Author Spotlight

Pauline Kael

4 Results
Smiles of a Summer Night

Ingmar Bergman’s exquisite carnal comedy turns a set of boudoir farce conventions into lyrical poetry.

By Pauline Kael

Blow Out: Portrait of the Artist as a Young Gadgeteer

In 1981, the legendary critic went all out for Blow Out, which she thought was De Palma's most mature work to date.

By Pauline Kael

Lacombe, Lucien

Louis Malle’s World War II–era drama follows a young collaborationist in rural France and asks how people with no interest in politics become active participants in brutal torture.

By Pauline Kael

Last Tango in Paris

The following review, one of the most renowned in the history of film criticism, appeared in The New Yorker magazine on October 28, 1972. It is reprinted with the permission of the author, Pauline Kael.

Bernardo Bertolucci’s Last Tango in Paris wa

By Pauline Kael