8

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

no

even

November 7, 2008. www.GayPeoplesChronicle.com

TT

Γι'

Playwright Mart Crowley, far left, joins the cast of Boys in the Band on the set.

It's a period piece, and a good one

'Boys in the Band' has lost some of its taboo, but it still has the power to sting

by Anthony Glassman

He who laughs last, laughs best. Or the longest, depending on which version of the proverb you remember.

That is most certainly true of the film version of The Boys in the Band, vilified by early gay liberation groups for its unflattering portrayal of seven queens having a birthday party.

Almost 40 years after the film adaptation of Mart Crowley's successful stage play was released, it is finally out on DVD, a longdelayed artifact of a bygone age when films told stories with genuine emotion.

Michael (Kenneth Nelson) is throwing a birthday party for his friend Harold (Leonard Frey). He's invited all of what were then the stereotypes of the gay male community: the sissy interior decorator Emory; the black bookstore clerk Bernard; Michael's pseudoboyfriend Donald, and ultra-respectable Larry and his wanton lover Hank.

Curbside

PART

AT SEVENTEEN OX FLEE

Z

Adding to the drama of the evening are Emory's gift to Harold, a hustler dressed as a "midnight cowboy" who is so stupid he shows up to the party well before midnight, but is so pretty that nobody cares. Michael's college roommate Alan may be a closet case, or he may bring down Michael's psychological house of cards.

DID END UP SEEING STUD #1, JON S., ONE MORE TIME, BUT WE DIDN'T SEE EYE TO EYE ON CERTAIN INESCAPABLE TOPICS...

THE REPUBLICAN

PARTY IS THE PARTY OF THE

FUTURE, KIP.

NO DOUBT.

horsesh, t

Playwright Mart Crowley once noted that, while he was sure there were happy homosexuals, there were none

Neurotic nelly Michael (Kenneth Nelson) brushes his hair for the 42nd time, warding off the appearance of a receding hairline.

in his 1968 play, which he adapted for the screen. That unhappiness was part of the film's controversy.

SO I CALLED STUD #2, ED, A FEW DAYS LATER.

I'M SORRY, HE SAYS HE CAN'T COME TO THE PHONE RIGHT NOW!

HE

SAYS

HE

WILL /

his roomie

CAN HE CALL ME

BACK ?

Activists always want their groups to be portrayed as the happy, whole, hale and Continued on page 10

by Robert Kirby

I WAITED

HMM.... OK... HE'S PROBABLY JUST VERY BUSY....... I'M SURE HE'LL CALL BACK SOON

kk

TICK

TIGH

82

4

ро

TICK

TIG

HIS APPEAL WAS LOST TO ME.

NATURALLY, HE NEVER CALLED.

I WONDER

IF I DID

SOMETHING

WRONG?

BUT MAY GE HE

WILL CALL....

SOMEDAY

I

TOLD MYSELF THAT I HAD AT LEAST GAINED SOME VALUABLE EXPERIENCE AND SOME HOPEFULLY PRICELESS KNOWLEDGE, BUT STILL.

MY BUDDING HEART WAS A BIT BRUISED FOR SURE, BUT READY FOR MORE. I'D BE STEPPING INTO THE ARENA AGAIN SOON ENOUGH.

(Fake

WHAT

NOW

www.curb-side.com

I DON'T THINK ANY OF THOSE GUTS

CARED ABOUT

ME AT ALL!!

15

IT MY

FACE, MY

HAIR,

WHAT

EASY

IT ISN'T BEING A TEENAGE FAG.

Cough)

ooh

la la

#400