Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)"The Operator" makes for compelling reading. King has done a tremendous job of capturing a frightening time in Hollywood, and showing readers what made it so frightening. This book is not just about Geffen but about all the lives he touched, helped and often ruined. Some of the icons of the 80s and 90s figure powerfully into this story--The Eagles, Neil Young, Michael Eisner, Spielberg, Katzenberg and Nirvana.
King's portrait of a man who was not afraid to burn bridges, betray his mentors, and ingratiate himself with people he loathed is a classic tale of the lonely but powerful maverick who has great skills but also severe character flaws. The tragedy of Geffen is that there is much to admire in this man, but it is impossible to overlook the pain he caused so many people who were apparently loyal to him.
The book is balanced; I understand why Geffen is upset by the book but I think an objective reader comes away with equal measures of fear and respect for the man. In a sense I think King has done Geffen a favor by allowing readers a glimpse of the human component behind the wealth and power. There is no excuse for some of the things Geffen has done, but there is a reason: without psychoanalyzing Geffen, King manages to infer a climate, and provide contour to this man's psyche, that would permit a successful man to behave, at times, with such impunity and disregard for the well being of others. The question at the core of this existential puzzle is: Why would a self-made man with everything do more harm than good? In this book Spielberg is portrayed as a man at the opposite end of the spectrum: a man who is grateful for his success, indebted to the people who helped him achieve it, satisfied with the money he has made, and eager to give something in return.
The richer Geffen became, the more good he did, but it is confounding that he hurt so many people in the process, not because they offended him personally but because they sought to be as good at dealmaking as he was. Geffen's most disturbing trait as relayed in this book is his willingness to sabotage the careers of others by manufacturing toxic and unfounded rumors. What is touching is that Geffen seems at points to realize that his best traits are undermined by his worst traits--greed and a vengeful spirit--but seems at a loss to change his behavior. There is a move towards redemption in the final portion of this book, but it is hard to gauge its sincerity.
King is a spectacular journalist and I hope he writes more biographies. My only criticisms are that 1) the last fifth of this long book is the weakest portion, not owing to King's prose but simply to the fact that that Geffen's life became less interesting after he sold Geffen, and 2) the book feels as if large sections of the manuscript were omitted, perhaps for legal or length reasons. I would love to see what King left on the cutting room floor.
The story of David Geffen is not yet finished and, like Michael Milken, his third act could be a spectacular feat of personal redemption. I think this book sits alongside "Wired," "Outrageous Conduct" and "High Concept" as a truly important book about a watershed but ultimately frightening period for Hollywood.
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