The Answer Man [Roger Ebert Review]

Here’s how Ebert ended a review he wrote yesterday:

It’s said that Richard Harding Davis was dispatched by William Randolph Hearst to cover the Johnstown flood. Here was his lead: “God stood on a mountaintop here and looked at what his waters had wrought.” Hearst cabled back: “Forget flood. Interview God.”

A wonderful story. Checking out the quote online, I found a blog entry by Dennis G. Jerz of Seton Hill University, reporting that I have related this same story four times in print since 1993, sometimes changing it slightly. Good gravy! My only defense for using it once again is that it’s more interesting than anything else I could write about “The Answer Man.” — Roger Ebert

He’s talking about “Forget Flood. Review Movies.”