Hugh Hefner: Once Upon a Time

This is a great documentary on how the man became The Man. If you don't know how Playboy got started or you do and just don't know about the man who got it started, this is worth checking out. And if you do know, it's still worth checking out because this tells all, and you're sure to learn something you didn't know

James Coburn narrates this brief, extremely superficial documentary by Robert Heath on the life of Playboy Magazine founder Hugh Hefner. The roots of Hefner's past begin with some miserable childhood years, eventually leading to his rise up the ladder to decadent high society via an initially low-budget girlie mag. Film skimps a bit (but doesn't ignore) Hefner's troubled times in the tumultuous 1970s, and wraps things up with a now-dated ribbon as Hef enjoys happy times as a husband and father. Painless fluff is mildly entertaining, but it doesn't dig very deeply or ruffle anybody's feathers. One aspect that isn't touched upon: just how a suavely arrogant (but not especially handsome) man could become a sex symbol himself. ** from ****

This documentary does a decent job in 90 minutes of outlining the birth and history of Playboy, as seen through the eyes of Hugh Hefner, through the end of the '80s. To its credit, the makers avoid hagiography in giving plenty of attention to Playboy's critics and their arguments. Hef acquits himself well in his responses to their criticism. One comes away thinking that he was a great man, at least in the '50s and '60s, fighting for freedom of expression and against the forces of intolerance and puritanism. When mainstream semi-acceptance came in the '70s, so also came the most serious problems, which are given their due here.

The nudity displayed here is pretty tame, and there isn't much. And aside from one "f-word", there is no objectionable language. It's testament to the still-strong streak of puritanism in our culture that this movie is rated "R". It really should be "PG-13".

If you care about postwar cultural history in the U.S., this documentary is definitely worth a look. Playboy's influence has been of major historic significance, and our culture is still dealing with its impact.