Lenny (1974)

Director:

Bob Fosse

Writers:

Julian Barry (play)
Julian Barry (screenplay)

Release Date:

10 November 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

Lenny's Time Has Finally Come!

Plot:

The story of acerbic 1960s comic Lenny Bruce, whose groundbreaking, no-holds-barred style and social commentary was often deemed by the Establisment as too obscene for the public.

Plot Keywords:

Comedian | Stand Up Comedian | Heroin | Husband Wife Relationship | Judge

Awards:

Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Dustin Hoffman	...	Lenny Bruce
Valerie Perrine	...	Honey Bruce
Jan Miner	...	Sally Marr
Stanley Beck	...	Artie Silver
Frankie Man	...	Baltimore Comic
Rashel Novikoff	...	Aunt Mema
Gary Morton	...	Sherman Hart
Guy Rennie	...	Jack Goldstein
Michele Yonge	...	Nurse
Kathryn Witt	...	Girl (as Kathie Witt)
Monroe Myers	...	Hawaiin Judge
John DiSanti	...	John Santi
Mickey Gatlin	...	San Francisco Policeman
Martin Begley	...	San Francisco Judge
Mark Harris	...	Defense Attorney
Richard Friedman	...	San Francisco Prosecutor
Lee Sandman	...	2nd San Francisco Judge
Jack Nagle	...	Reverend Mooney
Phil Philbin	...	New York Plainclothesman
Bruce McLaughlin	...	New York Judge
Ted Sorel	...	New York Attorney (as Theodore Sorel)
Clarence Thomas	...	New York Attorney
Mike Murphy	...	New York Prosecutor
Susan Malnik	...	Kitty (age twelve)
George DeWitt	...	Comic (as George de Witt)
Judy LaScala	...	Chorus Girl
Don Newsome	...	Connection
Allison Goldstein	...	Kitty (age one)
Winston Lee	...	Chinese Waiter
Bridghid Glass	...	Kitty (age two)
Joe Mencel	...	Court Reporter
Richard O'Barry	...	Court Clerk (as Ric O'Feldman)
Beth Challis	...	Club Owner
Robert Parsons	...	Chicago Plainclothesman
Cecil Seay	...	Chicago Plainclothesman
Bob Collins	...	New York Assistant DA
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Buddy Boylan	...	Marty (uncredited)
Bob Fosse	...	The Interviewer (voice) (uncredited)
Phyllis Hyman	...	Nightclub patron (uncredited)
Jay W. Jensen	...	Nightclub customer (uncredited)
David Joseph Martinez	...	Marine Private (uncredited)
Frank Orsatti	...	Hunter (uncredited)
Christine Page	...	Nightclub patron (uncredited)
Glenn R. Wilder	...	Hunter (uncredited)
Zorita	...	Nightclub owner (uncredited)
Lillian Zuckerman	...	Nightlcub patron (uncredited)

Directed by
Bob Fosse

Writing credits
Julian Barry		(play)
Julian Barry		(screenplay)

Produced by
Robert Greenhut	....	associate producer
David V. Picker	....	executive producer (as David Picker)
Marvin Worth	....	producer

Original Music by
Ralph Burns

Cinematography by
Bruce Surtees

Film Editing by
Alan Heim

Casting by
Marion Dougherty
Beverly McDermott

Production Design by
Joel Schiller

Set Decoration by
Nicholas J. Romanac		(as Nicholas Romanak)

Costume Design by
Albert Wolsky

Makeup Department
William A. Farley	....	hair stylist
Romaine Greene	....	hair stylist
Robert Laden	....	makeup artist (as Bob Laden)

Production Management
Neil A. Machlis	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Douglas Green	....	first assistant director
Thomas Lofaro	....	second assistant director (as Tommy Lofaro)
Ted Zachary	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Dennis J. Parrish	....	property master

Sound Department
Dennis Maitland	....	sound
Ed Rothkowitz	....	sound assistant
Dick Vorisek	....	sound re-recordist (as Richard Vorisek)
Katherine Wenning	....	sound editing supervisor
Norman Hollyn	....	apprentice sound editor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Charles Holmes	....	gaffer
Michael McGowan	....	assistant camera
Billy Simpson	....	key grip
Roland 'Ozzie' Smith	....	camera operator (as Roland Ozzie Smith)
John Winner	....	assistant camera
Vinnie Gerardo	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Diana Bernay	....	costumer
Michael J. Harte	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Jonathan Pontell	....	assistant editor
Irving Rathner	....	negative cutter
Trudy Ship	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Ralph Burns	....	music supervisor
Miles Davis	....	musician: "Tempus Fugit", "Well You Needn't" and "It Never Entered My Mind"

Transportation Department
Fred Toledo	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Selma Brown	....	location auditor
Honey Bruce Friedman	....	advisor to producer (as Honey Bruce)
Kitty Bruce	....	advisor to producer
Michael Butler	....	producer: original stage production
Gail Geibel	....	production secretary
Neil R. Lipes	....	production assistant
Frank Majerski	....	cinemobile technician
Sally Marr	....	advisor to producer
Lawrence Schiller	....	material supplier
Nicholas Sgarro	....	script supervisor
Peter J. Silbermann	....	unit publicist
Karen Gilbert	....	personal assistant: Bob Fosse, pre-production (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Marvin Worth Productions

