Enter a player name to begin or load your saved progress.
Pauline Kael was born in New York City in 1919.
Answer: False
Explanation: This assertion is factually incorrect. Pauline Kael was born in Petaluma, California, in 1919.
Pauline Kael's parents were Jewish immigrants from Poland who operated a chicken farm.
Answer: True
Explanation: Indeed, Pauline Kael's parents, Isaac Paul and Judith Kael, were Jewish immigrants from Poland who managed a chicken farm.
Pauline Kael lost her family's chicken farm when she was a teenager, forcing them to move to San Francisco.
Answer: False
Explanation: The loss of the family chicken farm occurred when Kael was eight years old, prompting their relocation to San Francisco, not during her teenage years.
Pauline Kael studied law at UC Berkeley before dropping out to pursue a career in film criticism.
Answer: False
Explanation: While Kael attended UC Berkeley, her studies focused on philosophy, literature, and art. She did not pursue law, and her departure from university preceded her established career in film criticism.
Pauline Kael's parents lost their chicken farm when she was 18 years old.
Answer: False
Explanation: The family lost their chicken farm when Pauline Kael was eight years old, not eighteen.
Pauline Kael's parents were immigrants from France.
Answer: False
Explanation: Pauline Kael's parents were Jewish immigrants from Poland, not France.
Where was Pauline Kael born?
Answer: Petaluma, California
Explanation: Pauline Kael was born in Petaluma, California, in 1919.
What significant event impacted Kael's family when she was eight years old, leading to a major life change?
Answer: They lost their chicken farm and moved to San Francisco.
Explanation: When Pauline Kael was eight years old, her family experienced the loss of their chicken farm, an event that precipitated their move to San Francisco.
What did Pauline Kael initially study at the University of California, Berkeley?
Answer: Philosophy, Literature, and Art
Explanation: Pauline Kael matriculated at the University of California, Berkeley, where her academic focus was on philosophy, literature, and art.
Pauline Kael supported herself and her daughter through various jobs, including advertising copywriting, before becoming a recognized film critic.
Answer: True
Explanation: Prior to achieving widespread recognition as a film critic, Kael undertook diverse employment, including roles such as advertising copywriter, to support herself and her daughter.
Pauline Kael began her film criticism career by reviewing Charlie Chaplin's 'The Great Dictator' for 'City Lights' magazine.
Answer: False
Explanation: Kael's initial foray into regular film criticism involved reviewing Charlie Chaplin's 'Limelight' for 'City Lights' magazine, not 'The Great Dictator'.
Pauline Kael's first book, 'I Lost It at the Movies,' was a critical failure and sold very few copies.
Answer: False
Explanation: Contrary to this statement, 'I Lost It at the Movies' achieved considerable success, becoming a bestseller and marking a significant milestone in her career.
William Shawn of 'The New Yorker' published Kael's essay on 'Bonnie and Clyde' after 'The New Republic' rejected it.
Answer: True
Explanation: This is accurate. 'The New Republic' declined to publish Kael's extensive essay on 'Bonnie and Clyde,' but William Shawn subsequently published it in 'The New Yorker,' facilitating her association with the magazine.
Kael's book 'I Lost It at the Movies' was published in 1965 and became a bestseller.
Answer: True
Explanation: Published in 1965, Pauline Kael's debut book, 'I Lost It at the Movies,' achieved significant commercial success and became a bestseller.
What was Pauline Kael's primary occupation for which she gained widespread recognition?
Answer: American film critic
Explanation: Pauline Kael achieved widespread recognition primarily for her distinguished career as an American film critic, most notably during her long tenure at 'The New Yorker'.
How did Kael support herself and her daughter, Gina, during her early career before achieving widespread recognition?
Answer: By taking on various jobs, including advertising copywriter.
Explanation: Before gaining widespread recognition, Kael sustained herself and her daughter through diverse employment, notably including work as an advertising copywriter.
What film review marked the beginning of Pauline Kael's regular publication of film criticism?
Answer: Her review of Charlie Chaplin's 'Limelight' for 'City Lights'.
Explanation: Kael's regular publication of film criticism commenced with her review of Charlie Chaplin's 'Limelight' for 'City Lights' magazine.
What was the critical and commercial reception of Kael's first book, 'I Lost It at the Movies'?
Answer: It was a surprise bestseller, selling 150,000 copies.
Explanation: 'I Lost It at the Movies,' Kael's first book, achieved unexpected commercial success, selling approximately 150,000 copies and establishing her as a prominent critical voice.
