By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.5 cats
Director: Dan Klores | Fisher Stevens
Country: united_states
Year: 2007
Running time: 92
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0762111/
Hilary says: “This documentary gives new weight to the maxim that some people’s truth is stranger than fiction.
“Burt Pugach and Linda Riss met and embarked on a rocky romance in the late ’50s. Burt was a successful ambulance-chasing lawyer who made up for his average looks with a large bankroll, flashy cars, and a plane. Linda was a young woman looking for a nice boy to settle down with, and instead ended up with Burt, an older man with a roving eye, a wife, and an obsessive personality.
“When Linda discovered that Burt was married and that his wife would never divorce him, she broke off the relationship and eventually got engaged to another man. Meanwhile Burt vowed never to let Linda go and plotted to kill her fiance. When this plan fell through, he hired men to harm Linda, which they did by throwing acid in her face.
“Following a heavily-publicized trial, Burt went to jail, staying in constant contact with Linda throughout his sentence. Despite the permanent damage Burt caused, Linda accepted his proposal when he was released from prison, and they have been married for nearly 30 years.
“A thoroughly engrossing, bewildering film. Early contender for Best Doc nomination. 4 1/2 cats”