Distributors

• United Artists (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• United Artists (1975) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Kinokuniya (2004) (Japan) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Mark Baron Company, The  publicity
• Ritek Digital Studios  DVD created by

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 (video re-rating) (2003) | UK:18 (video rating) (1987) | New Zealand:R18 | Iceland:L | Finland:K-16 (1987) | Finland:K-18 (1975) | Argentina:16 | Netherlands:18 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Australia:R | Spain:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Canada:18A | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | UK:X (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Miami Beach, Florida, USA

Company:

Marvin Worth Productions

Trivia:

The one-take master shot scene of Lenny doing his act in a raincoat near the end of the film came from an actual tape recorded from a show he did that was sent to Dustin Hoffman by a student who saw the show. Lenny's exact words in the scene on stage are verbatim from the tape of his show.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: During the movie's opening monologue, Lenny says that it's 1964 and then references the MDA Telethon, which debuted in 1966.

Quotes:

Lenny Bruce: The problem is we always expect women to be a combination sunday school teacher, and $500-a-night hooker!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Whether You Like It or Not: The Story of Hedwig (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

It Never Entered My Mind

If you believe they put a man on the moon...

I went into this film knowing nothing about the comic Lenny Bruce, and after watching this film I have already added two of his CDs to my Wish List. I am eager to hear more, to listen to his words, and be intrigued by how his thoughts are still relevant in today's society. This was a beautiful film made in 1974. The decision by director Bob Fosse to film it completely in black and white was brilliant. Hoffman and Perrine's chemistry is brilliant as well as their performances. The power of this man is vividly demonstrated through this film, leaving you with questions answered as well as a desire to hear more. This was such a captivating feature. From the opening sequence of words spewing from a mouth to the final shot of Lenny Bruce, I was glued to my seat.

To begin, the cinematography was better than most feature films. Fosse knew what he was doing and did it with the greatest of ease. His choice to film completely in black and white really helped me hear the words that Bruce spoke instead of just being involved in the colors that surrounded him. The black and white feature gave Hoffman the ability to create a human from his character and take us away from Hoffman and into the mind of comic Lenny Bruce. The shots that Fosse used also assisted with building this compelling story. Every shot is important in this film, and Fosse does a great job of demonstrating and explaining the "why" and "where" of a scene. This was his first and only non musical, and he was triumphant. The way that the story works in a pseudo-documentary style was impeccable. While you are never quite told who the person is behind the camera, you do get that raw emotion from the actors as if you were watching a real documentary. There was just so much emotion that Fosse pulled from his troupe in this film that you could only watch in amazement. It also left the door open to the question of who is behind the camera. With the words that Bruce said nightly in his show, I couldn't help but think of the possibility of government conspiracy. Maybe I am way off, but there was that aura of "cover-up" throughout this film. Even the final sequence gives off that sense.

BAM – Powerful cinematography is right in front of you, but whom do we have in the center of the camera? None other than a very young and fresh Dustin Hoffman. This film really showcased his talents. While he had several films before this one that brought him into the spotlight, I thought that he went above and beyond for this film. He really transformed himself into the character. Some of my favorite moments with Hoffman in Lenny was when he thinks about the nurse the first time, when Honey calls asking for money, and when he asks the Judge to sentence him now instead of going through the trial. The vision of defeat was spectacular. You see in this film why Hoffman is considered one of the greats of Hollywood. Valerie Perrine, also a young actress at the time, was immaculate. Her portrayal of Honey needs to go in the history books. Actresses today could take a moment or two to learn from this dramatic actress. These two actors really brought this film together. They took you deep into the life of this radical thinker and kept you nestled deeply inside of him. They shined greatly, and the Academy saw it too!

BAM – Cinematography, BAM – award winning acting, what can be the final BAM? How about Lenny Bruce? Born well after his death, I had never even heard of the man, but the words that I witnessed from this film from his mouth shocked me. Not so much because of the shock value that surrounded them, but just how relevant his work is still today. As homosexuality becomes a staple in our community and society, Lenny's comments on the teachers in this film seemed like topics we are still talking about today. He was way ahead of his time, and I think that is why people feared him. Living with an English teacher, I am constantly involved with the English language, but I am also shown information about those that have no interest because they do not see how it relates to "real" life. I am also aware of how little respect English gets as daily we hear of schools cutting back on their Literature studies to help support their sports program, or how the first way to cut back spending is to close libraries. These are sad days that we live in, and if only people could see how powerful words can be in defending yourself and explaining the world, I think we would see a rebirth. If I had the option to fight with a loaded gun or an aggressive dictionary, I think you can see which I would choose. Lenny Bruce did no harm to anyone, he spoke his mind, and for that he was convicted. What a sad day for America.

Grade: ***** out of *****