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Sid & Judy | |
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Directed by | Stephen Kijak |
Written by |
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Produced by |
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Edited by | Claire Didier |
Music by | Laura Karpman |
Production companies | |
Distributed by | Showtime |
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Country | United States |
Language | English |
Sid & Judy is a 2019 documentary film directed by Stephen Kijak that delves into the complex relationship between American entertainer Judy Garland and her third husband, Sidney Luft, who also managed her career during a critical period. [1] The film combines never-before-seen archival footage and audio recordings [2] offering audiences an intimate portrayal of Garland's life and the turbulent yet impactful partnership she shared with Luft. Narrated by actors Jon Hamm and Jennifer Jason Leigh, [3] the documentary sheds light on Garland's struggles, triumphs, and her remarkable resilience in the face of personal and professional adversity.
Sid & Judy draws on Sid Luft's memoir, which recounts his experiences managing Garland's career, as well as his perspective on her life and the challenges she faced, particularly her struggles with addiction and mental health issues. Through their letters and Luft's reflections, the film explores Garland's intense pressure in Hollywood and her resilience. It also addresses Luft's impact on her career, including his instrumental role in producing A Star Is Born (1954), which became one of Garland's most acclaimed performances and earned her an Academy Award. [4]
The documentary is directed by Stephen Kijak, known for his work on music documentaries, and produced by Showtime. Kijak interweaves Garland's performances with Luft's narration to create a dual-perspective narrative, revealing both the public and private facets of Garland's life. The voices of Jon Hamm and Jennifer Jason Leigh bring to life the letters and diary entries, adding emotional depth and context to Garland's personal and professional highs and lows.
Sid & Judy was well received by critics, who praised it for providing a fresh perspective on Garland's life and legacy, highlighting her resilience and vulnerability. Critics appreciated the film's emphasis on Garland's strength in a difficult industry, with The Guardian describing it as a "heartfelt tribute" that captures the emotional complexity of her life. The documentary has been noted for its sensitive handling of Garland's struggles, moving beyond the typical Hollywood narrative to showcase her tenacity and talent in a compassionate light.
The documentary has contributed to renewed interest in Garland's legacy, adding context to her life beyond her struggles, and illustrating the support and influence Luft provided during their partnership. It offers fans and newcomers alike a deeper understanding of Garland's life, career, and the challenges she faced in her journey as one of Hollywood's most beloved stars.
Judy Garland was an American actress, singer, and vaudevillian. She attained international stardom and critical acclaim as an actress in both musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist, and on the concert stage. Renowned for her versatility, she received a Golden Globe Award, a Special Tony Award and was one of twelve people in history to receive an Academy Juvenile Award.
The Academy Juvenile Award, also known informally as the Juvenile Oscar, was a Special Honorary Academy Award bestowed at the discretion of the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to specifically recognize juvenile performers under the age of eighteen for their "outstanding contribution[s] to screen entertainment".
Michael DeVinko, Jr., known as Mickey Deans, was an American musician and entrepreneur. He is best known as the fifth husband and widower of actress and singer Judy Garland.
Jennifer Jason Leigh is an American actress. She began her career on television during the 1970s before making her film breakthrough in the teen film Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). She received critical praise for her performances in Last Exit to Brooklyn (1989), Miami Blues (1990), Backdraft (1991), Single White Female (1992), and The Hudsucker Proxy (1994), and was nominated for a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Dorothy Parker in Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994).
Lorna Luft is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of Judy Garland and Sidney Luft, the sister of Joey Luft and the half-sister of Liza Minnelli.
The Judy Garland Show is an American musical variety television series that aired on CBS on Sunday nights during the 1963–1964 television season. Despite a sometimes stormy relationship with Judy Garland, CBS had found success with several television specials featuring the star. Garland, who for years had been reluctant to commit to a weekly series, saw the show as her best chance to pull herself out of severe financial difficulties. Despite it being cancelled relatively early on, it is now revered and considered an important piece of television history.
Michael Sidney Luft was an American show business figure, the second husband of actress Lynn Bari, and later the third husband of actress and singer Judy Garland.
