Mistress

Mistress is a 1992 American comedy-drama film directed by Barry Primus in his directorial debut, written by Primus and J. F. Lawton, and starring Robert De Niro, Danny Aiello, Eli Wallach, Robert Wuhl and Martin Landau. Plot A down-and-out Hollywood screenwriter and director named Marvin Landisman is working on cheaply-made instructional videos when his years-old script is read by Jack Roth, a has-been producer who offers to help Marvin find investors for his movie. Three men willing to put up the money are found — the ruthless businessman Evan, the disturbed war veteran Carmine and the eccentric millionaire George. But each has a mistress he insists be cast in the film in exchange for his financial backing. The women are the highly talented Beverly, the alcoholic flight attendant Patricia and the perky but talentless Peggy. Marvin repeatedly is asked to compromise his standards and change his script to accommodate these backers until the script becomes almost unrecognizable from its original form. The project also puts a strain on the marriage of Marvin and his long-patient wife Rachel.