Did you people see the same film I saw?

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Mart Crowley hit a home run in his first at bat. This was his first screenplay and first film production. What a job! The dialogue in this film is so crisp and so good that it is virtually impossible to catch all the one-liners and zingers unless you see the movie more than once. I really get annoyed when people say this is the best gay film of all time. That may be true, but this is a great film, not just a great gay film. Leonard Frey is absolutely perfect, Kenneth Nelson runs the gamut of every emotion known to mankind, and does it convincingly. And one vignette with Cliff Gorman has got to move you; whether you are heterosexual or homosexual. Each of the actors gives it everything they have. Happy Birthday Harold.

I too am of the generation this movie portrays even though the actors in the film were born in the 1930's and even 1920's. In watching it again recently I like other reviewers was struck by how many of these characters still exist today in the gay community. Today's young gays would probably think of them as old trolls but they are being dishonest if they do not admit that they are essentially the same way - bitter and self-loathing. We still for example, hear stories of the gay boy who gets run out of his small town or his family or commits suicide. And true, there may not be as many bath houses or tea rooms around but the internet hasn't stopped the promiscuity one bit. And it's still all about looks and youth and petty jealousy and backbiting and yes, racism too. Gays still talk about chocolate queens or rice queens or taco queens, etc. The only real change I can see is something that most gays do not want to acknowledge. The character Alan makes a statement that he really does not care what people do in the private lives as long as they don't force it on others. I think that is true today for many, many people. However, today, it does appear that gays ARE forcing it on society in a way that is unnecessary. I do not know anyone who doesn't think gays are not human or that gays do not deserve rights or who wants to beat gays up, etc. but I do know many who quite frankly are sick and tired of being told that being gay is fantastic or that two men (or women) raising children from infancy is perfectly "normal" and even preferable. In other words, the gay agenda has in many ways sought to supersede the heterosexual. All in all, the film is disturbing and it is sad to see how depressed the characters seem to be but I do not buy the idea that gays are all that happy today either and I really do not think it can all be blamed on society's treatment of the subject either.

I do not believe one must be a "fan of gay films" to enjoy this movie. This is a movie for anyone smart enough to get it. The setting, the script, the acting - superb. I do not feel, in any way, that this film portrays gay men negatively. I think it portrays gay men in 1970...each with their own personality - men who are gay, but are more importantly friends. This film addressed some heavy issues in 1970 and as far as I am concerned, it was a grand slam. Yes, some characters are funny, brutal, flamboyant, intelligent, reserved, critical, lonely, happy, sad, fun loving, caring, angry...again, these men are individuals who happen to be gay. This is still (after 40 years) a thought provoking film, full to the brim with details - the set, the characters, the "language"...this is a special film.

Despite my computer screen name I am a man - a straight man, but my gender and sexual identity is almost immaterial. No matter who we are, we're always looking for acceptance - looking for a kind of (dare I say it), unconditional love that goes beyond our physical attractiveness, our rank in society, our age or even our country of origin. The Boys in the Band takes us to a place where for a little while we can view one of the most insecure segments of society. This isn't just about the world of gay men; It's about all of us. The movie takes us back to a time when being gay was just beginning to be explored and accepted in popular culture, and that is it's genius. If we are to continually grow and flourish, we must always be willing to further explore and accept our own existence.All eyes are on the eccentricities and character defects of these few gay men at a birthday party in New York City. The dialog is certainly brutal, but if we allow ourselves the freedom to identify with them, we can see how utterly vulnerable we really are. Who hasn't felt totally alone and unwanted and responded by lashing out at another soul who is a bit different but in every essential aspect - just like us? Who hasn't wanted to proclaim our insignificance and feelings of inadequacy like Harold does upon the arrival to his birthday party? Who hasn't borne the burden of not having confessed our love for someone from our past? This is the parlor game these men agree to, and it's impact is riveting.This is not a dissection of the gay world of 1970; If we are courageous, it's an exploration of the universal human condition. The movie is timeless for the bravest and most honest of us. It's merely a quaint look back at history for cowards.