and the consequent dismantling of United Artists has long been considered the great insider's tale of Hollywood's actual doings and follys. For both Bach and the reader, it is easy to see the perfect storm that surrounds giving Cimino free reign on "Heaven's Gate." Coming off of an Oscar for the "Deer Hunter," Cimino gets whatever he wants, does whatever he wants, and basically acts like the most conceited jerk of all time. No one seems to disagree with assessment. The conflicting opinions exist on what Bach and others could have done as management. Their every decision ends up wrong and United Artists uses the disaster to sell itself off to MGM, for a profit no less.
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