Liza Minnelli is many things, among them a star of stage, screen, and recording studio, a philanthropist, a gay icon, and, of course, the only child of a legendary couple show business couple. But above all she’s a survivor: of her own starry background, of numerous physical ailments, and of four marriages, including one so awful that her friends will only speak of it by not speaking of it.
Bruce David Klein’s documentary Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story captures all those aspects of Liza Minnelli and leaves you wondering 1) how one person could accomplish so much and 2) how she not only survived it all but remained herself throughout. It’s organized by numbered topics rather than chronologically, each segment introduced by a quotation, which is an interesting choice that focuses as much on the person as on the performer. It also underlines the gigantic shadow under which Liza began her career—after all, when your mother is Judy Garland and you’re going into show biz, people are going to make comparisons.
Minnelli knew she had to develop her own style, and assembled an entourage of mentors—among them Kay Thompson, Fred Ebb, Halston, and Charles Aznavour—to help her find her way. Find it she did, along the way winning four Tony Awards, an Academy Award, two Emmys, and one BAFTA (she was also given two honorary Grammy Awards, making her an EGOT of sorts).
Growing up as the child of a Hollywood director gave her unique insight into handling male egos, and she wasn’t afraid to put that expertise to use. To cite just one example, involving the notoriously demanding Bob Fosse: rehearsal wasn’t going well one day and he thought she was the cause of the problems, so he ordered her to a meeting in his office. Cool as a cucumber, she said she’d talk to him tomorrow instead, when he’d cooled off, to avoid him saying something unspeakable to her that night and then sending flowers the next morning to apologize. Not many performers could have gotten away with that, but Liza could, and her career was probably the better for it.
There are lots of performance clips included in Liza, and if you (like me) wish they were longer, perhaps it will encourage you to seek out some of the originals. There are also interviews with a star-studded crew including Michael Feinstein, Mia Farrow, Ben Vereen, Joel Grey, Chita Rivera, and Darren Criss. They have a lot to say about Liza and show business, but one thing that shines through it all is what a great friend she was and is, and how willing she is to go to great lengths (like learning a new role in a week to keep a show going or flying from Rome to Los Angeles to record one track on an album) to help her friends.
There are many great moments in this documentary, but one of the most revealing comes on the topic of David Gest, Liza’s fourth husband. It’s mostly a study in how to avoid a subject: Lorna Luft says about three times in as many sentences that she didn’t know him and hence has nothing to say about him, Mia Farrow says outright that “I don’t want to speak ill of the dead” but Michael Feinstein topped them all with: “You should only speak good about the dead. Well, David Guest is dead. Good.” Apart from that sequence, most of the interviewees, as well as Liza herself, emphasize the positive aspects of her life, which I guess is the kind of attitude you need if you’re going to keep on keeping on. | Sarah Boslaugh
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story is distributed on Blu-ray and DVD by Kino Lorber. Extras on the disc include an audio commentary with writer/director Bruce David Klein, producer/co-editor Alexander J. Goldstein, and co-producer Dana Craig; outtakes from interviews with Michael Feinstein, Lorna Luft, and Ben Vereen; a Q & A with Bruce David Klein, moderated by Jim Caruso; and the film’s theatrical trailer.
