The fierce debate about the film is discussed at length in the documentary For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism (2009). This film chronicles what occurred as a result: The New York Times fired Crowther because his negative review seemed so out of touch with public opinion. Pauline Kael, who wrote a lengthy freelance essay in The New Yorker in praise of the film, was hired as the magazine's new staff critic.
The fierce debate about the film is discussed at length in the documentary For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism (2009). This film chronicles what occurred as a result The New York Times fired Crowther because his negative review seemed so out of touch with public opinion. Pauline Kael, who wrote a le:ngthy freelance essay in The New Yorker in praise of the film, was hired as the magazine's new staff critic.