Some of My Best Friends Are...

I wish we knew more about Mervyn Nelson, the writer and director of this one... apparently he wrote a ground-breaking film on jazz around 1950, and another ground-breaking chapter of gay life back in the day. This is totally a snapshot of gay (mostly underground at the time) life in 1971. some drag, some straight-acting, some camp. and a thank you to a very young Rue McClanahan and Fannie Flagg for being a part of this. This is a good picture of people in a gay bar at various stages of acceptance; some are at peace with who they are... some are in denial, some are having conversations about being unsure of just where things are in their life. Christmas Eve, in a gay bar. Emotions. The hustler chooses a dance partner, but then has buyer's remorse. Fights. Ups, Downs. laughter. sorrow. Probably the biggest name here is Gary Sandy, much better known as the station manager in WKRP. and Gil Gerard was also Buck Rogers. It wasn't an easy time for gay folk. even the bars could be dangerous, two years after the stonewall riots in New York City. an honest look at gay life in the city, back in the day. Good stuff. an honest picture of gay life in 1971.

This title is just another of the many gay oriented flicks that needs to be released on disc. (Dinah East and Boys In The Band are two others.) I use to live in Birmingham where Flannie Flagg is from so when this movie first played there, we went to see it, not really knowing what to expect. I was thoroughly entertained, although every time I see Carlton Carpenter, I think of he and Debbie Reynolds doing "Aba Daba Honeymoon" in the 1950 Two Weeks With Love starring Jane Powell. Anyway, getting back to this movie, Rue, of course, went on to be known best for her Golden Girls role and Gary Sandy in WKRP in Cincinnati. Since it has been so many years since Some Of My Best Friends Are, was released, it's hard to remember that much about the movie so hopefully some film distributor can acquire the rights for a DVD release.

I typed the script for SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS ARE right after grad school at UCLA for Mervyn Nelson. Moved to NY on 8/15/69 (missed WOODSTOCK at the airport) and eventually found a life in NY. When Mervyn made the film I had already been friends with Candy Darling through an incredibly interesting workshop Mervyn ran. Also in the class were Sylvia Sims, Thao Panglis (soap star) and Eric (Hank) Estrada.

I was in a fantasy scene in the film, and found the whole shooting process a great deal of fun, especially with people like Fanny Flagg and Rue McClanahan around. It opened, disappeared and was never heard of again, unless Marty Richards knows who owns it now. I think as a piece of history in gay films, this should not be forgotten. The NY Times got it right in their initial review. Sad, sad, sad.....but it laid the ground for WILL AND GRACE and BROTHERS. SO WHERE CAN I GET A COPY OF IT?

This film now plays a lot of gay film festivals..billed as.... " The movie you love to hate"! Of course it now looks very politically incorrect. But there was a time that it really was like this. I know..I was there! P.S. It's so much fun to see so many people who went on to greater things. Michael Bluegrass

Yes, 1970s gay life was no picnic but it was not as bad as presented in this dark movie. But I suppose it could be this way in some situations. Too bad it was not more balanced through use of some positive characters. I was surprised to see some long-time as well as up-and-coming entertainers in this movie: Carlton, Rue and Gil. And the filming technique resembled the handheld shooting technique of more recent horror movies.