By Gregg Shapiro

Contributing writer

“Steel City” (Peace Arch Home Entertainment)—Before she became gay America’s sweetheart through her portrayal of Betty Sanchez in the popular TV series “Ugly Betty,” actress America Ferrara was making a name for herself in gritty indie features. “Steel City” is one such film.

Debt, guilt and responsibility fuel the steely blue story about the lengths that ne’er do well father Carl (John Heard) will go to in order to make amends with at least one of the sons he abandoned as a child. Older son Ben (Clayne Crawford) works construction, cheats on his wife Maria (Jamie Ann Brown) with old high school girlfriend and bartender Lucy (Heather McComb) and tries to be a father to his young daughter. Younger son P J (Thomas Guiry), who has trouble holding down a job, gets fired from the restaurant where he works with girlfriend Amy (Ferrera). P J seeks help from his mother Marianne (Laurie Metcalf) and her police officer husband Randall (James McDaniel), receives unexpected assistance (as well as a shocking family history lesson) from his Uncle Vic and attempts to maintain a relationship with Carl, who makes a life-altering sacrifice for him. In spite of the cold air of hopelessness that hangs over the story, the characters eventually take action, albeit some that is questionable, and make the effort to change, if not improve, their bleak lives and situations. DVD bonus features include commentary by director Brian Jun and cast members, deleted scenes, a short film titled “For Jimmy Brown” by director Jun and more.

“Bernard and Doris” (HBO Films)—At the beginning of “Bernard and Doris,” Bob Balaban’s “grown-up fairytale” that depicts “an imagined relationship” between tobacco heiress Doris Duke (played by Susan Sarandon) and her gay Irish butler Bernard Lafferty (Ralph Fiennes), the following statement flashes across the screen: “Some of the following is based on fact. Some of it is not.”

With that in mind, we meet Doris in the late 1980s as she is in the process of firing a butler in her own inimitable style. On the way to interview for the job, Bernard’s Ford Pinto dies on the side of the road. Nevertheless, he makes it to the interview and is hired by Doris without her ever asking his name or for his credentials or references.

As it turns out, during his career, Bernard had worked for Elizabeth Taylor and Peggy Lee.  But he was sidelined by (and hospitalized for) alcoholism, although he reassures Doris that the issue is under control. Bernard takes charge of the household and becomes the new enforcer of standards. Meanwhile, the sexually insatiable Doris has a variety of men in and out of her bedroom, including her young gardener, whom she has Bernard fire after she tires of him. Doris’s appetite for life also includes a love of marijuana, sherry, orchids and piano players. Bernard does his best to maintain a private life, doing needlepoint and clipping newspaper articles about his employer.

After a disastrous plastic surgery affair, Doris and Bernard begin to bond, each carefully revealing personal things about themselves to the other. The footloose Doris encourages the stuffy Bernard to lighten up a little in the wardrobe department and he complies. They begin to travel together and in doing so become closer—close enough in fact for Bernard to come out to Doris and for Doris to ask him if he’s a top or a bottom. As close as they are, with Bernard demonstrating devotion beyond the call of duty, they are still employer and employee, separated by more than just class distinctions. And when Bernard starts drinking again and is eventually in need of serious treatment, Doris rises to the occasion and looks after him the way that he looked after and cared for her. Knowing that this story has elements of fact and fiction shouldn’t detract from the viewer’s enjoyment, especially watching the way these two actors inhabit their roles.

DVD bonus content includes an audio commentary with director/executive producer Bob Balaban and the featurette, “Growing Up Rich: The Real Doris Duke,” narrated by Balaban, detailing the life and times of the real woman behind the headlines.