In the Gloaming (1997) (TV)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Christopher Reeve

Writers (WGA):

Alice Elliott Dark (story)
Will Scheffer (teleplay)

Release Date:

20 April 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Danny, dying of Aids, returns home for his last months. Always close to his mother, they share moments...

Plot Keywords:

AIDS | Gay Interest | Based On Short Story | Homosexual | Bereavement

Awards:

Nominated for 5 Primetime Emmys. Another 4 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Glenn Close	...	Janet
Bridget Fonda	...	Anne
Whoopi Goldberg	...	Nurse Myrna
Robert Sean Leonard	...	Danny
David Strathairn	...	Martin
Annie Stark	...	Young Anne
Will Reeve	...	Young Danny

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic elements and language.

Runtime:

Brazil:61 min | Argentina:62 min | USA:67 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:PG | Argentina:13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Westchester County, New York, USA

Company:

Frederick Zollo Productions

Trivia:

Director Christopher Reeve's wife, Dana, sings the song "In The Gloaming" during the credits, and his son plays the boy in the opening scene.

Quotes:

Danny: Come on. Don't tell me you finally asking about my sex life.
Janet: No. I'm asking you about your love life. Did you love? Were you loved?
Danny: Yes.
Janet: Good.

Movie Connections:

References 42nd Street (1933)

Soundtrack:

Danny Boy

Sad and beautiful

My first observation was the beauty of the landscape. The New England area must be one of the most beautiful places on earth, especially in autumn when the leaves turn gold and red. The writers use this fact to their advantage when they set their story in such heavenly surroundings.

Then when I heard the music (piano only) I said to myself this is going to be a sad film, or may be overly sentimental.

As the story progressed, I sensed that here was a family whose members lived independent lives until the son comes home to die of AIDS. In this new situation the family is scarcely able to cope and they employ a nurse (Whoopi Goldberg) as a carer. There is a moving scene where the nurse virtually teaches the mother (Glenn Close) how to express her love towards her sleeping son. "Touch him" she says.

There are many scenes between the mother and son when thoughts about their respective lives are exchanged. It is as if they are getting to know each other for the first time. The dialogue in the film is mainly between mother and son. All the other characters while still important have much less to say.

The film has a gentle quality about it. All the characters repress their thoughts and feelings apart from an occasional outburst of frustration that tends to liven up the sad circumstances. We have seen films about dying AIDS victims before so there is nothing new here, except for the beauty of the setting. All those trees aflame in the sunset and an empty garden seat definitely accent the sadness suffered by the family.