manically — he’ll scrutinize the Minnesota state
budget for fun — and who is a wicked opponent
at cards.
While the series is largely sympathetic toward
its subject, Guggenheim nevertheless presses
Gates on everything from the federal antitrust
case against Microsoft in the 1990s to his
relationship with his mother.
In a phone interview, Gates acknowledged that
he balanced the camera’s intrusion with the
chance to tell the world — and recruit help —
about his efforts to help the planet and the poor.
“The work side, that comes pretty naturally. The
only thing that’s a little awkward is where they’re
trying to talk about personal life and parents
and all that type of stuff,” Gates said.
The filmmaker and the billionaire find a natural
rapport, creating a comfortable space in which
Gates does an imitation of Robert De Niro in
“Taxi Driver” and admits to eating Tang powder
straight from the jar.
The series gets a dash of action by having
Guggenheim interview Gates during hikes
around rugged places such as a desert near
Palm Springs, California, and Gates’ property at
Hood Canal in Washington. The two men are
often filmed from behind, walking shoulder-to-
shoulder as Gates talks.
“I feel like people are more open when there’s no
camera in their face. And I also feel like people
listen better,” said Guggenheim.
Guggenheim, whose films include “An
Inconvenient Truth” and “He Named Me Malala,”
first met Gates when he was making “Waiting for
‘Superman,’” which examined the educational