Customer Reviews

The Boys in the Band

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4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I have been waiting for this film on DVD for years; apparently the people at the studio have no idea how important a piece of gay history this film really is.

There is no denying that Boys in the Band is controversial. Among gay men, it seems to provoke either fierce defense or intense outrage. Indeed, there seem to be just as many people who praise it for its honesty, humor and status as a ground-breaking film, as there are people who condemn it for its stereotypes and self-hating negative images. There seems to be no middle ground. Many people who know me well might be surprised to find that I am one of its defenders.

Although I was only 16 years old in 1970, I was already totally "out" as a gay person in most aspects of my life. As such, I had heard about this film (but couldn't get in to see it) almost as soon as it came out. But you can bet I acquired a copy of the play shortly thereafter, and what I found thrilled me. Yes, "thrilled" is the only way to describe my initial reaction to The Boys in the Band. I guess when you're used to being totally ignored, having your life acknowledged, even in a negative way, can be surprisingly positive.

First of all, BITB was the first mainstream Hollywood film whose main subject matter was homosexuality; that in itself was a giant step forward. In 1970, depictions of gay men in Hollywood movies were unheard of, unless we were presented as swishy stereotypes or evil predators. And yes, that's precisely what the controversy is about - back in 1970, as today, many gay men felt that Boys in the Band presented nothing more than a rehash of the same, tired stereotypes that Hollywood had been foisting on us for years. But I am not at all sure that I agree.

After a superficial look, you will find that The Boys in the Band contains several characters that do not fit the description of stereotypes or negative portrayals. In fact, if one overlooks the characters of Michael (self-hating, bitchy, self-destructive) and Emory (swishy, swishy, SWISHY) the characters in Boys in the Band are about as positive as one could expect for 1970. And for all his limp-wristed excess, the character of Emory is ultimately presented as forthright, honest and tough. For several years following the birth of gay liberation, a lot of gay men wanted to pretend that people like Emory didn't exist. Now we know - or should know, anyway, that some people (even some straight people) don't fit the mold of what society has come to expect from their born gender. Aren't we supposed to be enlightened enough to know that people have the right to be who they are? Yes, there are gay AND straight men who are every bit as effeminate as Emory. I have met quite a few of them in my day. So what?

As for the character of Michael, a lot of us seem to forget what it was like in those days. In the Pre-stonewall world of the 1960's when Boys in the Band was written, many gay men swallowed the heterosexual propaganda that gay people were mentally ill, unstable, and just plain weird. In fact, early homophile meetings were often consumed by debates on whether or not the psychiatric community was correct in labeling us as sick. It should therefore not be surprising that yes, some of the dialogue in Boys in the Band is certainly outdated; thank goodness gay men no longer waste time on endless analysis, absorbing psycho-babble about why we are "that way", and wasting even more time re-hashing and debating the same drivel with their friends in an efforts to justify our existence. But in 1970, we DID debate these things, and we DID think that way, because mainstream society spent so much time cramming us into closets and demonizing our very existence. But we had to start somewhere, and if nothing else, The Boys in the Band is a startling reminder of how far we've come. Up until the time the film was released (and to some extent, even today) much of the heterosexual world tried to convince us that we are deranged, child-molesting sociopaths, hell-bound and totally immoral. And guess what? Far too many of us listened to the lies, and a great many of us were damaged by it. These are the roots of internalized homophobia, and the characters in The Boys in the Band are, in a very real sense, accurate depictions of the results of decades (if not centuries) of society-sanctioned homophobia. At the time the play was written, there were a lot of gay men who did resemble the characters in it (I know; I was one of them). Rather than being embarrassed at the mess society wrought on some of our psyches, we should be proud that so many of us have been able to overcome decades of repression.

And the most important underlying theme in The Boys in the Band is frequently overlooked by its critics. Michael's closing speech in the play, "If only we could learn not to hate ourselves quite so much" is a powerful indictment and, dare I say, revolutionary rebuttal to the self-absorbed indifference that characterized much of the gay community prior to 1970. And the overall message (which I heard loud and clear in 1970) is that we (gay men) must realize that we are not the sickos that some portions of society wants us to think we are, and we must come to terms with exactly who we are without reservation before we can ever hope to make any progress.

In the end, I know this much - I saw the off-Broadway revival of the stage version of The Boys in the Band in 1996, and the audience was composed almost entirely of gay men. The laughter was loud and frequent, and the abundant applause made it clear that many in the modern gay audience recognized themselves or their friends among the characters presented, even if only as pieces of nostalgia. Self-hating? Yes, sometimes to a painful degree. But learning to love yourself in a world where so many people condemn your very existence is a life-long process, and Boys in the Band is nothing more or less than a reminder of where some of us came from, and how very far we've come.

