Curtis Hanson made his directing breakthrough with the 1997 movie L.A. Confidential, a "dazzling adaptation," according to Entertainment Weekly's Lisa Schwarzbaum, of James Ellroy's novel. Among numerous awards heaped upon the film, Hanson shared an Academy Award with cowriter Brian Helgeland for L.A. Confidential, and was nominated for an Oscar for his direction.

While Hanson had finally arrived, his road to Hollywood fame and power was a long one: his directorial debut had occurred a quarter-century earlier with The Arousers, the story of a psychopath that starred Tab Hunter. Hanson went on to serve an apprenticeship by directing films such as The Bedroom Window and Bad Influence, both influenced by the work of director Alfred Hitchcock. With The Hand That Rocks the Cradle and The River Wild, which featured such major stars as Meryl Streep, Hanson's star began to rise. Then came L.A. Confidential, a...