Tell Them Who You Are

Critics Consensus

The dysfunctional interaction between director and subject is fascinating, poignant, and revealing of both men and of father-son relationships in general.

88%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 65

65%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 1,002

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Movie Info

Mark Wexler is a successful photojournalist who has also distinguished himself as a documentary filmmaker, but in many ways he has spent much of his life in the shadow of his more famous father, Haskell Wexler. One of Hollywood's greatest cinematographers, Haskell is also known as a director (he made the acclaimed feature Medium Cool as well as a handful of documentaries) and as a tireless political activist. But while Haskell is widely respected as a major talent, he's also known for being fiercely opinionated and difficult to work with, and Mark makes no secret of the fact that he's had a prickly relationship with his dad. Mark Wexler takes a detailed look at the life and work of Haskell Wexler in Tell Them Who You Are, which examines Haskell's career in the movie business, his relationship with his family (including his three marriages and his frequent lack of respect for Mark), and how he's viewed by his friends and peers. Interview subjects include Jane Fonda, Paul Newman, George Lucas, Michael Douglas, Milos Forman, Ron Howard, Dennis Hopper, and many more.

Cast

Haskell Wexler
Billy Crystal
Michael Douglas
Mark Wexler
Mark S. Wexler
Jane Fonda
James Becket
Milos Forman
Bill Butler
Troy Garity
Conrad L. Hall
Dennis Hopper
Ron Howard
Norman Jewison
Elia Kazan
George Lucas
Conrad W. Hall
Albert Maysles
Paul Newman
Sidney Poitier
Julia Roberts
Irvin Kershner
John Sayles
Martin Sheen
Saul Landau
Jonathan Winters
Peter Bart
Verna Bloom
Lee Tamahori
Studs Terkel
Pamela Yates
Tom Hayden
Victor Chakarian
Scott Sakamoto
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Critic Reviews for Tell Them Who You Are

All Critics (65) | Top Critics (27)

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Audience Reviews for Tell Them Who You Are

  • Feb 22, 2013
    For the record, I believe that family members should never be involved in recording the life stories of loved ones due to the combination of distance and past closeness which can lead to a skewed perspective and usually involves at least one person with an axe to grind or deep-seated issues. Case in point with the latter is the documentary "Tell Them Who You Are" wherein Mark Wexler attempts to document the career of his father, Haskell, the famed cinematographer. That's the case until Haskell hijacks the proceedings to make it more about him as a person, leaving whatever footage in which would normally be cut and vice versa, as Mark forgets that the first rule of the documentarian is to stay behind the camera as much as humanly possible. Admittedly, there is some great stuff here about "Medium Cool," with a neat anecdote about "Coming Home." And some of Haskell's lesser known movies like "Latino" and "Introduction to the Enemy" definitely sound intriguing. But getting back to those issues, the documentary seeks to portray Haskell as irascible and whose left wing politics which did not stop him from working with Elia Kazan stopped him from accomplishing much more in a career full of accomplishments.(At the age of 87, apparently he is still working.) Personally, any discussion of paternal issues by the participants only serve to make me feel well-adjusted which is quite the accomplishment. Look, I am not saying we should venerate all artists or gloss over their shortcomings. It's just that I don't care.
    Walter M Super Reviewer
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