The Boys In The Band (1970) 2/12

The highly quotable campy gay classic from the last days of the era before the Stonewall Riots. Michael (Kenneth Nelson) throws a birthday party for Harold (Leonard Frey) and invites their crowd of gay friends. In attendance are Donald (Frederick Combs), whose homosexuality has put him into therapy; Emory (Cliff Gorman), a flaming queen; Bernard (Reuben Greene), a black bookstore clerk; Hank (Laurence Luckinbill), a teacher who's separated from his wife; and Larry (Keith Prentice), his boyfriend, who doesn't think their relationship should mean that he has to stop sleeping around. Things are complicated by the arrival of Alan (Peter White), Michael's presumably straight friend from collegee, and Cowboy (Robert La Tourneaux), a prostitute who is Emory's birthday present for Harold.

Written by Mart Crowley and based on his play of the same name, directed by William Friedkin, who went on to direct The Exorcist. Tragically, several of the cast members are now dead from AIDS. Rated R for a lot of sex talk and a brief bare butt shot.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• the
• boys
• in
• band
• gay

[sookiestackhouse2u]

Every single actor in this film died of AIDS except Emory (who was straight and died of cancer). How terrible........

[marauderthesn]

Nope. The actors playing Hank, Alan and Bernard are all still alive.

[jivillasenor]

It's a shame none of these actors were nominated for an Oscar.

[mthivier]

Kenneth Nelson could have been nominated too. His scene during Michael's anxiety attack at the end of the movie was very powerful.

[2degucitas]

@BlakeVII Oh, good! I was saying it in a friendly way, like a nurse or waitress. May I refill your coffee, hon??

[2degucitas]

@PeterFormaini Seriously!!!! Good for you!!

[BlakeVII]

@2degucitas I like it when people call me hon, baby or babe

Makes me feel good!

[2degucitas]

@MooPotPie Nice trivia, thanks!!

[2degucitas]

@BlakeVII Yes there is, hon. I just watched it. Go to "marauderthesn" channel. It's there.

[elliottrainbow]

At 2:08, when Michael says there was no Shubert Theatre in Hot Coffee, Mississippi, I always have to smile. I grew up in Mississippi, about ten miles from that very place. The writer of the play, Mart Crowley, is from Mississippi. I truly love this movie. It's the best gay movie of all-time, at least to me.

[BlakeVII]

Aww.... c'mon!!! Restore the first part to the movie. There's no part 1/12.

[MooPotPie]

The fat woman at 4:12 was the legendary Elaine Kaufman (1929-2010), owner of Elaine's Restaurant in an uncredited cameo. The restaurant will close 5-26-11, six months after her death at 81.