Short, White, Pleated (2001)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Georgina Lock

Writer:

Georgina Lock (writer)

Genre:

Comedy | Short

Plot:

When a man's fascination with a skirt makes him a better squash player, his coach decides more personal attention is necessary... in the showers. |

Plot Keywords:

Coach | Squash | Gay Interest | Shower Scene | Athlete

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Sam Talbot	...	Dexter
Amy Lloyd	...	Tamsin
Barry Satchwell	...	Mark

Directed by
Georgina Lock

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Georgina Lock		writer

Produced by
Georgina Lock	....	producer

Original Music by
Jonathan Maris

Cinematography by
Roger Chapman

Film Editing by
Gavin Rees

Runtime:

Germany:10 min | UK:10 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Interesting, with excellent acting from Sam Talbot

Sam (very handsome and very talented newcomer Sam Talbot) is a lackluster squash player. His coach, Mark, only has eyes for Tamsin, a buxom, beautiful female student. It's your typical gay triangle as Sam is clumsy at sports and Tamsin looks down her nose at him while enjoying muscular, handsome Mark's attentions.

Then, one day, the women are forced to use the men's locker room. Tamsin leaves behind her short, white pleated skirt. Sam is enthralled, and puts it on. Mark catches him wearing it. But instead of ridiculing him, Mark is attracted to the man in the skirt.

Although Tamsin comes back for her skirt, Sam manages to obtain possession of it again by spilling soda on it. Pledging to get it dry-cleaned, Sam wears it for Mark. They make love in the showers while Sam wears it. Sam's fascination with the skirt is almost fetishistic, while Mark's lust for Sam in a skirt is powerful and overwhelming.

Tamsin's jealousy roars to the surface.

When Sam no longer has any excuse for obtaining the skirt, Mark unceremoniously dumps him. The bereft Sam is left alone in the showers.

At first, the film plays Sam's fascination with the skirt for laughs. Mark's sudden lust for a transvestite (Sam in the skirt) reverses this dynamic, and turns the film into a lusty sexual adventure instead. The change in tone is a bit abrupt, but it works nonetheless.

The best thing about the film, however, is Mark's sudden rejection of Sam once Sam is a "mere homosexual" again. It's so rare for a film to deal with the aftereffects of fetishism on relationships. Healthy fetishism doesn't objectify human beings. But when a straight man loves the fetish and not the person in it, there can be terrible emotional ramifications. It's the lot of many young gay men, who suddenly find that the other boy didn't like him for him, he liked him for the easy sex or the "humiliating" things he would do in bed or the other things (transvestitism, leather fetish, etc.) that the gay man brought to the relationship. It's a painful lesson, and a side of gay relationships rarely seen on film. It's far more common for films to simply depict shallow men having sex with sensitive lovers who end up with broken hearts. Yes, that happens. But the relationship between fetishists is much more complex, which is why this film is welcome. That it is so effective in depicting this relationship is even better.

Watch too for the simply terrific acting that Sam Talbot brings to the closeted gay character of Sam. His facial expressions are acting gold! His body language, especially in the final shower scene is heart-wrenching. Talbot is superb in this film. You want to watch it over and over, just to see more of his supremely detailed, subtle performance.