Torch Song Trilogy (1988)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Paul Bogart

Writers (WGA):

Harvey Fierstein (play)
Harvey Fierstein (screenplay)

Release Date:

14 December 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

It takes a lot of guts and a helluva sense of humor to live life in Arnold's shoes.

Plot:

Tony Award-winning actor and playwright Harvey Fierstein re-creates his role as the unsinkable Arnold...

Plot Keywords:

Drag Queen | Homosexual | Male Prostitution | Autobiographical | Transvestism

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Anne Bancroft	...	Ma Beckoff
Matthew Broderick	...	Alan Simon
Harvey Fierstein	...	Arnold Beckoff
Brian Kerwin	...	Ed Reese
Karen Young	...	Laurel
Eddie Castrodad	...	David
Ken Page	...	Murray
Charles Pierce	...	Bertha Venation
Axel Vera	...	Marina Del Rey
Benji Schulman	...	Young Arnold Beckoff
Nick Montgomery	...	Chorus Boy #1
Robert Neary	...	Chorus Boy #2
Kim Clark	...	Female Bar Patron #1
Stephanie Penn	...	Female Bar Patron #2
Geoffrey Harding	...	Man with Lighter

Runtime:

120 min | Brazil:114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Hebrew

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-14 (1989) | Finland:K-16 (1992) | Iceland:L | Canada:14A | Canada:G (Quebec) | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Denville, New Jersey, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

The person living next door to the doorway used for the sequence at the end of the movie where the actors are performing in front of Arnold's doorway did not give permission to film outside his home. When the director would shout, "Action," the resident would either put his radio or television really loud, or open his door, thus ruining the shot. The crew got really fed-up with his antics so they nailed his door shut, which caused a law suit to be filed against New Line.

Quotes:

Bertha Vanation: I swear, that queen gives me gas!

Movie Connections:

References What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)

Soundtrack:

Dames

An Intelligent Comedy-Drama for the Politically Correct...

EThe film version of Harvey Fierstein's own play TORCH SONG TRILOGY is an entertaining comedy which, though stretches credibility, remains a watchable motion picture for those who are comfortable watching films dealing with gays and gay issues. The movie is the story of a drag queen named Arnold and how he deals with life offstage through relationships with men and with his overbearing mother (the fabulous Anne Bancroft). As much as I admire Fierstein as a writer and performer, he seems to be suffering that Woody Allen syndrome where he has a rather distorted view of his own sexual attractiveness. Not to be cruel, but I found it hard to swallow that guys who looked like Brian Kerwin and Matthew Broderick would be attracted to a guy who looked like Harvey Fierstein, but if you can accept that, the film is imminently watchable with strong performances from Kerwin, Broderick, Bancroft, and Eddie Castrodad as David, a gay teen that Arnold adopts. Broderick played David in the original production of the play, but in the movie he plays Harvey's lover. An entertaining film with a unique story, a couple of disturbing messages, and some very good performances.