Recently at the Toronto International Film Festival, the first film biography on music mogul David Geffen was screened as part of the upcoming programming slate for the Emmy Award-winning PBS series American Masters. The opening title sequence emphasizes the accomplishments of Geffen as it features a massive collage of archival photographs, album covers and movie posters which the native of Brooklyn, New York had a role in producing.
Life has not been filled without disappointments and tragedies. David Geffen viewed it as a devastating act of betrayal when Laura Nyro chose to stay with Columbia Records. At the age of the 33, he was misdiagnosed with bladder cancer which caused Geffen to reassess what was important to him. A love affair with Cher burned out after 18 months and good friends were dying from AIDS which led him to donate millions to medical research and to publicly declare his homosexuality. The legendary ruthlessness and mercurial temper is touch upon with the only major episode explored being the decision to sue Neil Young for creating songs that where uncharacteristic of him. For Young, he believes for Geffen that the art of the deal was his stage. Jackson Browne talks about overhearing telephone negotiations conducted by his agent that caused him cringe due to the audacious threats being made.
During his acceptance speech for being inducted at the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame in 2010, David Geffen stated, “I have no talent except to be able to enjoy and recognize it in others. I love music, the movies, Broadway and wanted to spend my life in the support of those creative people.” Inventing David Geffen is as engaging as the man himself and you can see for yourself as the television premiere airs Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 8 p.m. (ET) on PBS (check local listings).
