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In more than 40 years on the air, Saturday Night Live has introduced a number of beloved comics—and just as many memorable characters. And the documentary Love, Gilda tells the story of the very first Not Ready for Prime-Time Player, Gilda Radner.
Love, Gilda follows the life and career of the beloved comedienne, as told in her own words and those of the people who knew her best: her friends, her family, and her fellow comics. Using audio recordings, interviews, excerpts from her diary, and plenty of archive footage of performances and even childhood adventures, the film follows Gilda from her youthful struggles with her weight to her discovery of comedy to stardom and eventually sickness. And as it does so, it shows a woman who wanted nothing more than to be loved and to make people laugh.
It’s rare that a documentary can look back at a historical figure’s life and tell the story almost entirely in the subject’s own words—and that’s just a part of the appeal of Love, Gilda. It isn’t just about how others saw her—or about other people’s experiences with her. It uses her recordings and poetry and diaries to explore what her life truly was like—from her early days on stage to her battle with cancer.
Of course, a short documentary like this one can’t cover every aspect of Radner’s life—and director Lisa Dapolito chose to focus her attention on the light, funny, upbeat parts of the story. The film does does have some striking moments, as a few lines of Radner’s poetry or a passage from her diary offers a deeper insight into her experiences. But while it hints at the comic’s struggles and heartbreaks, and it also mentions both her eating disorder and her sickness, it chooses not to explore them in the same kind of depth. For the most part, it’s a playful exploration of Radner’s fun-loving spirit and bubbly personality. It’s a film full of joy and laughter and silliness—and the kind of people with whom you’d love to hang out.
From the moments with those who worked with her, it’s clear that she was loved and respected. From the moments with some of today’s comics, it’s clear how much she’s revered. And that adds a little bit of weight to this good-natured doc.
If you’re a fan of Roseanne Roseannadanna or any of Radner’s other memorable characters, you’ll enjoy this up close and personal look at her life and work. It isn’t an all-encompassing biography, but it’s a sweet (and often funny) tribute to a comic legend.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
