Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story

Released Apr 28, 2017

1h 34m

Documentary

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List

97%

33 Reviews

Tomatometer

88%

250+ Ratings

Audience Score

Storyboard artist Harold Michelson and his wife, film researcher Lillian Michelson, were a talented couple once considered the heart of Hollywood. Harold and Lillian worked on hundreds of iconic films during Hollywood's golden age, including "The Ten Commandments," "The Apartment," "The Birds," "Full Metal Jacket" and more. Although the couple were responsible for some of Hollywood's most iconic examples of visual storytelling, their contributions remain largely uncredited.

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Audience Member

This is an excellent documentary about Harold and Lillian Michelson. Harold was one of the best storyboard artists and art directors in Hollywood. And Lillian was a great film researcher. It is very involving and interesting - I bet you have never heard of them but they were part of the some greatest pictures ever made including "The Ten Commandments", "Ben-Hur", "The Graduate", and many others. Interviewees include Mel Brooks, Danny DeVito, Francis Ford Coppola and art directors. Highly recommended. 8/10. Available digitally on Amazon, Itunes for a fee or on DVD (only) from Netflix (BTW, the bonus features on the DVD are great).

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

susan j

Anyone who loves or is a student of film should see. Deceptively light and it's fine if you want to take it that way--but it it touches on and gives insight into the depth and complexity of filmmaking, the film industry, the collaborative nature of storytelling, partnerships, friendships, being an individual and finding your niche, and love relationships. Fascinating--plenty of intellectual stimulation as well as heart.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Harold and Lillian is so loving, personal, and largely inessential (aside from shining a light on some lesser-praised filmmakers), it plays more like a really great home video than an actual movie. Still, it is nice to sit with these charming people for a bit as the tell amazing Hollywood stories.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Lovely documentary about Harold and Lillian Michaelson. You may not know them but you will be surprised at how much of their work you do know.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

vander a

This is mandatory for any true movie buff. The true back story of hollywood where you get to see the puppet strings and who's really controlling the story. It's fabulous. You just wish you had known them. It will be put a smile on your face.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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s r

Fascinating look into a different part of film making and the beautiful people behind it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Daniel Raim

Director

Harold Michelson

Self

Lillian Michelson

Self

Mel Brooks

Self

Francis Ford Coppola

Self

Danny DeVito

Self

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Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story: Trailer 1

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Tom Long

Detroit News

Warm, enlightening and inevitably hopeful. Life can be so lovely.

Rated: B

Aug 11, 2017

Full Review

Mick LaSalle

San Francisco Chronicle

This is a likable documentary that casts light on two respected but relatively unknown people, who made major contributions to film and managed to have a normal life - and in Hollywood, of all places.

Rated: 3/4

Jul 19, 2017

Full Review

Stephanie Merry

Washington Post

The story it tells is conventional, chronological and straightforward. And that's enough. With a story this charming, who needs bells and whistles?

Rated: 3/4

Jul 13, 2017

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Enormously entertaining, enormously educational, and enormously moving, this is one of the 10 best films of 2017.

Rated: 3.5/4

Sep 22, 2021

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Steven Prokopy

Third Coast Review

Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story is appealing to both cinephiles and people who love a great romance.

May 7, 2020

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

This is a true Hollywood love story for movie lovers to kvell over.

Rated: B+

Apr 21, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

Storyboard artist Harold Michelson and his wife, film researcher Lillian Michelson, were a talented couple once considered the heart of Hollywood. Harold and Lillian worked on hundreds of iconic films during Hollywood's golden age, including "The Ten Commandments," "The Apartment," "The Birds," "Full Metal Jacket" and more. Although the couple were responsible for some of Hollywood's most iconic examples of visual storytelling, their contributions remain largely uncredited.

Director: Daniel Raim
Screenwriter: Daniel Raim
Distributor: Zeitgeist Films
Production Co: Adama Films
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 28, 2017, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 30, 2017
Runtime: 1h 34m

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