Filmed at the peak of the Monday night ratings war, the movie takes an inside look at the final year of Bret Hart's career with the wrestling promotion, The World Wrestling Federation, (now World Wrestling Entertainment). Without spoiling the movie, too much, this documentary directed by Paul Jay not only shows an insight into wrestling's biggest star at the time, but also the wrestling business itself and the most controversial non scripted legit incident coined simply as 'the Montreal Screw Job' at the 1997's 'Survivor Series' PPV. While, today, most wrestlers are more open about talking the inside secrets about the business; at the time, the professional wrestling organizations worked to maintain the illusion of story lines and characters, in a moral code matter called 'kayfabe'. Because of this, any performer that broke character, would reach far-reaching ramifications. So, this beg the question, how did, director Jay and his crew, was given unprecedented access toward, this secretly world. Well, it's because the owner of the WWF, Vince McMahon was fighting against an uphill battle against his competitor at the time, World Championship Wrestling, which already raid some of his company's best talents. He couldn't lose, anymore top stars, jumping ship in 1996, so he mostly agree to his stars demands, when negotiated new contracts. One of those, demands, was for filmmaker, Jay to follow Hart, and his family, around WWF events, because Bret wanted a documentary highlight the legendary of Hart Wrestling Family for their native Calgary fans. Because of this, it was the first time, in forever, outside cameras were allow to film backstage since the mid-1980s. However, what Jay and Hart didn't know at the time, is how bad, WWF's financial were, at the time, and how McMahon couldn't live up to what Hart was demanding from his contract. It was here, where the movie change its direction and structure from showing the achievements of the Hart Family, to them, focusing on the backstage politics of Hart. Accounting to the film's extras, Hart mentions that filming had actually concluded prior to 1997's 'Survivor Series' and Bret had suggested to Jay that he may wish to bring the crew to the event, as to document his final match with the WWF. Surprising, for both of them, this added footage became the key ingredient, needed for this film. Without that dramatic climax, I really doubt, the film would had work. However, there were a few criticism, over the rights of that footage. Since, filming rights has ended, before that PPV. McMahon felt entitled for that footage, as he has claim Jay, broke their contract. He sued him, as a result. The director went on to state that WCW has contacted him, not only to offered to pay for the lawsuit, but also offered a PPV deal for the film and long term distribution on the Turner network. Once McMahon became aware of this, Vince back down, and allow Jay to use stock footage, and the use of the names and likeness of the other wrestlers featured in the film. Yet, McMahon didn't go all, quietly, as he used some of his reputation to kill some of the distribution. Having face, a backlash, with Jay, McMahon try to couther the negative prints, by allowing another documentary to be made, backstage, 1999's 'Beyond the Mat'. However, that film also made the WWF look bad. Because of that, most wrestling documentaries under the WWF banner, has been produced by WWF/E Home Video since then. While it's easy to view the film and simply think of Bret as the good guy and Vince as the bad guy; I think you would had to understand, a deeper sense of Vince & Bret's perspective. Both men are very prideful, very difficult to work with, and equally as stubborn. You see this, in a way, how Hart outright lies to the camera, about being able to work with anybody and not injuring anybody on purpose, despite having problems, with previous wrestlers like Bad News Brown, Jerry Lawler, Ric Flair and Dino Bravo in the past that resulted in real-life injuries. Then, there is the claim that he never slept with anybody, during his first marriage, which according to his later book, that he indeed cheated on his then-wife, Julie. Kinda hypocritical, for a man that claims that the "WWF Attitude" marketing brand which relies on an emphasis on sex, extreme violence, and the replacing of heroic wrestling characters with disaffected anti-heroes, was the worst thing to happen to pro-wrestling. Hart might be the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be! Yet, he's kinda a jerk. This documentary kinda shows that. Yes, I'm a huge fan of the man's work, but I got a problem, on how little, Owen Hart, Jim Neidhart, & Davey Boy Smith are given to talk, seeing how the documentary was originally about them. Yes, I like the rare look at Hart's family life, but it does focus on Hart's business problems a little too much that it became somewhat annoying, even if it made Hart, a bigger hero, than he was, without it. For Vince, this movie was the best thing to happen to him, as he was indeed able to use the real-life heat, from the screw-job to usher a great storyline with him as an on screen villain. While, most people generally believed that Bret Hart was indeed screw-over, still, there are others that felt that this was truly a work of storytelling fiction and Hart was in on it. Nevertheless, based on this documentary, there is just way too many inconsistent to believe that was the case. Overall: Vince and Bret would ultimately buried the hatchet in 2002 and on aired in 2010, but this documentary would always be a great time capsule essential documentary for both wrestling and non-wrestling fans alike. A tragic betrayal film at its best.