Mart Crowley's 'The Boys in the Band' is a minor masterpiece of American cinema that was also instrumental in thrusting gay life and issues into the American mainstream.

Based upon the 1968 Off-Broadway play, this 1970 film adaption by William Friedkin retains all of the stage cast and most of the dialogue. The story is simple enough, Michael Connelly is throwing a party for his friend Harold when an old college roommate, who is presumably straight, arrives and throws the party into turmoil. Michael, who clearly has had a drinking problem, hits the bottle again as a result of the conflict. Kenneth Nelson gives a brilliant performance as Michael who is quickly unravelling with every drink and who begins to tear down his friends one by one. The party climaxes in a 'truth' game which proves oddly cathartic to everyone but Michael.

Many issues have arisen over the years with 'The Boys in the Band'. Were these men mostly stereotypes? Is this work still relevant to gay life? What does it say about where we are in light of where we've been?

Your answers to these questions may well depend on your age. For myself, when first viewing this as a 22 year old in 1987, I found it amusing but ultimately sad and upsetting. A dozen years later of being out in gay life, I have come to learn how masterful this work is and that while times have changed in many ways for the better, many of the issues that the 'boys' were dealing with back then are still being dealt with today. Issues of religious and societal intolerance and the attempt to forge a positive gay identity in an often hostile world are still very much with us today.

I believe the reason 'The Boys in the Band' is so humorous is that the camp humor of that time was largely a coping mechanism of sorts. This is black humor at its best, showing us the brutal honesty of a situation while exposing the many absurdities in it at the same time.

In the end Michael states 'I don't understand any of it, I never did.'... food for thought...

Also: Pick up a copy of '3 Plays by Mart Crowley'. The story of Michael Connelly pre and post "Boys in the Band" is powerfully explored in these two additional plays. (Read the forward 1st!)

WHERE IS THE DVD VERSION? This is such a wonderful classic gay movie that it upsets me "Wonderwoman" is out on DVD but this isn't! This is for those that like movies that have that "play" feeling. You get to know the characters and sympathize or relate to several of them. There is no need to go into the plot as the other reviewers have so eloquently done. No matter how old this is, the sentiments still ring true. The slutty guy, the "husband" material, the nelly one, the Catholic one..we all in the community know of guys like this. The sad part that still is pervasive however, that may explain why attitudes are the way they are for some in the community is the line, "if we just didn't hate ourselves so much". Which I think says it all for Michael and the rage he has inside. This movie is fun, deep, memorable, touching. A must! And if you want a lighter fun movie along the same time period in gay history, get "OUTRAGEOUS"!

As an aside... Mart Crowley's sequel to "The Boys in the Band" entitled "The Men from the Boys" opened a few months ago in San Francisco and was extended a a couple of times. It is set in Michael's apartment once again and Harold again arives halfway through. This time however, they are coming together after the funeral of Larry, who has died from Cancer. In addition, there are three young men as well. The only original "boys" missing are Alan and Cowboy. Michael, Harold, Donald, Emory, Hank and Bernard all appear and there's even a "from the grave" appearance by Larry. From what I understand it is a study in how the different generations of gay men relate to each other. Sadly, Michael is still not a happy camper but the script, once tightened up a bit, will make a worthy sequel once it likely hits the NYC off-broadway scene and perhaps even into a movie sequel.

Also, Cliff Gorman died on Sept. 5th of 2002 from Leukemia leaving only 3 "Boys" left... Hank (Laurence Luckinbill), Alan (Peter White) and Bernard (Reuben Greene). All the boys except Emory died from AIDS.

I sincerely hope that if the sequel does make it to film that Mart Crowley would use the three remainging original "Boys" actors in the film. I've met Laurence Luckinbill and briefly discussed the work with him and he is rightly very proud of it. I'm sure he would jump at the chance to reprise his role. Using these three actors would lend the sequel a profound connection to the original...

I mean, who could play Hank, Alan & Bernard.... better than... well "Hank, Larry & Bernard?"

Also, do pick up a copy of "3 Plays by Mart Crowley"... the two additional plays deal with Michael pre and post "Boys" (though the pre "Boys" story doesn't have his as Michael, the forward reveals that this play was vey much about the young Michael)... the post "Boys" play will feel VERY timely in light of current events!

