Behind the Candelabra (2013)

Based on the autobiographical novel, the tempestuous 6-year relationship between Liberace and his teenage lover, Scott Thorson, is recounted.

Director:

Steven Soderbergh

Writers:

Richard LaGravenese (screenplay), Scott Thorson (book)

Stars:

Matt Damon, Scott Bakula, Eric Zuckerman

Won 2 Golden Globes. Another 40 wins & 48 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Matt Damon	...	Scott Thorson
Scott Bakula	...	Bob Black
Eric Zuckerman	...	Lou
Eddie Jemison	...	Assistant Director
Randy Lowell	...	Director
Tom Roach	...	Stunt Actor
Shamus Cooley	...	Camera Assistant
John Smutny	...	Sound Mixer
Jane Morris	...	Rose Carracappa
Garrett M. Brown	...	Joe Carracappa
Michael Douglas	...	Liberace
Pat Asanti	...	George Liberace
Debbie Reynolds	...	Frances Liberace
Casey Kramer	...	Dora Liberace
Cheyenne Jackson	...	Billy Leatherwood

Storyline

Scott Thorson, a young bisexual man raised in foster homes, is introduced to flamboyant entertainment giant Liberace and quickly finds himself in a romantic relationship with the legendary pianist. Swaddled in wealth and excess, Scott and Liberace have a long affair, one that eventually Scott begins to find suffocating. Kept away from the outside world by the flashily effeminate yet deeply closeted Liberace, and submitting to extreme makeovers and even plastic surgery at the behest of his lover, Scott eventually rebels. When Liberace finds himself a new lover, Scott is tossed on the street. He then seeks legal redress for what he feels he has lost. But throughout, the bond between the young man and the star never completely tears.

---

Plot Keywords:

bisexual man | plastic surgery | pianist | gay adoption | boy toy | 

---

Taglines:

"Too much of a good thing is wonderful"

---

Genres:

Biography | Drama | Romance

---

Certificate:

TV-MA

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Japan]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 June 2013 (UK)

Also Known As:

Liberace

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jerry Weintraub Productions, HBO Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Liberace's Beverly Hills penthouse was shot on location in the actual apartment space. The art department was able to recreate the apartment's original black and metallic look based on photos provided by the owner (who was a huge Liberace fan).

---

Goofs

In the shopping montage set in 1977 a California license plate with a 1AAA111 format is shown. California did not use this format until 1980.

---

Quotes

Carlucci: [goes outside to deliver Scott some food] He made you a pesto panini.
Scott Thorson: Oh. Did you, uh... did you bring my Fresca?
[Carlucci says nothing, looks disapprovingly at him]
Scott Thorson: What?
Carlucci: [sighs] Here's what's gonna happen. You listening? You think you're so hot and sexy with your hard ass and that bisexual bullshit. You know how many there have been? Bobby, Hans, Chase, oh and some country boy stripper who was so dumb, he wore his G-string backwards. He got rid of all of them, but I'm still here. And one day, ...

---

Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Cannes Film Festival 2013 (2013)

---

Soundtracks

Living Inside Myself
Written and Performed by Gino Vannelli
Courtesy of Arista Contemporary/RCA Records
By arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User Reviews

Master Class

By sheer coincidence, just two nights prior to the debut of 'Behind the Candelabra', I had the pleasure of viewing one of my favorite films, 1965's 'The Loved One', in which Liberace played 'Mr.Starker', a casket salesman. So it was with Liberace's voice, image and mannerisms fresh in my mind that I encountered Michael Douglas' portrayal of the man and boy, did he nail it.

The story itself is pretty much by the numbers with the kind of shorthand one expects from a TV movie bio; it's the performances that bring this to a certain level of greatness. Douglas all but disappears into the role, right from the start. It's truly an amazing thing to watch, and considering the subject, a brave and unapologetic performance. Matt Damon is equally impressive and while I have no idea if he does the real Scott Thorson justice, his transformation from an eager and innocent young man to a jaded, coked-up and surgically altered paranoid boy-toy is stark and convincing. Add to these chameleon-like performances an unrecognizable Debbie Reynolds and a truly unnerving Rob Lowe and you have two hours of truly compelling, master-class performances.

Highly recommended.