 Robert Redford (I) (qv) was originally involved with this film.  After writer David Mamet (qv) delivered his draft, Redford was  uncomfortable with the main character and hired another writer to do  another draft, and so on until Redford decided he didnt want to do  the film. He was uncomfortable because he did not want to play an  alcoholic. Sidney Lumet (qv) was offered the project. He read all  the drafts and identified the original Mamet version as the one to  make. At that point, Paul Newman (I) (qv) agreed to star.