How did Kael's essay on 'Bonnie and Clyde' contribute to her career trajectory?
Answer: It was published by 'The New Yorker' and led to her joining their staff.
Explanation: Following its publication in 'The New Yorker,' Kael's essay on 'Bonnie and Clyde' significantly advanced her career, ultimately leading to her joining the magazine's editorial staff.
Kael aimed for a highly academic and objective tone in her film reviews, avoiding personal opinions.
Answer: False
Explanation: Kael actively eschewed academic pomposity and 'saphead objectivity,' favoring a more personal, conversational, and opinionated style in her critiques.
Pauline Kael's writing style was initially considered a perfect fit for the traditional, sophisticated tone of 'The New Yorker'.
Answer: False
Explanation: On the contrary, Kael's colloquial and direct style was initially perceived as an unusual, even jarring, fit for the established tone of 'The New Yorker'.
Pauline Kael's relationship with 'New Yorker' editor William Shawn was consistently smooth and free of editorial disagreements.
Answer: False
Explanation: The relationship between Kael and William Shawn was often marked by editorial contention, though Shawn generally afforded her significant creative latitude.
Kael's writing style often blended references to high culture with informal, sometimes coarse, language.
Answer: True
Explanation: A hallmark of Kael's critical voice was its synthesis of sophisticated cultural references with accessible, often colloquial or even coarse, vernacular.
Pauline Kael preferred the term 'film' over 'movies' because she considered it more sophisticated.
Answer: False
Explanation: Kael generally favored the term 'movies,' viewing 'film' as potentially elitist and preferring language that resonated with a broader audience.
Kael's tenure at The New Yorker began in 1968 and ended in 1991.
Answer: True
Explanation: Pauline Kael's association with 'The New Yorker' commenced in 1968 and concluded in 1991, spanning over two decades of prolific criticism.
Kael's criticism was characterized by its objective analysis and lack of personal opinion.
Answer: False
Explanation: Kael's critical approach was decidedly subjective and personal, marked by strong opinions and a rejection of detached, objective analysis.
For which magazine did Pauline Kael serve as the primary film critic for the longest period?
Answer: The New Yorker
Explanation: Pauline Kael's most significant and longest-serving role as a film critic was at 'The New Yorker,' where she worked from 1968 to 1991.
Kael's writing philosophy centered on avoiding which critical approach?
Answer: Academic pomposity and 'saphead objectivity'
Explanation: Kael's critical philosophy explicitly aimed to move away from what she termed 'academic pomposity' and 'saphead objectivity' in favor of a more direct and humanistic engagement with films.
What was the initial reaction to Kael's writing style upon her arrival at 'The New Yorker'?
Answer: It was seen as an unusual fit, described metaphorically as 'trampling' with cowboy boots.
Explanation: Kael's distinctive, colloquial writing style was initially perceived as an unconventional match for 'The New Yorker,' with one observer likening it to 'trampling' through the publication's pages.
Which editor at 'The New Yorker' often had editorial battles with Kael but generally allowed her considerable freedom?
Answer: William Shawn
Explanation: William Shawn, the long-serving editor of 'The New Yorker,' frequently engaged in editorial disputes with Pauline Kael, yet he largely permitted her substantial autonomy in her critical work.
Which of the following best describes Kael's blend of high and low culture in her writing?
Answer: She referenced literary figures alongside informal, coarse language.
Explanation: Kael's writing adeptly integrated references to high culture, such as literary figures, with informal and sometimes coarse language, creating a distinctive and engaging critical voice.
Why did Pauline Kael prefer the term 'movies' over 'film'?
Answer: She considered 'film' elitist and wanted her criticism to be accessible.
Explanation: Kael favored the term 'movies' over 'film,' believing the latter carried elitist connotations and preferring language that facilitated broader accessibility for her criticism.
Kael's highly critical review of 'The Sound of Music' in 'McCall's' magazine directly led to her immediate dismissal from the publication.
Answer: False
Explanation: While Kael's review of 'The Sound of Music' was notably harsh, the claim that it directly caused her immediate dismissal from 'McCall's' is debated; sources indicate her departure occurred months later for other reasons.
Pauline Kael's book 'Raising Kane' focused on the authorship of the film 'Casablanca'.
Answer: False
Explanation: Kael's influential essay 'Raising Kane' critically examined the authorship of the film 'Citizen Kane,' not 'Casablanca'.
Kael's essay 'Raising Kane' led to a libel suit filed against her by Orson Welles.
