esrosedotblog

We have come around to happy/sad gay love stories again.

For a long time, the gays ended up in trouble or unhappy because the straight movie world needed it to happen that way. Social forces.

Then slowly but surely we evolved a style of gay story telling that told a happier truth and then even more so. Some films of recent years were exuberant about gay love as they should be.

Now, more films are returning to the darker ending. It is no longer required by the powers that be or the box office that "the gays" be happier than straights.

Today's film, French as it would happen, is of the newer kind. Tragic romance. But with a difference that things turn out not so good but we are willing to settle. Or something.

Hors les murs / Beyond the Walls (2012)

is the kind of film we would have seen in the 40's with John Garfield and Lana Turner. True love between a thug and a beauty then disruption as the thug faces jail. The lover must decide whether to wait or forget him. Prison visits do not work. They separate.

Finally, when the thug gets out of prison they reconnect. What will happen?

Well, with John and Lana there was a line that had to be toed very carefully. The Hayes Office and other censors would not allow true happiness. Someone was going to suffer. Maybe both of them.

And here we are with this film. Separated by prison the lovers reconnect. We get to see the result. I won't tell.

The film also depicts S&M consensual sex in a good way as well as "daddy/son" relationships. It carries a lot of baggage but does arrive at the destination.

Ah! How does it all turn out. Don't ask don't tell. Here we are full circle.

I would not mind seeing this again. The love scenes alone are worthwhile and the rest of it is very well done for what it is. Faint praise, I know. But still. I am glad that we have come around to have a film like this and for it to be OK to like it. Or not to like it. Or to not really be sure.

I will say no more. A 4 out of Netflix5 unless someone else in our house likes it enough to get it for our gay collection.

Labels: gay films