Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel (2009, documentary) - Fine portrait of a liberal icon of the 20th century

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An assortment of pictures of the same man against his iconic bunny icons and a dark background make up this poster for Brigitte Berman's Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel

The son in a puritanical family, Hefner early in life began stirring the limitations for publication in America, and with his Playboy magazine became a central, liberating force in the country and in the world in general.

 

Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel is written, co-produced, directed and co-edited by Brigitte Berman (Bix: Ain't None of Them Play Like Him Yet (1981, documentary)).

Hefner is himself so intelligent, warm and inspiring as a person that he alone makes this mostly chronological, backwards-gazing documentary an exciting and worthwhile work. The film glorifies him, but it also underlines his controversial nature by including testimony from a series of critics; feminists and Pat Boone, among others. But it is ultimately Hefner's liberal mindset that has succeeded in the West.

 

Watch a short snippet from the film here

 

Cost: Unknown

Box office: Reportedly 10k $

= Uncertain but most likely a box office disaster (projected return of 0.01 times its cost)

[Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel premiered 12 September (Toronto International Film Festival) and runs 124 minutes. Shooting took place from January - August 2008 in Ontario. The film had a 4-theatre release in Los Angeles, grossing 10k $. If made on a 1 mil. $ budget, the film would rank as a box office disaster. - However, it is possible that it has been profitable as a TV rights property. Berman returned with The River of My Dreams (2016, documentary). Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel is fresh at 60 % with a 6.50/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

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