The Directors - Milos Forman
This edition ofThe Directorsseries is one of the best, not only because Milos Forman is an engaging raconteur, but because the number of films  he made between 1965 and 2000 is well matched to the one-hour format of this  series. Almost every film--from his Czech debutLoves of a BlondetoMan on the Moon--is given fair screen time in a broad survey. This  overview is further enhanced by delightful interview clips with Forman, whose  boyish charm is infectiously upbeat (and admirable, considering he lost his  parents to the Nazi concentration camps). As one of the few filmmakers in the  series who isn't American by birth, Forman also has a different perspective on  America and his success in the Hollywood system, beginning with 1975'sOne  Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. That Oscar winner established many of the  themes that dominate Forman's work, and his lively anecdotes compensate for star  Jack Nicholson's absence as an interviewee. Equally memorable is Forman's  recollection of working with James Cagney onRagtime(the great actor's  final feature film), and receiving a cherished memento while visiting Cagney's  home. Among the program's other interviewees,AmadeusOscar-winner F.  Murray Abraham recalls Forman's direction to play the composer Salieri as  Abraham had previously played Cyrano and Iago--an equal blend of "romance and  manipulation." That kind of simple, eloquent guidance is a trademark for Forman,  who humorously notes that "I knew I'd made it" when his name appeared as an  answer in theNew York Timescrossword puzzle.--Jeff Shannon