Customer Reviews

Bernard and Doris

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Anyone who occasionally listens to NPR or watches PBS has heard those words:"...and from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation..."

Doris Duke was the quintessential poor little rich girl, when at a young age,her millionaire father died,bypassing his wife, and leaving his entire fortune to his only heir,his daughter Doris.The opening credits of BERNARD AND DORIS flit by with newspaper headlines with the highlights of Doris growing up,marrying and divorcing numerous times,bailing Imelda Marcos out of jail for $5M,and news of her fortune growing and growing and growing.

Opening scene has Ms.Duke (a very sassy and played to perfection by Susan Sarandon!)casually dismissing her butler because "the cantaloupe is TOO cold"...and there it is!...get ready for a rough and interesting ride ahead that will cover the last years of this world class diva when she hires her new butler,Bernard Lafferty (a role chiseled for Ralph Fiennes) and the "unique" relationship that they forge against all sound advice. As only Bob Balaban could put such a humorous and touchingly ironic film together (I suppose after working so closely with the Christopher Guest gang lo these past years!Christopher Guest Collection (A Mighty Wind / Best in Show / Waiting for Guffman)), BERNARD AND DORIS takes two people ,totally from different walks in life,but believe in a common destiny and purpose and plan to this thing called life.

Sarandon and Fiennes are CONSUMMATE pros in this duet of oddness, and both show phenomenal expression and depth to their characters.Once you meet "their" Doris and Bernard you will be hooked into performances that have been IMO absent from both of them of late;but THIS material is just too good for the likes of Sarandon and Fiennes to not rise to the absolute top of their game.They are magic,and the chemistry flows like the wine they guzzle,the pills they pop,the people that they step on and the orchids they repot (while smoking pot!).There is a comfortability with the roles and it shows.That this relationship became speculation in later years after Ms.Duke's "uncertain" demise is part of the fun of the guessing about what their understanding was in this dramady from HBO.In fact,any movie that opens with the words'"Some of these events are true...and some are probably not" makes you chuckle and acknowledge that what you will see is going to be fun....and it is! This is Emmy and Globe material.Don't miss this one.Sarandon and Fiennes play the parts created for them,and you will always remember Bernard and Doris...trust me!

Having just now watched this movie I find it is still with me. Ralph Fiennes does an amazing and subtle acting job with miniscule changes in factial expression and body language....he is barely there and yet his presence is powerful. Susan Sarandon is totally believable in the part of Doris Duke and is drawn in, seemingly, into the vortex that is her butler. This movie is "based on truth" so one cannot assume a totally factual account of this relationship. It is but an interpretation. As such, I choose to believe that at a certain point in the "poor little rich girl's" life she has someone taking care of her in all the ways that matter and maybe for the first time in her life. Someone who honestly wants to be there for her and not her money. I've kept it on my dvr because I have a feeling I'll want to watch it again and purchase the DVD eventually. I gave it 5 stars because I lost track of time watching it and even now I'm not totally back to my world.

Watching two powerful and exceptionally talented actors play across from each other is something of a marvel, and that is certainly part of what makes BERNARD AND DORIS a great film.

Based around the late history of tobacco heiress Doris Duke (here played beautifully by Susan Sarandon, In the Valley of Elah) and her close relationship with butler Bernard Lafferty (the phenomenal Ralph Fiennes, In Bruges), the film is a fictional take on the pair's relationship. Although no one knows what really happened between them, it is obvious that a friendship of unique qualities emerged. And Ralph Fiennes and Susan Sarandon are to be complimented on their astounding performances. Particularly Mr. Fiennes, who seems to turn every role he touches into gold (he did this, too, with his portrayal of The Duke of Devonshire in The Duchess). That Ms. Duke left millions of dollars under the stewardship of Mr. Lafferty after her death is a documented fact, proving that she trusted him implicitly (Ms. Duke was a very savvy businesswoman).

