Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story

It’s fascinating to see how something truly wondrous comes together from the ground up, witnessing the various components that go into the assembling if its finished form. It’s particularly intriguing when that “something” is an individual who’s tremendously gifted in some way and uses his or her talents to produce astounding works of creativity. That’s especially true for those in artistic and entertainment pursuits, as is the case with iconic actress/singer/dancer Liza Minnelli, the famous daughter of actress/singer/dancer Judy Garland and filmmaker Vincente Minnelli. Writer-director Bruce David Klein’s new biographical documentary of the legendary entertainer is a revealing look at the professional and personal life of its subject, told in nine chapters, most of which focus on the influences who helped shape the life and career of the storied stage, screen and concert performer. Under the tutelage of her famous parents, as well as mentoring collaborations with multi-talented entertainer Kay Thompson, singer Charles Aznavour, director Bob Fosse, composers Fred Ebb and John Kander, and fashion designer Halston, Liza emerged as one of the most distinguished and readily identifiable figures in show business, rocketing her to stardom on multiple fronts. Her singular look, polished persona and stellar performances placed Minnelli in constant demand, thanks largely to her determination to follow through on every venture she took on, a quality that helped earn her an Oscar, an Emmy, three Tonys and a lifetime achievement Grammy Award. At the same time, Liza’s personal life was as ambitious and colorful as her professional pursuits, one filled with more than its share of highs, lows and challenges, all of which are candidly examined, including the stresses brought on by relentless press coverage of these developments. These explorations into her life are backed up with a wealth of archive footage, film clips from Minnelli’s Academy Award-winning performance in “Cabaret” (1972), and recent interviews with friends, collaborators and entertainment industry observers, including Michael Feinstein, Ben Vereen, Mia Farrow, Joel Grey, George Hamilton, Chita Rivera and actress/half-sister Lorna Luft, among others. This combination of elements makes for an insightful profile of the entertainer, even if it sags a bit in the middle and has an occasional tendency to gush in the presentation of its content. Nevertheless, for the most part, “Liza” is a truly terrific true story that shows how success arises when it’s carefully conceived, deliberately constructed and meticulously packaged, yielding a result we can all genuinely admire.

There are so many superlatives bandied about nowadays, but rarely can they be more appropriate than when describing the unique and charismatic Liza Minnelli. Born into Hollywood royalty and taking part quite enthusiastically here, we benefit from some well researched archive and some insightful contributions from friends and family alike to get a glimpse into the life of this flawed, vulnerable and talented superstar. The narrative is fairly chronological and if you’ve been at all interested in her career over the years then there is unlikely to be anything particularly revealing about what’s disclosed here. With Lorna Luft, Mia Farrow, Chita Rivera and even the perma-tanned George Hamilton having given what look like fairly comprehensive interviews, and with her own remarkable abilities to belt out a tune powerfully in her mid seventies, we get a sense that she has got well past the stage where she cares what anyone thinks. She lays her soul quite bare here as she skirts any serious critique of her relationship with her parents, or her four husbands - even if the comments on her final choice made by others can be quite prickly - and makes no apologies for her mistakes and for her far more plentiful successes. She’s lived her life under the spotlight and with that comes a wide selection of video to visually support a life story that doesn’t so much evolve as unravel. As with many documentaries, it can exasperate at times. The routines we see on stage, from the likes of “Cabaret” and her musical performances are all presented in much too brief a fashion. Did it rely on fair dealing to procure the content? What is also curious is that it doesn’t mention “Arthur” (1981) at all. This isn’t analytical and fans will find little to be offended by, but neither is it adulatory. It has a refreshing frankness to it depicting an eccentric and creative woman whose story is a real life game of snakes and ladders.