Love, Gilda

Lisa Dapolito's touching Documentary on SNL pioneer Gilda Radner. In many ways a typical Bio-Doc (talking heads interspersed with clips), what makes it special is that Radner left behind a treasure trove of tape recordings and personal writings that reveal her inner thoughts (the tapes were largely done for her autobiography, It's Always Something, which was released posthumously). Radner is extremely honest in those documents and provides intimate details of her entire life*.

The collection of interviews here is representative enough including her brother Michael. Most of the others have an SNL connection including cast members Laraine Newman and Chevy Chase (who, speaks mostly about himself) and writers such as Anne Beatts, Rosie Shuster and Alan Zweibel. They all provide some nice details and insights. Less successful are the cameos by present day SNL alumni such as Maya Rudolph and Bill Hader who mostly just fawn over her memory. What carries the Doc is Gilda herself - both in the film and TV clips, as well as her testimony via her trove of documents.

LOVE, GILDA can't help but be bittersweet. The tragedy of such a meteoric talent passing away at 42 can't be gotten around, no matter how sprightly the archival footage may be (her entire recorded career lasted but a decade). Radner's battle with disease inspired many (with clinics across the country still named in her honor), so her legacy remains.

* One noticeable exception in the documentary is that very few details are shared about her boyfriends and ex-husband (musician G.E. Smith) before marrying Gene Wilder. Martin Short shares some of his recollections during their relationship during their tenures with Second City Toronto. Presumably, Dapolito chose not to disclose much in that area out of deference to Radner and Wilder, but, it is a glaring omission in an otherwise honest portrayal.