With the lack of varied roles and type-casting, along with the disappointing release of his directorial debut, James Caan began to feel frustrated by the film industry. After "Hide in Plain Sight," which reinforced his view that money, not quality, drove the industry, Caan starred in Neil Simon's 1979 movie "Chapter Two." But the marketing pushed Caan aside and put the spotlight on his co-star instead — Marsha Mason. He felt betrayed by producer Ray Stark and Simon, whom he felt underestimated his intelligence.
Caan was vocal about the directors he didn't like. He and Alan J. Pakula, who directed him in "Comes a Horseman," didn't mesh well together, and Caan compared the filmmaking experience to prison, per Rolling Stone. He even walked off the set of another movie, "The Holcroft Covenant," and was replaced by Michael Caine, per the New York Times.
Caan was also frustrated by the volatility of the industry and his ever-changing public image. Speaking to the Rolling Stone in 1981, Caan said he acted for respect and satisfaction, and not happiness. Yet, each time he re-established his name through good work, he ended up on a tabloid, only to tarnish his progress.
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