Review: Blissful 'That Click' Explores the Charmed Career of Douglas Kirkland

Celebrity photographer Douglas Kirkland has had a charmed career, as evidenced in the documentary "That Click." Born in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, his adult life has glittered with glamor throughout, yet he hasn't let it go to his head.

His first stroke of luck--getting hired by "Look" magazine as a staff photographer when he was still a young artist just entering the bright lights of New York. Many live their whole lives without making a dent in the city, but Kirkland had a charisma and sincere way of asking for things that charmed people. When Elizabeth Taylor agree to be interviewed for the magazine she insisted, "no photographs." But Kirkland spoke to her directly and simply. He let her know, in no uncertain terms, what an opportunity she could provide him as a young unknown breaking into the business. Taylor agreed to have her picture taken.

Kirkland was jettisoned into the limelight in 1961 when he photographed Marilyn Monroe for "Look's" 25th anniversary issue. The stories surrounding this photo shoot are almost as legendary as the iconic photos themselves. Shot mostly over head, with Monroe lying in an all white bed, covered by nothing but a single bedsheet, only a hint of her voluptuous body is revealed under the fabric's folds. Mostly the eye is drawn to the legendary actress' phenomenal face. The result is images that leave most of their magic to the viewer's imagination.

Many celebrities offer their opinions on Kirkland's work here, like Nicole Kidman, Sharon Stone, Michelle Williams, Baz Luhrmann and Andy Garcia. Interestingly, when the men talk about the Monroe photographs they use words like, "intimate," "romantic," "close," "seducing" and "naked," and the women describe them as non-exploitative–"He gave her space. Let her feel free and safe;" "no one's trying to force her."

Kirkland had a reputation for being a ladies man, a reputation he never hesitated to promote.
(His second wife and frequent collaborator Françoise remembers their first meeting. "Looking into my décolletage he said, 'You have very, very blue eyes.'" She smiles thoughtfully. "and that was the beginning of our love affair.") The photographer insists that Monroe asked the crew to leave, so that she could be alone with him. "She suggested that we... make love," Kirkland claims, "I kept taking pictures."

The still images of Kirkland are stunning and they can be returned to over and over, with new discoveries in each subsequent viewing, but this documentary sticks blissfully to the surface. Director Luca Severi gives us charming stories and many accolades for the man who made so many celebrities look incredible, but he foregoes a compelling narrative arch or profound human insights. None the less, the images that Kirkland has created, images that fill this movie, speak for themselves.

Those Kirkland images can be seen in "That Click," March 15.