Skip to main content

Deep Dive: The 50 Year Argument (2014)

Play Trailer

Film Lens

The 50 Year Argument
The 50 Year Argument is a documentary about the New York Review of Books, marking its 50th anniversary in 2013. Directed by Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi, the film features archival footage, quotes from the Review, and contemporary interviews. It covers the journal's history from its inception during the writer strikes and Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s to the Arab Spring uprisings in Egypt, Libya, and Syria. The film presents a view of how the Review's writers and editors have addressed significant issues over the decades. It includes notable contributors and articles, with Robert Silvers, the editor, serving as a central figure. The documentary combines modern interviews with vintage footage, and features readings of famous articles by their authors, creating a rich visual and auditory experience.

Why Watch

  • •See Robert Silvers discuss the NYRB's impact.
  • •Find out about the Civil Rights Movement coverage.
  • •Meet notable contributors like Norman Mailer.

Did You Know

•The documentary premiered in June 2014 at the Sheffield Doc/Fest.
•The film first aired on HBO in September 2014.
•It had a limited theatrical release in Toronto in 2015.
•The New York Review of Books marked its 50th anniversary in 2013.

Perfect For

Literary history enthusiastsFans of Martin ScorseseDocumentary lovers