It's Always About the Story: Conversations with Alan Ladd, Jr. (2016)
*** (out of 4)
This documentary clocks in just under a hour and features Alan Ladd, Jr. talking about his time as a producer. Throughout the running time we get to hear stories about a variety of movies including STAR WARS, THE OMEN, POLICE ACADEMY, THELMA & LOUISE, ALL THAT JAZZ, SILENT MOVIE, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN and countless others. Ladd is on hand to discuss his ideas on certain movies and why he has so much faith in the actual filmmaker. He also tells a wonderful story on why he's never watched THE RIGHT STUFF. If you're a fan of these films then you'll certainly enjoy hearing from Ladd. The producer is often overlooked when it comes to movies so it's nice to see him get some attention and get a spotlight on him. Mel Brooks is also on hand and tells some wonderful stories about the films he made with Ladd including a hilarious one about HISTORY OF THE WORLD PART 1. The documentary keeps its focus on Ladd's producing career and stays away from everything else. I would have prefered a more detailed film and I'd argue that some of the title cards are a bit annoying but this is still very much worth watching.
