In Praise of a Real Man

If you are like me, the first thing you thought about when you read that the Chicago Sun-Times was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection was this: what would that mean for Roger Ebert? To be more specific, what would that mean for our ability to read Ebert from now on?

Last week, Matt Dillon and I presented our film Nothing But the Truth at his annual Ebertfest. The single loudest moment of applause came during the discussion session following the film when Roger promised that even if the Sun-Times went under, he would continue to write about film and whatever else he damn well pleased on his blog. If his throat cancer -- devastating and unforgiving -- has not been able to stop him, then nothing as petty as the collapse of one of the nation's stalwart journalistic enterprises was going to either.

Nothing But the Truth is a journalistic thriller that is set during the end of days for print media. In December of last year the film's distributor itself fell victim to the economic crisis and also had to declare Chapter 11. After a slew of the best reviews I have ever received as a writer/director and nominations from the Broadcast Critics for Best Actress (Kate Beckinsale) and Best Supporting Actress (Vera Farmiga), Nothing But the Truth never got an actual release. No poster was even printed. It was deader than Lenin.

All of that didn't sit well with Ebert, a man who loves movies and loves newspapers. He was very kind to the film, which he started to write about during the Toronto Film Festival. He decided to do what he could to get the movie seen. Next thing we knew, Nothing But the Truth was projected on the massive screen at the Virginia Theatre in Champaign/Urbana in advance of its DVD release. 1600 wildly enthusiastic movie lovers watched the film that night. If I have ever had greater professional satisfaction, I can't recall it.

Ebert introduced the film with the help of a computer generated voice that he calls Sir Laurence. It doesn't sound quite like Olivier to me, though. It was more like Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs or even HAL 9000. In any case, Ebert's speech was full of the same old wit and wisdom that he so affably spread when he was on television. The audience gave him a standing ovation. No surprise there.

During the film, he was responding as much as anybody, slapping his hand on the armrest when a laugh would normally register and clapping loudly during any exciting moment. (A La-Z-Boy recliner has been installed in the theater for his benefit.) He wasn't going to give up that thrill of cinema which is physically manifested by the audience.

This all registered with me with a special profoundness. I have followed his writing since I was a teenager. When I was 14, I sent him a letter asking for his ten best of all time list. He wrote me back. In longhand. That's a mensch for you (Citizen Kane was number one, I remember). He is the one critic who can convince me to see films that everybody else hates because he has a unique sense of finding hidden talent and hidden value. Whenever I have a film coming out, his is the one opinion I take personally. When he has given me a smack here and there I have deserved it. Before Ebertfest, I had met him only twice -- once, when he was a guest on my radio show (during my film critic days) and then when he briefly interviewed Joan Allen, Jeff Bridges, and me at the Toronto Film festival where we premiered a film called The Contender.

The hell that Ebert has gone through is unquestionable. And yet, he is more Ebert now than ever. He writes and he writes and he writes. Truthfully, his age alone (67) would have sent most people into retirement. But I think it is safe to say that Ebert is now writing more than ever before. There are his reviews. There are the Movie Answer Man columns. There is his occasional Great Movies column. There are his books -- he just put one out on the work of Scorcese. And then there are his blogs that run the gamut from God to politics (allow me now to point out how courageous Ebert's first partner in crime -- Gene Siskel -- was when he was battling cancer himself -- taping a show up until a week before he passed away).

Ebert now communicates by writing on a small pad. Matt Dillon and I were peppering him with questions. Matt wanted to know who his favorite directors were (I think I saw Hawks, Huston, and Keaton on the list), I asked him what movie has he never seen that everybody would have expected to have come under his gaze (The Sound of Music). I joked with him that his handwriting must have really improved over the past few years. His wife Chaz agreed with that one. She told me that in years past he had the penmanship of a doctor.

As I watched him write his answers -- and he did it with zeal and pleasure -- it struck me that his pen had become an IV to him. His lifeblood.

Much of Ebert's ability to fight on is due, no doubt, to his equally amazing wife. Chaz is a pretty brilliant woman in her own right. She has now become a loving extension of her husband -- her presence at Ebertfest was as distinct as Roger's.

Not long ago I was talking to my teenage kids about what it was that constituted a "real man." I'll tell you this -- you can look at all the masculine toughies you want -- the Ben Roethlisbergers, the Russell Crowes, the David Petraeuses -- but if you want to look at what a man should be -- persevering, honest, a person who manifests his intellect into action -- you need look no further than Roger Ebert.

Comments

[lovethesinner]

Roger Ebert is, himself, a classic. Loved this post, Rod. Thanks.

[xs10shl1]

Beautiful Tribute!
His Reviews knock me out each time I read one. Amazing writer.

