The Great Movies III

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oger Ebert has won a readership paralleled by no other film critic in history. His devoted audience numbers in the tens, perhaps hundreds, of thousands. A visit to the Commentary section of his blog shows that he has attracted articulate, thoughtful readers of all ages. They find his writing-not only his film writing but also his essays on humor, science, and spirituality-little short of inspiring.

His endurance alone offers lessons in courage. Despite health problems that would lead most people to retirement, he has simply revved up. Apart from his usual reviewing, his attendance at film festivals and symposia, his coordination of an annual film festival, and globetrotting that would exhaust a youngster, he has managed to turn out another suite of essays on film classics-The Great Movies III.

Quantity isn't all. You can argue that since his illness, Ebert's writing has become even more relaxed, conversational, and brilliant. We are, I think it's clear, watching a writer at the peak of his powers. But what accounts for his indelible appeal? I'd argue that he has become something unique: a "man of letters" whose voice comes from the world of cinema.

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