Leonard alfred schneider october, 1925 august 3, 1966, better known by his stage name lenny bruce, was an american standup comedian, social critic, and satirist. Swear to tell the truth, written and directed by robert b. Weides academy awardnominated 1998 documentary, lenny bruce. However the best documentary by far is swear to tell the truth. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. He was renowned for his open, freestyle and critical form of comedy which contained satire, politics, religion, sex and vulgarity. The irony is that his comedy is now recognized for paving the way for much of modern comedic entertainment. Lets take another look at a central tenet of our legal system. Lenny bruce if you cant say fuck you cant say, fuck the government. Eventually his stage act turned more toward social commentary, his private life turned more toward heroin, and he died. Bruce was only 40 when he died, broke in more ways than one his brushes with the law having taken a toll on both his wallet and his psyche. Bruces daughter kitty, in notes accompanying a commemorative boxedset album. A detective retracts testimony that led to a mistrial in a highprofile murder case sarah kelley nov 2, 2006 4 am 0. A long and loving tribute 10 years in the making, lenny bruce.
Lenny bruce was a brilliant and irreverant jewish comedian who upset the authorities in the fifties and sixties with his seminal use of dirty words on stage, for which he became a political issue. Lenny bruce had a television special in 1959 entitled the world of lenny bruce. In modern times, lenny bruces legacy is that of a martyr for his suffering at the hands of those who believed his standup comedy was too obscene for its time. His underdog, idealistic humor took on every american sacred cow, from capitalism to organized religion to sexual mores. In march 1964, steve allen invited lenny bruce to make his 3rd appearance on his show. This movie made in the early 70s is done by a friend of lennys and because of that assumes its audience knows too much. And lenny bruces notoriously raw humor takes on a rueful. The basic research finding is that deceptive behavior. Through his more than unique style of comedy, during the late 50s and early 60s, thats exactly what lenny bruce did. Swear to tell the truth written and directed by robert b. The film lenny is well intentioned and well done, but it cant carry the jock of weides swear to tell the truth. After getting his start as a conventional standup comic, bruces. Lenny bruce was born in 1925 in long island, new york.
The truth is what is, and what should be is a fantasya terrible, terrible lie. Swear to tell the truth, which opens today at the film. Jan 15, 2003 the trials of lenny bruce standup comics can say pretty much anything these days no matter how obscene or offensive their material thanks in no small part to lenny bruce. In the years since, books on lenny and such documentary films as the oscarnominated lenny bruce. America mid20th century was a good deal more buttoned up than it is today, and bruces scatological language and candid riffs on sex, racism and religion not to mention his personal drug habits. Swear to tell the truth manages to be both richly informative and emotionally engaging. Recommendations are provided for experts, to preserve the truth in the adversary system. Combining rare archival footage and interviews with lennys mother sally marr, exwife honey, daughter kitty, paul krassner, nat hentoff and steve allen, lenny bruce. In this first segment on the program he exposes media.
Lenny bruce his truths were based on our most coveted lies. After getting his start as a conventional standup comic, bruce s increasingly iconoclastic act transformed him into a leading figure of the 1960s counterculture. Lenny bruce from marvelous mrs maisel was a real comedian, and his life was as. Madefortelevision bruce documentaries have recently been shown on court tv and the e. Bruce s daughter kitty, in notes accompanying a commemorative boxedset album.
In 2004, comedy central listed bruce at number three on its list of the 100 greatest standups of alltime, placing above woody allen and below george carlin. Special article the whole truth versus the admissible. Court do you swear to tell the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Which is rather ridiculous, when you think about it. His act was soon recognized as completely different from other comedy routines at the time. Loaded with amphetamines, he fools around frenziedly and plays the piano with his feet. Maisel creator explains why the lenny brucemidge maisel bond is so critical to the show the washington post. Lenny bruce and his attorney ready performance tape for trial in san francisco. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, lenny bruce was the spirit of hipness and rebellion. Lenny bruce from marvelous mrs maisel was a real comedian, and his life was as dramafilled as the show depicts cosmopolitan. A 50th anniversary reflection on the greatness of lenny bruce.
Swear to tell the truth on tv with the full listings schedule at. George carlin took the weapon and treated it like a wicked toy, which, in many ways, was even more shocking. Leonard alfred schneider october, 1925 august 3, 1966, better known by his stage. And i learned the truth from lenny bruce and of all my wealth wont buy me health so i smoke a pint of tea a day i knew a man his brain so small he couldnt think of nothin at all. On this program he accentuates every taboo of mass media. May 25, 2007 growing up going form one foster home to another like a game piece on a nowin board can shatter your view of yourself and the world. These actual court transcriptions raise the question of just what the whole truth is q. He seduced his audience with a rhythmic and dynamic use of his own language, acting as the slow pull of a bandaid off denial. Girlfriend from the back do these pants make me look fat. The academy of motion picture arts and sciences rarely recognizes documentaries about movies or show business. However, on the posthumous album the lenny bruce originals vol. Buy i swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me god by london, najma f isbn. Your browser does not currently recognize any of the video formats available. Weide pays tribute to the tragic life and untold contributions of standup comic lenny bruce, a complicated performer whose work has.
