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Full of Hollywood lore, wit and a dose of myth, this intimate look at the rise and fall of Hollywood legend mogul Robert Evans proves to be a fascinating documentary. On surface level, the trials and tribulations of a Hollywood producer might not send people storming their local theater, but in a country that loves a good story surrounded by classic movies, celebrity and drugs, well, enough said. And when that producer is outrageous and witty, even better. The documentary is divided into three parts: his early years, his glory years as the head of Paramount, and his fall from grace. Burstein and Morgen blend Robert Evans' voice-over from his audio book along with film and newsreel footage, photos, documents and music to create a at times surreal portrait of the consummate life of a Hollywood producer. The audience learns that Evans was discovered by actress Norma Shearer while in the pool at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Darryl Zanuck then cast him in The Sun Also Rises against the wishes of Ernest Hemingway, Ava Gardner and Tyrone Power. Zanuck decreed "The kid stays in the picture!" and then the kid stuck his blade into Hollywood's jugular and held on. From that moment on, Evans realized he wanted to be the puppeteer and not the puppet. He wasn't going to waste his time trying to get parts; instead he would decide who gets what. If he was a bad actor who got major parts, he also shocked the suits when he was hired at Paramount without a lot of experience in that milieu. He recounts how he pulled Paramount out of it's slump with the hit Love Story, starring his wife Ali McGraw. Also recounted are anecdotes about the stars and directors of Rosemary's Baby, True Grit, Godfather and Chinatown. One theme is certainly power and influence and its subsequent loss. Evans was so successful because he could get people to do what he wanted despite rational objections. He got Henry Kissenger to come to the Godfather premiere, Francis Ford Coppola to make his Italian epic longer, Mia Farrow to keep working despite Frank Sinatra's objections and the disgruntled boardmembers to keep Paramount. But he couldn't have everything he wanted. Icarus flew to close to the sun and drowned himself in drugs. He lost Ali McGraw, the love of his life, to Steve McQueen, his beloved Beverly Hills home, and his prestige at Paramount after a drug bust along with murky ties to a murder that destroyed his reputation. It's obvious that the glue that holds this together is the gruff, sarcastic narration that Evans provides. Everything that's been culled together is all the more poignant with his commentary. The section regarding his marriage and honeymoon to McGraw, or Miss Snotnose, as he refers to her, is heartfelt without being overly romanticized. Burstein and Morgen are so creative in crafting a documentary that brings an era to life that they have definitely raised the bar in making a documentary. In the end though, loyalty and friendship are what gets everyone through, even Hollywood producers. Jack Nicholson bought his house back and a studio exec he hired years before takes him back at Paramount. As with the hero of every film, this was only the beginning. Evans comes alive for a new generation familiar with his classic films but not his hand in them. The Kid's story stays on your mind long after the lights come on.
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