The world was stunned when mother/daughter movie stars Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher died unexpectedly in late December. Fisher suffered a massive heart attack on Dec. 23 and succumbed four days later. Reynolds died the following day after a stroke. Some have speculated that Reynolds died of "broken heart syndrome."
The parent/child love story between Fisher and Reynolds has become the stuff of Hollywood legend. Both women endured a series of failed relationships and became each other's primary support system. They lived next door to each other. They took care of each other. Eventually they became intertwined as one.
Towards the end of Fisher and Reynolds' lives, filmmakers Alexis Bloom and Fisher Stevens filmed a documentary about their extraordinary bond. Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds premiered to great acclaim in May 2016 at the Cannes Film Festival. Originally scheduled to air on HBO in March, the film instead premiered on Sat., Jan. 7, as a tribute to the two actresses. The unflinching honesty of the filmmakers, and of Reynolds and Fisher themselves, makes Bright Lights a profoundly emotional experience.
Reynolds lived for two things: her family and her work. She played to packed houses in Las Vegas for decades. Towards the end of her life, with her health failing her, she was advised to retire, but refused. Old and frail, Reynolds steps onto the stage at a resort in Connecticut. No longer able to dance, she sings and banters with her audience. Backstage, after she receives a standing ovation, the camera shows Reynolds being helped down a flight of stairs she can no longer manage on her own. Reynolds allowed this to be filmed, a very brave thing to do.
Most of Bright Lights focuses on the deep mother/daughter connection that Reynolds and Fisher shared. Fisher, a recovering addict who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, speaks candidly about her battles with substance abuse and mental illness. Through the years Reynolds stood by her daughter's side, loving her every step of the way. Much later, as age-related illness causes Reynolds to deteriorate rapidly, the roles are reversed. Fisher is afraid to leave town at one point out of concern for her mom's well-being. The camera follows them as they engage in the casual banter of their everyday lives. Almost like a couple, they start and complete each other's sentences.
Late in the film Fisher goes to visit her dad, the 1950s crooner Eddie Fisher, who threw his life and career away amidst a series of poor choices. The 1959 breakup of Fisher and Reynolds' marriage – he left her for Elizabeth Taylor – made tabloid headlines at the time. The Eddie Fisher we see in Bright Lights is an old, sick and emaciated man, unable to get out of bed and barely recognizable. In a heartbreaking sequence, father and daughter say what is most likely their final goodbyes. They admit that in spite of all that happened between them, they still love each other.
Sometimes audiences forget that the people we see on screen are real people who have families and aspirations of their own. Bright Lights breaks that fourth wall – this is a film about real people who love each other deeply. The film lets viewers know who Fisher and Reynolds were behind closed doors after their adoring fans had gone home. The camera captures their joys, sorrows, weaknesses and strengths in an unflinching manner.
Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds will also be available On Demand and for online viewing at http://play.hbogo.com/.