Phyllis and Harold

Director Cindy Kleine (wife of actor/producer André Gregory) says she made this documentary in order to help her understand the 59-year relationship of her parents—Long Island suburbanites Phyllis and Harold Kleine. Interviews of the pair, recorded over 12 years (along with comments from Cindy's sister and their nanny) trace the arc of a union that might have looked happy to the outside world, but was clearly flawed. Phyllis, a particularly forthright subject, says she found the college-aged Harold attractive, while he describes her as “a nice Jewish girl.” Tellingly, she adds, “We have totally opposing interests, and always have had.” The Kleines' memories of their early years differ, although neither account sounds terribly romantic—Harold, for instance, doesn't see how any woman could reject an offer from a dentist. While their early love letters reveal deeper feelings, the sentiments didn't last, as Phyllis began an affair that eventually ended—although she contacted the man again 40 years later. Kleine interweaves family photos, home-movie footage, and period songs throughout the verbal recollections (interestingly, while the filmmaker's handheld cinematography is unremarkable, the images that Harold captured over the years are quite lovely). DVD extras include audio commentary by Kleine and Gregory, and the short “'Til Death Do Us Part.” An unsentimental portrait of a troubled marriage that recalls Doug Block's similarly-themed 2005 documentary 51 Birch Street (VL-11/07), this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)