Answer: False
Explanation: While Orson Welles reportedly considered legal action due to the claims made in 'Raising Kane,' a formal libel suit was not filed against Kael.
Pauline Kael consistently championed films that were critically acclaimed by the majority of reviewers.
Answer: False
Explanation: Kael was often known for championing films that diverged from or even opposed prevailing critical consensus, frequently supporting works that were initially overlooked or panned.
Pauline Kael was a proponent of the auteur theory, emphasizing the director's sole creative vision.
Answer: False
Explanation: Kael was notably critical of the auteur theory, preferring to analyze films as collaborative endeavors rather than solely the product of a director's singular vision.
Kael was known for her consistently positive reviews of Clint Eastwood's films, earning her the nickname 'his muse'.
Answer: False
Explanation: Conversely, Kael became known as Clint Eastwood's 'nemesis' due to her frequent and often harsh critiques of his directorial work.
Kael believed that critics offended by movie brutality should advocate for censorship to protect audiences.
Answer: False
Explanation: Kael argued that critics should analyze the implications of brutality rather than advocate for censorship, believing that failing to engage critically with such content was a dereliction of duty.
Accusations of homophobia were leveled against Kael, particularly concerning her review of 'Rich and Famous'.
Answer: True
Explanation: Indeed, Kael faced accusations of homophobia, notably stemming from her commentary in the review of the film 'Rich and Famous'.
The 'Nixon quote' controversy involved Kael claiming she voted for Nixon.
Answer: False
Explanation: The 'Nixon quote' controversy originated from Kael's statement that she knew only one person who voted for Nixon, not from a claim of her own vote.
Kael was highly critical of most experimental cinema, viewing it as self-congratulatory.
Answer: True
Explanation: Kael frequently expressed skepticism towards experimental cinema, often characterizing it as overly self-congratulatory and lacking substantive artistic merit.
Pauline Kael described Sam Peckinpah's 'Straw Dogs' as a celebration of American individualism.
Answer: False
Explanation: While acknowledging its energy, Kael controversially labeled Sam Peckinpah's 'Straw Dogs' as 'the first American film that is a fascist work of art,' rather than a celebration of individualism.
Kael characterized Don Siegel's 'Dirty Harry' as a 'liberal fantasy' that celebrated democratic values.
Answer: False
Explanation: Kael's assessment of Don Siegel's 'Dirty Harry' was quite different; she described it as a 'right-wing fantasy' and a critique of liberal values.
Kael's remark about 'The Children's Hour' suggested that lesbians were inherently sympathetic due to their limited options.
Answer: True
Explanation: Kael's commentary on 'The Children's Hour' included a statement suggesting that lesbians might warrant sympathy due to perceived limitations in their life choices, a remark that later drew criticism.
Michael Moore accused Kael of printing 'outright lies' in her review of 'Roger & Me'.
Answer: True
Explanation: Michael Moore publicly accused Pauline Kael of disseminating 'outright lies' and engaging in 'disinformation' within her review of his documentary 'Roger & Me'.
Pauline Kael praised 'It's a Wonderful Life' as a masterpiece of American cinema.
Answer: False
Explanation: Contrary to this statement, Kael was notably critical of 'It's a Wonderful Life,' listing it among films she disliked despite their general critical acclaim.
Kael's essay 'Raising Kane' argued that Orson Welles was the sole creative force behind 'Citizen Kane'.
Answer: False
Explanation: In 'Raising Kane,' Kael contended that Herman J. Mankiewicz was the primary screenwriter for 'Citizen Kane,' thereby challenging the notion of Orson Welles as the film's sole creative architect.
Kael's review of 'The Sound of Music' was praised for its insightful analysis of the film's themes.
Answer: False
Explanation: Kael's review of 'The Sound of Music' was highly critical and controversial, not praised for its insightful analysis of themes.
Which movement in cinema did Pauline Kael actively champion through her reviews?
Answer: The New Hollywood movement
Explanation: Pauline Kael was a notable advocate for the New Hollywood movement, championing its directors and their distinctive cinematic sensibilities through her critical writings.
What film's review in 'McCall's' became legendary for its controversy, although its direct link to her firing is debated?
Answer: The Sound of Music
Explanation: Kael's highly critical review of 'The Sound of Music' in 'McCall's' magazine is widely remembered for its controversial nature, though its direct causal relationship with her dismissal from the publication remains a subject of discussion.
Kael's book-length essay 'Raising Kane' primarily challenged the authorship of which classic film?
