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The Boys in the Band

What it’s about

A tight-knit group of gay male friends reunites at the apartment of Michael (Nelson) in honor of soon-to-arrive celebrant Harold (Frey). But the unexpected appearance of old college pal Alan (White), who is straight, disrupts the occasion. As Michael strives to prove a point to the uptight Alan, who reacts badly to a guest's come-on, the evening turns into a perverse parlor game of discomfiting revelations.

Why we love it

William Friedkin's groundbreaking “Band” was one of the first Hollywood films to directly address the issue of homosexuality, a verboten topic even in the late '60s. Adapted from Mart Crowley's Broadway play, the film is a wonder of witty wordplay and clever twists, paced for bitterly comic effect. The ensemble cast is first-rate, too, but Cliff Gorman and Leonard Frey earn the biggest kudos, respectively playing campy Emory and spiteful Harold with entertaining results.

Kenneth Nelson, Frederick Combs, Leonard Frey, Cliff Gorman, Peter White, Keith Prentice, Reuben Greene William Friedkin

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