Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story

An American documentary; A story about a couple who had an enormous influence over the informational and visual aspects of dozens of the world's most famous motion pictures. Largely uncredited in these movies, Harold and Lillian had an expertise that throws new light on the actual roles of a film director and head of production design. While these two important roles take the rap if a film goes wrong, when it goes right the film researcher and storyboarding play an important role in the success of the overall production. As for the documentary itself, it succeeds as a personal story about a couple falling love - the two being quite different, and their personal and family challenges. It also works as a fresh perspective on Hollywood. Moreover, it is a well crafted film with great insights and humour and a beautiful story arc.

This is the story of Harold and Lillian Michelson who were a showbiz couple who enjoyed a 60 year marriage. These guys weren't your typical showbiz people, however, as they worked the whole time under the radar and behind the scenes. Harold was a Hollywood storyboard artist and Lillian a film researcher. This may not sound like a lot but this film makes it very clear indeed that it in fact was rather a lot. If you need one individual piece of proof, look no further than the iconic shot of Dustin Hoffman framed by Anne Bancroft's leg in The Graduate (1967). An image that not only encapsulated so much of the dynamics of the film itself but more than that is generally considered to be one of the most iconic images in movie history. This was not the idea of the man who won an Oscar for directing the film, Mike Nichols, nor Robert Surtees who was nominated for an Oscar for best cinematography. It was the idea of Harold Michelson, the man who story-boarded the film. He didn't win an Oscar. He wasn't even credited.

This is but one example of the sorts of ideas Harold regularly brought to the table that were then used in a large array of films from the classic era like The Ten Commandments (1956), West Side Story (1961) and The Birds (1963), up to special effects bonanzas such as Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) and beyond. Harold's work once again shows if proof is needed, that film-making is a collaborative effort where the director tends to get the credit for everything in spite of this fact. Throughout the film we see examples of Harold's beautiful drawings, which were so invaluable for directors trying to work out how to visualise the screenplays they had to work with.

His wife Lillian was a film researcher who set up a library that became an invaluable resource for many of the greatest film-makers in Hollywood. Circumstance led her to move it from place to place including Paramount Studios, Francis Ford Coppola's American Zoetrope Studios and ultimately at Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks. This library supplied the information on everything from the type of pants worn by Jewish girls in the late 19th century to the ins and outs of the hard drug trade. Of the latter, Lillian was even offered to go on a trip to Bolivia with a drug lord to see the operation at first hand! So these two individuals have made an immeasurable impact on the films coming out of Hollywood over a period of decades. And this film celebrates not only them as individuals but also as a loving couple whose marriage lasted for decades in an environment which is notoriously volatile for relationships. Charmingly, the movie is story-boarded throughout with cute drawings illustrating the narrative. There are also many film insiders on hand to offer their recollections of this fine couple, including Danny DeVito, Mel Brooks and Francis Ford Coppola. Its overall a very rich and rewarding bit of work about people who fully deserve the recognition it affords them.

This film could very well have flown under my radar. I saw it during a one-week engagement at our town's small art house theater, and I don't always keep up with what they're showing. Similarly, Harold and Lillian Michelson flew largely under the radar of Hollywood. Most film buffs probably have never heard of them (I certainly hadn't); Harold was a storyboard artist and a production designer, and Lillian a researcher. But someone decided they would make a good subject for a film, and indeed they do. Harold had passed by the time the filmmaking began, but there was a large amount of archival footage on him. Lillian (age 87) is still alive and sharp as a tack. Both are charming, eloquent and endearing. I was greatly entertained by this film. The couple are great storytellers, and they have great stories to tell! I was amazed at the impact they have made on many films I have seen. Harold made indelible contributions to such films as 'The Birds,' 'Spartacus' and 'The Graduate'. Lillian, similarly, has had a hand in many iconic films. This is warm, fascinating documentary that will leave you with a big smile on your face (and a tug at your heart).

I do not, do not care what anyone may say. This story is so engaging and so well told - both aurally and visually - that I have never seen anything that could compare with it. Harold and Lillian are impressive individuals and their story is charming, fascinating, and so real that it is difficult to imagine that such a couple ever existed. You cannot help but love the both of them and know that if you had ever met them, they would love you right back. And you can't help but admire them, especially Harold's talent, Lillian's drive, and their combined expertise and professionalism.

When it is said that Harold should have received a Thalberg Oscar for his lifetime of amazing work, I think the same should be said for Lillian. I love these people and their story, and I recommend it to anyone who has a love of cinema and a love for people. What a great story!

This sweet documentary has garnered a lot of love in Tinseltown. It depicts the long marriage between Harold Michelson (Storyboard artist, Production Designer) and Lillian Michelson (Researcher) and their work behind the scenes on many a motion picture going back decades. Harold has unfortunately passed on, so it is Lillian that is front and center with her recollections.

There are some nice clips and photos not only of their union, but, of the many films they worked on. There are some wonderful illustrations by Patrick Mate, but since Harold was an illustrator himself, I would have preferred more of his work. A minor point. A larger issue is that the movie gets a bit chummy with the subjects. It's a common issue with docs where one or more of the subjects is an active participant. While Harold & Lillian certainly were key behind the scenes players, they weren't quite as critical as the Doc makes them out to be. And, Harold's long history on Television is almost completely ignored in order to focus on his feature films (certainly the main focus, but, 100 episodes of TV is a pretty significant thing to bypass; it also explains the feature film gap in the chronology that isn't fully explained here). Fairly minor quibbles, but worth noting. This being a Doc about the business, expect it to be a player come awards season (Hollywood loves nothing more than patting itself on the back).