"To objectify women, or to not objectify women" - Is this the question one asks of Mr. Hugh Hefner, the ultimate, most-admired playboy of them all? For the most part - This well-researched, bio-documentary, chronicling the mega-success of Hugh Hefner (and his naughty-but-nice men's magazine, Playboy), was a very intriguing look at an iconic pop culture figure who has certainly had his fair share of controversial highs and lows.The first hour of this documentary was, of course, the best. It diligently covered the first 20 years (1953-1973) of astounding success for Playboy magazine - A truly phenomenal magazine that was specifically geared to the hip, swinging bachelor (who apparently lurks inside most men).Competently directed by Canadian film-maker, Brigitte Berman, this enjoyable documentary not only featured lots of excellent vintage footage, and interviews with scores of celebrities, but Hugh Hefner, himself (82 at the time and clearly on his best behaviour) offered the viewer the "real" story behind the money, the power, and, yes, the sex of Playboy magazine.

This is a gushing unbalanced Canadian documentary praising the Playboy founder Hugh Hefner.It hits on all the highlights from the beginning. It's mostly about Playboy and its influence.There are a lot of famous talking heads, some of which are kind of surprising.But the rebuttal talking heads are really limited and sticking to the well worn arguments.It covers a lot of history. But it's one sided. Maybe the filmmaker should ask for a second opinion.

I had the chance to assist a projection in Boston where Director Brigitte Berman was present, coming from Europe and being in my late 20ies there was not much I knew about Hefner besides it's contribution to the sexual revolution of America and the rest of the world.As a consequence, the movie was full of revelations for me, jumping from one fight for freedom from Hefner and his team to another. The director beautifully manages to catch the mindset of Playboy's manager soul behind the bunnies, at a much deeper level.What especially stroke me was the ability of the director to constantly depict the paradoxes between Hefners' primal/liberal way of thinking about sexuality and it's philosophical fights for everyone's freedom and culture. You get to discover a man pursuing his dreams through is entire life and get to discover a revolutionary mindset where pleasure and great achievements are not necessarily unrelated.Hefner is not yet in any of our (at least Europeans) history books but like him or not, he deserves to be and I would advise anybody, who like me, is missing that piece of history to run see this documentary.

I attended the New York premiere of this film at MOMA on Mar. 18, 2010. In attendance were Dick Cavett, Tony Bennett, Barry Melton of Cowboy Joe and the Fish, Christie Hefner among other interviewees who appeared in the film. Sadly, as one of the curators remarked, the "comps" outnumbered the general public.Director Brigitte Berman has directed over 100 short docs for Canadian TV. She met Hefner while researching her Bix Beiderbecke biopic. Hefner, she realized, was more than a mere pornographer. The Playboy founder agreed at once to give Berman unfettered access to his archives and complete artistic control of the project.A remarkable aspect of this film is the showcasing of the outstanding entertainers Hefner featured on his two syndicated TV shows. Pete Seeger and Lenny Bruce made rare TV appearances for Hefner in the late '50's while they were still blacklisted by the 3 major networks. Comedian and activist Dick Gregory got his start working in the Playboy key clubs. And Hefner was among the first producers to show integrated musical acts on TV.To her credit, Berman gives time to critics of Hefner's "Playboy Philosophy." Christian devotee Pat Boone and feminist icon Susan Brownmiller get to express their misgivings with Hefner. (Onetime Playboy bunny and feminist Gloria Steinem declined to be interviewed.) It's clear, however, whose side Ms. Berman is on.Unfortunately, not enough time is devoted to the tragic death of Dorothy Stratten. After the screening, I asked the director if she had approached Stratten's intended, Peter Bogdanovich. Ms. Berman said she had not. She explained that so much had already been aired publicly about this sad affair that it would take off and derail her film if she pursued it in depth. Still, to include it solely to "explain" Hefner's subsequent mild stroke seems inadequate.Berman said her first rough cut was over seven hours and she worked hard to trim it to about two. In my view the film is too short. There was nary a mention of Hefner's career as a film producer. (Playboy Enterprises produced Roman Polanski's "Macbeth", one of the finest Shakespearean films ever made.)But she hinted that the DVD would have plenty of extras to satisfy completists like me.This film will have a limited US release in NY and LA this summer and undoubtedly end up on PBS and other networks. Hugh Hefner, like him or not, is a major figure in 20th Century American cultural history, and this film is not to be missed. Highly recommended.