David Stratton: Film Critic’s Death at 85 After MS Battle

For millions of Australians, Saturday night television meant one thing: David Stratton and Margaret Pomeranz arguing about movies. Stratton, who died on 14 August 2025 at age 85, spent more than six decades turning film criticism into a national conversation, with his partnership with Pomeranz spanning 28 years and producing some of the most memorable debates on Australian TV, while his quiet management of multiple sclerosis added a deeply human dimension to a life devoted to cinema.

Born: 10 September 1939 · Died: 14 August 2025 · Nationality: English-born Australian · Occupation: Film critic, historian, journalist · Known for: Co-host of ‘At the Movies’ with Margaret Pomeranz · Longtime partner on screen: Margaret Pomeranz

Eight biographical facts that trace the arc of a singular career.

What illness did David Stratton have?

What was David Stratton’s diagnosis?

David Stratton was reported to have multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic neurological condition that affects the central nervous system. The illness was publicly acknowledged around the time of his death in August 2025, though friends and colleagues noted he had been managing the condition privately for years (The Sydney Morning Herald). MS can cause fatigue, mobility challenges, and cognitive changes, yet Stratton continued writing and appearing at film events well into his eighties.

How long did he live with multiple sclerosis?

The exact date of Stratton’s diagnosis has not been publicly confirmed. Based on colleague accounts, he was believed to have been living with MS for at least several years before his death. Despite the condition, he remained professionally active, completing film reviews and book projects (The Sydney Morning Herald). His resilience in continuing to engage with cinema while managing a degenerative illness drew quiet admiration from those who knew him.

The implication: Stratton’s quiet battle with MS underscores the resolve that made him a trusted voice in Australian cinema.

Why did David Stratton like Singin’ in the Rain?

What did he say about the film?

Stratton called Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly’s 1952 musical Singin’ in the Rain “the perfect movie” in multiple interviews over the decades (Wikipedia). He praised its seamless blend of musical joy, athletic choreography, and razor-sharp comedic timing. For Stratton, the film represented everything great cinema could achieve: technical brilliance married to pure emotional delight.

How did Singin’ in the Rain influence his career?

The film served as a touchstone throughout his reviewing life. He frequently used it as a benchmark when measuring modern musicals and comedies. The Adelaide Film Festival, where Stratton served as an advisor, announced plans to screen Singin’ in the Rain as part of a tribute following his death. The choice was deliberate: few films captured Stratton’s core belief that movies should be both intelligent and joyful.

What this means: The film became a lens through which Stratton evaluated all others, cementing his reputation as a critic who prized joy as much as rigor.

Were Margaret and David friends?

How did their partnership begin?

Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton met in the mid-1980s when SBS approached them to create a film-review program. The Movie Show premiered in 1986 and ran for nearly two decades before moving to ABC as At the Movies in 2004 (The Sydney Morning Herald). Their on-air dynamic was famously combative: Stratton the formal, academically-minded critic; Pomeranz the instinctive, audience-focused reviewer. Viewers loved the friction.

Did they have a falling out?

Despite rumors over the years, there was no lasting rift. After Pomeranz was dropped from At the Movies in 2014, Stratton chose to retire rather than continue without her. In her statement following his death, Pomeranz said she felt “as though one half of my brain has been removed” (The Guardian). She described him as one half of her professional identity.

What did they say about each other?

Pomeranz once said their partnership worked because “we had the same values but different tastes.” Stratton, in a 2023 interview, credited Pomeranz with teaching him to trust his instincts. Their relationship was the longest-running on-screen partnership in Australian television history and reshaped how film criticism reached mainstream audiences (The Sydney Morning Herald).

The pattern: Their dynamic proved that productive disagreement, grounded in shared values, can create something greater than either voice alone.

Where is Margaret Pomeranz now?

Has Margaret Pomeranz commented on David Stratton’s death?

Pomeranz released a public statement on 14 August 2025 expressing grief and gratitude for their decades together. She described Stratton as “a giant of Australian cinema and a dear friend” and noted that she would “miss his laugh and his stubbornness in equal measure” (The Sydney Morning Herald). The statement was widely shared and drew emotional responses from filmmakers and audiences alike.

What is she currently doing?

Margaret Pomeranz remains active in the Australian film community. She serves as a patron of CinefestOZ, the annual film festival held in Western Australia’s southwest, and continues to write and appear at industry events (Wikipedia). Following Stratton’s death, she confirmed she would honour his legacy by maintaining their shared commitment to championing Australian and independent cinema.

The catch: Her active role keeps Stratton’s values alive in the very spaces they shaped together.

Did David Stratton have children?

Was he married?

David Stratton was married and is survived by his wife. The couple lived in Leura, a village in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, where they maintained a private life away from the film industry spotlight (The Sydney Morning Herald). Stratton rarely discussed his family in public, preferring to keep his home life separate from his television persona.

Who are his family members?

Stratton is survived by his wife and children, though their names have not been widely publicized at the family’s request. His obituaries consistently mention them as survivors, but the family has chosen to grieve privately (The Sydney Morning Herald). This discretion was characteristic of Stratton, who maintained a clear boundary between his public role as a critic and his private identity as a husband and father.

David Stratton: career timeline

The implication: Stratton’s timeline mirrors the rise of Australian film culture itself. From festival director to television icon to elder statesman, each phase built on the last.

What’s confirmed and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

• Born 10 September 1939 in Trowbridge, England.
• Died 14 August 2025 in Blue Mountains, Australia.
• Had multiple sclerosis.
• Co-hosted The Movie Show and At the Movies with Margaret Pomeranz.
• Survived by wife and children.
• Director of Sydney Film Festival (1966–1983).
• Author of multiple books on Australian cinema.

What’s unclear

• Exact date of multiple sclerosis diagnosis.
• Whether he had other underlying conditions.
• Full list of survivors (names not widely publicized).

The catch: The gaps in public knowledge reflect Stratton’s own preference for privacy, leaving some details to family.

Tributes and reflections

“I feel as though one half of my brain has been removed.”

— Margaret Pomeranz, in a statement following his death (The Guardian)

“Every cinephile in Australia wanted to be David Stratton; his passion was infectious.”

— The Guardian obituary (The Guardian)

“He served with distinction as president of FIPRESCI juries at Cannes and Venice, bringing Australian perspective to global cinema.”

— FIPRESCI tribute (FIPRESCI)

“David called Singin’ in the Rain the perfect movie. He made a compelling case every time.”

— Colleague and friend, Adelaide Film Festival tribute

What this means: Each tribute captures a different facet of Stratton’s influence, from personal loss to professional legacy.

David Stratton’s legacy for Australian cinema

David Stratton did more than review films — he built the infrastructure for film culture in Australia. As director of the Sydney Film Festival, he elevated it from a local gathering to an internationally recognised event. As a critic, he educated a generation of viewers to watch with both heart and mind. As a partner to Margaret Pomeranz, he proved that disagreement could be productive and that passion for cinema could unite audiences across tastes and backgrounds.

His battle with multiple sclerosis, managed largely out of public view, added a final lesson: dedication to craft does not waver in the face of illness. For Australian filmmakers, the choice is clear: honour his legacy by continuing to make and support the kind of cinema he championed — thoughtful, independent, and unafraid of joy.

Related reading: The two Davids: how Stratton and Pomeranz changed our film viewing habits · David Stratton obituary and legacy

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