The African Queen. On the Waterfront. The Bridge on the River Kwai. Lawrence of Arabia. Betrayal. Those prestige films—some Oscar winners—are part of the remarkable cinematic legacy of the late, independent film producer Sam Spiegel (1901-1985). Filmmakers Robert de Young and Stephen Wellink’s lively and entertaining documentary looks at Spiegel’s amazing filmography, the means and methods by which he made top-notch movies in a radically changing Hollywood, and the great directors he managed to employ (David Lean, John Huston, Elia Kazan, etc.). Spiegel’s somewhat murky background as the child of a Jewish family living in what is now an area of Poland is also explored, as is his time working in Berlin for Universal. The story of how someone told Spiegel in 1933 to walk to a train station and leave the country immediately is startling but understandable, given Hitler’s electoral success. Spiegel’s rise in Hollywood, his taste for strong stories and characters, and his working relationships with the likes of Orson Welles, Marlon Brando, and Joseph Losey, are the subjects of irresistible commentary by actors (Ben Kingsley, Janet Suzman) and various collaborators. Only glancingly noted is Spiegel’s reputation as a sexual predator of young women in the industry, a pattern that seriously darkens what should have been a magnificent career. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)
Sam Spiegel: Conquering Hollywood
(2019) 60 min. DVD: $99: public libraries; $295 w/PPR: colleges & universities. Seventh Art Releasing. Volume 34, Issue 5
Sam Spiegel: Conquering Hollywood
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