Some might think that sex had a part to play in it, but that would be a fools mistake because Mr. Lafferty was gay. And Ralph Fiennes plays the part of an early homosexual with perfect subtlety. His blossoming occurs under the keen eye of Doris, and the two give each other what they both need: companionship. It is a touching moment when Doris -- in a flustered state -- yells as Bernard and asks him, "What do you want from me?!" To which he simply replies, "To take care of you." And that is exactly what Doris needed in her waning years.

As Doris grows older and more ill (a debilitating stroke hits her), Bernard is given the opportunity to truly care for her, and he does so with Doris' final wishes at the forefront ("No one sees Ms. Duke without my permission.") Much of this leads to confrontations with her legal council and those worried about Doris' accumulated wealth. Was Bernard doing as Ms. Duke wished? Or was he just biding his time until Doris died and then pounce on her funds?

Regardless what you believe, Bernard was only given $5 million dollars and the rest he oversaw as a steward of many of Doris Duke's foundations. And upon his death (only a few years after Doris'), he donated all of his remaining money back to the Duke Foundation ...which should put to rest any worries about his motives.

Strangely enough, after this film was shown at a film festival, it was switched from a theatrical release and went straight to cable television. But the bigwigs at the film companies were dead wrong to do that. The performances are stellar and the movie engaging. It has now garnered 10 Emmy nominations (that's a ton!), three Golden Globe nominations, and two Screen Actors Guild nods. Had this movie been released to the general public via theaters, I feel certain it would've garnered even more notice. Shame on whoever let that slip through their fingers...

This beautifully shot and extremely well acted film captures an unlikely friendship at it's heart and eventual co-dependency. Susan Sarandon is her at her finest and creates a dreaming yet real, vulnerable yet strong and well rounded complex 'Doris' while Ralph Fiennes plays a convincingly complexly dysfunctional butler with nothing but love and adoration for Mrs. Duke. It's a charming and delightful tale of misfits who find each other and feed each other's insatiable need for love. Well done.

A kind of sad tale of two people upstairs and downstairs
who found some comfort in a very twisted world
that they lived in.
He (Bernard Lafferty) was gay and she (Doris Duke) was kind of morally challenged,
but being rich she never had a lot of trouble
except that she messed up her body by misuse?
If you can have everything you want that sometimes
means you have harmful things in your life.
There is some irony that smoking her own tobacco products
probably contributed to her early death.

This was an excellent HBO film for TV with two great actors. I think it demestraigted how poeple (no matter how rich or poor) have certain basic needs; moreover how far we'll go for fulfullment of those needs. Thesetwo indiviuals came fom different back grounds, but I think they loved each other deeply. They went through many trials in their relationship.

This film is Rated R for sexual content and language. I recommend it with 4 stars.

A story about a cranky, wealthy lady who likes to boss her butler around seemed kind of shaky to me at first. I mean, it's not the greatest idea for a storyline in the world, and seeing how I can be a little bit picky with how I like my storylines presented in films, I wasn't expecting much. In the end, it was a movie that deserves credit for at least being a little different from other stories.

I'm not quite sure which kind of person this movie is supposed to be intended for. In some instances it comes close to being a romantic movie with the woman and the butler eventually falling for each other after they get to know each other a little better. But then again, the swear words are really extreme in other cases, and the movie's not suitable for everyone as a result. Some comedy bits were thrown in and work also.

There was a nice twist at the end which I liked, and I can't say I've ever seen anything quite like this before, so the movie is worth watching.

This was quite an insight into the life and habits of Doris Duke. Bernard was very good in handling her foibles. She Was a different individual.

This movie was really good. Watching Susan never let's me down! This character was very interesting to watch. I recommend to those that are her fans and even those that are looking for a good movie to watch.

I had been looking for the video on the life of Doris Duke in stores. Unable to find it I resorted to Amazon.com....and quickly found it. To my suprise, the price as extremely reasonable, and delivery was fast. The movie was enjoyable, and followed what I had heard about Doris's life. This past year, I went to Newport R.I. and saw her mansion...Rough Point. I can't say how happy I was to find it on Amazon.com