Sidney Lumet (1924-2011)

April 9, 2011The news is making its way around social networking sites that powerhouse director Sidney Lumet has passed away at the age of 86.Born in Philadelphia, Lumet was the son of an actor and a dancer who got his start on the stage at the age of 4. He spent his teens and his twenties as a stage actor, though in the early 1950s, he found his true calling as a director, starting with television shows and then moving to the stage before solidifying himself as a film director destined to be considered alongside the all-time greats.The first film he directed was 12 Angry Men in 1957, often hailed as one of the best films of all time and arguably the crowning achievement of Lumet's career. That being said, he certainly had! other massive critical successes which have become lauded classics including A View from the Bridge (1962), Long Day's Journey Into Night (1962), The Pawnbroker (1964), Serpico (1973), Murder on the Orient Express (1974), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), Prince of the City (1981), The Verdict (1982), Q & A (1990) and Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007). Those who don't think 12 Angry Men was Lumet's most important film would probably argue that 1976's Network might take the title.I sadly haven't seen enough of his movies, and I plan to remedy that soon. Like his admittedly uneven career, my collective opinion of his films I've seen is that they are quite inconsistent. I really like 12 Angry Men, but I don't think it's as good as its reputation. I found The Verdict to be pedestrian and predictable. The Wiz, Lumet's disasterous adaptation of The Wizard of Oz starring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson, is truly one of the worst films I've ever seen.That being said, I really l! ove Network, and think that it's as much a condemnation of our! present entertainment culture as it was of the culture that existed upon its release. Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, which Lumet made when he was 82 years old, is an underrated thriller. What's amazing is that Lumet wanted to do such a ruthlessly violent film about such unpleasant people at such a late stage in his career. He was always up to the task of imbuing his material with as much grit as necessary...at least that's what I hear about some of his films that I'm embarrassed to say that I haven't yet seen like Serpico and Dog Day Afternoon.Lumet's book "Making Movies" is said to be a must-read for anyone serious about studying film. I just happened to buy it at a used book shop a few months ago. I look forward to delving into it and into more classic films by one of the most respected directors in Hollywood history. Rest in peace.
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