By Madhuri Dey
Nov. 24, (THAINDIAN NEWS) “Elbert Hubbard: An American Original” was aired on PBS last night. The documentary, directed by Buffalo based producer Paul Lamont, and produced by WNED, chronicles the life of the entrepreneur and visionary Elbert Hubbard. The narration of actor Liev Schreiber made the documentary a delightful and memorable watch. It was the national premiere of the film.

The documentary traces the life and achievements of Elbert Hubbard, right from his days as a salesman to the founding days of the Roycroft Art and Crafts Community. Lamont has tried to show through his venture the efforts the American put in to build up a company with a handful of artisans that grew to be one of the leading production houses of furniture. Even today, Roycroft furniture retains some of the simple, austere appeal that was such a craze in it’s heyday. Added to that is the vintage quality they have achieved that make them sought after items among the collectors.

Other than the efforts that Elbert put in the foundation of his business, the documentary also tries to capture the contradictions that raged within the man. The documentary is made up of a host of footings and old photos. The narrative is filled in with information from Hubbard’s biographers. The various segments starts with a quote each from Hubbard’s favorite writers. Some of Hubbard’s legendary writings are read out by actor Adam Larkin. The background music is scored by Michael Bacon. The film also traces some aspects of his personal life, like the fact that he cheated on his wife.