What are elicit sex, men in drag, disco, coming out,
AIDS, drugs, gay-bashing and dramatic speeches by the repressed and depressed? The answer:
gay male film plots. But none of these are the main focus of the Sacramento Gay and
Lesbian Film Festival men’s film selection for the 2000 season. Instead festival
attendees will be treated to a rare glimpse into the next evolution of gay and lesbian
cinematography.
"Swallows has a strong male story line and a crowd-pleasing ending," says Tom
Swanner, co-chair of the Festival’s film selection committee. "For me,
personally, I liked that no one in the film really has a problem with gay people. It
reminds me of those wonderful 1950s romantic comedies--lots of misunderstandings, a few
deceptions and no AIDS clinics getting fire-bombed."
The story revolves around an intricate and well-developed mixture of gay and straight
characters, in a romantic hideaway near the small California town of San Juan Capistrano.
They, unlike in many gay-themed movies, coexist peacefully, free from the stereotypical
gay scene and the ever present hetero-bashing given to most modern gay productions.
Hank (Stephen Macht) the proprietor of Swallows, has invited his ex-lover Pietro (Joel
Brooks), whom he hasn’t seen in 20 years, to cater a wedding. While the champagne is
chilling, Hank recounts the tangle of fun and romantic events that have lead up to the
wedding about to take place. But the question left to viewers is: Who is tying the knot?
It could be the beautiful America (Justina Machado), who’s waiting for her live-in
lover Paul (Matthew Kimbrough), to propose. But Paul is having an affair with the mature
earth-mother Mimi (Susan Kellerman). But Mimi is distracted by a visit from her fast-track
gay son, Eddie (Mark Kiely) who is leaving for New York--if he can get his car running
again. But while the car’s getting fixed, Eddie discovers the town’s
semi-closeted fix-it man Jeff (Kevin McCorkle) who, to complicate matters, just happens to
be Paul’s brother.
Thankfully the films director, Harvey Marks, working closely with screenwriter Dennis
Rodriguez, keeps the film from becoming a farce which would have detracted from the
romantic elements that are so carefully balanced within the story line. Having already
produced documentaries like Silent Pioneers, a study of gay senior citizens and AIDS:
Profile of an Epidemic, Marks was determined his first feature film would deal with the
gay experience without reinventing the standard gay-theme formula once again.
"I didn’t want to do a movie about AIDS or gay seniors or coming out.
That’s all part of my own experience, but I’ve done those movies already.
Personally, I didn’t even want to see another coming-out movie," stated Marks.
"I didn’t want to make a movie about death and dying, either--gay people have
seen enough of that in their own lives. I wanted to make a film that was light, romantic
and sweet."
"Most of the gay films I’d seen in recent years no longer spoke to me,"
said Marks. "For many of us, coming out is no longer an issue, and AIDS--if we have
been fortunate enough to survive it--has become a less consuming concern as it comes
closer to being under control. I’d dealt with both these topics in the past myself,
and now wanted to push on into new territory."
This included more than simply avoiding cliches. It also meant not focusing exclusively on
the young, buff and beautiful. The characters are a welcoming mix of gay and straight,
young and old, lean and bearish. Swallows carefully chosen cast reflects these elements
and each brings a wealth of experience to their roles with an expansive list of film and
television credits. Stephen Macht (The Crucible, Saint Joan); Joel Brooks, (Indecent
Proposal, Stir Crazy); Justina Machado (ER, NYPD Blue); Matthew Kimbrough (Cobb, Fletch
Lives) Susan Kellerman, (The Devil’s Advocate, Dear John); Mark Kiely (Lois &
Clark, Sliders);Kevin McCorkle (Stroker Ace, As The World Turns); Viveka Davis (Seinfeld,
The Single Guy).
"Too many gay movies pander to the urban gay audience," Marks comments.
While new territory was something Marks and those who worked on the 15-day film shoot were
attempting to map out, a greater question would eventually need to be asked: Were
audiences ready for this new level of cinema? Were gay and lesbian movie-goers ready to
"evolve" into a movie not brimming with repressive angst?
Initially, Swallows would prove to be a hard sell. Some Film Festival programmers were
less than welcoming. Critics who were used to formula-driven gay films had mixed
reactions. But audiences loved it. In Philadelphia, Miami Beach and Palm Springs the doors
opened for Swallows and soon it was being requested in London and Torino.
"Swallows is a very happy addition to the [Sacramento] festival," says Swanner.
"[We] enjoyed the film and found it the strongest entry. It’s a romantic comedy
and that will be a nice contrast with the dramatic women’s feature and Paragraph
175--a very heavy documentary dealing with the internment of gays during the
Holocaust."
Swallows is a warm-hearted, romantic--and best of all--intelligent film that will
inevitably win the hearts of Sacramento Film Festival audiences with its subtle charm and
inviting characters. Its twists and turns will delight and surprise and it will leave
everyone with a smile and a renewed belief in love. |
