Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood

Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood, the lively documentary by Matt Tyrnauer (Citizen Jane: Battle for the City), centers on former gas station attendant Scotty Bowers, who claims to have connected Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Spencer Tracy and other movie stars with lovers away from the public eye and those of the studios.

Now in his 90s, mobile, in seemingly good shape and with a sharp mind, Bowers serves as an entertaining guide to a bygone era, cooly recalling bedroom rendezvous with famous men and women — sometimes two at a time — like it was nothing.

Such exploits are revealed in the impetus for the film, a tell-all memoir about his deeds, published now that the key players are deceased. But while these and other wild stories are a blast to hear, they face strong competition from Bowers’ modern-day doings.

Openly bisexual, he clearly still pines for past male lovers, which adds heartbreak and intrigue to his marriage to Lois, a lounge singer and herself a bit of a card. He’s also a textbook hoarder who owns multiple L.A. homes in disrepair filled with junk, and it’s a bit sad to witness him amidst piles of crap and strangely still taking bartending jobs.

Like Tyrnauer’s previous film, it’s all presented in a straightforward style, but the content and characters are colorful enough that they compensate for much of its Documentary 101 trappings.

Grade: B. Not rated, but with adult language and content. Now playing at Grail Moviehouse

(Photos: Greenwich Entertainment)