The auteur theory: an historical analysis

This thesis traces the development of the auteur theory of film. Beginning in France, this concept's genesis from an article by Francois Truffaut is discussed and evaluated. The evolution of Truffant’s phrase “la politique des auteurs” into a conscious policy of favoring certain directors, while opposing others, is probed to determine what criteria were used by Truffant and his associates. Andre Bazin’s comments on “la politique des auteurs” are discussed; his article was probably the first to critique the auteurist’s system of values as developed by the French Critics. “La politique des auteurs” was imported to America by the critic Andrew Sarris. In his article “Notes on the Auteur Theory in 1962,” Sarris coined the term “auteur theory” and outlined his version of this theory as a critical device to reassess and elevate the Hollywood director. Sarris’s major work in this area, “The American Cinema”, is appraised for its attempt to utilize the auteur concept as a theory of film history. The Sarris format of ranking and cataloging directors is also evaluated. The objections to the auteur theory are listed and analyzed. Pauline Kael’s famous article “Circles and Squares” is extensively considered. Arguments used by Dwight Macdonald, Stanley J. Solomon, George W. Linden, and others are noted. There is also a review of the structuralist school of auteurism as represented by Peter Wollen’s writings. It was determined that Andrew Sarris’s use of the auteur theory was not confined to its application as a device to reassess the American cinema; his employment of this theory to stimulate, debate and help raise the level of film scholarship were other significant factors in his utilization of this approach. Although Sarris has tended to retreat from his earliest, and most rigid formulation of auteurism, he still embraces the approach as a necessary first step in the scholarly consideration of film. In concluding, the widespread influence of the auteur theory is discussed in relation to its impact on film in general. Suggested areas of further study are indicated as important to understanding the full significance of this theory on film production, aesthetics, and academic study.