Cinema: The Film Maker as Ascendant Star

"What's at the movies?" asks a Yale junior vacationing in Manhattan.

"Well," replies his date for the evening, "there's the Godard, an old Fellini, the new Truffau'—"How about something without subtitles for a change? 2001. Or The Midnight Cowboy. Or the Alan Arkin picture . . ."

Such dialogue—this one occurred last week—reflects the state of the contemporary film. In the U.S., movies are known by their titles or their stars. Overseas, the director is becoming the star. There may always be the Catherine Deneuves and Marcello Mastroiannis who are billed above the titles...