Is love Martin Scorsese did you come to the cinema because, as a child suffering from asthma, he observed street life through the window frame, subconsciously becoming fascinated with the image and the ability to frame it? Possibly, but regardless of the truth appearing in “Mr. Scorsese” the story fits perfectly into the legend of a director from the Italian district of New York who immortalized the mafia world of his adolescence and who was taught ruthlessness on the streets and the ability to get along with those who are stronger. Which was useful to him later, in not always easy relations with Hollywood producers.
“Mr. Scorsese” Rebecca Miller begins with Scorsese’s New York roots, and the director invites both the director’s relatives and his childhood friends in front of the camera, including: Salvatore Uricola, also known as Sally Gaga – the prototype of the hero “Mean Streets”whom he played on screen Robert De Niro. It was with this film, blessed by the guru of American independent cinema John Cassavetes, that Martin Scorsese’s career truly began.
It’s a career marked by titles that constantly pushed boundaries and changed the language of cinema. But also box office flops, after which it was difficult to return to the professional top. And finally, personal problems: addiction to stimulants, which almost ended in death, and which the director is talking about today “Goodfellas” he talks without shame or hesitation. The 83-year-old creator is a grateful storyteller, but it cannot be otherwise, since one of the leitmotifs of his films is the off-the-cuff narration by the main character.
The story in “Mr. Scorsese” is therefore full of anecdotes in which the private world intertwines with the world of cinema, proving that they are inextricably linked in the life of the main character.
Life with Scorsese is told by him three daughters and ex-wives (he had five of them), and a whole galaxy of stars about his cinema: from De NiroBy Jodie Foster, Sharon Stone, Daniela Day-Lewisand, Cate Blanchettafter Leonardo DiCaprio. Regular collaborators, like screenwriters Paul Schrader and Nicolas Pileggicinematographer Rodrigo Prieto or editor Thelma Schoonmaker. Finally, the directors: Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Brian DePalma or raised on Scorsese films Ari Aster and Josh Safdieand even on archival materials Ingmar Bergman and Jean-Luc Godard.
However, the most important narrator remains Scorsese himself, just like in the book “Martin Scorsese Conversations” by Richard Schickelrevealing to viewers the behind-the-scenes of the creation of their paintings.
It’s a fascinating story about a perfectionist whose scripts and storyboards are basically ready-made films that “only” need to be brought to life in front of the camera. A story about the fight for every frame and the difficult editing process, just like in a film “New York, New York”the first version of which lasted 4.5 hours. And about skirmishes with censorship and Hollywood decision-makers, as in the case “The Last Temptation of Christ” Whether “Taxi Driver”in which, in order to preserve scenes of violence, the director decided to completely change the colorful tone of the film. Or the reluctance to film happy endings.
Rebecca Miller’s nearly five-hour-long documentary was originally intended to be a single film – much like her earlier portrayal of her father, Arthur Miller. Ultimately, however, the amount of material meant that the story was divided into episodes and was released on the Apple TV+ platform (producer of Scorsese’s last work – “The Bloody Moon”). Despite this volume, there was still not enough space for everything.
Feature productions, apart from family films, are more or less discussed on screen “Hugo and his invention”. Some significant documentary images are missing, such as “Bob Dylan: No Fixed Address” Whether “Rolling Stones in the Lights”series such as “Forbidden Empire” Whether “Vinyl”as well as Scorsese-directed music videos, as famously “Bad” by Michael Jackson.
Despite these shortcomings, Miller’s film remains an unprecedented undertaking – a great lesson in the history of cinema, and at the same time a portrait of the artistwho has always been fascinated by the dark side of humanity. And a man who found the meaning of life in telling other people’s stories.
8/10
“Mr. Scorsese” (Mr. Scorsese), dir. Rebecca Miller, USA 2025, a five-episode documentary, is available on Apple TV+.