Great moviemaking

Rating: 10/10 (3 April 1999)

Books are books, and films are something else. Though I enjoyed reading Joseph Heller's novel, I was impressed with this adaptation, when I first saw it in a movie house, especially for its splendid use of the Panavision format. Although now I miss the wide-screen, the impression of high quality filmmaking has not diminished after the years, when I have seen Catch 22 in video.
The adaptation by Buck Henry opens the discussion on films based on books: Henry has preserved Heller's spirit, that is --for me-- the most important thing to do when one adapts a work from another source. And Mike Nichols' excellent direction asserts the autonomy of the cinematic author, who is free to create a different work of art from a literary source.
I must add that all the discussion seems rather strange, for no one knows how Heller's book will be appreciated in the 21st century...
For me, Marcel Dalio's cameo as the Italian blind man makes sense for the whole film, with his reflection on political and economic empires. Everybody is very good in this film (among the best, Jack Gilford, Alan Arkin, Orson Welles, Jon Voight and Bob Balaban), and my only regret is that Paula Prentiss' funny recreation of Nurse Duckett is seen only briefly.