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When Lindsay Crystal set out to document her 88-year-old great-uncle's remarkable journey through the 20th century, she already knew he was an accomplished artist, gallery owner and storyteller, thanks to the stories told by her father, comedian and actor Billy Crystal. But she was not prepared for the profound impact his reminiscences would have on her. MY UNCLE BERNS is her portrait of this unforgettable man, whose experiences - both joyful and painful - mirrored those of the country itself. The film is executive produced by Billy Crystal.
Berns opens the vaults of his memory to his grandniece, sharing old, barely remembered sketchbooks, photographs and works of art for her camera. His poignant recollections are enhanced by playful animation that brings Berns' whimsical creatures and other furry creations to life, along with insights from relatives and several generations of friends.
I think it's a great love story," comments Billy Crystal, "A 25-year-old woman, and her 88-year-old great-uncle, who both need each other for different reasons. This was a coming-of-age, and coming-of-old-age movie."
Bernhardt Crystal spent part of his boyhood in Grand Rapids, Mich., where his immigrant parents produced plays in Yiddish for Midwestern Jews. Shortly after the Crystal family relocated to New York to open a dress shop, Berns' father died, a calamity that would be compounded by the tragic death of Berns' beloved sister. His mother blamed Berns for his sister's death, which resulted in him leaving home for several years. During that period, he was influenced by a mystical Indian poet, whose words and philosophy gave him comfort and a new enthusiasm for life, eventually inspiring Berns to reconnect with his family.
Berns was blessed with a talent for turning his observations and opinions into imaginative sketches and drawings. While recuperating in a Scottish army hospital during World War II, he met Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, who asked Berns to sketch a portrait of him. "Ike" loved it, and encouraged Berns to employ his talent in the war effort, which he did by creating posters for war bonds. Berns would also put his skills to use by serving as a combat artist at Omaha Beach on D-Day.
After the war, Berns opened the Washington Irving Gallery in New York City, which collected and sold the work of an international body of artisans, puppeteers and fellow cartoonists. He would spend the next 50 years there among his woodcarvings, toys, masks and assorted other "junk," as he describes his treasures. Berns made it his personal mission to make the Crystal family laugh with jokes, costumes, masks and songs. "No one loves laughing as much as he does," recalls Billy Crystal. "He was the mythical man to me, and always will be. Lindsay really caught my Uncle Berns, in a truly human and beautiful way, that will make him everybody's uncle. "
MY UNCLE BERNS was inspired by the events of Sept. 11. Berns and his wife had been living in a nursing home a block away from the World Trade Center. When Lindsay Crystal was assured of Berns' safety, she committed herself to making the documentary. "If I had lost him that day I wouldn't have known who he really was...the man behind the masks," she says. "He needed to talk and I needed to listen. I had to find out where I came from."
MY UNCLE BERNS is produced, directed and edited by Lindsay Crystal; co-producer, Christina DeHaven; executive producers, Janice Crystal and Billy Crystal; cinematography, Peter J. Scalettar; original drawings by Bernhardt Crystal; visual effects supervisor, Patrick Siemer.
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