A film record of the final stage performances of comic actor Charles Nelson Reilly,  this is on my short list of great instructional pieces (which would also include "Strictly Ballroom", Al Pacino's "Looking For Richard", and William Shatner's "Mind Meld") that anyone interested in the craft of performing should own.  Relating mostly-sequential tales of a remarkable career, he delivers several show-stopping recreations of his experiences in Uta Hagen's fabled acting classes, his early victories over advice not to follow his dream and his high point of seeing his guest appearances mentioned in TV Guide dozens of times a week.  Difficult to locate, availability of this Sundance Film Festival winner can be followed at charlesnelsonreilly.com.

 

12/30/2009