TORCH SONG TRILOGY

US, 1988, 120 minutes, Colour.
Harvey Fierstein, Anne Bancroft, Matthew Broderick, Brian Kerwin, Karen Young.
Directed by Paul Bogart.

Torch Song Trilogy is the film version of Harvey Fierstein's Tony-winning play. Feirstein has adapted the play himself and stars in the central role of Arnold, the New York Drag Queen, who has conflicts with his mother, his lovers and a prospective adopted son.

While the play focused on Arnold and was highly dramatic (and quite long), combining scarifying self-analysis with ironic humour, the film is opened out and, perhaps, softened in its impact.

There was criticism of the film that it was aid old-fashioned sentimental story, took very little notice of the '80s AIDS crisis. However, the setting of the plot is in the pre-AIDS period. The film is, in fact, finally dedicated to those involved in the struggle against AIDS.

The film re-creates the New York of the '30s and '80s. Fierstein is very interesting in the central role, an attractive yet abrasive character even in his voice. He makes the most of many of his own lines, especially in some soliloquies directly to the audience. Anne Bancroft personifies the Jewish mother as his aggressive and non-comprehending mother. There is a strong sequence between the two at the end (as in the play). Brian Kerwin is good as the doubtful Ed. Matthew Broderick is Allan.

There are more realistic suggestions of the gay bars than in the play and a presentation of Ed's farm. However, the dialogue is important and shows the portrait of a homosexual in contemporary society, self-doubt and self-hate, the need for relationships, the plea for some kind of respect if not understanding. On that level, the film works quite effectively, both seriously and humorously. Direction is by Paul Bogart, director of a few feature films, Mr Ricco, Class of '44, as well as many television shows.

1. The impact of this work of Harvey Fierstein: the play, the screenplay, the performance?

2. The world of New York in the '50s to the '80s, New York City, the gay world of New York, the streets, homes, school? The farm?

3. The importance of music: the burteqque during the credits, the music for the impersonation? Songs, popular songs ironically used, Our Love is Here to Stay, etc)? Arnold's performances and songs? Background score?

4. The title of the film, its reference to Arnold as a torch singer impersonator, his relationships?

5. Harvey Fierstein as Arnold: how autobiographical the writing and the performance? Arnold as a character, the boy and his dressing up in the closet, his relationship with his mother, the initial monologue and his comments on himself, jokes and bitterness, self-pity, resilience, irony? His job and his various names? His performance? Rilationships? The question of love and people meaning it? Hopeful and hopeless?

6. Arnold at work, getting made up, the dresses, his talk about himself and identifying himself as a drag queen? The other drag queens and their friendship with Arnold, the skill of their impersonations, the humour of their names? Talent, take-off? The range of audiences, homgeexual and heterosexual, their reactions? Positive, heckling? The queens and their changing to normal? Masculine/feminine? Their manner, talking? Their going shopping for the dresses and their camp style, especially with the shop assistant? The bonds between them and their depending an each other?

7. The gay bars, the types at the bars, 'Paradise' and the darkness, anonymous sexual encounters, Arnold and his wry comments? Returning there for self-destructive experiences?

8. Meeting Ed at the bar, Ed's approach, hesitant, smiling and youthful, Arnold's shy and uncertain reaction? Going off, the bond between the two, the development of the relationship, the two weeks anniversary, the comedy of going to Ed's farm anddthe hard work and cooking? Ed forgetting Arnold's birthday? His visit, the encounter with Laurel? The fight between the two? The nature of the argument, Ed's self-consciousness? Ed's return and the break-up? Ed and his bisexuality, deceiving himself, not telling his parents and keeping away from them? His relationship with Laurel, their living together? Reassuring himself? The decision to invite Allan and Arnold for the visit? The tensions at the picnic, going off with Allan and the eexual encouhter? Laurel's visit and telling Arnold, Arnold's being hurt? Ed and the confrontation? T11h eventual separation, Ed coming to live with Arnold and David? The encounter with Arnold's mother? His final declaration of love? A future with David and Arnold? The portrait of the gay man trying to insist that he is not, relying on the title of bisexual? The comments of Arnold's friends about the unreality of bisxuals?

9. Laurel and her broadmindedness, relationship with Ed, living together, inviting Allan and Arnold for the picnic, her going to tell Arnold the truth, the complex and mixed motived for her behaviour and relationships?

10. Allan at the show, the hecklers, the confrontation by the black man, Allan's fainting, Arnold taking him home, his return, joining them with the shopping? Their living together, the happiness, the visit to Ed and Laurel, the encounter with Ed? At home with Arnold, going out to do the shopping, rescuing the homosexual from the gay bashers? His death? Living in Arnold's memory, the portraits? Sharing in the funeral of Arnold's father? His character, the story of the past and his coming to New York, the change with Arnold? his youthfulness, hopes? Being buried with Arnold's family?

11. The decision to adopt David, Arnold going ahead with the plan, David and his backigound, the juvenile courts, the homosexuality? At school and the fight, Arnold coming in the bunny slippers, his dressing up to meet Ma his joking with Arnold as 'Mum', calling him 'Dad'? His behaviour towards Arnold's mother, with Ed, the possibilities of his being adopted and the repercussions for them all? Arnold as modelling gay life for David?

12. The sketch of Arnold's father and brother? His father's support but not understanding? The contract with his brother and family? The clash with his mother, Anne Bancroft embodying the Jewish mother, calling in on his birthday and commenting on what he should do, continuillu criticising hinL~ the phone call at the death of his father, sharing in the funeral, her wry remarks about Allan and his being Jewish? Going to Florida and wanting to die? Her coming back, the violent encounter with Daviddand the apology? Her anger with Arnold, especially at the cemetery? Her attacks on him about Allan, his way of life? Her reminiscing about her life with her husband, love? Criticism of Arnold and his relationships? Her staying, Ed's attempp to make peace? Her hearing his declaration of love? Her accusing Arnold of keeping her out of his life? The truth told between the two? The possibility of respect, love? Her final gesture to her son?

13. The portrait of Arnold: as a middle-aged man, his background, the pressure of the heterosexual world, his not making his own choice in life? Arnold and his growing up, self-image? The attraction towards Ed, the fulfilment in the relationship, his being hurt by Ed's self-deception, behaviour, breaking off? The impottance of Allan in his life, understanding, love? His grief at his death? The plan for adopting David, his acting as a parent (the modelling of his mother)? His concern about his mother, her arrival, his clashbs with her, especially about David? His attacks on her about her not understanding himself and his needs?. The impact of her criticisms and paralleling of his love for David with her love for her husband? His hearing her criticisms? The final reconciliation between the two? how secure?

14. The overall impact of the film for an audience to understand the homosexual man? In society? Pressures? The gay world? The gay bashers? Criticisms? The plea for respect? The film in the context of the development of AIDS during the '80s?