Sid & Judy, 2019.
Directed by Stephen Kijak.
Starring Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jon Hamm.
SYNOPSIS:
A revealing new look at Judy Garland fifty years after her tragic, untimely death. Sid & Judy fuses the unpublished recollections of producer, manager and third husband, Sid Luft, with film clips, rare concert footage and Judy’s own inimitable words.
Sid & Judy boasts an intimate and detailed look into Judy Garland’s later fortunes and career, courtesy of her third husband, Sid Luft. And what makes his point of view such a rich vein to mine is his unique perspective as both her spouse and manager: He helped her relaunch her career as a professional singer, playing to sold-out theatres. Another fascinating facet to this story is seeing what Luft claims in his memoir, large chunks of which narrate the documentary (courtesy of a Jon Hamm) – what is his take on his handling of Judy and her drained finances compared to everyone else’s?
Although Luft doesn’t entirely excuse himself from accusations of mismanagement, he explains his intentions differently. Judy didn’t care about the money, just clawing back her career – which he helped her achieve whatever the cost. He discouraged her drug use, although cops to enablement of it through a studio doctor during the arduous making of A Star is Born. He’s also open about the abortion Judy underwent, during the early days of their courtship, at his behest but without his support. This callousness is perhaps what best aligns with his career as a fixer in Hollywood, who was considered bad news. Regardless of this, the affection and admiration he had for her are plain to hear in his words.
The other major asset of Sid & Judy is the use of never-before-heard personal recordings of Judy Garland, with which the documentary opens and closes. From the lead-up to her death, it shows a desperately vulnerable and confused but passionate woman, driven to the depths of despair over her unreliable reputation and dragging by the press. But it also reveals the mettle of someone ready to work hard, and who had picked themselves back up off the floor time and time again.
One of Judy’s more publicly-acknowledged struggles was with her weight, which fluctuated in direct correlation with the regime of drugs she might or might not be on. Hollywood’s obsession with weight then was perhaps even worse – or certainly more controlling – than the film industry’s today. It was agreed she couldn’t be overweight in front of the cameras, as it would only be emphasised on her petite figure – in fact, she was specifically told to lose 10 pounds before the studio would put A Star is Born into production, never mind anything else! It seems quite stunning that a talent like Judy’s could genuinely be considered worth less the more she weighed.
As is to be hoped – and surely expected – of a documentary about her career, plenty of her biggest recorded hits are featured, from ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ to ‘The Man That Got Away’. There’s also a treat in the form of numerous photos (and some footage) from her legendary touring shows, alongside live recordings from certain performances.
Sid & Judy is a beautifully expressed and designed feature, with its era-evoking splashes of blue, red and yellow, jazzy music, plethora of photos in montages, and Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jon Hamm’s characterful performances as Sid and Judy – and this is alongside the genuine recordings.
The most simple reason to watch Sid & Judy is to revel in information and performances rarely shared with the world. These later years, when Judy was out of Hollywood and embarking on tours and television aren’t focused on as much (bar the similarly-timed release of Judy). People know more about Judy Garland’s earlier MGM musical smashes than this, although it’s still interesting to see footage from this era, including some awkwardly tense outtakes from Annie Get Your Gun, the musical Judy was fired from before being dumped by the studio. It’s also pretty cool to peek behind the curtain of A Star is Born’s troubled making, and see how America’s cinemas massively compromised the film’s quality – and Judy’s comeback – by insisting on a much shorter cut in order to meet screening demand.
Sid & Judy is a meaningful contribution to the plethora of information out there on Judy Garland. This is in part because it focuses on the (comparably) quieter years of her life, but also because it presents its information in an engaging and loving way – some credit to Sid Luft here, but also a lot to director Stephen Kijak (We Are X). Sid & Judy is essential viewing for any fully-fledged Judy Garland fans, as much as for anyone with a casual interest in learning more about this signing icon.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Tori Brazier
