Roger Ebert: Sidney Lumet in Memory

[mucifer]

Sidney Lumet was one of the finest craftsmen and warmest humanitarians among all film directors. He was not only a great artist but a much-loved man. When the news of his death at 86 arrived on Saturday, it came as a shock, because he had continued so long to be so productive.

Of his final film, "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" (2007), I wrote: "This is a movie, I promise you, that grabs you and won't let you think of anything else. It's wonderful when a director like Lumet wins a Lifetime Achievement Oscar at 80, and three years later makes one of his greatest achievements." Like many of his films, it went on my list of the year's ten best.

Although he was not as widely known to the general public as directors like Scorsese, Spielberg, Eastwood and Spike Lee, his films were at the center of our collective memories. To name only a few of their titles is to suggest the measure of his gift:


"Network." "Dog Day Afternoon." "12 Angry Men." "Serpico." "Prince of the City." "The Pawnbroker." "Fail-Safe." "Long Day's Journey into Night." "The Verdict."
more at:
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110409/FEATURED/110409988

[eilen]

1. Wow, I was just queing Network on Netflix

then heard about this...

I love his movies.

It seems like he had a good life-- able to create and do the work he loved, was good to others, and had many friends and strangers who admired him.