Arnold Schwarzenegger: Hollywood Hero

A summation of this devout biographical puff piece lends itself to the brevity of a Schwarzenegger vehicle's plot summary: a big strong guy with a flair for charming portrayals of taciturn toughies, Arnold--who has a cute accent and is married into America's de facto royal family, the Kennedys--lives a satisfying life of political and Hollyweird celebrity. The usual roster of glitterati, plus the always amusing "body building mogul" Joe Weider, testify to Schwarzenegger's wit, charm, talent and strength, with sincere compliments from James Coburn, Jim Belushi and Ivan Reitman underscoring the accepted scuttlebutt that Schwarzenegger is as nice as they come. Viewers with an interest in the smiley-faced version of how a poor but honest body builder from Austria became an international film icon and lived a rich, fulfilling omelet of a life without breaking any eggs of consequence along the way will naturally be drawn to this lightweight documentary. Others may opt to simply tape several weeks' worth of Entertainment Tonight and, with a little editing, assemble essentially equivalent footage. Optional. Aud: P. (M. Tribby)