An Early Frost

TV Movie
19851985
1h 35m

Ben Gazzara, Aidan Quinn, Gena Rowlands, and Sylvia Sidney in An Early Frost (1985)

On this IMDbrief, we'll download the history of the first movies to raise our collective awareness of HIV/AIDS.

How Movies and TV Shaped Our Perception of HIV/AIDS

A young lawyer hasn't told his parents about his homosexuality. Now he must tell them--at a time when the diagnosis was still a death sentence--that he has AIDS.A young lawyer hasn't told his parents about his homosexuality. Now he must tell them--at a time when the diagnosis was still a death sentence--that he has AIDS.A young lawyer hasn't told his parents about his homosexuality. Now he must tell them--at a time when the diagnosis was still a death sentence--that he has AIDS.

Director
- John Erman
Writers
- Ron Cowen(teleplay)
- Daniel Lipman(teleplay)
- Sherman Yellen(story)
Stars

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

Won 4 Primetime Emmys
- 9 wins & 14 nominations total

Videos1

How Movies and TV Shaped Our Perception of HIV/AIDS

How Movies and TV Shaped Our Perception of HIV/AIDS

Photos27

Ben Gazzara as Nick Pierson, Gena Rowlands as Katherine Pierson, Aidan Quinn as Michael Pierson

Aidan Quinn in An Early Frost (1985)

Aidan Quinn in An Early Frost (1985)

Aidan Quinn and Terry O'Quinn in An Early Frost (1985)

Aidan Quinn in An Early Frost (1985)

Aidan Quinn in An Early Frost (1985)

Aidan Quinn and D.W. Moffett in An Early Frost (1985)

Aidan Quinn and D.W. Moffett in An Early Frost (1985)

Aidan Quinn in An Early Frost (1985)

Aidan Quinn and Terry O'Quinn in An Early Frost (1985)

Aidan Quinn and D.W. Moffett in An Early Frost (1985)

Ben Gazzara and Aidan Quinn in An Early Frost (1985)

It's My Party

7.2

Longtime Companion

7.6

Longtime Companion

Torch Song Trilogy

7.7

Torch Song Trilogy

Parting Glances

7.2

Parting Glances

Making Love

6.9

And the Band Played On

7.8

And the Band Played On

Jeffrey

6.8

Our Sons

6.9

Love! Valour! Compassion!

7.0

Love! Valour! Compassion!

Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss

6.7

Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss

In the Gloaming

7.1

In the Gloaming

Big Eden

7.3

Set in the mid-eighties Michael Pierson, a young gay man, is struck with AIDS in the prime of his life. He's forced to be open about the disease and his homosexuality for the first time with his co-workers (he's a successful lawyer) and family. He, and the people around him, must face up to the inevitablity of his death and the disease that's killing him. "An Early Frost" was many people's first look at an AIDS victim as a human being instead of a statistic. —Susan Southall <stobchatay@aol.com>

kaposi's sarcoma united states of america united states usa sida 83 more

Genre
- Drama
Parents guide
- Add content advisory

Trivia
In the DVD commentary, Aidan Quinn ("Michael") remembers that NBC's Standards and Practices department (the network censors) were a constant (in Quinn's words, "hovering") presence on the set. They regulated matters such as Quinn appearing in bed with D.W. Moffett ("Peter")--they would not allow the two to be seen together in the characters' bed, only for Quinn to be in bed while Moffett sat, fully clothed, on its edge. Quinn says in the commentary that the censors were not only adamant that the two men were never allowed to kiss, but also that any physical contact between them had to be "balanced" by Michael's contact with his parents.

Quotes
Michael Pierson: It's not just pneumonia, mom. I have AIDS.
Katherine Pierson: AIDS?
Michael Pierson: It's a disease...
Nick Pierson: Yeah, I know what it is.
Katherine Pierson: Michael, that's impossible. Who told you such a thing?
Michael Pierson: The doctors did their tests.
Katherine Pierson: No, AIDS is that disease...
Michael Pierson: I'm gay, mom.

Connections
Featured in The 38th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1986)

Top review

10/10

Still absorbing 23 years after it was released

It's hard to believe that 'An Early Frost' was made for TV in 1985. I watched it for the first time on 11 November 2008 - 23 years after it was released - and I found it surprisingly fresh and enduring. Although it's an important historic record of the early response to AIDS (and for that reason alone is worth watching) it's more an exploration of family love and courage. The script is well-written, production values are high and the acting is uniformly excellent. Sylvia Sidney won a Golden Globe for her part as the grandmother, but the other main actors including Aidan Quinn (as the young man suffering from AIDS), Ben Gazzara and Gena Rowlands (playing his parents) are all excellent. A very rewarding experience.

helpful•9

0

Dukesquay
Nov 11, 2008

Release date
- November 11, 1985 (United States)
Country of origin
- United States
Language
- English
Also known as
- Rani mraz
Filming locations
- USA
Production company
- NBC Productions
See more company credits at IMDbPro

Runtime
1 hour 35 minutes
Color
- Color
Sound mix
- Mono
Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1

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Jun 29Deadline Film + TV

Ben Gazzara, Aidan Quinn, Gena Rowlands, and Sylvia Sidney in An Early Frost (1985)

Top Gap

What is the broadcast (satellite or terrestrial TV) release date of An Early Frost (1985) in Australia?

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