Torch Song Trilogy (1988)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Paul Bogart

Writers (WGA):

Harvey Fierstein (play)
Harvey Fierstein (screenplay)

Release Date:

14 December 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

It takes a lot of guts and a helluva sense of humor to live life in Arnold's shoes.

Plot:

Tony Award-winning actor and playwright Harvey Fierstein re-creates his role as the unsinkable Arnold...

Plot Keywords:

Drag Queen | Homosexual | Male Prostitution | Autobiographical | Transvestism

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Anne Bancroft	...	Ma Beckoff
Matthew Broderick	...	Alan Simon
Harvey Fierstein	...	Arnold Beckoff
Brian Kerwin	...	Ed Reese
Karen Young	...	Laurel
Eddie Castrodad	...	David
Ken Page	...	Murray
Charles Pierce	...	Bertha Venation
Axel Vera	...	Marina Del Rey
Benji Schulman	...	Young Arnold Beckoff
Nick Montgomery	...	Chorus Boy #1
Robert Neary	...	Chorus Boy #2
Kim Clark	...	Female Bar Patron #1
Stephanie Penn	...	Female Bar Patron #2
Geoffrey Harding	...	Man with Lighter
Michael Bond	...	Bar Patron
Michael Warga	...	Bartender
Phil Sky	...	Man in Back Room
Lorry Goldman	...	Phil Beckoff
Edgar Small	...	Jacob Beckoff
Harriet C. Leider	...	Maitre D'
Paul Joynt	...	Club Heckler #1
Mitch David Carter	...	Club Heckler #2
Bob Minor	...	Gregory
Byron Deen	...	Roz
John Beckman	...	Cab Driver #1
Elliott T. Spar	...	Rabbi (as Rabbi Elliott T. Spar)
Alva Chinn	...	Photographer
Gregory Gilbert	...	Hustler
John Norman	...	Basher #1
Mark Zeisler	...	Basher #2
Peter Mackenzie	...	Young Man #1
Peter Nevargic	...	Young Man #2
Ted Hook	...	Old Man
Niall Gartlan	...	Boy in Fight
Catherine Blue	...	Teacher #1
John Branagan	...	Teacher #2
Tracy Bogart	...	Secretary at School
Frits De Knegt	...	Cab Driver #2 (as Firts de Knegt)

Directed by
Paul Bogart

Writing credits (WGA)
Harvey Fierstein		(play)
Harvey Fierstein		(screenplay)

Produced by
Marie Cantin	....	associate producer
Ronald K. Fierstein	....	executive producer
Howard Gottfried	....	producer

Cinematography by
Mikael Salomon

Film Editing by
Nicholas C. Smith

Casting by
Gail Levin
Lauren Lloyd

Production Design by
Richard Hoover

Art Direction by
Marcie Dale
Okowita

Set Decoration by
Michael Warga

Costume Design by
Colleen Atwood

Makeup Department
Carlos David Amador	....	hair styles supervisor
Nancy Berg	....	makeup artist: New York
Morey Greenberg	....	hair stylist: New York
David K. Jellison	....	assistant hair stylist
Christa Reusch	....	supervising makeup
Doreen F. Schultz	....	assistant makeup artist (as Doreen Schultz)

Production Management
Marie Cantin	....	production manager
Joe Fineman	....	post-production supervisor
Timothy Gray	....	assistant production supervisor
George Manasse	....	production manager: New York
Deborah Moore	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
J. Tom Archuleta	....	second assistant director (as Joaquin T. Archuleta)
Peter Bogart	....	first assistant director
Alan R. Green	....	assistant director
Douglas J. Kenny	....	second assistant director: New York (as Douglas Kenny)
Dennis Maguire	....	first assistant director
Drew Ann Rosenberg	....	second second assistant director: New York (as Drew Rosenberg)

Art Department
Doria Bartolucci	....	assistant art director
Harry Conrad Chitwood	....	construction foreman (as Conrad Chitwood)
Laurie Dalton	....	assistant property master
Denise Dugally	....	set dresser
Martha Fishkin	....	assistant property master: New York
David S. Ford	....	lead man
Robert Greenfield	....	set dresser
Ted Hardwick	....	swing gang
Sue Kauffman	....	assistant set decorator: New York
Terry Kempf	....	construction foreman
Andrew Lassman	....	property master: New York
Marleen Marta	....	set decorator: New York
Octavio Molina	....	lead man: New York
Chuck Parker	....	construction coordinator
Mark Paul Selemon	....	set dresser: New York (as Mark Seleman)
David Touster	....	property master
William Volker	....	scenic artist

Sound Department
Gregg Barbanell	....	foley artist
Gregory Choa	....	cable person
Harry Cohen	....	digital sound effects designer
Brian Geer	....	sound effects assistant
Patrick Giraudi	....	sound re-recording mixer: restoration
Lewis Goldstein	....	digital dialogue editor
Patrick M. Griffith	....	post-production sound supervisor
Tom Hartig	....	boom operator
Kristen Janusis	....	mixing assistant
Rob Luna	....	assistant dialogue editor
Steve Nelson	....	sound mixer
Terry O'Bright	....	foley recordist
Nancy Parker	....	foley artist
David Platt	....	boom operator: New York
Ken S. Polk	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gary Rich	....	sound mixer: New York
R. Russell Smith	....	sound effects editor (as Rusty Smith)
Evan Stone	....	second boom operator: New York
Ken Teaney	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jeff Vaughn	....	foley recordist

