MAYSLES MOVIES AT MOMA. Call it a Maysles-December relationship. Starting today and continuing throughout this month, MOMA screens documentaries by Albert and David Maysles. It's a shame that Albert isn't trotting out his rare portrait of Truman Capote (recently shown at the Film Forum) but there's still plenty of interest. Here are some highlights.

Thursday, December 1 at 6:30 pm
GREY GARDENS (1976) with PSYCHIATRY IN RUSSIA (1955)
Grey Gardens is a cult favorite, a depiction of offbeat American aristocrats Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter at their East Hampton estate.

Thursday, December 1 at 8:45 pm
SALESMAN (1968)
Chosen for the Library of Congress National Film Registry, this film documents door-to-door salesmen in the Bible racket.

Friday, December 2 at 7:00 pm "Pay what you wish!"
WHAT'S HAPPENING! THE BEATLES IN THE USA (1964)
The Fab Four, trapped in the Plaza Hotel with the Brothers Maysles!

Friday, December 2 at 9:00 pm "Pay what you wish!"
GIMME SHELTER (1970)
Rock gets ugly — and deadly — at Altamont.

Saturday, December 24 at 2:00 pm
GREY GARDENS (1976) with PSYCHIATRY IN RUSSIA (1955)

Wednesday, December 28 at 6:30 pm
GIMME SHELTER (1970)

Wednesday, December 28 at 8:30 pm
WHAT'S HAPPENING! THE BEATLES IN THE USA (1964)

Thursday, December 29 at 5:15 pm
SALESMAN (1968)

Also included in Maysles Films: Five Decades are Christo and classical music documentaries.

If you're interested in Hitchcock's NOTORIOUS, note that it will show Thursday, December 1 and Friday December 2 (when you can "Pay what you wish!").

And if you're interested in what nine selections have been programmed by Stephen Sondheim for December...here they are:

KONTRAKT (1980)
KARAKTER (1997)
DEAD OF NIGHT (1945)
ELEPHANT (2003)
THE SEA WOLF (1941)
PYGMALION (1938)"Pay what you wish!" December 30 at 6:00 pm
THE THIEF OF BAGDAD (1940)
HENRY FOOL (1997)
HIGH AND LOW (1962) "Pay what you wish!" December 30 at 8:00 pm

The Thief of Bagdad is a great choice for an early New Year's Eve screening. Sondheim deems it "The best fantasy picture of them all." It has nothing to do with Donald Rumsfeld, Saddam Hussein, or the rest of those fellows who've been in the news so much lately.

Check the MOMA Schedule PDF to confirm dates and times of all December screenings.