The Life of Reilly

I knew who Charles Nelson Reilly was from the old game shows on TV when I was a kid. This movie is pretty much a film of his stage act (I didn't know he had one). The guy lived an incredible life and if he were to read this he would stress that he "STILL IS LIVING an incredible life." This is a great stage act brought to the screen and it has a real neat feel to it. The camera angles and editing add to this man's story telling. It is a very unique movie and I can't recommend it enough. I saw it down at the SWX film festival and everybody was raving about it. I think you walk into the movie with low expectations (who really wants to see an older man from cheesy game shows in a one-man stage show talk about his life?!) but the movie grabs you.

Just watched the unedited three hour version of The Life of Reilly filmed in San Francisco in 2001. This is a two DVD set that is superb quality and crystal clear. It appears that the filming is authorized as CNR sees everything from the stage, throwing barbs at the audience now and again and would unquestionably have commented on the filming had it been done without his permission. Not having seen the version shown in theaters I have to assume that this is the complete show as opposed to the mini-documentary which most of the posters on this site are referring to. This is a brilliantly funny one-man show, witty and dramatic, funny and tragic in the telling of stories from Nelson Reilly's life and career. His performance covers a huge range of subjects and his delivery is masterful. Strange to believe that his talents will essentially be remembered only for his contribution to Match Game.

A one-man show that is both touching and very, very funny. For anyone who knows anything about show business from way back when - and I'm talking about the great Vaudeville stars of the 20's and 30's, this is a nostalgic mind-blower. When Nelson Reilly talks about his family, describing them as "portrayed by" Burt Lancaster or Shirley Booth or any one of a multitude of movie stars from the 40's and 50's, the result is hysterical. What a wonderful memorial to a talented and loving personality.

This is a unique movie as it is the last performance Charles Nelson Reilly ever did of his one man show. To watch him tell his stories is to see a master weave his craft into words that keep you consistently engrossed by what he has to tell.

CNR's life is fascinating. There is much more to him than most people will ever know. For years you just knew him as the guy on match game, and that funny guy on the Lucy episode, or wasn't he on ghost and Mrs Muir? Something about him in all of those things stuck out enough for people to remember him. The man is an amazing performer, and his words are rich in with the history of Broadway, Hollywood and his personal life.

This film needs to be released on DVD or somehow the gameshow network needs to make a deal with the film maker and show it on the gameshow network, or release it with one of the DVD sets! People need to see it!

This could, by far, be the best stage show I have seen! I am surprised that I did not discover this film earlier and I wish I had seen it live. It makes one laugh and cry. I didn't know Charles Nelson Reilly's humor and talent was so grand until I saw this film. He was a superb storyteller. Everyone should see this film. Reilly and his family had more than a few eyeopening and extraordinary experiences. I've watched it several times and purchased the DVD so I can watch it again with friends and family. It's one of those films you want to share. This film makes me wish I had kept a diary of my own so I could share my own family history. Everyone should see this film!

I saw this at the Waterfront Film Festival in Saugatuck, Michigan.

As the film opens, some people on the street are asked if they know who Charles Nelson Reilly is. Several of them say they've heard his name but don't really know him. Well, before seeing this film, I feel into that category. I didn't even realize until right before seeing the film that he has recently passed away.

The movie was very entertaining. I hadn't heard of the stage production, so I didn't know that the movie was a filming of his one man show. But I really enjoyed it. Charles Nelson Reilly was quite the character. He was funny and witty and never worried about making fun of himself. In the film, Charles mostly talked about his childhood and how he started out in the entertainment business. There were a lot of great stories and some inside jokes. I liked whenever he talked about a new person from his family or someone close to him that he would cast a famous person to play the part.

This film was a lot of fun and I really got to know who the real Charles Nelson Reilly was. It's sad that he's gone, but he lived a long life and the film seems to show that he enjoyed every bit of it. And he gave an excellent finale.