Lenny Bruce: Without Tears

Lenny Bruce: Without Tears is a deeply personal and, in spite of its subtitle, heartbreaking portrait of the persecution and ultimate self destruction of the trailblazing comic and social commentator. As his legal issues mount, he begins literally quoting from court transcripts as part of his act.

Although these days it might seem tame, Bruce's comedy was considered radical and potentially even dangerous in the early to mid-1960s when his career was at its peak. This unfortunately led to such absurd situations as police officers repeating his act in court (in Bruce's words, "badly") and him being blacklisted from nearly every potential venue.

In the end, Lenny was no match for the forces he was up against and the footage of his body lying lifeless on the floor is unspeakably bleak. All of this would be sad, of course, in any situation. What makes it exceedingly tragic is the perceptiveness and fearless nature of his comic mind.