Book Review: Opposable Thumbs

On a cold Saturday afternoon in 1975, two men met for lunch in a Chicago pub. Gene Siskel was the film critic for the Chicago Tribune. Roger Ebert had recently won the Pulitzer Prize—the first ever awarded to a film critic—for his work at the Chicago Sun-Times. To say they despised each other was an understatement. When they reluctantly agreed to collaborate on a new movie review show with PBS, there was at least as much sparring off-camera as on. No decision—from which films to cover to who would read the lead review to how to pronounce foreign titles—was made without conflict, but their often-antagonistic partnership made for great television. In the years that followed, their signature “Two thumbs up!” would become the most trusted critical brand in Hollywood.

In Opposable Thumbs, award-winning editor and film critic Matt Singer eavesdrops on their iconic balcony set, detailing their rise from making a few hundred dollars a week on local Chicago PBS to securing multimillion-dollar contracts for a syndicated series. Their partnership was cut short when Gene Siskel passed away in February of 1999 after a battle with brain cancer that he’d kept secret from everyone outside his immediate family—including Roger Ebert, who never got to say goodbye to his longtime partner. But their influence on in the way we talk about (and think about) movies continues to this day.

Opposable Thumbs will be published October 24, 2023. The Penguin Group/Putnam Books provided an early galley for review.

As a teen in the late 70's and early 80's, watching Sneak Previews which changed to At The Movies when it went into syndication was part of my weekend routine. I was entertained as the two critics rattled through several new movie reviews in a half-hour. I felt I could trust their opinions (even if I did not always agree with them) - they had started out on PBS after all (which was the pinnacle of informative programming, in my mind).

After an introduction, Singer gives us a chapter on each man that gives the histories before the two came together. Not having read previously either man's biography, these two chapters were greatly appreciated to level set the players. From there, we continue with an in-depth evolution of their review show together with plenty of examples why this was pure lightning in a bottle.

For readers looking for behind-the-scenes stories and details, Singer has got you covered. From the initial lackluster pilot to the second start to set design, he provides it all. I was especially fascinated about how they went about getting the exact film clips needed for the points Gene and Roger wanted to make on the show. I also enjoyed the summary of their appearances on talk shows and Saturday Night Live as they go more well-known for their dynamic and presentation.

For readers of a certain age this book will resonate soundly.