Behind the Candelabra (TV)

Drama about the secret affair Liberace (played terrifically by Douglas despite being a little too old and thin) had with a Scott Thorson (played by Damon, who is terrific as well, but is also too old for the role), a man nearly 40-years his junior. Based on Thorson's memoir of the same name (but subtitled "My Life with Liberace"), lending itself to be a story inevitably driven more by perspective than fact. Screened theatrically overseas, but Hollywood dubbed it "too gay" for its native USA so HBO aired it instead. Outside of the serious scenes, the film is an otherwise lighthearted portrayal of the lavish life Liberace pursued with a companion that he was forced to pretend was his adopted son instead of his partner or husband. Really good film for the masses; but at the end of the day, it's still another gay-movie made by straight people—it didn't work when white people were writing sitcoms about black families, why do straight people think they can properly execute a meaningful story about gay people? Let the many talented gay people in the business take a shot at making a film about their culture and history that will appeal to people of all sexual preferences. Perhaps we're not ready for it yet... it's obvious Hollywood isn't.