Curtis Hanson wrote screenplays for a living during the 1970s, including 1978's Silent Partner. In the '80s he directed the moderately successful thrillers The Bedroom Window (1987) and Bad Influence (1990, starring Rob Lowe), and had a box office hit with The Hand That Rocks The Cradle (1992). His 1997 film, L. A. Confidential (starring Russell Crowe and James Cromwell), was a critical and popular success and earned 10 Oscar nominations. Hanson's other films include The River Wild (1994, with Meryl Streep), The Wonder Boys (2000, starring Michael Douglas) and 8 Mile (2002, starring Eminem and Kim Basinger).