Marty, Life Is Short

For what it’s worth, celebrities are often regarded as vain, narcissistic, self-absorbed and unapologetically materialistic, generally consumed with their own ambitions, being the center of attention and lining their pockets. Seldom are they widely recognized for qualities like artistic integrity, personal fulfillment and noble intentions. But those generalizations do not always provide realistic depictions; there are individuals who indeed embody sincere motivations that drive their craft and their lives. But how do they defy the so-called model and turn out like that? Such is the point behind director Lawrence Kasdan’s Netflix documentary profile of actor-comedian Martin Short. Like many films that examine show business personalities, this offering chronicles the history of the prolific performer’s work. But, rather than just present a laundry list of accomplishments, “Marty, Life is Short” delves into how his career evolved and avoided incorporating many of the aforementioned shortcomings typical of his peers. Born in Canada in 1950 into a nurturing, creative, fun-loving family, the youngest of five children hadn’t initially considered a career in entertainment but took an avid interest while in college. Given his proficiency at it and with the encouragement of good friend and classmate Eugene Levy, he took the plunge. He quickly became a cast member of the Toronto production of Godspell and then part of the Canadian company of the Second City comedy troupe. These experiences subsequently launched him into stints on SCTV and Saturday Night Live, a string of Hollywood movies (including such titles as “Three Amigos,” “Innerspace” and “Father of the Bride”), and a Tony Award-winning run on Broadway. However, despite this impressive résumé, not all of his endeavors proved successful, but Short didn’t care. He pursued these opportunities – and virtually all others that subsequently came his way – for the sense of joy and creative fulfillment that they provided, as well as the freedom they afforded him in developing signature characters and practicing improv comedy. These motivations arose from life lessons he learned during his upbringing and that he still employs in his professional life today. It typically hasn’t mattered much to him whether his projects succeed; the fun they provide is what matters most. Short is fully aware (as he puts it) that “98% of projects ultimately fail,” but, even if they do, in hindsight, did they provide the good time he sought? Consequently, in building his body of work and amassing an abundance of personal enjoyment, he has made this his yardstick for satisfaction. And, in the process, he has created a large professional family paralleling that of his own personal tribe, an achievement that has made him one of the most connected, most sought-after individuals in show business. In addition, through all of his experiences, he has developed and retained a strong sense of gratitude, even through periods of personal loss, that has kept him going in the face of adversity. This is a trait that emerged in his adolescence with the deaths of his parents and his eldest brother, a perspective that acknowledged grief but that also emphasized gratitude for having had experiences with these lost loved ones rather than wallowing in sorrow over their passings. It’s a notion that also helped him cope with the loss of his beloved wife, actress-singer Nancy Dolman, in 2010. The development of the foregoing qualities thus goes a long way in explaining his success both personally and professionally, attainments that many cinematic show business profiles overlook or understate and that help to set this film apart. Credit the narrative approach employed by filmmaker Kasdan in this effort. As a longtime friend of Short, Kasdan has added a valuable dimension to the core of this story (sometimes familiarity trumps objectivity when telling a compelling biographical tale). The picture is also replete with many clips from Short’s film and television work, as well as ample archive footage (much of it in the form of sidesplitting home videos) showing the subject’s on- and off-screen life. There are also numerous enlightening interview segments with Short’s friends, family and peers, both from the recent past and years ago, including such luminaries as Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, Catherine O’Hara and Andrea Martin. In a nutshell, this release presents a balanced. insightful and heartfelt look at a comic genius, one who defies the image often associated with so many others in his profession, and gives us lots of well-earned laughs along the way.