Monday, April 02, 2012
TURNING POINTS
Today's 50 Favorite Gay Films Number 14
starring its writer and director Harvey Fierstein with Matthew Broderick, Anne Bancroft and Brian Kerwin.
This is the smash hit four hour play done in two hours and while a bit rushed, it is great job of capturing the wide scope of the play. Twenty years in the life of the drag queen Arnold on the stage and off and his partners. Along the way the film hits a lot of then far off ideals, gay marriage, gay adoption gay rights. This film was/is way ahead of its times.
Coming out and gaining acceptance from parents is a big part of this. Bancroft as the mother tears up some scenery but holds onto her biases to the end. Through her we can see all the pain between mother and son and back again.
The drag sequences and Arnold's working friends (including the long time star of the circuit, Charles Pierce) are really great to watch both backstage and on.
I enjoyed seeing it. I never did.
Once is enough. A 3 out of Netflix5. It is good but once does the trick I think.