This is a remarkable documentary not only about the extraordinary life of a very popular teen idol but about the movie industry itself during the height of Tab Hunter's film career. Although I grew up during the 50's and 60's, I realized while I was watching this film that I wasn't very familiar with the films in which Tab Hunter appeared, but I am nevertheless very impressed by his ability to overcome many obstacles throughout his life. In the end, he succeeded at everything he pursued and lived a very productive and fulfilling life. What saddened me was the realization, once again, of how quickly life passes us by and that someone so vibrant and charismatic as Tab Hunter could be gone from the world, having recently died at the age of 86 in 2018. For me, this was the saddest aspect of this film. I was not sad for Tab as an individual because, in the end, he lived a very full and rewarding life. He never once cast himself as a victim. He just kept moving forward, whether he was on the ice, on horseback, or in front of the camera.
Raised by a single mom who had to struggle to provide for her two sons, Hunter managed to overcome many disadvantages, including a father who abused his mother and never possessed the slightest emotional attachment to his own sons. Hunter's reliance on his older brother, Walter, for guidance throughout a difficult youth was very significant, making Walter's early death in Vietnam all the more tragic.
Once the Warner Brothers studio identified Hunter as a lucrative source of revenue, it claimed him as one more item among its accumulated treasure of precious property and did all that it could to protect his private life, including his sexuality, from public scrutiny at a time when homosexuality was not only illegal but considered totally unacceptable by society in general. When he left the protective shelter of the studio, he was forced to fend for himself, even when he was sacrificed to the sharks of the tabloids so that another homosexual star, Rock Hudson, still owned and controlled by the studio, remained out of the line of fire.
Although I can't exactly call myself a fan of Tab Hunter's movies, this illustration of his life enabled me to appreciate very much Mr. Hunter as a human being. He not only succeeded in overcoming many disadvantages during his life, but he actually thrived in the face of them, thanks to his commendable, positive attitude and his deep, unshakeable faith, both which I found very inspiring.
Even before I started watching this film, I knew that any endeavor involving Eddie Muller, the "czar of noir", would be worthwhile. I may not know too much about the movies of Tab Hunter, but I watch Eddie on Turner Classic Movies all the time and very much appreciate his excellent command of the English language and, of course, his passion not only for the film noir genre but for classic films in general. I have learned much from Mr. Muller over the past few years, and this documentary stands as one more very valuable lesson among many. Thank you, Eddie!
