Beautiful Thing
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| Beautiful Thing | |
|---|---|
 Australian promotional poster for the film release |
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| Directed by | Hettie MacDonald |
| Produced by | Tony Garnett Bill Shapter |
| Written by | Jonathan Harvey |
| Starring | Linda Henry Meera Syal Glen Berry Martin Walsh Steven M. Martin Scott Neal Tameka Empson |
| Music by | John Altman |
| IMDb profile | |
Beautiful Thing is a play written in 1993 by Jonathan Harvey and the 1995 Channel Four production (Film4 Productions) based on the play, with a screenplay revised by Harvey. Initially, the movie was only intended for television broadcast, but it was so well-received that it was later released theatrically. It is arguably the first film to show a realistic same-sex romance between two gay teens, and features many homosexual themes.
[edit] Plot
The story is set and filmed in Thamesmead, a working class area of South East London.
Jamie (Glen Berry), a teen who is infatuated with his classmate, Ste (Scott Neal), has to deal with his single mother Sandra (Linda Henry), who is occupied with her ambitious plans to open her own pub, and with her ever-changing lovers, the latest of whom is Tony (Ben Daniels), a neo-hippie. Sandra finds herself at odds with Leah (Tameka Empson), a sassy and rude neighbor girl who has been expelled from school, does several drugs, and constantly listens and sings along to her mother's Cass Elliot records. While Jamie's homosexuality remains concealed, his introvert nature and dislike of football are reason enough for his classmates to bully him at every opportunity.
Ste, who is living together with his drug-trafficking brother and his abusive and alcoholic father in the apartment next door, one night gets beaten by his brother so badly that Sandra takes pity and lets him sleep over.
Lacking a third bed, Ste has to make do with sleeping top-to-toe with Jamie. On the second night they share a bed, after a massage and a minor conversation, the boys soon change sleeping arrangements, lying side by side, and Jamie kisses Ste for the first time.
The next morning, Ste panics and leaves before Jamie awakens, avoiding him for days. Jamie works up the nerve to steal a Gay Times from a news shop, apparently starting to accept his sexuality and his affection for Ste. Jamie finally spots Ste at a nearby party and confronts him; they prepare to leave together. The party ends badly though, with Sandra taking vengeance on Leah for gossiping, who then spills the beans about Ste and Jamie. Ste reacts poorly, angrily rejecting Jamie and running away.
Slowly, Ste accepts Jamie's love and their relationship develops as they visit a gay pub together. Sandra follows them and discovers their secret, and the movie reaches its climax as a bad trip by Leah (on an unnamed drug) precipitates Sandra's breakup with Tony; the news of Sandra's new job comes out; and Sandra confronts Ste and Jamie. Sandra comes to accept her son's relationship.
The movie ends with the two boys slow-dancing in the courtyard of their council flats to the tune of the Cass Elliot classic, Dream a Little Dream of Me, while a guarding Sandra dances defiantly at their side with Leah, as the local residents look on, some of them shocked, some of them enjoying the moment themselves.
[edit] Theatrical productions
The film is based on Jonathan Harvey's original play script.
- 28 July, 1993: Beautiful Thing was first performed at the Bush Theatre, London, dircted by Hettie McDonald. It featured Patricia Kerrigan, Mark Letheren, Jonny Lee Miller, Sophie Stanton and Philip Glenister.
- September 1994: The play opened in the West End at the Duke of York's Theatre, with Amelda Brown, Zubin Varla, Richard Dormer, Diane Parish and Rhys Ifans.
- February 1998: The Australian premiere was directed by Michael Darragh and produced by Make Believe Productions in Sydney. A Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival event, the critically-acclaimed independent production starred Fiona Harris, Simon Corfield, Andrew Wallace, Natalie Murray and Charles Kevin.
- 16 May, 1998: The American premiere was produced by Famous Door Theater Company in Chicago, Illinois.
- 14 February 1999: New York premiere: Cherry Lane Theatre in New York, New York.
- July-September 2006: A production of Beautiful Thing takes place at the Sound Theatre in London starring Jonathan Bailey, Gavin Brocker, Steven Meo, Carli Norris and Michelle Terry.
- September 2007: A production of Beautiful Thing will take place at the South London Theatre.
