Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me

"I've Gotta Be Me" is an installment of "American Masters"...a consistently good PBS series about a wide variety of folks in the arts. However, I saw this one in a very usual place...at the Philadelphia Film Festival!

The show is about the life of Sammy Davis, Jr. and because it's on "American Experience" they try to generate a bit of controversy at the outset of the program. In this case, Davis supported Richard Nixon...which actually made sense when you later learn how abysmally JFK treated Davis...uninviting him to the inaugural party even though Davis was a huge supporter of the President. That aside, the rest of the show chronicles his life from about age 5...with a strong emphasis on his career achievements as opposed to his personal life. This is the style of "American Experience" episodes...and if you want a more personal look at the man you might have to look elsewhere. Overall, well worth seeing and a show that will give you an appreciation of the man's many talents.

"Fabulous" was the word I heard again and again as I left the theatre after a screening. The movie is terrific! A wonderfully made documentary of a brilliantly talented entertainer, it shows us the highs and lows of a singular life! There is plenty of Sammy Davis, Jr., in the film, starting from when he was a precocious performer at age 3. The breadth of his talents is well covered and simply dazzles. An interesting array of well known and not so well known people comment on the star's highs and lows, their words well chosen and never boring. His life was bound up with the politics and social mores of the time, an aspect that made the film important as well as a joy to see. I was so mesmerized that I forgot to eat the excellent chocolates I'd bought.

Presented by the PBS Network through their "American Masters" series - This entertaining and informative celebrity bio-documentary takes an in-depth look at the life and career of African-American singer, actor, dancer, and comedian, Sammy Davis Jr.

Through archival footage, stills, and interviews - "I've Gotta Be Me" gives the audience a well-rounded overview of the highs and lows of a likable performer whose ethnic background often put him in the awkward position of straddling the fence when it came to vocal members of the black community publicly accusing him of selling out to the whites.

(*Note*) - In 1990 - Sammy Davis Jr. (64 at the time) died of throat cancer.