The magazine that taught America how to be witty—started by a high school dropout who couldn't spell.
Top Hat and Tales chronicles the early years of The New Yorker, from its fledging beginnings under its legendary creator and editor Harold Ross, to its rise as an indispensable American institution.
Acting
Stanley Tucci's narration—velvet sarcasm personified.
Writing
Ross's memos: profane, precise, accidentally poetic.
Director
Adam Van Doren
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Ross kept a sign in his office reading 'I am the Captain of my Soul'—ironic given his perpetual panic attacks and financial desperation.
The documentary captures the last generation of New Yorker writers who actually knew Ross; most interviewed here are now deceased, making this a primary source.
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