And his grievous illness in recent years, which has taken away his ability to eat, drink and speak, has not only turned him into a heroic figure of American letters but has also enriched and deepened his writing. His broad historical perspective, his literate and witty style, his knowledge of literature and other arts, his passion for social justice, and his refusal to talk down to his readers contribute to work that stands the test of time. His reviews hold up remarkably well, providing thoughtful commentaries on a staggering variety of films. Over the years I became somewhat disillusioned by Ebert's TV incarnation as a glib huckster judging movies (alongside acerbic partner Gene Siskel) with his thumbs.īut I have rediscovered Ebert through his voluminous website and book collections. I was not disappointed, because Ebert consistently turned out sharp, lively, knowledgeable prose suffused with an adventurous love of both foreign and American films, past and present. This was a time when the old guard was still largely in control of the field, typified by the supremely clueless Bosley Crowther of the New York Times.

I remember how excited I was in 1967 when, as a budding film scholar in Wisconsin, I learned that the Chicago Sun-Times had hired a hip young film buff - one of us - as its daily reviewer. But occasionally a reviewer comes along who manages to transcend those limitations and produce work that lasts. The reviewer must also realize at some point that he or she has spent most of life indoors watching simulations of other people actually living. This problem is exacerbated by the generally awful run of movies these days and the overall decline of film culture. There comes a time in the life of every film reviewer when he or she asks, as Sean Connery does of Michael Caine in 'The Man Who Would Be King,' 'Have our lives been misspent?' The many constraints on film reviewers, from not being able to discuss the ending to being forced to waste much of a review telling the plot, enforce a certain shallowness. By Roger Ebert (Grand Central 436 pages $27.99)

Roger ebert life itself book