[Leakman]

Mr. Ebert in my opinion is a real man. Going through adversity with grace and style. Never giving up and being the wonderful person that he is with a genuine love of motion pictures and the art. I have been a junkyard dog earlier in my life and through the years have learned, that outward toughness is not often a view of, what burns within the core of a soul.

[PartTimeHero]

NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH was top notch all the way. I was entertained all the way through, and it gave just enough of the based-on-a-true story vibe that afterward I wanted to research more on the Plame case. Everyone on both sides of the camera should be proud of their work in this film.

And thank you again for underlining how important of a person Roger Ebert is to the art of film. We all need a critic to tell us when we're weak, or when we're hitting it out of the park like you did with this film. Ebert's work and his legacy will only continue to improve cinema.

[mercury613]

Thanks for such a wonderful tribute, Mr. Lurie. What has always struck me most about Roger Ebert is not just the fact that he loves film, but that he *loves to love* film.

Roger Ebert been my film-going touchstone for pretty much my entire adult life. I will go see any movie he favorably reviews (and a good number he unfavorably reviews, too.).

Needless to say, "Nothing But the Truth" is now at the top of my Netflix queue.

[BrianShields25]

Here Here.

Roger Ebert is a wonderful man and we can't thank him enough for his cultural contributions.

PS. Nothing But The Truth is a great movie, buy it on Itunes.

[WilliePilgrim]

Like so many of the commenters here, I'm an ardent fan of movies and a thoroughly appreciative reader of Ebert's reviews and his other writing. Returning to Chicago a few years ago to live with my venerable pater, I once again became exposed to the incredible output of Mr Ebert's active and perceptive mind. When people wonder what good movies are, aside from entertainment (which ain't bad, incidentally) I think of Roger's many essays on everything from the political process to the ban on burning leaves in the fall, and am reminded that movies are a projection in more ways than one and a serious examination of them leads to an examination of our own lives, in relfection and in dreams.
Thanks Roger. Wishing you and Chaz the very best and for many many many long years to come.

[oldmanwalking]

My wife is a produced screen writer. Roger Ebert was the only reviewer who recognized what was wrong with the film of her screenplay. It was panned deservedly so, but he understood why it went wrong. My wife has always been grateful for his honest appraisal of that movie. She cries every time she sees it, which isn't often, because of what was done to it. An Academy Award director, a big time producer, and they f'd it up. I just realize, that was almost 20 years ago. Thank you Roger Ebert for that review in particular and for all the other reviews that reflect your love of the art.

[Louis462]

I find movies not all that important and as far as their critique by Roger he always seemed to me to be to kind to some that I thought were junk BUT when he, Roger, popped up in the Sun Times with articles about the Bush administration...he stole my heart.

I saved those masterpieces for a long time and looked forward to when he felt compelled to do another, and that was way too seldom. Now that is were he shined (to me). Roger, get well and keep kicking ass. We love you.

Louis

[ChelseaC]

Mr. Ebert,
I hope you recover soon.
Best wishes.

[movielady]

Thank you for a wonderful portrait of one of my favorite people. Roger Ebert has been an inspiration to me and he has introduced me to many terrific films that I might not ordinarily have seen. It is great to know that no matter what happens to the Chicago Sun-Times; Mr. Ebert's ruminations will still be readily available to his fans.

Incidentally, I just happened to rent "Nothing but the Truth" last weekend. It picked it up on the strength of your name, Mr. Laurie. Afterwards, I was baffled by the fact that this film had appeared to have gone straight to video without seeing the light of day. Thank you for solving this mystery. It's a shame that it never received a full distribution. It is an interesting and insightful commentary on the disappearance of the celebration of our real heroes. I am afraid that in the not too distant future, the "journalist with integrity" narrative is destined to be looked upon as just a quaint memory.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/movielady/

[freshnotbitter]

The difference between Ebert and other movie critics is that Ebert loves movies and you can tell when he writes what must be his 10,000th review, that he is writing as if it were his first.

I find I agree with 90 per cent of his reviews.

I also liked "Nothing but the Truth" but couldn't figure out the title.

[raker]

Roger Ebert has always been kind of ferocious, and I have a lot or respect for his remaining ferocious despite his difficulties.

[IssuesInFocus]

Ebert is among the greatest film critics I have come to know.
Of course the dou of Siskel & Ebert was tops. When he said " thumps up" it meant something. Great to know nothing will stop him because he is and remains the best among them. When he says go see a movie, I ask no questions. The best to Roger! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T1hZx57HMo

[eveningprim]

good story- more of this is needed in the world now- recognizing treasures like ebert-

[chuckvw]

Roger Ebert has been a hero of mine for 30 years. He awakened my young mind to Fellini, Bergman and a host of other artists. No one who loves movies will doubt the contribution he has and is making.