I’ve had the good fortune to work with Irwin Winkler on many pictures over the years, from the 70s up to the present, and he’s one of my most trusted and valued collaborators and friends. Irwin and his late producing partner Robert Chartoff started making movies at a very particular time: the period of transition from the old Hollywood to the age of the independent producers. That’s why this book is valuable on multiple levels—as a lively memoir with more than one amazing inside story, as a first-hand work of cinema history, and as the testament of a pivotal figure in American moviemaking.

“A candid, revealing memoir … Winkler explores the exigencies of conceiving, financing, casting, and shooting a movie as well as the incessant troubleshooting, placating of the intemperate or churlish, cajoling, pleading, negotiating, and always thinking fast on one's feet—not to mention promotion, securing distribution, and other responsibilities. … Any film buff would love to join Winkler for a long conversation over drinks and dinner. At their best, his recollections are as rich as his films are memorable.”
Kirkus Reviews

“Devoid of cynicism and full of relish, here’s a deftly written recollection of an eventful and happy life in a precarious and, frankly, insane business; a remarkably clear-eyed look behind the scenes of moviemakingand behind the schemes of getting movies made.”

“Illuminating … Drawing on work diaries, Winkler gives insight into the creation of Raging Bull, The Right Stuff, the Rocky series, and Martin Scorsese’s forthcoming The Irishman, among many others. … Winkler’s recollections add up to a lively chronicle that will entertain film buffs and enlighten film students.”
Publishers Weekly