IndiePix Films | 2009 | 85 mins. | Unrated
My first introduction to Dominick Dunne came in 1985, when I read The Two Mrs. Greenvilles. Inspired by the real life of Ann and William Woodward, it’s a gossipy novel about the higher echelons of New York society in the 1940’s and 50’s. Anne, charged with William’s 1955 murder, was subsequently acquitted of any wrongdoing. Dunne followed that with, People Like Us, which, once again, examined the values of Manhattan’s old families and “nouveau riche” alike. Dunne’s novels aren’t highbrow literature, but he never intended them to be; filled with gossip and titillation, he offered readers a glimpse into a world most of us have never experienced.
Though a successful novelist, Dunne didn’t become a household name until the 1995 murder trial of former NFL running back and sportscaster, Orenthal James Simpson. O.J. trial captivated America (and other parts of the world.) Covering the trial for Vanity Fair, Dunne had a front seat for every step of the proceedings, and made countless appearances on Court TV (now Tru TV), Larry King Live, and other talk shows. In the documentary Dominick Dunne: After the Party, just re-released as a collector’s edition, director’s Kristy de Garis and Timothy Jolley examine—with Dunne’s full participation—the life of a man who’s own obsession with fame and wealth nearly ruined him; only to experience a gut wrenching tragedy that would ultimately change the course of his life and make him famous in his own right.
Raised in Greenwich, Connecticut, Dominick was the son of a prominent heart surgeon. His father was president of his hospital, and the Dunne’s had all the trappings of success. However, Dominick makes it clear that his father had a strong distaste for him. His father considered Dominick a “sissy,” and reminded him of that fact at every conceivable opportunity. He would subject the young man to mental and physical abuse. It had to feel good then, when Dominick later served in World War II, and earned a bronze star for bravery. Unfortunately, we never learn if his father was proud of him for the feat.
After graduating from college, Dunne scored a job in the fledgling medium of television. He secured a position as floor manager for The Howdy Doody Show and then for Robert Montgomery Presents in New York. During that time, he met several actors who hadn’t yet made a name for themselves. Among them where: Grace Kelly, Steve McQueen and Joanne Woodward. Enamored with showbiz and its stars, he soon moved his wife Lenny, a beautiful, slender, heiress, out to Los Angeles, where he landed a job as Vice-President at Twentieth Century Fox and produced the popular series, Adventures in Paradise.
Dunne loved his new life, and became fast friends with Humphrey Bogart who invited him to his first A-list party. “Sinatra sang, Judy Garland sang and Lana Turner lived next door. Lana Turner was so fantastic at that time, and Spencer Tracy… and David Niven… and Hank Fonda [were] there that night. And it went on and on. I mean I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. They just sort of took me in and accepted me like I was one of them… I never went to a party as good as that again.”
The Dunne’s through glamorous parties themselves, inviting luminaries Natalie Wood, Michael Caine, Truman Capote, Rock Hudson and others. Dunne’s son, Griffin recalls, “My parents thought nothing of having a small orchestra playing and people coming over on a weeknight in full black tie.” Dunne was living the high life, and it was beginning to catch up to him. He began drinking heavily and dabbling in cocaine and Marijuana, his marriage to Lenny ended in 1965, due in large part to his drinking and excessive partying. Despite those issues, Dunne went on to produce movies like The Boys in the Band and Panic in Needle Park. Flying back from Mexico he was arrested for trafficking pot, but according to Dunne himself he escaped prosecution because of his celebrity connections. Nevertheless, after insulting powerful agent Sue Mengers his career as a producer was finished overnight, and he lost all his money.
In 1982, Dunne’s 22-year old daughter Dominique was strangled by her enraged ex-boyfriend, and removed from life support a few days later. Inexplicably, the killer, a prominent local chef named John Sweeney, only served about three years in jail before being released. Tina Brown, then the editor of Vanity Fair, asked Dunne to write an article about the legal process of his daughter’s case. Titled, “Justice: A Father’s Account of the Trial of his Daughter’s Killer,” the article began an association with the magazine that continued until his death in August of 2009.
For the rest of his life, Dunne became an unapologetic advocate for the defense. His writing often focused on the toll murder trials took on victims’ families, and how wealthy celebrities perverted the judicial system through their use of bought-and-paid-for “expert” witnesses and powerful celebrity attorneys who too often sought to blame the victim.
Framed around the first Phil Spector trial (which Dunne said would be his last for Vanity Fair), the film boasts on-camera interviews with friends and colleagues as varied as producer Robert Evans, Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter and writer Joan Didion (Dunne’s sister-in-law), and his son Griffin. However, it’s Dominick Dunne himself who steals the show; seemingly honest and forthright, he admits to being “kind of like a phony,” who embraced an empty lifestyle for years. Ultimately, Dunne comes off as a man transformed by tragedy and despair, who found an outlet for his bitterness through his writing, and in doing so, turned an empty life into a fulfilling one.
Dominick Dunne: After the Party is presented in 16:9 enhanced widescreen. The film seems to have been shot in a mixture of video formats, some of which don’t transfer smoothly. The frequency and severity are not enough to be more than a mild distraction, but there is some curious herky-jerky movement in some shots.
The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo is adequate for a feature documentary of this kind, and the disc is all-region, though without subtitle options.
There are some special features. Disc One includes a pretty good audio commentary by directors Kristy de Garis and Timothy Jolley, in which they explain their reasons for doing the film, and subsequent experiences. However, the best stuff is in the deleted scenes, 90-minutes worth, on Disc Two. These are categorized and are 16:9 enhanced, as is the excellent theatrical trailer that’s included. Also there are about 16 minutes worth of Dunne’s home movies, mostly from the ’60s, which adds an interesting angle to the proceedings. What’s billed as “Excerpt from Book” is misleading as there’s nothing of the sort on the DVD itself; instead it includes a link to Indiepix’s website. A good still gallery, also 16:9, rounds out the special features.
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