Behind The Candelabra   

Not the life story of Liberace - although it turned out to be virtually that anyway - but the story of his tempestuous affair with his "chauffeur" Scott Thorson. I was bowled over by what an absolutely fantastic, gripping and emotional film this was - I've seen some quite good films this year, but I doubt if I'll see one much better than this.

Basically it's a love story - how it starts, how it develops and how it gradually turns sour, the recriminations and the aftermath, as we see Liberace in his death bed struck down by AIDS, but there is enough human decency left for them to make friends. It could all so easily have been very boring - but what made it riveting for me was the fact that it was a gay love affair - something virtually unexploited in films as far as I know, and intrinsically so interesting to have such an unusual insight into such otherwise humdrum story lines. The other thing that made it so special of course was the ultra extravagance of Liberace's lifestyle and professional performance.

The full range of human emotions and behaviours was on show and I'll pick out two of my favourite moments. Firstly, the utter bitchiness of gay men - when Scott arrives on the scene and Liberace's current lover sulks and scowls - and then the scene is repeated beautifully when Liberace grows tired of Scott, and it's Scott's turn to sulk and scowl - and not that Scott wasn't warned! My second favourite moment is after Liberace's mother dies and he feels metaphorically let off the chain and so he takes Scott on a lurid expedition to a sex shop, which is much against Scott's taste and which flies in the face of decades of careful propaganda by Liberace's manager to the effect that he isn't gay.

There are further dichotomies to be savoured. Firstly, it's hard to imagine this film being made at all a few years ago, because not only would Liberace or his estate protest vigorously, but the subject matter is so far out on the left field and beyond the compass of the average Daily Mail reader that I just think it would have been shelved. Secondly, there is the irony that with the current paraphernalia about gay marriage, it's quite possible to think that in a few year's time this film wouldn't be made because people just wouldn't see anything outlandish in it at all. Indeed, much of the film's force was because Liberace came from an era when it was public suicide to admit you were gay, so in an era when all is above board and on the table, this film would be pointless.