The Boys in the Band

( 6 )

Overview

"The Boys in the Band is not a musical" read the film's original advertisements. The film is set in the apartment of Michael Kenneth Nelson, a homosexual who holds a birthday party for his friend Harold Leonard Frey. As Michael and his gay buddies prepare for Harold's arrival, Michael's old college chum Alan Peter White makes a surprise appearance. Alan is straight, so Michael tells the revellers to watch their step. Alan's uptight reaction to gay Emory Cliff Gorman foments a confrontation. The embittered Michael...
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More About This Product

Overview

"The Boys in the Band is not a musical" read the film's original advertisements. The film is set in the apartment of Michael Kenneth Nelson, a homosexual who holds a birthday party for his friend Harold Leonard Frey. As Michael and his gay buddies prepare for Harold's arrival, Michael's old college chum Alan Peter White makes a surprise appearance. Alan is straight, so Michael tells the revellers to watch their step. Alan's uptight reaction to gay Emory Cliff Gorman foments a confrontation. The embittered Michael tries to prove that Alan is a latent homosexual by staging a perverse game in which all the partygoers are required to declare their affections for the persons that they love the most. As it turns out, the person most injured by this game is Michael himself, who is incapable of loving anyone. As the first major-studio production to deal frankly with homosexuality, every member of the show's original Broadway cast appears in the film, including Laurence Luckinbill as an out-of-the-closet husband and father.
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Special Features

Feature-length audio commentary by director William Friedkin; three featurettes, including "Act One: The Play," "Act Two: The Film," and Act Three: 40 Years of The Boys in the Band."
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Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide - Robert Firsching
This adaptation of Mart Crowley's stage play about a group of gay friends gathering for a birthday party seems quite dated now, but its wickedly clever dialogue and near-perfect pacing make it extremely entertaining. Although the literal translation from the stage results in somewhat static visuals, the ensemble cast is marvelous, particularly Cliff Gorman as the campy Emory and Leonard Frey as the snide Harold. One can forgive the film's concluding slide into self-loathing bathos as a product of its time, mainly because the rest of it is so witty and appealing, although claims that this is the gay Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? are not exaggerated. It's not a "feel-good" movie by any stretch, but it is perversely hilarious and quite a lot of shrewish fun.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 11/11/2008
  • UPC: 097368878549
  • Original Release: 1970

    • Rating:

  • Source: Paramount
  • Region Code: 1
  • Presentation: Wide Screen
  • Language: English
  • Time: 1:59:00
  • Format: DVD
  • Sales rank: 14,422

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Kenneth Nelson Michael
Frederick Combs Donald
Leonard Frey Harold
Cliff Gorman Emory
Reuben Greene Bernard
Robert La Tourneaux Cowboy
Laurence Luckinbill Hank
Keith Prentice Larry
Peter White Alan
Murray Melvin Alphonse
Technical Credits
William Friedkin Director
Mart Crowley Producer, Screenwriter
Dominick Dunne Executive Producer, Producer
William C. Gerrity Set Decoration/Design
Jerry Greenberg Editor
Jerry Greenberg Editor
Jack C. Jacobsen Sound/Sound Designer
Robert Jiras Executive Producer, Producer
Carl Lerner Editor
John Robert Lloyd Production Designer, Set Decoration/Design
Bob O'Bradovich Makeup
Arthur Ornitz Cinematographer
Shirley Russell Costumes/Costume Designer
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Menu

Disc #1 -- Boys in the Band
   Special Features
      Act One: The Play
      Act Two: The Film
      Act Three: 40 YEars of "Boys in the Band"
      Commentary
         With William Friedkin Featuring Mart Crowley: On
         With William Friedkin Featuring Mart Crowley: Off
   Play
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 5
( 6 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(5)

4 Star

(1)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

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1 Star

(0)

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Sort by: Showing all of 6 Customer Reviews

  • Posted October 1, 2010

    Still a Good Peek into "The Gay Life"

    I saw this movie when it was released. It was a ground breaking presentation. Nothing like it had been released before. The "Brokeback Mountain" of it's time. It's still a good movie. Some of the problems presented in the plot are still gay problems today. Has an interesting twist at the end. I still like this movie.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 14, 2008

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted February 18, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 22, 2008

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 19, 2008

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 31, 2008

    No text was provided for this review.

Sort by: Showing all of 6 Customer Reviews