Pauline Kael (1919–2001) was undoubtedly one of the greatest names in film criticism. A Californian native, she wrote her first review in 1953 and joined ‘The New Yorker’ in 1968. Praised for her highly opinionated and feisty writing style and criticised for her subjective and sometimes ruthless reviews, Kael’s writing was refreshingly and intensely rooted in her experience of watching a film as a member of the audience. Loved and hated in equal measure – loved by other critics for whom she was immensely influential, and hated by filmmakers whose films she trashed - Kael destroyed films that have since become classics such as The Sound of Music and raved about others such as Bonnie and Clyde. She was also aware of the perennial difficulties for women working in the movies and in film criticism, and fiercely fought sexism, both in her reviews and in her media appearances.
Credits
What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael Cast
| Name |
Character |
|
Quentin Tarantino
He was 55, now 61 years old
|
as Himself |
|
Francis Ford Coppola
He was 79, now 85 years old
|
as Himself |
|
George Malko
|
as Himself |
|
Paul Schrader
He was 72, now 78 years old
|
as Himself |
|
Alec Baldwin
He was 60, now 66 years old
|
as Himself |
|
Sarah Jessica Parker
She was 53, now 59 years old
|
as Pauline's Voice Over |
|
Pauline Kael
She was 99, 82 years old when she died
|
as Herself (archive footage) |
|
John Boorman
He was 85, now 91 years old
|
as Himself |
|
Robert Towne
He was 83, now 90 years old
|
as Himself |
|
John Guare
He was 80, now 86 years old
|
as Himself |
|
David O. Russell
He was 60, now 66 years old
|
as Himself |
|
Camille Paglia
She was 71, now 77 years old
|
as Herself |
|
Carol Baum
She was 117, now 123 years old
|
as Herself |
|
Marcia Nasatir
She was 92, now 98 years old
|
as Herself |
|
Molly Haskell
She was 79, now 85 years old
|
as Herself |
|
Tom Pollock
He was 75, now 81 years old
|
as Himself |
|
David V. Picker
He was 87, 87 years old when he died
|
as Himself |
|
Christopher Durang
He was 69, now 75 years old
|
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What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael Crew