Answer: Citizen Kane
Explanation: The seminal essay 'Raising Kane' by Pauline Kael critically examined the authorship of the iconic film 'Citizen Kane'.
What controversy did Kael's 'Raising Kane' essay generate regarding Orson Welles?
Answer: It accused Welles of stealing credit from Herman J. Mankiewicz.
Explanation: Kael's 'Raising Kane' essay posited that Orson Welles had unfairly taken credit for the screenplay of 'Citizen Kane' from its co-author, Herman J. Mankiewicz.
Which of these films did Pauline Kael champion, going against prevailing critical opinion?
Answer: The Warriors
Explanation: Pauline Kael notably championed films such as 'The Warriors,' often against prevailing critical consensus.
Pauline Kael was a notable opponent of which film theory?
Answer: The auteur theory
Explanation: Pauline Kael was a prominent critic of the auteur theory, which posits the director as the primary author of a film.
Kael became known as the 'nemesis' of which director due to her consistently unfavorable reviews?
Answer: Clint Eastwood
Explanation: Clint Eastwood was frequently the subject of Kael's critical disapproval, leading to her being labeled his 'nemesis' in film criticism circles.
What was Kael's concern regarding directors who used brutal imagery, such as in 'A Clockwork Orange'?
Answer: She worried it desensitized audiences to violence rather than sensitizing them.
Explanation: Kael expressed concern that the depiction of brutality in films like 'A Clockwork Orange' risked desensitizing viewers to violence, rather than fostering a deeper understanding of its consequences.
Accusations of homophobia against Kael were often linked to her comments in a review of which film?
Answer: Rich and Famous
Explanation: The film 'Rich and Famous' was central to accusations of homophobia leveled against Kael, stemming from specific remarks made in her review.
The 'Nixon quote' controversy surrounding Kael originated from her statement about:
Answer: Knowing only one person who voted for Nixon.
Explanation: The 'Nixon quote' controversy arose from Kael's remark that she was acquainted with only one individual who had voted for Richard Nixon.
Kael's critique of experimental cinema often characterized it as:
Answer: A creature of publicity and mutual congratulations on artistry.
Explanation: Kael frequently described experimental cinema as 'a creature of publicity and mutual congratulations on artistry,' indicating her skepticism towards its perceived self-importance.
How did Kael describe Don Siegel's 'Dirty Harry'?
Answer: A right-wing fantasy and attack on liberal values.
Explanation: Kael characterized Don Siegel's 'Dirty Harry' as a 'right-wing fantasy' and a pointed attack on liberal values.
What was Kael's stance on the role of film critics in relation to censorship?
Answer: They should use their freedom to analyze the implications, not be silenced.
Explanation: Kael argued that critics offended by movie brutality should not be silenced by censorship but should instead utilize their critical freedom to analyze the implications of such content.
Michael Moore accused Kael's review of 'Roger & Me' of containing what?
Answer: Outright lies and disinformation
Explanation: Michael Moore contended that Pauline Kael's review of his documentary 'Roger & Me' contained 'outright lies' and 'disinformation'.
Woody Allen praised Kael's film knowledge and writing style but criticized her lack of judgment.
Answer: True
Explanation: Woody Allen acknowledged Kael's considerable film knowledge and distinctive writing style, yet he also pointed to a perceived deficiency in her critical judgment.
Renata Adler's review of Kael's 'When the Lights Go Down' was highly complimentary.
Answer: False
Explanation: Renata Adler's critique of Kael's book 'When the Lights Go Down' was notably severe, describing the work in highly negative terms.
Richard Corliss described Kael's writing style as dense and influenced by French film theory.
Answer: False
Explanation: Richard Corliss contrasted Kael's style, which he characterized as 'loping, derisive, intimate, gag-packed,' with Andrew Sarris's prose, which was indeed described as dense and influenced by French film theory.
Younger critics who admired Kael's style were sometimes referred to as 'The Paulettes'.
Answer: True
Explanation: The term 'The Paulettes' was indeed used, often pejoratively, to describe the cohort of younger critics who adopted or were heavily influenced by Pauline Kael's distinctive critical approach.
Paul Schrader's admission to UCLA Film School was based on a recommendation from Pauline Kael.
Answer: True
Explanation: Paul Schrader, the screenwriter for 'Taxi Driver,' gained admission to UCLA Film School's graduate program based on a recommendation provided by Pauline Kael.
George Lucas honored Pauline Kael by naming a character 'General Kael' in his film 'Star Wars'.
Answer: False
Explanation: George Lucas paid tribute to Pauline Kael by naming a character 'General Kael' in his film 'Willow,' not 'Star Wars'.
