Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me is a charming film that showcases the later life of Elaine Stritch, Broadway actress. The show focuses on Elaine at age 86, including her times of ebbing health as age and life catch up with her. So although she discusses her past many acts on Broadway (five Tony nominations (one win)), and they shoot some scenes involving her guest stint on 30 Rock (eight Emmy nominations over her career with guest appearances, (one win)), the documentary really is more about the end years. There’s melancholy in that, but there is also humor and clarity of life.
The film crew follows her as she rehearses for and stars in her last stage run, At Home at the Carlyle, a cabaret act in which she sang Sondheim songs and shared stories with the audience. She showed grace and gusto, wit and wisdom, humility and heart. As one said of her, discussing her brilliance as a storyteller and ability to reach emotional truth, “Never get in the way of Elaine Stritch’s love affair with the audience.”
As the documentary continues, Elaine’s health continues to falter, and the program squares off with the topic of death; Elaine discusses the pending end openly, sharing fear and uncertainty. My eyes watered and the lump grew in my throat. I have great appreciation for her filming and sharing these notions with such honesty.
I know some women who remind me of Elaine—feisty, fierce, and genuine. As said about her by James Gandolfini in his interview piece, “She has a certain kind of strength and bullshit meter.” If you’re also lucky enough to have a similar cut-to-it lady in your life, count that as a blessing, especially if you can count her as a friend.