LOVE, VALOR, COMPASSION

US, 1997, 110 minutes, Colour.
Jason Alexander, Randy Becker, John Glover, John Benjamin Hickey, Stephen Spinella.
Directed by Joe Mantello.

Winner of several Tony awards in 1995, Terrence McNally's play is about a group of gay men who meet on three American holiday weekends at an upstate house. There they interact, both ferociously and lovingly. It is familiar material from quite a number of films about AIDS. In fact, some gay groups have criticised the film for simply presenting a collection of stereotypical characters. It probably does. But the important thing is how they are presented. Much is humorous, much is irritating, much asks for empathy.

John Glover (who won a Tony) plays English twins who act as catalysts for the interactions. Jason Alexander successfully portrays a flamboyant expert on Broadway musicals. Much of the humour is camp. Much of the action focuses on relationships and struggles.

1.A celebrated play with many awards, Tony Awards? The adaptation for the screen? The cast from the theatre and the director? (With his first film?)

2.The opening up of the play: the scenes in the car and on the roads, in the house and the grounds, the lake? The musical score?

3.The title, the comment on the AIDS situation and gay men, especially in the United States, coping?

4.The gay sensibilities of the film (and the critique by many gay reviewers that it perpetuated stereotypes?): the world of men, their lives and careers, relationship, hurts, AIDS, collaboration? Partnerships, casual and long term? Fidelity, affairs? Men in a world without women?

5.Greg and his voice-over, his perspective on the action of the film? His house, the host? The holidays, the comments on the various characters? His final comments about their deaths and his burying them all? The device of Greg talking about their deaths and the men themselves talking about how long they had to live, the circumstances of their deaths?

6.The structure of the film: the three public holidays and the time at the lake? The time of the year, the seasons, the summer and the fall? The introduction of the characters, their interactions and relationships?

7.The film's perspective on American gay men, their personalities and style, American sensibilities? The contrast with James and John and the British? The perspective on AIDS?

8.The character of Greg: host, his house, the tour of the house for the audience during the credits? Age and experience, his ability and dancing, choreography, the block in his creativity? His relationship with Bobbie? The harmony of their relationship on the surface? Tensions beneath the surface? His reaction to Bobbie's relationship with Ramon? Bobbie and his telling the truth, Greg hurt, ordering him out of the house? Bobbie's crisis and the death of his sister? Their parting, the possibility of reconciliation? Greg and his welcoming of all the men, the discussions, the disputes, especially at the meal table with John, his stances? The rehearsal for the benefit and Swan Lake? His presiding over the events?

9.Bobbie: his blindness, his age and life, his relationship with Greg, the permanence of the relationship and their expectations? The ride in the car with Perry and Arthur? The discussions with them? The encounter with Ramon, the episode in the kitchen and its consequences? Arthur and the discussions, the support? The rendezvous with Ramon at the lake? The phone call, his grief about his sister's death? Telling Greg the truth? Greg not being able to accept it? Bobbie going to his sister's funeral - but being ousted from the house? His comments on his death and his not being in a relationship with Greg?

10.Perry and Arthur, the 14 years together, previous relationships? Especially with John? Perry and his being raucous, loud opinions, the drive in the car and the interchange with Arthur? The couple and their bickering, reconciliations? The intimacy of their scenes together? The discussions at the table and Perry's bluntness, his chauvinism and racism? The reaction of the others(??) Ramon's response? Arthur and his telling Perry about his effect? The ease between them, Perry's reaction to Arthur and the nudity? Arthur and his being conventional, his comment about not having the usual symptoms of the gay lifestyle, especially opera and the arts? His fidelity to Perry? Their infidelities? Arthur and his support of Bobby? Perry and the past relationship with John, the encounters with John, the angers and tension? The meal table? The anniversary celebration? Perry and his going with Buzz into John's room and overhearing John and his intimate conversations and reminiscences about the past? The future of Arthur and Perry?

11.Buzz as the more flamboyant gay man? His being infected with AIDS? His love for the American musicals and his continual quoting and references, singing? The flamboyant carry-on? His coming alone? The past relationship with John? His loneliness, the scene where he was wearing nothing but the apron? Going with Perry to listen in to John's relationship with Ramon? His personal fears? The arrival of James, the attraction, the bonds, the tenderness, his wanting to look after James? The comments on both their deaths and the fact that James would not allow Buzz to look after him, even though he relied on him and loved him?

12.Ramon, the younger man, the dancer and his dancing, modern attitudes - not knowing who Julie Andrews was! His coming with John, his returning with him at the various weekends? His explanation of himself as happy and proud as a gay man? The attraction to Bobby, the episode in the kitchen? The rendezvous at the lake - interrupted by the phone call? His sitting at Bobby's door? His relationship with John, in the room, being tied up - yet listening to the great detail of John's story about Patrick? His response? His reaction to Perry at the table? His being frank, open, comfortable in the nudity? The contrast with the backgrounds and styles of the older men? His future, his death?

13.John as a twin, his bitterness, his British background? The past relationship with Perry and the tensions? The relationship with Buzz and their being comfortable with each other? His bitching and his criticism? Playing the piano? The disputes at the table, arguments, being alone? His jealousy of James? Wanting his parents' affection? The importance of telling the story of Patrick and the seduction to Ramon? His opening up his deepest feelings? His being overheard by Perry and Buzz and his anger? The interchanges with James, the possibilities of a reconciliation before James's death?

14.The contrast with James, his being a twin, more gentle in his approach, the dramatic arrival, his style, the effect of AIDS? Tenderness, the friendship with Buzz? His illness and Buzz tending him? His coming to the rehearsal for the ballet? The effectiveness of John Glover acting the two parts - but their being rarely together (and the structure of the film to keep each of them out of scenes where the other was)?

15.The issue of the benefit, Perry not wanting to participate, the rehearsal of Swan Lake - and the context of looking forward to their deaths?

16.The finale, their going for the swim, the nudity, their sharing in the exhilaration of the form night and the swim? Moments of hope?