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Torch Song Trilogy (1988) More at IMDbPro »

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50 reviews in total

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18 out of 20 people found the following review useful:
Preaching to the Converted, but How Sweet it Is, 20 September 1998

Author: Phatima from Doha, Qatar

TST is like Harvey Fierstein himself: you love it or you loathe it; I love it. Preachy and heavy-handed as "Torch" is at times, it's also a brilliant, hilarious, and truly heartfelt look at how gay men love each other and their families. Arnold Beckoff, like Harvey, apologizes to no one for who and what he his, and his pride is infectious. And Matthew Broderick, as Arnold's model lover, has never been more appealing.

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18 out of 21 people found the following review useful:
I knew there was a reason I bought this title..., 17 March 2001

Author: antares74 from Massachusetts

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! =)

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15 out of 16 people found the following review useful:
Powerful, Touching, Emotional, A Must See, 10 March 1999

Author: (drakkar@hockey.net) from Saint Paul MN

Harvey Fierstein, Anne Bancroft, Matthew Broderick and Brian Kerwin combine in a bitter-sweet comedy-drama set in the 1970's, concluding in 1980. The "Trilogy" is a collection of 3 specific pieces blended together telling the saga of Arnold Beckoff (Fierstein). The story revolves around love, relationships and family - something everyone can relate to. It was a movie before its time when it premiered in 1988. It is straight-forward and to the point. It will make you laugh and cry and understand the true meaning of love and respect. Harvey Fierstein & Anne Bancroft (Arnold's Mother) are outstanding in their roles! A must see for anyone trying to understand the complexity of love, with themselves, significant others and their family. A well-done adaption to the screen from theatre. Add this video to your collection! "I love you...enough."

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14 out of 15 people found the following review useful:
Excellent, superb film - in its genre, 15 March 1999
Author: Meredith P. (Etoile) from Washington, DC

I absolutely love this movie. It certainly was created for gay men, but as a lesbian, I feel a kinship with other gay people, and I believe this is an excellent movie. The depiction of female impersonators is genuine, and doesn't give the false glamourpuss view that probably causes many outsiders to think all drag queens are just like RuPaul (nothing against her, she's a diva, but not everyone has so much money!). The portrayal of a relationship involving one gay person and one bisexual person is also beautifully realistic. Ann Bancroft's performance as the Ma is stunning. I believe this movie would also appeal to open-minded heterosexuals who may not have too much involvement with our culture, as it depicts a grittier side of life than the commonly-seen rich gay boy lifestyle. (Movie viewers with an eye toward the cinematography of films will also enjoy the artistry presented here.)

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11 out of 12 people found the following review useful:
*THE* quintessential gay film, 29 January 1999

Author: Owen Blacker from London, England

This film is, undoubtedly, *the* quintessential gay film.

If you even claim to know gay people you should see this film. I used to help run a youth group for under 25s dealing with their sexuality and we screened this film four times in two years.

I have seen this film more times than almost any other film and it still never fails to move me. Take your Kleenex, this'll make you cry! :o)

WATCH IT -- IT'S EXCELLENT!

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9 out of 9 people found the following review useful:
Harvey Fierstein's brilliant depiction of gay life in the late seventies, 20 March 2000

Author: armstrongd from Detroit Metro, MI

A touching portrayal of the difficulties involved in family relationships among gays. Noteworthy performances by Fierstein, Broderick and Bancroft. Lotsa laughs and tears. An underground film that deserves more attention. Daring and disturbing, this film examines the trying reality of being rejected by family, friends and co-workers for no other reason than homosexuality.

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10 out of 11 people found the following review useful:
Wonderfully deep, 15 July 2002

Author: (sibie@aol.com) from Cambridge, Vermont

This film is very deep and superbly acted. It requires a viewer with a heart, but once you got that working you will surely fall into this touching drama. What is most appealing about this film is its realism and the fact that scenes of heartfelt drama are followed by light hearted humour, leading one easily through this well designed

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7 out of 8 people found the following review useful:
A great movie from a wonderful play, 3 November 2000
Author: aquanaut from California

Torch Song Trilogy is so called because its acts were originally presented one-by-one, months apart, at the off-Broadway La Mama Theater. It is done with a sparse set and few props, letting the incredibly funny, amazingly touching script fuel the play.

The movie version is done much more realistically, and it works! Things that are merely discussed in the play are shown to viewers. The cast is wonderfully realistic (Brian Kerwin is a bit stiff, but it works for the character of Ed.) and the script is just as good as the stage play. So many books and plays are adapted into something that is barely recognizable, but Fierstein makes his own script into something even more special.

The story benefits from the larger scope allowed by the movie.

