Lenny (film)

Lenny
Original movie poster
Directed by	Bob Fosse
Produced by	Marvin Worth
Written by	Julian Barry
Starring	Dustin Hoffman Valerie Perrine
Music by	Ralph Burns
Cinematography	Bruce Surtees
Edited by	Alan Heim
Distributed by	United Artists (1974, original) MGM (2003, DVD) Twilight Time (under license from MGM) (2015, Blu-Ray DVD)
Release dates	November 10, 1974 (1974-11-10)
Running time	111 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$11,622,000 (rentals)[1]

Lenny is a 1974 American biographical film about the comedian Lenny Bruce, starring Dustin Hoffman and directed by Bob Fosse. The screenplay by Julian Barry is based on his play of the same name.

Plot

The film jumps between various sections of Bruce's life, including scenes of when he was in his prime and the burned-out, strung-out performer who, in the twilight of his life, used his nightclub act to pour out his personal frustrations. We watch as up-and-coming Bruce courts his "Shiksa goddess", a stripper named Honey. With family responsibilities, Lenny is encouraged to do a "safe" act, but he cannot do it. Constantly in trouble for flouting obscenity laws, Lenny develops a near-messianic complex which fuels both his comedy genius and his talent for self-destruction. Worn out by a lifetime of tilting at Establishment windmills, Lenny Bruce dies of a morphine overdose in 1966.

Cast

• Dustin Hoffman as Lenny Bruce
• Valerie Perrine as Honey Bruce
• Jan Miner as Sally Marr
• Stanley Beck as Artie Silver
• Rashel Novikoff as Aunt Mema
• Gary Morton as Sherman Hart
• Guy Rennie as Jack Goldman

Reception

Lenny received favorable praise from critics and audiences alike, earning a rare "100% Fresh" score on the review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes based on 16 reviews.^[2]

In 2012, British film critic Mark Kermode put Hoffman's performance as Lenny Bruce at number eight in a top-ten video of Hoffman's best performances.^[3]

Awards and nominations

Casting

One of the more interesting casting decisions was made while filming in the Broward County Courthouse; used as the set for the Miami Courthouse. Director Fosse decided to cast a real life Broward County Bailiff in the role of the Dade County Bailiff that would drag Dustin Hoffman (Lenny) out of the Courtroom. Aldo DeMeo, the President of the Bailiff's Association at the time, was offered the role. Though Aldo was uncredited, the scene when Lenny is removed from the courtroom was chosen as the clip screened at the Academy Awards to represent the film as a candidate for Best Picture.^[4] Casting was completed by Florida-based casting director, Beverly McDermott.^[5]

Real Life Bailiff and 'one time actor' Aldo DeMeo and Dustin Hoffman between takes from the scene when 'Lenny' is dragged from the courtroom

The real Lenny Bruce arrested in 1961

DVD

Lenny was released to DVD by MGM Home Video on April 1, 2003 as a Region 1 widescreen DVD and by Twilight Time (under license from MGM) as a Region 1 widescreen Blu-ray Disc on February 10, 2015.

See also

• List of American films of 1974

References

1. ↑ Top 20 Films of 1974 by Domestic Revenue. Box Office Report via Internet Archive. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
2. ↑ "Lenny Movie Reviews, Pictures". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved October 28, 2010. 
3. ↑ Kermode Uncut: Hoffman Top Ten
4. ↑ "Robert DeMeo Bio". 
5. ↑ "Beverly McDermott dies at 83". Sun Sentinel. 23 January 2012. Archived from the original on 22 September 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2012. 

External links

• Lenny at the Internet Movie Database
• Lenny at Rotten Tomatoes