Liberace - Too much of a good thing is wonderful
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Liberace - Too much of a good thing is wonderful |
| Original title | Behind the candelabra |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 2013 |
| length | 115 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 12 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Steven Soderbergh |
| script | Richard LaGravenese |
| production |
Susan Ekins , Gregory Jacobs , Michael Polaire |
| music | Marvin Hamlisch |
| camera | Steven Soderbergh (as Peter Andrews) |
| cut | Steven Soderbergh (as Mary Ann Bernard) |
| occupation | |
| |
Liberace - Too much of a good thing is wonderful (Original title: Behind the Candelabra , English for "Behind the Candelabra ") is an American biopic from the director Steven Soderbergh from 2013 . It deals with the life of the star and show pianist Liberace and his relationship with his partner Scott Thorson . The original title Behind the Candelabra refers to the candlestick that was placed on Liberace's piano and was considered its trademark.
action
In the mid-1970s, 17-year-old Scott met the pianist Liberace. Liberace is one of the biggest stars of the American entertainment industry and leads a life of luxury, while Scott comes from a humble background as an adopted child. Young Scott is fascinated by the glamorous world of the star and engages in a love affair with the older man - hidden from the public. Officially employed as a driver, Scott becomes the long-term companion of the exalted star, who among other things has his cosmetic surgeon Dr. Startz was tasked with redesigning Scott's facial features based on his model. After Scott - also through painkillers from Dr. Startz - develops a drug problem and Liberace has an affair with a young dancer from his show, love is broken. Liberace throws Scott out of his house, Scott sues Liberace in return for alimony from a relationship similar to marriage. A few years later Liberace , who is seriously ill with AIDS, has Scott called to him and there is reconciliation on his deathbed.
background
Steven Soderbergh had long planned to make a film about Liberace that would star Michael Douglas. Douglas' cancer delayed the project. The financing of the project caused further difficulties, since the big Hollywood studios saw no potential in the topic and rejected it as too gay . The quarrels with the established film studios on the occasion of the filming prompted the director to say that he did not want to make any more cinema films until further notice. Soderbergh finally got in touch with HBO Films , a subsidiary of the cable broadcaster HBO , which had already realized several unconventional film projects in the past.
The film was shown on US television on May 26, 2013, but had its world premiere a few days earlier at the Cannes Film Festival , where it was enthusiastically received. The score for Behind the Candelabra was the last work by Marvin Hamlisch , who died in August 2012.
Awards
Despite strong portrayals by Douglas and Damon, the film could not be considered for the Oscars , as it had previously been broadcast on television and no studio was available for the film because it was considered "too gay for Hollywood". The film was nominated for fourteen Emmys , of which he could win eleven, including for best film, for best director ( Steven Soderbergh ) and for best leading role ( Michael Douglas ).
Liberace also won Best TV Movie at the Golden Globe Awards , and Michael Douglas was also honored. Douglas also won a Satellite Award . Matt Damon was nominated for Emmy, Golden Globe, BAFTA and Satellite awards, and Rob Lowe also earned a Golden Globe nomination.
Reviews
- Süddeutsche.de 10/2013: “What Michael Douglas delivers as Liberace has just been awarded an Emmy - a great, gorgeous performance, charming and devious, somehow almost seductive. As if Michael Douglas had unlocked himself and could now act without any coercion, a figure who plays with its artificiality and who you believe every second. "
- Zeit.de 09/2013: “Matt Damon and Michael Douglas as a gay Las Vegas couple - that is clearly too much for the eyes. And that's why it's wonderful. "
- For the New York Times , Anthony Tommasini ruled that it would be unfair to Steven Soderbergh's film to compare it to the 1969 documentary The Music - My Life about Artur Rubinstein . A comparison that the film provokes.
Web links
- Liberace - Too much of a good thing is wonderful in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Liberace - the movie
Individual evidence
- ↑ Release Certificate for Liberace - Too much of a good is wonderful . Voluntary self-regulation of the film industry , September 2013 (PDF; test number: 140 779 K).
- ↑ No Oscar for Liberace: http://www.stadtmagazin.com/film-tv/filmkritik-liberace-behind-the-candelabra/3800
- ↑ Lowe earned a Golden Globe nomination ( memento of the original from November 19, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Süddeutsche.de of October 4, 2013
- ^ Zeit.de of September 30, 2013
- ^ The Music Behind Liberace's Capes, Jewels and Candelabra , The New York Times, May 28, 2013.
