Longtime Companion (1990)

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 | Homosexual | 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
Margo Skinner	...	Casting Director
Eric Gutierrez	...	Disco Bartender
Brad O'Hare	...	Waiter
Philip Moon	...	Restaurant Bartender
Hazel Medina	...	Triage Nurse (as Hazel J. Medina)
Annie Golden	...	Herion Addict
Freda Foh Shen	...	Nurse with Addict
Alexandra Neil	...	Soap Actress
Kelly Connell	...	Man with Soap Script
Rajika Puri	...	Dr. Seth
Brent Barrett	...	Soap Actor
Keith Charles	...	Martin
Dan Butler	...	Walter
Robi Martin	...	Transvestite
Robert Joy	...	Ron
Tony Shalhoub	...	Paul's Doctor
Pi Douglass	...	Henry (as Pi Douglas)
Dan Golden	...	Gym Instructor (as Sam Silver)
David Drake	...	GMHC Volunteer
Michael Carmine	...	Alberto
Melora Creager	...	Finger Lakes Trio
Jesse Hultberg	...	Finger Lakes Trio
Lee Kimble	...	Finger Lakes Trio
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Emily Cutler	...	Wild Waitress (uncredited)
Burke Morgan	...	Party guest at main table (uncredited)
Peter Riga	...	Beachgoer (uncredited)
Frank Stewart	...	Mourner (uncredited)

Directed by
Norman René

Writing credits
Craig Lucas		(written by)

Produced by
Lydia Dean Pilcher	....	co-producer
Lindsay Law	....	executive producer
Stan Wlodkowski	....	producer

Original Music by
Greg De Belles		(as Greg DeBelles)

Cinematography by
Tony C. Jannelli		(director of photography) (as Tony Jannelli)

Film Editing by
Katherine Wenning

Casting by
Natalie Hart
Jason La Padura		(as Jason LaPadura)

Production Design by
Andrew Jackness

Art Direction by
Ruth Ammon

Set Decoration by
Kate Conklin

Costume Design by
Walker Hicklin

Makeup Department
Jim Conte	....	hair color: Gerard Bollie Salon, N.Y.
Joe Dal Corso	....	hair designer
John Dods	....	special effects makeup consultant
Nina Port	....	makeup designer
Meredith Soupios	....	additional makeup artist

Production Management
Lydia Dean Pilcher	....	production manager
Cecilia Kate Roque	....	unit production manager: reshoots (as Cecilia Roque)
Eve Silvester	....	unit manager (as Eve M. Silvester)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dolly Hall	....	second second assistant director
Noga Isackson	....	second assistant director
Howard McMaster	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Ariane Burgess	....	set dresser
Jim Collier	....	set dresser (as James Collier)
Alison Cornyn	....	set dresser
Matthew Ebert	....	set dresser (as Matt Ebert)
Nancy Friedman	....	assistant set decorator
Mark Harrington	....	set dresser
Lauren Helpern	....	art department assistant
Paul Kramer	....	set dresser
Martin Lasowitz	....	property master
Lana Lin	....	art department assistant
Kelly Reichardt	....	assistant props
Susan Rosenthal	....	art department assistant
Lauren Waldron	....	art department assistant (as Lauren Waldren)
Andrew Watts	....	art department assistant

Sound Department
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist
Paul Cote	....	sound mixer
Stuart Goldstein	....	apprentice sound editor
Jack Haigis	....	sound effects editor
Raymond Karpicki	....	dialogue editor (as Ray Karpicki)
Neil L. Kaufman	....	adr editor (as Neil Kaufman)
George A. Lara	....	foley mixer
Tommy Louie	....	boom operator
Greg Sheldon	....	supervising sound editor
Michael Shore	....	assistant sound editor
Paul P. Soucek	....	sound effects editor (as Paul Soucek)
Mel Zelniker	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Steve Paley	....	special effects makeup assistant

