REVIEW: ‘The Times of Bill Cunningham’
Photo: The Times of Bill Cunningham, directed by Mark Bozek, looks at the professional life of the famed New York Times photographer. Photo courtesy of Harold Chapman / Provided by Greenwich Entertainment with permission.
The Times of Bill Cunningham is a 2019 documentary about the famed New York Times photographer who saw himself more as a fashion historian than a journalist. For many decades his street photography appeared in the Times, documenting the numerous fashions of New Yorkers coming and going in their personal and professional lives.
His photographs are a treasure trove of history, not only preserving the intricate and colorful styles of the sidewalk walkers but also documenting many important movers and shakers at the upper-echelons of the industry. Seemingly, Cunningham, an understated man who used to wear an iconic and simple blue jacket while on the streets, knew everyone in the industry, and they knew him — and loved him. He had a discerning eye and a welcoming personality, and both come through in Mark Bozek’s film. (Read an interview with the director here.)
Documentary fans will likely know about Cunningham before watching this new film because of the 2010 movie Bill Cunningham New York, which covered similar ground. In fact, in the new documentary, there’s even a line of dialogue from Sarah Jessica Parker, who provides the voiceover, that acknowledges the previous film. That’s probably the right move given the subject matter of both documentaries is so similar.
What makes Bozek’s film stand out is an intimate interview that was filmed in the 1990s between the director and the photographer. This footage provides the narrative framework for the documentary, and Cunningham does not hold back in his details, emotions or stories. He opens up to Bozek, who can be heard off camera asking the questions. What was supposed to be a 10-minute conversation blossoms into a multi-hour dive into the photographer’s career and life.
Cunningham, a native of the Boston area, grew up in a conservative Roman Catholic family, and he eventually found his way to New York City to become a milliner, a designer of women’s hats — despite the furrowed brows of his mother, father and extended family. This early experience laid the groundwork for his proper entry into the fashion world, but in the 1960s, instead of continuing on the design course, he made the move away from creator and into the realm of documenter. After he was given his first camera, his life’s passion was set.
Cunningham as a subject is fascinating. He is almost always in good spirits and never speaks poorly of the people he photographed. He laughs away many stories with a chuckle and wide smile, even one tale of how he was questioned by a police officer over possible pick-pocketing. The emotional scenes come when Cunningham tries to find the right words to describe the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s and when he considers the enduring sadness many less fortunate souls must contend with while living on the streets of New York City. For these passages, Cunningham drops his head and tries his best to eek out a few words, but more often he prefers to change the subject.
Bill Cunningham New York had a lengthy section about the photographer’s Carnegie Hall apartment, where he lived for many years, with a mattress placed atop his photo files. That other documentary also asked him about his lack of romantic relationships. Bozek’s film gives a glancing mention to those personal curiosities, but the new documentary is almost squarely focused on the art and work of Cunningham. There’s a great deal said about style, technique, designers he enjoyed, and the influential and ever-changing time periods in his career.
Parker’s voiceover fills in many of the blanks, especially the time period between this 1990s interview and when Cunningham died in 2016. Unfortunately Cunningham tells the story better himself, with constant emphasis on the “marvelous” people he came into contact with, and the voiceover can seem almost intrusive.
Perhaps the best aspect of this new doc are the photos. Bozek seems to have full access to the photographer’s vast archive, and many wonderful photos flash across the screen, showing designs, designers and everyday walkers in New York City. Interestingly, Cunningham talks about his desire not to focus on the Hollywood elite because he prefers to stay centered on the fashion industry. However, many of the photos in the documentary show evidence to the contrary because one can find images of Jackie Kennedy, Liza Minnelli and others.
More than anything else, these images show that Cunningham had a fine eye for trends and the trendy. He was eternally interested in capturing life and how people lived it, and for that reason, The Times of Bill Cunningham is necessary viewing. This story can be told many times over, and it will always be marvelous.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
The Times of Bill Cunningham (2019). Directed by Mark Bozek. Running time: 74 minutes. Rating: 
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