I liked that this episode opened with Evans purporting that he’s always calm, something that was not at all the case just one month earlier when they were trying to figure out a way to get the movie out and have it be a success. The idea of block booking a huge number of theaters so that the first day would be a juggernaut and everyone would see it at the same time was a bold move, but one that paid off spectacularly well. It did help Evans’ mood that, even though Ali showed up to his exquisitely-catered dinner with divorce papers, she opted to attend the premiere with him to give the press something to write about one last time. Kissinger changing his plans from Moscow to come to the premiere was a boon for both the film and for him given its resounding success. I know the Oscar history and how Bob Fosse defeated Francis for the Best Director prize, but this brief snapshot of the show with the belief that “Cabaret” was just too popular and would eclipse “The Godfather” for the top prize was effectively edited and poignant. Ruddy deciding not to do the sequel so that he could trade the rights for the projects he wanted to do was a surprising but smart move, and it’s nice to know that he had a long and prolific career that included another Best Picture trophy for “Million Dollar Baby” three decades later. It was nice also to see that Ruddy invested in Bettye’s next step, and that she was able to have her own wondrous success in the wake of all this. I’ve very much enjoyed and appreciated this series, and I hope it earns some deserved recognition for its supporting players when Emmy nominations are announced.
Series grade: A-
Series MVP: Matthew Goode as Bob Evans
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