''Turn Every Page: The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb'' is a 2022
documentary film
A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...
by
Lizzie Gottlieb about the relationship between biographer
Robert Caro
Robert Allan Caro (born October 30, 1935) is an American journalist and author known for his biographies of United States political figures Robert Moses and Lyndon Johnson.
After working for many years as a reporter, Caro wrote '' The Power Bro ...
and his editor, her father
Robert Gottlieb
Robert Adams Gottlieb (April 29, 1931 – June 14, 2023) was an American writer and editor. He was the editor-in-chief of Simon & Schuster, Alfred A. Knopf, and ''The New Yorker''.
Gottlieb joined Simon & Schuster in 1955 as an editorial ass ...
.
Synopsis
The film focuses on biographer
Robert Caro
Robert Allan Caro (born October 30, 1935) is an American journalist and author known for his biographies of United States political figures Robert Moses and Lyndon Johnson.
After working for many years as a reporter, Caro wrote '' The Power Bro ...
and his editor, the documentarian's father
Robert Gottlieb
Robert Adams Gottlieb (April 29, 1931 – June 14, 2023) was an American writer and editor. He was the editor-in-chief of Simon & Schuster, Alfred A. Knopf, and ''The New Yorker''.
Gottlieb joined Simon & Schuster in 1955 as an editorial ass ...
, as they work methodically to complete the final, fifth volume of Caro's
Lyndon Johnson biography. The pair, both in their late 80s, had worked together for five decades, starting with Caro's biography of
Robert Moses
Robert Moses (December 18, 1888 – July 29, 1981) was an American urban planner and public official who worked in the New York metropolitan area during the early to mid-20th century. Moses is regarded as one of the most powerful and influentia ...
, ''
The Power Broker
''The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York'' is a 1974 biography of Robert Moses by Robert Caro. The book focuses on the creation and use of power in New York politics of New York City, local and Politics of New York (state), sta ...
'', and continuing through Caro's first four volumes about
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), also known as LBJ, was the 36th president of the United States, serving from 1963 to 1969. He became president after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, under whom he had served a ...
. Its story is focused on the interplay between writer and editor as they work to finish the fifth book rather than a history of their lives. The film features interviews with politicians and media personalities.
Production
Though Caro and Gottlieb originally declined to be the subject of the documentary, after some convincing, documentarian
Lizzie Gottlieb began filming them in 2016. At first, she only filmed them separately, at Caro's request, to avoid moments of contention. Towards the end the two are seen editing together, with music instead of sound. The film was in post-production in early 2021
and premiered at the June 2022
Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by Tribeca Enterprises. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive programming. The festival ...
.
Sony Pictures Classics
Sony Pictures Classics Inc. is an American arthouse film production and distribution company that is a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment. It was founded in 1992 by former Orion Classics heads Michael Barker, Tom Bernard and Marcie Bloo ...
acquired the film following the festival.
Robert Gottlieb died the next year, in 2023.
Critical reception
References
Further reading
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External links
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2022 documentary films
2022 films
2020s English-language films
American documentary films
Documentary films about writers
English-language documentary films
Sony Pictures Classics films
Topic Studios films
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