Moon Over Buffalo (1997)

Wow! What a fascinating document. If you ever wanted to see a behind-the-scenes look at how a Broadway play gets produced, this is THE must-see film of the century for you. It's riveting, complex, strange and unapologetic. It shows everything. D.A. Pennebaker's look at the 1997 production of "Moon Over Buffalo," a farce starring Carol Burnett and Phillip Bosco, is remarkable.

Pennebaker's camera is everywhere. And yet, his film never seems obtrusive. You get the feeling those involved forget that a camera is watching them. He never gets in his subject's face. He never confronts them, He just seems to step back and allow the show to unfold. It's wondrous.

Now, I love Burnett. I watched her show as a child. She is one of the funniest and seemingly most wonderful women to ever walk the Earth in my book. How can you not love her? I think I remember the film getting some slack when it came out because it was somewhat mean to Burnett. The director, playwright and producers all talk about her while the camera rolls and often it is very negative. Pennebaker reminds us, though a couple of funny clips from her TV show, of how she is an American icon. We see where she is coming from and what this means in the context of her new gig.

But this film is a love letter to Burnett. It shows how right she is from the very beginning and how the stage play truly works because of her talent. Sure, she's always Burnett on stage, she is that wonderful comedienne we all know and love. The powers-that-be behind the scenes here feel stuck with her, at first. But eventually, everyone warms up to her charm. And when the play becomes a hit almost solely on Burnett's name and work, it's a justification of her talent that even the hardened New York theater folks understand.

But it's fascinating to watch. It is like you are right there, through the first read-through, through the rewrites, through rehearsal and dress rehearsals and preview audiences. You are there through opening night and critic's night.

Aw, the critics. This is another place where the film really gets interesting. The importance of critics to the producers becomes so apparent throughout the last 20 minutes of the film. The power these members of the press possess is remarkable. It's enlightening and absurd.

This film has it all. It's a documentary that all film students must see. It's a perfect documentary. It goes behind the scenes in depth. But you never hear Pennebaker, or any other film crew person, on the soundtrack. It's as if they were not here. There are no overt interview segments. There is no narration, no arty footage, no obvious documentary devices of any kind. There is only the action and a few title cards.

One of Pennebaker's only devices is a marvel; During a sequence when the play finally gets on stage in New York and things start to fall into place, Pennebaker scores a scene of the play with music that includes tap dancing. It says everything we need to know about the rhythm of the play. It shows how it all comes together. It a wonderful and almost unnoticeable idea.

And then there is the play. "Moon Over Buffalo" looks like a marvelous farce. It reminds one of "Noises Off." (This is probably how Burnett got the part in the Bogdonavich film). It's truly amusing and wonderful. And we get to see it birthed right before our very eyes. Labor pains, umbilical cord, placenta and all.

Report Card

Content: A+

Completeness: B+

Cinematography\Lighting: A+

Special Effects\Make Up: A+

Music: A+

Final Grade: A+