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NY Daily News Review
Friday, December 10, 1999
Their 70s Show
2 Elderly Gents of Cabaret & the Company They Keep
*** 3 Stars
Wallowitch & Ross: This Moment: Documentary by Richard Morris. At the Cinema Village. Not Rated. Running Time: 77 mins.
A charming documentary about a cabaret team, "Wallowitch & Ross: This Moment" is as much a story of true love as it is a true showbiz story.
John Wallowitch and Bertram Ross have been a duo since the 1980's, a sophisticated lounge act that combines Wallowitch's piano virtuosity and wicked sense of humour with a straight-man antics of the singing Ross.
But the pair, now in their 70's, have also been lovers for more than 30 years. The film covers their early careers - Wallowitch is a prolific composer with more than 1000 songs to his credit; Ross was a principal dancer with the Martha Graham Co. for 30 years - and then delves into their mid-life relationship without belaboring the gay angle.
First-time director Richard Morris deftly blends live performances, talking-head interviews and archival footage to present a delightful, tender portrait of a little known but long standing showbiz couple.
--Robert Dominguez
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