Lenny (film)

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

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. Casting was completed by Florida-based casting director, Beverly McDermott.

Awards and honors

Lenny was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Cinematography.

Valerie Perrine won the award for Best Actress at the 1975 Cannes Film Festival.

Reputation

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.

Lenny has received a rare "100% Fresh" score on the review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes based on 16 reviews.

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.