Quentin Tarantino cited Pauline Kael as a significant influence on his aesthetic, comparable to directors.
Answer: True
Explanation: Quentin Tarantino has stated that Pauline Kael's criticism was as influential on his aesthetic development as any film director.
Pauline Kael's book 'Deeper into Movies' was the first nonfiction book about film to win the National Book Award.
Answer: True
Explanation: Yes, 'Deeper into Movies' achieved the distinction of being the first nonfiction book focused on film to receive the prestigious National Book Award.
The Pauline Kael Breakout Award is given by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Pauline Kael Breakout Award is presented by the Florida Film Critics Circle, not the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.
The documentary 'What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael' explored her work and influence in film criticism.
Answer: True
Explanation: The 2018 documentary 'What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael' indeed delved into her critical contributions and her significant impact on the field of film criticism.
David Thomson suggested Kael made movies seem like the most telling impression of who society was.
Answer: True
Explanation: David Thomson posited that Kael helped establish the perception that movies served as a profound reflection of societal identity and experience.
The documentary 'What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael' was narrated by Meryl Streep.
Answer: False
Explanation: The documentary 'What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael' was narrated by Sarah Jessica Parker, not Meryl Streep.
Pauline Kael's book 'Deeper into Movies' won the National Book Award in 1973.
Answer: False
Explanation: While 'Deeper into Movies' was published in 1973, it received the National Book Award in 1974.
According to Roger Ebert, what was the nature of Pauline Kael's influence on American film culture?
Answer: She had a significant positive influence, characterized by a personal, opinionated style.
Explanation: Roger Ebert asserted that Pauline Kael exerted a profoundly positive influence on American film culture, largely due to her highly personal and opinionated critical methodology.
Woody Allen, while admiring Kael's writing, identified a key weakness in her critical approach. What was it?
Answer: Lack of judgment
Explanation: Woody Allen, despite his admiration for Kael's wit and style, identified a significant flaw in her critical approach: a perceived lack of sound judgment.
Renata Adler's critique of Kael's book 'When the Lights Go Down' was notably harsh, describing the work as:
Answer: Jarringly, piece by piece, line by line, and without interruption, worthless.
Explanation: Renata Adler's review of Kael's 'When the Lights Go Down' was exceptionally critical, famously characterizing the book as 'jarringly, piece by piece, line by line, and without interruption, worthless.'
How did Richard Corliss contrast Kael's writing style with that of Andrew Sarris?
Answer: He described Kael's as 'loping, derisive, intimate, gag-packed' versus Sarris's dense, theory-influenced prose.
Explanation: Richard Corliss characterized Kael's style as 'loping, derisive, intimate, gag-packed,' contrasting it sharply with Andrew Sarris's dense, theory-laden prose.
What term was sometimes used, often derisively, for the younger critics influenced by Kael's writing style?
Answer: The Paulettes
Explanation: Younger critics who emulated Pauline Kael's distinctive critical style were sometimes referred to, often dismissively, as 'The Paulettes'.
George Lucas paid tribute to Pauline Kael by naming a character after her in which film?
Answer: Willow
Explanation: George Lucas honored Pauline Kael by naming the villainous character 'General Kael' in his 1988 film 'Willow'.
Quentin Tarantino described Pauline Kael as being as influential on his aesthetic as:
Answer: Any director
Explanation: Quentin Tarantino has stated that Pauline Kael's critical writings were as influential on his aesthetic development as any film director.
What distinction did Pauline Kael's book 'Deeper into Movies' achieve upon winning the National Book Award?
Answer: It was the first nonfiction book about film to win the award.
Explanation: 'Deeper into Movies' achieved the significant distinction of being the inaugural nonfiction book concerning film to secure the National Book Award.
Which organization awards the Pauline Kael Breakout Award?
Answer: The Florida Film Critics Circle
Explanation: The Pauline Kael Breakout Award is presented annually by the Florida Film Critics Circle.
The 2018 documentary 'What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael' explored Kael's work and her influence within which context?
Answer: The male-dominated fields of cinema and film criticism
Explanation: The documentary 'What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael' examined her career and impact within the context of cinema and film criticism, fields historically dominated by men.
David Thomson suggested that Kael helped establish the idea that movies:
Answer: Belonged to the audience and spoke to society.
Explanation: David Thomson proposed that Kael was instrumental in fostering the notion that movies were intrinsically linked to the audience and served as a medium for societal discourse.