Wednesday, August 19, 2015
The wages of sin
You will have to bring your own nine hankies to this Italian soap with gay suds.
There is a heavy overlay of Wagner in the beginning, foreboding. To say nothing of the easy virtue of falling in love with a summer romance. Indiscretions. Infidelity. And more.
This is a great big weeper about a young man who wreaks havoc on the latent gay feelings of a therapist. Of all things.
And on a happy holiday in sunny Italy. And Just before the folks are going to have a birthday party in his honor.
And everyone is handsome.
It is wonderful.
Il compleanno / David's Birthday* (2009)
I love this film for its unstinting devotion to the traditions of the best Hollywood weepers.
The tables are turned here as the situation is not only gay but gay friendly. There are actually no villains. Love and lust will have their way and look out.
This is really a 3 out of Netflix5 but since I bought it and have seen it several times, it becomes a 5 in practice.
The young man, David, is a stunner. And really not so innocent. Known to be gay one has to conclude that the liberal friends who invite him into their homes are taking a risk. Gay men always seduce the straights. Only here the straight or not so straight is the one who makes the thing happen.
It is a wallow in feelings and fun to watch and there is a good (stiff) tongue in cheek about the whole thing.
If only Rock Hudson and Lana Turner were alive, they could manage these roles beautifully. A tribute, actually, those films. So nicely done.
*the birthday
