Turn Every Page: The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb

Greetings again from the darkness. Writing well is difficult. Very few are really good at, even though many of us try. Editing well is difficult. Very few of us put much effort into it and it shows. Documentarian Lizzy Gottlieb uses her inside track to provide a fascinating look at the relationship between writing and editing at the highest level. Her father, Robert Gottlieb, is one of the most renowned literary editors of the past 50 years, and his relationship with Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist-turned-biographer/author, Robert Caro, goes under the microscope. The result is an insightful peek behind the curtain of their process.

Ms. Gottlieb spent five years on the film, and the two subjects set the ground rules ... they refused to be interviewed together in the same room. Because of this, the film begins with each man providing their own personal profile, dating back to their childhood and how they began honing their particular set of skills. Mr. Caro speaks to his newspaper background and how he transitioned into the years long process writing his 1974 classic, "The Power Broker", a massive biography of Robert Moses and the development of New York City. Ms. Gottlieb provides a contemporary point by noting the book's COVID resurgence, as it's frequently seen on the bookshelves of folks during Zoom interviews.

Mr. Gottlieb recalls his first interview and job at Simon and Schuster, and how he worked his way up to Editor-in-Chief at the publishing house, prior to holding the same position at Knopf Publishing, and The New Yorker. Estimating that he has edited between 600 and 700 books, it's fascinating to hear his recollections on coming up with the '22' for Joseph Heller's classic, "Catch-22". Gottlieb also edited such fine writers as Michael Crichton and Toni Morrison, while also fine-tuning a most unusual personal collection unrelated to books.

Most importantly, we get the sense of Mr. Caro's incredible dedication to deep research in the segment about his multi-volume biographical series, "The Years of Lyndon Johnson." It's a bit stunning to witness Caro show his process of utilizing actual carbon paper for copies of all the work he types out on his Smith-Corona. He makes no apologies for being old school in his approach to work.

Ms. Gottlieb's goal was to document the two men finishing up Caro's final volume of the LBJ series. Both men are in the 80's and have worked together on 5 books spanning 50 years ... and though the film does end, the final book remains a work in progress. Caro's literary agent Lynn Nesbit admits the two men's relationship has been contentious at times, and they've been known to have some colorful battles over punctuation ... especially semicolons.

This is not a true bio of either man, but rather an expose' of their working relationship and the painstaking process of completing a book. Their shared commitment to the highest level of work speaks to the pride, ego, and intelligence of each. One of my favorite lines comes from Mr. Gottlieb when he states, "He does the work. I do the cleanup." The director does finally succeed in getting the two men on camera in the same room for editing ... with one big catch. And that comes, of course, after a frantic hunt for a number 2 pencil.

The film opens on December 30, 2022.

As an ardent movie lover and a seasoned writer/editor, one might naturally assume that this release would be a film right up my alley. Yet, after watching director Lizzie Gottlieb's third documentary feature, a chronicle of the life, work and professional relationship between author Robert Caro and editor Robert Gottlieb, I came away from it with decidedly mixed feelings. To its credit, the film provides an insightful look into the worlds of writing and editing and the sometimes-harmonious, sometimes-contentious marriage between the two in producing finished works of literature, enabling viewers to witness the collaborative intricacies and mindsets that go into this highly subjective process. It also examines the depth of the work involved in researching and shaping the contents of these projects so that they're able to live up to their literary and commercial potential. And these aspects of the film effectively capture the essence of this material, something to which I and other authors/editors can certainly relate. However, whether this level of detail would appeal to the average moviegoer is another matter; it's niche filmmaking to an extreme degree, and I can't help but wonder if this offering would provide much of anything engaging to anyone beyond the aforementioned core audience and those who have an insatiable curiosity about this subject. Obviously that's a call that would be out of my hands, yet I'm still somewhat reluctant to give a definitive recommendation or caution about this film. No matter which way one leans, I must say that I found the picture somewhat overlong, sometimes going into greater detail than even I was interested in, something that I could see being a criticism other viewers might hold as well. And the use of the word "adventures" in the subtitle is something of an overstatement. Undoubtedly, however, there will be those who absolutely love this release, though I can't say how widespread that audience would be. So, in light of that, let me just say that this one is very much one of those "you decide" offerings. And, no matter which way you lean, you'd be right.

This is a marvelous documentary that every writer, editor, copy editor, grammarian, or anyone in any field who is even remotely interested in skill and mastery, will appreciate. It touches on serious themes, but it's done with such a light personal hand that I think anyone could enjoy it. And the literary references are far from obscure. Every other word out of one of these 2 masters' mouths is quotable. And their relationship dynamic is interesting and surprising. The technical issues that are addressed are totally accessible. I'm just drinking it all up, it's so wonderful and so thoroughly enjoyable - and also unexpectedly inspiring.

This film is incredibly wonderful for literally types, but what makes it a great film is that it's also an amazing film if the viewer is not. It's a film about 2 incredibly hard working men, never backing down from pushing their craft to new levels. There is also a lot of healing in the film, because it seems to have brought Caro and Gottlieb to a much friendlier place than ever before. The director and editor also found that perfect balance between the 2 men's stories, so you feel immersed in both, both their lives feel profoundly productive and important. The music is also a wonderful color in the film and supports the humor, and the hardship of this final book, and the painstaking time it's taking. This is a must watch film, no question.

Turn Every Page - The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb is not only a terrific documentary, but also a very entertaining film. It isn't an action-packed movie where you'll be glued to your seat, but it is a wonderful story about two of the most important people in our literary community - Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb.

Robert Caro is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American author best known for his biographies of President Lyndon B. Johnson and New York political figure Robert Moses. Robert Gottlieb is an American editor who has been editor-in-chief of Simon & Schuster, Alfred A. Knopf, and The New Yorker. Caro and Gottlieb have worked together for more than 50 years. Documentarian Lizzy Gottlieb, Robert Gottlieb's daughter, spent five years on the film and gives us an up close and very personal view of each of these amazing men, their work, their passion for their work and their working relationship.

I found this documentary so interesting because it balances entertainment, humor and education. I like that this documentary teaches us about many people that no one truly knows about, especially those from my generation. I learned so much about the power and influence Robert Moses held in New York City and the power and influence President Johnson wielded during his political career. Their impact is so deep and wide and yet so different. And this is also true about Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb, as they contributed so much to American literature working together and also are very different. They have such a passion for what they do-they even 'go to war' over commas and semicolons. One of my favorite lines from the movie is from Robert Gottlieb, "He does the work. I do the cleanup." This movie also shows what goes on behind the scenes of writing a book. There is so much that goes into it, and it's enlightening to know what that is. Watching this documentary may even inspire you to read The Power Broker about Robert Moses or the Lyndon Johnson biography series.

The message and purpose of this documentary is to highlight the shared dedication and working relationship of these two literary men. There is some language that might be offensive to some.

I give Turn Every Page - The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, but especially adults. The film is playing now in select cities. By Katherine S., KIDS FIRST!