I swear to tell the truth includes film clips of bruce on stage and on television including highlights from an unaired appearance on the steve allen show, interviews with his friends and family including his mother, sally marr, and his wife honey as well as his lawyers and the prosecutors who fought against him, home movies and. One sheets from thousands of your favorite films from cinema around the world. But he wont change lives by listening to this performance. Check out live at the curran theater remastered by lenny bruce on amazon music. Bruce, who died of a drug overdose in 1966, was a genuinely funny man who has a genuine claim to be considered a hero of free speech in america. The documentary sheds new light on bruce s early career as an apolitical mimic. Thanks to bruce, there are virtually no topics that are off limits in standup comedy. Todays comedian has a cross to bear that he built himself. Swear to tell the truth is a documentary directed by robert b. Swear to tell the truth 1998 comedian lenny bruce struck a subversive chord in an era of change in america. Weide pays tribute to the tragic life and untold contributions of standup comic lenny bruce, a complicated performer whose work has arguably influenced more contemporary comedians than.
Skover, the coauthor of the trials of lenny bruce, the fall and rise of an american. Swear to tell the truth cast and crew including actors, directors, producers and more. Lenny bruce death, tragic story behind mrs maisel comic. He began exploring sexual politics, and his work became darker and more personal. Lenny bruce was born leonard alfred schneider to a jewish family in mineola, new york, grew up in nearby bellmore, and attended wellington c. My opinion is you have to have lived during that time and felt the oppressive society to really understand the genius of lenny bruce. It was nominated for an academy award for best documentary feature. Weides academy awardnominated 1998 documentary, lenny bruce. Before eric cartman, there was lenny bruce, and given the numerous calls today for the south park brat and his ilk to clean up their act, the tv premiere of this oscarnominated documentary couldnt be better timed. Getting a video copy of lenny bruce without tears was a big deal in my youth not only were retail videos in their infancy but aside from the lenny bruce performance film which showcases bruce at his dopedup selfindulgent worst, there really was no other way of seeing any footage of the man himself. Swear to tell the truth emotionally argues the performers place as the most innovative thinker to. Swear to tell the truth for best documentary feature suggests how amazing it is that weide manages to portray the brilliant taboo smashing comic without hero worship or sanctimony. Gloria swanson on walking out on lenny bruce the dick cavett show duration.
Jan 15, 2003 the trials of lenny bruce standup comics can say pretty much anything these days no matter how obscene or offensive their material thanks in no small part to lenny bruce. In expanding the boundaries of free speech and attacking hypocrisy, he was lauded by some, but reviled by many more. Swear to tell the truth, until it received its premiere broadcast on hbo, thirteen years had come and gone. He was not afraid to say what he felt on stage even knowing that he would be. The film lenny is well intentioned and well done, but it cant carry the jock of weides swear to tell the truth. American comedian, activist and social critic 1925. Every once in awhile in a world gone mad, a rebel will rise above the turmoil and make a change thats so profound that it lasts forever, making him immortal. Swear to tell the truth received an academy award nomination for best documentary. Leaving the discussion of whether this bob fossedirected biopic accurately captures lenny bruces soul to others. Media no videos, backdrops or posters have been added to lenny bruce. A bit quieter, a few awkward giggles, but no objections. He did bits about almost everything that happened in our life, said honey harlow in the documentary lenny bruce.
This leads us to a discussion about words and their power. Words do have power, but its not inherent in the letter symbols its what our perceptions and attitudes have embellished the word with. Comedian lenny bruce struck a subversive chord in an era of change in. In 1948, lenny bruce was just another comic who couldnt get arrested. Weide likes to focus on the lives of comedians in his films and in lenny bruce he has powerful material to work with.
Honey bruces film credits include acting opposite lenny bruce in a lowbudget 1953 movie that he scripted, dance hall racket. Swear to tell the truth, written and directed by robert b. Swear to tell the truth on tv with the full listings schedule at. Swear to tell the truth emotionally argues the performers place as the most innovative thinker to emerge from the standup comedy. A list of lyrics, artists and songs that contain the term lenny bruce from the website. After getting his start as a conventional standup comic, bruces. Rent the lenny bruce performance film 1965 on dvd and blu. Weide, with honey bruce, kitty bruce, lotus weinstock, belongs at turner classic movies. Having proved his ability to handle writing and producing narrative film with mother night, robert weide and the crew of whyaduck productions take on a much more difficult medium with lenny bruce. Very early, hes seen imitating katharine hepburn in an act so clean. Swear to tell the truth movie synopsis, view the movie trailer, get cast and crew information, see movie photos, and more on. Lenny bruce the performance film complete live act, rare, 1965 watch. To say whatever nonsense comes into your head without any repercussions has got to be a bigger high than heckling a movie screen in a darkened theater.
