Last Man Standing: The Chronicles Of Myron Sugerman

Written and directed by Jonny Caplan, Last Man Standing: The Chronicles Of Myron Sugerman is an exhaustive documentary about the titular subject. In 1938, in Newark, New Jersey, Sugerman was born into the world of illegal gambling and illicitly gained funds. His father, “Sugie,” was a big-time criminal boss, so Sugerman grew up never “knowing anyone who was legit.”

Once Sugerman graduated, he began an import/export business at the behest of his father. Selling pinball machines, slot machines, jukeboxes, and other similar wares took the rising gangster all over the world. He befriended Yakuza members and was investigated by the FBI. Eventually, Sugerman would help track down and find escaped Nazi officials. The question isn’t how he stayed in the racket so long. The question is, how did Sugerman stay so chipper through it all?

Last Man Standing: The Chronicles Of Myron Sugerman effectively conveys the subject’s upbeat, personable attitude. Whether discussing serious matters like the Nazi-hunting group The Minutemen or sharing cheerful memories, Sugerman’s belief in passing knowledge down to the next generation is keenly observed. His delightful personality sets the tone for the entire documentary, making it a joy to watch. This is evident in how much it seems Sugerman cannot believe his extraordinary run of luck.

“He befriended Yakuza members and was investigated by the FBI.”

Caplan breaks the film up with significant events. So the chapters have headings like “The Nazi Hunter” or some such. This segues into Sugerman talking about this or that related scenario. This keeps things from getting stale, for most of the 74-minute runtime at least. By allowing the subject to hone in on a particular aspect, a floodgate of memories opens that are interrelated to the subject at hand, his life, and future topics. Sugerman’s enthusiastic discussions are impossible not to enjoy as his love of life shines through every word.

But on occasion, the subject’s unrestrained and spontaneous storytelling means things are repeated. When the documentary had ten or so minutes left, I thought I had somehow rewound it by accident because Sugerman had just said these same remarks almost verbatim. I had not, as the ending is more of a big summation of the main takeaways. That would be fine if, stylistically, it was presented differently to hammer home that this is a wrap-up. But given how sweet and fun Sugerman is and the extensive history of New Jersey/New York mafia life at the time, it’s easy to understand the inclination to cut out as little as possible.

Last Man Standing: The Chronicles Of Myron Sugerman is an excellent introduction to the gangster’s life. By using Sugerman’s words and natural charisma, Caplan paints a comprehensive and loving portrait of a man whose life transcended the ordinary. The film delves into his life and the history of the criminal world in which he grew up, providing a thorough understanding. While it does get a little repetitive near the end, this does not detract from the overall enlightening experience.