Broken 'Hart'

Gregory Hoblit knows the score. The director -- who gave Edward Norton his break in 1996's Primal Fear -- was surprised when the actor passed on the title role in Hart's War, which went to Colin Farrell. ''Edward was very interested in a Tommy Hart-driven movie but not in [having] other roles elevated to be more complex...and I was,'' says Hoblit. War screenwriter Billy Ray (Volcano) is less diplomatic: ''Bruce [Willis] became attached, and then Ed got shaky,'' he says. ''Greg deserved better. He made Ed.'' Norton's agent, Brian Swardstrom, disagrees: ''Ridiculous! Edward was never committed. It was always pending a costar and a script. As much as he wanted to work with Greg, he made a commitment...that he would never sign on before they had a finished script.'' Hoblit takes the squabble in stride: ''I've come, in this business, to have no expectation about people's manners. It's better to get on with it.''