If there is one thing I didn’t like in this documentary its a short sequence at the start of the film where many people all dressed in Star Wars cosplay are all asked if they have heard of Alan Ladd Jr, they all reply ‘no’ Which drove me nuts. Why did it drive me nuts? Well because all die hard Star Wars fans should know who Alan Ladd Jr, is. Without Alan, there likely would be no Star Wars, and there certainly wouldnt have been Star Wars at the time we got it, i =n the wat we got it. But hey, other than that small sequence, this documentary was a gem!  An absolute gem.

Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies is the story of the Alan Ladd Jr. the Oscar-winning producer and his daughter’s journey to get to know her father not just as “Dad”, but the way his collaborators do—as a doyen of modern American cinema.

Through interview clips with George Lucas, Ridley Scott, Sigourney Weaver, Ben Affleck, Ron Howard, Morgan Freeman, Mel Brooks, Richard Donner, and many more, Amanda Ladd-Jones endeavours to better understand her father, Alan Ladd, Jr. One thing to remember is that this documentary is made with love, and many of the comments in the documentary are also said with love, so do prepare for a little sarcasm in some of the responses (especially some cracking one liners from Richard Donner) 

Known to all as Laddie, Alan is the understated studio chief and Oscar-winning producer behind such films as Star Wars, Alien, Blade Runner, Chariots Of Fire, Police Academy, Braveheart, The Omen, Thelma and Louise, Young Frankenstein and Gone Baby Gone, whose intelligence, kindness, and unflagging faith in the people he hired turned him into one of the most successful movie moguls in Hollywood history and also one of the most loved it seems. The way he is talked about in this near 90 minute documentary just showcases how highly this man is thought of.

If you are a fan of movies (and aren’t we all) then you’ll have a big smile on your face with this documentary, and if you are also interested in the background to some of your favourite films, then do check this out as you’ll uncover some gem stories. My personal favourite is the story about how the idea for Police Academy came around. Pure genius

Laddie: The Man Behind The Movies will available to rent and buy from 26th April on Sky Store, iTunes/ Apple, YouTube, Google Play and Rakuten and I highly recommend checking it out.