We get to SEE the drag club, the bars, Arnold's (bunny-motif) apartment, Ed's country house and other locations merely hinted at in the play. The scenes that take place during and after the visit to the country house are somewhat confusing on stage, performed in a huge bed, but are beautifully edited in the movie. Best of all is Arnold's best friend, Murray, only talked about in the stage production. But in the movie, he's brought to magnificent life by Ken Page, filling the screen with his usual warmth and wit.

Harvey Fierstein has said that he hopes TST is like an Indian dress, made beautiful by all the little mirrors that decorate it. And truly, it is seeing and hearing *ourselves* that makes this script sparkle. You don't have to be a female impersonator to understand love and loss and laughter. This is NOT just a movie for gay men.

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5 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
Best gay film ever made, 21 December 2004

Author: laura from Ireland

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Watching this many years after I originally saw the film, one thing I notice is how so many of Firstein's one liners have become common statements. This wasn't cliché: Firstein himself wrote many of the comments that now are commonly held as gospel for queer people everywhere. My favourite scene is the last one, the beautifully scripted showdown between Firstein's Arnold, and Ann Bancroft's Ma. Bancroft is so well cast as Ma - the tiredness, the lack of understanding - such a human picture. Thats what makes this picture so special - all characters are human. Even Allan, far from being perfect, is not quite perfect.

My other favourite scene in this film is the lovely seduction of Arnold by Ed to the tunes of Rod Stewart. In fact every time I hear the song "Maggie" I think of this scene with Arnold's nervousness and bashful coyness. And I saw in the DVD edition that the street where Broderick's Alan is beaten to death was also one where the unprovoked murder of gay people is a reality - this makes the last part of the ambulance scene where Arnold is barely able to walk after seeing Alan's bloodied body, almost real.

I think this is the best gay file ever made. It is certainly dated, with the corporate imposed restrictions on the showing of gayness, but the story is so beautifully crafted. You realise how pathetic commercial fests aimed at straight people like "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" is after seeing this: the message Harvey Firstein wrote in 1983 is still relevant today.

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2 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
Excellent adaptation of the plays, 17 February 2005

Author: dwr246 from United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

The movie exhibits the same careful story telling as the play, which should come as no surprise, considering that Harvey Fierstein wrote the screenplay. It is an uncompromisingly honest - and occasionally brutal - portrait of a New York drag queen. And it is told as only Harvey Fierstein can tell it.

Our first introduction to Arnold Beckoff (Benji Schulman in this scene) is his mother finding him in her closet at age six, wearing her clothes and make-up. This sets the tone for their relationship throughout the movie, as Arnold (Harvey Fierstein) and his mother (Anne Bancroft) have a wonderfully portrayed love-hate relationship throughout the film. The movie follows a grown-up Arnold through the major relationships in his life: Ed (Brian Kerwin), a closeted school teacher who leaves Arnold to marry a woman; Alan (Matthew Broderick, graduating from the role of David in the stage play), a model who loves Arnold as much as Arnold loves him, but who is murdered by bat-wielding thugs; David (Eddie Castrodad), the son Arnold adopts following Alan's death; and ultimately Arnold's mother, with whom he attempts to have an honest relationship despite her openly disapproval of him. Things come to a head with his mother during a visit to the cemetery where she cruelly berates Arnold for praying over Alan's grave, telling him that he has no right to compare his "playing around with a little boy," to her "thirty-five year marriage." Arnold's response to her ultimately becomes the catalyst through which they work out their differences.

Fierstein's desire for integrity in his story is apparent throughout the movie. The script neither shies away from, nor pretties up difficult issues. The characters are fully developed, and each acts from an internal logic that is readily understandable to the viewer, whether or not we agree with their choices. The humor doesn't take away from the seriousness of the themes covered, but rather serves as a contrast to highlight them.

The acting is exemplary. Fierstein is brilliant as Arnold, but then, he had plenty of practice. Anne Bancroft gives an edgy performance as a mother who wants to love her son, but has trouble accepting him for what he is. In spite of her unforgivable cruelty to her son in the graveyard, you do forgive her when she tells Arnold, "You shut me out of your life and then blamed me for not being there!" She then goes on to share her own wisdom on loss with him, healing the breach for once and all. Matthew Broderick gives a wonderful performance in a part with little screen time, but huge impact. His portrayal of Alan's love for Arnold is real, and as satisfying a romance as one could want to see on the big screen. Brian Kerwin plays Ed's confusion to perfection.

This movie was among the first to offer up gay characters who are honest and unashamed about their sexuality. That alone would make it a must see, but this movie is also highly entertaining, sparkling with humor, wit, and unforgettable drag scenes. A movie that should be watched every so often to remind us that, no matter what clothes you wear, all of us are the same underneath.

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