Some things I liked some I did not.

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

The movie is made so realistic it has a lot of that WoW feeling at the right moments and never tooo over the top. the suspense is done so well and the emotion is felt. Very well put together with the music and all.

I was lucky enough to see this show at The Old Vic in London (where, albeit not on the night, this live recording was shot) so I was pre-disposed to like the DVD (the clue is in that word 'lucky') and if anything it eclipses the show if only because the camera can do what I couldn't from my mid-stall seat, namely close in on the eyes which is where it is all happening. What we have is a great blend of reminiscence, anecdotes and vocals and I for one would have been happy with twice the two-and-a-half hours she delivers. Okay, nobody is going to accuse her of being a great vocalist, least of all herself, but no one accused Mabel Mercer of being a great vocalist but no one gave a big rat's ass because Mercer, like Stritch, had a lot more going for her, the ability to 'live' a song and act it out to a fare-thee-well. As a rule my taste in female vocalists favors the 'cool' i.e. June Christy, Peggy Lee; the 'warm', Dinah Shore, Ella, and the vulnerable, Judy, for the brash, belter, Merman, Bassy, who think subtlety is to come down to high C. I have no time at all. Stritch can and does on occasion, belt with the best, but, like the finest vocalist working today, Marlene VerPlanck, she can also do wistful, a word that Merman and Bassy were incapable of comprehending. So, here we get Broadway Baby, I'm Still Here, Ladies Who Lunch, but we also get the ultra wistful I Must Have Done Something Good. You sure did, Elaine, you did something VERY good. In spades.

Picked up the DVD without knowing anything about Elaine Stritch.More than pleasantly pleased. Her candor is laudable. One views her life through a cabaret act, full of song and dance routines... Despite which, one looks into an absolutely "naked" soul. Interesting to watch this 80 year old woman, whose life has been so difficult, be so alive and dynamic. When most of her compatriots are dead she is continuing to grow and learn and give to us. For the first half hour or so it was mostly "cute", tolerable but just "cute". The rest of the film grabbed my mind and heart.Well done. I recommend it highly.

Elaine Stritch at Liberty is a splendid documentary about the life of a survivor, who even at this stage of her life, shows she has what it takes to get in front of the public and bare her soul in the process.The documentary centers around her triumphant stage show that played at the Public Theater, and later was transferred to a limited commercial run on Broadway and then to London. The material was conceived by John Lahr and directed for the stage by George C. Wolfe, the amazing man who was in charge of the Public Theater in New York. Rick McKay is given credit as putting it all together in this version that was seen on cable, and it's available on DVD format.Best of all is Ms. Stritch herself. We get to know intimate details about her life, her successes and failures, the men in her life and how the drinking affected her health. To have the courage to go before a public in a play is courageous, but to be Ms Stritch's age, command the stage and charm an audience is something that only great performers can achieve. Thanks for the memories Ms Stritch!

Gut wrenching is one of those descriptive throwaways too often used insincerely to pump up the ego of some mediocre talent. Not so in the case of Elaine Stritch: At Libery. I defy any lover of the theatre to remain in his seat at the conclusion of this two and a half-hour journey of theatrical brilliance. The experience truly is gut wrenching! Ms. Stritch is that rare bird who makes the stage a living, breathing organism. Without props or scenery we are privileged to hear her express her incredible love for life and the spotlight through songs, musings and memories of her six decades in show business. When she is finally able to put down the bottle and begin her career anew, we breathe easier, with the same joyous simplicity that she faces her life sober. This is a once-in-a-lifetime journey that makes the whole world look right. That Ms. Stritch is in her mid-70's means the incredible feat is all the more special.