The directors that Sidney Lumet called the greatest of all time
Known for his Award-winning work, including 12 Angry Men, Dog Day Afternoon and The Verdict, Sidney Lumet was one of the most prolific filmmakers of modern cinema. He impressed the industry by directing more than one film a year, projects that presented social realism and a decisive direction.
Lumet also understood cinema as an art form. He exemplified these outlooks in his features that tackled social issues, including corruption and religious identity. He disliked the over-filtered appearance of Hollywood and, instead, he set most of his work in New York City.
When explaining his cinematic vision, Lumet once stated: “While the goal of all movies is to entertain, the kind of film in which I believe goes one step further. It compels the spectator to examine one facet or another of his own conscience. It stimulates thought and sets the mental juices flowing”.
Throughout his distinguished career, the director worked alongside many of the industry’s top stars, including Paul Newman and Faye Dunaway. Ali McGraw, who collaborated with Lumet on the 1980 comedy Just Tell Me What You Want, referred to him as “every actor’s dream”. Meanwhile, The Morning After star Jane Fonda also formed a positive outlook on Lumet after working with him. “He was a master,” she stated. “Such control of his craft. He had strong, progressive values and never betrayed them,” the actor added.
Lumet is considered by many critics, actors, and directors as one of the greatest filmmakers. While often remaining modest, he instead showed admiration for his fellow contemporaries, citing two that he believed to be the greatest. “I love Robert Zemeckis’ work,” the director once revealed when asked about his favourite by DGA.
As most already know, Zemeckis is recognised as an innovator in cinema’s visual effects development. His 2004 holiday film The Polar Express and his 2007 retelling of Beowulf gained attention for their blend of animation and humanistic appearances.
His most beloved works include the comedy sci-fi Back to the Future, the live-action/animation crime mystery Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and the emotional drama Forrest Gump. Zemeckis has also directed a live adaptation of the Disney classic Pinocchio, a project that has only just been released.
Of course, this shows how even though Lumet’s own films were realistic and reflective of society, he still appreciated fantasy elements in other films. Lumet expressed further praise towards another legend in American filmmaking when he stated: “I think Steven Spielberg has become a great director”.
Detailing further, the director assured sincerity with his choice of words, adding: “I’m not using the word ‘great’ like Variety uses the word ‘great’, I mean of all-time”.
Not content at simply praising the approach of Spielberg, Lumet then went further and offered up two specific pictures that considers to be his favourite: “I think two of the greatest American movies ever made are E.T. and Schindler’s List,” he said. “Those are two great movies in the classic sense of the word”.
Although Spielberg’s chosen themes differ from that of Lumet’s, being more isolated and personal rather than exterior and social, Lumet still adored Spielberg’s contributions, showing just how varied his apreciation of the cinematic art form proved to be.
