Love, Gilda

source: Love, Gilda

LOVE, GILDA (2018) Like many in my generation who grew up watching the first golden seasons of Saturday Night Live, comedic genius Gilda Radner was IT for me. She was a loveable, gifted and guileless comedienne; effervescent, intelligent, unpredictable, kind, vulnerable, versitile, pretty, and humble. Love, Gilda, a documentary on her life, generously shares these attractive Gilda qualities with us. It is pure joy, with poignant hearbreak at the end. The Not Ready For Prime Time Players, (many who came from the comedy improv club Second City, and some who had gone on to National Lampoon's radio program), have presence in this film. As Gilda developed on SNL, she had an aptitude for developing likeable, flawed characters such as Emily Litella, Lisa Loopner, Roseanne Roseanadanna, Judy Miller, Candy Slice, Baba Wawa, and more. What a gift to reunite with them and their creator in Love, Gilda through show outtakes, home movies, audio tapes narrated by Gilda, diary outtakes, and interviews with friends. Part of this film is a light, joyous look back on Gilda's life in which she began performing as a chubby young girl. The boyant blush of the comedy rush was evidently early; she grew up to become a bold, honest, outspoken risk taker. In 1985, Radner had chronic fatigue and suffered from pain in her upper legs on a movie set in the UK. She sought medical treatment for ten months; various doctors in Los Angeles, gave her several wrong diagnoses. This was during her marriage to fellow comedienne, soul-mate, Gene Wilder, who Gilda loved the smell of. In 1986, Radner was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer; this was shocking news for a healthy woman, who finally found her love, Gene. I felt badly for Gilda at this stage in her life. When I read her autobiography back in the 80's, I remember learning she got hooked up with people who may have meant well; but went overboard and indoctrinated her into thinking the, "As you think and believe, so shall it be," dogma. It seemed as though she felt like a failure because she couldn't pray, visualize, or "create" a cure for for cancer through her thinking; she and others blamed her for not "manifesting" a miracle. Gilda's "Answer to Cancer: Healing the Body with Mind and Heart" program sprang from this and provides ongoing support for many. Before her death, Radner said, "If it wasn't for the downside, having cancer would be the best thing and everyone would want it." Following her death, her husband Gene Wilder said, "That might be true, if it wasn't for the downside."

This is a wonderful film. It shows the Gilda we loved on SNL and the real Gilda we never saw. It will literally make you laugh and make you cry. Don't miss it.

Love, Gilda is really captured everything very very well, from happy to sad, added again with Radner real voice through the film really really makes Love, Gilda heartwarming yet heartbreaking too, it makes you smile, it makes you happy, it makes you sad, it makes you cry, life was sucks, she's gone too soon but it's the best for her.

I don't really know Gilda before I watched this, now I feel I do know her. It is a comprehensive review of her life. What's more impressive is that it is based on her writings, and contains many interviews of people around her.

Great documentary. Gilda was lovely and it was wonderful to watch her shine. She brought so much to the comedy world. What a soul. I highly recommend giving this a watch.

In 1975 something appeared on TV that changed the way we looked at comedy for some time. The show was called SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. It featured a cast called The Not Ready For Prime Time Players, many who came from the comedy improv club Second City and some who had gone on to National Lampoon's radio program. They became stars overnight and most went on to hugely successful film roles as well as meeting tragic ends. But among them was someone who always seemed happy, a sweetheart who could weave her magic around the audience and who captured the hearts of viewers even if she wasn't aware of it. That woman was Gilda Radner. LOVE, GILDA is a compilation of home movies, recordings, TV and film clips, reminiscences of old friends and reflections of current comedians that are molded together to present a picture of the life and times of Radner. Director Lisa Dapolito brings these elements together in chronological order to present the viewer with the woman behind the comedian. We get to see what was going on in her mind, what formed her in childhood and the struggles she faced. Beginning with photos and home movies of her childhood we see that she was drawn to the stage and to perform first for her father and then as a way of combatting children who would taunt her about her weight. She dealt with depression and tragedy and came to find a friend in her grandmother who came to live with them. As a working stage performer she found that she was a natural talent and others did as well. Along the way she made friends and acquaintances that helped her later in her career. When she finally did make it to SNL she found that it was still a man's world and that her ideas were not taken as readily as those of her male co-stars. She had to fight to get her skits approved and did so not by being forceful but by working them in. Through it all as depicted here was her need for love. She dated regularly and had numerous boyfriends. Many were among those she worked with. Cast mates from SNL and Second City were there for her and even when they parted ways they remained friends. She married G.E. Smith who led the band on SNL. But it wasn't until she met and later married actor Gene Wilder that she met her soulmate. They were different types of people and yet molded together perfectly. They were deeply in love. And that made the fact that Radner developed cancer that much more tragic. The two remained together until her passing in 1989. It seems amazing that it's been 30 years now since she passed away. We may have known much of this in the years that have gone by since her passing but this film provides her a chance to know her better, in her own voice and in those of others who knew her and who idolized her as a role model. Sadly so many of the original SNL cast members have been forgotten with at least one if not two generations who didn't grow up with them. They never experienced the comedic genius that was on hand in that original cast and for that matter in Gilda. That's sad. Perhaps this documentary will make those generations look back and discover how great she was. Maybe it will inspire some to seek her out and learn for her, to be inspired like so many who have followed in her footsteps. One can hope. And for those that loved Gilda, who laughed at her performances and characters, who thought of her as a bright spot on SNL we now have a way to enjoy and know her like never before. Thank you 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.

Most of the movie shows archived videos of performances she was part of or picture. It mentions some meaningful happenings in her life without providing enough room to give some depth and explorations. Behind this video lies an interesting story of an inspiring woman that is worth telling But didn't get an appropriate treatment in this video.

A delightful loving home movie and joyous loving soeaking from her own diaries splendid enjoyable catching and embracing every facet of Gilda and her life. A great show on all levels! All the audience laughing, a unique brave, and beautiful life. Dont hesitate to see it!