The Love Machine (novel)
| Company type | Publishing company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
| Products | Books |
The Love Machine represents Jacqueline Susann's second literary work, following the immense success of her debut novel, Valley of the Dolls (1966). Released in 1969 by Simon & Schuster, it quickly ascended to the top position on the New York Times bestseller list.
Plot summary
The narrative of The Love Machine revolves around Robin Stone, a driven and psychologically complex individual operating within the cutthroat world of 1960s network television. Known as the Love Machine due to his numerous romantic entanglements and his own characterization of television as such, Robin finds himself the object of affection from three women: Amanda, a fashion model facing tragic circumstances; Maggie, a resolute journalist seeking freedom from a stifling marriage; and Judith, the aging spouse of network founder Gregory Austin.
Robin’s professional ascent and subsequent decline are intertwined with an ensemble cast including Christie Lane, a brash yet fragile television personality; Ethel Evans, an athletic admirer unable to capture his heart; Danton Miller, a nervous executive at the network; Jerry, a curious advertising agent; Sergio, caretaker to Robin’s ill mother Kitty; Lisa, Robin's wary sister; Ike Ryan, a perplexed producer; Dip Nelson, a devoted producer confronted with adversity; Alfie Knight, a manipulative actor; Cliff Davies, a suspicious network attorney; among others ranging from actors to psychotherapists. A key moment involving an encounter with a prostitute compels Robin to face his past and contemplate his future.
Background
The title alludes simultaneously to Robin Stone himself and to the television set. Susann remarked: "The title has a dual meaning... the man is like a machine and so is the television box, a machine selling the love of the actors and love of the sponsors."
Robin Stone’s character is believed to be inspired by James T. Aubrey, former president of CBS and nicknamed the "smiling cobra." Aubrey reportedly urged Susann to depict him as "a real son of a bitch."
Among Susann’s works, The Love Machine is distinctive for focusing on a male lead and was conceived as her "attempt to get inside of men's ids." It also remains her sole novel concluding with an apparently optimistic ending.
Susann dedicated this novel to Carol Bjorkman, a Women's Wear Daily columnist and close friend who passed away from leukemia in 1967.
Reception
The critical response to The Love Machine was varied but generally more favorable than that for Valley of the Dolls. Christopher Lehmann-Haupt from The New York Times characterized it as "popcorn... the kernel of an idea, the seed of an inspiration, exploded into bite-sized nothingness," whereas Nora Ephron praised it as "a far better book than 'Valley' — better written, better plotted, better structured." Despite mixed critiques, the book remained on the Times bestseller chart for 32 weeks, including 13 weeks at number one. It ranked as the third best-selling novel in 1969 behind Philip Roth's Portnoy's Complaint and Mario Puzo's The Godfather.
Film adaptation
Columbia Pictures secured film rights for an unprecedented $1.5 million. The movie premiered in August 1971 with executive production by Susann’s husband, Irving Mansfield, direction by Jack Haley Jr., and starring Dyan Cannon, Robert Ryan, and John Phillip Law portraying Robin Stone. Brian Kelly was initially cast as Robin Stone and considered ideal for the role but was replaced following a motorcycle accident; Law wore costumes tailored for Kelly, leading to noticeable fitting issues.
The film’s soundtrack featured two original songs performed by Dionne Warwick and released through Scepter Records. Susann appeared briefly in a cameo role as a television newscaster.
Similar to Valley of the Dolls, this adaptation was met with negative reviews and additionally failed commercially at the box office.