IDENTITY CRISIS

The interview with writer-director Cameron Crowe about “Jerry Maguire” overlooked, I believe, an important aspect of any agent’s existence (“Fast Times, Indeed,” by Steve Hochman, Dec. 22). That is, that an agent’s importance as an individual is vicarious.

When an agent is introduced at a gathering, the first question is, invariably, “Oh? Who do you represent?” If an agent loses his or her clients or the attractiveness of the clients is diminished for some reason, many fewer of the agent’s phone calls are returned. When, in the movie, Jerry Maguire loses his clients, he loses his reason for being, and even the love of a good woman can’t change that. He regains it, not because of anything he does, but because of his one desperately retained client’s talent and courage.

Because vicarious satisfaction is frequently (financial consideration aside) no satisfaction, many successful agents yearn for success in other ways. Michael Ovitz, the cynosure of so many journalistic eyes recently, was described, while still an agent, as “the most powerful man in Hollywood.” He wasn’t and he knew it. Which is not to say he didn’t command great respect, but primarily by virtue of the sought-after talent his agency represented.

“Jerry Maguire” nicely illustrates, I think, why Mr. Ovitz may have taken the chance he did to prove himself more than the reflected value of his clients.

SAMUEL L. GELFMAN

Los Angeles