BEHIND THE CANDELABRA (TV)
Summary
This dark comedy film explores the tumultuous relationship between famous musician Liberace and the much-younger Scott Thorson, based on Thorson's 1988 memoir of the same name. The story begins in 1977 as young Scott, who trains animals for movie stunts, befriends Bob Black in a gay bar. Bob takes Scott to see Liberace in concert, and Scott is immediately awed by "Mr. Showmanship's" musical talents and effortless charisma, though Bob notes that the audience is oblivious to Liberace's obvious homosexuality. Backstage, Liberace's handsome young "protégé" Billy Leatherwood sulks as Bob introduces Scott and "Lee," and the pianist invites them to his palatial home for brunch. Lee is thrilled when Scott, who dreams of becoming a veterinarian, offers to help his ill dog, and Scott describes his difficult childhood as Lee shows him around his home. When Scott returns with the dog's medicine, the two share a hot tub as Lee admits that the ill-tempered Billy is ruining his image and, like so many others, is merely using Lee for his fame and fortune. Feeling that Scott is a compassionate listener, Lee offers to hire him as a general "companion," and the relationship quickly turns sexual when Scott agrees. Scott's guardians, Rose and Joe Carracappa, objective to the suggestive partnership, but Scott soon moves into Lee's home – just as Billy moves out.
In bed, Scott informs Lee that he is also attracted to women, and Lee explains how he reconciles his devout Catholic faith with his attraction to men, explaining that he had a religious vision during a near-death experience. Scott quickly grows accustomed to Lee's extravagant lifestyle, though the houseboy, Carlucci, informs an uncertain Scott that he is merely one in a long series of Lee's young lovers and will soon be ousted, just as Billy was. Lee, however, assures Scott that he cares about his happiness, and it is Carlucci who is soon sent packing. Scott becomes Lee's chauffeur and enjoys a life of sex and drugs, and Lee soon offers to co-sign on a new house for Scott in Las Vegas. By 1979, the two are still happy together, though Lee begins to panic that he is losing his looks and recruits unscrupulous plastic surgeon Dr. Jack Startz to give him a facelift. Scott is taken aback when Lee suggests that he himself have work done – in order to resemble a younger Lee – but Bob urges him to take advantage of the free offer. Both men undergo surgery and Scott begins taking pills as part of Startz's "California diet" weight-loss program, and Lee suggests that he will formally adopt Scott so that they can truly be a family. Scott is disturbed when a fan mistakes him for Lee's son, and he begins to grow restless with their exclusionary lifestyle, complaining that he misses socialization and wishes to resume pursing his dreams of a veterinary career.
In 1981, Scott spends time with Lee's elderly Polish mother Frances and realizes that he is running out of money to fund his ongoing drug addiction. He grows dissatisfied with their sex life, stating that he finds certain acts to be "repugnant," and when Frances dies, Lee admits that he feels "free" for the first time. Scott is outraged when Lee visits a gay sex club, arguing that he is endangering his career with his reckless behavior, and Lee agrees to stop his behavior if Scott will cease seeing Dr. Startz. Scott continues using drugs, however, and when Lee suggests that they should see other people, the relationship devolves into jealousy and frequent arguments, particularly when Lee befriends handsome young singer Cary James. Scott grows enraged about the sacrifices he has made for Lee, including his own original face, and his drug dealer points out that they are "practically married" and Scott is therefore entitled to some financial recompense if the relationship is indeed ending. Scott and Lee share a brief kind moment when Lee comforts him over Rose's death, but when he returns from the funeral, he erupts with fury upon learning that Lee dallied with Cary during his absence.
