when producer and screenwriter jay presson allen read robert daley's book, "prince of the city" (1978), she was convinced it was an ideal sidney lumet project, but the film rights had already been sold to orion pictures for brian de palma and david rabe. allen let it be known that if that deal should fall through, then she wanted the picture for lumet. just as lumet was about to sign for a different picture, they got the call that "prince of the city" was theirs.