Showman

60mn short on film producer Joseph E. Levine by documentary filmmakers David and Albert Maysles. Wheeling and dealing at his offices on the East Coast, Levine--short and round at 200lbs with black-rimmed glasses--was a publicity man who rose from the likes of 'presenting' "Hercules" (the surprise hit of 1958) to being producer or executive producer on such acclaimed pictures as "Contempt", "The Graduate", "The Lion in Winter" and "Carnal Knowledge". Here, we find Levine and his staff discussing movie openings, US and Italian box-office, distribution rights...and Sophia Loren, with whom he celebrated after her performance in "Two Women", distributed in the US by Levine's Embassy Pictures, won her the Best Actress Oscar. Cinéma vérité portrait isn't particularly revealing or enlightening about show biz, but cinephiles will enjoy eavesdropping on these conversations. Levine appears to have been revered by insiders--"The man with the golden touch is the man with the golden heart!"--however, his stomach ulcers probably told a different story. **1/2 from ****