In the late 1990s, iconic photographer Bruce Weber managed to convince Robert Mitchum to appear before his camera for a filmed portrait. Weber shot Mitchum in 35mm and 16mm black and white, hanging with friends and cronies in restaurants and hotel rooms and singing before a microphone at Capitol Records, recording standards for a projected album. When Mitchum passed away in 1997, Weber parked his beloved project and it was some time before he went back into his footage, picked up the camera again to continue, and complete, his tribute to Mitchum.

Bob Mitchum est arrivé au Beverly Hills Hotel le 21 février 1991, pile à l’heure, et s’est mis à chanter l’une de ses chansons préférées de Cole Porter. Il a commencé à nous raconter des histoires de tournages, de bagarres dans les bars, de femmes... L’histoire du cinéma à Hollywood du début des années 40 à 1997 se déroulait sous nos yeux à mesure qu’il racontait ses frasques les plus folles." - Bruce Weber