The first documentary on the life and work of comedian Lenny Bruce offers up lengthy TV clips of Bruce in his prime and a rare, and very sad, interview conducted by journalist Nat Hentoff. The fact that filmmaker Fred Baker leaves these segments relatively intact is invaluable for students
of classic comedy and collectors of Bruce's work; it also unfortunately means that the film doesn't cover very much ground, or offer many details about Bruce's life before the period in which he was consistently arrested on obscenity charges.
Baker takes a patchwork approach, stitching supplemental biographical material and commentary from various comedy/legal/literary experts...
Released:
1972
Rated:
NR
Length:
90 mins