The American Cinema: Directors and Directions 1929-1968 (1968) – Andrew Sarris

Andrew Sarris, born on October 31, 1928 in New York, is a U.S. film critic and a leading proponent of the auteur theory of criticism. He is generally credited with popularising this theory in the United States and coining the half-English, half-French term, “auteur theory,” in his essay, “Notes on the Auteur Theory,” which was inspired by critics writing in the French film magazine Cahiers du cinéma.

He wrote book The American Cinema: Directors and Directions 1929-1968, published in 1968, an opinionated assessment of films of the sound era, organized by director. The book helped raise an awareness of the role of the film director among the general public.

He is often seen as a rival to Pauline Kael, who had originally attacked the auteur theory in her essay, “Circles and Squares“.