I saw this movie a long time ago. It was told from Bret's Hart's perspective about his history in the WWF up until the screw job that was performed. It was an interesting documentary looking back on his past and some of his past matches. I will definitely say that Bret Hart was the best wrestler of the time. I don't think that there was anyone on the wrestling roster that could outstrategize Hart in a match. Plus he took every match seriously. That's definitely what made him the best wrestler.I will never respect Vince Mcmahon for what he did to him. It was a public humiliation and no one, especially Bret, deserves to be screwed like that. Bret spitting on Vince had proved that there something was going on backstage. He lost a real diamond in the rough when he got rid of Hart. It was even worse when Goldberg kicked him over the side of the head and forced him to retire because of a stroke he suffered.On the other hand: I can understand why Vince did what he did. I found some reasons as to why I think Vince screwed him.1. Even though Bret's matches were still good, all he did was complain. In fact before a match he would complain during his promo's killing the hype of a good match. He was really never entertaining to listen to.2. Vince wanted him to respect the tradition that a wrestler loses in his last match. Bret thought he was more special than the rest of the people so he didn't want to lose. No one would have had any less respect for Hart, even if he had lost in his home country. Besides it's not like he was losing in his own hometown.3. It's possible that Vince also assumed Eric Bischoff and Bret could have been plotting to steal the WWF belt from Vince and use it to some obscene purpose, like what Alundra Blaze did with the WWF women's championship. Personally, I don't think Bret would have agreed to do something like that, but given his position, I don't think that McMahon could afford to take that chance.If there is anyone I feel sorry for in all of this, it's Shawn Michaels, HHH, and Earl Hebner. They were the unlucky 3 that were caught in the middle of this issue that was strictly between Hart and McMahon.Overall the movie itself is 8 out of 10. I still think the situation is ridiculous. If Hart would actually pull his head out of his ass and see his own mistakes, I'd probably have more respect for him. It seem's to me all he does now is just degrade everyone who talks about him in a negative manner. I thought Flair had some accurate points about him in his book. Not to which are completely unbiased, but Bret put up an article that degraded Flair's credibility. I know that he has suffered a lot of losses and that the passing's of Stu Hart, Owen, and the British Bulldog have made him all the more bitter about wrestling, but he has got to let the past go. If he cannot let go of his pride than I guess he proved Vince's words about him, right all along. Bret did screw Bret.

I bought "Wrestling with Shadows" a few years ago. I recently found it and decided to watch it just to see if my opinion of Bret Hart and his WWF exit had changed. It hadn't. Not one bit.Bret Hart forgot that pro wrestling is a work. His insistence that dropping the WWF world championship to Shawn Michaels in Montreal, Canada was unacceptable is flat- out ludicrous. Bret can't stand Shawn -- that's the crux of the issue. Bret Hart simply didn't want to put Shawn Michaels over and leave WWF in a classy manner. The fact that the show was in Canada is irrelevant.And what happened when he appeared on WCW television the first time? More whining.And that scene of his wife whining at the wrestlers? Puhleeze! Like they had anything to do with it. Vince McMahon said "Bret screwed Bret because he wouldn't do right by the business that made him." He's right.

I was absolutely amazed when I caught this documentary on cable. Up until his point the behind the scenes of pro wrestling were just that, behind the scenes. The wrestling business is famously protected, any peek we get into it's inner workings is absolutely Amazing. As a life long wrestling fan, I consider this documentary be a one of a kind, an other wrestling fans who see this would have to agree. Also a look at the white hot Sunny, in all her splendor. Now having put this over from a wrestling standard. Let us examine the now infamous events of Montreal,when Bret screwed Bret. The events are caught by the camera following Bret around for his last year in the WWF. Bret Hart tries his best to be the hero here, and I believe he is, but can't help but feel that Bret is a master of hi craft, Vinny Mac is a master of his craft, if these two, and a few others wanted to, they could fool he world. I will withhold my own personal opinion as to if the events as they are portrayed here transpired as this documentary says, or not. Was it all a work? Did Bret really screw Bret? "Hitman Hart:Wrestling with Shadows" is but a mere piece of the puzzle. Conspiracy wrestling hounds like myself love this sort of thing, but the non-wrestling fan might also enjoy it for the sheer human drama, I give it a 9 out of 10. I took away a point because I don't know if I can really trust Bret, the master worker, and I am also a huge Shawn Michaels mark, HBK 4 life.