Sidney Lumet was one of the great American filmmakers, earning his first of four Best Director Oscar nominations for his feature debut, 12 Angry Men (1957), and going on to helm such American classics as The Pawnbroker (1964), Serpico (1973), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), and Network (1976) in a career that spanned more than half a century. Made for the PBS showcase American Masters, director Nancy Buirski's profile lets Lumet speak for himself through extensive interviews conducted with the filmmaker in 2008 (he died in 2011), making connections between his life and his work that are illustrated with lengthy film clips from both his early days in the golden age of live television drama and from a diverse selection of feature films. Buirski organizes the material thematically rather than chronologically, exploring Lumet's interest in moral responsibility when faced with injustice or corruption (which he traces back to a personal experience where he failed to act with the courage of his convictions), family relationships, his engagement with New York City in film after film, and how his experience with the blacklist informed Daniel (1983) and Running on Empty (1988), two films that were very important to him. Lumet trained in the Actors Studio before becoming a director and the lengthy clips here help showcase his superb work with actors (he directed 18 Oscar-nominated performances). Overall, this is a fine documentary on the work of an American director too often overlooked in the company of more visually flamboyant filmmakers. Extras include additional interviews. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Axmaker)
By Sidney Lumet
(2015) 103 min. DVD: $19.99, Blu-ray: $29.95. FilmRise (avail. from most distributors). June 12, 2017
By Sidney Lumet
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