Before James Toback's screenplay for "The Gambler" (1974) was accepted by the studio, he had met Robert De Niro on the suggestion of his friend, Lucy Saroyan who said that "De Niro was a genius & the only actor on earth who was going to be as great as Marlon Brando". Immediately, Toback set up a meeting with him & both of their visions matched the character. De Niro started to become the character after reading the script in real life by dressing and having the same haircut. He started to mimic most of the writer's characteristics.
After Karel Reisz agreed to direct the movie, Toback made changes to the screenplay, which he said made it a "Widely expanded and deepened movie". Reisz interviewed Richard Dreyfus and Chris Sarandon and others for the lead role, but inexplicably resisted meeting De Niro. Finally, he agreed to meet De Niro after relentless pressure but insisted that Toback should not come for the dinner meet. Toback spoke to De Niro, who told Toback to call him after speaking with Reisz after the meeting.
Reisz called Toback and firmly said, âJim, I want to make your movie. And I want you â I need you â to be with me every day until the end. In fact, I canât make this movie without you. But if you are going to insist on my using De Niro I will not make the movie.â
Toback, who was stunned, replied, âHeâs the guy! How can you not see that?â
Reisz said, "Iâm sorry. I wonât discuss it. Heâs simply wrong for the part. He has the wrong temperament."
While Toback kept on pressuring, Reisz harshly said, "If you continue trying to persuade me, Iâll have to resign from the movie tomorrow. We can talk about anything else. I will not talk about him."
Toback told De Niro what had occurred. An agitated De Niro replied, "Jim, the guy didnât even let me read. Youâve gotta get him to let me read.â
De Niro kept pressuring Toback and asked him to insist that he the movie won't work well without De Niro & to inform Reisz that Toback won't work on the movie if De Niro isn't allowed to read for the part. He felt that Reisz was just bluffing about quitting the movie.
Finally, De Niro said, "Iâll tell you something else. The changes you made are all wrong. He got you to turn a great script into something not nearly as good."
("James Toback On 'The Gambler' Remake: âNot Possible⊠Rudeness And Disrespectâ", Nikki Finke, Deadline, 2011)
P.S: Remembering the great Czech born British filmmaker, Karel Reisz, on his 100th birthday!