 The movie is a reworking of Schulberg, Budd (qv)s 1941 novel  "What Makes Sammy Run?". In the novel an older writer (Al Manheim)  observes as Sammy Glick rises through the ranks of New York  journalism and the Old Hollywood studio system. In the movie Al  Manheim was replaced by Jim McAllister and Sammy Glick by Tracy  Flick.