Maura Spiegel's book, Sidney Lumet, provides wonderful insight on the life and work of the man who was raised in the theater and spent his life telling stories via stage and screen.

Born as the son of a struggling actor, Sidney started as a young boy surpassing what his father could only wish to achieve. He grew up on the stages of New York City which remained his home throughout his life and where he chose to make most of his films. His heart and soul were part of the grit of that city and evident in much of his work such as "The Pawnbroker", "Serpico", "Network", "Dog Day Afternoon", "Long Day's Journey Into Night" and "12 Angry Men." He liked to tell stories that revealed something about society rather than just retelling old news. This, in part, was what made him one of the most important filmmakers of our time.

This is not a book that gets lost in such details as aspect ratios, why certain film stock or lens were used, or how bigger and better special effects were incorporated. That would be boring. A piece of such workings were mentioned here and there but only enough to provide a little insight in how Sidney worked and a little of what helped to set him above so many others. It's not a film school text. It is a biography on the man, his works, his loves, and his life.

Sidney was a man who loved family and people as much as he loved his art. We are treated to an insider's view of his life with ex-wives Rita Gam, Gloria Vanderbilt, Gail Jones and then his final wife, Mary Gimbel. Don't go looking for dirt though because there's not much there, especially considering that he seemed to remain on quite good terms with all of his exes throughout his life. Gee, what a guy! That sort of tells you what a special man he was and why he was so well loved. That special relationship quality apparently worked its charm on his actors also. He understood that it was essential to make them feel confident and supported in order to get the best work out of them.

This book delves into those sorts of stories. A man with an amazing body of work who had also led a rich, personal life. A man who will live on in the archives of the Silver Screen and within the hearts and minds of those of us who love a good film that stays with us long after the lights go out.


Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the eBook for a fair and honest review.

I can't get enough of learning about Sidney Lumet and why his films were so compelling. This is an extremely well researched biography in that Spiegel had access to unpublished memoirs not only by Sidney himself, but also from Baruch, his father, who was responsible for his lifelong immersion in the world of theater, beginning with the Yiddish Theater of the Lower East Side from the time he was four. His liberal viewpoints were honed at an early age, and as the material moved into the more familiar territory of film, his attention to detail became most apparent.