Love! Valour! Compassion! (1997)

Gregory invites seven friends to spend the summer at his large, secluded 19th-century home in upstate New York. The seven are: Bobby, Gregory's "significant other," who is blind but who ... See full summary »

Director:

Joe Mantello

Writers:

Terrence McNally (play), Terrence McNally (screenplay)

Stars:

Jason Alexander, Stephen Spinella, Stephen Bogardus

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jason Alexander	...	Buzz Hauser
Stephen Spinella	...	Perry Sellars
Stephen Bogardus	...	Gregory Mitchell
Randy Becker	...	Ramon Fornos
John Benjamin Hickey	...	Arthur Pape
Justin Kirk	...	Bobby Brahms
John Glover	...	John Jeckyll, James Jeckyll

Storyline

Gregory invites seven friends to spend the summer at his large, secluded 19th-century home in upstate New York. The seven are: Bobby, Gregory's "significant other," who is blind but who loves to explore the home's garden using his sense of touch; Art and Perry, two "yuppies" who drive a Volvo and who celebrate their 14th anniversary together that summer; John, a dour expatriate Briton who loathes his twin brother James; Ramon, John's "companion," who is physically attracted to Bobby and immediately tries to seduce the blind man; James, a cheerful soul who is in the advanced stages of AIDS; and Buzz, a fan of traditional Broadway musicals who is dealing with his own HIV-positive status.

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Plot Keywords:

male frontal nudity | nudity | swimming | male nudity | homosexual | 

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Taglines:

Eight men. One summer. Figure it out.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for graphic nudity, some sexuality and strong language

Details

Official Sites:

Fine Line promotional site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 May 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ahava Ometz V'Hemla

Filming Locations:

805 - 835 Pointe Saint-Louis, Beauharnois, Québec, Canada

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$167,345, 18 May 1997, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$2,874,242, 10 August 1997

Company Credits

Production Co:

Krost/Chapin Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

John Glover won the 1995 Tony Award for Supporting or Featured Actor in a Drama, for "Love! Valour! Compassion!" and recreated the roles in this filmed production.

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Goofs

The play's theater company is mistyped in the credits as "Manattan Theatre Club"

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Quotes

Perry: One thing you are NOT is a big queen.
Arthur: You're right, I'm butch; I can catch a ball, I genuinely like both my parents, and I hate opera. I don't know why I bother being gay.

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Night Falls on Manhattan/Rudyard Kipling's the Second Jungle Book/Love! Valour! Compassion!/Sprung/A Chef in Love (1997)

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Soundtracks

Happy Anniversary To You
Written by Mildred J. Hill and Patty S. Hill

User Reviews

The Gay 'Stand by Me'

I have to wholehearted disagree that this film is disappointing. I found the characters interesting and deep. Yes - the gay men approach stereotypical roles in some instances, but they are developed over the course of the summer in a manner that mimics the boys in "Stand by Me". We see the changes in the relationships between nearly every pairing of the eight men. Some are in relationships; some were. Some hate each other; but they nearly all care about one another. This is the kind of movie that makes you reflect on your own human interactions. You don't have to be HIV+, a choreographer, a yuppie, a broadway queen, or even gay to see yourself in these characters. This is a fine exhibition of love, lust, friendship, and life.