I was really looking forward to seeing this one. An American independent film directed by Bill Sherwood, Parting Glances was shot in 1984 and released in 1986. It’s widely considered a landmark of gay cinema and is one of the earliest films to address HIV and AIDS.
Robert (John Bolger) works for an international aid organization and is about to leave on a work assignment in Africa. He’ll be leaving behind his partner, a freelance editor named Michael (Richard Ganoung). Michael meanwhile still looks after, and is realizing that he still loves, his ex boyfriend Nick (Steve Buscemi), a rocker who is dealing with AIDS even as his band’s latest video is breaking nationally.
The film uses an unpretentious, slice of life approach to depict the final twenty four hours before Robert is to go, as the three navigate their interesting circle of gay and gay-friendly Manhattan urbanites, Robert and Nick each preparing in his way to leave and Michael preparing to remain.
Life’s odd though. It has a way of blindsiding you with all sorts of stuff you didn’t see coming, as the characters discover during the film’s final moments.
Parting Glances is notable for giving both Kathy Kinney and Steve Buscemi their first major screen roles. Buscemi has stated that he considers his portrayal of Nick to be his finest performance and he is a joy to watch here. His Nick is astutely conceived and played with spirit; a man who, though afflicted, is not one to let the grass grow under his feet and is making the best of his situation. No maudlin self pity to be found. Lots of humour though.
The ever brilliant Kathy Kinney, who went on to fame as Mimi on the Drew Carey Show. is stellar here as fag hag Joan; funny and sensitive by turns. These were star making roles and both actors made the most of them.
Also of interest is the fact that John Bolger played Robert while still a regular on The Guiding Light. He’s great as are the rest of the cast. They evoke all the subtle nuances of love, friendship and gay life in New York at the height of the Reagan years and near the start of the AIDS epidemic in a way that seems effortless and is utterly convincing. During the farewell party I felt as though I were sitting at the table with them.
The soundtrack deserves mention as well. It’s mostly Mahler and Brahms, with three tracks from Bronski Beat included as well, giving the film a true eighties’ feel.
But for me this film had one particularly wonderful scene; one that transported me and continues to tantalize me whenever I think of it.
Michael dozes a couple of times over the course of the movie and both times he has a dream. There is no dialogue and it’s a POV scene where Michael is looking at Nick down a long path that is leafy and dark. Nick walks up to him, face painted and a feather in his hair and, eyes laughing and full of fun, hands Michael a feather of his own. Nick then turns around and goes running and leaping down the path. Catch me if you can, brother.
For me the scene speaks so clearly of the nature of friendship and of how ephemeral it all is. It speaks of how ephemeral we all are and how irreplaceable, but does it without being at all maudlin.
This was first-time director Bill Sherwood’s only feature. He died in 1990 of AIDS-related complications without ever completing another. We are poorer for it. This was someone who could have gone on to do anything.
But he did leave us this film. It was groundbreaking when it was shot and still was at the time of its release. It is invaluable now as a chronicle of the impact of HIV on gay life and on Manhattan society during that era.
I think Parting Glances is a wonderful movie. I recommend it to anyone interested in gay or HIV related cinema, or to anyone interested in watching stellar, career building performances from these actors. But I’d recommend Parting Glances to anyone at all really, just because it’s a really good independent film.