Maybe there's a little bit of Jack Rebney in all of us.  Fed up, caustic, feeling caged, cornered and frustrated, wishing we could just let loose, throw verbal caution to the wind and let the expletives fly.  Maybe that's why so many people seem to identify with his monumental meltdowns.

Rebney was in the midst of filming a promotional video for Winnebago more than 20 years ago when he spat, swatted, and swore his way to the peculiar infamy of being tagged, 'The Angriest RV Salesmen in the World'.  Outtakes of the tumultuous shoot were preserved for the amusement of the masses, and they slowly made the rounds, first as bulky VHS tapes, and finally over the lightning highways of cyberspace.  Rebney, who despises the internet, became a YouTube sensation. 

But by the time millions of people around the world started watching, he was long gone. 

Where did he go?  And who exactly was this crusty character with classic profanity-laced catchphrases?

These are the questions Director Ben Steinbauer attempts to tackle in his feature length documentary 'Winnebago Man.'

Disclaimer: Footage contains excessive amount of vulgar language.  May cause laughter.

Steinbauer first saw the hilarious footage on a friend's VCR, and something about the way Rebney tore into his co-workers, and himself, resonated. 

"There's something about him and the way he swears, he's like a jazz musician with swear words," he notes.

He watched the tape over and over again and before long he realized he wasn't the only one obsessing.  Rebney's rants were catching on in popular culture, even being referenced in Hollywood movies.  The ambitious filmmaker's curiosity began to percolate.

"I started to see (Winnebago Man references) on TV shows, and mentioned on films, and I was a huge fan and I loved showing it to people for the first time, but when I really got interested in it was when I realized not only did nobody know what became of Jack Rebney, but there were all these sort of contradictions and strange theories about him and it literally became like a 'looking for Bigfoot' kind of story," he explains. 

His initial shot at tracking Rebney down proved futile, and even the efforts of a private investigator fall short. 

Eventually, however, he manages to get in touch with him, and they agreed to meet. 

Much to Steinbauer's surprise, Rebney lives alone in a humble cabin on a mountain in California, and when they interact face-to-face for the first time, he comes across as the polar opposite of the man depicted in the Winnebago video.  Rebney lives an aesthetic existence in the woods.  He's quiet, serene, thoughtful, and it appears his mouth has been thoroughly washed out with soap. 

"I was interested in the subject and looking into it as a possible film project, but once I really started to realize that nobody had seen him since the shoot and...then when the private investigator couldn't find him, all those steps just kept getting more mysterious and surreal, and I definitely didn't expect him to be living as a hermit on top of a mountain."

His curiosity satisfied, Steinbauer heads for home.  But not long after he receives a phone call from Rebney, who gives him some surprising news that shapes the film and ultimately changes both men.

Along the way Rebney reveals some crucial facts about his past, and what transpired after the Winnebago Man video was made public. 

He also questions why Steinbauer would want to make a movie about him, and resists many of the filmmaker's suggestions and questions.

Steinbauer struggles to keep a reign on his stubborn subject, before eventually letting go.  As a result, the film is given a new life. 

"I think that the ending of the film came about very organically, and the times that I tried to force an agenda on Jack are the times that the shooting sort of feel apart," he admits.  "And when I just let our relationship evolve naturally and organically, those are the times that things really went well.  I guess for me as a filmmaker it taught me a lesson in trusting the flow of things and just knowing that things will evolve without me imposing my will."

During that process Rebney reveals himself as a complex character.  He may be crude at times, but he's a likable straight shooter with immense intelligence and infectious charisma.

"I think he's just a rare combination of very eloquent and graceful and at the same time incredibly crass and direct.  And I think he's just a rare human being," Steinbauer told CityNews.ca.

"When the audience comes up to me after a screening they say 'this reminds me of my dad,' or 'this reminds me of my grandmother', or 'I see myself'.

"That's empathizing on a very deep level when you see yourself or someone you love in somebody else.  That's sort of the highest form of appreciation."

Rebney is eventually stricken with a serious medical problem, but still manages to close the curtains on the film on a triumphant note. 

"I think I've learned a lot from working with Jack Rebney," Steinbauer concludes. 

"I still watch the video. When I'm frustrated and need to blow off some steam I still find catharsis in Jack's rants."