The Directors - Robert Altman
Robert Altman virtually defines the wordmaverick. He forged his  remarkable career both in and (mostly) out of the Hollywood mainstream, so it's  no surprise that he's the most engaging presence in this regrettably hurried  one-hour tribute. "Every time I make a film I'm convinced it's a masterpiece,"  says the veteran filmmaker, commenting with justifiable pride that he's never  been out of work and never made a film he didn't choose to make. That Altman has  also been prolific is problematic for this edition ofThe Directors. All  of the major films are given adequate time (notablyMcCabe & Mrs. MillerandNashville), but most of Altman's erratic output of the 1980s barely  rates a mention, offering further proof that this often shallow series treats  unsuccessful films as orphans to be forgotten. Fortunately, Altman is a lively  interviewee who isn't afraid to name names when describing the botched release  ofThe Gingerbread Man, and he's equally animated when discussing how  studio mogul Jack Warner nearly sabotaged Altman's career by seizing control of  Altman's early filmMarooned. Even then, Altman was beginning to  experiment with unconventional uses of dialogue mixing and visual style; we can  be grateful that he continued to cut a unique path to filmmaking greatness. The  other interviewees (most memorably Buck Henry and Glenn Close) celebrate the  director's admiration for actors, and the fact that Altman himself is pleased  with his own career--good films and bad--closes this program on an upbeat note.--Jeff Shannon