As one of the highest-paid and most notorious writers in 1990s Hollywood, Eszterhas has become that rare modern screenwriter who can lay claim to auteur status. He has been less important for his talent--which some reviewers have deemed dubious--than for his stature as a star writer in an industry that dotes on high-profile actors and directors. Eszterhas' plots tend to turn on themes of love and betrayal. Though he seemed to court controversy with his subjects, his business dealings and his personal life (see "Notes & Quotes"), Eszterhas was very much part of the industry mainstream, working