Swear to tell the truth is a 1998 documentary film directed by robert b. Aug 31, 2010 august 31after serving 30 months in the navy and participating in four overseas invasions during world war ii, comedian lenny bruce went to the sick bay on the u. Telling the whole truth, cow jokes, and funny instructions. In my memoir, i swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me god i expose the thoughts and feelings i experienced as i struggled over the past two years to make sense of a life shattered by childhood abandonment. Harlem nocturne by earle hagen, performed by earl bostic. His 1964 conviction in an obscenity trial was followed by a posthumous pardon, the first in. Swear to tell the truth, a 90minute documentary airing monday night at 10. Sworn testimony is evidence given by a witness who has made a commitment to tell the truth. I find it interesting that this requirement exists, was created by, and is held up by christians, in light of christs words. Of course, bruce was much moreand sometimes much lessthan a comic who helped make it possible to employ explicit language with impunity, as lenny bruce. Hes been your brotherinlaw for 45 years, and you cant remember his first name. Lenny bruce was bad, he was the brother that you never had. T he life and career of comic lenny bruce, chronicled in a new hbo film lenny bruce.
It was nominated for the academy award for best documentary feature. Memorable quotes and exchanges from movies, tv series and more. Lenny bruce was way ahead of his time and like bill hicks who followed him he died way too young. Swear to tell the truth is the first work ive seen that correctly shows in detail and explains the real reasons why lenny bruce was hunted and persecuted by the authorities all the way to his eventual death. Let me tell you the truth, lenny bruce said, setting up one of his headierbits. August 3, 2016 satire is tragedy plus time, the late comedian lenny bruce once observed. August 31after serving 30 months in the navy and participating in four overseas invasions during world war ii, comedian lenny bruce went to the sick bay on the u. Swear to tell the truth emotionally argues the performers place as the most innovative thinker to emerge from the standup comedy. Lenny bruce documentary 2011 documental subtitulado en espanol addeddate 2010 19. Bruce slowly began honing his standup comedy skills in new york city jazz and strip clubs. Comedian lenny bruce struck a subversive chord in an era. It was nominated for an academy award for best documentary feature. Jul 04, 2017 lenny bruce had a television special in 1959 entitled the world of lenny bruce.
Growing up going form one foster home to another like a game piece on a nowin board can shatter your view of yourself and the world. His mother was a dancer, and with her help, the young lenny bruce began performing in small nightclubs. Comedian lenny bruce struck a subversive chord in an era of change in america. The documentary, highly easy to do badly, can be just as emotional touching, just as engaging as the narrative film. If the witness is later found to have lied whilst bound by the commitment, they can often be charged with the crime of perjury. I really want the supreme court to stand up and tell me that fucking is dirty and no good. Swear to tell the truth full movie in hd visit in 1948, lenny bruce was just another comic who. I dont know of a recording where bruce compares the phone company to communism.
So lets take a few steps backward here, to the people who followed bruce, and laid the path for hicks. Artfully directed by joe mantegna, i am not a comedian im lenny bruce is an 85minute solo piece with writerperformer ronnie marmo in an intense and memorable performance as the infamous iconoclast. Swear to tell the truth is the first work ive seen that correctly shows in detail and explains the real reasons why lenny bruce was hunted and persecuted. This movie made in the early 70s is done by a friend of lenny s and because of that assumes its audience knows too much.
Swear to tell the truth full movie in hd visit in 1948, lenny bruce was just another comic who cou. After getting his start as a conventional standup comic, bruces increasingly iconoclastic act transformed him into a leading figure of the 1960s counterculture. I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but. Lenny bruce didnt just use language as a weapon he showed how, oftentimes, the weapon of language was pointed at us by us. Jan 26, 2008 lenny bruce, as shown in the documentary swear to tell the truth. Having proved his ability to handle writing and producing narrative film with mother night, robert weide and the crew of whyaduck productions take on a much more difficult medium with lenny bruce. Topsy by edgar battle, eddie durham, performed by cozy cole.
Lenny bruce swear to tell the truth library of congress. The official website of lenny bruce the only site approved. Does saying do you solemnly swear to tell the truth the. Research has been available for a decade that belies that basic notion. Lenny worshiped the gods of spontaneity, candor and free association. Everything happens to me by tom adair, matt dennis, performed by wynton marsalis. Swear to tell the truth self 1998 actress bad karla 1977. Bruce, who died of a drug overdose in 1966, was a genuinely funny man who has a genuine claim to be considered a hero of free speech in america.
Swear to tell the truth by robert wade have established lenny bruce as not only a paladin of free speech but also a stillpenetrating, woundingly hilarious speaker of truth to the powerful and the complacent. His underdog, idealistic humor took on every american sacred cow, from capitalism to. Weide likes to focus on the lives of comedians in his films and in lenny bruce he has powerful material to work with. The trials of lenny bruce comes with a full length companion cd. Swear to tell the truth 1998 comedian lenny bruce struck a subversive chord in an era of change in america.
The swingin shepherd blues by rhoda roberts, kenny jacobson, moe koffman, performed. The types of commitment can include oaths, affirmations and promises which are explained in more detail below. This interview is taken robert weides awardwinning documentary, lenny bruce. By depicting the complete evolution of bruce from precocious child to. He left no room for rationalized bigotry or selfdeception. Lenny bruce, as shown in the documentary swear to tell the truth. All comments about lenny or this video are welcome, or just something either made you. In my memoir, i swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me god i expose the thoughts and feelings i experienced as i struggled over the past two years to make sense of a life shattered by childhood abandonment, neglect, and. Lenny bruce, global journey, download, 22 tracks, 105 minutes.