Inventing David Geffen

Most of us know the name of David Geffen, but most probably because of the name Geffen appears prominently on big selling CDs like Aerosmith's, or Guns 'n Roses'. This documentary shows the whole picture. How a poor, Jewish boy from New York, works his way up in the entertainment business. He uses a little cheating, a bit of bluff, but thanks to his incredible work ethos, and relentless support for his artists, ends up on top of the pyramid.

What struck me most was the completeness the documentary shows of Geffen's career and personal life. The makers surely managed to grasp the essence, without getting lost in too many material available. They pay tribute to very prominent personality in entertainment. But not just looking at his work and accomplishments, but also where his drive comes from, what negative experiences he has had that made him the way he is. All in all, I'd like to call this a solid account of a survivor, a macher in the entertainment industry, that would have existed without him, but that wouldn't have been the same.

A more extensive review, on this documentary and others, you'll find on the CasparSongs blog.

The story of david geffen, from leaving NYC to escaping to los angeles. He admits that he lied on his resume to get the job, but then intercepted any letters discussing his past by working in the mailroom at his first job. Got into the william morris agency, even an intro from tom hanks. Geffen s-l-o-w-l-y worked his way up the ladder. Told the brooklyn draft board that he was gay. Much of discussion on the music of the 70s, 80s, 90s. Cher, jackson browne, glenn frey, elton john. The awesome joni mitchell. SO many others. Crosby, stills, nash,and sometimes young. Wow. Giant names. When the big record labels didn't want to sign an artist, Geffen would sign them to his own company. The good ol days of the music industry...they would do the advertising, but would also take half the cash. Now, groups get to keep a lot more of the rights to their own music. Written and directed by susan lacy. This was just one of geffen's three appearances on the pbs series american masters. Good stuff.

Preeminent music and film executive David Geffen is a macher with chutzpah and this is his story. He was raised in a blue collar Jewish family in Brooklyn, struggled in school due to dyslexia, had an adoring mother who called him "King David," and dreampt of life in Hollywood, a place he went to as soon as he was able. The interviews with David, artists whose careers he helped craft, and fellow mogels weave this documentary into a fascinating look at the music man's life. The soundtrack shows the wide reach of his accomplishments, notably Joni Mitchell's Free Man in Paris, she wrote while on a trip in Paris with David with Robbie and Dominique Robertson.

"I was a free man in Paris I felt unfettered and alive There was nobody calling me up for favors And no one's future to decide You know I'd go back there tomorrow But for the work I've taken on Stoking the star-maker machinery Behind the popular song" ~ Joni Mitchell

"The word got around that there were these music-industry guys who were also human beings," says Jackson Browne. Browne, who sent sent Geffen a headshot and demo of Song For Adam, would know. David told his friend and fellow music agent Elliot Roberts, "This song will make you cry," about Song For Adam. He had that knack to find talent. When they weren't able to sign Jackson with an established record company, they formed Asylum Records in 1971 as a place for struggling artists to find shelter. Indeed, their stable of folk-rock singer-songwriters would hang out having a good time and getting stoned while David, an energetic opportunist who nurtured the careers and souls of his artists, remained clear headed as he worked his golden magic on the phone.

Geffen's story follows him from his early days in the mailroom at the William Morris Agency, (he lied about his schooling to get hired and then famously worked long hours in the mailroom until he could intercept and modify the letter that came from UCLA to show that he had attended and graduated), through his revolutionizing musical and film ventures. After he so devotedly nurtured Laura Nyro's career, putting her on the musical map by getting other musicans to cover her songs, she betrayed him by signing with Columbia records, not his label. He was heartbroken. He famously negotiated to get David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash out of their respective record deals at three different companies, so that they could fly together. He gained the trust of Yoko Ono by being a mensch, and signed John Lennon not long before Lennon was killed.

Let's see, what else? He was gay and fell in love with Cher, (I just read Val Kilmer's autobiography... does everyone fall in love with Cher?), he super managed a boatload of talent, sued Neil Young for being creative, (Neil was interviewed in this film), bought Jack Warner's mansion in Hollywood, made millions, made billions, was misdiagnosed with cancer in 1977 and retired. Found out he didn't have cancer and founded Geffen Records in 1980, DGC Records in 1990, and co-founded DreamWorks SKG in Q1994, a powerhouse movie studio with Steven Speilberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg.

Geffen gave a lot to the cause of AIDS/HIV, and more. He financially supported Bill Clinton early on but grew disillusioned when Clinton didn't live up to his promise to have gays accepted in the American armed forces and when Clinton did not pardon political prisioner Leonard Peltier. David then publicly came out against Hillary Clinton and threw his support beond Barack Obama.

I recommend this film for those of us lucky enough to have benefited from David Geffen's creative moxy, and for those who don't yet know of him. This film will remind you or introduce you to his marvelous cultural contributions. It's available now on Amazon Prime.

Despite having heard his name many, many times, I really wasn't sure who David Geffen is nor why, exactly, he was famous. Fortunately, for folks who live under rocks like me, there's this installment of "American Masters" that gives a nice overview of his life. It's enhanced by not only having lots of interviews with Geffen himself but a wide, wide variety of stars who talk about him--the business Geffen, the personal Geffen, the philanthropic Geffen and, at the end, the tough and unrelenting Geffen who, if crossed, could be a tough, tough adversary. Most documentaries about moguls are short--too short. Fortunately, this one was designed for a two-hour time slot. Also fortunately, it does NOT paint a one-dimensional portrait of the guy. His very admirable and scary sides to his personality are shown and the film is not some whitewash fluff piece on the guy (such as including details of his feud with the Clinton family). Well worth seeing, informative and exceptionally well made.

This is a fascinating biopic about a man who is like most of us who enjoy music and movies, but he took it to depths we never knew existed - and then he created more.

I love hearing about people who make it - and help others along the way - and who remain themselves while doing it. It seems that David Geffen did just that. He did it with some smoke and mirrors and few white lies here and there - and thank goodness he did.

The entertainment business would have not been nearly as vast and deep without him blustering his way through it while caring for the people around him - and they for him.

It was interesting to see what he accomplished and how he did it. The good, the bad and the ugly of it all. Isn't that life in almost any industry you can look at?

I gave it 7 stars because I do think it was too long, and like Clint Eastwood's movie, could have been cut a bit here and there.