March 30, 2001

The Auteur of Auteurism

By THOMAS DOHERTY

Someday, at a future Academy Awards ceremony, the winner of the Oscar for Best Director is going to snub spouse, parents, therapist, and even agent to offer tearful thanks to -- the French. After all, it was the French who first transformed the lowly Hollywood director into the lordly auteur, the hired gun of the studio system into the resplendent artiste du cinéma. Thanks to the French, and a dedicated American fifth columnist named Andrew Sarris who was inspired by them, the prophet

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