Tony Palmer's 1973 Film About Hugh Hefner: The Founder and Editor of Playboy

Longtime documentary filmmaker Tony Palmer's early-1970s portrait of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner paints its subject more as a manic Willy Wonka of hedonism than a cultural visionary. Palmer does not exactly follow Hefner through his busy life as a micro-managing editor of a popular men's magazine; in fact, Hefner is rarely seen here outside his bedroom, let alone his five-acre Los Angeles estate with its famous mansion, infamous grotto, and menagerie of exotic animals. Ensconced on his circular bed and wearing silk pajamas, the CEO of a then-impressive Playboy empire of publishing, nightclubs, and theaters appears to be running his global ship, with one or another girlfriend never more than arm's-length away. When he does get out, Hefner is largely intent on playing board games and entertaining friends, or climbing aboard his jet to…visit his other estate in Chicago. Hefner's bubble existence looks more disconcerting in retrospect given the paragon of male work-play he was selling at the time as an ideal balance for 20th-century urban adults. Much of the film finds Hefner talking about how publishing came into his life during his school days and how he and a happy few founded Playboy on little (borrowed) money. Featuring Playboy-style nudity galore, Hefner clearly enjoys his spectacular success in this consistently interesting archival profile. Recommended. Aud: C, P (T. Keogh)