In 1970, Michael James Brody Jr., the 21-year-old heir to the Jelke Margarine fortune, went on television to announce that he would give away $25 million to anybody who asked him for money. The event took the country by storm — Brody essentially went viral, decades before social media was invented. He received thousands of letters, from everyone from young children to the elderly, asking him for money. The ill-conceived project quickly went awry when it became clear that Brody did not have nearly as much money to give away as he had suggested, and the entire saga was soon relegated to a weird trivia story.
But there is much more to the story than just Brody himself. “Dear Mr. Brody,” the new documentary from director Keith Maitland, explores the events in a new light. Watch the full trailer, an IndieWire exclusive, below.
Much like Maitland’s previous documentary, “Tower,” the documentary relies...
But there is much more to the story than just Brody himself. “Dear Mr. Brody,” the new documentary from director Keith Maitland, explores the events in a new light. Watch the full trailer, an IndieWire exclusive, below.
Much like Maitland’s previous documentary, “Tower,” the documentary relies...
- 2/17/2022
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Michael James Brody Jr.’s legacy is not widely known today, in part because it’s so tough to parse. In 1970, the shaggy-haired 21-year-old heir to the Jelke oleomargarine fortune publicly declared his intention to give away his millions to anyone who asked, inviting a flood of letters and impassioned pleas from around the country. Three years later, he was dead by his own hand.
Brody was a hippie millionaire devoted to saving the world, but he was also a mentally ill drug addict with a Messiah complex. That conflict remains a messy tangle of questions 50 years later, but director Keith Maitland’s enlightening documentary “Dear Mr. Brody” works through the paradox, suggesting that the tragedy of Brody’s fate is matched by the window into the American dream catalyzed by his offer.
Brody’s story has many layers, and Maitland sometimes struggles to unite the disparate pieces. The heir...
Brody was a hippie millionaire devoted to saving the world, but he was also a mentally ill drug addict with a Messiah complex. That conflict remains a messy tangle of questions 50 years later, but director Keith Maitland’s enlightening documentary “Dear Mr. Brody” works through the paradox, suggesting that the tragedy of Brody’s fate is matched by the window into the American dream catalyzed by his offer.
Brody’s story has many layers, and Maitland sometimes struggles to unite the disparate pieces. The heir...
- 9/1/2020
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.