Film of the Day: 65

Lenny (1974)

There have been many legendary stand-ups in our time. I grew up with comedians like Rodney Dangerfield, Richard Pryor and Jerry Seinfeld, who were great. But they were not exactly controversial. Later as I grew up, I got to know a few controversial figures like George Carlin and Bill Hicks, who were amazing and very daring, mainly making fun of religion, non-smokers, and of course being very politically incorrect.

But it was Lenny Bruce that really started this controversial comedy. Leonard Alfred Schneide was a Jewish-American comedian, social critic and satirist. He began his career in 1947 and later acquired the nickname 'Dirty' Lenny for his act. He would take on religion, the justice system, use many four letter words and was extremely anti-establishment. 

This was all very new for the time and very controversial, yet most of the things he said is now said in everyday life. Back then however, he wasn't on TV very often because people were scared of what he might say or do. He was arrested numerous times for obscenity and of course him being very anti-establishment and being in the 1950s and the 1960s, people hear anti-establishment, they think communist. He even married a stripper in 1951.

Lenny however died today in 1966 of an accidental morphine overdose at the age of 40. Behind him he left a legacy and he is considered to be the most influential stand-up comedian in history, for stand-up comedy was never the same again.

Lenny Bruce

In 1974, director Bob Fose (director of Cabaret & All That Jazz) made a very impressive and bold biopic about this monumentally controversial figure. It was brilliantly and beautifully made in black and white and it was Dustin Hoffman who played Lenny in one of Hoffman's best roles. I don't think anyone could have played Lenny better.

It was nominated for all five major Oscars and of course for it's beautiful cinematography and was even nominated for the Palm d'Or. The style of the film almost reminds me of Raging Bull and it is a film that should be watched even as an inside look at the 1960s. I truly admire Dustin Hoffman for taking on this role.

Click here for the trailer