Staircase (1969)
It’s not politically correct nowadays to admit that Staircase is an accurate depiction of homosexual behavior, but it is. Oddly enough, the people who will get the most offended by this movie are the people who hold signs in protest before finding out what the cause is. If you’ve spent time in San Francisco, worked in the theatre business, or had very close friendships with gay men, you’ll be shocked at the realism in this script and the guts it took to film it. Screenwriter Charles Dyer admitted to using himself and his partner as inspiration, adding even more authenticity.
Both Richard Burton and Rex Harrison were at the peak of their popularity in the late 1960s. Dick attracted publicity from his marriage to the most beautiful woman in the world, and Rex had just won an Academy Award. Just imagine how much courage it took to accept these roles in 1969, and to act without patronizing or ridiculing their characters. There’s a lot of humor in this movie, but you never laugh at anyone. When you laugh, it’s because of the witty quips that come out of Rex’s mouth, his “God help us all and Oscar Wilde” and “I should rub a dub.” There’s so much tragedy in the story itself, it’s hard to watch at times.
The men play lovers of decades living together in the flat above their barbershop. Dick’s invalid mother, Cathleen Nesbitt, lives with them but believes they’re merely good friends. She repeatedly asks her son when he’s going to meet a nice girl and get married. Richard has to bear it all with pain as he changes her diaper, dresses her, feeds her, and puts on her makeup. To top it all off, he has a terrible insecurity about his appearance (which no doubt hit home for him) and has to endure Rex teasing him about it. As we say on the Board of Directors at the Hot Toasty Rag Awards, “What does it take?” Richard Burton took home his second Rag Award for this heartbreaking performance.
It could be argued that Rex Harrison didn’t do very much acting in this role because he always came across as effeminate in his movies. But in Staircase, he’s not just Professor Higgins with a limp wrist. He has moments of pain and insecurity, too, and he’s sometimes embarrassed about his lifestyle. He repeatedly mentions his pride of having fathered a child; “See, I’m perfectly normal,” he says. And after visiting his very religious mother in a nursing home, he bursts into tears. Rex also won a Rag Award for his performance, the best of his career.
The chemistry between the two leads immerses you immediately. The opening scene shows the pair giving each other a morning hot towel and massage in the barber’s chair. Neither one says a word, and you immediately understand their relationship. As they dance around each other’s issues, pushing buttons and soothing pains, we can imagine them getting together when they were younger. Rex was young and handsome, Dick was supportive and flattering. Rex liked to fling insulting barbs, Dick liked to be the sufferer. Thirty years later, Rex is still preoccupied with his looks, and he still verbally hurts his partner. Dick still accepts the pain as what he thinks he deserves, and he’s still extremely supportive when Rex’s chips are down.
As the title song says, “Help me climb life’s staircase.” You’ll see two phenomenal performances as they truly show you a slice of life in a homosexual relationship during a time when Hollywood was just starting to include gay characters in films for the first time. One of the best pictures of 1969, it’s a perfect catalyst to the “all bets are off” decade of the 1970s. You’ve probably never heard of this movie, but if you think you can watch it with an open mind, find yourself a copy.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "john S" for posting!
More Richard Burton movies here!
More Rex Harrison movies here!
Both Richard Burton and Rex Harrison were at the peak of their popularity in the late 1960s. Dick attracted publicity from his marriage to the most beautiful woman in the world, and Rex had just won an Academy Award. Just imagine how much courage it took to accept these roles in 1969, and to act without patronizing or ridiculing their characters. There’s a lot of humor in this movie, but you never laugh at anyone. When you laugh, it’s because of the witty quips that come out of Rex’s mouth, his “God help us all and Oscar Wilde” and “I should rub a dub.” There’s so much tragedy in the story itself, it’s hard to watch at times.
The men play lovers of decades living together in the flat above their barbershop. Dick’s invalid mother, Cathleen Nesbitt, lives with them but believes they’re merely good friends. She repeatedly asks her son when he’s going to meet a nice girl and get married. Richard has to bear it all with pain as he changes her diaper, dresses her, feeds her, and puts on her makeup. To top it all off, he has a terrible insecurity about his appearance (which no doubt hit home for him) and has to endure Rex teasing him about it. As we say on the Board of Directors at the Hot Toasty Rag Awards, “What does it take?” Richard Burton took home his second Rag Award for this heartbreaking performance.
It could be argued that Rex Harrison didn’t do very much acting in this role because he always came across as effeminate in his movies. But in Staircase, he’s not just Professor Higgins with a limp wrist. He has moments of pain and insecurity, too, and he’s sometimes embarrassed about his lifestyle. He repeatedly mentions his pride of having fathered a child; “See, I’m perfectly normal,” he says. And after visiting his very religious mother in a nursing home, he bursts into tears. Rex also won a Rag Award for his performance, the best of his career.
The chemistry between the two leads immerses you immediately. The opening scene shows the pair giving each other a morning hot towel and massage in the barber’s chair. Neither one says a word, and you immediately understand their relationship. As they dance around each other’s issues, pushing buttons and soothing pains, we can imagine them getting together when they were younger. Rex was young and handsome, Dick was supportive and flattering. Rex liked to fling insulting barbs, Dick liked to be the sufferer. Thirty years later, Rex is still preoccupied with his looks, and he still verbally hurts his partner. Dick still accepts the pain as what he thinks he deserves, and he’s still extremely supportive when Rex’s chips are down.
As the title song says, “Help me climb life’s staircase.” You’ll see two phenomenal performances as they truly show you a slice of life in a homosexual relationship during a time when Hollywood was just starting to include gay characters in films for the first time. One of the best pictures of 1969, it’s a perfect catalyst to the “all bets are off” decade of the 1970s. You’ve probably never heard of this movie, but if you think you can watch it with an open mind, find yourself a copy.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "john S" for posting!
More Richard Burton movies here!
More Rex Harrison movies here!
Hot Toasty Rag Awards:
Best Actor of 1969: Richard Burton
Best Supporting Actor: Rex Harrison
Hot Toasty Rag Nominations:
Best Picture
Best Supporting Actress: Cathleen Nesbitt
Best Dramatic Screenplay