Review of Lenny (1974) by Craig T — 11 Apr 2011

1974 was a great year in film history. The Godfather II, Chinatown, and Lenny are just a few of the big names that appeared in this historical year. Bob Fosse beat Coppola for Best Director for The Godfather, for Cabaret! Yet in 1974, Coppola took home the gold over Fosses' film Lenny (and appropriately so). It is fun for me to view the Oscars like The Super Bowl or a boxing match sometimes. In this particularly special year in film, I believe some contenders like Lenny may have been overshadowed by the aforementioned heavyweights.

Lenny Bruce was a daring and troubled standup comic who is perfectly played by Dustin Hoffman. His love interest and eventual wife is an equally troubled stripper named Honey (a stripper named Honey, how typical). The two enter into a fast and vicious relationship as Lenny pushes his way into stardom, all the while dragging stripper/wife and a substance abuse problem along the way. The film is shot in black and white in a dark and charismatic fashion. The bleak cinematography is superb (accurately nominated for an Oscar as well) and the performances are hypnotizing. Lenny moves into our life and breaks down the emotional barriers. The relationship between Honey and Lenny is torturous, just as their love is twisted and misguided. Hoffman and the brilliant director craft a memorable piece of work here that looks and feels as sick as it surely was in real life for these poor souls.

Fosse has directed some powerful dramas surrounding the worlds of showbiz, sex, drugs and violence; following the subject to its fullest reach of glamour and deadly consequences. Another one of his films is Star 80 and can easily be put into the same category as Lenny. Fosse has great leadership skills in directing these films and I believe helped pull out much power from Hoffman (and Eric Roberts in Star 80). The director has a certain take on these lifestyles and is shown here in clear and unapologetic honesty. Lenny should be viewed for all these reasons but if for nothing else, to see Hoffman on stage in his bathrobe scene. He is on stage, out of his mind, and delivering no coherent speech pattern- dying on stage in front of a large and silent crowd in the richest of cinematography. To experience his shallow grave of emptiness is agonizing yet the talent and texture of the entire picture shines through even the darkest of images. (B).