Critics Choice

Jews who
make the
movies, Jews
in the movies
and movies
in general are
the subjects
of these
nationally
watched
critics.

ALICE BURDICK SCHWEIGER

SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

Gene Siskel is seen by millions.

T

hey see an average
of five movies a
week, 52 weeks a
year. They are con-
sidered prominent authori-
ties on the motion picture
industry and their opin-
ions are quoted in newspa-
pers all across the country.
They are film critics Joel
Siegel and Gene Siskel,
and their reviews can
affect ticket sales at the
box office.
Aware that they have
the power to make or
break a movie, Mr. Siegel,
whose reviews can be seen
on "Good Morning
America," and Mr. Siskel,
half of the weekly syndi-
cated television show
"Siskel and Ebert" and
read in the Chicago
Tribune, take their jobs
very seriously.
"I realize that critics can
have a negative effect on a
movie, and that's why I try
and err on the soft side,"
said Mr. Siegel, who has
been critiquing movies on
"Good Morning America"
for 12 years. "The movie
Sliver, for example, did not
do well at the box office
because it received univer-
sally bad reviews.
"But critics also have
the power to take a small
film and give it life. If The
Crying Game, Howards
End and Enchanted April
had not received rave

reviews, they would not
have been as successful."
Mr. Siskel, whose show
is seen on more than 200
television stations with an
estimated viewer audience
of 8 million, is also well
aware of his powerful posi-
tion. "Roger (Ebert) and I
are constantly being told
that we have a tremen-
dous influence at the box
office," says the tall, slen-
der critic whose ratings
trademark is "thumbs up"
or "thumbs down."
According to the critics,
movie making is not a sci-
ence, it is an art, and
therefore what makes a
great movie is subjective.
"A movie can be great
because of the content, act-
ing, directing, powerful
social impact or the way it
can change the making of
a motion picture," said Mr.
Siegel, who considers
Citizen Kane to be one of
the greatest movies ever
made. "If I see a film I
don't like, I ask myself
why and what went
wrong?"
The days when movies
were black and white and
four-letter words were
never a part of the dia-
logue are long gone.
Today, simplistic stories,
explicit sex, violence and
profanity are commonplace
on the big screen. Mr.
Siegel and Mr. Siskel say

videotapes, filmmakers try
it is because audiences
to be consistent. "They
have different expectations
know that you can rent a
than they did in the 1930s,
movie and freeze frame,
'40s and '50s, and they
and notice everything that
blame it on television.
is wrong or different."
"There is no question
Are there any rules in
that television has
making a film? "Sure," Mr.
changed movie audiences,"
Siegel smiled. "Never put
said Mr. Siskel, who is 47.
a movie in your movie that
"I think we are willing to
is better than the one you
settle for less because tele-
are making! If you see a
vision trains us to settle
character watching a
for very little. We are liv-
movie that looks more
ing in a post-literate soci-
interesting than the one
ety with people reading
you just paid to see, you
less, - and it's reflected in
will want to see that one
the writing — I think
instead.
movies start off with very
Not surprisingly„ Mr.
small ambitions these
Siegel and Mr. Siskel have
days.
similar all-time favorite
"One of the reasons that
movies and directors,
The Crying Game caused
Casablanca, Citizen Kane
such a stir was that it was
and Annie Hall are high
more complicated than
on their lists, and they are
most American movies. It
ardent fans of legendary
presented challenges to
directors Martin Scorsese,
the viewer, and I think the
Woody Allen, Stanley
general audience em-
Kubrick and Steven
braced that."
Spielberg.
Another mistake, he
As Jews Mr. Siskel and
said, is providing a happy
Mr. Siegel both pay atten-
Hollywood ending when it
tion to how Jews are por-
is not fitting. "While there
trayed in movies — and
are many films where a
they are both disappoint-
happy ending is legiti-
ed.
mate, often it isn't neces-
"For a long time there
sary," he said.
weren't any Jews in
While movies are techni-
movies," Mr. Siegel point-
cally much better, with
more dazzling, high-
tech special effects, Mr.
Siegel believes they are
not a replacement for a
good, old-fashioned
story.
Although more atten-
tion is paid to detail
than ever before, Mr.
Siegel stresses that it
does not necessarily
make for a better
movie.
"If you watch an old
Charlie Chaplin movie,
you will see the set has
changed from scene to
scene," he pointed out.
"There will be a picture
on the wall and then in Joel Siegel can make or break a film.
the next scene it will be
gone. A character will
ed out. "It was because the
be wearing a light blue tie
studios were run by Jews
in one scene, and a navy
who didn't want anyone to
one in the next. People
know they were Jewish —
would ask Chaplin about
to the extent that Louis B.
it, and he would answer:
Mayer, Warner Brothers
`If the audience is looking
and MGM kept doing busi-
at that, they are in a lot of
ness with Nazi Germany
trouble.' "
until Pearl Harbor Day.
Nowadays, with motion
pictures available on
CRITICS page 80

