Biopic about the late "Saturday Night Live" star Gilda Radner. Gilda tells her own story, beginning with her childhood as a chubby girl who loved to perform with her dad, and her early years at Second City in Toronto. There she honed her comedic chops along with John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray, all four of whom eventually left for New York to become part of the Not Ready For Primetime Players on "Saturday Night Live." The movie also chronicles Gilda's lifelong quest to find true love, which she eventually found with Gene Wilder, and how she used her comic genius to inspire women in their fight against cancer. The actress died in 1989 of ovarian cancer at age 42.
Acting
Jami Gertz channels Gilda's chaotic sparkle and crushing fragility.
Production
Recreates 70s SNL chaos with loving, slightly janky detail.
Writing
Adapts her actual memoir—her voice haunts every scene.
Director
Duane Clark
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Jami Gertz spent months studying Gilda's recorded performances and personal videos to match her vocal rhythms and physical comedy style. FREE
Released when SNL nostalgia peaked in early 2000s VH1 culture, this predated the documentary boom that would later properly honor female comedy pioneers. The film's mixed reception arguably reflects how poorly Hollywood then handled women's stories—especially ones that ended in tragedy rather than triumph. FREE
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