When you're one of the greatest directors in film history, letting go of a project becomes a common occurrence. This was one of the challenges that Steven Spielberg faced when, after much deliberation, he had to set aside "Rain Man" in favor of another major project in the works. The 1988 movie starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise is regarded as one of the finest films in both of their careers — one to which Spielberg dedicated a considerable amount of time before passing it on to another filmmaker. While Barry Levinson was telling the story of Charlie Babbitt (Cruise) reuniting with his estranged and autistic brother, Raymond (Hoffman), Steven Spielberg was off on another whirlwind adventure with one of cinema's most beloved heroes, who this time was bringing his dad.

Chronicled in Brent Notbohm and Lester D. Friedman's "Steven Spielberg: Interviews, Revised and Updated," the Oscar-winning director explained why he had...