‘Mr. Scorsese’ Is a Joy to Watch (Unless You’re Martin Scorsese)
Director Rebecca Miller spoke with GQ about her Apple TV documentary miniseries Scorsese, which paints the most complete portrait yet of the legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese. The project feels almost miraculous in scope, bringing together collaborators who’ve shaped his decades-long career.
Collaborators and Scope
Miller gathered key figures from Scorsese’s artistic circle, including Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, Robbie Robertson, Thelma Schoonmaker, and Margot Robbie. The only notable absence was Joe Pesci, who chose not to participate. Scorsese himself sat for nearly 20 hours of interviews, sharing insights from every corner of his personal and creative journey.
Intimate and Honest Portrait
The series stands out for its openness. Scorsese discusses his challenges with addiction during the 1980s, his evolving relationship with faith, his early brushes with organized crime, and the dynamics within his own family, including his wife Helen Morris’s battle with Parkinson’s disease. The result is both deeply personal and rich with film history.
The Cinematic Retrospective
Beyond its confessional tone, the documentary is a joyful reflection on Scorsese’s classic works—GoodFellas, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Raging Bull among them. Viewers gain a rare, candid glimpse into moments that defined modern cinema.
Rebecca Miller: “To spend such a long time talking to this artist—it’s like you are learning about his life, but you’re also learning about film and all the films that influenced him. So there was almost like a going to graduate school quality about it.”
Author’s Summary
The documentary Scorsese by Rebecca Miller turns an intimate conversation into an absorbing study of a master filmmaker, blending honesty, nostalgia, and cinematic insight.