I hope we will see a release of "The Boys in the Band" on DVD with deleted scenes and other bonus features. I know that there was a deleted scene between Larry and Hank after their turns at the "telephone game" as well as obviously cut scenes between Michael and Donald when Michael is wrapping Harold's gift.

I find the original film had some eerie foreshadowing of AIDS in that Michael is tying a red ribbon to Harold's gift and in the beginning Donald tells Michael that his doctor just cancelled because he has a "virus or something"... coincidental to be sure... but still...

Anyway, I am glad that "The Boys in the Band" finally has a sequel and that this work has finally earned the respect it so well deserves after decades in politically-incorrect limbo.

Chris

Why hasn't this been released on DVD? I know at least three of my friends who want this in their collection.

This is one of the earlier gay films with great "courage" for the time. It is both funny and sad. The issues addressed in this movie are contemporary. In this film one realizes that "gay" does not always mean happy as the word indicates. One does have sympathy and empathy with the characters. This film makes "Love, Valour and Compassion" look like a sunday school picnic. WHEN WILL THIS FILM BE ON DVD?

How long have I been waiting this release! I originally heard this original cast on an LP (which I probably would have ruined from continued hearings had I not transferred it to cassette tape), then got hold of a VHS version, then a laser disk version, which I "burned" to DVD when I got my burner, but have actually been checking new releases on several DVD websites for probably 15 years at least. How surprised I was when I finally found that it was coming out in November. Although the record was based on the stage play, and the movie had some parts cut out of it, I've really loved both versions and have seen/heard them enough to have almost the whole play memorized. I just hope this will be a faithful reproduction of the movie, which was really very well done. All the actors (most of which have died of AIDS) fit their parts perfectly and I always laugh, cry and get very carried away by this wonderful play. I can hardly wait until November! Now, will there also be a Blu-Ray release?

Having seen this movie over 10 years ago, I began the long search to find it on DVD. Learning that it was only put on DVD outside the USA, I managed to find it and track down what I thought never existed - a crisp clean copy of it on DVD is something to behold.

Yes, this is pure bitchy gay camp - but even more important, it shows a slice of gay life that is rarely seen. Every character in this movie works, pays bills, wants a partner, wants to be loved, and struggles to get through their past life and the life that they are now living.

This is a classic example of how a play should be adapted, given that most of the cast appeared in the original show, it lends freshness and a real quality that no one else could have played. The lines delivered by anyone else would seem forced...the natural ease with which they deliver their performance is something to behold.

I have now seen this movie more times than I want to admit to, but I will watch it whenever I need a good laugh, and a reminder that gya men can play gay men and make a decent movie. Hollywood needs to take note of this movie and let me write the updated version of it. Made with the current gay actors in Hollywood today, this movie could be a huge success...there are no parts for Nathan Lane to jack up - since he would not be a fit for the movie!

Seek it out on VHS or DVD, whenever/wherever you can get this movie, pay the price for it and be happy with this piece of cinema that every gay man should own and watch once a month.

Please hurry & release this on DVD!! This is one of my favorite movies!!

As a friend once put it, the first time you see it (usually in college or freshly minted out-of-the-closet) you're horrified because it is full of self-loathing queens. The second time, in your twenties or after a bit moving in the stream of gay life, you're into it because it's campy and fun. The third time, once you've been around a block more times than you can remember, you love it because it's TRUE! While certainly not to be included in any catalogue of PRIDE-ful moments (and as such was the source of great controversy in the 1970s), this is a film that touches on crucial aspects of gay identity that have remained fairly constant in the post-Stonewall period, a series of questions: sexual and emotional fidelity, pride, self-hatred, fraternal destruction, and gay friendship. Or, another way to put it and to borrow Adrienne Rich's phraseology, "lies, secrets, and silence." The telephone game is the dramatic high point of the film (don't try this at home kids, unless you're three sheets to the wind and have an old rotary phone in the garage!), underscoring the complicated histories gay men bring to their desires. For others, this is the low point of self-loathing, but I find the actors rescue the scene with tenderness and emotive power. For me, the saving grace of the film and its central message is the denouement of Harold's committment to his friendship with the hideous lush Michael, who, after suffering a night of Michael's Gin and Ton witticisms honed to a razor sharp edge while languidly flipping through "The Films of Joan Crawford" (a nice touch), and after reading him within an inch of his life, tells Michael, with real feeling, "Call you tomorrow." And who can't appreciate friendship like that? With this, the film brings to the fore the essence of gay survival, which is friendship, and for that is worthy of viewing and LOVE (and a DVD).