[ TORCH SONG TRILOGY / QUEER CINEMA ]

[ Writer's Note: I first met Torch Song Trilogy director Harvey Fierstein in January of 1989. I had just graduated from college and started working as the graphics editor for the Denton-Record Chronicle and convinced the management to let me take a crack at film writing. We met at a party the night before an AIDS benefit screening of his film and I was immediately charmed by him. Even though I was no where near being "out" at this point, Harvey saw right through my closet door and knew immediately he had found family. The following interview first appeared in Lone Star Beat magazine, a monthly "alternative" publication I co-edited. Due to the subject matter of the film, along with the fact that it never actually played in Denton, theRecord-Chronicle was reluctant to give a gay movie any ink, so, needless to say, my interview and review never saw the light of day on its pages. Keep in mind, this was written nine years ago and I'd like to think I've grown a bit as a writer since then. Enjoy. ]

At the top of Hollywood's most undaunted list,Torch Song Trilogy's flamboyant creator talks about sex, thugs and shocking roles

B Y T O D D C A M P

  When I walked into the room, I thought I had made a wrong turn somewhere. There were several print journalists hovering over notepads as camera crews snaked cables around and adjusted their sun-bright lights.

  My interview was with Harvey Fierstein, creator of the Tony Award-winning play Torch Song Trilogy, and one of Hollywood's most vocal gay performers.

  And though the film version of his hit play is what brought him to Dallas, the TV folks were more interested in his reactions to the Judge Hampton hearing going on that day.

[ Writer's note: Hampton was the Dallas judge who gave a lighter sentence to a pair of thugs convicted of assault because their victim happened to be gay. ]

  Fierstein was happy to oblige.

  "A crime has been committed against humanity because this judge has said through his actions, that petty prejudice and bigotry are acceptable."

  After recounting the story of his own lover's gay bashing only a few days before, he said that the real gay bashers were the leaders of America.

  "Ronald Reagan for six years did not say the word AIDS. That is unacceptable," he said. "As human beings, we cannot accept that kind of behavior."

  As the TV crews cleared out he asked for an ashtray.

  "I don't have to be no role model now," he said with a deep, gravelly that sounds like he's already puffed one cigarette too many.

  Torch Song is the story of Arnold Beckoff, a gay man making his living as a drag queen, excuse me, female impersonator.

  The film stars Brian Kerwin as Arnold's first relationship; Matthew Broderick as his first true love and Anne Bancroft as his overpowering Jewish mother. The movie was directed by veteran All in the Family director Paul Bogart.

  "I interviewed just about every director in Hollywood. I wanted the best," Fierstein said. "A friend recommended Paul so I set up an interview. I had a done dozens of them that day and I had a lunch break, so I took a shower. Paul was early and called from downstairs. So I put on a see-through, floor-length robe and opened the door and he just looked at me and said, 'Well, this is our first meeting. The least you could do is cover your breasts.' And I knew I had my director right then."

  Broderick's role as Arnold's love interest is a new direction for the young actor, though not his first experience with the play. Broderick played Arnold's adopted gay son on Broadway, but his age made him look a bit too old for the part.

  "Working with him was an adjustment at first," Fierstein said taking a long drag on his cigarette. "He'd get into bed and I would tuck him in and leave the room. And I'd say, 'Oh, wait, he's my lover now.' "

  I worked up a real crush on him. I was madly, I mean obnoxiously in love with him. And we had a great time making the movie. But the day that we finished filming, he came to my house that night and I went, 'Oh, shit, he's back to being my friend.' "

  [ Writer's note: Read about Broderick's take on the role after the end of the interview. ]

One of the most refreshing things in the film is that being gay is never looked upon as different in Torch Song.

  "One of the gay papers I read said that the most remarkable thing about it is how absolutely normal it is to be gay in the film. A lot of movies try to have you laugh at the antics of those wacky gays. But in this film, the issue was never being gay or not being gay. Gay was accepted. The humor lies in its honesty. If you're truthful about life, there's comedy and tragedy in every moment of it."

  Torch Song Trilogy was distributed by New Line Cinema, a small distribution company most recognized for its popular Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, but also for its open-mindedness in chancy endeavors like the films of John Waters.

  Though securing the distributor was fairly trouble-free, gathering funds to make the film posed some problems.

  "The publicity of AIDS was part of the problem," Fierstein said. "People think if you talk about gays, you have to talk about AIDS. That's the most horrible lie the press has foisted on us. I'm more than a high risk factor."

  Since the film is set in a time before the virus was ever known about, viewers may be surprised at the playful promiscuity of the characters. But Fierstein thinks the real shocker for most non-gay audiences will be the affection the players express for each other.

  "When Matthew did the kissing scene with Brian, he came to me and said, 'Can I just jerk him off?' Affection between men is harder to accept than sex between men," he said. "And that was the point of why we made the movie the way we did."

Matthew Broderick on his first experience with the stage version ofTorch Song Trilogy: "At the time, I did have some agent saying, 'Since this is your first job, maybe you shouldn't do it because it will type you as a ... whatever.' That goes against my morals to say, 'I want to cut off any gay roles.' I didn't like that idea. But more than that, I wanted to work, and I really liked the play. I suppose some people might have been afraid. I wasn't. I got more stuck as Ferris Bueller than I ever did as a gay adolescent."