
The disc: Jack Taylor of Beverly Hills
The details: Jack Taylor of Beverly Hills (Indiepix) is 60 minutes of documentary perfection. It’s the story of a guy who made clothes for Glenn Miller, for God’s sake, and who has been turning out bespoke suits for 60 years for everybody from Cary Grant and Frank Sinatra to Jason Schwartzman. Taylor takes a certain grim satisfaction in the fact that Sinatra was buried in one of his suits.
Mostly, Cecile Leroy Beaulieu’s film watches as Taylor and his wife of 60-odd years kvetch about their declining neighborhood — North Canon Drive in Beverly Hills — the death of style, and other related topics. In sum, it’s a lot like listening to some particularly irascible but enjoyable Jewish grandparents — or great-grandparents.
Jack Taylor is 90 years old, and still goes to the store every day. Sitting down, he doesn’t look his age; standing up, he’s bent over double and looks even older.
That doesn’t stop him from a friendly game of golf, with a young guy of 89 at the country club. The documentary interviews the people at the Scottish mill where Taylor buys his fabrics, as well as a number of Taylor’s customers, some of whom have since gone to the great Friar’s Club Roast in the sky: Jan Murray, Mike Douglas.
But there is also a sprinkling of under-40s, who attest to the care and attention that Taylor still gives their wardrobes, and God help them if they gain a few pounds and need some pants let out.
It’s a great character study of a great character.
The DVD comes with about 15 minutes of deleted scenes, most of which could easily be in the movie proper, and a director’s commentary.





