Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, August 16: MIKE NICHOLS: AN AMERICAN MASTER
Elaine May’s tribute to her legendary comedy partner made its debut as part of PBS’s American Masters series at the start of the year.
The second of two Nichols-focused films this year, following the Sundance-debuting BECOMING MIKE NICHOLS, also draws much of its running time from an extended interview with the acclaimed director, supplemented with brief comments from collaborators and with a few scenes of his work. He’s an engaging and warm presence, offering insight into his work on stage and screen, while the likes of Meryl Streep, Tony Kushner, and Matthew Broderick express their admiration for his talent and wit. Surprisingly, May herself only appears in archival clips, choosing, it seems, to allow this film instead of a talking head interview to address her feelings for the late Nichols. Limited in its scope by the television-hour running time, however, this project is best watched in conjunction with the other Nichols profile to provide a fuller sense of the multi-hyphenate’s long career and achievements.
what (not) to doc 