Some of My Best Friends Are. . .
(1971)
R | 109 mins | Drama | October 1971
Cast:
Tom Bade, David Baker, Paul Blake [ More ]Director:
Mervyn NelsonWriter:
Mervyn NelsonProducers:
Marty Richards, John LauricellaCinematographer:
Tony MitchellEditors:
Angelo Ross, Richard CadenasProduction Designer:
Ray MenardProduction Companies:
Bluebird Productions, Limited, Cutler Griffin AssociatesThe film's working title was The Bar. The credits above were taken from a partially viewed print at the Library of Congress. The title refers to the cliché "but some of my best friends are gay," which is considered by many to be a homophobic expression. The end credits include acknowledgments and thanks to several individuals and restaurants: Lt. Periwig, Mary Imperato, Allen Litke, O'Neals, Nepentha and Thursday's, as well as St. Paul's Cathedral "and all the boys at the bar."
The story runs for approximately ten minutes before the opening credits. As noted in the end credits, the bar in which much of the film's action takes place, called the Blue Jay in the story, was actually the Zodiac bar in Manhattan. As noted in reviews, Some of My Best Friends Are..., the first film to be written and directed by Mervyn Nelson, was shot entirely in New York City. Actor Carleton Carpenter, who portrayed "Miss Untouchable" in the picture, had been acting sporadically on television for many years and had not acted in feature films since 1959, when he appeared in Up Periscope (see below).
Many critics compared Some of My Best Friends Are... unfavorably to the 1970 film (and earlier play) Boys in the Band (see above), which also dealt in a realistic way with gay life. The critic for Village Voice, which reviewed Some of My Best Friends Are... for a Jun 1979 revival, called it the "Grand Hotel of [gay] ghetto drama," in reference to its multiple, intertwining story lines that somewhat emulated ...
The film's working title was The Bar. The credits above were taken from a partially viewed print at the Library of Congress. The title refers to the cliché "but some of my best friends are gay," which is considered by many to be a homophobic expression. The end credits include acknowledgments and thanks to several individuals and restaurants: Lt. Periwig, Mary Imperato, Allen Litke, O'Neals, Nepentha and Thursday's, as well as St. Paul's Cathedral "and all the boys at the bar."
The story runs for approximately ten minutes before the opening credits. As noted in the end credits, the bar in which much of the film's action takes place, called the Blue Jay in the story, was actually the Zodiac bar in Manhattan. As noted in reviews, Some of My Best Friends Are..., the first film to be written and directed by Mervyn Nelson, was shot entirely in New York City. Actor Carleton Carpenter, who portrayed "Miss Untouchable" in the picture, had been acting sporadically on television for many years and had not acted in feature films since 1959, when he appeared in Up Periscope (see below).
Many critics compared Some of My Best Friends Are... unfavorably to the 1970 film (and earlier play) Boys in the Band (see above), which also dealt in a realistic way with gay life. The critic for Village Voice, which reviewed Some of My Best Friends Are... for a Jun 1979 revival, called it the "Grand Hotel of [gay] ghetto drama," in reference to its multiple, intertwining story lines that somewhat emulated the 1932 M-G-M film Grand Hotel (see above). The film was also revived in New York in Jun 1995 as part of a "vintage camp" series in Greenwich Village, according to Village Voice." Modern sources add Calvin Culver and John Hartnett to the cast.
On Christmas Eve in New York City, a gay bar called the Blue Jay is decorated for the holidays as regulars and new customers come and go, while employees such as Sadie Holzer and Helen, nicknamed "Mildred Pierce," happily anticipate the evening. Chemical engineer Barrett Hartman, whose wife has seen a matchbook her husband took from the Blue Jay and struck him, tries to tell his young, Swiss-born lover, Michel Mireaux that they must break up. Wealthy manufacturer Marvin Hocker comes into the bar with Jim Paine, his straight companion, a hustler with whom he plans to leave for Europe the next day. Meanwhile, faded, middle-aged blonde Lita Joyce arrives with a group of young men. When she sees Scott, a gay airline pilot with whom she once had an affair, she seethes over the fact that Scott prefers the attentions of young commercial artist Terry Nabour. After Jim becomes disgusted by the homosexuals at the bar, he asks Karen to dance, not realizing that Karen is actually a transvestite named Harry. When Jim finally discovers Karen's true identity, he flies into a rage and pummels him, after which the police arrive and force Jim to leave the bar. Meanwhile, in retaliation for Scott's lack of interest in her, Lita has secretly called Terry's mother and invited her to join him at the bar. When Terry's mother arrives and realizes that he is gay, she chastises him, says he is "dead" to her, then leaves. As Terry is consoled by Scott, Barrett leaves the bar to return to his wife, causing Michel to drink himself unconscious. Later, Barrett changes ...
On Christmas Eve in New York City, a gay bar called the Blue Jay is decorated for the holidays as regulars and new customers come and go, while employees such as Sadie Holzer and Helen, nicknamed "Mildred Pierce," happily anticipate the evening. Chemical engineer Barrett Hartman, whose wife has seen a matchbook her husband took from the Blue Jay and struck him, tries to tell his young, Swiss-born lover, Michel Mireaux that they must break up. Wealthy manufacturer Marvin Hocker comes into the bar with Jim Paine, his straight companion, a hustler with whom he plans to leave for Europe the next day. Meanwhile, faded, middle-aged blonde Lita Joyce arrives with a group of young men. When she sees Scott, a gay airline pilot with whom she once had an affair, she seethes over the fact that Scott prefers the attentions of young commercial artist Terry Nabour. After Jim becomes disgusted by the homosexuals at the bar, he asks Karen to dance, not realizing that Karen is actually a transvestite named Harry. When Jim finally discovers Karen's true identity, he flies into a rage and pummels him, after which the police arrive and force Jim to leave the bar. Meanwhile, in retaliation for Scott's lack of interest in her, Lita has secretly called Terry's mother and invited her to join him at the bar. When Terry's mother arrives and realizes that he is gay, she chastises him, says he is "dead" to her, then leaves. As Terry is consoled by Scott, Barrett leaves the bar to return to his wife, causing Michel to drink himself unconscious. Later, Barrett changes his mind and returns to the Blue Jay but by that time the bar has closed and Barrett sadly turns away, not knowing that Michel is still inside.
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