The Boys in the Band

The Boys in the Band
Cinema Center Films
March 17, 1970
Dramedy
DVD
C+


While I of course recognize the historical (culturally as well as cinematically) importance of this film almost a half century later, I was on the C+/B- fence for most of it.  While there are good performances in it, I think my main problem is with the main character, Michael (Kenneth Nelson, who was in the stage cast, as were all the other performers).  While I'm fine with things being ambiguous and/or unresolved (like why Alan cries on the phone), I do feel a bit of bait & switch about Michael and about the tone of the film.  While the humor early on is self-deprecating and/or bitchy towards others, there is a sense of a close-knit group of friends, with two outsiders coming in and affecting things.  But Michael plays a cruel mind game that almost everyone goes along with, only minimally protesting.  People are hurt, including the unseen wife of the maybe-straight-maybe-not character.  The game turns out to be rooted in Michael's self-loathing, his need to punish others, even those he cares about.  And if this is a character study, fine, but why have the giddy moments, like the "Heatwave" dance number?  If Michael is a conflicted character, well, this is a conflicted film, perhaps inevitable given its time period.  (The new version coming out on Netflix this year hopefully still sets this in the Summer of 1968, because I don't think contemporary gay men have the same sort of psychological issues.)

Still, this is worth watching at least once, and I'm glad I finally got to see the clips I know from multiple viewings of Celluloid Closet in context.