As a serious lifelong Lenny Bruce fan (I'm actually old enough to remember seeing him "live" on Steve Allen) I don't think there is any treatment, film or documentary that comes close to Mr. Weide's labor of love "Swear to Tell the Truth."That includes Fosse & Dustin Hoffman's famous collaborative work on the film "Lenny." See this documentary, then go back and watch the film "Lenny" and you will see what I mean. The film "Lenny" is well intentioned and well done, but it can't carry the jock of Weide's "Swear to Tell the Truth.""Swear to Tell the Truth" is the first work I've seen that correctly shows in detail and explains THE REAL REASONs why Lenny Bruce was hunted and persecuted by the authorities all the way to his eventual death. It wasn't "dirty words" in his act: the true cause of his persecution was his ruthless-yet-funny satires of the Catholic Church (I am catholic btw) and (initially) a major blunder on Bruce's part - when he blew the whistle publicly on a bribe he was offered to get out of a minor drug bust. Bruce is actually shown doing both on film in the documentary.Weide really did his research and homework (supposedly 12 years worth). There are scenes and interviews with Lenny, his family, and close friends of Lenny's that even I have never seen before.If it's so great, WHERE CAN I SEE IT? you ask:Here is the BAD NEWS: This documentary as of the date of this post, will likely NEVER become available on DVD. I personally contacted Mr. Weide's Whyaduck Production company to find out why (a duck).The reason?According to Whyaduck, there are copyright hassles / issues with the excellent jazz soundtrack (includes early Miles Davis and others). I was told due to these unresolved licensing squabbles (translated "greed" imo), we may never see the release on DVD of this excellent film. What a shame. Luckily I taped it (VHS) and I still go back and watch it all the time: never bored, always fascinated and finding new treats with each viewing.Luckily it was a 1998 Oscar nominee for Best Documentary, so it is sometimes (rarely) still shown on cable. Your best bet is to search for it occasionally on your PBS, Sundance, or HBO listings. Per Mr. Weide, it costs ~ 4 times as much to show it on regular cable (HBO / Sundance) due to commercial licensing fees, as opposed to PBS.Thank you Mr. Weide for this excellent documentary, and I share your frustration. Greed is keeping this work of art from the public.

I caught this documentary on the Sundance channel, knowing Lenny Bruce very well as being influential (I listened to one of his later recordings) though not knowing a whole lot on why he became the most controversial comic of the pre-Vietnam era. What I learned was that Lenny Bruce's story - of rising to fame as a satirist and stand-up comic after working in strip joints, and then being put down by the legal machinations of the United States government - is both hilarious and engrossing, and here and there a (necessary) downer. What the system pulled over on Lenny was a travesty, and the mere fact that (technically) the charge of swearing/indecency still stands decades later is an insult to, if any, meaning by the constitution. When Lenny does do his act in the film, one who's never heard most of his material can be drawn in, the style in which he lays his bits is extraordinary. If one had to describe this film to someone who hasn't seen it, or perhaps might not know who Lenny Bruce is (most of my friends don't, though they know his descendents like George Carlin), 'Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth' is about a terrific wordsmith who's self-esteem got crushed to oblivion & suicide by those who felt that they had the right over another person's language. It also includes some good narration by old Bobby De Niro. Grade: (strong) A

It mat be a cliche to call documentaries like this "fascinating" and "informative" but this one is. Rather than simply hearing a bunch of people tell you how funny, insightful and human Lenny Bruce was, you can judge for yourself from the extensive film clips shown here, ones you are unlikely to have seen anywhere else.One of the big revelations here is how well-rounded a talent Bruce was. He was not just a one (sick)-joke performer, as archive footage of some of his early TV appearances show. Another clip has him singing a song of his own composition, "All Alone," worked into material concerning his breakup with his beloved wife Honey. She, Bruce's mother Sally Marr, and other friends contribute many colorful reminiscences. Yet another bit of footage has Bruce holding a sidewalk news conference naming names of those who suggested that he could bribe a judge in one of his many obscenity trials. You would swear this amazing scene couldn't possibly have been an impromptu session, yet it was.The talk of Bruce and freedom of speech is not just a lot of liberal breastbeating; what happened to him was a disgrace. That he was prosecuted so many times for obscenity is the true outrage here. The documentary might go a little easy on his drug use but that really isn't what the man was all about anyway. Watch this film and find out.

Great documentary of a great comedian. Like Jesus Christ, he suffered for no reason. Great interviews with his mother, wife, and friends. This documentary shows what Lenny could have done before being cut short by our so-called 'judicial' system. Obviously, he would have been a great actor. Everything was right for Lenny until the 'man' took him down. I don't mean for that to sound trite, but that is exactly what happened to this genius. I guess you could say he carved the road for the comedians of today, but none really come close to his insight and charisma. This documentary will show you what 'could have been' had it not been for the forces that would destroy him. An amazing artist with no guilt. A truly free American. An American Tragedy.