Director of Photography Bill Pope and director Joe Mantello.
Cr. Scott Everett White/NETFLIX ©2020
Joe Mantello keeps it classy.
Trust us, you know his work. As a director, Mantello has overseen the success of iconic Broadway shows including Wicked, Assassins, The Normal Heart and Love! Valor! Compassion! As an actor, the man has earned equal acclaim as an original cast member of Angels in America, on stage in The Glass Menagerie, and recently, in the Netflix series Hollywood.
Now Mantello brings one of his most successful outings to the mainstream. In 2018, he directed a Broadway revival of Mart Crowley’s seminal play, The Boys in the Band. The show won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. Mantello reprises his directorial duties for the new film version, which arrives on Netflix September 30. He also retained the same cast of the stage version–all of them gay men.
Since its off-Broadway debut in 1968, The Boys in the Band has ignited a fierce debate over its story of a group of gay men clashing at an all-night party. While some critics and audiences have hailed it as a landmark, affirming play about gay male culture, others have attacked it as a work of self-loathing and homophobia.
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Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
We snagged some time with Mantello to chat about the play, writer Crowley’s revisions to the script for the 2018 stage version and subsequent film, and the ongoing discussion of how the story portrays its characters. The Boys in the Band comes to Netflix September 30.
Video Editor: David Beerman
Donston
I think the character dynamics and internal conflicts still resonate. But the story itself does feel like a relic. The whole “white ‘gay’ upper middle-class men seclude themselves from the rest of the world” thing doesn’t really resonate today without a hint of irony and self-awareness. And a lot of people are just tired of almost every high-profile “queer project” being set at least thirty years in the past. It’s almost like there’s a safety net if you set everything in yesteryear. There are many interesting stories to be told in today’s world.
marcbruer777
And how many award-winning plays have you penned, MaryEllen?
Donston
That’s a weak ass retort. Wanting “queer art” to evolve and step up with the times is something many of have been begging for.
But I have judged finished a screenplay. Finger crossed.
Heywood Jablowme
“There are many interesting stories to be told in today’s world.”
A play or a movie about young people staring at their phones….
Donston
I’d rather watch that than another project focused on the AIDS epidemic, another adaptation of a 30+ year old work or another “romance” focused on self-understanding and coming to terms with who you want to be with (once again, usually set at least 30 years ago). Not saying those things can’t be good or don’t have no place in today’s world. But at this point it’s beyond a pattern.
Heywood Jablowme
Aside from the AIDS-themed stuff, you seem to be referring to the wildly overrated “Call Me By Your Name,” ugh! – I don’t disagree with you there.
But I think part of the problem you describe is just that queer life in the past had more conflict with the larger world than it generally does now. Assimilation tends to make us physically and emotionally safer, but maybe a little boring for storytelling.
amanwithanedge
you just can’t beat the original.
overitreally
Some plays just do not translate onto film. This is a perfect example. Unfortunately we had to look at some UGLY actors,,,,Andrew and Charlie,,,,,at least heavy makeup covered the other ugly Zachary…………… Matt is always great to see on camera tho. Jim Parsons,,,,,another bitchy queen role,,,, lispy bitchy queen role.
Paulie P
You do realize this is based on the original movie…..The Boys in the Band is a 1970 American LGBT drama film directed by William Friedkin. The screenplay by Mart Crowley is based on his 1968 Off-Broadway play The Boys in the Band.
I am going to guess that you weren’t;t around in 1968 to see the off Broadway play……
Jake123
@overitreally Who hurt you…
Jeduc
This is an extremely unpleasant relationship between “friends”. Nothing healthy as friendship and less as a reflection not even partial of most gay groups. To much bitterness.
garybw
Boys in the Band is relevant in that it reminds us of the struggle to get where we are today.
You say thirty years ago like it wasn’t yesterday.
Yesterday you could be:
Fired from your job for being gay
Thrown in prison for being gay
Not hired for being gay
Receive no proper healthcare
Denied your rights because your gay
I could go on and on…..
But you’re probably bored, I was in the streets fighting for your rights today. I was glad and had a great time throwing bricks for the right to be married and am.
Last thought- if you forget the past, you’re doomed to repeat it.
kevininbuffalo
Everyone keeps saying the play is 30 years old but the original play is 52 years old and just pre-Stonewall. It’s an historical piece. I was 13 when it came out in ’68’ but I remember what it was like in the 70’s. Change came very slowly and then we had Aids on top of it. I’ve never seen the film or the new production. I think I’ll make a point of seeing it today. With the soon to be conservative majority on the Supreme Court it might be a good time for younger LGBTQ’s to see what life was like half a century ago and what it could be again. And a good time for us elders to remember.
Den
I have said it before and i will say it now. The film (I did not see the play) kept me in the closet longer than I otherwise would have been. And I certainly am not the only on for whom that is true.
The Boys in the Band might have some historical importance in openly chronicling the damage society’s primitive beliefs and laws did to gay people, but it is otherwise not in any way groundbreaking as homosexual men were ALWAYS depicted on stage and in film as lesser humans (though their homosexuality was only hinted at through stereotype and innuendo).
My personal journey and coming out would have been much easier had that play never been written. It did no service to gay men, enlightened few and pretty much only inspired pity. And Pity is not the greatest replacement for hatred as both deny the basic humanness and dignity of those they are directed at.
butchdiva
I have to agree with Den that seeing that movie 40 years ago in college, sent me and a lot of bi guys into the closet. And before any of you bitchy guys starts in about how bisexuality doesn’t exist, get a grip on reality because most research shows that there are 2 to 3 times as many of us than there are of you Kinsey 6 guys. We’re the ones who the bigots and “religious right” keep screaming about to “choose” to be straight . After seeing the ultra negative bitchfest on screen, with every possible stereotype and cliche portrayed, it wasn’t a difficult decision to go into the closet with AIDS starting. I suppose it could be said that movie was a huge factor in keeping me away from the disease, but it was a very difficult time made worse because of how negative/loathsome gay lives were. And I’m aware of how fortunate I’ve been because I could “choose” to be “straight” as a result of this original movie.