Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story

Director Bruce David Klein deserves credit for not turning this 2024 documentary into complete hagiography as Liza Minnelli's celebrity-filled personal life and dazzling career would've been easy fodder for the goddess treatment I was fearing from the cheeky title. In fact, even in her current frail state, there is an unencumbered spirit that infuses the often enthralling albeit rather incomplete account of her storied life. Of course her accomplished parents are covered here and not surprisingly her loving but fraught relationship with her iconic mother Judy Garland. It was the aftermath of Garland's 1969 death that led Minnelli to seek the guidance of five key mentors - performer/vocal coach Kay Thompson, singer/songwriter Charles Aznavour, lyricist Fred Ebb, director/choreographer Bob Fosse, and designer Halston. Klein wisely focuses on Minnelli's defining career achievements through their individual contributions. Fosse, in particular, gets deserved attention for guiding her 1972 twin juggernauts, the film version of "Cabaret" and the TV special "Liza with a Z". However, those looking for a more complete career retrospective might be disappointed because the film ignores true career milestones like her first Oscar nomination for "The Sterile Cuckoo", "Arthur", and "Arrested Development", as well as high-profile bombs like "Lucky Lady" and "New York, New York" (except the signature song). Close confidants like Mia Farrow and Michael Feinstein act as talking heads for Minnelli who provides brief comments throughout. Nonetheless, the film is a fitting tribute to a true legend who unequivocally escaped the shadow cast by her legendary mother.

Greetings again from the darkness. The list of icons known by a single name is relatively short and includes such luminaries as Elvis, Prince, Cher, Bono, Beyonce, and Sting. Immediately recognizable with only her first name, Liza Minnelli also fits right in. Documentarian Bruce David Klein has delivered a tribute to her early years as the daughter of worshipped idol Judy Garland and famed film director Vicente Minnelli, and outlines her own path to stardom after tragedy to being recognized as one of the greatest performers of all time.

Liza is now 79 years old and wheelchair bound, and yet when the lights are on and the camera is rolling, her entertainer side takes over and she's charming, and a bit naughty. The death of her mother in 1969 (at age 47) was a distinct turning point in Liza's life. She says she was born and they took a picture - meaning she has spent her entire life in the spotlight ... although she makes it clear she was not born in a red sequin dress.

We learn about those who have influenced her career, her life, and her style. Singled out are Kay Thompson as a mentor, Charles Aznavour who taught her performance, Fred Ebb and musical partner John Kander, Broadway legend Michael Feinstein, and famed choreographer Bob Fosse. We also learn of Liza's four marriages and divorces to Peter Allen, Jack Haley Jr, Mark Gero, and David Gest. Though Liza offers no real comment on the marriages, those interviewed are particularly harsh when discussing the late Mr. Gest.

Liza's brilliance has resulted in the rare EGOT, with her Emmy and Oscar being won in the same year ("Liza with a Z", CABARET). Not surprisingly, her outstanding performance as Sally Bowles in CABARET (1972) draws a significant portion of the commentary here, and it's stunning to hear Liza remark, "I don't think I'm a real good singer, but I can act a song." Her loyalty to friends is emphasized on multiple occasions - never more dramatically than when she saved the Broadway production of "Chicago" by substituting for Gwen Verdon.

Not much time is devoted to the dark period, although her friendship with Halston (clothes and parties at Studio 54) is mentioned. Liza's half-sister Lorna Luft appears briefly, but not much personal insight is provided. Rehab for Liza is acknowledged, but let's be clear, Bruce David Klein set out to make a loving tribute to a fascinating performer, and that's exactly what this is.

Opens in theaters on March 14, 2025.

As a lifelong fan of Liza I went into this expecting more. It focuses very specifically on the period of her life between the death of her mother and around 1980.

It's really far more about the lives and talents of the many people with whom she surrounded herself and found influence creatively, and I do understand that in many ways that *IS* who she is. However I was hoping for exciting stories and what I got was quite a lot of discussion about how she met and worked with people like Halton, Kander & Ebb etc... and those stories, though beautiful and lovely in their own way, aren't particularly exciting.

The documentary seemed to go to great lengths to steer clear of any in depth discussions about anything that might be controvserial or lascivious, and there is even a moment in the film when Liza denies anyone having ever done drugs at Studio 54, which feels less like naive denial and more like a woman who is bound and determined to maintain as pristine a public image as she can (despite her openness about struggling with addiction.)

What was really shocking was that her deep and longstanding connection with gay men wasn't even *mentioned*. In fact the only time queerness came up was when it was briefly acknowledged that her first husband was gay, which was yet again a topic that might have been interesting to discuss but was breezed past.

There is very little in the way of actual interviews with present-day Liza telling her own stories, and that to me is where the whole project failed the most.

It might have fared better as a 60 minute TV special than a nearly two hour documentary, as after the first hour I actually found myself getting bored.

Liza herself is a *STAR*. The documentary, for me, just isn't.

This documentary looks at the life of Liza Minnelli following her mother's death and how she then needed to develop herself and outside of her mother's shadow. This is explained in parts which focus on the individuals that influenced and guided her.

An odd but extremely fascinating documentary. Minnelli comes across as a pleasant but rather insecure individual, but completely a star and seemingly a loyal friend, but did seem to need guiding lights and mentors throughout her complex starry life. Her life does though also come across as one long party with lots of smiles, glitter and thousands of friends, who are all her 'best friend'. How this helped her is the big question. She undoubtedly has many close, loving friends, but you do get the impression that there are plenty of hangers on as well who may have had a hand in shaping her. Hence, there is a tone of sadness throughout.

Splashy documentary on actress/singer/dancer/legend Liza Minnelli isn't really about her movie career or her albums and concerts--it's about Life as Liza: her famous parents (Vincente Minnelli and Judy Garland), her many mentors (Kay Thompson, Charles Aznavour and Fred Ebb among them), her many friends, her marriages and love affairs, her addictions, and her resilience. Beginning with a recent Minnelli interview (in which she's surprisingly bossy), writer-director Bruce David Klein eschews Liza's stage and screen credits (except for "Cabaret") in favor of her personal life--something which Minnelli isn't particularly keen on discussing. What Liza does like to talk about is her friendships--she's a loyal lady and gets loyalty in return--and Klein has assembled some good interviews, previously unseen on-stage and backstage footage, and snippets of razzle-dazzle to make this a fast, entertaining 100mns. Half-sister Lorna Luft is interviewed, but their current relationship isn't brought up; Klein would rather give us the histories of Kay Thompson and fashion designer Halston, also a predictable jaunt back in time to Studio 54. I guess if you want to go through Liza's career step-by-step, the many TV-made biographies will have to suffice. Here, we get Vulnerable Liza, Tough Liza, Hard-working and Exhausted Liza. She breaks into song at the end ("But the World Goes 'Round"), accompanied by pianist and great friend Michael Feinstein, but Klein drowns Current Liza out with a clip of '80s Liza belting the song on-stage. We want to know how the lady is doing, but this scrapbook of memories is stuck in the past. *** from ****