Come for the great clips of Charles Grodin’s comedic perfection and a plethora of celebrity remembrances (including Robert De Niro, Steve Martin, Carol Burnett, Alan Arkin, Marc Maron), but stay for the incredible story of what lay beneath Grodin’s sardonic wit and characters: his passions for social justice activism, advocacy and journalism.
Grodin was a fascinating, often underrated, performer who made a career playing gruff, deadpan comedic characters—from early eye-catching supporting roles in ROSEMARY’S BABY and CATCH-22 to his breakout in Elaine May’s THE HEARTBREAK KID. Later, Grodin broke type and genres playing eclectic roles in the family film BEETHOVEN, action-adventure KING KONG and buddy film MIDNIGHT RUN. Before being smitten by acting, Grodin was first a journalist, and remained dedicated throughout his life fighting for public information that challenged societal norms—most notably delivering regular commentary on MSNBC’s issues-based “60 Minutes II.”
In the wake of Grodin’s passing in 2021, director James L. Freedman brilliantly showcases the fascinating breadth and evolution of his career and as a champion of social justice causes. Tracing back to his Jewish roots, the film is bolstered with archival and fresh interviews with celebrities who appeared on stage and screen with him, as well as those impacted by his passionate advocacy. REBEL WITH A CAUSE is a celebration of a renaissance man who embraced celebrity in order to shine a light on injustice.
Director Bio: View on IMDB
James L. Freedman wrote, produced and directed the HBO documentary GLICKMAN (2013), executive produced by Martin Scorsese. His second film CARL LAEMMLE (2019) was made with a grant from Steven Spielberg’s Righteous Persons Foundation. He has written for many TV shows: “Coach,” “Zoe” and Golden Globe Award-winner “Cybill” (which he also produced).
Event: Serving coffee, tea + noshes. Only $10 age 65+.
