Bernard and Doris (2006)

Simply Perfect

hyped garbage

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

two characters, two great actors. and that is all. the story is only the space for use the nuances of acting and to transform the tension in an impressive piece. sure, each film/play has that characteristics. this case is different only because the search of biographic details is almost vain. it is a Sandon - Finnes duel and the levels of character is all. so, it is difficult to compare or expect a story of Doris Duke more than a drawing/sketch with profound subjective lines. it is a beautiful film because it is a meeting with art of two masters of character grinding. and not the physical aspect or the details from a rich lady existence are relevant but the force of duel and the splendor of each step to build it.

This movie was OK. I don't know much about Doris Duke, so I don't know how accurate it was. But what I do know is that I found this HBO movie entertaining and a lot better than a lot of movies that get released in theaters. Susan and Ralph were very good in their roles. The movie shows Doris in her later years. She chases younger men and drinks a lot and moves between all her homes and fabulous vacations. She becomes friends with her butler Bernard. She probably likes the fact he likes to drink too and loves to kiss her @ss. She doesn't even mind when she catches him stealing her boos when she states any help stealing from her will get fired. Her death was controversial as to weather Bernard played a role in it and if he had anything to do with her will changing. He got 5 million plus control over her estate and foundation. But he didn't live to many more years after she died.FINAL VERDICT: Interesting, amusing. Susan and Ralph were good together and what made this film work.

I agree with the poster who complained that this movie was full of errors. What could have been an interesting biopic based in fact was played for farce. I wouldn't blame the Duke estate for suing HBO. Surely there was more to this woman than drinking, pot-smoking, humping the young guys who worked for her, and generally behaving like Norma Desmond. It must have been difficult to portray Lafferty as a kind, unassuming, and diligent servant with a sad drinking problem when everything else I've read about him indicates that he was little more than a hustler and a user who ingratiated himself to an aging and infirm heiress. To me, the movie was a big let-down.

I wasn't sold on the idea of watching a film about a rich weirdo and the lawsuits that entail, post-mortem, ala "LIFETIME" nightly movies. I wanted to see Ralph work with Susan, but I still wouldn't have watched unless I researched the production of "Bernard and Doris". I saw Bob Balaban is directing.I've never seen Bob Balaban's work as director. I've enjoyed all of Bob's acting credits which I've seen, particularly his improvisational skills in recent SCTV/Spinal Tap-quality films. I figure Bob knows the HW weirdness like nobody else due to his insightful improvisations. He gets it.Therefore, he could do it, and bring it in below budget.Great direction: Lighting and cinematography were far better than recent films I paid money for. I haven't seen Ralph perform this well since QUIZ SHOW, but he brought his talents to what was clearly a communal table of talent.Susan Sarandon does very well, and the Susan/Ralph team works. The script works, and sells the story.Balaban seems to have done much more with far less than this film portends to be, even for an HBO FILM.