Who doesn’t love Gilda Radner? Love, Gilda -- an autobiographical documentary directed by Lisa Dapolito -- gives us an intimate glimpse into Gilda’s life and career by presenting various audiotapes, videotapes, letters and home movies as well as diary entries plus interviews with her friends and colleagues. Tied together with Gilda’s own words, sometimes read by current comedians and comediennes, this film ends up being a well-deserved homage to a terrific entertainer.

We learn that her passion for making people laugh began when she was a child and continued through her entire life. We see her having a great time as a member of the Second City Comedy group and the SNL cast. We share her excitement at having a successful one-woman show (Gilda Live) on Broadway, where she does her famous tap audition number. We feel happy watching her win over Gene Wilder and become his wife. “I fell in love with Gene at first sight,” she admits. “It felt like my life went from black and white to Technicolor.”

And then the tears start. Gilda’s cancer battle is not sugar coated here (neither is her bulimia problem early on).            

Although appearing in seven movies, Gilda received her highest acclaim for the hilarious characters she brought to life on Saturday Night Live. My favorites? Roseanna Roseannadanna, Bawba Wawa and Emily Litella (“What’s all this fuss over violins on television?”). And who can forget her ballroom dancing with Steve Martin or amusing childlike interactions with Bill Murray? In fact, Gilda was the first performer hired for SNL, and she won an Emmy for Outstanding Performance on that show.

Gilda’s movies with Gene Wilder include Haunted Honeymoon, The Woman in Red, and Hanky Panky.         

In addition to her films and TV credits, Gilda wrote It’s Always Something, a candid memoir about her struggle with cancer.  She died in 1989 of ovarian cancer at the age of 42.

Laugh after laugh to us she gave.

When cancer came she was so brave.

Her humor came from mind and heart.

She turned it into comic art.

Her singing, dancing and fun skits

quickly became SNL hits.

Gilda Radner is still a star.

Love flows to her from near and far.

Lots of thoughts about Gilda now.

Wish she were here to take a bow.

You feel completely in control when you hear a wave of laughter coming back at you that you have caused. --- Gilda Radner

(Released by Magnolia Pictures in September, 2018. Not rated by MPAA. TV premiere on CNN on January 1, 2019. Available on Amazon Prime.)

For more information about Love, Gilda, go to the IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes website.

Listen to the Movie Addict Headquarters vintage tribute to Gilda Radner on BlogTalkRadio by clicking here.