A near two-hour discussion of the life and work
of Sidney Lumet by Sidney Lumet. It is just him talking to the camera about
a variety of films and subjects that were important to him a few years before
his death in 2011. Perhaps there was an interviewer, but if so that side
of the discussion was edited out. Thankfully. How often do we find the interviewer
more irritating than elucidating. Lumet was over 80-years old at the time
but in full command of his facilities and seemingly pleased to have the opportunity
to talk. His final film had been the 2007 Before the Devil Knows You're Dead,
Film clips are included.
From his debut in 12 Angry Men (1957), Lumet
was one of the top American directors for decades - the 60s and 70s being
a particularly fruitful period with The Pawnbroker, Fail Safe, The Hill,
Serpico, Murder on the Orient Express, Dog Day Afternoon and Network among
them. He considered himself a lefty urban filmmaker - brought up poor and
Jewish in New York City, many of his films were about seeking justice and
individuals willing to go against the system. His father had been an actor
in Yiddish theater in the city and he was to join him on the stage at a young
age. Later he directed his father. He first broke through as a director in
television and was associated with dozens of films in one job or another.
I just discovered that he was the director of Hans Brinker and the Silver
Skates - a favorite as a child. Henry Fonda was putting together the film
of 12 Angry Men and he had seen a Lumet directed play and said ok when he
was suggested. What a cast for your first film though he had worked with
most of them in TV.
He talks about growing up, his father, the
blacklist which almost got him and focuses on a few particular films - 12
Angry Men, Fail Safe, Long Day's Journey into Night, The Pawnbroker, The
Hill, Network, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, The Wiz, Prince of the City, The
Verdict, Daniel and Running on Empty, but not much after that other than
his final film. There are a lot of his films I have never seen and
the big ones years ago. Fail Safe was probably the most recently seen. Films
like The Pawnbroker, The Group, Equus which had been much talked about when
released are generally forgotten now - others like The Anderson Tapes, Wiz
and Death Trap feel like attempts at being commercial - but 12 Angry Men,
Fail Safe, Network and Serpico will always be gut punches.
