A Single Man

[aijalon18]

It's visually stunning. But storywise it's just another movie in a long line of gay tragic stories. Is it impossible to have a gay movie where no one dies, it's a little sexy, and has a happy ending?

 

[pat grimshaw]

By today's standards, yes, but for the early 60's ..... it was rather groundbreaking.

Groundbreaking?

Because its hero is one of those 'unspeakables that insist on speaking its name' or because he is a grumpy, farting old man who soliloquizes for four pages of text whilst performing a bowel movement?

I think Isherwood was over-rated but this particular novella is, as I said earlier, prescient in that it talks about America's 'JonBenet Syndrome' and its soppy Libertarianism/ Multiculturalism.

 

[Bent-On]

I was annoyed by this very amateurish movie.

But it made me re-read the novella. I sort of enjoyed the novella in my teen years. But on re-reading it, I find it prescient, Gore Vidalish, contrived and mildly annoying.

Why did you think it was amateurish? (Aside from the underwater nude shots.)

 

[pat grimshaw]

I understand that the novice director and Bachardy (the script advisor) threw out all those unpleasant aspects of the main character but why not tweak the story to make it approachable. I and my peer group and many on the IMDB discussion group misunderstood the the timing of his partner’s death and the cause of the hero’s death. Kenny seducing George was barely credible (he was an idiot-savant in the book).

I acknowledge that it’s not easy to make a movie with a main character with such little dialogue, but Visconti did it in ‘Death In venice’. Which is, I assume, the reason for the loud violin which was emoting much more than the admirable Mr Firth.

All my friends agreed that the ten minutes with Firth and Moore as the only satisfying/'real' scene in the movie. They are two professionals who were allowed to get on with their job without interference from the amateur behind the camera.

The rest of the film was like an animated fashion shoot. Full of anachronisms, confusion, references to Hitchcock and Antonioni, glamour, product placement and not much else.

 

[Bent-On]

What anachronisms and product placements?

I would have to agree that the scenes between Firth and Moore were good, but not that the movie was otherwise wasted. And I thought it was fairly obvious that he died in a car crash, some time ago.

As for the points of contrast with the book, have yet to read it so I wouldn't be able to comment on it. As for the comments about 'fashion' - the guys in question weren't that good looking to begin with. The only one above average was Colin Firth, the others were average guys dressed in period clothes. Their average looks really helped to sell the movie.

 

[pat grimshaw]

I’m sorry, Bent-On, I have become as sour and jaded as Isherwood’s character; I wish I could see this movie and Visconti’s ‘Death In Venice’ with equally fresh eyes.

All those anachronisms, goofs, product placements etc are listed on The Internet Movie Database

Here are those quotes I thought interesting from Isherwoods 1962 text—

George has a good book collection: “they have not made him nobler, or better or truly wise, he just likes listening to their voices…They help him putting him to sleep, to take his mind off the ticking of the clock’. (He also makes use of them in the lavatory.)

George is pretty much alienated from the uncomprehending students at his college but he echoes Oscar Wilde as he observes two of them: “Lois and Alexander are by far the most beautiful creatures in the class; their beauty is like the beauty of plants, seemingly untroubled by vanity, anxiety and effort”.

George spends some time hating his neighbours, the Strunks, who have “litter after litter”, and has a JonBenet moment: “all those dreadful dainty little creatures, wearing lipstick, they are being turned into junior consumers …children being cheated of their childhood…”

His college students are of mixed-race. “We may dislike the way they look and act and we may hate their faults. And its better if we admit to disliking and hating them than if we try to smear our feelings over with pseudo-liberal sentimentality. If we’re frank about our feelings we have a safety-valve, we’re actually less likely start persecuting…I know that theory is unfashionable nowadays .

We all keep trying to believe that, if we ignore something long enough, it’ll just vanish… [He goes on] …Another liberal heresy… because the persecuting majority is vile, therefore the persecuted minority must be stainlessly pure. Can’t you see what nonsense that is?’ he asks himself.

 

[pat grimshaw]

Why did you think it was amateurish? (Aside from the underwater nude shots.)

I'm seeing it again at a free screening on Tuesday so I'll tell if it's equally annoying after my second viewing.

 

[mbamike]

This movie is currently playing on Showtime. LOVED this movie.

Nicholas Hoult is so gorgeous!

 

[LibreX]

A must see!

That right Can I get it in Blueray?

 

[LibreX]

Looks good. Both of the actors are talented.

Are u serious?? Im not a big fan of Julianne Moore just saying

 

[LibreX]

I'm seeing it again at a free screening on Tuesday so I'll tell if it's equally annoying after my second viewing.

Hahaha me too!! well actually my 3th

 

[slavicool]

I really liked the film. One of the most memorable ones