The question is… do we really need pictures of Robert Pattinson eating a bowl of linguini? We know linguini is good, so we assume he eats it. But these types of pictures — celebrities doing regular things — populate certain publications and that’s how they make ends meet. Hell, we can’t even be too above doing it: just a little while ago, when the future of “Tree of Life” remained unclear, we examined a photo of Terrence Malick and Brad Pitt and tried to figure out what they were meeting about. We suppose now it’s just part of our nature. One can make an argument that it’s directly affecting our lives (remember the myriad of Myspace default pictures that had people taking pictures of themselves looking anywhere but at the camera?), but really, it’s all very commonplace to us. That is, until we come into some sort of contact with the photographer. We’ll roll our eyes, hurl insults, we’ll despise these people for making a celebrity’s life a living hell. “Smash His Camera,” directed by Leon Gast, offers us the subject of Ron Garella, one of the most infamous paparazzo out there, responsible for a famous court case against Jackie Kennedy Onassis and being on the receiving end of Marlon Brando’s fist.
We dive right in with Ron going through his process of developing film. We are then treated to brief opinions on Ron by editors from magazines, psychiatrists, restaurant owners, etc., until we go on the job with him as he attempts to catch some photos of Robert Redford and deliver his new book to him. This is one of the strongest beginnings of any documentary in recent times: we are dropped in the middle without any introduction; through Ron’s dialogue we learn exactly who he is, what kind of person he is, and what he will do, and through the brief montage of public opinion, we know exactly how everyone feels about him. The next sequence: Ron giving his photography tips (which consist of “Never bring a coat” and “Find the kitchen entrance so you can sneak in”), followed by his journey to Robert Redford’s press event. Sure enough, he gets in, asks around for Redford, steals some pics and manages to hand over his book. It’s exciting and enjoyable, not to mention quickly paced. And even after this, there’s never a dull moment.
But there’s something sad about that opening. Ron doesn’t have it anymore. He displays the same amount of determination we are later shown and told about by various sources, but he’s slow. The crazy driving to beat his subject to wherever they’re going is absent as he comfortably cruises along toward his destination. After he arrives at the event (which he is uncharacteristically late to), he slowly lumbers around the place, trying to find his next in. This is a portrait of a man — now 77 — that is clearly aging out of his line of work. It’s absolutely depressing, and the film could very well continue this way for the rest of its duration, portraying an aging man in a profession that is looked down upon by most and appreciated by few, humanizing a man who is famous for bothering the hell out of people just for a picture.
It doesn’t though, and we are reminded that this man isn’t some innocent and harmless grandpa, he was a rather ignorant celebrity photographer with asshole tendencies. We are taken along through his most famous bouts with Jackie Kennedy Onassis (of whom the title of the film derives from) and Marlon Brando, with a heavy focus on the former. With her, a court case opened up and a restraining order was put on the paparazzo, which doesn’t stop him and he doesn’t learn from. He’s still fueled to follow her and take pictures of her, and he picks up right where he left off once the restraining order is lessened. This is a truly bizarre case, with Jackie smiling in nearly every photo and Garella frustratingly refusing to take a hint and give someone (who he claims to love) the respect she deserves.
Odd indeed, and the director manages to remain hands off with an opinion for the entire film. Both sides — for and against Garella — and his profession are well represented, from his wife and fellow paparazzi to other lawyers and photo-journalists. We’re given enough of the man’s story, but maybe not enough to understand why he does this or what really makes him tick. It’s almost as if the film were an account of his life done by another paparazzo. Sure, we don’t understand much about him, but we’re not meant to. He’s treated as a celebrity in all his glory, and any sort of insight into him or even excuses made for him are absent.
Maybe a sad portrait of an aging celebrity journalist would’ve been heart-wrenching, but a picture of a paparazzo done like a paparazzo is much more interesting and much more rare in a sea of overly depressing biopic/biodoc tragedies. “Smash His Camera” plays the “Greatest Hits” of Garella’s life and it actually works, it doesn’t feel cliche or formulaic. Maybe the only really negative thing about the film is the lack of impact the ending has, or the lack of an impact the entire film has after a viewing. That said, the film manages to please thanks to an incredible pace and a terrific structure. [B+]