Camera and Electrical Department
Holly Bower	....	still photographer
Phil Devonshire	....	gaffer (as Philip Devonshire)
Pedro Hernández	....	grip
Patrick Higgins	....	electrician
Richard Ludwig	....	grip
Bruce MacCallum	....	first assistant camera
Rick Marroquin	....	grip
Peter Marzulli	....	electrician
John Joseph Minardi	....	grip (as John Minardi)
Tom O'Halloran	....	second assistant camera
Katherine Ruppe	....	camera production assistant
Gabor Szitanyi	....	still photographer
William J. Taylor	....	key grip (as William Taylor)

Casting Department
William Baraket	....	extras casting assistant
Adine Duron	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Laurie Buehler	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Laurie J. Buehler)
Alan Flusser	....	dress suits: Patrick Cassidy & Stephen Caffrey
Erin Hennessy	....	costume assistant
Alyson Hui	....	wardrobe associate
Audrey E. Lamb	....	costume intern

Editorial Department
Kent Blocher	....	assistant film editor
David Grotell	....	editing intern
Andrew Marcus	....	associate film editor
Nancy Novack	....	editing intern
Stan Sztaba	....	negative matcher

Music Department
Larold Rebhun	....	scoring mixer
Lia Vollack	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Michael Vasquez	....	driver

Other crew
Lisa Alkofer	....	craft service
Scott Alpert	....	production assistant
Tracy Atkinson	....	production assistant
Roni Ben-Nevat	....	set production assistant
Margaret Bridger	....	assistant to producer
Matt Bucy	....	production assistant
Antonio Costa	....	location assistant
Randy Danson	....	dialogue coach
John Dowdell	....	film-to-tape transfer (as John J. Dowdell III)
John Duffy	....	script supervisor
Karen Eisenstadt	....	production auditor
Nathan Gendzier	....	assistant location manager
Gina Genova	....	production office coordinator
Sherry Greenberg	....	office assistant
Rob Hallenbake	....	key production assistant (as Robert Hallenbake)
Margie Howard	....	assistant to director
Lee LeTicia	....	set production assistant
Shira Levin	....	production assistant
Maura McKeown	....	production assistant
Timothy S. Melester	....	medical consultant (as Timothy S. Melester M.D.)
Carlos Moore	....	production assistant
Jo Nguyen	....	assistant production office coordinator
Louis Perez	....	production assistant
Lyn Pinezich	....	location scout
Stephen Rodner	....	production attorney: Pryor, Cashman, Sherman & Flynn
Ira Sachs	....	assistant to director
Dennis Salomone	....	teamster captain
Victoria Schatz	....	production assistant
Blake Simpson	....	production assistant
Greg Skoorka	....	parking coordinator

Production Companies

• American Playhouse
• Companion Productions
• Samuel Goldwyn Company, The

Distributors

• Samuel Goldwyn Company, The (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1991) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• MGM Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Albert G. Ruben and Company  production insurance
• Goblin Market Film Services Inc.  lighting equipment
• Match Cut Film Services  negative cutting
• Video 35  24 frame video services

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:

The title refers to the only way that newspapers at the time would allow a gay man's lover to be listed in an obituary.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the segment marked, "July 3, 1981," people dance to the song "Do You Want to Funk?", released by Sylvester in 1982.

Quotes:

Bartender: What do you want?
John: I'll have the sweat of that hairy man's brow, thank you.

Movie Connections:

References "Dynasty" (1981)

Soundtrack:

Bourée

A milestone of gay cinema

A landmark film, not only in that it is the first film to deal with the AIDS crisis, but also in its portrayal of gay men and their friends. Sitting on the cusp between earlier depictions of gays as murderous or suicidal and later caricatures of funny, sexless "best friends", the men shown here are very real and very honest in their decade long struggle with death and illness. I defy you to watch Bruce Davison's heartbreaking farewell speech and not be choked up on some level of emotion. And Mary Louise Parker add a special touche. This movie has arguably the greatest final scene in gay cinema.