LENNY BRUCE: SWEAR TO TELL THE TRUTH (TV)
Summary
Robert DeNiro narrates this documentary about controversial comedian Lenny Bruce. The film contains interviews with Bruce's family, friends, and colleagues; archival photographs; newsreel clips; clips from television appearances; and audio of theater performances. The beginning of the film looks at Bruce's childhood and the influence of his unconventional mother on his career: Bruce's mother Sally Marr discusses raising Lenny; the role she played in her son's choice of career; and Bruce's stint in the Navy. The film then looks at the development of Bruce's career: Marr talks about her role in landing Bruce his first television appearance on "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts" and subsequent offers of live and television appearances, including "Broadway Open House" (1950) with Buddy Hackett . Bruce's ex-wife Honey Bruce (later Friedman) talks about meeting Bruce and falling in love; Bruce's stint in the Merchant Marines; controversial acts that Bruce wrote for himself and Honey, including "Bake dat Chicken Pie" (1951); their move to California; Bruce's relationship with his father; Bruce's exploitation movies, including "Dance Hall Racket," (1953); and Bruce's successful stint at Strip City, where "Dirty Lenny" came into his own. The development of Bruce's dirty humor and his subsequent rise to fame are also discussed by Honey Bruce; comic and Bruce's friend Frankie Ray; and comic and friend Jackie Gayle. Honey and daughter Kitty Bruce talk about Bruce's frequent absences; Bruce's increasingly decadent lifestyle; and his and Honey's subsequent divorce, including Bruce's demeanor after the split and its effect on his work (exemplified in his song "All Alone" 1955). The film talks about Bruce's rise to fame by 1957, featuring television host Steve Allen's comments on his role in Bruce's rise to fame and enumerating the albums Bruce recorded. Writer Nat Hentoff talks about Bruce's reconception of American humor, while Gayle and friend JoJo D'Amore discuss Bruce's womanizing. The film covers Bruce's appearance on "Playboy Penthouse" (1959) (clips included), a sure sign of his popularity, as well as articles about a February 4, 1961 blizzard that crippled New York City but did nothing to stop Bruce's Carnegie show from selling out. Next, the film chronicles the scandals that embroiled Bruce and cut short his career and, in turn, his life. D'Amore talks specifically about Bruce's drug habit. Next the film looks at a series of arrests of Bruce on obscenity charges beginning in 1961 which interrupted his career and to which he reacted in a characteristically unconventional and damaging fashion. Commentary is provided by attorney Martin Garbus; Gayle; manager Jack Sobel; friend Paul Krassner; private investigator John Dolan; Honey; Bruce in archival footage; and Ray. The program includes a clip of Bruce's appearance on the "Nat Hentoff Interview" in 1962, during which Bruce obsesses about his predicaments. Bruce's battles against the law culminated in obscenity charges in 1964 stemming from a New York City appearance; the film gives a detailed account of the event and its aftermath, with commentary from Krassner; Cafe-a-Go-Go owner Howard Solomon; Bruce, in a filmed interview; former New York District Attorney Frank Hogan, in an archival interview; Hentoff; former New York Assistant District Attorney Richard Kuh; and Garbus. Bruce's mental and physical deterioration after the trial and the circumstances surrounding his death soon after are discussed by D'Amore; Marr; Lotus Weinstock, a comedian and Bruce's girlfriend; Kitty; and Honey Bruce.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by The Marc Haas and Helen Hotze Haas Foundations, 2003/2004.
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: August 9, 1999 Monday 10:15 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:34:22
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:57421
- GENRE: Arts documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Biography; Comedy; Political satire
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV, 1999
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Sheila Nevins … Executive Producer
- Anthony Radziwill … Supervising Producer
- Robert B. Weide … Producer, Director, Writer
- Robert DeNiro … Narrator
- Steve Allen
- Bruce Friedman, Honey
- Lenny Bruce
- Kitty Bruce
- JoJo D'Amore
- John Dolan
- Martin Garbus
- Jackie Gayle
- Arthur Godfrey
- Buddy Hackett
- Nat Hentoff
- Frank Hogan
- Paul Krassner
- Richard Kuh
- Sally Marr
- Frankie Ray
- Jack Sobel
- Howard Solomon
- Lotus Weinstock