Lenny       

By Marshall Fine

Based loosely on the Broadway play, this film biography of late comedian Lenny Bruce captures his fiery brand of provocative humor while looking at his less-than-savory personal life. Dustin Hoffman earned an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Bruce, a seminal figure in stand-up comedy who broke boundaries of language and subject matter by questioning hypocrisy and telling it hilariously like he saw it. Director Bob Fosse, working with cinematographer Bruce Surtees, used black-and-white to capture the shadowy nightclub world in which Bruce rose and fell, bleakly depicting the eventual loss of his livelihood when he became a victim of governmental obscenity prosecution. Hoffman is ably supported by Valerie Perrine as Bruce's stripper wife, Honey, as much a victim as a lover for Bruce.

Academy Awards

Lenny received Academy Awards nominations for Best Picture (Marvin Worth - Producer), Actor (Dustin Hoffman), Actress (Valerie Perrine), Directing (Bob Fosse), Writing (Best Screenplay adapted from other material; Julian Barry), and for Cinematography (Bruce Surtees).

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