Swear to tell the truth is the first work ive seen that correctly shows in detail and explains the real reasons why lenny bruce was hunted and persecuted by the authorities all the way to his eventual death. Lenny s parents divorced before he turned ten, and he lived with various relatives over the next decade. Tv, stage and film comedianactoractivist killed in accident at age 91. Swear to tell the truth a documentary about the comic who invented controversy. Swear to tell the truth the 1998 movie, trailers, videos and more at yidio. Lenny is a 1974 american biographical drama film about the comedian lenny bruce, starring dustin hoffman and directed by bob fosse. Getting a video copy of lenny bruce without tears was a big deal in my youth not only were retail videos in their infancy but aside from the lenny bruce performance film which showcases bruce at his dopedup selfindulgent worst, there really was no. The academy of motion picture arts and sciences rarely recognizes documentaries about movies or show business. A long and loving tribute 10 years in the making, lenny bruce. Words do have power, but its not inherent in the letter symbols its what. However the best documentary by far is swear to tell the truth. How bruce s constant attacks on hypocrisy of the status quo in general and the catholic church in. She appeared in robert weides 1998 documentary lenny bruce.
Swear to tell the truth, which opens today at the film forum, offers a look at bruce s developing comic style. Swear to tell the truth en francais, streaming gratuit, soustitres et audio dorigine. Lenny bruce video standup comedy database deadfrog. A campaign to overturn the 1964 obscenity conviction, led by ron collins and david skover authors of the trials of lenny bruce, kitty and her late mother honey died in 2006 inspired then new. Court rules in favour of mum who fled aus due to violent relationship radio new zealand. Rent the lenny bruce performance film 1965 starring lenny bruce on dvd and. In 1984, she married jeffrey friedman and became known as honey bruce friedman. My standard joke was that i didnt know whether to release the film or have it bar mitzvahd. Rarely has a film demonstrated so persuasively the exact opposite of.
By clicking any link on this page you are giving your consent for us to set cookies. He is a producer and director, known for curb your. Swear to tell the truth, will have its television premiere tomorrow night on hbo. Lenny bruce, as shown in the documentary swear to tell the truth. Lenny bruce was born leonard alfred schneider to a jewish family in mineola. Contact info view agent, publicist, legal on imdbpro. Swear to tell the truth 1998 toutes les infos sur le film complet lenny bruce. Lenny bruce film acquired by brandeis is its own mystery. Neither of those theatrical tributes was nearly as good as the documentary lenny bruce.
Combining rare archival footage and interviews with lennys mother sally marr, exwife honey, daughter kitty, paul krassner, nat hentoff and steve allen, lenny bruce. Swear to tell the truth ran in the examiners weekend section in march, when the film played for two weeks at the roxie cinema. Msn new zealand latest news, hotmail, outlook, photos and. After getting his start as a conventional standup comic, bruce s increasingly iconoclastic act transformed him into a leading figure of the 1960s counterculture. From the time i commenced production on lenny bruce. Combining rare tv footage, audiotapes, home movies, photos and candid interviews with those who knew him, lenny bruce. Madefortelevision bruce documentaries have recently been shown on court tv and the e. Live at the curran theater remastered by lenny bruce on. Weide, who was rewarded with an oscar nomination last. Swear to tell the truth manages to be both richly informative and emotionally. It was nominated for the academy award for best documentary feature. Of course, bruce was much moreand sometimes much lessthan a comic who helped make it possible to employ explicit language with impunity, as lenny bruce.
The screenplay by julian barry is based on his play of the same name. Jan 26, 2008 lenny bruce, as shown in the documentary swear to tell the truth. Comedian lenny bruce struck a subversive chord in an era of change in america. Swear to tell the truth, 1998, directed by robert b. Swear to tell the truth shows why he was one of the most revolutionary figures in showbusiness history.
Along and loving tribute 10 years in the making, lenny bruce. Swear to tell the truth is a 1998 documentary film directed by robert b. Lenny bruce swear to tell the truth library of congress. The documentary, highly easy to do badly, can be just as emotional touching, just as engaging as the narrative film.
Rarely has a film demonstrated so persuasively the exact opposite of what it clearly intends as does the fascinating, revelatory, and ultimately wrongheaded documentary lenny bruce. All comments about lenny or this video are welcome, or just something either made you. Lenny bruce documentary 2011 documental subtitulado en espanol. Jul 11, 2017 filmmaker robert weides remarkable documentary, lenny bruce.
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