Pauline Kael

Pauline Kael
Rollins Maxwell · Public domain · source
Name	Pauline Kael
Birth date	June 19, 1919
Birth place	Petaluma, California
Death date	September 3, 2001
Death place	Great Barrington, Massachusetts
Occupation	Film critic
Nationality	American

Pauline Kael was a renowned American film critic who wrote for The New Yorker and was known for her influential and often provocative reviews of films such as The Godfather, Bonnie and Clyde, and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Her writing style, which blended intellectual analysis with personal opinion, was widely admired by critics and filmmakers, including Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese. Kael's critiques were often compared to those of other notable critics, such as Andrew Sarris and Stanley Kauffmann, and she was a key figure in the development of American film criticism, alongside institutions like the National Society of Film Critics and the American Film Institute. Her work was also influenced by the French New Wave and the Cahiers du Cinéma movement, which included critics like André Bazin and Jean-Luc Godard.

● Early Life and Education

Kael was born in Petaluma, California, and grew up on a farm in Sonoma County, California. She developed an interest in film at an early age, and was particularly influenced by the works of D.W. Griffith and Charlie Chaplin. Kael attended University of California, Berkeley, where she studied philosophy and literature, and was exposed to the works of William Shakespeare and Fyodor Dostoevsky. After college, she moved to New York City and began writing film reviews for The New Yorker, where she would eventually become a staff critic, alongside writers like Whitney Balliett and Hannah Arendt.

● Career

Kael's career as a film critic spanned over four decades, during which she wrote for various publications, including The New Yorker, The New Republic, and McCall's. She was known for her incisive and often contrarian reviews, which frequently challenged the opinions of other critics, such as Bosley Crowther and Vincent Canby. Kael's critiques were also influenced by her interest in film theory and the works of Sergei Eisenstein and Vsevolod Pudovkin. She was a key figure in the development of American film criticism, and her writing was widely admired by filmmakers, including Robert Altman and Brian De Palma.

● Writing Style and Criticism

Kael's writing style was characterized by her use of vivid language, personal anecdotes, and intellectual analysis. Her reviews often blended elements of film criticism, cultural commentary, and personal essay, and were influenced by the works of James Agee and Dwight Macdonald. Kael's critiques were also notable for their emphasis on the auteur theory, which held that a film's director was its primary author, and that their personal style and vision were evident in their work. This approach was influenced by the French New Wave and the Cahiers du Cinéma movement, which included critics like François Truffaut and Éric Rohmer.

● Notable Reviews and Controversies

Kael's reviews were often provocative and generated significant controversy, particularly her critiques of films like The Sound of Music and West Side Story. Her review of The Godfather was widely praised, and is still considered one of the greatest film reviews of all time, alongside the critiques of Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel. Kael's review of Bonnie and Clyde was also influential, and helped to establish the film as a classic of American cinema, alongside other films like The Graduate and Easy Rider. Her critiques were also influenced by her interest in film history and the works of Orson Welles and Alfred Hitchcock.

● Legacy and Influence

Kael's legacy as a film critic is still widely felt, and her writing continues to influence critics and filmmakers, including A.O. Scott and Manohla Dargis. Her emphasis on the auteur theory and her use of personal anecdotes and intellectual analysis have become hallmarks of American film criticism, and her reviews remain essential reading for anyone interested in film, alongside the critiques of Paul Schrader and Peter Bogdanovich. Kael's work has also been recognized by institutions like the National Film Registry and the Library of Congress, which have preserved many of her reviews and essays, alongside the works of James Baldwin and Susan Sontag.

● Personal Life

Kael's personal life was marked by her intense focus on her work, and her relationships with other writers and filmmakers, including Warren Beatty and Jack Nicholson. She was known for her strong opinions and her willingness to challenge the status quo, and her critiques were often influenced by her personal experiences and interests, including her love of jazz music and literary fiction. Kael's legacy extends beyond her writing, and she remains an important figure in American cultural history, alongside other notable critics and intellectuals, such as Susan Sontag and Norman Mailer. Category:American film critics