The Dustin Hoffman movie that was deleted from history: “It sure looked easy”
It can take years and years to make a film, with titles going through development hell as producers struggle to get the proper funding, hire the ideal director, and cast the perfect lead. This was the case for The Yellow Jersey, a movie that never saw the light of day, despite 12 years of trying.
Ralph Hurne’s novel of the same name was released in 1973, and when producer Gary Mehlman stumbled upon it, he knew it had real potential to be turned into a film. A story set against a backdrop of the Tour de France, the main character is an ageing professional who gets back on his bike when a younger hopeful requires his help. With a romantic subplot thrown in for good measure, Mehlman was ready to get the movie off the ground, but soon he would run into various challenges that would complicate its creation.
Who would play the lead? Various actors were suggested for the role, including Sylvester Stallone, but after years of studios picking up and then dropping the project, it was Dustin Hoffman who finally agreed.
Things had got off to a good start when Mehlman first made the deal back in the mid-1970s, telling the Los Angeles Times, “It sure looked easy then. I couldn’t believe it. I made a deal on Monday, and on Wednesday I was on the plane. I had money in my pocket, we had a writer and we were negotiating with a director. I was gone, gone!” By the time Hoffman was on board, things didn’t look very likely anymore.
Michael Cimino was lined up to direct, but in the years of development hell that The Yellow Jersey found itself in, his career underwent a rather drastic change as he helmed the Oscar-winning The Deer Hunter and then the widely panned Heaven’s Gate. Working with Cimino risked total failure on every front –Heaven’s Gate was truly a disaster – and in the end, it fell through.
During the years that Mehlman tried to get the movie made, he filmed the Tour de France numerous times, hoping to get footage that could be used. In fact, over $1 million was spent on this endeavour, but it inevitably crumbled into nothing.
In an interview with Sam Abt, Hoffman revealed his interest in preparing for the movie – he was really ready to embody this ageing cyclist. It seemed like he was treating the part like it was going to be the highlight of his career, a defining role with the potential to earn him endless accolades.
“The first thing I’ve got to do is to get a cycling coach. The book is about the last moment of your youth and I think that’s the way I feel now about myself. Actors say ‘If I’m going to die, let it be on stage.’ This guy says ‘If I’m going to die, let it be while trying to make this curve.’ I think I can relate to that,” he said.
Unfortunately, Mehlman continued to struggle to find the right director, and with that Hoffman left the project. Mehlman was without a leading star, again. It was no good, the movie faced such resistance that it seemed like it just wasn’t destined to be. And so it never was.
