Two Weeks in the Midday Sun: A Cannes Notebook

By Roger Ebert

A paragon of cinema criticism for decades, Roger Ebert--with his humor, sagacity, and no-nonsense thumb--achieved a renown unlikely ever to be equaled. His tireless commentary has been greatly missed since his death, but, thankfully, in addition to his mountains of daily reviews, Ebert also left behind a legacy of lyrical long-form writing. And with Two Weeks in the Midday Sun , we get a glimpse not only into Ebert the man, but also behind the scenes of one of the most glamorous and peculiar of cinematic rituals: the Cannes Film Festival. More about people than movies, this book is an intimate, quirky, and witty account of the parade of personalities attending the 1987 festival--Ebert's twelfth, and the fortieth anniversary of the event. A wonderful raconteur with an excellent sense of pacing, Ebert presents lighthearted ruminations on his daily routine and computer troubles alongside more serious reflection on directors such as Fellini and Coppola, screenwriters like Charles Bukowski, actors such as Isabella Rossellini and John Malkovich, the very American press agent and social maverick Billy "Silver Dollar" Baxter, and the stylishly plunging necklines of yore. He also comments on the trajectory of the festival itself and the "enormous happiness" of sitting, anonymous and quiet, in an ordinary French café. And, of course, he talks movies. Illustrated with Ebert's charming sketches of the festival and featuring both a new foreword by Martin Scorsese and a new postscript by Ebert about an eventful 1997 dinner with Scorsese at Cannes, Two Weeks in the Midday Sun is a small treasure, a window onto the mind of this connoisseur of criticism and satire, a man always so funny, so un-phony, so completely, unabashedly himself.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 022631443X
• ISBN13: 9780226314433
• Release Date: April 2016
• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Length: 200 Pages
• Weight: 0.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Now I Don't Need To Go To The Cannes Film Fest!

Since Roger Ebert covered this festival so well in 1987, I feel as if I've already been there without having to experience any of the annoyances of trying to do it in person. He does a bit of everything while there, from covering the obvious stars and star-studded events to seeking out the unknown, eccentric, artistic characters, plus fast buck artists, who also attend. He even admits he has to view the movies again back in the USA because the conditions of seeing them at Cannes tend to be adverse. Ebert, known primarily for his television review show, is even a better writer than he is a speaker. You will treasure and keep this book.

Glamour and Jet Lag: An Insightful look at Cannes

It is easy to see why Roger Ebert is such a beloved and praised writer. Reading through his book, the reader is instantly befriended by this smart, witty and poetic author. Roger Ebert provides readers with an in-depth look at the most famed film festival in the world, held in a place that is as charming as the crazy as Ebert's old friend Billy "Silver Dollar" Baxter. After this book, you too will feel as though you have been dragged through the starlit and utterly dazing world of jet lag, royal dinners, mid-night screenings, and the occasional topless starlet. Bon voyage!