A "friend of Dorothy" (FOD) is a code word for a gay man, first used in LGBTQ slang. Stating that, or asking if someone is a friend of Dorothy, is a furtive way of suggesting sexual orientation while avoiding hostility. The term was likely based on the character Dorothy Gale of the Oz series of novels, which have been interpreted as including much queer subtext. Actress Judy Garland, who portrayed Dorothy in the 1939 Wizard of Oz film, is considered a gay icon. Writer and critic Dorothy Parker is thought to be another potential origin of the term. The "friend of Dorothy" code word was commonly used throughout the 20th century, but its use has declined in recent decades as LGBT acceptance has advanced.
David Begelman was an American film producer, film executive and talent agent who was involved in a studio embezzlement scandal in the 1970s.
"The Man That Got Away" is a torch song written for the 1954 version of A Star Is Born. The song, with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Ira Gershwin, is performed in the film by Judy Garland. "The Man That Got Away" was ranked #11 by the American Film Institute on the AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs list. It was nominated for Best Original Song at the 27th Academy Awards but lost to "Three Coins in the Fountain".
A Star Is Born is a 1954 American musical tragedy film directed by George Cukor, written by Moss Hart, and starring Judy Garland and James Mason. Hart's screenplay is an adaptation of the original 1937 film, based on the original screenplay by Robert Carson, Dorothy Parker and Alan Campbell, and from the same story by William A. Wellman and Carson, with uncredited input from six additional writers—David O. Selznick, Ben Hecht, Ring Lardner Jr., John Lee Mahin, Budd Schulberg and Adela Rogers St. Johns.
Stephen Kijak is an American film director. He is known for films about music and musicians, most notably the feature documentaries Scott Walker – 30 Century Man (2006), Stones in Exile (2010), We Are X (2016), If I Leave Here Tomorrow (2018), and Sid & Judy (2019). His collaborators and subjects include such musical legends and icons as David Bowie, Scott Walker, The Rolling Stones, Jaco Pastorius, Rob Trujillo, Backstreet Boys, X Japan, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Judy Garland, and The Smiths.
Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows is a 2001 American two-part biographical television miniseries based on the 1998 book Me and My Shadows: A Family Memoir written by Lorna Luft, the daughter of legendary singer-actress Judy Garland. The miniseries was directed by Robert Allan Ackerman and originally broadcast in two parts on ABC on February 25 and 26, 2001.
Valley of the Dolls is a 1967 American drama film directed by Mark Robson and produced by David Weisbart, based on Jacqueline Susann's 1966 novel. The film stars Barbara Parkins, Patty Duke, and Sharon Tate as three young women who become friends as they struggle to forge careers in the entertainment industry. As their careers take different paths, all three descend into barbiturate addiction. Susan Hayward, Paul Burke, and Lee Grant co-star.
American actress and singer Judy Garland (1922–1969) is widely considered as a gay icon. The Advocate has called Garland "The Elvis of homosexuals". The reasons frequently given for her standing as an icon among gay men are admiration of her ability as a performer, the way her personal struggles seemed to mirror those of gay men in America during the height of her fame, and her value as a camp figure. Garland's role as Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz is particularly known for contributing to this status. In the 1960s, when a reporter asked how she felt about having a large gay following, Garland replied, "I couldn't care less. I sing to people!"
The Affair is an American drama television series created by Sarah Treem and Hagai Levi. The series premiered on Showtime on October 12, 2014. It ran for five seasons, concluding with its final episode on November 3, 2019.
Judy is a 2019 biographical drama film based on the life of American entertainer Judy Garland. Directed by Rupert Goold, it is an adaptation of the Olivier- and Tony-nominated West End and Broadway play End of the Rainbow by Peter Quilter. The film stars Renée Zellweger, Jessie Buckley, Finn Wittrock, Rufus Sewell, and Michael Gambon.
The Haldeman House at 10000 Sunset Boulevard is a house designed by Wallace Neff for Henry F. Haldeman and his wife. It is situated on Sunset Boulevard in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles. Hadleman was the owner of a Chrysler car dealership in Los Angeles. He was not related to Harry F. Haldeman who was the father of President Richard Nixon's White House Chief of Staff H. R. Haldeman. The house was completed in 1939 and was sold by the Haldemans to J. M. Friedman in 1947. The businessman Howard Hughes was the first person to rent the house from the Friedman. Hughes rented the house for his future wife Jean Peters. The actress Terry Moore, who claimed she was married to Hughes, first met him at the house.