Lee's manager Seymour Heller enlists a private investigator to help officially kick Scott out of Lee's home, and Scott flies into an angry panic as they confront him. He finally agrees to leave with his many possessions, and he bitterly watches Lee's Academy Awards performance with only his dealer by his side. By 1984, Scott and Lee fight through their lawyers about the technical complexities of their former relationship, with Scott struggling to explain how he was both Lee's honorary son and his lover, and his lawyer eventually informs him that he is entitled to a small monetary settlement on the condition that he never publicly reveal their "marriage," though Scott complains that Billy received more when he was removed from Lee's life. Years pass, and Scott is annoyed to spot more fake press stories about Lee's love affairs with women, but Lee calls him in 1986 and asks him to visit, hinting that the "rumors" are indeed true. Scott visits his mortally-ill ex, and Lee begs him to keep his sickly appearance a secret before sadly asking if he ever truly made Scott happy, and Scott assures him that he did. Lee soon dies and Seymour publicly names "cardiac arrest" as the cause, but Lee's secret is exposed when the health department rejects the falsified death certificate and confirms via autopsy that he died of complications from HIV/AIDS. Scott attends his traditional Catholic funeral, and he smiles as he imagines Lee in his prime, happily performing "The Impossible Dream" and assuring the dazzled crowd that "too much of a good thing is wonderful."
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:58:30
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 116375
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; Comedy; Relationships; LGBT Collection
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV, 2013
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Jerry Weintraub … Executive Producer
- Gregory Jacobs … Producer
- Susan Ekins … Producer
- Michael Polaire … Producer
- Marvin Hamlisch … Executive Music Producer
- David Van Dyke … Visual Effects Executive Producer
- Shane Strickman … Digital Effects Producer
- Paul Lavoie … Digital Intermediate Producer
- Steven Soderbergh … Director
- Richard LaGravenese … Writer
- Alex Thorleifson … Based on the book by
- Scott Thorson … Based on the book by
- Marguerite Derricks … Choreographer
- Michael Douglas … Cast, Wladziu Valentino "Lee" Liberace
- Matt Damon … Cast, Scott Thorson
- Dan Aykroyd … Cast, Seymour Heller
- Scott Bakula … Cast, Bob Black
- Rob Lowe … Cast, Dr. Jack Startz
- Tom Papa … Cast, Ray Arnett
- Paul Reiser … Cast, Scott's Attorney
- Bruce Ramsay … Cast, Carlucci
- Nicky Katt … Cast, Mr. Y
- Cheyenne Jackson … Cast, Billy Leatherwood
- Mike O'Malley … Cast, Tracy Schnelker
- David Koechner … Cast, Adoption Attorney
- Boyd Holbrook … Cast, Cary James
- Debbie Reynolds … Cast, Frances Liberace
- Eric Zuckerman … Cast, Lou
- Eddie Jemison … Cast, Assistant Director
- Randy Lowell … Cast, Director
- Tom Roach … Cast, Stunt Actor
- Shamus Cooley … Cast, Camera Assistant
- John Smutny … Cast, Sound Mixer
- Jane Morris … Cast, Rose Carracappa
- Garrett M. Brown … Cast, Joe Carracappa
- Pat Asanti … Cast, George Liberace
- Casey Kramer … Cast, Dora Liberace
- James Kulick … Cast, Assistant Stage Manager
- Paul Witten … Cast, Make-Up Artist
- Deborah Lacey … Cast, Gladys
- Susan Todd … Cast, Sue
- Austin Stowell … Cast, Backstage Flirt
- Francisco San Martin … Cast, Backstage Flirt
- Anthony Crivello … Cast, Stagehand
- Kiff Vanden Heuvel … Cast, Scott's Half Brother, Wayne
- Nikea Gamby-Turner … Cast, Dorothy
- Charlotte Crossley … Cast, June
- Josh Meyers … Cast, Liberace's Attorney
- Harvey Jacob Alperin … Cast, Joel Strote
- Jerry Clarke … Cast, Dr. Ronald Daniels
- Lisa Frantz … Cast, Anchorwoman
- Shaunt Benjamin … Cast, Health Department Spokesman
- John Philip Kavcak … Cast, Priest at Funeral