I AM YOUR FATHER (2015) ** ½

I am Your Father is Toni Bestard and Marcos Cabota’s documentary on David Prowse.  He was an English bodybuilding champion who drew steady work in the Hammer horror films of the ‘70s, gained fame as the “Green Cross Man” in England, and had a memorable bit part in A Clockwork Orange.  In 1977, everything changed for Prowse when he became immortal for playing Darth Vader in Star Wars.

Prowse was always a bit miffed for not being able to provide the voice for Vader.  I mean, he though it wasn’t his voice in the finished product, he still had to memorize all his dialogue and deliver it on set.  That feeling was exacerbated six years later when George Lucas opted for a “classically trained” actor for Vader’s big unmasking scene in Return of the Jedi.

Prowse’s penchant for having loose lips to the press also caused friction between he and Lucas.  When Prowse allegedly blabbed they were killing off Vader, Lucasfilm effectively shunned him.  In the ensuing years, the still good-natured (for the most part) Prowse was reduced to playing the convention circuit, but was never invited to an official Star Wars con. 

The film is at its best when getting to know the man behind Vader’s mask.  It’s fun seeing Prowse hobnobbing with the likes of Lou Ferrigno and Jeremy Bulloch at conventions and hearing his family’s reaction to his fame.  It’s decidedly less effective when director Cabota worms his way into the spotlight.  I think the movie would’ve been just fine without all his on-camera fanboy gushing.  Who were you trying to make a documentary on?  Prowse or yourself?

I think it’s neat that Cabota tries to recreate the end of Jedi with Prowse in full makeup, giving him a chance to play the big scene he never got to do.  However, Lucasfilm blocks using the footage in the film.  So, what's the point?  The mock-up of Prowse in the Jedi burn makeup is cool, but since the finished scene isn’t in the documentary we can only imagine what Prowse’s acting would’ve been like.  Because of that, we never find out if he had the chops to pull the scene off (which is kind of the whole point); bringing us right back where we started.  It’s frustrating to say the least.