Bosley Crowther facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bosley Crowther
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| Born |
Francis Bosley Crowther Jr.
July 13, 1905 Lutherville, Maryland, U.S.
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| Died | March 7, 1981 (aged 75) Mount Kisco, New York, U.S.
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| Occupation | Journalist, author, movie critic |
| Spouse(s) | Florence Marks (January 20, 1933 – March 7, 1981; his death) |
Bosley Crowther (born July 13, 1905 – died March 7, 1981) was an American journalist and writer. He was a very important movie critic for The New York Times newspaper. He wrote about movies for 27 years! His reviews and articles helped many actors, directors, and screenwriters in their careers. Sometimes, people thought his reviews were a bit too harsh.
Contents
About Bosley Crowther
Early Life and First Jobs
Bosley Crowther was born Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. in Lutherville, Maryland. When he was a child, his family moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina. There, he started his own small newspaper called The Evening Star.
Later, his family moved to Washington, D.C. Bosley finished Western High School in 1922. After that, he went to Princeton University and studied history.
Starting at The New York Times
After college, Bosley was offered a job at The New York Times. He would be a "cub reporter," which is a beginner journalist. He first turned down the job, hoping to work for a smaller newspaper in the South. But those papers offered much less money. So, he decided to take the job at the Times in New York.
He became the first person to report on nightclubs for the Times. In 1933, he joined the drama department. He spent five years writing about plays and theater in New York City.
While working at the Times, Bosley met Florence Marks, who also worked there. They got married on January 20, 1933. They had three sons: Bosley Crowther III, John M. Crowther, and Jefferson.
Becoming a Film Critic
His Time as a Critic
Bosley Crowther became a film critic for The New York Times in 1940. He wrote many movie reviews and essays until 1967. He was known for writing a lot about films.
He often had surprising opinions about popular movies. For example, he liked big epic films like Ben-Hur (1959) and Cleopatra (1963). But he gave a very bad review to the World War II movie The Great Escape (1963). He even called Lawrence of Arabia (1962) a "thundering camel-opera."
Opinions on Foreign Films
Crowther really liked movies from other countries, especially those made by directors like Roberto Rossellini, Vittorio De Sica, Ingmar Bergman, and Federico Fellini.
However, he also criticized some famous movies. He thought Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood (1957) was strange, especially its ending. He called Gojira (Godzilla) (1954) "an incredibly awful film."
Changing His Mind
Crowther first said that Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960) was "a blot on an otherwise honorable career." But he soon changed his mind! He later said Psycho was one of the top ten movies of that year. He wrote that it was a "bold psychological mystery picture" and showed "expert and sophisticated command of emotional development with cinematic techniques."
He also had strong opinions about other films. He felt that Pather Panchali (1955) by Satyajit Ray was too slow. He said watching L'Avventura (1960) was "like trying to follow a showing of a picture at which several reels have got lost."
His Impact as a Critic
Bosley Crowther's career is talked about in a documentary called For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism. This film shows how he supported foreign movies. It also highlights his strong stand against McCarthyism and the Blacklist. The Blacklist was a time when people in Hollywood were unfairly banned from working because of their political beliefs. Crowther spoke out against this.
Some modern critics, like A. O. Scott, admire his work. Others, like Richard Schickel, Molly Haskell, and Andrew Sarris, felt his reviews were sometimes too focused on morals.
Later Years
Bosley Crowther passed away from heart failure on March 7, 1981. He died in Mount Kisco, New York. He was survived by his wife Florence, who died a few years later, and his three sons. He also had four grandchildren.
See also
In Spanish: Bosley Crowther para niños
