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Two Critics and a Producer Chat About the Oscars

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Art and Life

From: David Edelstein
To: Virginia Heffernan and Lynda ObstPosted Friday, March 21, 2003, at 2:06 PM ET

Who are these people?

As I write this, the bombs are raining down on Bahgdad. I am in awe of your formulation, Lynda, about the poor actors: If they do speak out, they are dumb. If they don't speak out, they are trivial. I feel the same way at the moment. Best to refrain from Harvey Weinstein jokes for a little bit.

Virginia raises some issues about The Pianist that are strangely pertinent, however. "So leery of giving the victory to art—and risking ennobling anything—Polanski made sure that Szpilman was only a nimble entertainer." I think that's a brilliant characterization. But I can't fault Polanski, given the life he has lived, for not triumphantly handing the victory to art. And I don't think Szpilman was a hollow man—just not a hero. But who are we to judge him beyond that?

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Art and Life

From: David Edelstein
To: Virginia Heffernan and Lynda ObstPosted Friday, March 21, 2003, at 2:06 PM ET
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David Edelstein is Slate's film critic. You can read his reviews in "Reel Time" and in "Movies." He can be contacted at . Virginia Heffernan is a television critic for The New York Times. Her book, The Underminer, which she wrote with Mike Albo, comes out in February. Lynda Obst is producer of How To Lose in a Guy in 10 Days and author of Hello, He Lied.
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