Robert Evans, the mercurial head of Paramount Pictures during the late 1960s and early 1970s, is widely recognised as one of the architects of the New Hollywood movement. His tenure was instrumental in producing a string of grand, gritty classics that defined the era, from *The Godfather* to *Chinatown*. However, Evans often cited *Love Story*, released in 1970, as his personal triumph. It is a fascinating paradox t…