Bent Reviews

Gay Pride?

Having been on the Gay Pride March four days ago, I remarked to my friends that we don't need Gay Pride as much today as we have come such a long way? Then I saw this film! Having seen the play, twice, I thought the film would not cut the mustard. How wrong, it is equally harrowing and horrific. How dare I forget? How easy is it to be complacent? A must see for everyone, especially queer sexual men.

Important play becomes a brilliant film

Prior to Martin Sherman’s 1978/9 play of the title, almost nothing about the “homosexual” experience of the WWII Holocaust had been covered, discussed or made public by historians. It took Sherman’s play to turn all of that around. Now we largely recognise that the WWII Holocaust had many victims who were executed or tortured for many ‘reasons’ and these included perceived sexual orientation, religion and so forth. Knowing that this film is based on a play of some importance helps the viewer to recognise and relate to the ways in which is it is filmed. This is theatre turned into film.

The story is wonderful and is one of best love stories I’ve seen on film, it is harrowing and tender all at once. The direction is also very much theatrical. This is not a documentary-style film which seeks to recreate every part of the Death Camp horrors; rather it does not try to compete with historical footage in its gravity. It produces an otherworldly style to the characters’ experiences and a highly ‘theatre style’ of direction.

In short, this is a clever, beautiful film about love, horror and indeed the legacy of the WWII Holocaust for all of us today to fight the kind of racist, homophobic and despicable ideas, which sadly we still see now.

Labelled as “homosexual” or not, this historic gay theatre play has become a marvellous, touching and worthy film for us all to remember the horrors of war.

A harrowing tale of mans inhumanity to man

Beginning in the hedonistic, erotic gay world of pre WW2 Berlin the story quickly moves to the horrific reality of life as a homosexual in Nazi Germany.The brutality and mental torture of the new regime and the individuals who carried out its policies is graphically portrayed by a superb cast.A harrowing tale of mans inhumanity to man and the the strength of the human spirit.

Haunting and terribly sad coming out story

I agree with those who call the movie harrowing. It is, and given its setting you expect that. What really surprised me was the beautiful eroticism of its incredible love scenes. Max and Horst stand to attention and make love to each other without ever touching. Absolutely stunning. It's a very emotional film about finding love and sexual identity. Yes, it's painfully sad, but tries hard to balance despair with hope. The triumph of human feeling over a system that would turn men into robots, sexless beings denied the right to love. Ultimately I found it more depressing than uplifting, but I recommend viewing becasue it's an amazing film. Clive Owen gives a beautiful performance, and Mick Jagger does an interesting turn as a pragmatic drag queen

Dramatic and Moving

This was a very moving film, using the backdrop of the holocaust and the persecution of homosexuals to highlight a complex character. It was gripping.

Harrowing film full of sparking dialogue...

Starting in Pre-war decadent Berlin and finishing in Dachau concentration camp - the film follows the life of one gay man. While the horror of the concentration camp is not fully realised - the dialogue is superb and ably handled by the main leads. Clearly adapted from the stage and produced on a small budget this is nevertheless a film worth watching.

Flawed but redeemed

Perhaps not consistently first rate film making, but this is a movie which grew as it progressed & ended up making one hell of an impression. Some of the credit must go the author & director of course, but my hat goes off to Clive Owen. What a performance! No barnstorming here, just beautifully paced, quality acting that builds & builds. Wonderful stuff! A day later & it keeps coming back to me ? not the dated ?decadent Berlin? scenes, not the oft revisited horrors, but the way an actor can convey so wonderfully the journey his character has to make, and the strength, the revelation, the pain of making that journey.

Love always find a way

Against homophobia and persecution. Prisoners-turned-lovers in a Nazi concentration camp. Is it worthwhile that you had to change and deny yourself in order to survive? Very romantic and different. Mick Jagger as a drag queen.

A deep film which had the ability to make you share their happiness feel their sadness and make you so angry you wanted to jump in the tv to shout.A strong stomach needed for certain bits

Poetic, Terrifying...

Very theatrical with a tender and warm script film. This is not a blockbuster Hollywood film which seeks to recreate every part of the Death Camp horrors but a sensitive low budget movie about the holocaust horror against the homosexuals. Much has been said about what the holocaust was for Jews and gypsies but people forget what it was for gays. This is a good reminder of what it was and makes us to reflect that there are many out there still with that kind of negative attitude against gays.