William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill movie review

You Can Call Me Bill. Legion M. written and directed by Alexandre O. Philippe. 2024.

Pop culture documentary filmmaker Alexandre O. Philippe directs but, I suspect, William Shatner leads, even commands the scene, in this new film about his life and times. It could really be no other way. As the saying goes, any actor worth his salt can recite the phone book and turn it into compelling entertainment. That, indeed, is what Shatner is all about. Right from the start, it is Shatner who is the boss as he hits the ground running, speaking in awe about the wonders of the world around him, alternating between hushed tones and a booming voice.

William Shatner in the graphic novel, George’s Run.

I know a thing or two about pop culture myself and I can tell you that, as many times as you’ve seen William Shatner (easily one of the most filmed persons in human history), you haven’t seen him quite like this and I mean the cumulative result you get in this documentary from hearing him out as he masterfully, even miraculously, never loses the thread to some of his more ambitious dramatic leaps of faith. The documentary does a great job of seamlessly alternating between interview segments with Shatner in the present and classic clips from his career. There’s one priceless clip, for example, where Shatner is given the stage at the Golden Globes in order to set up the next segment, some sort of lifetime achievement award to George Lucas. Shatner, at first, appears to be genuinely befuddled as to whether or not he’s at some Star Trek event. There’s a quick cut over to George Lucas who looks perplexed and not at all amused. And then, presto, Shatner reveals a prop at just the right moment: a piece of paper, presumably notes he was supposed to have read telling him he’s there to honor Lucas. At just the right moment, the audience is in on the joke and Shatner receives well-earned laughs and applause. And that, in essence, is what this documentary is all about: one segment after another giving way to one clip after another, all in the service of painting a bigger picture of a savvy and hard-working entertainer/sage storyteller. It’s the stuff of legend and, heck, totally transcends any mere pop culture theme. This is the story of someone who must live life large, who came of age in an era that celebrated such a journey, and who has never stopped.

Excerpt from GEORGE’S RUN.

In my graphic novel, George’s Run, published by Rutgers University Press, I recount in various ways the golden age of television that gave us such gems as the original Twilight Zone and Star Trek. I don’t just give you a few examples of some beloved moments from these shows but provide context regarding the key players, primarily the writers but also the actors (particularly William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy) who helped to fuel and build the evolving creative sparks into so much more.

This doc sets Shatner loose to be himself, and, in doing so, provides a great service. In somewhat similar fashion, Leonard Nimoy got his chance to set the record straight in 2016’s For The Love of Spock, directed by his son, Adam Nimoy. If you happen to see both, you’ll get what amounts to one of the best tributes to both of these actors who, by their own grit and high level of integrity did much to secure the course and fate of the USS Enterprise.