When it was announced earlier this year that filmmaker Quentin Tarantino’s final feature would be titled “The Movie Critic,” most of those working as critics speculated the title character would be (or be based upon) Pauline Kael, something Mr. Tarantino has yet to confirm or deny.
This led many not working in this particular niche field to ask: “Who exactly is Pauline Kael?”
From 1952 through her retirement in 1991, Kael established herself as the most visible, outspoken, revered, reviled, and influential movie critic of all time.
In the documentary “What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael” (“What She Said”), writer-producer-director-editor Rob Garver presents a surprisingly balanced and unbiased overview of Kael’s life and career, something few biodocs get near to achieving. It is clear that Mr. Garver is among the many fans of Kael’s work, yet he isn’t shy when shining a light on her often bristly demeanor and practices.
‘Slimelight’
Kael received her first assignment literally by accident when Lawrence Ferlighetti, the publisher of City Lights magazine, listened in on a conversation between her and others who had just seen Charlie Chaplin’s “Limelight,” which she coined “Slimelight.” Mr. Ferlighetti suggested she should do reviews for him (for free). She obliged and quickly established a fan base.This eventually led to radio reviews of movies that also didn’t pay, and ultimately to the publishing of “I Lost It at the Movies,” her first collection of reviews. This caught the attention of McCall’s, a now-defunct magazine that catered mostly to white-bread suburban housewives.
‘Bonnie & Clyde’
Kael’s brief tenure with The New Republic was rife with tumult as the editors regularly changed her copy without consulting her, and flat-out refused to publish her gushing essay-length review of “Bonnie & Clyde,” a movie that was mostly panned by other critics when first released.The debacles at McCall’s and The New Republic took their toll on Kael, who was ready to throw in the towel; however, after reading her “Bonnie & Clyde” draft, editor William Shawn of The New Yorker ran it in full, beginning an often testy 24-year professional relationship.
“What She Said” is at its most effective when Mr. Garver presents examples, both positive and negative, of Kael’s influence, clout, and industry pull.
The New Wave
Kael’s career at The New Yorker began at the same time the “American New Wave” started. The Hollywood “Golden Age” was kaput and was replaced by upstart filmmakers who were not interested in making traditional “cookie-cutter” products.Most critics cite “Bonnie & Clyde” as the first “New Wave” movie, and Kael was as responsible for what was produced and released for the following 15 years as the filmmakers she championed and heralded.
Her reviews of Martin Scorsese’s “Mean Streets” and Steven Spielberg’s “Sugarland Express” jump-started both men’s careers. Many believe her “preview” review of Robert Altman’s “Nashville” months before it opened forced the releasing studio (Paramount) not to change what it felt to be a downbeat ending.
Kael was also a strong supporter of Sam Peckinpah and, in particular, Brian De Palma, whom she defended against others that labeled him as an Alfred Hitchcock wannabe. In my opinion, her review of Mr. De Palma’s “The Fury” is one of the greatest of its kind ever written.
The Paulettes
At one point in her career, Kael attempted, with considerable success, to draft other critics (all of them male) to “back” movies she liked, regardless of their own opinions of said movies.Kael’s attempts to coerce her contemporaries into changing or altering their opinion to line up with hers are, in my opinion, highly unprofessional and unethical. The whole point of criticism is to form your own opinion, not being pressured into lockstep groupthink. I credit Mr. Garver for including this passage in his movie.
I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that Kael has had an influence on my own work, but not in the way one might think. I don’t try to “copy” her style, but I do try to reflect her approach to criticism, which I interpret to be: View with your head, feel with your heart, and speak from your soul--also, don’t confuse plot summation with criticism; they’re not even close to being the same thing, and if you practice the former, you’re a faker and a poser. I learned not to go easy on a review because of fear of being sanctioned, ignored, or disinvited to screenings by studios. For me, Kael’s most profound statement included here is: “Without critics, everything else is advertising.”
A note to loyal followers of Mr. Tarantino: Although “What She Said” is available on multiple streaming services, it is recommended that you rent or purchase the movie on home video. The “bonus” section includes outtakes of Mr. Tarantino’s interviews which deliver morsels of what might eventually be included in “The Movie Critic.”
