 Dustin Hoffman (qv) was originally slated to play Frank Horrigan,  with Michael Apted (qv) directing. When David Puttnam (qv)  assumed the mantle of head of Columbia, he killed the project. This  is generally thought to be because of his noted animosity towards  Hoffman, after they had had a public falling out over the runaway  budget of the notorious flop _Ishtar (1987)_ (qv).