MOVIES

The life and career of American film critic Robert Ebert is highlighted in a new documentary “Life Itself.”

The film, co-executive produced by film maker Martin Scorsese, is based on Ebert’s book of the same name.

Interviews were done with the Chicago-based film critic before his death in April 2013.

Scorsese, whose film “Raging Bill” was listed as one of the top ten film’s of all time by Ebert, started production on the film in 2011 with director Steve James.

At the New York premiere on Monday (June 23) James called the evening bitter sweet.

“We all wish Roger were here. When we started this film we had no expectation that he wouldn’t be,” said James.

James said working with someone so knowledgeable on film making made his job both easy and stressful.

“Roger understood as a film critic and not just a film critic, but a film critic who also really fully understood the process of making films in a way that most film critics don’t. He knew what was involved and embraced it. He wanted me to make a film about him I think that would be the kind of film he would want to see about somebody else. Which is honest, intimate, candid, and entertaining and hopefully we did that.”

Ebert’s wife, who worked closely on the project, said her husband would approve of the documentary.

“I think that Roger would actually give it two thumbs up. I think that he’d be very pleased with it because it’s a very honest portrait of him. It shows warts and all.”

Many of Ebert’s friends attended the screening including actor James Brolin who called the critic fair.

“I think you just felt his honesty. That truth is everything, isn’t it. And I think that’s what he was about. His own opinions, nobody could pay him off ever,” Brolin told Reuters.

Ebert’s reviews appeared in more than 200 newspapers and in 1975 he won the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism, the first film critic to do so. But his most visible role was as one of the hosts of a popular television movie review show with Gene Siskel, a reviewer from the rival Chicago Tribune.

The program began airing in the 1970s on a Chicago public television station and eventually ran nationally under various names, including “Siskel & Ebert.” The sometimes sparring pair later trademarked their “Two thumbs up!” seal of approval for movies.

Ebert lost his ability to speak and eat after surgeries for thyroid and salivary gland cancer in 2002 and 2003 and again in 2006.

But it did not stop him from working.

The film chronicles not only his career but his love story with Chaz, whom he married at the age of 50.

“It’s also a love story because you know, love was the glue, love was the transformer. I think that my love for him and his love for me – his love for me transformed me and my love for him transformed him. Absolutely. And if I hadn’t loved him that much I couldn’t have done what I did when he got sick,” she revealed.

Ebert’s earlier bouts of cancer cost him his lower jaw. He communicated through notes and a mechanized voice as well as on the Internet, but he could not eat normally and received nutrition through a tube.

The film, which was produced via crowdfunding, will air on U.S. news network CNN later this year.