Longtime Companion (1990)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Norman René

Writer:

Craig Lucas (written by)

Release Date:

21 September 1990 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Perhaps the first film to put a human face on the AIDS epidemic, Longtime Companion follows the lives...

Plot Keywords:

Disease | New York Times | Longtime Companion | Obituary | Fire Island

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 6 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Campbell Scott	...	Willy
Patrick Cassidy	...	Howard
John Dossett	...	Paul
Mary-Louise Parker	...	Lisa
Stephen Caffrey	...	Fuzzy
Tanya Berezin	...	Office Manager
Welker White	...	Rochelle
Michael Piontek	...	Office Worker
Joyce Reehling	...	Office Worker
Bruce Davison	...	David
Mark Lamos	...	Sean
Dermot Mulroney	...	John
Michael Schoeffling	...	Michael
Brian Cousins	...	Bob
Marceline Hugot	...	Soap Opera Reader

Runtime:

96 min (approx)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 | Iceland:L | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:M | Finland:K-14 | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Fire Island, Long Island, New York, USA

Company:

American Playhouse

Trivia:

In the poster art and DVD cover, the image of the guys walking on the beach has been altered - some might say censored. In the scene where the poster/cover image is taken from in the movie, the character "Fuzzy" is wearing an ACT-UP t-shirt that depicts two sailors kissing with the tag line that read "Read My Lips", a play on then President Bush's "Read My Lips, No New Taxes" slogan. In the cover art, the t-shirt graphic has been removed so that he only has a blank white t-shirt now. In the film scene, in contrast to the poster scene, "Fuzzy" also has shaved off his beard.

Goofs:

Continuity: Willy comes out with a bottle of wine and holds it at the neck, pouring. When the camera changes for a closeup of the pouring he then holds it by the base of the bottle.

Quotes:

Fuzzy: What do you think happens when we die?
Willy: We get to have sex again.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Creeping Terror (#7.6)" (1994)

Soundtrack:

Walking on Sunshine

Spellbinding

I saw this film one night on my local PBS station not knowing what it was about. When the film opens on a crowded disco soundtracked Fire Island (1980) and I realized it was a gay themed film I was about to turn it off being a hetero male, I figured nothing here to relate too. WRONG. I stuck with the film and probably have to rate this as one of my top 10 movies ever. WOW did this film floor me! It follows a group of gay friends and lovers (and a hetero gal pal)through the AIDS plagued 80's decade. This film is truly written with insight and compassion. I found all the characters interesting and realistic with the actors portraying them excellently as well (especially Campbell Scott and Bruce Davidson). The scene with Davidson bringing his lover to his death is heartfelt and emotional but the scene at the end with the 3 survivors walking now on a silent deserted Fire Island beach as all their friends(and others) who died from AIDS milling about as they remembered them brought a lot of tears to my eyes. It is how all of us as humans try to remember those we love who have passed. I recommend this movie to all people both gay and straight because it is a film that transcends these labels and speaks to us as just humans,all in this mystery called life, as one.