"Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel"

Yes, I know, considering my Hays Office conditioning, you wouldn't expect me to go near this documentary, much less applaud it. But I did, and I do! It is a brilliant film, and presents the man, not just as the hedonistic flamboyant founder of the Playboy empire, which of course he is, but at the same time shows him to be a highly intelligent, articulate, socially concerned human being who advocated civil rights, fought for the First Amendment, and amazingly, in the era of strict segregation, openly hosted black entertainers and racially mixed musical groups . Among the celebrities interviewed recently (2008, I believe), as well as some shown performing or mingling at the Penthouse parties are Jim Brown, Gene Simmons, Jenny McCarthy, Mike Wallace, Dick Gregory, Rev Jesse Jackson, Tony Bennet, James Caan, Joan Baez, David Steinberg, George Lucas, Bill Maher, Pete Seeger, and more! there's great footage from a bygone era. The Director, Brigitte Berman has created an insightful, entertaining, educational work. I must admit that I still do not appreciate full frontal nudity (some Centerfolds are shown ) but they are not the focus of the film. I have certainly amended my preconceived opinion of Hugh Hefner. As he told Berman, his life is an open book. He gave her carte blanche with access, no holds barred, with total creative control of the movie. She has made the most of the opportunity. What is revealed is so much more positive than I would have imagined. (The DVD will have even more footage that couldn't fit in to a big-screen-friendly presentation.) All things considered, I'm giving it three and a half stars. (If it weren't for the Centerfolds, it would have been Four. But, that's just me.) SP