Writer Tom Matthews, a former print journalist and Hollywood publicist, began writing the script for "Mad City" in 1993 with partner Eric Williams, around the time of the infamous Branch Davidian confrontation in Waco, Texas. "As the event dragged on for weeks and weeks and journalists were forced to come up with something new to report, the coverage moved beyond the facts into rampant delivery of rumor and speculation -- the things which used to be the bane of traditional journalism," he says.

"Live television, with its immediacy and its impact, is particularly potent. The technology enables anyone to stand before a live camera and address the entire world and we, as an audience, will listen. What do we really know about the person in front of that camera? Are they truly giving us nothing but the facts, or is there some other agenda coloring their story?

"In 'Mad City,' Brackett is able to position the story of Sam's standoff to turn a criminal into a hero. Despite the fact that people have been taken hostage, the television audience can relate to Sam's desperation and regret that the innocent have become involved. They love the entertainment value of having this story presented to them in an unexpected way, and they buy right into it. Of course, what's interesting is that there are several truths to every story, and we see, as this one unfolds, that the divisions between right and wrong are not as simple as they originally appeared to be."

Matthews' script found its way to Costa-Gavras, whose previous films had firmly established him as someone fascinated by the larger issues that beset people -- the struggle to live safely and securely in one's own culture without betraying one's personal beliefs and ideals. Gavras immediately recognized these themes in "Mad City."

"This film is about a relationship, a love story if you will, between two men from completely different backgrounds," he says. "Brackett is educated and aggressive; Sam, uneducated and insecure. Despite their differences, they are both suffering the indifference of the system that once employed them, which makes them joined in their emotions. They come together because of a quirk of fate and slowly begin to trust one another."

Once producer Arnold Kopelson heard that Tom Matthews' script was available, he states, "I knew that I had to produce this film. I was struck with the quality of the writing; the characters were extremely well drawn. For an intimate, character-driven piece set practically all at one location -- inside and outside a museum -- this aspect is essential. The relationship between Brackett and Baily was unique: two people from very different backgrounds drawn together and impacting each others' lives."

Kopelson continues, "Since seeing 'Z,' I've always admired the work of Costa-Gavras. Costa had already read the script and wanted to direct the film. He has taken on many social issues, and I greatly respect his perspective. The match between director and material seemed perfect."