Special Effects by
Ray Massara	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Katherine M. Butler	....	second assistant camera
Dwight Campbell	....	gaffer
Saul Cohen	....	electrician: New York
Paul D. Fischer	....	best boy electric
Paul D. Fischer	....	best boy grip
Dave Footman	....	dolly grip
Dave Footman	....	grip
Charles Goodman	....	grip: New York
George Kontaxis	....	still photographer: New York
Jimmy Leavens	....	dolly grip
Todd Liebler	....	second assistant camera: New York
Chris Lombardi	....	first assistant camera
James M. McEwen	....	best boy electric
Stephen McNutt	....	camera operator: New York (as Steven McNutt)
Rex North	....	key grip: New York
Robert Nussbaum	....	electrician: New York
Michael Paris	....	still photographer
Scott H. Ramsey	....	rigging gaffer: New York (as Scott Ramsey)
Mike Reed	....	best boy electric: New York (as Michael Reed)
Andy Ryan	....	electrician
Darrell B. Sheldon	....	grip (as Darrell Sheldon)
Miles Strassner	....	grip: New York
Eric Swanek	....	first assistant camera: New York
Bryan Unger	....	best boy grip: New York
Kevin Wadowski	....	key grip
David Wood	....	electrician

Casting Department
Raelle Koota	....	extra casting: New York
Joy Todd	....	extra casting: New York

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Helen P. Butler	....	wardrobe supervisor: New York (as Helen Butler)
Johnny Foam	....	key costumer
Heidi Freundlich Gilles	....	assistant costume designer
Heidi Shulman	....	wardrobe assistant: New York

Editorial Department
Jon Altschuler	....	apprentice editor
John Ganem	....	assistant editor
Grant Gatzke	....	assistant editor
Jim Makiej	....	apprentice editor
Ray Martin	....	color timer
Chip Masamitsu	....	assistant editor
Ralph Milliken	....	negative cutter

Music Department
Tim Boyle	....	score mixer
Ami Hadani	....	music recordist
Larry L. Lash	....	music consultant
Peter Matz	....	composer: additional music
Peter Matz	....	conductor
Peter Matz	....	music adaptor
Allan K. Rosen	....	supervising music editor

Transportation Department
Jason Belsky	....	transportation captain
James Leavey	....	transportation captain: New York (as Jim Leavey)
Griff Ruggles	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Susan Agnoff	....	assistant location accountant
John Beckman	....	production assistant
Brett Botula	....	location manager
Diana Butler	....	assistant production coordinator: New York
Marissa Linn Carus	....	production assistant: New York (as Marissa Carus)
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot
Kevin Duncan	....	production assistant
John E. Gallagher	....	production assistant: New York (as John Gallagher)
Ron Gershon	....	promotions coordinator
Barry Gremillion	....	location manager
Eric Gruendemann	....	production auditor
Greg Hale	....	production assistant: New York
Jolene Hastings	....	assistant location coordinator
George Johnson	....	digital systems intergrater
Tony Kono	....	craft service: New York
Dave Krinsky	....	production assistant
Ilene S. Landress	....	assistant auditor: New York (as Ilene Landress)
Karen Altman Morgenstern	....	production coordinator
Elizabeth J. Nevin	....	production coordinator: New York
Phill Norman	....	title designer
Robert Parigi	....	production assistant
Scott Salmon	....	choreographer
Judith Saunders	....	script supervisor
Betsy Spanbock	....	assistant: Paul Bogart
Marge Sperling	....	production assistant: New York
Mira Tweti	....	unit publicist
Tim Tyler	....	location scout
Jayson Wall	....	film restoration coordinator (2003 restoration)
Bart Wenrich	....	location assistant: New York

Production Companies

• New Line Cinema (presented by)
• Howard Gottfried/Ronald K. Fierstein Production

Distributors

• New Line Cinema (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• New Line Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Kinokuniya (2004) (Japan) (DVD)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Creative Casting  extra casting: Los Angeles
• Devonshire Studios  music recording
• Filmtrucks  location equipment
• Metrocolor Film Labs  color
• Montage Group  video post-production
• Moviecam Super Rental  cameras and lenses
• On Time-Off Line  video playback
• Parker Star Security  security services
• Polydor  original soundtrack album published by
• Shaun's Craft Services  craft services
• The Academy of Ancient Music  music performers: "Brandenburg Concertos No. 3"
• Unique Catering  catering

Also Known As:

Amici, complici, amanti (Italy) [it]
Arnold (Finland) [fi]
Corações de Papel (Portugal) [pt]
Das Kuckucksei (West Germany) [de]
Essa Estranha Atração (Brazil) [pt]
Kakukktojás (Hungary) [hu]
Kenen kengissä seisot (Finland) [fi]
Muzyczna trylogia (Poland) [pl]
Trilogía de Nueva York (Spain) [es]

Runtime:

120 min | Brazil:114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Hebrew

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-14 (1989) | Finland:K-16 (1992) | Iceland:L | Canada:14A | Canada:G (Quebec) | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Denville, New Jersey, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

The farm scene was filmed at the Knuth Farm in Denville, NJ.

Quotes:

Ma: Friend-friend, or euphemism-friend?
David: He used to be a euphemism, now he's just a friend.

Movie Connections:

References What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)

Soundtrack:

Body and Soul

I knew there was a reason I bought this title...

I watched this movie (about 9 years ago -- in secret no less, while my parents were away) as a budding young gay man. I didn't quite catch much of the humor then, but something has compelled me to pick the title off the shelf once more. This is a truly outstanding movie; the characters are wonderful -- they will make you shed a tear or two or otherwise double over in laughter. I won't bore you with the plot synopsis or *my* take on it, just see it. It's truly one terrific film.

Sidebar: It just hit me this time around that I am the reincarnation of Arnold Beckoff...and I'm not even Jewish! Oi! =)