A Very Natural Thing (1974)

A poignant romantic drama examines the life of gay 26 year old, ex-monk, school teacher living in Manhattan. When he meets a man at a gay bar, they connect and are soon living together. Unfortunately their views on monogamy don't match.

Director:

Christopher Larkin

Writers:

Joseph Coencas (screenplay), Joseph Coencas (story),

Stars:

Robert McLane, Curt Gareth, Bo White

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert McLane	...	David (as Robert Joel)
Curt Gareth	...	Mark
Bo White	...	Jason
Anthony McKay	...	Gary, the Roommate
Marilyn Meyers	...	Valerie, his Fiance
Jay Pierce	...	Alan
Barnaby Rudge	...	Hughey
A. Bailey Chapin	...	Minister
Scott Eisman	...	Student
Michael Kell	...	Boating Family
Sheila Rock	...	Boating Family
Linda Weitz	...	Boating Family
Robert Grillo	...	Edgar
Howard Blakey	...	Charles (as Kurt Brandt)
George Diaz	...	Miguel

Storyline

When David, an ex-monk still in his twenties meets Mark, he falls hard; soon he's asked Mark if they can live together. Things go well for awhile, and then differences in their definition of "commitment" begin to push them apart. Mark wants other sexual adventures, David tries to go along. Can they talk through the crisis in their relationship or is a breakup in the offing? David sees his relationship with Mark as a marriage, so if it ends, can David's heart ever heal?

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Plot Keywords:

ex monk | monogamy | teacher | gay bar | commitment | 

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Taglines:

David and Jason's relationship... it's the same only different.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 June 1974 (USA)

Also Known As:

For As Long As Possible

Filming Locations:

Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Montage Creations

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min 86 min (special edition)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Did You Know?

Trivia

Christopher Larkin, the film's writer/director/producer, committed suicide on June 21, 1988.

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Connections

Featured in Vito (2011)

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Soundtracks

"Entrata After William Byrd"
By Carl Orff
(By Special Permission of Belwin-Mills Publishing Corp.)

User Reviews

One of the Best Gay Movies Ever

I was genuinely surprised by how good this film is, especially given that it was made only a few years after Stonewall. The portrayal of the relationships the protagonist has was very moving and real, the psychological depth much more complex than most films that are made today, gay or straight. Of all the movies I've seen in my life, I have never seen so many beautiful images of gay male love that are so celebratory and happy. It's like a Walt Whitman love poem brought to vivid life. The movie is worth seeing just for the last five minutes alone.

The film is also an incredible historical archive. Some of my favorite sequences were interviews made with people on the street during the 1973 "Christopher Street Pride Parade," probably among the first Pride festivals ever. Many of the comments made could have been said today. This film shows a slice of life at the beginning of the gay sexual revolution, and at the same time deals with all the complicated issues of falling in love that remain timeless. That it shows life before AIDS also adds a layer of poignancy that the filmmakers could never have planned for.

I was sad to see that the principal figures in the movie, the actors and director, didn't do much more cinema work beyond this film. I hope they know they created a very special film that still can touch one's heart.