The great Irvin Kershner, director of The Empire Strikes Back but more importantly of Loving, the 1970 George Segal-Eva Marie Saint Westport ennui dramedy, had died at age 87.

Kersh was a feisty guy, fun to talk to, full of piss and vinegar, no day at the beach. I loved his brief little performance in The Last Temptation of Christ (“…but we want it!”). And yes, let’s acknowledge that he deserves eternal credit for defying George “it doesn’t have to be that good” Lucas on production values and other matters and making the best Star Wars film of all time.